Chapter 3
Alora’s POV cont’d
I was barely conscious as they continued to talk about me, sounding worried.
‘She’s got marks on her face, look there’s a handprint,” said the older voice.
“Dad who would abuse a pup.” asked the young voice.
‘I don’t know, look at her arm, there’s a dark bruise in the shape of fingers, see the nail marks, she’s got another hand–shaped bruise on her other cheek.”
points out the older voice.
‘Why Dad? She’s just a pup, they must have thrown her into the river.” said the younger voice
‘I’m afraid you’re right son, and she could have died, the river is swollen and dangerous, her legs….” the older voice trails off.
“So many bruises….” the younger voice also trails off.
“All these cuts, she must have been tossed over and over, the poor child, how did she get out of the river?” the older voice asked in wonder.
“Where did she come from Dad?” the younger voice asked.
“There is a pack picnic today remember, that’s where we were heading, looks like she had on her best dress, despite what it looks like now, she must have come from there,” the older voice had said.
“Dad….that’s five miles up river.” points out the younger voice.
‘I know, Goddess…she should have died, any other pup would have died, she’s incredibly lucky to have survived.” said the older voice.
“She’s got dark skin, and black hair, think maybe she belongs to the Stonemakers of the Mountainmovers?” the younger voice contemplated. “They both have some people among them with tan skin…but most have brown, red, or blond hair,” he added.
“There’s also us, the Moonstars, and then the Blackfires and the Shadowtails, we all have black hair and tan skin among our Clan as well, but I know she’s not one of ours, and she doesn’t smell like those Clans.” Said the older voice.
“The Frost and Northmountain Families though have been exclusively pale and blond for a few generations now, she can’t be one of theirs.” remarked the
younger voice.
“That Clan has been purposely breeding dark coloring out, they only mate with others who have blond hair and blue–eyed features, son. Any family member born with tan skin or dark hair is made an outsider, or married off, still removing them from the family. If their fated mate has dark coloring they reject
them.” said the older voice.
“That’s stupid, why do that?” asked the younger voice.
“I don’t know son, but that Clan’s practice is why I have always been at odds with that Clan. I Allister Northmountain rejected his Goddess–given mate for that Ice Queen he married, because his fated was dark–skinned, that Ice Queen also rejected her fated because hed had dark hair.” the man said, then continued.
“The Heartsong Clan’s ancestor was tan, with black hair and violet eyes. It’s said that Allister and Bettina had a daughter who looked like the Heartsurg
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Chapter 3
Ancestor, the First Alpha. Probably karma for rejecting their Goddess–given mates‘ said the older voice, grumbling the last sentence,
“Do you think this girl is her, Dad?‘ asked the younger voice.
The abuse this child has obviously suffered, was not necessary, we will find out if this was her family’s doing said the older voice, I was finally able to open my eyes and look at them, the young man next to me gasped when he saw my eyes.
“Is your name Alora little pup?” the older wolf asked, I had nodded my head yes, my throat hurting too much for me to speak.
“She has bruising on her neck too dad.” said the young male. Ile had black hair midnight blue eyes, and pale skin, his shoulders were broad. You could tell he was going to be a giant of a werewolf when he was done growing, just as large as the older male next to me. The older male looked like the young one. only his eyes were green and there was a streak of silver in his hair at his temple, which made him look more handsome.
“Do you know who I am child.” asked the older wolf.
How could I not? I had only seen him once,
but I’d felt his power and status over me. “Alpha.” I’d croaked.
“Yes child, and this is my son, Damien, we’ll get you to the Pack House, and treat you before taking you back to your family,” said the Alpha
“Dad are we really going to let them have her back?” asked Damien.
4
“We have no choice, son, she needs to be with her family, and I can’t just take the child away.” I’d passed out again while they were arguing.
The pounding on my bedroom door brings me back from that memory. Sadly, that was not the only awful memory I carried. It was not the only scar embedded into my soul by my family, there were many, many others. I knew who had been pounding on the door, even before I heard her voice.
“Get up you wretch!” she screams, she’s always screaming at me. Half the time I think she’s forgotten my name because she is always addressing me as “you wretch.” The ‘her‘ is my mother. You would think she would call me by name. But it was a waste of time to hope for something different. I’ve known that for
a while now.
Time to get dressed and go to school, I do my best not to give in to the urge to sing in the shower. Every time I sing, my family goes into a rage. They tell me to stop screeching like a dying cat, telling me my voice makes their ears bleed. It was one more thing they used to hurt me.
I’ve become less and less tolerant of the oppressive and abusive way they treat me. I’ve been struggling to hold back, to maintain the image of a submissive and obedient she–wolf. There are only two more weeks left of school. That’s what I have to remind myself, and Xena.
‘Just two more weeks Xena, and we’ll be free,” I say to her.
What exams do we have today? Xena asks.
“You know what, I believe we have our training exams today, both in human and wolf combat.‘ I feel her immense delight, we both like the exercise of training, of feeling how powerful we really are.
Are you going to ask me to hold back she asks, I feel her delight dim at the thought.
sigh “Yeah, we’re going to have to, we are going up against the elites today, but we’re going up against them in front of the rest of the seniors.” I tell her.
That takes all the fun out of it she whines, I feel her tail droop.
2
I sigh, “Yeah, yeah it does” my reply filled with my own disappointment.
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Chapter 3
Then I pause to think a moment. There was no real reason for me to hold back on my exam. “Seeing as we’re not going up against the Ice Princess, and this is the last exam, there is no real reason to hold back anymore” I felt Xena’s excitement pick back up, visualizing her tail wagging with her tongue hanging out, and her ears perked up in interest. My wolf’s antics made me laugh.
I decided that if the exam was going to be physical, I would need to dress for that, instead of the baggy track pants and hoodie i have been using to hide myself all these years, I go for the new clothes I’ve been buying with some of my earnings from the burger place.
I’m tired of hiding in this way as well. I put on a dark purple wireless sports push–up bra that supports while putting my girls where they’re supposed to be. I put on a black razorback midriff tank with purple skulls and a pair of black capris leggings with side pockets down my thighs for my phone.
I french braid my hair to my neck, bind it with a dark purple hair tie then split the rest of the length into three different braids tying them up with thinner dark purple hair ties. I grab a purple wrap–around skirt over the leggings and a shoulder–length black short–sleeved cardigan over the tank. I decided to wear silver studs in my ears so my earrings don’t get caught while fighting.
I’m probably going to catch hell for my clothes. But I really don’t care anymore, I feel the impatience of my wolf. We’re tired of hiding. It used to be a way to protect ourselves, when we were weak, when we knew they could take it away from us. Now I have already finished my finals for college.
I’ll be given my doctorate and licensing as soon as I pass the exams and have graduated. There are still the official ceremonies to go to, that’s just a show. The fact is, the Alpha, and both schools are making everything official immediately after, they don’t want to take a chance that my family or Clan will find a way to prevent it all from happening.
I would get free of them, no matter what.
Comments
atlantisgurl
Glad she is stepping out of the “shadows” so to speak.
7 days ago
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
