Chapter 11-An Alpha’s Golden Shower
Clementine:
I widened my shoulders when I noticed the others stepping to the side, creating distance between us. Now that I knew the lurkers weren’t just silently watching but were meant to intervene if things got messy, I grew confident.
"Yeah, back off, loser," I hissed. Haiden just turned slightly to give me a very quizzical glance. After that, he started facing the lurker again.
Those four alphas stood there as if their egos had just been crushed. Maybe they really had. They wanted to bully me everywhere, so they didn’t like the fact that the lurker checked them.
The lurker stepped forward and handed me something silently. Everyone watched as I held a black, shiny card.
"Dinner card," I said, raising my head and staring at the lurker, who, I knew, wouldn’t explain anything to me.
I turned it over and began reading something written on the back. It was the directions to the main building hall, where I could enjoy as much dinner as I pleased.
"Does that mean I get to eat dinner in the main hall with the others?" I jumped up and down excitedly, asking the lurker, who once again gave me the silent treatment.
"Why does she get to enjoy special dinner while we’re fed rice, one piece of chicken, and some fruit?" Haiden hissed, instantly killing my celebration.
"We’re big guys. Why are they feeding us so little and giving that opportunity to a girl who doesn’t even need to eat at all?" Yorick snarled, jaw clenched, his deadly glare scanning me from head to toe.
The lurker began to walk away, almost like he expected them to follow. I stayed behind, holding my card with a smile so bright it could blind someone.
"Yes, yes, yes! My first ever victory!" I sang, dancing a little, until I quickly fixed my posture after noticing the lurkers still watching.
Even when I sprinted, I saw lurkers everywhere. It was clear they were there to make sure no one tried to run.
Another lurker stepped in front of me and turned around. I knew he wanted me to follow him, so I did.
He led me straight to the main building. As soon as I stepped onto the beautifully tiled stair, the glass door opened, revealing a vast hall.
Paths stretched out from the center like a spider with many legs, leading to what looked like bedrooms.
I took a deep breath and looked around, spotting only a few students with cards like mine in their hands. I guessed they’d won, just like I had.
They all walked silently around the buffet with plates in their hands, dressed perfectly.
One stood out: a blond guy with blue eyes, the typical popular type, wearing a jersey and shoes that screamed rich.
Whoever sent him here must have actually said goodbye with some luxury.
But there was one thing common about all of them: none of them were talking to each other. So I guessed it was an unspoken rule? I didn’t come here to socialize anyway.
I grabbed a giant white plate from the side and started filling it.
A girl with blonde hair and pink highlights turned briefly to examine my plate, and that was the only time I felt a hint of shame. But then my eyes landed on the king crab.
No way that bad boy was escaping my grasp tonight.
I came from a rich family, but luxuries like this were always forbidden to me. I was usually under some kind of punishment or timeout, so I missed out on all the good things our world had to offer.
But tonight, I had rightfully earned this meal.
There were tables placed at a distance from each other, all spaced apart. I chose the one near the window.
The entire main building was one big hall with glass doors and windows. From where I sat, I could clearly see the passageways stretching out.
"Okay, time to go in my belly, baby," I whispered, grabbing the crab leg and cracking it open. I dipped it in butter, and the very first bite made me feel like I was in heaven.
"Ummm yummmm," I moaned out loud.
When I opened my eyes, everyone was staring at me. The girl in particular looked like she was about to throw up.
I didn’t bother looking at her again and kept my head down, devouring the food. There was so much dessert, I tried everything. By the time I was done, my table was filled with empty dishes and piles of crab shell.
I was the happiest I had been in a long time. There is nothing better than good food.
Around 8 p.m., the lights started to dim, and we knew we had to head back to our wings. I rushed to my passage, and the moment the door opened, I ran into the open corridor.
The fresh breeze felt amazing against my skin after that feast.
It had probably only been a week since I was abducted from my home, but during that week, they’d only given us biscuits. Starting today, they said we would receive rice, one piece of chicken occasionally, and some fruit, one meal a day, until further notice.
I felt relieved. But as the distance between me and my room began to shrink, a familiar tension crept in, the same kind of anxiety I felt around the alphas. I chalked it up to our earlier argument at the test ground.
As I got closer to the room, a foul smell filled the corridor. Then my eyes landed on something horrifying. I should have known they wouldn’t let this go so easily.
I stepped closer to the bag lying on the ground, its contents spilled out. I didn’t even need to examine the clothes, I knew they were mine.
"Ughhh!"
I felt all the food rising in my throat. My bag, and all my clothes, were soaked in pee.
Tears began to form in my eyes. Tears of anger and rage. First, they shredded the pictures of my family. And now this.
What the heck do they think of themselves?