Chapter Forty-two

I got up the next day to the same pains again, the welts were still so vividly red and raw. I shuddered at the sight and couldn't help but feel like I had been hit by a train. I was so sore and exhausted, but I knew I had to keep moving. I had to clean the community and do whatever else the pack needed of me.

However, despite my to-do list, I couldn't shake off the need to speak to Nia. I needed to know how she was doing and if she was okay. I felt like I had let her down and I couldn't bear the thought of her being disappointed in me. But it seemed like every time I tried to find a moment to speak with her, something else came up.

As I walked through the halls, I noticed that the pack members were giving me a wide berth. Some looked at me with pity while others looked at me with disgust. I felt like an outcast like I didn't belong. I was just a punishment to them, not a person.

I finally found a moment to myself and I snuck away to the courtyard. When I reached the courtyard and saw