Read with BonusRead with Bonus

1

As far back as I could remember, I’ve lived within the darkened walls of Black Moon Pack house. Sixteen years of my life, being locked in what is really a prison. I don’t have a Mom or Dad. No siblings that I know of. No family of any kind that I know of. My wolf says that I’m a special kind of wolf. She came to me as a toddler, but it’s not safe to tell anyone, since then we’ve kept our secret. The Alpha is a cruel and sadistic bastard and insists that the pack take part in my abuse. Luna, his mate, is just as cruel; she acts like she is doing something good for me, claiming I’ve done something bad. Then, the Alpha beats me even worse. If they know my real name, they’ve never let me know it. Yet as far as I can remember I have been called Flea Doe. Not sure what kind of name it is supposed to be, but for me it’s a curse.

I’m enrolled in school only to not draw too much attention to the Alpha family; in reality I’m nothing but a slave. I cook and clean for the entire pack house, this causes me to go only get a few hours sleep most nights. Weekends I get four if I’m lucky. I am currently on punishment, so I'm having to clean the entire pack house twice over before I get to do my homework.

As I'm cleaning the floors, I hear the Alpha and some of the pack enter the room. Taylor standing about six feet three inches tall with short dark hair, maybe dark brown, towering over me with anger wafting off him. The Luna: stands six feet even with bleach blonde hair as she stood beside him, looking as angry as he was. Wearing skirts and dresses that are far too short for a woman of her age to wear. Both having dark murky brown eyes and sunken cheekbones structures. They remind me of the pictures they showed us in school of what you’d look like doing drugs. At least for the humans anyways. Being magical means that some of those side effects don’t affect us, so most of our kind don’t even bother with that stuff. We do drink, but only were-liquor has any effect on us. Alpha Taylor always wears sharp suits, likely to hide his slight build. He doesn’t have the muscles his son Milton does, but then again, Milton is taller, with light to medium brown hair. While Milton wears the typical guy stuff, jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers. You’d never be able to take him seriously.

“Flea,” Alpha growls, gritting his teeth in anger. “We have guests, expected here Monday morning. You are to make this entire house shine better than ever. The guests are special, and we need to make excellent impressions on them. Due to this you will NOT be in school this week.” Having gotten close to me, so he could grab me if needed.

Knowing I have a big test coming, I ask my wolf for help in telling the Alpha “But Alpha, I have a big test ---”

As I’m backhanded before I could finish, “You dare talk back to your Alpha, you ungrateful whimpering mutt.” Speaking with so much rage his silva his splashing my face.

Paralyzed fear, with my head turned away from the slap, the pain on my cheek ringing. My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, being reminded of the time Alpha Taylor beat me so horribly it disconnected my wolf and I for months.

“Sorry, Alpha.” I stutter, keeping my head low; not wanting to make him angrier.

“You damn well better be.” He spoke viciously, “These guests are too important for your normal lack of listening. So, hear me now, if they even have a slight whiff of your petulance, you will regret it. Understood?” Grabbing my head and yanking it up hard to look directly at him, “Remember, ALL infractions will cost you, whether they are here or not.”

“Yes,” I whimpered from the searing pain on my scalp. The way he yanked my hair, forcing me to look at him, made me wonder how it wasn’t being ripped out. My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, urging me to stay calm. After that horrible time, we had agreed to do whatever we were told, not wanting to get the other hurt. I couldn’t afford to lose my wolf. She was everything to me—the only thing that ever gave me even the smallest sliver of hope. Yet I knew, in this place, hope was always a dangerous thing. My hair is always clean—at least, I think it is. I keep it in a ponytail or a bun because it’s thick, jet-black, and as long as it can be. I don’t know how to style it any other way, and I don’t have the means to learn. I tried braiding it once, but that ended in disaster. Sometimes, I joke to myself that my hair took lessons in darkness from the deepest, blackest cave. Since I’m only allowed to shower in the mud shower in the garage, I’m not even sure how clean my hair really is. I’ve never known what hot water feels like on my skin or hair, I’ll never be that luxurious.

“Yes, Alpha. Anything you need from me, Alpha?” I whispered dutifully. Knowing that being beaten is part of my dreadful life here.

“For now, you can get this place cleaner than you ever have before. And I want some brunch menus on my desk for me to approve within the hour. Am I clear?” dropping me on the floor before kicking me. After a few kicks he finally stopped. “For now, get back to work, then have me some brunch menus on my desk within the hour.” He kicks me as I scramble to my feet, the pain radiating through my ribs.

“Yes, Alpha.” Understanding that my life was just this, pain and misery. I spend the next hour scrubbing and working on the brunch menus. By the time I finish, I see it’s a little late for me to start dinner, so I rush to get that going before I get into even more trouble. It being Saturday, I knew the likely hood of the Alpha and Luna coming out of the office were next to zero. As they do that every Saturday and Sunday, just to be away from everyone.

Knocking on their door, pushing the tray cart to the door, “Enter.” Alpha Taylor calls from the other side.

My head bowed down not out respect, but fear, “Alpha, Luna. I brought your food. I have the brunch menus redone like you asked. To help make up for my earlier petulance, Alpha, Luna.”

Having barely acknowledged me at all, “Good. Leave us. You can eat after everyone else goes to bed.”

“Yes, Alpha. Thank you.” Once everyone was fast asleep and I had finished my chores, I was finally able to eat. It wasn’t much, as it was probably the only time all weekend that I’d be allowed to eat.

Barely functioning the next day as it went by in a blur mostly from lack of food and sleep. Choosing to be up early to work on everything before breakfast.

Upon setting out breakfast, pack warriors made their way in. And as usual Milton and his buddies had to mess with me. By this they beat on me, with a busted lip. Leaving me covered in bruises and blood. After they finally let up and moved on, I cleaned myself up then took Alpha and Luna their breakfast. Again, I knocked and waited for the Alpha to allow entrance. Knowing I was in trouble for Milton and his friends actions.

He commands, “Enter.”

“Alpha, Luna. I have your breakfast.” Stepping inside.

Looking at me disgusted, “What the hell? Didn’t I tell you yesterday about looking less bruised? Who did you piss off?” He demanded as if he didn’t know. As if he didn’t know that Milton and his friends just chose to beat on me knowing it would get me into trouble.

“I’m sorry, Alpha.” I begin to stammer, “I… I don’t how but I seemed to have angered Milton and his friends this morning.”

With narrowed eyes, he exhales through his nose and his eyes glazed over. A moment later, the pack Doctor was there with the Alpha’s son and his friends. “Look her over, please.” He curtly told the pack’s Doctor.

“Of course, Alpha,” the doctor snapped, his voice laced with anger. He led me across the hall to the conference room, each step heavy with resentment. Once, he’d been an ally, someone who genuinely tried to help me. But all that changed when the Alpha ordered his family to leave the pack as punishment for going against his orders.

They live with his mate’s birth pack now, far from here. Since then, every time the doctor treats me, it’s with the bare minimum care. His anger is always palpable. I tried apologizing a few days after his family was forced out. He responded by slapping me across the face, warning me never to speak unless answering a question.

I couldn’t blame him. He hasn’t seen his children or his mate since that day—because of me. Still, the guilt gnawed at me, and I wished I could say something to make it right, though I knew that was unlikely.

As the doctor examined me now, cold and efficient, I couldn’t stop thinking about that slap. Oddly, he’d given me something to help heal my lip faster afterward, as if it was a fleeting moment of his old self.

“You’re fine,” he grumbled, finishing the exam. “Come.”

We walked back to the Alpha’s office in silence.

Previous Chapter
Next Chapter