STOLEN.

4: WINTER.

“This is a great honor for our family, Jade. Thank Delta Scott.” Clive said sternly. She wanted to scream,, NO!! THAT SHE WOULD NEVER LET THAT DIRTY OLD f*****g PERVERT TOUCH HER!!. But she knew that choice wasn’t a luxury that she had. Turning to look at Delta Scott, she forced herself to speak. “Thank you, Delta Scott.” She whispered, her stomach churning. “Oh, I’m sure that it will be my pleasure.” He responded with that slimy smile of his, the tone of his voice made her skin crawl. Jade could feel the vomit rising. “May I be excused father?” she asked quietly, desperate to get out of that room. He nodded and she moved quickly. She had been heading for her room, but ended up in the little bathroom instead, being violently sick. Tears were streaming down her face. How could the Moon Goddess allow things like this to happen? She was a woman after all. Yet she would allow her daughters to be treated as though they were nothing. Abused and broken for fun.

The bathroom door swung open, and Joey stood there smirking. “I just heard the news, congratulations on the new position.” He laughed and threw some tissues at her before turning and sauntering away, whistling happily. He was glad that Jade wasn’t going to be living there anymore. It had been so hard to act like he didn’t notice how attractive she was. Didn’t want to run his hands over her porcelain skin or kiss her full lips. Everyone would think that he was a creep and completely f****d up if they knew the way that he thought about her. That he fantasized about her body late at night. She was supposed to be his little sister after all. He had never seen her that way, though. He sniggered as he thought about how his father thought that he didn’t realize that Jade’s slut of a mother was already pregnant when he brought her to their house all those years ago, to be his servant. He probably thinks that Joey was too young to remember how Jenny used to try to run away constantly. Clive liked to pretend that she loved him. Joey knew that she was being held against her will. She should have learned that here in the Blood Moon pack bitches don’t have free will. They exist solely to keep the men happy and have their children. That’s it. Joey hoped that he would be happier once he didn’t have to see Jade every day. He was sick of being taunted by what he couldn’t have. The sooner that she was out of this house, the better. He stopped and slipped back to Jade's room. He could hear her still crying and heaving in the bathroom. He opened her drawer and took out a pair of her underwear. They were nothing fancy, just white cotton. He slipped them into his pocket. Something to remember her by, he thought as he left.

Jade eventually emerged from the bathroom and sank down onto her bed. She was exhausted from crying and curled up in a ball, and drifted off. Once again, she found herself beside that lake, the breeze in her hair. This time, it didn't bring her the same peace as usual. If only she could sleep forever and remain there. Instead, she would soon wake up and have to return to the hell that was to be her life. She watched as the starlight danced on the water. If only she could immerse herself in that lake and never come out. She longed to feel the darkness take her away from her misery. She knew that wasn't an option, though. She would never give any of them that satisfaction. Suddenly, those words that had brought her peace for so long drifted to her through the silence. "Be strong." Only this time, they angered her. "There is not enough strength in this world for what my life is about to become!" she screamed into the night. "Who are you, and what the hell do you want from me?" There was silence for a moment, and then a reply came, "Everything is going to be okay. You are strong enough to handle anything. We are strong enough. You are not alone," it said. Jade hugged her knees to her chest. "You are wrong," she said quietly.

Jade felt a warm tear roll down her cheek. She had never cried here. This was the one place where misery didn't rule her life. Now that has changed. Even this safe haven had been taken from her, ruined. She was startled by the sound of footsteps, causing her to look up in surprise. There had never been anyone else here before; she had always been alone. She gasped as she saw it, a huge wolf. It was striding confidently straight towards her. She froze, unsure what to do. Jade wasn't afraid. She was still a werewolf after all, even if not a complete one. She had seen many wolves before. Jade was simply frozen with uncertainty and awe.

The wolf walked right up to her and sat down beside her on the grass. Jade turned to look at it, a strange warm feeling spreading through her. Jade was taken aback by the wolf's beauty. She longed to run her fingers through its long, snow-white fur. She could have sworn that she heard the wolf giggle. Then, to her surprise, it spoke. "You can touch me, it's okay, I won't bite." Jade gasped. That voice. It was the same voice that she had been hearing night after night. "It was you?" she asked. "All of this time, it was you? Who are you?" she continued. The wolf fixed her with its icy blue eyes. "My name is Winter," she replied. Jade stared right back. "Yes, but WHO are you to me?" she pressed. Winter giggled again. "I am your wolf."