THALIA
I cried and cried, burying my face deep into the pillow. My heart ached with an unbearable pain that coursed through my nervous system.
How could Mother be this cruel? Even to her own daughter?
Right now, I was starting to think if I was ever her child.
After crying my heart out for endless hours like it wasn't going to end, I rose from the bed.
I sniffed, using the back of my hand to wipe away my tears, they were useless anyway. No one could ever see the pain I'd endured all these years.
I walked over to the small mirror hanging on the wall of the small cubicle room I had turned into my safest harbor over the past ten years. I inspected the scalded burns on the side of my face down to my chest area.
It stings and hurts so much, but not nearly as to what I was feeling in my wounded heart.
My eyes brimmed with tears again. I hadn't gotten my wolf since I was yet to turn eighteen, but I should in a few months' time, so, until then, I would have to carry these burns about.
But my question remained unanswered...how was that tea so hot? I was sure the water was warm before preparing the tea.
A weary sigh escaped my lips as I couldn't get a rebuttal to my question. I was confused.
Suddenly, a knock sounded on the door and I waddled over. I opened the door and saw a fellow maid standing in front of me.
"Yes?" My voice came out barely in a whisper as I stared at her. Her eyes fell on the burns on my skin and her eyes twitched with pity, but she masked it away, immediately replacing it with a neutral expression.
It's been announced that anyone who showed even the slightest bit of care to me would be severely punished.
And no one wanted to get on the bad side of the Alpha or Mother, especially.
"Lady Lena requests your presence in her room," she informed, and my face twisted into a frown.
Ever since the return of my sister, she had turned me into her personal maid and I did it wholeheartedly just so she could forgive me but calling me after my mother had splashed hot tea on me was uncalled for.
"Why?" My voice sounded harsh.
"I don't know. You will find out once you reach there," she worded and turned around abruptly.
I watched her retreat, and I clutched my fingers tightly against the side of my worn-out uniform.
My eyes became teary, and I threw my head back, batting my lashes vividly to hold the tears in place.
"This would be over soon once I have my mate," I muttered to myself.
I inhaled sharply.
I just need to stay calm as I used to.
I closed the door behind me and proceeded to go see Lena, wondering why she had called me.
Something had been different about her, something I couldn't point at even if I wanted to, and no one would listen to me if I said this wasn't the same sister I was familiar with during our early childhood days.
I halted in front of the door leading into Lena's room and took a deep breath, and just as I was about to knock on the door. I heard loud moans coming from inside.
I bit on my lower lip and knocked on the door regardless, despite not wanting to or knowing my broken heart would even be left in a greater despair.
"Come in," her sultry voice came through after seconds, and I braced myself for whatever I was going to see inside.
I turned the door knob, opening the door, and walked in.
A speechless gasp escaped from my mouth as I stared at the unseemly scene right ahead of me.
There lay my sister on the master-sized bed in her room, with two of the quadruplets with her; Ryder and Mael.
She was wearing a silky red lingerie gown which had rolled up to her waist as Ryder had his face stuck between her milky legs, and Mael's mouth covered her exposed nipple as he sucked her breast.
Her legs were wide open as Ryder bobbed his head up and down between her folds, making slurping sounds. "You taste so good, Lena," he rasped out.
Lena gasped loudly, her eyes rolling to the back in sheer bliss while she placed one of her hands at the back of his head, steadying his pace just the way she liked it.
Mael on the other hand, nibbled and sucked on her nipple, his left hand squeezing and kneading her other breast his mouth was unable to attend to yet.
"Oh, yes!" she moaned, jerking her head back in ecstasy, arching her back slightly off the bed.
When did the sweet little girl I'd known turn to this?
Had she called me here just to witness this? To show me how much she's always wanted and desired by the quadruplets we used to play with cheerfully when we were kids.
I was the closest to Sage and Mael while she was close with Ryder and Derek, although the four brothers had nobly cared and cherished Lena when we were little because of how sweet and cheerful she was, but a part of me sank when I saw how Mael had locked his attention on her.
My eyes drifted to the floor, noticing the broken mug and plate on the floor.
"Yes, Ryder, suck it that way... Oh, Mael!" she whimpered.
I should leave, I see no reason why I have to wait here longer to witness their shameless act.
"Sister, I didn't know you were inside already," I heard her soft giggle, and I turned my face over my shoulder to look at her.
She was sitting up slightly, trying to adjust the strap of her dress, which had fallen over her shoulders even when Ryder had refused to let go of her legs. Our eyes met and she wore a sly smirk.
Mael had shifted in his position, his bare chest in view while watching me with his hazel predator's eyes as he leaned against the headboard.
My breath hitched.
"You called for me," I tried as much as possible to stay composed.
"Oh, well—"
Mael crawled behind her, wrapping his hand around her waist, and dropped wet kisses on her bare back. She sighed, looking at me, her eyes mischievous.
"We created a mess while we were busy with each other, you get what I mean..." she chuckled, turning her face to Mael, she placed her fingers under his chin and leaned into him, they kissed heatedly, but it was short as Lena pulled away from Mael who looked like he still wanted more.
She looked at me, her eyes glinting.
"Do you mind cleaning it up, dear sister?" she smiled sweetly, and my brows knitted at her.
Is this how she now sees the sister she used to be fond of?
Cleaning her mess?
She arched a brow at me when I didn't make an attempt to move.
"The broken glasses on the floor, pick them up." She ordered.
Was that what she called me for?
To pick broken glasses?
A foolish part of me had thought she wanted to apologize for what happened this morning, but I was wrong.
There wasn't even a hint of compassion when she saw Mother empty the hot tea on me, instead she smiled.
It was as if she were enjoying every torture I was going through for her sake.
"Okay," I turned around to leave and get a broom and a pail.
"Where do you think you are going?" A deep voice snarled, making me halt in my steps. I turned around slowly and my eyes fell on Ryder.
He was staring at me with disgust fully laced on his face. He had hated me the most when Lena was announced missing and turned my life into a miserable one, always reminding me how I deserved nothing but death for killing my sister.
"I-I want to get tools to clean the broken glasses," I stuttered.
"Perhaps you didn't hear me well, Sister..." Lena smirked.
I reverted my gaze to her. "I mentioned the word, pick, which means you should PICK," she voiced.
Pick?
"With my hands?" I blurted shockingly.
"You heard her Thalia, don't let her repeat herself, do as you are told," Mael frowned and I swallowed.
"And while at it, you are welcome to watch what you won't ever experience in your life," Lena said to me. She was referring to the quadruplets not giving me the same attention as they did to her.
"Maybe in her dreams," Ryder slipped his hand between Lena's legs.
"I can never be in her dreams, Brother," Mael remarked, and they all laughed.
I went on my knees, my eyes hurting, and the ridicule always seemed to get worse by the day.
I grabbed the tray on the ground. "Kiss me, Mael," Lena moaned.
"Gladly, my love," Mael responded, and my heart clenched painfully.
How could he?
I'd always had a crush on him and Sage, the eldest of the quadruplet when I was a little girl and jokingly teased him that when we grew up, I would be his Luna and Sage would chirp in and be like I was going to be his Luna first, but now they hated my guts more than ever and had become nothing less than monsters.
I began to pick the broken pieces of the mug, being careful not to allow it to cut my hands.
"Spread those legs, baby," Ryder grunted, accompanied by a slicking wet sound of how he drove his fingers in and out of her heat.
"Oh, yes!" Lena panted between heated kisses she was having with Mael.
Lena's moans filled the air as the two did things to her body that drove her to climax.
I bit hard on my lower lip, almost tasting my blood out of spite as I tried to hide what I was feeling. I need to leave as fast as possible, so I hastened in picking up the broken glasses, and just as I was about to pick the last piece it pricked through my finger.
Blood oozed out and I winced.
I looked up to see if they had noticed what happened to me, but they were on about their business as if there weren't a fourth party in the room with them.
I used my gown to clean the drop of blood on the floor and hurried out of the room.
I closed the door behind me and breathed hard. It took a while for me to come to my senses, telling myself repeatedly that this would be over as soon as I had my own mate.
I began to walk when someone pushed me to the wall hard.
The tray in my hands fell to the ground making a clanging sound and I looked up afraid to see who had pushed me.
A terrified gasp left my lips and I turned pale as I stared at the deadliest pair of green eyes staring down cruelly at me that has haunted me over the past ten years.
"These burned marks seem to suit you well..." his cold voice seeped through my skin, causing my legs to shake.
"I-I...Sa—"
He pressed my body with his against the wall tightly. "Don't you think, Lia?" He snarled, and a tear slipped down my face.