Chapter 9


    The next day


    The only time I got to see Ivy was in small glimpses or brief, very brief words before being called back f


    or my chores. However, after finishing the washing, I hung it out. I had woken up extra early this mornin


    g, hoping to get my chores finished early. I had been building up the courage all day, and now it was ne


    aring. I was already talking myself out of it.


    Yet as I set the basket down on top of the empty washer, I wandered into


    the kitchens to see rice. She was going over staff time rosters, her sses perched precariously on


    the edge of her nose before she pushed them back with her index finger to the bridge of her nose.


    Stopping next to her, I nce around at the cooks preparing for dinner, yet even though I knew I had tw


    o hours before I was needed to be back here, I still hesitated, chewing on the inside of my lip, trying to f


    ind the words.


    Yet the entire time, all I could think about was Mrs. Daley‘s


    reaction when I asked her and the punish ment I got for my stupidity of thinking now I had shifted, she


    would allow it. As much as I despised remem bering that ce, I found myself sucked back into the pas


    t.


    “Mrs. Daley?” I whispered


    behind her, making her jump as she stood at the kitchen counter sipping the fresh brew I had just made


    her.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    “What is it?” she snaps, and I flinch at her bitter tone. Her eyes narrowed at me, and I instantly regret te


    d thinking of asking for anything.


    “lum… I wanted…. I,” I stuttered terribly, trying to get the words out.


    “What is it? Spit it out before Ish you,” she snarls.


    “I wanted to know if I might be allowed to shift and go for a run. I will be quick, and I will stay close


    to the orphanage,” I whispered, dropping my gaze to the floor. Mrs. Daleyughs and grips my shoulder


    , mak ing me look up at her.


    “Where is the other rogue?”


    “She said she would cover afternoon tea for


    me if you allowed it. And I finished all my chores and even changed your bed linen and made you that b


    anana pie you like, it‘s in the fridge,” I told her, hopeful. How fucked up


    is hope? It will destroy every desire you ever have when you are repeatedly shown how cruel one could


    be until you are hopeless and no longer believe in the good in people? Always question the intention b


    ehind every good deed?


    “Oh, in that case, of course. Go on,” Mrs. Daley looks at the clock above the door, and so do I. Excite m


    ent bubbled within me, and I felt giddy. She was really going to let me go!


    “Be back at 4 PM for afternoon tea; you earned it,” she told me.


    Thank


    you, thank you, Mrs. Daley” | almost cried at how happy I felt as I rushed off to tell Ivy. Ivy told me not


    to ask, that she would never allow it, but I had to try, and Mrs. Daley felt


    generous. It must have been knowing that we made her favorite pie.


    “Stay close to the forest line, Abbie. Don‘t wander,” lvy told me with worry in her eyes as I stripped my c


    lothes off behind the garden shed. Ivy stared back at the orphanage worriedly.


    “She said yes,” I remind her.


    “I know, but it isn‘t like her, Abbie. Maybe you should stay.”


    “Probably because she knows next month, we won‘t be her problem and is feeling generous,” I tell her,


    too excited to find fault with Mrs. Daley‘s permission.


    I shifted and darted toward the trees while Ivy went to finish the afternoon tea for the kids. However, wh


    en I returned, Mrs. Daley was waiting. I could


    see my clothes waiting in a pile behind the shed. Happy, I moved toward her, seeing Ivy in the kitchen


    window, who waved and smiled at me. Only then do we both


    spot the patrols rushing up the side of the orphanage


    building. Their sight made me halt, and my tail tucked between my legs.


    “There she is, she tried to run, filthy fucking mutt tried to run, she hase scampering back,” Mrs. Da


    ley said, pointing to me and my eyes widened when I saw they had the kids skipping ropes in their han


    ds. I whimpered, backing up and ncing at the window to see Ivy‘s horrified expression in the window


    as they stalked toward me.


    Turning my gaze to the four patrolling men, I backed up when they used the kids‘ skipping ropes as whi


    ps, caging me in and giving me nowhere to escape, and I couldn‘t even shift, or I would be naked. My


    wolf yelped and whined as theyshed me repeatedly when I heard Ivy’s blood–


    curdling scream reach my ears.


    “No, no, stop. Stop! She didn‘t do anything!” Ivy screamed.


    Lifting my head, my fur was ripping out everywhere, the grass–


    covered in snow white and grey, brown fur when the skipping ropeshed across my snout and eye, and


    laughed and told them to hit us harder.


    A hand gripped mine, jolting me out of the memory. “Abbie, are you okay, Dear?” rice asked.


    “Yes, sorry.” I tell rice, staring back at her. I went to walk off, losing my courage as memories as saul


    myself.


    Turning away, rice doesn‘t let go of my hand, instead pulls me back to her. “Abbie, what is it? Did som


    “No, it‘s nothing. Want some help?” I ask her, looking at what she is doing.


    “No, but you finished all your chores, so you can have some time off. Are you sure there wasn‘t some th


    Previous Chapter


    Next Chapter