11. Lyra

How dare he. Declaring me scum, tainted goods and then offering to help!

I just kept walking, the words forming in my mouth not fit to speak.

Declan is no different to Valdis. He is cruel in a different way. My wolf whimpers in disagreement but I ignore the sensation.

As a teenager, Valdis whipped me for every complaint Corina made. As soon as my curves and womanly shape arrived she noticed, or invented every error. My rations dropped, my chores increased.

I felt the same whip crack slice of pain across my chest when I overheard that conversation.

Back at the lonely dorm I brewed the tea too harshly, the murky liquid tasting extra foul.

I’ve spent so many years compressed. My heart, every thought, etched down to nothing but making it to the next day without punishment. It's kept me alive, but now Valdis is gone, what is to keep me from collapsing like a broken dam?

I want to march back up to Declan and scream. New, unearthed energy pulses inside. I want to explode in rage, fury