Chapter 7

Keira's POV 

I lowered my head as I followed Kai back to school, my dress covered in mud and dirt. He didn't look affected, just carried that familiar nonchalant grace he always did. 

Everyone turned to look at me, and right on cue, the murmurs started.  

"It's the omega!"

"I thought she was missing last night?" I heard someone snort. 

"Why is she even back? She should've just died out there. I'm tired of her annoying pitiful look all the time," Another person chimed in. 

"Right? Now the Dean would have his punching bag back. Does she think everyone falls for that victim thing she does? She's an omega. They're meant to step on her," her friend continued and they both laughed. 

My breath caught in my lungs, suffocating and painful. Tears stung behind my eyes, but I didn't let them fall. They would only leverage on it. This was my life, I would have to go with it. 

At some point, I forgot I was still following Kai. Nyra was happily letting me follow him. 

Kai turned around when he got to the school steps, and glared at me. "Why are you still following me? Go back home and get yourself prepared!" He roared. A yelp escaped my lips, and I quickly covered my mouth to hide the sound. People around turned and looked at both of us, and the murmurs started again. 

I looked up at him, my eyes misty. "Why do you hate me so much?" I whispered. 

"Isn't it obvious? It's bad enough that you're an omega, but now I have to keep up with you because the moon goddess has decided to curse me. Stop asking stupid questions and go prepare for the trial," he growled. 

I clenched my fists, willing myself not to cry. "Fine," I said sharply. "Since you'll have it that way, I'll stay away from you until the trials are over."

His expression shifted into something that looked like worry or shock, but he masked it and kept his expression of hatred. I didn't know if Riven or Dax were trying to talk to me then, but I didn't really care anymore. I just wanted to get it over with. Maybe when I failed the Luna trials, they'd finally let me go. 

I turned around and walked away, ignoring the murmurs and Kai's unreadable expression. I had gotten used to everything. 

When I got home, Beta Garrick stood in front of the doors, tapping his foot impatiently. Normally, my heart would skip a beat when he did that, but I had been through so much, and I was tired. 

When I got to the front steps, I opened my mouth to apologize but he cut me off, landing a slap across my cheek. My head snapped side ways, and I held my cheeks, tasting blood in my mouth. He always slapped me hard enough to injure the inside of my cheeks. 

"And where the hell have you been? You think you can just wander around and return whenever you wish? Are you insane?" He bellowed, his ears practically steaming with rage.

"I'm sorry," Was all I could mutter. I couldn't tell him that Alia was the one who gave me the idea, because he might kill me and say I was lying. 

He landed another slap across my cheeks, reaching down to carry the cane he usually beat me with. "You're sorry? Do you know how Alia cried all night searching for you? How dare you cause her pain with your insensitivity and foolishness?" He yelled.

My head snapped up to his, disbelief very evident in my eyes. 

Alia?

I almost chuckled bitterly. The same person who told me to run away? Faking that she actually cared about me? That was very ironic. Of course she used my situation to her advantage. She always did, and I always let her. But she was the only person who tolerated me, and now I didn't know if I could ever let her go. 

"It won't happen again Beta, I'm sorry," I mumbled, falling to my knees. He liked it when I was pathetic, it usually made him reduce how many strokes he hit me with. 

"Oh I'll make sure it doesn't. Turn the back of your palm," he growled. 

The tears I fought so desperately to hold back were falling freely now, but my chest was empty. My heart couldn't feel any more pain, just my body. 

Slowly, I stretched out my hands, facing my palms downwards. I prepared myself mentally for the torture. Beta Garrick lashed the cain on my skin with a crack, and I cried out in pain. 

"That'll teach you," He said, his hands not relenting.

"Please Beta! I'm sorry!" I cried continuously, but he didn't stop. I couldn't even dare to remove my hands from his lashes, it would make him whip the rest of my body.

He whipped me until the skin on my hands bled out, and the floor was covered in my blood. 

Only when the gates opened did he stop, breathing heavily before walking inside. My voice was raw from crying, and my vision blurred as I fell to the floor, sobbing quietly. 

A familiar scent wafted into my nose, and instead of being happy, all I felt was cold anger. I sniffled, blinking back the tears that had clouded my eyes. 

"Oh my God, Keira!" I heard Alia's voice. 

I slowly turned my eyes to look at her. She placed her hands on my body, shaking me gently. "Keira are you okay? What happened?"

I was confused as to why she was asking me this. She clearly knew the Beta would hit me once I told him the truth. But for some reason I still covered up for her. 

She helped me sit up, ignoring the blood that stained my hands. "Are you okay?" She asked. 

I just stared at her, wondering how one person could be so fake. 

"Yes, I'm fine," I said sharply, gently removing her hands from my shoulder. I dragged myself up, dusting off my gown. 

Beta Garrick came outside again, his expression filled with disgust and contempt. 

"Get inside now! You have the entire house to clean and my clothes to wash. Stop laying there like a dead ant!" He said, walking towards me, probably to hit me again. 

"Wait, Beta...there's something you need to know. It's about Keira," Alia said softly, placing her hands on his shoulder. 

"What is it?" He asked impatiently, turning to look at her.

"The list for the Luna Trials came out today, and her name was on it. She had said something about being Alpha Kai's mate yesterday, but I didn't think she was serious," She said.

I clenched my hands, and winced, pulling them apart. She knew I wasn't joking. She knew Kai was my mate. If only she realized there were three of them. 

Beta Garrick looked at me with his brows raised. Then, the familiar look of disgust returned. 

"She's participating in it," Alia added, avoiding my eyes. I just stood there, my hands bleeding, my voice raw, and my body ragged and beaten.

Beta Garrick walked up to me and grabbed my chin, sizing me with the same look, one that said I wasn't worth it. 

"Ridiculous. You dare try to strip Alia of her place?"