Twisted

"Please, no!" I scream, waking myself up from a deep sleep. I'm covered in my own sweat from head to toe. Another nightmare keeping me awake tonight. I look out the window and see the Crescent moon shining back at me. I look over on the wall to look at the clock... 3 AM. I decide. There's no way I can go back to sleep after that nightmare. As I begin to sit up, I can feel my skin pulling apart as I begin to get up. Last night's whipping was ruthless from Mother. I pull myself up and head to my small shower in my small bathroom here in the basement. Mother does not allow me to use the upstairs bathrooms. I peel the shirt off my body and step into my shower. I let the cold water run over my body, watching the floor fill with blood. I shower quickly as the water is freezing. Once I'm done, I gently put on an old shirt and my tattered jeans, one of the very few outfits I still own. I headed upstairs and began cleaning up anything left behind after I was sent to the basement last night. I don't know what happened, but I know Mother came down angry. I'm twenty-two, and I would do anything to get out of here. I've been working on an escape plan for months now. I just hope that last night's beating doesn't set me back again. My mother and Jade, my sister, have beat me for years. Mother's favorite is her whip she created. It's got five leather straps wrapped in wire. At the end of each strap is three or four inches of bobwires. Mother usually only uses it when she is extremely unhappy. Normally I just miss a meal. I have a wolf, but she's so weak from constantly healing me and trying to keep me alive that we haven't been able to shift but once. Every once in a while, I can hear her encourage me, but it's usually just me. I get up the stairs and realize no one's awake yet. Thank the Goddess. I began walking around cleaning up anything left from last night. Throwing things out and wiping all the counters down, I begin setting the table for breakfast and head into the kitchen to get started. By the time I finished breakfast and had it on the table. I could hear people moving upstairs. I try to hurry as I don't wanna come face to face with the devils themselves. Though my father never physically abuses me, he never stops Mother either. My father and mother treat Jade as their princess, but I am merely a slave. Though I have experienced many beatings, my father has ensured that I have been educated. In school, everyone was convinced to bully me by my sister. I only ever had two friends, Jane and Robert. They are both amazing warriors who have secretly trained me over the last couple of years. Father only wanted me to attend college so that I could help serve the pack. Father said that I had to learn about running a business so that I could help my sister run the pack until she finds her mate. Of course, no one would know that I was helping, but I would be in charge of the accounting. I currently run the kitchen. I cleaned the packhouse, and I helped my father with taxes as well. I took many classes online for college on how to take care of myself and the pack. What none of them know is that i've planned my escape. It has taken a long time to earn the trust of Luna Vera, my mother, but I've done it....for now. I head out back to go pick from our garden. I was able to convince Father that having a garden for the packhouse would be a wise way to keep produce and vegetation in the house at all times. It would also be more cost-effective for the pack. It was my way of getting out of the house so that I could plan my escape. I'd never really thought of escaping until the last couple of years, as I felt it was hopeless. Now.... rogue or not, I will be free, or I will die trying. I hear the Beta family come to the table, and I hear the gamma family at the table as I come back in from the back door. I pray to avoid my family, but I am not that lucky. I hear Vera yelling from the other room. "Where is Amara, that useless piece of trash? My breakfast is cold." I walk into the dining room just in time for Vera to throw her plate at my face. Luckily I catch the plate, and it doesn't smash, but the food covers me. "Amara, clean up this mess and when you're finished. I need you to go to the store and get the list of things for this weekend's ball. They said they can't deliver until tonight and that won't work. Alpha's from all over the country will be here, and hopefully, your sister will find her mate to take over the pack." Vera has always wanted my sister in charge. Not me, but that's okay. I wouldn't want to anyway. "After you finish cleaning the house and gathering the supplies, you need to begin setting things up for the ball this weekend." "yes Luna" "Also, Amara, I want a menu and list of appetizers for the ball. You also need to find the matching uniforms for those working the ball. I want every uniform cleaned, pressed, and hung up for everyone." Vera begins listing things for me to do. this would be a great time to gather my supplies. I could make my run during the ball. There will be so much going on. No one will notice I'm gone. "Yes Luna, I will leave right away." I responded. I gather the empty dishes and carry them to the kitchen. After taking care of the dishes, I picked up the list of the delivery Vera left for me and headed for the market to begin loading everything for the ball. no one hardly speaks or looks at me anymore. I'm a stain they all want to ignore in the pack. I begin working on my plan. The ball is part of the winter festival. Each day for 3 days there are events. Day one is the Olympics where pack members compete in a 10 mile race through the woods blindfolded using their wolves to find their way. Day two is for determining the strongest warriors who threw hand to hand combat. Day 3 is the hunt. pack members set out early and the one to bring back the biggest and best kill wins. The hunt ends at 1pm. Everyone has to be dressed and ready for the ball at 7pm. The pack with the most medals wins that year's champions' chalice. I'm almost to the market when the devil herself shows up with her evil spons. Jade steps in front of me. "Look who it is. It's my favorite slave." Jade says while walking towards me. If only I could have one day where she left me alone. "You look a little thirsty there. Let me help you." Jade says as I feel hot coffee being poured over my head and down my still raw back. The pain alone was unbearable. It was excruciating. The boiling coffee felt like what I imagine fire crawling down my body would feel like. My sudden movements cause me to rip open some of the cuts on my back again. Damn it! I couldn't hold back the scream that escaped me. I hit my knees in agony as I watch Jade grin at me as she moves closer to me. "Lazy b***h get up and get to work!" Jade and her goons keep walking as they pass by me satisfied with themselves. I struggle not to pass out but after what felt like an eternity I manage to stand up. I look around and any pack members nearby are carrying on with their day as nothing happened just moments ago. of course.. As I near the pack house I can hear other pack members talking about some of the attending alphas for the festival this year. “I hear White Moon alphas will be attending this year and are still mateless.” I over here 2 random she wolves begin getting giddy over some alphas. White moon is the largest and strongest pack in the kingdom after the royal pack. I used to like the idea of a mate but now I just want freedom. No body would want to be mated to the pack stain. I carry everything inside the pack house from the market and was able to have the rest delivered in an hour. I set to work on my tasks. I begin preparing for the festival before I return to the kitchen. After a few hours of working on the festival I return to the kitchen to begin to prepare dinner. The list Vera wants may take me all night but then I can gather my things while working. I just have to stay out of trouble for a day or 2 more. AMARA!!!....