The Alpha's Omega Mate-Chapter 44: Pain worse than death.

~Dahlia POV~

"Isn’t she the thief?" Another voice said from behind the elders and my head whipped up instantly at the sound of his words.

"Yes she is!"

"Is she here to steal, knowing now that this entire place is out of bounds?"

"Maybe, let’s search her!"

"Yes!"

The several voices rang all around me in different octaves but above them, I heard only the steady thumping of my heartbeat. I glanced between the hostile eyes of the people now suddenly gathering around me, whilst hoping that they would see my innocence... or at least notice that I hadn’t taken anything from the room; But they didn’t.

One pushed past me as he stormed into the house, only to turn around and glare at me so harshly, my breath caught in my chest.

"I didn’t come to steal any—" I began to say but before the words would come out of my mouth, I felt the familiar sting of a hand smacking my face hard. I gasped as my head fell to the side, shocked to my bones when I saw that it was one of the elders who had struck me.

Instantly, I went on my knees, with tears pouring out of my eyes as I cried; "I didn’t steal. I didn’t even try to steal. I only came because Luna asked me to come clean up this room."

"Liar!"

"The acting Luna knows that this place is out of bounds for now, she wouldn’t send you here!"

"Don’t mind the stupid wench, now, she’s also resorted to lying against Luna too!" Another voice snapped but before I could respond, or even check who had spoken, another slap landed against my face.

I couldn’t help myself this time, I cried out in anguish.

My face hurt. It felt as though a red bell pepper had been grounded and rubbed all over my cheeks, causing the skin there to burn so badly, it felt like I wanted to scratch it off... to peel it off.

I screamed. "I didn’t steal! You can search my garments. I only came here to clean. You can also check the Alpha’s chamber!"

Just then, a figure gracefully walking past us caught my attention and in desperation, I screamed out at her, already knowing who she was by her royal regalia. I cried. "Luna!"

Ms Jennifer.

But she didn’t turn around. She didn’t even act like she had heard me, and would’ve successfully walked past if it wasn’t for one of the elders calling out to her too. Begrudgingly, she strutted over, her eyes glazing with fury when she saw the situation I was in.

"She snapped; "Slave, Elder Samwell, what is the matter?"

The impatience in her voice nearly threw me off, and instantly, I realized that her walking past was the worst thing to happen to me in this situation. But despite knowing this, I looked up at her with pleading eyes, whilst clasping my hands together in a motion that should be interpreted as pleading, and then I rushed out;

"I was found cleaning the Alpha’s chambers just as you asked me to... but I didn’t know that the place was out of bounds, and now they think I went in there to steal!"

"And?"

"Please tell them you sent me here! Tell them I didn’t come here to steal but to clean."

The words tumbled out of my mouth in waves, barely making any sense to those standing by. Luna Jennifer clucked her tongue at me and then she smiled—just so briefly— before she turned to the elders and the small crowd that had formed around us.

And then she spat; "I don’t know what this witch is talking about."

My heart fell.

I knew it!

"Luna...?"

"You see, I told you she’s a filthy thief!" Another voice called out, causing the burly man standing not so far away from me to smack my face so hard, my head lolled to the side.

"Arrghh!" I cried, tears brimming my eyes. "I really didn’t steal or try to, I swear by the gods! You can check the chamber and my garments! I didn’t take anything!"

The more I screamed out my innocence, the more the people lashed out at me with their hands and legs. My body hurt terribly as the strikes continued to come at me, not stopping even for a single moment.

Now, I could feel the life draining from me. Even my body no longer healed the way it was meant to. I mean, my healing was usually slow compared to other wolves, but now, it was worse. I could feel every hit, every crack, every push... and I could also feel how my body was doing absolutely nothing to save me from them.

I felt absolutely... human.

I sobbed.

For the briefest of moments, I cursed at myself for coming back here. Maybe I should have listened to Beta Orion... maybe I should have taken up his offer and remained in his manor. Tears burned in my eyes as my skin burned in pain, and I cried out as more slaps and hits landed on my body from every angle.

"This is her second time trying to steal from the Alpha! We should brand her!" I vaguely heard someone cry out from the crowd and my heart plummeted as soon as the words reached my ears.

They could beat me... humiliate me like this. But no, not that, not that one. It was the absolute worst!

Branding meant pouring molten silver over my wrists until it hardened, forming hard cuff-like restraints which would remain on me until it is melted over fire again— that is if they ever decide to un-brand me. And that was too painful... too barbaric. I shook my head. "No."

Now, more from desperation than fear, I forced myself to a crawling position, wanting to use this method to look up to their faces, and to maybe plead with them. But the guards leading the crowd— and me— to the training ground, caught this movement and seized the opportunity to strike their large whips against my back instead.

I cried out, falling against the floor as my skin ripped off my back.

The crowd had grown more agitated now. The people cheered to see more of my blood. And my heart shattered to think that they would have it... especially now that there was no Alpha Zarek to save me anymore, and especially now that Beta Orion was nowhere to be found.

Speaking of, suddenly the crowd parted as if someone else had joined the party and between my now heavy eyelids, I peeked up at whoever it was, only to freeze when I saw...

...Nyx?

"Who’s she?" I vaguely heard a voice ask from the crowd, and then, barely heard when another responded by calling her the mother to the Alpha’s daughter. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

My heart constricted.

This was pain... pain worse than this physical one.

The crowd parted even more as more people gave way for her to pass through— more because they wanted to see her and not because they wanted her to see me. I didn’t hear when Nyx ordered the people to stop hitting me, but I knew when they stopped, and I knew when they leaned away, watching as she crouched beside me.

Her voice was low, icy when she spoke to me and a chill ran down my spine when I heard her words. She said; "What are you doing here, Dahlia?"

She knew me!

And holy coitus, that was more scary than intriguing.