Amia's POV
I woke up on the cold floor with a dry throat. As I blinked a few times to clear my blurry vision, I shivered, feeling very cold. My whole body felt sore and weak.
The last thing I could remember was losing strength in my legs, feeling dizzy and nauseated from the pain I was experiencing.
I had been hit to the point of passing out a few times, so such an experience wasn't new to me, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt to be treated like that by my own mate.
I forced myself to slowly get to my feet and stood up, ignoring the sharp pain I felt between my legs.
"At least he came," I whispered as I slowly limped to the bathroom.
When I entered, I walked to the shower and turned it on. As water poured over my body, I began to clean myself carefully and feeling disgusted with myself.
I was so eager to get pregnant but not to walk in pain.
I was not expecting passionate lovemaking from my mate, but still, I never thought I could be treated like some whore and be left lying on the cold floor after passing out, as if I were a worthless sex toy.
After cleansing my body thoroughly, I went back to the bedroom and grabbed a nightgown from the wardrobe, putting it on.
As I lay on the bed, my mind wandered to many things.
How was I going to be treated by him with each passing day?
Was his kind going to look down on me, or were they going to show me warmth and care?
No, what was I, stupid?
It hadn't even been a few days, yet I was in a cold room, unattended and with nothing to eat or anyone to call.
Thinking over what had happened last night, I felt surprised and confused to see my mate's feet when he was a serpent lord.
Many stories were told about their kind, but I never thought they were real.
Not only was his kind strong, but they were also very skilled at wielding magic.
Among them, there were four ranks.
The first rank was called lords, and they were rarely born.
Not only were they considered royalty, but they were also very powerful magic wielders with incredible fortune. They were like the Alpha kings of werewolf packs.
They had many loyal subjects under them and a way of convincing others to do their bidding.
Then there was the second rank, which was the most appreciated. However, only a few were born into this rank as well.
Although those in the second rank were as amazing as the lords in wielding their magic, they had a unique ability to see and tap into hidden things that were invisible to the normal eye; thus, they were called Oracles.
Their predictions were based on tapping into the distant future at times, whether through dreams or visions.
However, their visions and dreams weren't always accurate because they saw about four different possibilities.
Dreams, as well as paths of a certain time, things, people, or supernatural beings, were explored to find an alternative that would work out the best.
Then there was the third rank. They were usually weak magic users and were treated as a normal member of the nest.
What made them stand out more than the fourth rank was their will to defend their nest.
Some referred to them as warriors despite their weak magic because they were very persistent and never easily gave up.
Then there was the last, or fourth rank. Those who took over and lived to serve the lords of the nest and other high-ranking members.
Not only were they ignored by other members, but they also held less value than the other ranks.
They had no magic despite having the same form as all, and they weren't strong.
But in some sense, they were needed because they were the only ones who looked after the high ranks and carried out chores and other necessary tasks in the nest.
I frowned deeply when my stomach grumbled.
I had been very hungry since last night, and during the night of the wedding celebration, I ate nothing.
I couldn't eat because I was afraid I would end up throwing up due to the nervousness and fear I felt.
"I have to eat," I whispered to myself as I forced myself to my feet and slowly walked to the door, ignoring my limp.
I took a deep breath, then pushed the doors open.
My heart was beating rapidly, and I had no idea what to expect. All I could rely on were my instincts and sense of smell to find the kitchen or at least something to eat.
As I slowly walked forward, my mind went back to when I was in my pack.
Eating was something that was hard to do. Despite being the one who usually prepared meals for my father and his Luna, I was often observed by an elderly omega whose loyalty was towards them.
She made sure I couldn't eat or even taste the food. She was the one to taste it and order me around.
After setting the table, my father, his Luna, and my stepsister would sit and eat while my little sister and I knelt in the corner and watched, as we were usually ordered to.
After they finished eating, whatever they left would be what we ate. At times, the portion was too little for the two of us, so I had to let my little sister eat it all.
After cleaning the table, that's when I went on to serve the Beta, Gamma, and Delta. At times, a few warriors joined too, and I had to kneel in the corner yet again to wait for them, just in case they wanted me to fetch something from the kitchen.
But unlike my father, they were greedy and made sure there was nothing left. Because of that, I grew thin, and I got used to eating less.
When a beautiful aroma filled my nose, I smiled as I slowly approached the room from which it was coming from.
Immediately after I walked in, I tensed. It wasn't a kitchen, as I had thought, but a huge dining hall that was mostly decorated in gold.
My heart was beating loudly, and I felt a little scared because right in front of me, serving the table, were a few female serpents. They too had long, scaly tails, yet upwards, they were pretty-looking women.
Unlike the lord, their faces weren't covered, and they wore a cloth covering their breasts.
They looked at each other seriously and then back at me.
"I'm sorry... I just... I'm hungry... so I came here to ask for...,"
"How dare you!" a loud female voice yelled from behind, before I could even finish my stammering sentence.
A hard, painful slap touched my cheek when I turned.
Instantly, the scent of blood filled my nose as my cheek stung. When I looked up angrily, I recognized the woman as the human who had shown me my room.
I glanced at the female serpents behind me and noticed how they were all bowing their heads low.
I knew there and then that the lady in front of me had some power of sorts or was of higher rank and status.
I was about to respond to her when I saw the lord approaching. I glanced behind me again and noticed the female serpents bowing lower to their waists.
"Can you believe this, my lord? This filthy dog creature had the audacity to come into your eating place dressed in such a dirty, disrespectful way!" she screamed as I looked at her, holding back a growl that was building in my throat.
I was surprised when he moved closer and placed his hand on the lady's chin, gently checking each side of her cheek as if to see if I had hit her in any way.
When he dropped his hand, he moved past me without a word.
I stood there for a few seconds, feeling confused about what was happening.
"Leave this room, you vile creature," the lady commanded as she walked past me.
I slowly turned and watched as she grabbed the lord's arm with a smile. The lord moved his free hand and brushed it through her hair.
My heart ached badly at seeing such a scene, and tears swelled in my eyes as it became obvious what they were to each other.
Special.