Chapter 16: awake

Chapter 16: awakeOlivia's POV A jackhammer. There had to be a jackhammer pounding in my head this very second. That could be the only explanation for this horrendous aching. My body felt like it had been trampled by a stampede—my head pounding, stomach twisting with nausea, and cold sweat clinging to my skin. I groaned, forcing myself to sit up, and that was when I noticed my mother, fast asleep in the armchair beside my bed. I swallowed hard and glanced around, only to realize that I was in my room. I furrowed my brow as it took me a few seconds to recall all that had happened. The memory flashed back in my head. I remembered them—they played like a movie in my mind. Anita in the arms of my supposed husbands. Their bodies entwined as they had her, while they forced me to watch. My wolf growled in my head, angry and wounded, but what could I do? This was my life now, and I should get used to this unbearable pain because I knew what happened last night was just the beginning. The pain I felt when they had her would constantly keep coming. Sighing heavily, I looked at my mother sleeping in the armchair. She must be so exhausted, obviously watching over me throughout the night while I was unconscious. Slowly, I left the bed and quietly got down so I wouldn't wake her up. Crossing the room, I settled by the window, my fingers tracing the cold glass as I stared out at the tall trees. Was this my future? A life of misery and suffering? How long would I have to endure this torment? "Olivia, you are awake." I heard my mother's voice behind me. I turned to find her rising to her feet, rubbing her tired eyes as she walked toward me. Her eyes looked tired, like she hadn't gotten any sleep throughout the previous night. "How are you, my dear?" she asked softly, her eyes scanning me with deep concern. I swallowed hard, unsure of what to say while memories of last night replayed in my head. "Mother, how did I get here?" My voice came out hoarse. My throat felt raw, as if I had been screaming for hours. My mother sighed, her tired eyes filled with sorrow as she stood beside me, gently taking my trembling hands into hers. "You collapsed, Olivia," she said softly. "One of the guards found you unconscious outside the chamber door and carried you back here." I swallowed hard, my stomach twisting. Outside the door? That meant… they had thrown me out. The memory hit me like a blade to the chest. The locked door. The agonizing pain. The sound of their pleasure while I lay on the cold floor, screaming for mercy. And then—darkness. I frowned, my nails digging into my palms. "They left me there," I whispered, my voice shaking. "They left me to suffer while they—" My breath hitched, and I couldn't finish the sentence. My mother's grip on my hands tightened, her expression darkening with barely contained anger. "Yes," she admitted, her voice trembling. "They left you there, Olivia." My wolf whimpered in my head, but I silenced her, forcing myself to breathe through the pain searing through my chest. "And you?" I asked, looking at my mother. "How did you know?" She sighed, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "The guard alerted me. When I arrived, you were burning up, thrashing in your sleep, crying out in pain. I—" She closed her eyes, pain flashing across her face. "I stayed by your side all night. You wouldn't wake up. I was so scared, my dear." I stared at her, my heart aching. I knew my mother loved me. I knew she had no power against the triplets. She was just an omega, the wife of a man accused of stealing. Swallowing the bitterness rising in my throat, I turned away, staring out the window. "I don't think I can survive this, Mother." My voice was barely a whisper, but I knew she heard me. She took a deep breath and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "You can, and you will." She tried comforting me, but it only made me more annoyed. "No, Mother, you don't understand!" I snapped, my voice rising. "You don't know what those men—the ones the Moon Goddess cursed me with—are capable of! They made love to Anita right in front of me, and despite seeing how it was killing me, they ignored me. And when I fainted, do you know what they did? They threw me outside the room like I was nothing!" My whole body shook with anger and pain. I wished I could do something—anything—to save myself from this hell. Before my mother could respond, a sharp knock sounded at the door. Sёarch* The nôvelFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She turned and opened it, revealing a guard standing on the other side. "The Alphas are having breakfast and demand that the Luna join them," he announced. My blood boiled at his words. Demanded? "I won't!" I yelled from where I stood. But my mother, ever the peacemaker, turned to the guard and said, "She will join them shortly." As soon as she closed the door, she turned to face me. "Olivia, you have to go." I shook my head, stepping away from her reach. "No, Mother. I refuse. I won't sit at the same table with them and pretend like last night never happened. I won't!" "Olivia," my mother said gently, her tired eyes pleading with me. "I know you're hurting, my dear. I know what they did was cruel beyond words. But refusing them now will only make things worse for you." I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. "Worse?" I scoffed. "What could be worse than what they've already done? What more do they want to take from me?" My mother exhaled shakily, stepping closer. "Your dignity. If you refuse, they'll punish you, Olivia, before the mansion staff. They'll see it as disrespect, and they will make you suffer for it." Tears burned my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. "And sitting with them like an obedient little Luna isn't suffering?" "It is," she admitted, cupping my cheek. "But it's a battle you need to survive first before you can win the war. Do you understand?" I bit my lip, hating that she was right. Hating that I had no real power here. I wanted to fight, to scream, to make them feel even a fraction of my pain. But what could I do against three powerful Alphas who hated me for no reason? I swallowed my pride, the lump in my throat painful. "Fine," I muttered, my voice hollow. "I'll go." My mother gave me a sad smile, brushing her hand over my hair. "That's my brave girl." I turned away from her touch, wiping my face quickly before heading towards my bathroom. If I had to sit with them, I wouldn't do it looking like a broken, humiliated mess. After bathing, I chose a simple yet elegant dress—something that wouldn't show how shattered I was inside. Something that gave a confident look. Once I was ready, I took a deep breath and stepped toward the door. My mother gave me one last reassuring look before opening it for me.