Chapter 3

***Chastity***

***Beep Beep Beep***

With a groan, and a sharp inhale of breath I rolled off my bed, and started my routine all over again. Thankfully no one entered the kitchen this morning as I prepared breakfast. The quiet was a relief from the previous day. As soon as I heard people descending the stairs, I loaded the food on my cart, and moved into the dining room.

This morning I left my hair down, and wore long sleeves to cover the bruises, and split lip from view. I learned long ago that if I didn’t the punishment for allowing any of the ranked members see the damage would be fierce. I had just set the last dish on the table when I heard someone growl.

“What the hell is this?” I heard Braxton growl as he threw a plate of food across the room.

The plate shattered on impact, and food splattered all over the wall and floor. I jumped, and trembled, as I backed away from the table.

“I asked you what the hell this crap is you disgusting piece of shit!” Braxton screamed.

“Biscuits and gravy, sir.” I responded quietly, staring at the floor.

“Who the hell told you to make this slop for breakfast? We are not animals! We deserve a proper meal.” Braxton yelled.

“I’m sorry sir. Alpha Joseph left a note asking for this for breakfast this morning.” I whispered.

"For him! Not the rest of us! He’s not even in here right now! Get your worthless, piece of trash ass back into the kitchen, and make me crepes, and sausage. NOW!” Braxton ordered.

Nodding, I glanced around the room to realize that, at the moment it was only Braxton, and Aurora in the room with me. Slowly I started to back out of the dining room, to go to the kitchen to make his crepes.

“Oh and clean up the mess you made, you fucking pig.” Braxton snapped.

With a nod, I turned to run to the supply closest to get the mop, and rags. As I quickly cleaned up the mess, I heard Aurora cooing, and doting on Braxton about how he handled the disgusting Omega. Telling him how wonderful, and amazing he was. It made me sick to hear her praising him for treating his own sister this way, but I said nothing.

As soon as I was done, I made my way to the kitchen to make his crepes. Thankfully we had all I needed to make them, and they didn’t take long. I was just pushing the cart back into the dining room when I saw Alpha Joseph sitting down, out of the corner of my eye. I made sure that my face was hidden behind my hair, as I put the crepes on the table. I was just leaving the room, when I heard Alpha Joseph complement my food.

“This is the best biscuits and gravy I’ve had in awhile.” Alpha Joseph stated as I left the room.

With a small smile I went to the kitchen to clean up, and set lunch out for everyone. Not a word was said to me, as they dropped their dishes in the kitchen, and left.

I wish I could say that school went well, but sadly I didn’t. I found myself cornered in the girls bathroom by Fiona, and her girls, just before lunch. They proceeded to beat me up all because I got a better grade on the project than Fiona did. Of course I did as I actually did the project, while she did not. I said nothing, and only laid there on the floor long after they left. I finally moved onto class when the end of lunch bell rang.

“Leila, I’m starting to think they’re trying to kill me.” I whispered to Leila as I was making dinner that night.

“Maybe we should just leave Chastity?” Leila questioned.

“I wish we could, but we can’t. Not until we at least finish high school, and we have to have permission from the Alpha. If we don’t we could be classed as a rogue, and a threat to the pack. They could hunt us down, and really kill us.”

“So ask him for permission. He might let us go.”

“He won’t until we finish high school.”

“Are you going to ask him about nursing school?”

“I can’t. I have to ask my father for permission to go. Because I am his daughter, he is the one who has to approve me furthering my education.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. Something about parental responsibility until the female has a mate.”

“Oh. I hope he lets us go.”

“Me too Leila. Me too.”

“When are you going to ask him?”

“I’m waiting on the scholarship papers, and job approval to come in before I talk to him about it.”

“Why?”

“Because I know that if he has to pay for it, he will say no. I need to have everything lined up, with no cost to him before I can ask.”

“Oh. When is all of that supposed to come in?”

“Any day now.”

“Ok.”

“Omega.” I heard a gruff voice call from behind me, as I finished up breakfast prep.

I quickly spun around, realizing it was Alpha Joseph, I looked to the floor in submission, “Yes Alpha?”

“I need you to come to my office to review the plans for my son’s welcome home party, and to give you your list of duties to prepare the party.” Alpha Joseph stated.

“Yes sir.” I responded, and followed him to his office quietly.

Once in his office, he closed the door, walked around his desk, and dropped into his chair. With a sigh, he picked up a folder, and held it out to me. I cautiously approached his desk, and took for folder. I opened it, and reviewed the documents inside for a minute or two.

“Everything is in there. Gina has already made all of the arrangements with the catering company, DJ, florist, and ordered the decorations. You will need to make sure the back patio, and pool area are clean, gardens weeded, and decorations hung up. The day of the party a company will come to set up the tables, chairs, stage, and bar. The placement of everything is in that folder. You are in charge of making sure everything is set up as specified in that folder.” Alpha Joseph instructed.

“Yes Alpha.” I said softly.

“We have hired people to help serve food, and drinks, but you will also be expected to help anywhere you are needed.”

“Yes Alpha.”

“Good. You may go.”

Bowing to Alpha Joseph I quickly, and quietly left the room. I was thankful no one was in the hall when I left his office. I was still in pain from my last two beatings. I didn’t think I could handle any more hits. I slowly made my way up to my room, and sat down on my bed. I spent a fair amount of time reviewing all of the plans for Alpha Rowen’s Welcome Home party. They thought of everything, and it looked like it was going to be very extravagant. With a final review, I put it aside, and pulled out my school notes to study for my finals.

Granted these finals didn’t account for too much, at least in the opinion of most people. Not to me though. I had maintained a 4.0 GPA my entire time in school. Even though I was already guaranteed to graduate in two weeks, I refused to slack just because of that.

The next two weeks went by quickly. I spent all of my time, cooking, cleaning, studying, and preparing the patio, and pool area for Alpha Rowen’s party. While Aurora, Fiona, and Naomi, would still hit, or kick me, I didn’t receive another serious beating, thankfully. Alpha Joseph went back to keeping his distance, and life was just, well normal in the pack house.

The day before graduation I received the last of the paperwork for nursing school. I had received a full scholarship, I was approved for a job working in the cafeteria kitchen on weekends. It would earn enough to cover my meal plan, and books. The dorm room was provided by the pack the school was located at as the school only allowed so many students every year.

“Leila, we did it! We can go to nursing school without father having to pay for anything. He can’t say no. He just can’t.” I exclaimed excitedly to my wolf.

“Congratulations Chastity. I knew you could do.” Leila responded, jumping up and down in my head.

“Thank you Leila.”

“Can we go for a run tonight, after everyone goes to bed, to celebrate?”

“Definitely!”

“Great! Well you better go get dinner started.”

“Yeah.”

I quickly made my way to the kitchen to pull out everything I need to make spaghetti, and meatballs, with caesar salad. I was rolling the meatball as I heard Aurora’s usual click clacking heels enter the kitchen. I immediately turned to face her, and bowed. Technically Aurora wasn’t a high ranked member of the pack, but being mated to the Beta of the pack raised her status.

“What can I do for you ma’am?” I asked quietly.

“What is this I hear about you getting your teachers to lie about your grades in school simply so you can try to out shine MY NIECE?” Aurora snapped.

“I….I….didn’t do that ma’am.” I responded meekly.

“Oh bullshit you little fucking liar. You are too stupid to ever manage to get high grades! I know you did something! As soon as I find out what you did to make yourself seem better than my niece you will pay! With you life if need be!” Aurora threatened.

I stood there trembling as I listened to her berate me, knowing I had done nothing wrong. I did my work, and studied as I was supposed to. It wasn’t my fault that Fiona didn’t do the same, and was doing poorly. I knew Fiona did enough that she would graduating the next day, but not how well she had done. I flinched when I heard Aurora came closer to me. Without warning I felt the back of her hand strike my face, and a cut open on my cheek. I knew she had hit me with her mating ring. I stood there silently, unmoving, as I heard her stomp out of the room with a huff.

As soon as I was sure she was gone I gently prodded my cheek, and knew it was bruised badly. I also felt dribbles of blood from where her ring cut me. I quickly moved to the cabinet with the first aid kit, and applied antiseptic ointment to it. Yes we wolves heal fast, and typically do not get infections, but with being underfed, I didn’t want to take any chances. As soon as I was finished, I washed my hands, and got back to work.

At one point I heard Fiona shrieking, and making a fuss, but I didn’t know what about. I choose to stay in the kitchen, and not find out. I figured I was safer that way. I was right when I heard things banging around, and more screaming. Thankfully things calmed down by the time I served dinner. I made sure to let my hair down, and hide my face as I served. Of course I wasn’t allowed to eat that night either.