Chapter 9

Rachael's POV

Being the mate of all four sons of the Alpha did have its perks, but sadly, it didn't include not having to wash my clothes or the clothes of my seniors.

I sat in the laundry room with my bucket in front of me and a pile of clothes by the side which I had to wash as fast as I could so I could leave there.

I only have three slave gowns, as my only property in my wardrobe.. so the pile belonged to the seniors.

Several maids were there too. Most were almost already done with their clothes whilst a few were still about to begin, just like me.

I picked up a dress and tossed it into the bucket and then I began to scrub as hard as I could. It was a technique that helped me wash the clothes faster without getting discouraged; taking them one after the other instead of putting a lot into the bucket at once. The more the dresses looked into my eyes, the more I got discouraged.

I got done with the first and began to wash the second finally getting the hang of it. It wasn't annoying anymore. It just felt like something I needed to do to pass the time. I still hoped to be done on time though.

Suddenly, I felt a pull on my hair from behind me as my assailant pulled very hard. It was so painful and I almost yelled, but I wanted to know who it was first.

"You're just a filthy slave!" As I fell to the floor, I turned to see that it was Jessica, a longtime admirer of Justin, staring down at me with rage in her eyes.

Jessica had always had eyes for Justin. It was one of the first things that I noticed when I was brought to the Pack. I saw the way she looked at him, the way she spoke to him, the way she always went out of her way to see that everything he needed was provided.

Also, anyone in the pack could see how in-love she was with him. Jessica does not belong to this pack, but because of a certain someone.. she's always in the palace of the crimson pack.

The only problem was that as much as they both had some time together at times, he didn't seem to like her as much as she did. It didn't move her though. She was head over heels for him.

"How dare you get mated with Justin?" She yelled and then proceeded to repeatedly kick me on stomach as I lay on the ground, with my hand covering my stomach protectively. "I'm going to put you in your place because it seems you've forgotten so quickly."

She kicked me a few more times as I tried in vain to prevent those kicks of hers from getting to my stomach. I clutched my stomach when she eventually stopped kicking me and after shaking her head a few times in disgust, she spat on my body.

I was happy it was finally over, but she did not go.. she paced around the area, scanning the place with her eyes and I guessed that she wasn't done with what she wanted to do, despite the pain she had inflicted on me.

I tried getting up from the floor, but Jessica had a different plan.. she kicked me really hard on my stomach and I fell back down as I screamed in pain, clutching onto my stomach.. the pain.. isn't knew, but still.. I felt it.

"Stay down!" She growled before walking to the bucket of water that I was using to wash my clothes.

She picked it up and emptied the entire bucket on my body. Then, she threw the bucket at me, thankfully.. I managed to roll out of the way and this made the bucket hit the floor instead of my face, that she was aiming for.

I felt embarrassed. I felt so ashamed and humiliated, especially because there were other maids there who had one thing or the other to do in the laundry room. Everyone kept their gazes at me and seeing some of them with a smile on their faces didn't help matters at all. It just made me want to punch Jessica in the face.

I finally mustered some strength and stood to my feet whilst she turned around to leave, having finished with what she had in mind to do to me.

Unfortunately, I was only just beginning. I couldn't let her get away from me just like that. Not after all that she had done. I needed to make her pay for what she had done.

"For someone who loves Justin as much as you do, you are clearly doing everything possible to stop him from being the next alpha." I shouted with a cheeky smile, causing her to immediately come to a halt. "I wonder what Justin would think about that. Any ideas? It would probably get rid of the little friendship feelings he has for you."

She turned around in one swift movement, her face reflecting how shock she was.

I guess, She didn't believe that I'd speak to her with such boldness but it was no fault of mine. It was hers. She didn't know that the person she was dealing with was a whole different person altogether. I now have a winning card, unlike the past.

She walked back to me and her left hand on her waist. "You're trying to get on my nerves, aren't you?" Sne asked, with a smile of her own. "Maybe the beating that I gave you earlier wasn't enough for you. I thought it'd have put you in your place, but it didn't. Let me do something about that."

"TOUCH ME! AND SEE WHAT I AM CAPABLE OF!" I yelled in her face, my eyes gazing into hers intently.

Her raised hand remained paused in the head, I could see my word replaying in her head.. as she made a decision. She backed down.

"Look here, Jess. I've been letting you beat me up for too long. I let you hit me as much as you want. I let you kick me around like a ragdoll but not anymore. Those times are in the past now and I hope you enjoyed them."

I watched to see how she'd react. I wanted to see fear in her eyes but she hid it very well so I continued. "Now, standing before you isn't that common slave, but the mate of all four sons of the Alpha of the Crimson Pack, and not just any mate.. one who decides who would be the next alpha."

"You are still just a slave." She countered back.

"Am I?..."

"Let me see.. would just a slave, so this?" Grinning from ear to ear, I pushed her hard and she fell to the ground with a thud and a scream escaping her lips, much to my delight.

"I don't think, just a slave would do that." I laughed mockingly, towering above her like some evil step-mother.

"Tell me, how's the view from down there?" I giggled.

Her nostril enlarged, her revealing how angry she was. "You are dead, Racheal. I will make sure if it."

She was about standing up and I angrily kicked her in the stomach.. "STAY DOWN!!" I growled with every strength in me.

"Ahhhhh." She cried out, clutching onto her stomach and wiggling like some worm.

I took a few steps forward to where she was and bent down besides her, while caressing her hair.. I whispered in a low voice... "Maybe I should let Justin know that you just ruined his chance of being the next Alpha of Crimson Pack." I smirked. "I don't think your very dear Justin would love that, would he?"

"You wouldn't dare!" She yelled, but I knew she was scared. Very scared. She id trying to mask it as much as she could but I wasn't buying it. I knew a scared woman when I saw one. I have been there, plenty of time.

"If you dare try something like that, Rachael, I'll make you pay. I'll make your life harder than you can ever imagine." She threatened.

I towered above her and laughed hard in a sinister manner. Her threat was a very funny one to me as I was certain it was useless.

"How hard can you make my life?" I mocked her.

"You have not known pain enough to make me feel it and my life cannot be made any worse. I was a Princess, enjoying all the luxury that life had to offer. I had guards and maids at my disposal, doing whatever I wanted just by hearing me say it. Now, I'm only a slave, receiving instructions from others and having to do them. I have no will of my own. I don't think life can ever get any harder than that.. and for your death threat... honey I would love a quick escape."

"Wha.. what.. what do you want." She stammered, shifting back in fear.

Now that's more like it.

Taking slow steps towards her, slow exaggerated steps.. I want her to feel the heat of suspense.. lowering myself once again, I said to her, "You should beg for my forgiveness, sweetie. You really wouldn't want me tattling to a certain crush of yours, why I had chosen someone else as the next Alpha of Crimson Pack."

"Again, he would not like that.."