Ella’s POV
“Ah!” I screamed as I felt shards of pain through my skull.
“How do you feel to be stabbed in the back, bitch? I guess you weren’t expecting us. I thought I told you to watch your back. Did you think I was joking?”
I rolled my eyes and pulled my hair from the grasp of the leader of the crazy cat ladies. It hurt like hell but I wasn’t going to rub my scalp in their presence.
The six of them stood, sneering at me. Their eyes had always been filled with hatred when they looked at me but now it was intense and I had no idea of what I had done to deserve the upgrade.
I snorted. As if I deserved their hatred at all.
I could feel my body healing itself and was grateful for that. The pain was enough to knock one out. She had a satisfied smirk on her face and I knew she had intentionally done that. She knew how strong she was and had hardened her grip.
“What are you doing?” I hissed at them.
“Oh! She talks back.” Cat lady number three laughed and they all laughed among themselves.
We weren’t allowed to ask or exchange names so I named them myself in order of how dominant I knew they were.
“She is finally getting courage.” Cat lady number two jeered.
“Why wouldn’t she when her mate is around and out to save her?” The leader of the gang, crazy cat number one, said.
I rolled my eyes, realizing what this was about. The count must have told one of them during a slave sex session about Kevin being my mate and trying to buy my freedom from the count. As expected of their gang, the one the count had confided in had told the others.
I wasn’t surprised that they blamed me and thought I was wrong for desiring freedom. They had always supported the count in whatever he did and I didn’t expect them to be different now. They were idiots whose senses had been robbed of by cowardice and sex.
I shook my head as I stared at them, feeling pity for them as I usually did. They were fighting the wrong battle. I wasn’t the one they were meant to gang up against.
“What is wrong with you?” The leader asked, pushing me back on my chest with her finger.
I hissed and held her finger, crushing it in between my palm. She winced and I threw her finger away. I had had enough of them. What did it matter anyways? I would be leaving here soon.
I squinted my eyes and looked at them. Even though I was the lowest-level Omega of the Blood Moon Pack, these pampered cat shifters would not be my opponent.
“Are you jealous?” I asked, arching my eyebrows at him.
“What is the crazy wolf saying?” The leader scoffed, pretending to be cool in the presence of her followers.
I could see her lightly rubbing the finger I had crushed between my palm and hid a smile.
“Aren’t you jealous that I have a mate and you all don’t?” I smiled, looking at each of them in the eye. “Isn’t that why you are picking on me?”
“Hey!” Cat lady two shouted at me.
I smiled. I was right. I had hit a nerve with those words. No wonder they had been so quick to give up on their freedom and suck up to get the count. The sex and delusion of having a man was worth losing their identity for.
I wouldn’t let her stop me. I was done being silent for them.
“You would have had a mate if you were less bitchy than you are.”
They looked ready to explode. Cat lady number six moved forward with her hand held up, making a move to hit me across the face.
I wasn’t fazed. “If you heard about my mate, I’m sure you heard that he is also the alpha of the pack. Mind you, he has a foul temper and you wouldn’t live to see the next day if he comes to save me and I tell him that you slapped me.”
She swallowed, her eyes darting around. She was probably considering what her next move should be. I waited, both of us staring at each other.
She dropped her hand and moved back.
“You made the right choice.” I smiled at her. “You could have chosen to die and be free from slavery. I think that is a better option, if you ask me.”
“She didn’t ask you.” The leader scowled at me.
“Bitch,” the one who wanted to slap me hissed.
I wasn’t done. Now that I knew they were afraid of Kevin, I wanted to rile them up more.
“Too bad you don’t ask me anything. If you had, I would have gladly told you how stupid you were.” I said and walked away.
“Bitch!” They all yelled but none of them touched me.
I chuckled as I looked back and saw them still at the spot I had left them, shooting daggers at me with their eyes. What else had I been expecting from cowards?
They would never touch me again.
The atmosphere in the kitchen was weird. All the staff had their eyes on me all through as I went about my tasks and didn’t pretend to act like they hadn’t been staring. I was so rattled by their unwanted attention that I sagged in relief when I was told to take the angel’s food to her. I ran to the dungeon, eager to get away from them.
They hadn’t been mean like the cat ladies but their stares made me uncomfortable.
“I heard your mate is around and is planning to buy you off.” The angel said as I got closer to her. “Was that what you knew when you always tell me I will get out of here? I’m glad I listened to you and chose to have hope again.” She smiled at me.
I rolled my eyes. News never wasted time before it travel far.