2. Freedom

2. Freedom 

Kathrine's POV

"Kathrine! Kathrine!" A voice cracked through my slumber and forced me out of the cocoon of warmth into wakefulness. 

"Kat, please wake up." I opened my eyes to the sight of my only friend and another victim at the hands of my family, Beverly. 

"Why are you here now, Bev? Has  my brother had enough of you today?" I yawned and stretched my hand before becoming fully aware of my presence. 

Beverly's eyes lowered at my remark. Damn. Instant torrents of regret plummeted on my heart and I went on my knees to hug her tightly, apologetically. 

"I am sorry. Didn't want to remind you of the pain but..." Beverly is as helpless as me. 

More so she has become a plaything in my brother Aaren's hands. He demands for her as if he has a claim on her. Unfortunately, as I said, we are helpless. 

Just like my parents refused to help me, Beverly's mother, Bobby who's a cook in our mansion, doesn't mind if she's being (to put it in correct words) harassed by the Alpha's son. Rather she's happy that her daughter's serving the successor of the pack.

"Bev, I said I am sorry." I shook her shoulder to get her attention.

She forced a smile, "It's okay. I'm not sad. I'm just tired." She looked into my eyes, "I heard what happened last night. I am sorry."

The memories from the other night came to awareness. Augustus. May the moon goddess give him a better place in heaven. He lost his life for a bird who can't leave her cage.

I forgot I have a device in my body that booms like a fire siren when I step out of the mansion. My guards put it off when they take me out. But the pain from Asher's assault has taken a toll on me and I happened to forget my limits and dared to go out. 

"I wish I knew him from before. Being around someone who cared for me would have helped me a bit." I said. 

Daisy took my hands, "He was a nice guy. Now as I think about it, I feel you two could have had a good time together if only he wasn't a fool enough to think he could get you past the hounds." 

I couldn't agree more. Then I noticed the bands on her wrists, "Were you in Aaren's room last night?"

"Until mother asked for me to help her in the kitchen to prepare breakfast." She said, her eyes drooping in pure exhaustion.

"You were tied to bed again?" 

"To the ceiling actually." I recalled Aaren having restraints hanging off the ceiling. 

Darting my tongue out to lick my lips, I squeezed her hands, "We will get out of this one day, Bev. I swear."

"BEVERLY!" My father's voice boomed in the mansion, rippling off the cracked walls and seeping down to my core, causing fear to tighten my gut. 

"Oh shit," She gave me a wide-eyed dramatic look. "Shit shit shit!"

"What's wrong?"

"Alpha Lincoln's ordered me to bring you out. He is going to interrogate you about last night." She chewed the inside of her cheek as her eyes clouded with terror. 

My father howled loudly again. 

"Shit shit!" She shivered as tears twinkled in her eyes.

"Let's go." I held Beverly's hand and moved out of my room not caring to pay a visit to the washroom.

When we came to the dining room, my father fumed angrily at me. Beside him, my mom was narrowing her eyes while Asher smirked sitting in his chair. I don't have to guess it's because of him why I am summoned like this and my slip with one of his guards has nothing to do with it. 

My brothers, for a fact, remained as carelessly as ever. Aaren was already feasting on his food while Theo was busy on his phone. 

"You called for me, dad?" I asked, keeping distaste away from my tone.

But my father was too busy to glare at Beverly, "What have I asked you to do, Beverly?"

"T-to bring K-kat here?"

"And how long should that have taken you?"

"I..." She bit into the cushion of her bottom lip while bursting into tears. "I am sorry." 

Despite her shivering in raw fright, dad gestured to Aaren. He got up from his seat and swung his hand so far before he brought it forcefully down on Beverly's cheek. She collapsed on the floor, her mouth bleeding.

"Asshole! Why'd you slap her? It was I who asked her to give me a second." I uttered with my voice laden with resentment.

To that my father rose from his chair. Taking five long strides in my direction, he picked me by my hair and threw me across the room.

"Your tongue's turning lethal day by day!" He closed the gap between us and kicked my spine three times.

"Ellina, is this what you've been teaching your daughter?" He growled. 

Picking me up again dad punched me in the face. Black and white dots danced across my vision. His voice had blurred out but I can bet he was talking about Mr. Babbiani, the other mother fucker who sought after destroying my life.

I felt a stinging pain under my left eye from his next punch and succumbed to the enigmatic cloak of oblivion.

'Kathrine!' Ugh, another voice.

But this time I didn't open my eyes. I kept them close, yet aware of my surroundings. The sound from the machines and the smell of medicines particularized that I was in a hospital.

This being my fifth visit here since the beginning of the month.

'I am sorry, I couldn't do anything.' The voice again.

I laid still, hoping that it would stop. But it only continued speaking, 'I was scared. I thought if I interfered then dad might just kill me.'

Still inflexible, I breathed quietly, uncaring of the person and their feelings. Though the voice and the despair and pain in it made my heart throb, I refused to acknowledge it. 

'I am sorry for being a weak wolf. I am sorry I can't fight.' That is when I was seized by an electrifying jolt of  realization. 

"Opal," She's my wolf. 

'I am sorry Kat.' She cried in my chest. 

I forgot I am also a wolf and I shifted into one on my eighteenth birthday. But that's the only time I ever shifted because after that I was restricted by dad. He'd made it clear that running around as a wolf and seeking training was not in my fate. I was born to serve and that is what I would do after growing up. 

'I am so sorry.' She cried again. 

With a bleak sigh, I opened my eyes to let the tears fall, "It's not your fault, Opal. Don't be sad." 

'It's because I am so weak you're going through this.' I didn't prefer to comment on this. 

If she were any persistent like me, we could have escaped long ago. But she doesn't want to risk her life. 

"I'll resist for us both, Opal. I'll get us out of this mess. I promise." 

Tbc...