Adea
I walked through the hallway. My bare foot slapped against the floor while the other click-clacked as I walked. I’d lost the other one when he picked me up and threw me across the room. Finding it was the last thing on my mind. The servants avoided looking in my direction and those who were near me avoided my gaze. I’d learned a long time ago that no one was going to help me. I didn’t expect anything, not from my father and not from them.
No one said it, they didn’t have to. Parents were supposed to love and care for you, I knew that much. My nursemaid once told me that parents love in different ways. Some are affectionate and some just don’t know how to show that love. Even as a young girl I knew she was lying to me, I knew for a fact my father didn’t love me.
My father hated me, I knew that for sure. I didn’t have to do much to make him angry. I would say the wrong thing, look the wrong way, and he would hit me. He told me it was because I was supposed to have been born a boy. Because I was born a girl, I was lacking, I was useless. Because he had two daughters, he thought he was cursed. His mate had passed before she could give him a male heir. I turned eight today. Not that Dad would give me a break on the beatings or even remember my birthday.
My mother died when I was little. I couldn’t remember her and maybe that was for the best. At least this way I didn’t miss her. I couldn’t miss something I couldn’t even remember having.
I opened the door to my bedroom and a sharp inhale of breath pulled me from my thoughts. Vanessa has been by my side for as long as I could remember. Her eyes trailed down my body and widened with worry as she took in my appearance. She ran toward me and pulled me onto the edge of the bed, rushing over to my vanity.
“Now, don’t you worry.”
I watched as she pulled her box of medicines and herbs out. I wrinkled my nose at the smells I still couldn’t get accustomed to. She was a plump woman with coarse red hair and kind green eyes. Father’s hate towards me had grown over the last few months. My eye was swollen shut, my cheek tingled, and my lip was bleeding. My stomach hurt and I just wanted to sleep. But I knew if I tried to lay down Vanessa would scold me, telling me to sit up.
“I’ll have you good as new in no time,” she promised.
She tried to sound cheery but I could hear the tremor in her voice. I could see the way her fingers trembled. When she turned around to face me I knew her smile wasn’t genuine. She thought she could protect my feelings but it was when she behaved this way I was hurt. There was a look of guilt in her eyes and I didn’t want her to feel bad for me. She wasn’t the one that hurt me. I watched as she crossed the room and came back in front of my bed, my legs hanging off the edge.
“Nessa?” I asked.
“Yes, Adealine?” Vanessa asked as she lifted my chin up.
“You don’t have to be sad,” I whispered.
She dabbed at my cut lip while hers trembled. She didn’t say anything as tears pricked the corners of her eyes. I watched as she swiped them away before she started to work away on me. I stayed still, I didn’t hiss or fight as she took care of me. Vanessa was the closest thing I had to a mother.
“What happened today?” she asked.
“I couldn’t remember his guest’s name,” I murmured. “Someone important from a nearby pack.”
She betrayed nothing as she caressed my hair in a soothing manner. Her facial expression was cool and poised but the look in her eyes gave her away. She helped me out of my clothes and I stared out of my window as she gently felt my ribs.
“All are accounted for, he didn’t break anything,” Vanessa said.
I heard what she didn’t say, it sat in the air between us. This time. He didn’t break any of my ribs this time. It didn’t matter what I did, Father was never happy with me.
It’s come to the point where I only see him during meals and when there are guests. I try my best to stay out of his way. Vanessa pulled down my dress and grabbed my small hand in hers. She smiled at me encouragingly as she squeezed and I did my best to smile back.
“I got you something,” she said before turning from me.
Vanessa always got me something on my birthday. Slowly, I leaned off the bed until I slid to my feet. She was at the vanity again, fumbling with something. Turning around, she held a small doll in the shape of a wolf. A smile stretched from one side of my face to the other. I reached out and she placed the little thing in my hands.
“He’s all yours,” Vanessa said.
Tears filled my eyes. I was at a loss for words. I was lucky to have her, I would have been so lonely without her. I wrapped my arms around her waist, leaning my head against her chest.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Part 1 - Before Shane I have loved her since the first time I laid eyes on her but I won’t start there. Let’s start the day before I saw her, the day before I met her, the day before my life changed. Hack. Hack. Hack. The meat split and fell apart under my blade. I spent my day cutting meat into smaller pieces. The other kids my age preferred to work out in the field, saying it was more fun being outdoors under the sun. I preferred being on my own. All the meat hung from the ceiling. My daily job was to prepare the meat for the packhouse meals. The errand boy would run the packaged meat to the packhouse kitchen where they would prepare it for the higher-ranked members. Someone ran up to my window. I wasn’t expecting him for another hour. “What are you doing here?” I asked. When Devin came up to the window, I was even more confused. Why was he here? Probably here to spout off more useless information. Devin was someone who worked in the fields tending to the vegetables. Sometime
The sun peeked over the mountains. Soon, it would light up the fields and splash over the houses. This was my favorite time of day. The animals were still sleeping, no one was out of their bed yet, and the quiet that fell over the pack in the night still lingered. I took a deep breath and smoke billowed around me as I exhaled. I’d been living in this Goddess-forsaken world for thirteen years. I was young and far from naive. We’ve been here in the Clear Mountains pack since we were found. That was three years ago and I hadn’t changed much since. I did my best to stay away from others. I tried not to make friends but Devin liked me, and he was hard to shake. I didn’t care about the opinions of others. I had my sister and that was enough, that’s all I needed. My goal was to live a quiet life, make it to adulthood, and protect my other half, my good half. The story was that I was the Alpha’s bastard son from the next pack over and that was what kept us safe. No one knew I was the crimina
“Father—” A loud, resounding smack echoed and the girl crumbled to the floor. My eyes rounded as I turned to look at her. Had he just-? Did he just-? I couldn’t believe it. My wolf howled inside, determined to protect the girl we didn’t even know yet. Maximus only ever came out to protect me. I didn’t question it as I lunged toward her, shielding her with my body. My hand crunched against the ground as a boot stepped on it. I gritted my teeth right before pain erupted on the left side of my abdomen. I wheezed as the air was knocked out of me. I didn’t want to crush her but I also didn’t want her to get one of the kicks meant for me. I dropped to the ground next to her, shielding her behind me. My forehead smashed against the stones that littered the ground as my abdomen was struck with another kick. I hadn’t had time to take in a breath and my lungs tightened with the need for oxygen. I curled into a ball and covered my head with my arms. Kick after kick, blow after blow landed on m
Adealine’s eyes widen and she holds my attention as her lips part. I pull myself up and fight the urge to laugh as she stares at me in shock. She leans back so we don’t bump heads. I tuck the strand into my pants pocket before she can try and swipe it back from me. Now that I was sitting up a foot away from her face, her cheeks flushed and she looked away from me. I’ve always known that I was easy on the eyes but I’ve never really put too much thought into it. Seeing her staring at me the way she is, has changed that. I like that she’s staring. I’m having an effect on her and I can’t help the giddiness that spreads a blush across my cheeks. I’ve never wanted someone to like me as much as I do right now. I may have just turned thirteen but I’ve been working since I was a child. My body was long and lean. I’ve always been bigger than others my age. My long curly black hair was the only thing I received from my father. Only the offspring of an Alpha had strong dark-colored hair. It was
There was a bit of a limp in her walk but I was sure I imagined it. That or the shoes on her feet were too tight. She led me through the packhouse doors. I’ve never been in here before. The only time I came around here was when I had to fill in for Mitch’s nephew, which wasn’t often, and I was never permitted inside. I usually met the kitchen staff out front or by the entrance to the kitchen. White stone walls stretched two stories high, her shoes clicked against the floor, white trim followed us as we walked into a room that had two mahogany double doors on each side. Everything was so white, so clean here, as clean as her. I didn’t care to take in my surroundings, I kept my gaze on her and her hair that bounced as she walked. She came to a stop in front of dark wooden stairs that seemed to lead up to the Goddess herself. She yanked at my arm and my feet moved by her command. We headed up the insanely long set of steps. Surprisingly enough, we didn’t pass anyone on the way. I was pu
I knew it and yet, I couldn’t bring myself to stop looking at her. As soon as I left here, I would focus only on Mavy. I wouldn’t think about the princess who slept in the room at the top of the staircase. I wouldn’t wonder about the books on her shelves. I wouldn’t wonder if any of them were scandalous. No, I would remember that it’s only Mavy and I against the world. Slowly, I made my way to her bed. Mahogany wood was the theme in this packhouse but more so in her room. Her bed matched her vanity and the frame around her mirror. I smirked, Princess had grown up in the lap of luxury. She deserves nothing less. I took a seat at the edge of the bed and watched her continue to rifle through supplies. When she had everything she needed, she turned from the mirror and faced me. Clenching her jaw, she straightened her back and closed the distance between us. She hesitated for a second, only a second, before she placed the supplies beside me on the bed. She took a step toward me, success
When she walked back to me, she had a tube of ointment in hand. Her shoulders were tense, and her gaze firm as she made up her mind. She still had a limp in her step and a thought crossed my mind. A terrible thought, one I didn’t think could be possible. If he had easily slapped her outside, what happened behind closed doors? When she got to me, she squeezed a bit of the ointment onto her finger. I felt a jolt of pain as her finger prodded a bruise. In a flash, I grabbed her hips and threw her down onto the bed. Her dress rode up but my mind wasn’t on that. All thoughts of being close to her had scattered in the wind. I needed to check, I needed to know. My suspicions were confirmed as I was met with smooth skin marked with bruises. New dark purple bruises lay on top of older yellowing ones. My heart dropped into my stomach. Scrapes and cuts started on her legs and ran all the way up her thighs. I had a suspicion they went higher. “What are you doing?!” She hissed. Her eyes darted t
I held her while she poured her heart out. I didn’t judge her, I didn’t try to make it better because there was nothing I could do. When she was done, she wiped her cheeks. Looking up into my eyes she burst into a fit of laughter.“I’m sorry. I don’t know what just happened.” She turned her face to look out the window. The sun was starting to set. “Goddess, I need to go!” She uncurled herself from my grasp and hopped to her feet. “… and you need to leave here without being seen. I’m surprised no one has come for me yet!”“Leave without being seen? I can do that.”“How?” She whined as she rushed to the vanity.“I’m good at hiding.”“Are you though?” She asked. Her tone revealed her disbelief.“Yes. It’s a skill, and just think, no one is looking FOR me. Don’t worry. I’ll make it out without being seen.”“How are you going to manage that? We’re up four flights of stairs and people are most likely walking around now. What’s the plan?” Adealine asked.I watched Adealine as she sat in her