Chapter 3 Slow Poisoning

Mira's POV

When I wake up, my heart is pounding. The whisper from last night is still in my ears: "Mira...." Now that the sun has risen, my tiny room feels safer, despite my fear. I'm Mira, and I'm an Omega in this big palace. Even though I'm small and composed, I'm uncomfortable. My head hurts all the time, and my stomach twists like it has knots in it. However, I keep it to myself. They will only call me weak.

I put on my old dress with the patches and tie my silver hair back. My hands shake, and my legs are unsteady as a baby deer's. I take a deep breath and head for the kitchen. The castle is filled with the sound of pots clanging and people yelling. I feel like I'm carrying a big boulder in my body, even though I want to have a great day.

In the kitchen, Lila is stirring a pot. Her face is flushed, and her eyes are sharp. She yells, "Mira! You're running late again!" I nod and accept a basket of carrots. My fingers move slowly, and the knife feels slick. My head is spinning, so I drop one of the carrots as I try to peel it. On the floor, it moves.

Lila snatches it up. She shouts, "What a useless girl!" "Is there nothing you can do right?" Despite how painful her remarks were, I keep my head down. I don't want her to see how teary-eyed I am. I try again with another carrot, but I can barely hold the knife because my hands are shaking so much.

"Mira, you seem pale," says Tora, the older gray-haired wolf. She's peeling onions nearby. Her voice is softer than Lila's, but her eyes are troubled. "Are you sick?"

I give a quick shake of my head. "I'm alright," I say, but not loudly. I don't want anyone to know that I'm sorry. When they make fun of him or tell him, Dane will be incensed. Dane is the name of my Alpha husband. He should love me, but he's always with Selina, the ruthless smiler with the red hair.

When I finish the vegetables, I carry a platter of bread into the great hall. My arms feel like jelly and the tray is so heavy that I almost drop it. In the hallway, wolves are eating and conversing. Dane sits at the big table, his dark hair gleaming in the torches. Selina stands next to him, her red dress as bright as a flower. She laughs and puts her hand back on his arm. My stomach hurts even more when I see them.

I set the tray down, being careful not to spill anything. I want Dane to look at me politely and say something. But he doesn't. "Mira," he adds harshly. "This bread is cold. Can't you do better?

"I apologize," I mumble, my cheeks burning. I want to say that I tried, even though the words won't come out.

Selina giggles, her blue eyes glistening. "Dane, she has no hope. Why do you keep her around? The other wolves' loud laughter is audible in my ears. I look at Dane, expecting him to stand up for me, but all he does is wave his hand. Go, Mira. Don't make a scene.

I turn and walk away, my bare feet feeling cold on the stone floor. Tears well up in my eyes, but I fight them back. I don't want anyone to see me cry. Back in the kitchen, I hide behind a stack of flour sacks. I embrace my knees and try to breathe. Right now, it feels like someone is beating my head with a stick. My stomach turns over and I feel like I might throw up.

Lila finds me. "Mira! Come out of hiding! She pulls me up, and I fumble. I can't get my legs to cooperate. She shoves a broom into my hand. "Now sweep the floor!" I nod and start sweeping, but the broom feels heavy and the room spins. I hold the wall to stay up.

All day, I work. I bring water, scrub pots, and clean tables. My body feels worse with each step. My head is fuzzy and my skin is hot and then cold. I drop a plate, and it breaks on the floor. Lila yells, but it sounds distant. I'm sorry, but I can't talk.

I must serve soup for lunch. I almost spill the big pot I'm carrying to the hallway because my arms shake so much. I lose the pot to Tor, the big wolf. "Watch out, Omega!" he growls. His eyes are cruel, so I quickly pull away. I don't want him to hit me.

When I get to Dane's table, I pour soup into his bowl. My hands shake and a tiny bit spills on the table. Selina gasps as if I did something horrible. "Mira, you're so awkward!" she shouts. "Look at this mess!"

Dane frowns at me. "Tidy it up," he orders. His grey eyes are as cold as a stormy sky. I pick up a cloth and wipe down the table, my face burning with shame. While the rest of the pack watches, a few of them whisper. "Weak," one says. "Useless," says another. I want to disappear.

When I'm done, I run back to the kitchen. My mind is racing so much that I had to sit down. Tora kneels beside me when she sees me. "You're not okay, Mira," she says. She is now silent. "You need to rest."

"I can't," I reply. "They'll get angry." My speech is shaky, and my eyes are heavy.

Tora shakes her head. "You're sick. I'm telling Lila. She leaves before I can stop her. I'm scared. If they think I'm weak, they'll tell Dane, which will only make him hate me more.

It is my duty to help with the evening feast. Holding a tray of cups makes my legs feel like they're melting. I set the tray down and lean against the wall. The room is noisy, and the torches hurt my eyes. Selina and Dane are chatting at the head table. She smiles, and he smiles back. My heart hurts so bad that I can't breathe.

I pour water into cups with trembling hands, spilling some. A wolf named Kael grabs my arm. He shouts, "Impetuous Omega!" "You're ruining everything!" I struggle out of his excruciating grip and almost drop the tray.

Dane stands up, an angry look on his face. "Mira!" he shouts. There is silence in the hall. "Why can't you do anything right? In front of the group, you're making me look stupid!

Tears are now streaming down my face. I can't stop them. I'm sorry, but my voice is so small that nobody can hear me. Selina makes a sharp sound when she laughs.

"Go to your room," Dane says. "I would prefer not to see you." His comments are weighing me down like a tonne of rocks. I nod and run, stumbling to the ground. When I reach my room, I collapse on my bed. My entire body hurts and I'm too hot to think. I wrap the blanket around myself and cry until my eyes are dry.

My condition has gotten worse. My head is pounding and my stomach is twisting so much that I'm curling up tight. I recall the roar from the forest, the shadow with the gleaming eyes, and the whisper that called my name. Was it real? Or am I just sick?

Then I hear it again, right outside my window: a deep growl. My heart stops. I sit up, shaky all over. The room is dark, but the moon shines through the window. I sneak up and peek out. The shadow reappears, big and threatening, eyes blazing. But this time it's closer. From the castle wall, it is staring right at me. Its mouth has a dark, blood-like shape, and then I see something worse.