Chapter 33
Sloane's POV
The door burst open again, and the man stomped back in. His wife was right behind him, but this time he ripped the wooden stick right out of her hands.
"You useless bitch," he snarled at his wife, then turned those cold, hateful eyes on us. "Can't even handle a skinny girls."
Oh Goddess. This is about to get so much worse.
His face was twisted with rage as he walked toward us, the stick raised high above his head. Every step he took felt like a death sentence. Sophia tried to shrink further into the corner, but there was nowhere to go.
"Please," I whispered, but he wasn't listening.
The stick came down fast, aimed right at Sophia's head. Without thinking, I threw myself over her, wrapping my arms around her as tight as I could.
The stick cracked against my back so hard I saw white. We both crashed down on the freezing floor, and I couldn't catch my breath for a few seconds.
Fuck, that really hurt.
Sophia made this tiny whimpering sound underneath me, and I realized I was probably crushing her. But I didn't dare move.
The woman's voice came from above us, dripping with satisfaction. "You must be the one who ate our food."
I forced myself to look up at her. She was standing there with her hands on her hips, looking down at us like we were cockroaches she was about to step on.
"Since you're so eager to share Sophia's punishment," she continued, her smile getting nastier, "you can stay here and work with her. How perfect."
"Wait," I tried to sit up, but my back was screaming. "I didn't—"
"Shut up." The man walked over to the tiny window and started blocking it with more wooden boards. Each nail he hammered in felt like another nail in our coffin.
The last bit of light disappeared, leaving us in complete darkness. The sound of the hammer was deafening in the small space, and with each bang, my heart sank lower.
When he finished with the window, he came back and hit me again with that damn stick. Right across my shoulder this time. Then he got my ribs. I curled up tight, trying to keep Sophia safe under me.
"Sophia," the woman said, her voice fake-sweet now. "Your daddy sent you here because he didn't want you doing bad things anymore. And he specifically said we could punish you however we wanted if you misbehaved."
Sophia didn't respond. She was shaking so hard I could feel it through my whole body.
"This is just a little punishment," the woman continued. "Stay in here and think about what you've done wrong."
They started walking toward the door, and panic shot through me. If they left us here, Sophia was going to die. I could feel how weak she was getting.
"Wait!" I struggled to get up, ignoring the pain shooting through my back. "Sophia's burning up with fever! I think her wound is infected! She needs a doctor! Please!"
The woman stopped and turned around, that horrible smile spreading across her face again.
"Sophia's an Alpha, isn't she?" She laughed, like this was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. "Alphas heal themselves. What does she need a doctor for?"
You heartless bitch.
"Besides," she added, her voice getting cruel again, "her living expenses are already months behind. Her daddy probably forgot he even has a daughter by now."
Those words just destroyed her. I felt Sophia go completely still in my arms.
"What a useless burden," the woman said, then turned and walked out.
The door slammed shut. The lock clicked. And we were alone in the dark.
I crawled over to Sophia and pulled her into my arms. Her skin was like fire, and she was shivering uncontrollably.
"It's okay," I whispered, "It's gonna be okay."
She didn't say anything, but I could feel tears soaking through my shirt where her face was pressed.
"Hey," I said softly, stroking her hair. "Wait for me, okay? Just give me a little more time to rest, and I'll be able to help you. I promise."
Sophia shifted in my arms and looked up at me. Even in the darkness, I could see her trying to smile.
"Sloane," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "This isn't the first time they've hit me."
My stomach dropped. "What?"
"Any time I do something they don't like, they hit me." She was talking so quietly I had to strain to hear her. "Which is pretty much every time."
"I kept thinking my dad would come get me," she continued. "I kept thinking if I was good enough, if I worked hard enough, he'd remember me and bring me home."
She was quiet for so long I thought she'd fallen asleep. Then she spoke again.
"But I think that was just a stupid dream."
My heart just broke.
"I'm really tired, Sloane." Her voice was getting weaker. "I just want to sleep for a while. I've never been allowed to sleep late in here, you know? Not once in ten years."
"Sophia," I said urgently, but her voice was fading.
"I'm just... so tired..."
And then she went completely quiet.
"Sophia!" I shook her gently. "Sophia, talk to me!"
Nothing.
Oh Goddess, no. Please no.
I pressed my fingers to her neck, trying to find a pulse. For the scariest few seconds of my life, there was nothing. Then I felt it, super weak, but still there.
She was still breathing, but barely. Each breath was a struggle.
I pulled her as close as I could, trying to keep her warm with my own body. But I knew it wasn't gonna be enough. She needed real medicine, a real doctor, stuff I couldn't give her right now.
Please, Moon Goddess, I begged silently. Just let her hang on until I can help her. Don't let her die in this shitty place.
But I had no clue when my healing thing would work again. We were running out of time, and all I could do was hold her and pray.