1

"You good for nothing, little fuck! You just messed up my floor. You are so stupid. No wonder everyone in this pack house hates you!’’

Aurora stepped back and tripped over the ruffled-up mat.

‘’This is why your parents killed themselves. It was to get away from you. You stupid little fuck up.’’

Aurora immediately went into a protective ball.

‘’You will never be loved or find your mate; I’ll make sure of that!’’ Marcus, the Alpha of the Moon Creek Pack, yelled.

Aurora, the orphaned she-wolf, whimpered in the corner, covering her face so he couldn’t see her cry.

"Go to your damn room. I should let you sleep outside for this, but you are lucky that I am one of those Alphas who show sympathy.’’ Marcus yelled.

Aurora scurried away and ran up the stairs. She dashed to the end of the hall and up a flight old, rickety of stairs, which led to the attic where she slept.

She lay on the cold ground and cried. She didn’t have the comfort of a bed, nor sheets to keep her warm.

Soon, she heard the stairs creaking and knew someone was coming.

Aurora squeezed her eyes shut and hoped that whoever it was didn’t enter, because she knew what would happen if they did.

‘’Hello? It’s me, Amelia, the Luna.’’ A gentle voice called before the door was pushed open.

Amelia, Marcus’s mate, entered and closed the door softly behind her.

Aurora stared up at her with frightful eyes.

‘’Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m not like the others; I only want to make sure that you are alright.’’

And Amelia was right. She was not like the rest. Being from another pack, she was raised to treat everyone with respect. Her father, who was Beta, made sure that was a lesson he taught her from a very young age.

Aurora gazed at Amelia, wondering if she could trust her.

This was the first time the two had officially met since Amelia had arrived two weeks ago.

‘’What do you want?’’ Aurora asked.

‘’To see if you are alright. I hate the way you are being treated.’’

Aurora gave her a confused look. That was the first time anyone had ever expressed concern for her.

‘’You should go before Marcus finds you here. I am not allowed to talk to anyone, especially not anyone of a high ranking.’’

‘’That’s ridiculous.’’

‘’No, and if you care that much, then you would leave. I can get punished for this.’’

‘’Wow, this place is so much different from my old pack. I have never seen she-wolves been treated badly or abused before.’’

‘’Must be a dream,’’ Aurora said.

‘’You should really go,’’ Aurora then told her.

‘’It’s ok-‘’

‘’It’s ok for you, but me, on the other hand, will get the shit beaten out of me if the Alpha saw me even glancing at anyone.’’

‘’You have nothing to worry about. He is in a meeting now. I think there will be a visit from a pack tomorrow. I hope that it is my old pack so I can talk to the Alpha and have him set some things straight around here.’’

Aurora scoffed. ‘’And why do you think your old Alpha can change anything? Another pack doesn’t have a say in what another pack does.’’

‘’That’s where you are wrong. This is a much smaller and weaker pack and if a more dominating pack should find out what is happening, then they can intervene. All Marcus is doing is not just. It is frowned up on by the Moon Goddess.’’

‘’Right, if it was so frowned up on, why doesn’t the Goddess herself do something? Unless she isn’t real and just a made-up myth to control people like me, so I remain scared and obedient.’’

‘’Don’t say that.’’

‘’Go away, you have a better life than me. You can talk about the Moon Goddess all you want. I don’t believe in her.’’

Trying to show her some compassion, Amelia brushed back her tears.

‘’How old are you?’’ she then asked, trying to make conversation and to show that she wasn’t a threat.

‘’Eighteen.’’

‘’Oh, we are the same age.’’

‘’What? But Alpha is in his twenties.’’ Aurora made a face.

‘’That’s how it is, Aurora. Whenever a wolf becomes of age, he or she becomes aware of their mate.’’

‘’But- never mind.’’ Aurora shook her head.

‘’Amelia!’’ Marcus shouted.

Then the two females could hear his feet powering towards them.

The door to the attic was kicked off the hinges. He roughly picked his mate off the ground.

‘’What the hell are you doing in here? You don’t talk to this little reject.’’

‘’What? But she is a part of the pack.’’

‘’No, she is not!’’

‘’Don’t be foolish.’’ Amelia told him.

Marcus’s nostrils flares and his eyes went red with fury.

‘’I’ll deal with you later,’’ Marcus threatened Aurora as he dragged his mate out the small dusty room.

‘’Let go of me Marcus, you know what will happen if you dare lay a scratch on me.’’ Amelia warned.

And for the first time, Aurora saw fear on her Alpha’s face.

An hour after, Marcus came storming in again. He looked down at the sleeping Aurora in disgust before stomping his large, size thirteen boot on her side.

She gasped and cried out from the pain, then scrambled to get away, but Marcus grabbed her by the feet and pulled her back to him. He slapped her across the face, then grabbed her by the neck and began to squeeze the life out of her.

It wasn’t until Aurora’s eyes rolled to the back of her head, did he let her go.

Aurora took a gasp and coughed, trying to remind herself how to breathe again.

Marcus scoffed. ‘’Next time I won’t go so easy on you, next time I’ll be burying you in the backyard.’’

Marcus spat in her face, then left. Aurora threw herself on the floor and cried, wishing that she did die because at least she didn’t have to suffer and be treated like shit anymore.

After falling into a fit full sleep, Aurora began to have dreams that made no sense.

''Mother!'' She walked around the forest, calling. ''Mother!'' She called again, then wondered why she was calling out for the woman who had been dead for eleven years ago.

Aurora then got a flashback of the day.

*****It was raining, her eighth birthday, and her parents were busy setting up for her birthday. There was a knock on the door. Young Aurora opened it and a man pushed her to the side.

The only thing she heard was her mother's screams and when she made her way to the living room, she saw her mother in a pool of blood. The man just about ripped her father's head off and was about to take her life as well, but the previous Alpha was there to protect her.*****

As she continued to walk through the foggy forest, she stopped two people up ahead.

''Mother, dad?'' Aurora asked. When the people turned around, she broke out in a run.

Marcus laughed. ''You can't get away from me, bitch!'' His voice roared out as he chased after her.

Marcus pounced on her. ''Time to die!''

He opened his mouth, exposing razor-sharp teeth, which he brought down and ripped her throat out.

Suddenly, Aurora is awakened by her hair being pulled and also being dragged across the floor.

''I have a task for you filth, the Blood Moon Pack is visiting us tomorrow. I need this place cleaned,'' Marcus said before throwing her down the stairs.

''You better make this place like new. If you ever cause me disgrace, then you won't like it.''

Aurora avoided Marcus' eyes as he spoke. The only thought in her mind was that she hoped the Blood Moon Pack would kill them all when they got here. 

Blood Moon had quite a reputation. They were ruthless and were the most feared pack in the world.

''Hey, how are you doing this morning?'' Amelia asks.

Aurora turned away from her and continued to mop the floor.

Amelia touched her face. ''Did he do this to you?''

''Can you please go? I have work to do and I don't want to be caught slacking off.''

''You can talk to me, Aurora.''

''No, I can't!'' She raised her voice a bit. ''It is your fault I got my ass beat last night. Now go away.''

Seeing that she wasn't leaving. Aurora picked up the bucket and dragged the mop behind her as she made her way to the other room.