The Girl Behind The Shifter God

Melrose Brown I close my eyes as the pack enforcer's whip comes down on my bare flesh once again, I pray to the gods for help. At this point I have begun to think they don’t exist, either that or they are as twisted and sadistic as this piece of s**t that gets off on this. Same time, same place, same punishment each week; and why? Because I am classed as a curse, the daughter of the traitor. I was given the name Melrose but everyone in this hell hole of a pack calls me Jinx. Call me, it is a bit strong, they normally spit the word at me. Almost ten years ago my father decided enough was enough and challenged our Alpha for our freedom. That's right my father was so desperate to get us out of this place he died trying. I wish I had died that day, part of me did. I watched my fathers wolf shift back to his human as he died. Not something a seven year old should witness. The scream from my mother as their bond snapped still haunts my nightmares. Something snapped in her that day, she is a shell of the woman I spent the first half of my short life loving. She drinks all day everyday, and becomes the joke of the pack. I was the one who had to shoulder the consequences of their actions. I was shoved into the packhouse as a servant, that's when I wasn’t at school being tortured by the future Alpha and his b***h of a girlfriend. I have no place to be with my own thoughts, except here that is, the pack dungeons. I am left to heal slowly as my wounds weep on the floor of this disgusting place. I refuse to make a sound as they laugh about something, me maybe. I pull my knees up to my chin as the heavy door is shut leaving me in the darkness of this cell. The tiny bit of moon light that comes from the sorry excuse for a window is pitiful. I close my eyes tight, hoping, praying and wishing to be some other place but here. When dawn finally breaks, the heavy iron door groans open, signaling that my weekly torment is over. Dismissed with a silent sneer, I am left to drag my broken, exhausted body through the waking pack territory back to the place I am supposed to call home. I head straight for the bathroom. Standing under the warm spray of the shower, I allow a single tear to fall as the sting in my back turns numb. I throw on an oversized old hoodie after the shower. I drag my sorry ass down the stairs of our small house. My mother is already on her second glass of whatever alcohol. Her fake happiness makes me cringe, it's like she had no idea what I had just been through even though I know she knew exactly where I spent last night. “Good morning, Melrose” Her overly happy voice irritates me. I pull out the seat at the small formica table, memories of us as a family at this table flashes in my mind, but I push them away. The fabric of my school shirt sticks to my still healing wounds, causing me to hiss. Again she ignores it and drops a plate with burned toast down in front of me. “What has you in a mood this morning?” she snaps at me, good least I can relate to the real her. I flick my eyes from the burned toast to her, sighing I decide I have no energy for an argument . “Nothing, didn’t sleep well” I say, the knock at the door is a relief, “I need to go” Is all I say as I get up and leave. I hear her call out something but by then I was closing the door needing to get some distance from her. My best friend, well actually my only friend stands looking confused when I pull the door shut behind me. “s**t Mel, you look rough” Connie says, her perfect hair and makeup standing out against my unkept look. “Gee, thanks” I say, rolling my eyes at her as we head in the direction of school. “You could at least have brushed your hair” She says, pulling at the ponytail that I have managed to scrape back. How do you explain that lifting my arms reopens my wounded back? That’s right, I don’t. On the walk to school, Connie has been non-stop chatting about this upcoming solstice and what she thinks her wolf will look like. I just make a noise and nod at certain times hoping she doesn't realise I am not even listening. The moment we step inside the school, we immediately part ways. Connie comes from a high-ranking family, which means her schedule is packed with elite training and advanced pack history classes. I, on the other hand, am dumped into the general studies meant for omegas. It’s for the best, really. It means she isn't around to see the hell I have to endure. The whole morning, I manage to escape bumping into Maddison or her entourage, and more importantly, avoiding Zain and Jax. Zain isn't just Madison's arrogant boyfriend; he is the future Alpha of this pack. He has made it his personal mission to make my life a living hell, and for a very specific reason: the Alpha my father challenged ten years ago was Zain’s father. And then there is Jax, always standing right by Zain's side. The hardest part to swallow isn't that Jax is part of their sadistic little trio, it’s the fact that he used to be my childhood best friend. Before my father’s challenge, Jax and I were inseparable. Every time he watches them hurt me, I can never understand how the boy I grew up loving as a friend can bring himself to treat me like this. By the time the last period of the day comes, my head hurts. Gym, last period on a wednesday, the worst period for me as I have all my favourite people in one class, not! I slink into the locker room hoping to go unnoticed, no such luck as a furious looking Madison grabs me by the hair. “You disgusting little thief!” She screeches into my face. The minute my back hits the lockers, I feel my half-healed wounds tearing open. Madison stands a foot taller than I do, her perfectly made-up face contorted in rage. Confused by this new accusation I try to defend myself. “I..I..What are you talking about? I haven’t taken anything!” I try to move but she tightens her grip. “What the f**k is going on?” Zain snaps from behind her; s**t! “My bracelet you got me, she must have taken it yesterday,” She pouts at the muscle bound ass hole who now takes me by the throat. Her hand slips from my hair as he slams my back against the wall. His grip is tight as he closes his hand around my neck. “How dare you take what doesn't belong to you, Jinx.” “No, I didn’t!” Black spots start to dance at the edge of my vision as breathing becomes harder. It takes a moment for my eyes to focus, and they immediately flick to Jax. He is standing right there, just watching. He looks away. What was I expecting? He is one of them, I think, as the familiar hurt settles deep in my chest. I swear if I manage to live until I shift, I will escape. It is all I think of as he drops me to the ground at the sound of our teacher coming. I am sitting gasping for air when Madison’s foot connects with my ribs causing a new wave of pain.