*****CHAPTER 9

MAE'S POV
 
As we have dinner, Father won't stop talking about the Alpha and all the stupid gossip he has heard from the village today.
 
"In the history of the Black Wolf pack, there hasn't been an alpha as cruel as Alpha Alcot." That devil incarnate." He sounded both excited and disgusted as he spoke about the Alpha. "A few days ago, he beheaded one of the elders of the council right in front of the council." "It was cruel and heartless."
 
"Perhaps then, you should be careful enough to mind your careless words, father." "Before he cuts off your tongue next." The words came out of my mouth before I could stop them. My mother sent me a warning look, and the smiles on my father's face smudged away. He stared at me with a spiteful expression for a few seconds before a new sneer appeared on his face again.
 
"Anytime you challenge me, it reminds me that you don't belong here, but in the army." He dipped his hand into his pocket and carelessly brought out a paper. He slapped it on the surface of the dining table. "Early birds."   I was able to get my hands on the recruitment form on time.
 
I did not give him the reaction he wanted. Instead, I surprised him by raising my lips in a lopsided grin. "What a relief! At least I don't have to be here all the time, bearing the responsibility of putting food on your table. "I am sure that this time you would get your lazy ass up and go get some work."
 
My father did not allow me to finish my words before he lynched me, his large hands grabbing me by the neck. He flung me roughly to the ground, and my mother and sisters gasped in shock.
 
"Let her go, you bastard!" My mother rose from her seat and ran to my father, hitting him ceaselessly on the back. But my father did not pay her any heed. Instead, he did his usual thing and slapped her right across the face with full force, which caused her to be flung across the room, hitting her feeble body against the table and landing on the floor. Pearl rushed to help my mother up, and Snow yelled a warning to my father.
 
"That's enough, father!" "Stop it already!"
 
It wasn't a usual thing to see Snow defend any of us against our father, and her action surprised me. But I guessed that this time it was too much for her selfish heart to bear. I did not rely on her defense though, and I promise myself not to let my father get away with this. I would not let him get away with hitting my mother. I would not let him trample on me and think me weak and submissive to his irresponsible parenting and pathetic behavior.
 
"You are such a prick." I told him with a laugh on my face, even though I knew perfectly well what was coming for me. I watched as his face contorted with even greater rage and his hold on my neck tightened. "You fucking prick." "Pathetic, disgusting, and lazy asshole!"
 
And then it came in the blink of an eye. He flung my body against the floor and did not give me a chance to save myself before landing a punch on my face.
 
I groaned in pain and tried to shield my face from his punch, but he did not let me protect myself well. Again, he hit me. It landed on my right eye this time, causing the affected eye to plunge into total darkness for a moment before struggling and slowly adjusting to the lights again, although it could barely open properly. My father threw me another punch. This time, on my lips, causing my tongue to taste the raw copper taste of blood in my mouth. But I still wouldn't stop laughing. It was as if I had turned into a psychopath. While my mother and sisters yelled and cried from the impact of his punch on my body, I laughed and enjoyed the pain.
 
Before he could deal me another blow again, Snow rushed to us, pushed him off me, and proceeded to quickly pull me up and drag me away. I continued to laugh, however, as I limped and tried to catch my breath while she led me to our room.
 
I did not stop laughing; I could not stop laughing. Maybe I had turned psycho without knowing it. Maybe my family had finally succeeded in fucking up my mental health and turning me maniac. Maybe this terrible, awful life had turned me into a girl I couldn't recognize as me anymore.
 
"How could you be so stubborn and senseless?" Snow barked at me as soon as she laid me on the bed. I did not respond to her. Neither did I laugh again. Finally, the laughter had died down, and as I lay on my back, tasting the blood in my mouth and feeling the aches on my face, I breathed heavily and tried to catch my breath. She dashed out of the room and returned a minute later with a bowl of ice-cold water and a small towel.
 
"Sometimes, I wish you could keep that sharp mouth of yours close and stop fighting with Father all the time." She continued to speak as she helped me sit up again.
 
"Who will fight him, then?" I whispered back to her, staring at her through my good eye. My right eye was swollen now and could hardly open.
 
"Do we have to fight all the time?" She stressed, soaking the towel in the water before squeezing it a little dry. She drew a little closer to me and pressed the towel gently against my swollen, bruised, and bloodied face. I hissed and moaned in pain as she did that. After a few minutes, I opened my mouth and asked her again.
 
"And mother?  You have never tried to defend her even once. "If I stopped fighting him, would you defend him?"
 
Snow paused and watched my face. Her stern countenance softened for a moment before she wore a straight face again and continued tending to my wounds.
 
"But today wasn't about Mother, was it?" She paused again, and I watched her in silence. "It was all you. You were fighting for yourself. "You were fighting for a useless cause."
 
At first, I kept my silence as she spoke and allowed her to continue nurturing my wounds without bringing up the topic again. After she was finally done a few more minutes later, she laid down some instructions.
 
"I will prepare some herbs for you now." Make sure you have enough rest and don't go making trouble today. "Stay clear of Father's path for now." She turned on her heels but stopped abruptly as my question came again. This time, in a low, frail whisper.
 
"If I surrender my sword and drop my shield, would you defend me when I am in trouble?"
 
Her reply did not come immediately, and after a while, she sighed and spoke.
 
"Even though we have our differences and sometimes you are too stubborn and disrespectful, such that I distaste your audacity, I can never loathe you." You are my sister, Mae. "And it is my duty and responsibility to defend and protect you if things get too tough."
 
And then she was gone, walking out of the room and shutting the door behind her. She was gone too fast; she had missed the small, proud smile that broke from my face at her words.