Chapter 12

Zahra's POV

“Oh my goddess, he really likes you, Zahra!” Abby practically squeals.

Could she be any more obvious?!

“Shush, he can hear you,” I whisper, punching her in the arm.

“Ouch!”

“He does not like me; he only came over to be polite.”

“Girl, you are blind. Did you not see his face when we said we wouldn’t go over there?” Sienna rolls her eyes, talking around another mouthful of her burger.

“That’s not what that was. He just felt bad for interrupting us.”

“Keep telling yourself that, but he was disappointed we turned him down.”

“Shut up, they can probably still hear you. Let’s just eat our meal. This is meant to be our birthday bonding, remember?”

I roll my eyes at both of them, and they giggle. Thankfully, Sebastian’s table is all talking animatedly to each other. I pray to the moon goddess that they’re too loud to hear my friends and their sudden loss of tact

Just then, I notice Daphne, Abby’s mom, walking over. I smile at her, and I’m rewarded with a huge warm hug.

I swear this woman’s warmth could melt an igloo.

“There she is! Happy 14th, my sweet girl!”

Over her back, I see Sebastian straighten and look at us. I try to avoid getting lost in his gorgeous face and focus back on Abby’s mom.

“Thank you so much, Daph. Your heavenly burgers are working their birthday magic as usual.” She pulls away and pats Abby and Sienna on the shoulders.

“And how are you, Sienna?”

“I’m great, thanks, Mrs. Winter.”

“Oh, don’t be silly. You know you can call me Daphne, Sienna. You’ve been friends with these two long enough to drop the formalities.”

Grinning, Sienna said, “Okay then, Daphne. Thanks.”

“Well, I just popped out for a birthday hug. I better get back to the kitchen. I’ll see you girls soon. Abby, love, see you at home.”

With that, she headed back to the kitchen behind the counter of the diner.

We finished our burgers while chatting about school and roundly abusing the high-heeled hyenas. I glance down at my watch, it’s already after 7:00pm, and I need to be getting home.

“I need to head out if I’m going to get back before my dad and avoid trouble.”

Both girl’s frown. They know about my home life, mostly. They know my dad ignores me and thinks I’m a waste of space. It’s hard to explain the hours I keep and the lack of any kind of wardrobe without explaining about him.

“Try not to let him ruin the rest of your night, Z?” Sienna says, glancing at Abby.

“I won’t. I’ll sneak in my window if he’s home already and ignore him. He’s never interested in me normally, and today he probably went to the cemetery after work anyway. I’d just rather avoid his dissatisfied stare today of all days.”

I give the girls each a hug and grab my bag. As I walk past, I give Sebastian a small smile and wave, but I manage to slip out without having to face him again. He looks like he wants to talk, but his friends have him pinned down. Lucky escape for me. I start the walk home through town, the summer evening air doing little to lift the weight of dread on my shoulders

When I get to the Beta house, it’s pitch black. Of course, my brother is probably over at the Alpha house. I can hear music and voices drifting from their backyard. I head around to the kitchen door, careful not to wake my dad if he’s passed out in the living room. Climbing up the porch steps, I feel like a thief sneaking into my own home.

As I open the door to the dark kitchen, I’m greeted by the stench of alcohol. Great, just what I need. I barely have time to brace myself before my dad lurches out of the shadows, his eyes bloodshot and full of hate.

“You,” he slurs, spitting venom with every word. “You killed her. The love of my life. My mate. And for what? For you to stand there, looking like the useless runt you are.”

I try to back away, but he’s on me in an instant. His words cut deep, but the fist to my face cuts deeper. Pain explodes through me as he starts beating and kicking, his insults blending into a horrific symphony of abuse.

“You’re worthless,” he snarls, picking up something from the side I hadn’t noticed. Oh, Goddess, it’s a whip, but it’s got multiple strands, each with silver beads knotted at regular intervals and a hooked silver claw at the end. It’s a cat-o’-nine-tails, something that looks like it’s meant for prisoners. Then I smell it—wolfsbane. It must be soaked in it. Shit, this is bad.

“I wish it was you who died instead of her. I wish you were dead. You’re the bane of my life, a useless spare child I didn’t even want, and a girl. You keep showing your brother and me up. You’re nothing but trouble. And now I’m going to teach you what we do with troublemakers.”

He raises his arm, and the Cat whistles through the air. I hear the crack before I feel the pain. It burns across my back, pulling a scream from my mouth.

Each strike feels like fire on my skin. I scream so loud my voice gives out, and soon after, I faint from the pain. When I come around, I don’t know how much time has passed, but I realize I’m being dragged by my foot out of the kitchen. He drags me outside, stumbling through the woods until the sound of the party up the street fades completely.

He dumps me there, bleeding and broken. I can barely see through my swollen eyes, and the blood from my back seeps into the ground. I lie there, feeling life slipping away, hoping this is finally the end. As darkness closes in around me, I hear my name whispered in the back of my mind. Then I lose consciousness. I hope it’s for the last time. What’s the point of living if this is how my father treats me? Maybe in my next life, my family will love me.