Just a Little Bit of Hope

CHAPTER NINE

The rest of the days until Friday passed uneventfully. Breyon's wounds are slowly but surely healing.
Today Maya and I got to work on the fields like usual. We are currently planting corn. We are told that the crops are for the hardworking soldiers and I quote, "not for you worthless maggots."
I stand and wipe sweat off my brow as I look around the land. It's all open spaces besides behind us, which is a thin forest. It would be easy to escape. If all of us stood as one together we could do it. The only problem is that some of the woman don't want to leave their children that they have bared with the guards. I can't imagine what they're going through. Never getting to see their child.
It's about midday when my arm is grasped lightly. I look up and see a dark skinned man, with kind eyes looking at me.
"The General would like to see." He says as he unlocks my hand from Maya and leads me away.
It's quiet for a few moments before the guard starts to speak, "You the one with the pup?" He asks.
I nod my head and a small smile graces my face with the thoughts of Breyon.
The guard nods his head back. Working up the courage I ask, "Do you have any children?"
With a disappointed sigh he says, "Unfortunately, no. Haven't found my mate yet."
"You'll find her." I say with a small smile. I'll never get the chance to find my own mate. As a child I often use to dream about what he would look like. Then I grew up and found myself here. Now I know that life isn't a happily ever after fairytale. It's a grueling, dark place that I'll never escape from.
"Hopefully." The guard says with a grin. The corners of his eyes crinkle with his smile.
I don't say anything as we step into the shaft. As we descend the guard turns to me and exclaims, "Your pup is mighty respectful and hardworking. I was reassigned to watch over him a couple of weeks ago. You did a fine job raising him."
With a grateful smile I tell the guard a quiet, "Thank you."
The guard clears his throat loudly before giving me a guilty look as he says, "I'm sorry I wasn't there the other day. I had gone to break up a fight and asked another guard to fill in."
I let out a sigh as I think of how that man hurt Breyon. "It's nobody's fault besides that guard's." I tell the man.
We're silent the rest of the way to Grayson's office.
"Here we are." The guard says as we come upon Grayson's office.
The guard knocks on the door twice before it is swung open, revealing a grumpy looking Grayson.
"You're late." He growls out.
"Relax, mate." The guard says which causes Grayson's eyes to narrow.
Grayson turns to me and says, "I see that you have met John, my beta."
I nod, pretending as if I had any clue that he had a pack of his own. I just figured he was apart of Vincent's.
I look at the guard, well John as he says, "Oh yeah Gray, we met alright." He says sending Grayson a wink.
Grayson lets out a monstrosity of a roar causing me to flinch away in fear while John busts out laughing.
"She took me places I've never been before if you know what I mean Gray. You better catch this one while you have the chance." John says laughing as he holds his stomach.
Grayson snarls and takes a threatening step towards John who just holds his hands up innocently.
"Watch yourself Jonathan. Don't forget your place." Grayson says with a snarl.
"Oh Gray, it's all shits and giggles. I'm saving this one for you, but if you ever want to share you know where to find me old friend." John says. And with that he bows to me before doing a little wave at Grayson and walking out the door. You can hear his laughter all the way down the hall.
All that's left after John's departure is thick tension filled silence. I look up from the spot on the ground I was burning holes into when I catch Grayson looking at me with his eyes scrunched up in concentration.
Finally he moves towards me to lightly grasp my arm, before pulling me towards the back wall of his office. Bright red drapes hang from the ceiling to the floor, covering the whole back wall.
Grayson moves the drapes over to the left to reveal a small brown door. He pushes it open then ushers me through.
The door descends into a small, nice kitchen. From there you can see a small dining room table and a narrow hallway leading out of the room.
I walk forward a little bit as Grayson starts to talk. "Starting now, every Friday, dinner is to be made and on the table by time work duty is over. It should be spotless in here. There is a bathroom along this hall. Now my bedroom is completely off limits. I expect the laundry to be done also. Any questions?" Grayson asks quickly.
"Just one sir. Why this and why now?" I ask with a sigh.
"Because thirty four, I'm not a very good cook and I don't have the time to keep up with the messes I make." Grayson says with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"If you'll excuse me sir, but why me? There are plenty of woman here that can cook much better than I can." I say confused.
With a roll of his eyes Grayson says, "Well none of them have caused as much trouble and I haven't had to save their pup like I have yours. So I see this as a little pay back. It's the least you can so thirty four don't you think?" By the end he's growling again.
I lower my eyes to the ground as I just nod my head.
  "Good. Now I suggest you get to work." And with that Grayson goes back through the door and closes it with an abrupt bang.
  Blowing out a nervous sigh I head to the kitchen. I take a tour through the rest of the living quarters besides his bedroom like he asked. The areas are all pretty clean, just unorganized. I get to work organizing all of his belongings. I notice that he only has a small couch in his living room, no tv and definitely no photos. I mean I know he just moved here but you would think he would personalize his space a little bit more. The only thing that I could tell actually belonged to him were numerous books that laid across the tables. Not carelessly but as if he was reading them and he got interrupted. Hmm so the General enjoys reading.
  Before long it's time to start dinner so I make my way to the kitchen. Going through the ingredients that he has I decide to make a simple dinner of meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
  While the meal is cooking I continue cleaning. I'm continuously wiping sweat off my forehead with my shirt.
  Finally dinner is done. I set the table for Grayson then pour him a glass of fresh sweet tea.
  I'm about to get Grayson when he opens the door and lets himself in. He lifts his nose into the air as I hear him take a big sniff. His eyes gleam with hunger. He sits down at the table and starts to eat without another word.
  Grayson takes his first bite then looks up at me, his face scrunched up in confusion as he says, "Just like-."
  "Just like who?" I ask curiously.
  Grayson just shakes his head and turns his attention back to his meal.
  Finally his plate is clear and he pushes it noisily across the table, looking at me expectantly.
  I move from my corner, where I have been watching him silently and grab his plate. I give him more food and then I refill his cup.
  Grayson digs into this plate just as viciously as the last. As he scrapes up his last couple bites there is this loud and angry sound that blares throughout the room. This loud and obnoxious groaning is sadly coming from my stomach.
  Grayson's eyes narrow on me as I drop my eyes to the floor. "Thirty four after I am finished get yourself a plate understand?" Grayson states rather than asks as he finishes up his meal.
  I take Grayson's dirty dishes and set them in the sink to wash them.
  "Thank you General." I say quietly but Grayson still manages to hear me with his wolf hearing.
  "Don't mention it now hurry up its time for you to go back to your cell." And with that Grayson goes back through the door once more.
  With a sigh I clean up the dinner mess. I take two small slices of meatloaf and wrap them in a napkin.
  Then I quietly knock on the door that Grayson disappeared through just a little bit ago. I hear his loud voice tell me to come in.
  When I enter Grayson is distractedly looking down at a stack of papers as he riffles through them.
  Finally Grayson sends me a quick look before asking me, "Is the work done?"
  I nod my head but jump when Grayson growls, "Speak thirty four."
  "Yes." I whisper as my hands tremble, the one still trying to hide my measly pieces of food.
  Grayson barely looks at me as he yells, "Guards."
  Immediately a guard fills the doorway, ready to be at Grayson's beck and call.
  "Yes General." The guard says.
  "Take prisoner thirty four back to her cell." Grayson says as he flicks through the papers again.
  I look up at the guard and to my displeasure and shock it's perverted Burt.
  Burt shoots me a flirty grin as he says, "Sure thing General."
  Burt grasps by the arm and all but drags me out of the door.
  After the door is closed behind us and we're far enough away Burt yanks me hard by my hair so that I am looking up at him.
  "Are you fucking him?" Is the first harsh words out of Burt's mouth.
  "No." I say as a tear slips down my face.
  "I don't fucking believe you! Why would you do that?!" He snarls in my face.
  "I didn't." I say, which causes me to receive a sharp slap to the face.
  "Listen here whore and listen good. You are to fuck no one but me. Is that clear? You are mine!" He growls as his eyes turn black with the anger of his wolf.
  I shake in fear as his claws dig into my arms. "I said is that clear?" He asks again as he roughly shakes me.
  "Yes!" I say on a choked sob.
  "Good. Now don't cry." Burt says as he strokes my cheek.
  I continue to cry as Burt tells me, "You know you're mine. Don't you? Say it. Tell me you're mine!" Burt says as he licks my face. I gag on the feel of his saliva on my face.
  "Tell me!" He roars.
  I shake my head which enrages him. He punches me in the gut until I fall over, then he continues to kick me. All through the beating I hold on to my now smashed up meatloaf, knowing that Maya and Breyon are hungry and need food. 
  Finally, he's tired and I can barely catch my breath. Tears fall down my face like a fountain and there's nothing I can do to stop them. Burt drags me to my cell by my hair. When we reach my cell he pulls me up and slams me into the bars. I look over to see Maya covering Breyons eyes and ears.
  "Next time you'll tell me what I want to hear got it. And don't ever forget, that you belong to me!" Burt exclaims before opening my cell door and throwing me in. 
  Breyon runs to me and embraces me in a hug. I hug him back as he helps soothe me. Finally I'm calm enough to hand both Maya and Breyon a piece of meatloaf. They both devour it after they make sure I had some which I lied and told them I ate with Grayson.
  My little boy was as happy as a clam over a piece of meatloaf. Never having tasted meat before this was especially special to him.
  Finally things settle down and ignoring the pain in my body I try to forget tonight ever happened. I kiss Breyons head as he falls asleep with his head on my shoulder.
  I know that things will get worse before they get better and I just don't know how much longer we can hold on. All we need is just a little bit of hope.