Helpless (gxg)

II- Chores

The chores that day went quickly. There was not much to do, just a few loads of laundry along with making the beds, cleaning up the kitchen, and making sure everything was neat in the rest of the compound. I avoided anyone else around, making sure to address them properly when they did interact with me. For the most part, however, I was left alone to my thoughts and work. I enjoyed it, the thumping of the washing machine combined with the wet slaps of the mop or swishes of the broom. It helped that Pack tried to stay away from me, so I didn't get in any trouble for being in the way. It's nice of them to do that, to help me stay out of trouble and thus protect me from a punishment. It was actually strange, everyone was being nicer than usual. It almost seemed like no one was home, considering how many people weren't in the house. Of course, I wouldn't know if something was going on but that doesn't mean that I didn't pick up on it a bit.

When lunch came around, I made a pile of sandwiches, making sure to include a couple different options. After all, Pack has given me everything I have. They deserve everything I can give them in return. Afterwards, I returned to my chores, once again trying my hardest not to be in the way. It was very different from the morning, as everyone was rushing around and I actively had to avoid any sort of contact with them. A few people slipped up and spoke about some sort of party in the afternoon when I was nearby, but I pretended I didn't hear. I didn't want them to be punished on my account. If would hurt me if they had to go through anything, both physically and mentally.
Either way, it didn't matter to me. I still had to do my odd jobs around the house and finish before dinner. At least, that was the plan. It was thrown off a bit when Alpha came to see me. I had just finished everything and was about to start cooking again when he entered the kitchen. At the sound of the door opening, I knelt and assumed the position that he always expected when he was in the same room.

"Willa, we are having guests tonight. Make double the amount that you normally would and afterwards, wait in the office for me." He sounded a bit more on edge than usual, so I only nodded slightly to show that I understood. Normally, that would be enough to please him but unfortunately I miscalculated. Pain blossomed from the slap across my cheek, but I didn't dare do more than scramble back into my place after beeing thrown a bit off balance. "Do you understand?" This time, I answered.

"Yes, Alpha. I understand." I couldn't see his face, but I could imagine the grimace that was on it upon hearing my voice.

"Good. Get started." And with that, he left.

Upon his absence, I stood and began working. I checked that I had enough raw ingredience to make as much as instructed, and felt a cool relief fill me when I saw that there was. I moved quickly, knowing that if I wanted to be done in time, I'd have to be twice as fast as I usually was, even if I did already have a bit extra time from my lack of chores that day. Naturally, I still had to be careful. I didn't want to be punished for dropping and breaking something again.

By the time I finished, it was only two minutes before the doors opened. I nearly tripped on my way to the back room, but luckily caught myself and made it by the time Pack came flooding in. There were some unfamiliar voices, causing anxiety to rise in my chest. I knew what would happen if my food wasn't good enough. I really didn't want that to happen again.

To distract myself from the panic that was building and causing my thoughts to swirl around my head in sharp shards of ice that tore through everything else I conjured up, I turned to my usual routine of focusing on the ticking of the clock. The feelings began to come in waves that crested over my head, my feet chained to the ocean floor while I desperately drank up the sound of the second hand moving slowly across the face of the clock. I didn't know what I would have done if that one item were in a different room. I owed whoever hung that clock my life.

I waited for hours. My lungs burned from the labored breaths of supressed emotion and my knees ached from the hard floor. My back begged for a reprive, if I would just move the smallest amount it would crack and feel better. I didn't dare to shift even an inch, pushing back my suffering in hopes that it would result in a reward for being so obedient. I knew it was stupid for me to think like that, that I was only doing what was expected and that did not qualify me for any sort of special treatment, but that didn't stop the hopes from ringing in my brain and torturing me with what-ifs.

My self-imposed torment finally came to an end when the door swung open. I thought it had been days even when logic dictated that it had only been six hours at the most. It was Alpha and a guest, someone whose title I did not know. I didn't move, even when he grabbed my hair and threw me across the floor.

"Well, look at that! The bitch moved from her rightful place. You know what that means, don't you?" The man behind Alpha chuckled, still hidden in shadow. "That's right, Willa. It's time for a punishment."

There was nothing I could do.

I was helpless.