Chapter 197 The servant shame
Chapter 197: The Servant's Shame
milo pov
Three days had passed since I arrived at my family estate, and I was beginning to understand that coming here might actually be the biggest mistake of my life.
The first day, I was welcomed with cold silence. My parents barely looked at me throughout. I saw everything the moment I walked through the grand door. My mother turned her face away, and my father's face alternated between darkness and coldness. For the first time ever, standing in front of my parents felt like standing with strangers. No embrace. No questions about where I had been or why I left Damon. Just coldness and plain disregard.
The second day, whispers started. Pack members I grew up with stared at me in hallways, their eyes filled with judgment and disgust. Someone spat on the ground when I passed.
Apparently could keep her thoughts and judgement to herself.
Even the maids, and cooks I had once called a friend laughed behind my back when I was not looking. Everywhere I went, the whispers wouldn’t stop.
"The Alpha's rejected toy" was loud enough for me to hear.
I endured it because I told myself this was temporary. This sacrifice would keep Damon safe from whatever war my sister was planning. That thought alone kept me standing.
But the third day changed everything.
My sister showed up in front of my room door
Finally, I said to myself, after days of bearing the insults and ridicules. But my hopes were finally shattered when instead, she handed me a plain gray dress and an apron.
"Put this on," she said without meeting my eyes, her eyes fixed on my stomach with so much anger I instinctively crossed my hand over my stomach.
I stared at the clothes in confusion. "Sister, I do not understand."
"You are living under this roof without contributing anything." Her voice was flat and emotionless. "In case you have not heard, everybody here must work before they eat here. The maids need help. You will assist them with daily chores until further notice."
My stomach dropped. "You want me to work as a maid?"
"I want you to earn your keep. Or would you prefer to leave?" She finally looked at me, and the coldness in her eyes made my blood freeze.
When I refused to talk, she nodded. “Just like I thought. You made your choices, brother. Now live with the consequences."
She left, as quickly as she had come like she couldn't wait to leave me standing there with the servant clothes in my shaking hands.
That was how it started. That was how I went from the son of this house to something lower than the dirt they swept from the floors.
Now I scrubbed the grand hall on my hands and knees while pack members deliberately walked through the sections I had just cleaned. Muddy boots tracked across the wet stones. Someone kicked a bucket of dirty water, splashing it everywhere.
"Oops," a young warrior said with a smirk. "Better clean that up, omega."
Laughter echoed around me. I kept my head down and reached for the bucket with trembling hands. My knees ached from kneeling on the hard stone. My back screamed in pain. But I could not stop. If I stopped, they would report me.
And I had learned quickly that reports meant punishments.
"Pathetic," someone muttered as they passed. "Cannot even keep an Alpha interested. What good are you?"
I bit my lip hard to keep from crying. The words cut deep because part of me believed them. Maybe I was pathetic. Maybe I was not strong enough to be Damon's mate. Maybe that was why everything fell apart.
Maybe that was the main reason I ran.
The dinner bell rang through the estate, and my stomach clenched with dread. This was the worst part of every day.
I hurried to the kitchens where the head cook handed me a heavy tray loaded with dishes. My arms shook under the weight, but I did not dare complain. I carried it carefully through the corridors toward the formal dining hall.
Voices and laughter filtered through the open doors. The Council or what remained of the council, was dining with my family tonight. I paused outside, listening to the sound inside. Left for me to choose, I would not choose to serve them food, but as if to show me that she meant what she said, my sister forced me to be the one serving food for her guest.
My face burned with shame, but I gathered courage, then pushed through.
The conversation died the moment I entered.
My sister sat at the head of the long table, dressed in flowing black robes that marked her as Queen. Millen looked like royalty now. Powerful and untouchable. Her eyes found mine, and a slow smile spread across her face.
"Ah, our servant has arrived," she announced to the room. "Do try not to drop anything, Milo. These plates are worth more than you are."
The Council members chuckled. My face burned with humiliation as I approached the table with the heavy tray. My hands were shaking so badly I nearly lost my grip.
"Careful," an elder warned mockingly. "We would hate for you to make an even bigger mess of your life."
More laughter. I set the tray down on the sideboard and began serving the elders first as I had been taught. My father sat three seats from Millen. I poured his wine carefully, hoping maybe he would look at me, acknowledge me somehow.
He stared straight ahead as if I did not exist.
That hurt worse than any insult.
"You are slow tonight," Millen observed, taking a sip of her wine. "Perhaps you are tired from all your hard work?" Her tone dripped with false sympathy. "Or maybe you are just naturally useless."
"I apologize," I whispered, keeping my eyes down.
"Louder. Let everyone hear how sorry you are for disappointing us all."
I swallowed hard.
My throat closed up, but I forced the words out. "I apologize for being slow."
"Better." Millen waved her hand dismissively. "Continue serving. And do try to hold yourself with some dignity. You are embarrassing the family name enough as it is."
I moved mechanically around the table, filling plates and cups while my vision blurred with tears I refused to let fall. Every set of eyes felt like daggers in my back. Every whispered comment cut through me like knives.
"Weak whore," Millen said suddenly, her voice cutting through the low conversations. "That is what they are calling you in the other packs. Damon's weak whore who could not satisfy a true Alpha."
My hands froze on the wine pitcher. Several Council members shifted uncomfortably, but no one spoke up to defend me. My parents remained silent.
"Nothing to say?" Millen leaned forward slightly. "No defense of your precious mate bond?"
I carefully set the pitcher down before I dropped it. "May I be excused,”
"No." She smiled coldly. "You may stand there and listen while we discuss your future. Or rather, your complete lack of one."
The meal continued with me standing against the wall like a piece of furniture. They talked about pack politics and territory disputes. Even making war plans on how to capture some unrighteous packs territories, as if I was not even there.
I felt colder each passing second, wishing I could do anything, anything at all to stop whatever they were planning, but I was powerless now. With nothing to do than to watch them plan to kill and destroy.
My hand drifted to my stomach without thinking. The tiny life growing inside me was the only thing keeping me from completely breaking apart. I had to protect this child. I had to believe this suffering meant something.
After the torturous dinner, I cleaned the dining hall alone. The work was endless. Plates and cups and spilled food everywhere. My body screamed for rest, but I pushed through the pain because what choice did I have?
"Still pretending to be useful, I see?"