8.

Olivia's POV

What just happened? Bad enough that he had insulted me and insinuated that I was acting like a slut, but he still punished me.

I knew that something was wrong when I noticed that man whispering to him. Now I don't know what he heard. He seemed so angry and it hurts me.

I hate having to be the source of his anger. He said I would train thrice as hard. That meant I would go harder and might end up staying out for eighteen hours rather than the usual six.

It also meant that I would not eat until I was done with the training. I sighed. Food was not my problem, I had been starved for so long that not eating felt like a normal thing and eating felt like a luxury.

Well, it's a luxury I can't afford for now. Devon had called me weak, stupid, idiot, foolish, useless, a liar, and a slut.

It was high time I changed all of that. I was going to prove to him that I am better than he imagines. I will show him that I can be strong, I am not weak.

I am neither stupid nor useless. But before that, I still have to figure out what the servant man told him. At least, I have to know what his thoughts are. Concluding that, I resumed my training.

My arms were weak. I couldn't move my shoulders anymore. Everywhere hurt so much. I could barely see at all, my vision kept darkening and I wasn't sure if it was the sky. It wasn't just darkening, it was also blurring.

I felt fuzzy all over and my head spun. It wasn't helping at all. I raised my hand, feeling the pain as it helped me stay conscious but this time, I couldn't help it and I fell to the ground unconscious.

I was in that darkness and numbness for a long time until I felt wet all over. Then a cold wind blew past me, causing me to shiver and jolt into consciousness. I heard some giggles around me.

I opened my eyes slowly to see that I was still on the training ground. The cold became so much that I shivered uncontrollably. I held my arms, hugging myself.

I looked around me and I could see Devon standing a few feet away from me. I saw him hand the bucket over to a servant by his side. My heart broke all the more. He found me passed out and all he could do was empty a bucket of cold water on me. Tears filled my eyes.

"Get up." He ordered. I managed to get to my feet, shaking due to the cold. I saw a flash of regret cross his eyes but he masked it immediately. Surprisingly, that was enough for me to forgive him.

"Come with me." He said. Without waiting, he started walking away. I followed him, walking as fast as my body could move. I was cold after being wet under the cold night breeze.

Normally, being a werewolf should have changed that but since I was the weakest one, I couldn't harness most of my wolf abilities, the only difference between a regular human and myself was that I could polymorph into a wolf.

When it came to strength and speed and the like, I was almost the same as a human. That was why my family and my pack members, detested me.

"Walk faster!" He snapped. I sighed. Couldn't he see that I was shivering? I tried to speak.

"I.. I.. a.. c.. o..."

"Just shut up!" He yelled angrily. I went silent. Why did he always shun me whenever I tried to speak up? I was only trying to tell him how cold I was.

"Stiff." I managed to say. He stopped and turned to stare at me. He walked over to where I stood, shaking visibly.

"Say that again." He whispered. For a moment I thought I could see care in his eyes. I became afraid. My speech could become clear but it never lasted more than a few seconds. It was a real struggle for me to say that word and I knew I couldn't say it again.

I used my hands to gesture to him what I meant, despite the way they shook. He slapped my hands down.

"Say what you just said." He repeated. "Don't use your hands, use your words. I want to hear you speak."

The tears that I had been holding for a long time suddenly resurfaced. They were hot and somehow managed to warm my body.

"I... a... Sti..." I couldn't. I couldn't say it and I had to stop before I embarrassed myself further.

"Get out." He ordered. "Leave this place, go to your room."

I turned and left him there. Why has he so angered anytime I tried to speak? I thought he only wanted me to speak. How come when I tried, it only made him angry?

The thought wasn't something I could fathom so I pushed it aside. I entered my room and quickly fixed a hot bath for myself. As I soaked in the water, I started to feel some relief.

I heard the soft sound of footsteps approaching my door. I scowled. Who was it this time around and what did they want? Thinking it to be Devon perhaps sending a servant to call on me, I hurried out of the bath and dressed up.

I waited for the knock but it never came. Sighing in disappointment, I lay in the bed and curled up to sleep.

Being me was so difficult, I always wished I was born differently. If not for the sake of enjoying the warmth of family love, at least for the sale of Devon. Seeing him hurt always made me hurt.

After a while of silence, the knock finally came. It was as soft as the scratching of a tree branch against a wall. I opened the door and I was surprised to find my father there again. What did he want this time around? Before he could speak, I slammed the door shut and locked it.