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Chapter Four — Sick

Ivanna’s POV

The next morning, I was awoken by a slap from Mary, the head maid.

“Are you crazy?” She spat angrily. “Do you still think of yourself as an important person? How dare you sleep in?!”

“I’m so sorry, Ma’am. Good morning.” I stood up in fear. The pain between my legs made me almost bend over, but I held it in, enduring it as much as I could.

“Enough of your cheap greetings, bitch. What the heck were you thinking? What makes you think you could still be sleeping by this time when your colleagues are out there working their asses off?”

“I’m sorry, Ma’am.” I bowed, holding back my tears.

“Why are you still standing there?” She asked, rushing toward me and pulling my hair. “Get the fuck outside and go do your chores!”

“I will. Please, stop pulling my hair.” She didn’t listen to my pleas and just kept pulling my hair until we were outside and walking into the laundry room.

“Here, sit.” She threw me on the floor. “You must finish your work before you get to eat. Don’t think of standing up here without finishing your duty. And don’t you dare make use of the washing machine? Wash those clothes with your damn hands. Am I clear?”

I stared at the heap of clothes she asked me to wash. Where should I start from? I needed like ten people to assist me with this.

“Am I clear?!” she repeated angrily.

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied out of fear of what she was going to do to me if I tried to disobey her.

Mary was the head maid and was Luna June’s most trusted aide. She initiated most of the bullying I faced in the maid's quarters. It had been a long time since anyone in this pack called me by my name. All I have heard them call me for the past years was ‘whore, bitch, worthless, killer and a low life.’ And it all started with Luna June and her sidekick, Mary.

I started washing the clothes and was stuck with it while everyone had breakfast, then lunch, and now it was time for dinner.

My stomach was rumbling mercilessly. It sang different hungry melodies. I was beginning to feel feverish, and my eyes were becoming blurry now and then. I knew better not to faint because Mary would kill me. I must hold on.

I kept washing and washing until I was finally done with it. I went to get my food because I was beginning to shake from hunger.

“Ma’am, can I have my food now?” I asked, holding my rumbling stomach.

“Oh, it’s you.” She looked at me with a teasing smile. “You’re finally done, but unfortunately for you, the cook didn’t reserve any food for you. I asked her not to, since you won’t be able to join us. Who knew you were going to finish washing the clothes today?”

She laughed and the girls around her joined in too.

“Are you saying there isn’t any food for me to eat?” I asked in a low but angry tone.

“Are you deaf? And who are you to raise your voice at me, trash!?” She was about to hit me when I apologized.

“I’m sorry, ma’am.”

“Good, you can go to your room. On second thought, no. Stay. You will stay here and watch us eat.”

I stood there and watched them eat. The more I watched, the hungrier I became. My stomach hurt so much, and I could barely hold it in anymore.

After watching them, she ordered me to go back to my room. I dragged my tired self to the room. I covered my shivering body with a piece of cloth. It was a fever. It had fully caught up with me. And being this hungry wasn’t helping either.

I felt so miserable. Would I be able to pass through the night? What if I die before the next day? Was there a chance that I could survive this? I didn’t think so. I think I just might die tonight.

**

I was still sleeping when I heard her familiar, angry voice and I immediately popped my eyes open.

“Ma’am!” I threw the cloth off me and sprung to my feet. “Good morning, Ma’am.”

“Why are you still sleeping?”

“I have a fever and my body hurts.”

“Don’t give me that. Even if you’re about to die, you must work. Told you before and I’ll say it again, nobody gives a shit about you. So get yourself out there and work before I send you to hell, you worthless killer!”

“Please, Ma’am. Can I take the day off? I’m not feeling too well.” I replied, wrapping my arms around my trembling body.

“Stop the pretense, Killer. You’re not sick. You just want to avoid doing your chores!”

“I’m not pretending, Ma’am. You can go ahead and touch my body if you wish. I think that’s the only way you can believe me.”

“Believe you?” She raised her brow. “Now, why would I believe a filthy killer like you?!”

“I’m not a killer.”

“You are. Everyone in this pack knows you killed the former Luna. Stop acting like a saint, bitch. You are a fucking killer and a liar.”

I lowered my head in tears. It didn’t matter what I said or did. No one was going to believe me. No one has believed a word from me ever since that night. The only people who trusted in me were my parents and they died for it.

“Go outside and do your job, killer. It should be as easy as how you poisoned the former Luna.” She mocked me.

I was going to follow her outside, but another maid rushed in and made us halt.

“I’m sorry, Mary. The Alpha’s son is requesting for Ivanna.”

“What? The Alpha’s son? You mean Rocco?” Mary asked with displeasure on her face.

“Yes.”

“Alright. She’s on her way.”

The maid left, and Mary turned to me. “You should go see him right now. It’s rude to keep him waiting.”

I was already mourning my weak and sick body, which would soon be put through another level of hell.

Still, I had no choice but to go to him. And each step I took echoed the tears in my heart.