Anna's POV

"What the hell just happened now!?" I asked no one in particular as my eyes got wide in shock.

I looked up only to see the person who intentionally stepped on my food grinning from ear to ear and I identified her as one of the maids who claimed my food outside.

"Girl, don't you know when to stop?" Someone said and the others laughed at me so hard, I wasn't going to refute yet, no, not yet, not so fast.

I stood up on my feet and looked at the whole corner of the kitchen just to notice I was a laughing stock... None looked at me with an ounce of pity, I could only see disgust, irritation, and despise in their eyes.  

I staggered to the kitchen counter, "Please I need to have my food, I can't actually starve just because I didn't finish my work you know." I tried to reason with the kitchen cook. 

" You- Get the hell out of here!!!" The cook screamed at me. I wanted to push further till I hit the right button but what happened next wasn't what I was expecting.

I got a very strong kick in my stomach that landed me in another corner.

"Arrrrgggghhhh!!!" I screamed in pain as I held my stomach. 

" It hurts, it hurts so bad " I muttered as tears streamed down my face like water droplets descending a cliff.  

" Are you still not ready to leave here or need help to leave?" 

A voice asked me. The voice sounded like it held an ounce of pity for me, I was about to succumb to the voice like I was hypnotized but when I looked up and met the eyes of the person, I shifted back and bent.

"Look at me now you brat!!!" The voice of none other but Kane sounded in the kitchen. I was too weak now to even do anything, my vision wasn't clear because of the tears blinding me so I just stared at Kane blankly, trying to figure out if I could see any kind of emotions in them but none was found... I only saw darkness.

I sighed in weakness, the next second, a wave of pain hit me very hard, and Kane pulled my hair again while dragging me out of the kitchen. The whole place roared in laughter one more time.

" I so wish you would pass through more of this."

" Yes, she has to, this is what we pass through whilst she enjoys herself in her parent's house."

" Well, she's one of us now." I heard them talking but couldn't respond, even if I wanted to, what exactly would I say? Yes, they were right after all, they suffered while I enjoyed it but what I didn't get was why it's all about me.

I just looked down as Kane dragged me out and dumped me amid other guards.

I wouldn't feel this neglected if maybe I had a wolf or even a mate... I needed them badly. I sobbed silently. I was both mate-less and wolfless. Not even a mate, I was more useless than anyone else. I cried till I started feeling my eyelids heavy.

"Give her 20 strokes of the cane." 

Wait, what?? 20 what?

Yes, that woke me up from my trance, it really did. Why on earth... Okay, I was not sure they were talking about me.

I heard footsteps coming towards me, I looked up just to see the guards approaching me.

Heck! They were really talking about me, how the hell can I take 20 strokes of a cane? I would die, yes I'm sure of that. I hissed in pain as they dragged my hair again, I could already feel a crucial pain on my scalp, and I wondered when my hair became their favorite spot.

They took me to the flogging arena, removed the up layer of the already torn rag I was wearing, and splashed cold water on me. I watched as the guards stared at my bosom lustfully. I braced myself for the pain already, but no matter how prepared I was, I knew for sure that I would be injured and would be in pain for days.

At the thought of being in pain for days, I smiled, at least I wouldn't have to do any work, I thought.

Poor me! 

By the time my strokes got to 6, I was almost dying... No, I was dead already. I felt my entire being going numb. But the unrestrained tears couldn't stop rolling down my petite face. Another cold water was poured on me, I must admit that it helped a lot, no matter how weak I appeared to be, I was given 20 strokes. 

But one thing was for sure, even if the sky yearned to destroy my physical body, I would pierce through the sky. But at this stage, I guessed everything about me was numb now, I had really succumbed to pains, it followed me, and when it gripped me the boredom paralyzed me. 

I could feel my eyelids getting heavy, but I didn't want to succumb to the darkness, no I wouldn't and can't not at all.

I was dragged back to my dirty space where I usually lay down. I could perceive a metallic taste as I coughed out blood... Nobody was there to help, not even one person like none was there. 

"You never know when to stop, do you? Why can't you just give up, girl?" A lady who I identified as Irene said to me.

I coughed a little to clear my throat only to notice blood coming out of my mouth, I shook my head in resignation as I responded " I don't give up!" 

Irene could only stare at me not with care but with an emotionless gaze and walked back to her space. I noticed I was thirsty, my throat hurt like hell. But before I could think further, Irene hissed.

"You aren't even permitted to take water!" Irene stressed out.

Now I felt the urge to give up, they wanted to kill me, yes they did.

I tried to look up and gaze at the space where I saw Irene but she wasn't there.

How the hell did that happen?

And... Now she's right in front of me, she's no more again.

I rubbed my eyes to be clear that I was not hallucinating and of course, I wasn't.

She appeared again!