Chapter Two

Chapter 2

“I need a voice to echo,

I need a light to take me home,

I kinda need a hero,”

- Nightingale by Demi Lovato

A kick to the shins. A kick to the ribs. A kick to the legs.

And I just lay there, loving and welcoming the pain and flinching a little. I was pretty sure I had a broken rib but it didn’t really bother me because my wolf would heal me. Why was I getting hit? I didn’t really know. I looked up at the person hitting me, in that case, my mate Caleb. Hatred and disgust were evident in his eyes and it hurt me just to look at them because they were so intense. He doesn’t know I’m his mate yet because his wolf is of age but he isn’t. Caleb’s birthday is in 10 days’ time and I’ve been counting down to the dreaded day. I am 17 but I have already been told by my wolf that he was my mate. I am not sure if Caleb’s wolf has told him, apparently not. I am still afraid to live in reality. I am still in cloud 9, dreaming about a life as Luna and being Caleb’s mate but that wouldn’t happen. I know it.

“Get out of my sight and clean the mess.” Caleb growled. I scrambled up, wincing due to my ribs and bowed at the Alpha. “Yes Alpha.” I whispered and went to the sink, took a rag, put it under the running tap and started to clean my blood off the tiled floor. After cleaning the mess, I ran to the bathroom upstairs that was purposely assigned for me.

I looked into the cracked mirror and took in my appearance. My hair was slick with sweat and stuck to my face, my teeth were painted red from the blood I had coughed out during the beating. I gargled my mouth and tied my hair back into a messy bun. I washed my face that was wet with sweat. I never cried during beatings because why would you cry if you’re over something that’s inevitable? I sat down on the toilet lid and closed my eyes. Immediately, questions flooded my mind and I tried to block them out because I can never be left alone with questions. But I didn’t succeed. The questions still came.

Why am I a slut when I haven’t had my first kiss yet?

Why can’t I have a perfect life and a perfect family?

Why can’t someone love and mend me?

Would Caleb reject me?

“Scarlett! You slut! Come down here now!” My father’s voice echoed up from the living room. I whimpered and start running down the stairs. Once I reached the living room, a slap came out of nowhere. It hit me so hard that I fell to the floor and clutched my cheek. I whimpered. My father jerked me up from my hair and threw me against a wall. I hit my head on the wall and slid down the wall. I felt something damp on the back of my head. I reached up and touched the sticky residue and looked at my hand.

It was my blood.

I grimaced at my blood when another kick sent me knocking into the sharp edge of the coffee table. My forehead hit straight onto the sharp edge and my forehead started bleeding. I whimpered.

“Stand up!” My father said and I quickly stood up, bowing at him.

“Why were you born? You’re a disgrace! A mistake! I don’t even know why I didn’t ask your mother to abort you when she had you! Stupid child!” He said slapping me. My head flew in the direction of his hit and I kept my head down.

“Go back to the attic.” He said in a deadly voice. Gone was the man that I first loved. Gone was the man I looked up to. Gone was the man I adored. Gone was the man who should be over protective over me. Gone was he.

“Yes Beta.” I whispered and bowed. I ran up the stairs and went to the bathroom to clean myself up. After cleaning myself, I took the small knife that I kept in my room. I poised the knife on my arm and started cutting myself. Tears filled my eyes and I just let them fall. I closed my eyes and a flashback of me and my family when I was 4 came to my mind

“Come here baby girl.” My father beckoned me to his side. I smiled and ran to my father, launching myself at him. He opened his arms and caught me, laughing and spinning me in the circle.

“Let’s go up to daddy’s room and see mommy and Lindsay.” He said, kissing my forehead. I nodded and smiled at my dad. He climbed the stairs with me still in his arms. We entered my parent’s room to see my mother playing with Lindsay who was laughing her beautiful angelic laugh while her blond pigtails bounced around.

“Mommy!” I said and opened my arms to my mother. She laughed and took me out of my dad’s arms, putting me next to Lindsay. My dad sat on the bed and kissed my mother’s temple while wrapping his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side. I turned to Lindsay and kissed her forehead. Lindsay giggled, wrapped her arms around my neck, tackled me onto my back and she started attacking me with kisses on my forehead. I giggled and tried to push her off me. My parents were laughing and smiling.

“Our pride and joys.” My dad said to my mom and kissed her cheek. My mother nodded and looked at us with love and adoration in her eyes. I giggled.

“Help me! There’s a kissy monster!” I yelled.

“Lindsay, stop kissing your sister.” My dad said, laughing and lifted Lindsay into his arms. I made a disgusted face at Lindsay and wiped my saliva covered face on my mother’s pillow. My mother wrapped her arms around my waist and lifted me up.

“Hey! Don’t wipe your saliva face on my pillow!” My mother said jokingly and she put me down. I pouted and kissed my mother’s cheek. My mother laughed and leaned her back on my dad’s chest while his back was on the headboard. Lindsay was on my mother’s chest. I opened my arms as big as they could go and wrapped my family in my arms.

“I love you!” I said in my baby voice. All of them laughed.

“I love you too!” They all said in unison.

I opened my eyes and felt the tears continue to drip down my face. I continued to slice my arm and looked at the blood flowing from them. I let the blood drip to the floor and I collapsed on my bed without cleaning my wound.

I closed my eyes and felt myself drifting off and I hoped and just prayed that I wouldn’t wake up. Because if I wake up tomorrow, I may not be able to take in the insanity that I call life.