Ava's POV
"Isn't it time you wake up and continue your job as a servant here? Are you taking this opportunity to have every rest and sleep you have been denied?" I heard someone's voice yelling harshly at me the moment I woke, but I couldn't recognize who owns the voice.
My brain seemed to have paused working as I couldn't even tell if the voice was from a male or female.
My eyes fluttered and opened slowly, but my vision was blurred at the beginning, adding the bright light that shone straight into my eyes, causing a sharp headache to hit my skull painfully in a way that I was forced to shut my eyes back.
I must have passed out for a long time.
"So I was right! You are playing tricks by staying there on the bed even when you have woken from unconsciousness!". The angry voice came again, but this time it was followed by a slap on my head, which made me grunt as it increased the banging in my head.
"Please...don't hit my head.." I whined with my eyes getting wet even as I was yet to know who was saying those words at me.
"Get up there and return to work! Since you are strong enough to survive that torture, why are you acting all weak and staying in bed all day? It's 24 hours ago and you are still faking unconsciousness." The disturbing yelling came again, laced with resentment.
At this moment, I was able to recognize the voice was feminine, but it was clearly not that of Aurora, so I picked up all my courage to open my eyes, ignoring all the banging in my head.
My vision was blurred again for some seconds and later became clear for me to see the Beta's daughter sneering at me as she stood beside the bed with folded arms. She seemed envious, and I could clearly see it in her eyes as she looked at me.
"You really succeeded in avoiding today's morning chores by lingering on the bed faking unconsciousness." She seethed as her eyes moved from my eyes to my mouth, then back to my eyes, just as if she was trying to figure something out.
Her statement made me realize I had passed out for a full day, which was really stunning as I can't even remember anything else that happened after that torturous test.
I slowly sat up from the bed, and it was then that the smell of drugs and blood hit my nose, reminding me that I was in the Royal Palace clinic.
Now I can recall my father ordered some guard to bring me here for treatment, but how did I pass out and didn't wake for 24 hrs? That was a question my brain found hard to answer, as I was sure I didn't faint from the torture.
I burried my head into my palm and racked my brain, trying to recall what happened between me and the guards but the girl beside me now wouldn't let me be.
"Don't ever dare to ignore me, you ugly girl." Her desperate shriek broke me off my struggle to recall the past, making me grunt as I looked up at her.
She was still very angry, leaving me wondering where I had offended her, as I also recalled that she was the one that pushed me into the confinement when I was being reluctant.
"You hate me so much. Why? Where have I offended you?" I inquired, with a confused look.
"Who doesn't hate you? Everyone abhors your existence, so why that question? You don't know what your birth caused this pack? Monster!" She spited, huffing as she rolled her eyes at me.
"You don't hate me because of what my birth caused. I would be glad if you made it clear to me why you just returned to this pack recently and began picking up on me. You pushed me into that confinement with every degree of envy and now you are here forcing me up from the bed. What is wrong with you?" I sneered in disgust, standing up from the bed as her jaw dropped in surprise.
"Tell me why you are jealous of me. Are you scared I'll take whichever guy you crush on? Because I don't understand what you're jealous of. Your eyes give you out. I can see jealousy and envy instead of the hate everyone has," I added, and her cheeks flushed red instantly.
"What nonsense are you spewing? How the fuck will I, the Beta's daughter and most beautiful girl in this pack, be jealous of a dirty and ugly pig who killed her mother and twin brother!" She sniggered and gawked at me.
"Who really gave you that hope? Even if they had all deceived you by telling you that you are beautiful, don't you have a mirror to show how you really look?" I sneered and wagged my head while roaming my eyes around her body, making sure it had disgust in it.
Although she was the Beta's daughter, I didn't see any single reason to let her insult me. If things had gone well, she should be bowing to me as the Alpha daughter, going on any errand I send her on. It was more annoying to see jealousy in her eyes whenever she looked into my face. I guess she loves my eyes and wishes she had them.
"You aren't afraid. I will report you to the Alpha. Or you've lost your memories and can't remember how much the Alpha detests your existence! He will beat you up for calling me an ugly girl!!" She screeched like a baby, sulking while primping her hair.
"Oh, I thought you would attack me yourself. Are you scared I'll break your thin bone! And I never said you're ugly, but it seems you already know." I giggled, flipping my hair as I headed for the door.
"I might kill you if we fight. Before I realize it, you must be dead already, so don't push me to fight with you!" Her voice was cold this time and I could feel how mean she was, yet there was no room for fear in me, which I find hard to understand.
She was right. I am no match for her as she is well trained for battle by her father and must have gotten her first shift as a werewolf, which I still dream of. It still troubles me how I turned 16 without having my first shift like a normal wolf.
Now I will be 18 in a week. I don't know how possible it will be to have my shift at that age. Late bloomers shift at the age of 18. I just hope I am one of them, or I will just be giving my father and everyone in the pack more reasons to loathe and torture me more badly.
I paused my pace and turned to the young girl, who looked furious now as she dropped her arms, forming claws from her fingers.
Shit.
She was really going to fight me.
"You will be a fool to think I'll be scared of a mere Beta's daughter. Let me remind you, I am the Alpha's only daughter, and you know what that means? I can either be the Alpha of this pack or choose to leave it to your father, the Beta, which I won't." My lips curled up into a smirk while watching her face turn red in anger.
"I'll kill you!!" She snarled, and my body shuddered at seeing her shift into her wolf. A quick glance at the door and I realized it was closed. It will take me some time to reach it and draw it open before running. She'll catch me in three steps if she runs like a wolf.
What was wrong with me?
How was I blurting words without fear?
"Killing the Alpha's daughter has one punishment for a beta, and that is banishment. I don't mind turning rogue just to have you dead!" She threatened as her muscles enlarged and her fangs shot out with both eyes glowing red.
"You will be killed by hunters out there..." I mumbled as fear began to creep in slowly. Maybe I had gone too far.
"I don't care!" Her scream lashed into my ears, and just like lightning, she launched her first attack at me. I couldn't even attempt running and could only stare as death clawed at me.
But just then, when I lost all hope, someone dashed in and shielded my body from the attack.
"Nana, stop! Are you crazy?" The deep growl of my savior sounded in my ears, and I instantly recognized the voice.
It was one of the guards that took me away for treatment after the torture.
"I'll teach her a big lesson some other day! Fool!" The Beta's daughter seethed as she shifted back to her human form, stomping out but not without glaring dangerously at me as I trailed her till she left the room before turning to the guard.
"You really saved my life....Thank..."
"Shut the fuck up and get out of this clinic. The Alpha should know you have wake," he snapped with no trace of softness.
It was like he was forced to save me as nothing about him showed he wanted to do that. Hatred was still extreme in his eyes.
"But you just saved me. Why acting.." His hand smacked across my lips, cutting my words as his frown deepened.
"Stop talking to me and get the fuck out. You think I wanted to save you? Nonsense. If not for that guy, I would have joined hands with Nana to deal with you mercilessly," he fumed in annoyance before walking away with his boot hitting the ground like it had issues with it.
My brows arched as I wondered about which guy he was talking about. Just then, it came rushing back into my head, the memories I had forgotten.
I can now remember the bald guard and this guard. They tried raping me! I almost shifted into a ferocious beast! Someone barged in and I passed out.
Could the guy he is talking about be the one who barged in? Who could he be to make this royal guard protect me?