Candace
"Guards, drag this murderer into the packhouse."
The mont Uncle Nathan barked the order, two hefty guards wearing black uniforms stamped with the pack crest stepped into the pig sty.
Panic surged violently through . My bloodied hands slid desperately over the hay as I tried backing away from them, but it was useless.
Their strong grips clamped around my arms before I could even properly move, rough fingers digging painfully into bruises already blooming beneath my skin.
"No, please," I cried weakly. "Please just listen to ."
They did not, the guards hauled across the floor without rcy. Agony exploded through my body as rough hay, dirt, and scattered stones scraped across my torn skin.
Every movent reopened wounds Aunt Elena had already burned and beaten into earlier that day. Jagged rocks bit into my back while broken cries tore helplessly from my throat.
This was unfair. I was the victim, I was the one Dylan attacked, I was the one who almost got raped, yet sohow I was the criminal.
A choked sob escaped as another stone tore into my shoulder. My vision blurred harder with tears and blood, but even through the haze, I could still make out the figures following behind us.
Their grim expressions promised nothing except more pain. Aunt Elena’s shrill voice pierced through my agony while she continued crying dramatically about her precious son.
The sound clawed painfully against my skull, but it still hurt less than seeing my mates walk beside her instead of beside .
I could survive the hunger, the insults, the humiliation, and the endless punishnt.
But this? Their doubts and false accusations? They felt like sobody slowly ripping my heart apart with bare hands. Why would they not believe ?
Every single ti they called a liar and a murderer, every single ti they silenced before I could defend myself, it felt like another blade sinking into my chest. Little by little, they carved pieces out of until I barely recognized myself anymore.
A scream ripped from my throat when my back slamd against the concrete steps leading into the packhouse.
Fresh agony exploded through the burn Aunt Elena pressed into my skin earlier. My torn dress snagged against the rough stone while blood sared behind where the guards dragged upward.
This punishnt felt different. It was not like the ti Deidre accused of pouring dye into her bathwater and they forced to crawl through the mansion while servants whipped for staining the carpets with blood.
It was not like when Dylan lied that I slapped him and Aunt Elena forced to kneel outside beneath the scorching sun for two day days while flies fed on my wounds.
Had I truly beco such a monster in their eyes that my pain no longer mattered?
They already took everything from so why did they want to take more?
Just before the guards dragged completely inside, my eyes lifted weakly toward the moon hanging high in the night sky.
The sight filled with sudden rage.
Do sothing.
The scream echoed silently inside my head.
Why would the Moon Goddess allow this to continue when she knew the truth?
She watched Dylan attack . She watched the pack destroy my life piece by piece. Anger surged beneath every stab of pain crawling through my body. Anger at the pack, at the Goddess and at the triplets.
The guards finally flung violently into the main hall. For one horrible second, my body soared weightlessly through the air before slamming face-first against the marble floor.
Pain erupted instantly. Fresh blood burst from my split lip and mangled cheek while dizziness swallowed whole.
The sharp sll of leather polish filled my nose. Fear prickled violently across my skin.
The real tornt was only beginning. I trembled helplessly on the floor while trying weakly to crawl away.
Then Uncle Nathan’s boot slamd into my ribs. A broken cry tore from my throat as blinding pain exploded through my chest.
"That’s right, honey!" Aunt Elena screeched sowhere behind him. "Teach the ungrateful bitch a lesson!"
Uncle Nathan drove his boot harder into my stomach. I curled instinctively around the pain, but it only seed to anger him more. He stomped down again and again like he was crushing so disgusting insect beneath his feet.
This man was my father’s brother. My father loved him. My father would have died for him without hesitation. Yet here he was beating rcilessly while blood pooled beneath my body.
"You wanted to kill my heir, didn’t you?" Uncle Nathan snarled before grabbing my hair violently. "You cursed little pig."
"Unc... please," I choked out weakly through blood-filled lips.
"All my poor boy did was co fetch her because I asked him to," Aunt Elena sobbed dramatically.
Another kick landed and I felt a crack inside my ribs. Tears stread uncontrollably down my face while agony spread through every inch of my body.
"What if she attacks next?" Deidre whimpered softly. "I never imagined Candy could beco this cruel."
"She deserves worse than this."
Ryker’s furious voice echoed sharply across the hall. My breath caught painfully.
Even from several feet away, his words still managed to hurt worse than Uncle Nathan’s kicks. My mates were watching this happen.
They were standing there while I got beaten bloody for defending myself and they hated for it.
Desperately, I turned my head toward them through blurred vision. The sight nearly destroyed completely.
Ragnor, Ryker, and Reign surrounded Deidre protectively while soothing her like she was the victim here.
Ryker rubbed her shoulder gently while Ragnor murmured sothing low into her ear. Reign held her close against his chest while glaring coldly in my direction.
"Look at her," Aunt Elena hissed viciously. "That is the face of a killer. Murder runs through her veins. She’ll kill all of us in our sleep if we keep letting her live."
"I didn’t..." I sobbed weakly.
Uncle Nathan slamd his boot down harder against my side. Pain ripped violently through . I curled tighter into myself while wrapping my arms around my stomach protectively.
"S-Sorry," I cried helplessly. "I’m sorry."
"Get your filthy hands off , you wretch!"
Uncle Nathan spat before delivering one final brutal kick toward my head. The impact sent ringing pain exploding through my skull.
My body went limp imdiately afterward.
Distantly, I watched Deidre continue fake crying against Reign’s chest while the triplets comforted her softly.
Had they forgotten the promises we made beneath the persimmon tree?
What happened to us?
My vision darkened rapidly. Then suddenly, through the haze, I noticed sothing Deidre’s cruel smile hidden carefully against Reign’s chest where nobody else could see it.
Her fingers curled possessively against Reign’s shirt while her fake sobs continued
Then Reign’s eyes locked onto mine before they suddenly squeezed shut like he physically could not bear looking at anymore.
My chest clutched in pain. Reign knew sothing was wrong, yet he still stood beside her.
"Take Dylan to the infirmary," soone barked distantly.
Darkness swallowed my vision rapidly afterward. The last thing I saw before darkness claid completely was Deidre’s secret smile and Reign’s tightly shut eyes, like he hated himself for watching break.
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