Not So Sweet Sixteen
1861 Words
Chastity
The week before my sixteenth birthday flew by. It wasn't like I had much downtime to make the days drag on. When I wasn't cleaning, doing laundry, or running errands for the wolves that lived in the packhouse, I was at school. The only downtime I had was the precious few days that Rob's parents had arranged for me to tutor him. Otherwise, I woke early and went to bed late to have time for schoolwork and myself.
It was still dark like every other morning when I woke on my sixteenth birthday. I had expected to feel different. That my wolf would emerge, and my life would suddenly change. All werewolves had their first shift on their sixteenth birthday, though from Rob had told me, all of them could hear their wolf stirring at least a month before. My mind had remained quiet, and I felt much the same as always. A lone tear slid down my cheek at the realization that even my wolf had abandoned me.
Wiping the tear away, I stood and moved to the small window to let Mister Whiskers inside. He mewed softly as I picked him up from the sill and clutched his soft body to my chest. I stroked his fur while he purred against me, relieving some of the ache from the emptiness I felt without my wolf.
"I suppose I'm not totally alone, am I Mister Whiskers?" I whispered, carrying him to the shelf of plants across from my bed. "Would you like to share my breakfast with me?"
He meowed in response before pushing out of my arms. It was no matter; I needed my hands free to move the oversized planters to reach the food I had stashed during the week. The apples I had squirreled away were slightly soft but still edible. The bread and cheese were another story. The cheese had dried into an inedible brick, and the bread had mold starting around the edges.
"The bread will have to do with the apples," I said matter of factly to the cat, tearing the moldy bits away while I plopped to my mattress.
There wasn't much bread left with the molded spots torn away, but with the apples, it was enough to fill my belly. Mister Whiskers sat happily beside my feet while I bit small apple pieces and used my teeth to tear the peel away for him. I was comfortable in the silence with my stray by my side until the thunder of footsteps overhead signaled I needed to start my day.
Begrudgingly, I put on my worn-out jeans and a baggy t-shirt I had scavenged from the school's lost and found before I set about doing my morning work. Aside from a few warriors who threw their dirty laundry at me with orders to have them clean before I left, the rest of the wolves in the house ignored me. The fact that it was my birthday mattered even less than the freshly scrubbed floors that they tramped across with their dirty shoes.
It was a relief when it was finally time for school. I didn't bother changing into fresh clothes, stopping in the basement that was my home long enough to grab a sweater and my bookbag. The high school was only a block away from the packhouse, which didn't leave me much time to enjoy not being anyone's target before I arrived. Pulling my sweater closed tighter against the early December chill, I shifted my bag on my shoulder and made the short walk to school.
The quad was crowded with wolves arriving for the day. I pressed through the throngs of students to make my way inside to my locker, praying the Goddess would at least let me go unnoticed today. I was often the target of bullying. The traitors' daughter was fair game to any who wanted to attack; not even the teachers would step in on my behalf. They often turned a blind eye to the abuses I endured. So long as I did my work and the bullying didn't disturb their class, they didn't care what happened to me.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I reached my locker unmolested. The thought that my prayer had been answered was starting to take hold while I unloaded the books I didn't need til later classes when the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. The smell of cologne invaded my nostrils, and I clutched my history book to my chest, whirling around to face the Alpha's son.
"If it isn't sweet, Chastity." He sneered, his hands on either side of me, trapping me between him and my open locker.
Keeping my eyes downcast, I squeezed my textbook closer to myself in the hopes it would shield me from whatever Billy had in mind.
"Aww, don't be like that now, sweetheart. You should be thrilled to have the attention of the future Alpha." He breathed, leaning closer.
"Yes, Billy," I murmured. I had learned long ago that agreeing with him was the fastest way to get him to leave me alone.
He peeled my textbook away from my trembling body. "It looks like someone is starting to fill out. Get your wolf yet?"
"No." I whispered, risking a glance at his face.
He licked his lips, his eyes boring holes through my shirt as he stared at my barely formed breasts.
"You know, you would be doing the pack a great service by sucking my cock." He had leaned close enough that his breath caressed my ear when he spoke. "A relaxed Alpha is a fair Alpha, and those pretty little lips wrapped around my d**k sure would relax me."
Someone cleared their throat beside us, and I turned my head, eyes wide with panic, to find Rob. His face conveyed genuine annoyance at what was happening at my locker.
"You're in my way, Billy." He huffed. "Why don't you go harass one of the cheerleaders so I can get my books for class. I'm sure any one of them would love to give you a blow job behind the bleachers."
Billy smirked at Rob and backed away. "You know she wants me just like the rest of them. Next time, Chastity."
I watched his back as he strolled through the hall toward his friends. My entire body trembled in fear over what might have happened had Rob not shown up when he did.
"Are you alright?" Rob asked, digging through his locker so he wouldn't be noticed speaking to me.
I squeaked out a yes before turning to shut my locker. Without another word, I scurried to class and took my seat. There were still twenty or so minutes before school started for the day, but I knew nobody would mess with me in a classroom. Everyone was worried about having their parents called to the Alpha's office for causing a disturbance in a classroom. That made class my sanctuary, even if the teachers didn't care what happened to me so much as they cared about keeping order.
The day seemed to smooth out, buoying my spirits, until lunch. I was making my way with my tray of food to a far table, content that I had avoided further incident when Caroline slammed her shoulder into me. My tray flipped up, dumping my food down the front of my shirt before it landed on the dirty floor.
"Watch where you're going." She spat.
"Sorry, Caroline." I whispered, stooping down to pick the food from the floor for disposal.
My stomach growled loudly, causing Caroline to laugh. "Why don't you go ahead and eat it? We all know you want to."
"I - I'm just trying to clean it up." I stammered. "To throw it away."
"Go ahead. Eat it." She said louder, drawing the attention of other students. "We've all seen you digging through trashcans for food, might as well skip the trash stage and eat it straight from the floor."
Snickers rolled through the cafeteria. Everyone's attention was on us now.
"Eat it, mutt!" a voice called across the cafeteria.
I glanced at Caroline, pleading with my eyes for her to let it go and let me be on my way.
"Eat it! Eat it!" She started chanting.
Voices started to take up her chant until the entire student body was urging me to eat the food from the floor.
Caroline bent down, grabbing the toast that had been on my tray from the floor. "Let me help you." She grinned, her voice barely a whisper.
Her hand shot out, reaching behind my head. Her fingers tangled in my hair, and she jerked my head back, hard. An involuntary yelp escaped my lips, giving her what she wanted. Tears welled in my eyes from the embarrassment of her shoving the soiled toast into my open mouth. Satisfied with the cheers her actions received, she pressed my face toward the floor.
"Lick it up, b***h. We wouldn't want you going hungry, now would we." She sneered.
"P - p - please." I whimpered. "Don't make me do this.
Caroline leaned in and whispered in my ear. "Then don't try to f**k with my man, you stupid slut." Nobody else had heard her. Straightening up, she glared at me. "I said lick it up!"
My eyes flitted around the room, seeking anyone willing to put a stop to my torture. I shouldn't have been surprised when I found none, but I could feel my heart break just a little more. My body trembled with the sobs I was trying to choke back as I closed the slight distance that separated my face from the floor. Sniffling, I poked my tongue out gingerly. I wanted to die when I felt the sauce from the cafeteria spaghetti touch it. Caroline cackled, shoving my face hard against the sauce-covered tiles and smearing it around a few times before letting go.
The moment I felt her release me, I stood and raced from the cafeteria in tears. The few teachers monitoring the hallways barely raised an eyebrow as I ran toward the bathroom, seeking refuge from the torment. Locking myself in the nearest stall, I let the tears stream down my face while shoving my fist in my mouth to stifle the sounds of my sobs. I spent the rest of lunch in the bathroom pulling myself together. I knew I couldn't hide in the stall all day, though. If I tried, someone would report to the Alpha that I had missed my classes, and I would be punished. He would treat it as if I had neglected my duties, which meant I would be collared again.
Just before the bell to signal the end of lunch rang, I carefully washed my face and tried to get the spaghetti stains out of my shirt. Letting my face settle into a blank mask, I pushed open the door of the girls' restroom and made my way through the crowd of students, not bothering to whisper their insults toward my next class.
Two more years, and I can escape this hell.
- Writer
