Chapter 17: Punishment

The woman hugged her and Natasha couldn't prevent herself from smiling. She hugged the woman back.

“I could feel that you're kind-hearted, Miss Natasha. You are the first woman who has been kind to me.”

Natasha was a bit shocked by what she heard. She never expected that she was the only one who treated her kindly.

“What do you mean, Jhona?” She queried.

“I… I have to go, Miss Natasha.”

Jhona tried to avoid her. She didn't even respond to her question and Natasha is desperate to know the truth, so she will ask the woman.

“Hey, is there something wrong?”

“I will tell you the truth, Miss Natasha…” She paused. “This is my last job. I know in a minute I will be captured because of the sins that I commit.”

Natasha was stunned by seeing Jhona's tears. The woman was crying. She pulled her hand inside the room to talk to her.

“Please tell me what happened…”

“I steal food in the palace' kitchen to give to my imprisoned sister. She was in the palace' dungeon. I was aware that there's a CCTV camera out there, but I still continue. My sister was starving and I can't let her die because of starvation.”

Natasha squeezed her fists after hearing Jhona's story. She remembered her twin sister. Although they have different situations in life, there was something they were similar in. It is about their willingness to sacrifice themselves for their sisters.

“If you were steal a food to save your sister from starvation then it's not a sin at all. You did that because you have a kind heart, Jhona. Don't worry because I will help you.”

Natasha is willing to help her to be saved from this situation. Even though she met this woman not a while ago, she could already feel that Jhona was kind-hearted.

“No. It's okay, Miss Natasha. I didn't want to indulge you with this matter. Please don't mind it.”

Jhona uttered, and she was about to leave when someone arrived.

“She's here!”

“The theft is here!”

“Catch her!”

Natasha was alarmed by what she heard. She hid Jhona at her back because she's willing to protect this poor woman.

“No, please. Let her explain. Jhona had reasons why she did that.”

“What are you doing, Natasha?”

Her world seemed to stop moving for a while because of what she heard. Alpha Reid came inside the room and the way he looked at her, it's very scary.

“Alpha Reid…”

“We already talked earlier, Natasha, that you won't defend any sinner. That woman behind your back made a terrible mistake. You're just making me mad!”

Her heart almost jumped out from nervousness because of the alpha's angry tone. Natasha knew that the alpha was mad because of what she did, but she doesn't care anymore.

“This woman is not doing anything, King Reid. She was only trying to save her sister from starvation. Yes, I just met her not a while ago, but I am a human. I could feel deep within that she was telling the truth. She has reasons why she needed to do that.”

Natasha was convinced of helping this woman even if it could cost her life. She doesn't care anymore. Alpha Reid on the other hand, gritting his teeth in annoyance. He walked to Natasha's direction and dragged her out of the room.

“You're getting on my nerves, Natasha!”

Alpha Reid uttered and kept dragging her away. Natasha almost fell down, but he didn't care at all. The tears that she was holding earlier fell to her eyes because of dismay. She can't imagine that the alpha was too cold-hearted.

“Alpha Reid, please listen to me. I am only trying to help her.”

She tried to explain, but Alpha Reid didn't care anymore. He still kept dragging her until he forced her inside of an empty room. He pushed her and Natasha fell to the ground.

“You'll be locked up in this room as punishment from what you've done, Natasha. We already talked, but you never listened to me!”

He's mad at her. It's impossible for Natasha to convince the alpha at this time and there's nothing she can do to change it. Alpha Reid left her in the empty room. He locked it and Natasha starts calling his name, but the Alpha never comes back.

She can't do anything, but to cry. It was still her first day with the alpha and then there are so many things that happened already. She didn't know what would happen in the future when she's with Alpha Reid.

A minute had passed already and Alpha Reid never returned to get her out of this empty room. She understands why the alpha has to do that. It's because she tried to prevent the theft. She felt sad for Jhona. It wasn't her intention to steal food for her sister. She only wants to save her from starvation.

Minutes turned into hours and hours turned into day. Alpha Reid never went back to where she was. She was now hungry. She's thirsty. She could feel all the parts of her body burning in pain.

She slept with no pillow and blanket. She only slept on the cold floor bitten by the mosquitoes. Natasha looks too helpless with no lights inside of the empty room.

“Why do I need to experience all of this?”

She can't stop to question herself about what she went through now. Her life goes around with her sister's medication. It isn't her dream to become the alpha's mate. She thought everything would be easier for her when she found her buyer, but she didn't expect that her life would be in chaos.

She cried again. Natasha couldn't count anymore how many times she cried from last night and even until now. All she knows is that what the Alpha did to her hurts her feelings.

Even her body was still aching in pain, but she was still managing to get up to find a way to escape. Although it's dark, she was still able to determine where the door was and at the exact moment that she was facing the door when it abruptly opened up.

“Natasha.”

Who called her by her name?