WHITE LYCAN'S REVENGE

''Happy tenth birthday,'' My Lycan Seraphina said sweetly. Most Lycan's couldn't speak with their Lycan's until their shift at thirteen, however. I'd been hearing her since I was eight when my mother died, and the abuse began. I tried not to dwell on my mother. It was hard to remember a time when I wasn't beaten, starved and tortured. That wasn't my life anymore. ''Thanks, Sera,'' I said back, as I slowly sat up, cringing when my back spasmed. My father and older brother had beaten me last night, because I didn't have dinner on the table quickly enough. FLASH BACK The smell of burnt roast filled our small, cold kitchen. My stomach tightened into a knot. I'd gotten distracted cleaning, and dad would be home soon. I knew the moment he stepped inside, I'd be hurt again. I quickly hurried to make stew with left over, and threw the roast out to the wolves we kept as pets, before opening all the windows to disperse the burnt smell, but no matter what I'd tried, my father still smelt it. ''What did you do?!'' He asked, his voice cold and trembling with rage. I explained and apologized but it was of no use. His eyes scanned the kitchen, then landed on the half-empty pot on the stove. My heart pounded. ''So you think you can waste my gold by burning my food, and then you expect me to eat this trash?'' With one swift motion, he flung the pot from the stove top, spilling its contents over the floor, as I looked back at my father, his hand connected with my cheek, leaving a sharp sting, as I stumbled back, and fell onto the hot liquid. I screamed and pulled my hand up, cradling it, as my brother came in. ''I'm hungry, when's dinner? Why.... Look at this mess!'' He snarled, ''You're such a useless murderous b*tch! Dad should have killed you two years ago when you got our mother killed! You can't even cook!'' ''I think you need to be punished for this.'' My dad threatened as he pulled off his belt and I coward. He didn't speak again. He just moved. Each strike of the belt was a lesson. My head hit the rough floor, and I saw stars. And then my brother started joining in. He kicked me in the back, over and over again, while I kept my mouth shut tight. They only hit harder if I screamed. END OF FLASH BACK Following a swift shower, I slipped into my gray school dress and headed to prepare breakfast for myself, my father, and my brother, while also ensuring their lunches were packed and ready. After placing the food on the table. I picked up my own bowl, making sure to stay hidden in the back yard, and ate with the wolves. ''Hello Narla, I see you're pregnant. I thought you were getting fat.'' I scratched the Alpha female behind the ear, feeling an ache in my stomach for my own mother. After eating, I snuck back up to the kitchen window and peeked inside, to find it empty, and my fathers and brother's lunch boxes were gone, so I knew it was safe. I cleaned up and rushed to school where the school bell was ringing. My stomach twisted. If I was late, dad would beat me. But luckily, I made it to class before the teacher. I walked with my head down, avoiding eye contact with the other children. I had no friends here, not anymore. Everyone thought I was a jinx, because I was the reason everyone was out in the woods that day. They'd been searching for me, and hated that I was the only survivor of the rogue attack. I placed my backpack on the ground, and sat down while a paper airplane hit the back of my head, while the others laughed. I ignored them, I was used to this treatment, and gripped my dress. I was glad I could at least hear my Lycan, so I at least had one friend in the world. The teacher came in soon after and told everyone to quieten down, so she could begin the lesson. After class, I waited patiently for everyone else to leave first, before packing up and going to the bathroom before my next class, but I froze when I found three older girls there. Girls in my brother's grade. Sandra, the girl who liked my brother, grabbed me, and even though I struggled, they all pushed me against one of the stalls, twisting my arms, while they insulted me. I didn't argue back, there was no point, but this only angered them more, and they started to punch me, while I cried. The left me shaking on the ground, curled up and shaking, while I wept, my ribs ached, my face stung from my busted lip. ''That's for your brother,'' Sandra snapped as she stomped down hard on my hand, leaving it bruised and swollen. I waited until they'd gone, before I stood up, and cleaned myself off. I hated my brother. Before our mother was killed, we used to be close. He used to promise to always protect me, always love me, but something shifted in him when he found our mother's body. She'd been torn apart protecting me, and he blamed me for this. Everyone said it was my fault, and he agreed. I was late for class, but when my teacher saw my bruises, he didn't give me detention, and just told me to sit down. He knew there was no point in getting me justice. The principal had lost a brother the day the rogue came, and didn't care if anyone hurt me. After school, I sat in my room to finish my homework, before going to cook dinner, and fed my father in the lounge room today, who was watching the TV and ignored me as I placed the food on the tray. I cleaned up the kitchen in silence. Once there was laughter in our home, once there was no pain, but now that was all I knew. I couldn't stand it anymore. Today was my birthday, and no one wished me a happy birthday, except Sera. I quickly rushed up stairs to my room, and into my ensuite where I locked the door, sat down under the hot water, and cried. ''Mommy, why did you leave me?'' I cried harder, ''Why does everyone hate me?'' TWO YEARS LATER I always hated fight training. Dust kicked up, making me cough. The others moved like shadows, quick and strong, but thanks to the constant beatings from my father and brother, my body was weak and my own movements were clumsy, and slow. Every punch I threw missed its mark. Every block failed. I tried. I really did, but I didn't stand a chance when everyone else ganged up on me. Today was worse. We were sparring, and Sandra signaled the others, and before I knew it, three of them surrounded me, the kicked hard, landing their feet on my chest, and cracking one of my ribs. I stumbled, and fell down in immense pain, holding my chest, as tears fell down my face. I looked for the teacher, Jarad. He was standing there watching the scene. His face, usually a mask of calm. He stared at me on the ground. He knew I was hurt. But he just turned his back. "You're so useless," He snarled, his voice cutting through the air. "You will only weaken the pack." The words hit harder than any kick. My eyes burned again, ''Why don't you do us all a favor and kill yourself.' Useless. Weaken the pack. The words echoed in my mind. I got up slowly, every muscle screaming. I didn't say a word. I just walked away from the training yard. I didn't bother going to the hospital, no one would help me. The sun was setting by the time I'd arrived home, painting the sky in beautiful blues and greens, but I saw only gray. My heart felt hollow. Where would I even go If I ran? ONE YEAR LATER My shift began at midnight on my thirteenth birthday, and I woke up from where I was sleeping by the dying fire. Usually the children would be taken out in a group, and we'd shift together, but I didn't even ask to go with them, and instead, just went to camp alone. A warmth spread through my bones. It felt like fire, burning me from the inside out. My muscles tightened and tore, pulling me inward, while I screamed. A sharp ache shot through my limbs. I screamed again, and my vision blurred. The world spun. My heart raced so hard, I thought it might burst from my chest, and I found it hard to catch my breathe. Then Sera's fur grew, thick and pure white erupted from my skin. Shocking me. A white Lycan was a rare Lycan. They only showed up in times great imbalance or war. A distant owl sounded over my head, but then pain sprang up once more, and my scream overpowered the birds calls, as my hands shifted into paws, and then my spine broke. ''AHHH!'' I screamed and collapsed onto the dirt, weeping helplessly. ''I'm sorry,'' Sera wept with me. I wanted to answer her. I wanted to comfort her, but I could only focus on the pain, the unimaginable searing pain. All of my veins felt like they were exploding, as I coughed up my teeth and blood. Even my fathers beatings hadn't prepared me for this kind of pain. Why would the Goddess put us through this just to shift? Mercifully, it wasn't only another ten minutes before the process was complete, and I was pushed to the back of my mind. Sera stretched and shook out of beautiful white fur that shimmered under the moonlight, and she gave a loud powerful howl, before running through the forest. The freedom and speed felt amazing. Sera was faster, even faster than the King, and I loved the feeling of the wind over our fur. We ran for hours. I didn't want to return. Sera didn't want to return, but where could we go? Every pack would be the same. Everyone would hurt us, and besides. This was the Royal pack, it was the only location they kept records of the white Lycans, and we wanted information, though how the Goddess thought we were strong enough to help the world was a mystery to me. A cruel joke, perhaps. As we walked home, Sera and I decided that we would keep her coloring a secret, and I would hide my newly found power. I would not let those b*stards use us!