Crown Of Shadows

Chapter 2- Preparations

It felt like my life was on a loop, I woke from the same nightmare. At the same time, my ribs sore from the kick I had been given yesterday. And my should ache from the run that had almost been too much for the slumbering power within. My stomach protested that we had no dinner, and I downed the small bent plastic cup of water that I had gotten from my shower/hose. It was a recycled cup...recycled from the trash a couple of weeks ago. It was cracked on one side and sat at a funny angle, but it still worked. A little scared and beaten, but still good. I followed my morning routine, and the water from the hose seemed colder this morning than yesterday. Which meant it was getting colder outside at night. Summer was the best, I would let the water sit in the hose for most of the day and shower at night, it would run warm for the first couple of second. It was the most luxury I had. I didn't tell anyone about it because I knew they would take it off of me, or make sure it was run clear before I was allowed to use it. I dressed in a clean pair of jeans and a matching navy shirt. I was provided with seven pairs of pants and seven shirts. One for every day and if anything happened to my clothes I had to mend them myself. I sure as hell wasn't going to get any new clothes. I wasn't very handy with a needle but I knew enough to make my clothes last. I emerged from the basement and I thought that everyone was still asleep. I started on breakfast and was startled when I turned around. The Alpha stood there staring at me, and I quickly dropped my eyes to the floor and exposed my neck. I didn't need a lesson in submission right now; the power inside grumbled and fought to make a presence. They would more than likely get me killed.

"You will scrub the main hall, and prepare three guest rooms. We have important visitors coming this afternoon." I nodded and he walked over to me.

"You must consider yourself so lucky—" He sneered down at me and something rumbled in my chest and I couldn't stop the noise from escaping my throat, and it was followed by a swig right hand from the Alpha.

"Did you just growl at me?!" I shook my head as tears swelled in my eyes. I blinked them back. I refused to show him fear, or weakness.

"Be sure it never happens again or I will remove your voice box for you." He exited the kitchen and I wanted to scream to rip this place apart, but I didn't. I went back to cooking and tried to keep my mind on the task in front of me and not think about the time that I had left in my life. I finished breakfast and I wanted to sneak a muffin or a piece of egg. But the risk was too high, drinking more water to buy me more time from hunger pains. I got the water bucket ready to scrub the main hall. It was all marble and it was hard on the knees to clean because they did not want it done by mop, they wanted it scrubbed by soft sponge, and tooth brush. I knew my back would ache after this, but it gave me plenty of time to get lost in my memories.

It took me until almost noon to finish the main hall. I walked into the kitchen and cleaned up breakfast dishes. The Luna came down with her son and he was screaming. She shoved him in my hands, and walked away. He quieted almost right away. And I rocked my little brother slightly, taking him back to his room and changing him from the soiled diaper and feeding him. His eyes looked up at me and he reached for my face. I smiled down at him and put the baby carrier on before tucking him into it. Accepting a pacifier he was content to lie against my chest and listen to my heartbeat. I had surprised me that they let me take care of the children...I mean not that I would ever harm my siblings; but usually when a new Luna came they didn't let the old Luna's children around any new child until they could defend themselves. Maybe it was because I had no animal spirit, or that I could't shift. That made me look weak in their eyes, but I never minded. I went to the guest rooms, opening the windows. Cleaning the dust from the panes, and the baby started to fall asleep. I walked around with him attached to my chest and cleaned the room. Running the sweeper and changing the sheets on the beds. Fluffing the pillows and cleaning the adjoining bathroom, replacing the toilet paper and getting fresh towels. I let candles to let burn while I placed my little brother back into his crib. He shifted in his sleep, and I covered him. He was precious and she treated him like a burden instead of the gift he was. I went back to the second guest room. Moving the candles to the second room to rid the room of the unused smell. I reached for the windows in the third room and dots swam in front of my eyes. I put a hand on the wall to steady myself. I put a hand to my stomach and pushed. Just a little long, a couple more hours and I would get my bread and I would be fed.