Chapter 22
The pack house was bustling with activity as usual, but today, I found myself alone in the shared bath, scrubbing at the dirty floors with all my might. The once gleaming tiles were now covered in grime and filth, the remnants of countless showers taken by the members of our pack. Old clothes lay abandoned in one corner, discarded and forgotten, while the drains were clogged with a tangled mess of hair and debris.
I sighed heavily as I dipped the scrub brush into the bucket of soapy water, the muscles in my arms aching from the repetitive motion. Sweat trickled down my forehead, mingling with the dirt and grime that coated my skin. My hair was tied back in a messy ponytail, strands sticking to my damp skin as I worked tirelessly to clean the mess before me.
As I scrubbed at the stubborn stains on the floor, my mind wandered back to the events of the past few days. The tension between Axton and Zeke, the ban from the training grounds, the accusations of disobedience – it all weighed heavily on my shoulders, filling me with a sense of frustration and despair.
I had always prided myself on being a loyal and dedicated member of the pack, but now, it seemed like everything I did only brought trouble and strife. Now, all Zeke could see in me is his ex that’s been nothing but a whore. Even if it was him who started it all. Not to mention he rejected me too.
“Maya, are you okay?”
The sound of a pack member’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I looked up to see her standing in the doorway, concern etched across her features. She was one of the younger ones, and try as I might I don’t recall her name. All I know is thay she’s not really that much of a talker.
“Peachy,” I replied, forcing a smile despite the exhaustion that weighed heavily on me. “Just trying to get these floors
clean”
The kid stepped into the bathroom, her eyes scanning the dirty tiles with a mixture of pity and sympathy.
“It’s not fair,” she said, her voice tinged with frustration. “You shouldn’t have to do all this by yourself. Alpha Zeke’s being too hard on you.”
I shrugged, not wanting to dwell on the unfairness of it all.
“It is what it is,” 1 muttered, returning to my task with renewed determination. “I just want to get this over with so I can go home.”
She nodded in understanding, but I could see the worry lingering in her eyes. She knew as well as I did that Zeke’s anger was not something to be taken lightly, and the consequences of my actions could be severe. And seeing as there isn’t really anything she can do, she shyly waves goodbye and leaves.
Alone once more, I let out a heavy sigh as I surveyed the dirty bathroom. The smell of urine and mildew filled the air, making my stomach churn with disgust. With a groan, I rolled up my sleeves, preparing to tackle the grimy urinals that awaited me.
Just as I braced myself for the unpleasant task ahead, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway, growing louder and louder until a group of male pack members burst into the bathroom, their faces flushed with
exertion.
“Hey Maya, sorry to barge in like this,” one of them said, panting slightly as he stripped off his shirt. “We just finished up a training session and desperately need to wash off.”
I blinked in surprise, taken aback by the sudden intrusion.
“But I’m not yet done-”
I don’t even get to finish my sentence. All I’m left to do is to hide my discomfort as the men began to undress, their
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11:21 AM
eyes fixed on the rows of showers lining the far wall.
Turning away, I focused on my task at hand, scrubbing at the stubborn stains in the urinals with renewed vigor. But despite my efforts to block out the commotion around me, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease creeping over
- me.
As the men stepped into the showers, the sound of running water filled the room, mingling with their voices as they laughed and joked amongst themselves. I tried to ignore their presence, focusing on the task of cleaning, but their proximity only served to intensify my feelings of discomfort.
“Hey Maya, can you hand me that soap?”
One of them called out, gesturing to a bottle on the shelf beside me. Reluctantly, I reached for the soap and passed it over, forcing my face not to wrinkle in disgust as I tried to mask my unease.
As the minutes passed, the atmosphere in the bathroom grew increasingly tense, the air thick with the scent of sweat and steam. I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, of being scrutinized by the men as they went about their business.
“Hey Maya, you missed a spot over here, another one called out, pointing to a patch of grime on the floor. He snickers loudly, snorting even. “Try to get as much of the dirt away, okay? Alpha Zeke told us to keep an eye on
you.” Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.
I clenched my jaw, fighting back the urge to snap at him. I knew I should be grateful for their help, but the way they treated me, as if I were nothing more than a servant, grated on my nerves.
Forcing myself to remain calm, I set to work cleaning the spot he had pointed out, my hands shaking with anger and frustration. I couldn’t understand why Zeke insisted on treating me like this, why he couldn’t see that I was doing everything in my power to lie low and get out of his line of sight.
Zeke’s rejection, Nadia’s betrayal it was all too much to bear, weighing me down like a heavy burden. But never will I let them win – I swear it.