TBMA [Complete ✔️]

4. Run

Knox's P.O.V

I thought I knew sadness when my father stopped paying attention to me and Rose and reading us stories before bed, but I was wrong. I know sadness like the back of my hand now. It's become my best friend, the only one who doesn't seem to be taken away from me, even if it's the only one I actually want to be taken.

Sadness and fear have become daily occurrences in my family. My mom's face is never without bruises, never devoid of makeup that does nothing to hide what her own mate does to her. She didn't smile before, but at least she pretended, at least her eyes held hope, now, she's like a statue, looking behind her own shadow to make sure he won't come out of somewhere. Though still, I think she's more scared for us than she is for herself.

A year ago, when I was eleven, I lost one of my best friends, Dalia, my friends Ali and Ed, and their parents, who, along with Aunt Zaria and her mate, were like second parents to me. Rose and I were a part of one friend group, with our friends, we could escape reality for a while, I could take a breath without having to be careful how loudly I exhale it, I could watch my sister be a child.

She was only eight when the huge rogue attack took place. D wasn't only my best friend, she was also hers. When we heard her whole family died during the attack, when I saw my little sister cry and scream for her friend, I felt so hopeless. I knew that one day I would have to lead my father's pack, to protect his wolves, but I couldn't even protect my sister from the harsh world and couldn't protect D, couldn't save her life.

But we weren't allowed to grieve, weren't allowed to cry. Father said he had lost so many of his pack members, he lost the entire Gamma family, so only he had a right to grieve in our house. He said that I, Rose, and mom, who had too lost one of her best friends in Dali, Ali, and Ed's mom, hadn't lost enough to overshadow his pain.

Over a year later and it doesn't hurt less, but I've learned to handle it. I've learned not to cry when mom does, not to flinch when my sister shows me a new bruise. I've learned to be the one that comforts those I love since there was no one else to do so.

Today, I took my sister to play by the lake. We hadn't been there in a while, and although the memories made it hard, she seemed to enjoy jumping around. Mom couldn't throw her a birthday party for when she turned nine last week because father said we didn't have the funds, so this was all I could do for her. It wasn't enough, but one day I would make sure I could throw her the biggest party.

We carefully walked around the hallways, hoping to get to our room unnoticed, but then I heard our parents argue again. Anger and fear spiked through me, the need to protect my mom overpowering the fact that my father was stronger.

"Go get cleaned up, I'll be with you in a bit," I told Rose, but she refused, tugging on my sleeve.

Before I could reason with her, the room they were arguing in's door snapped over, revealing many broken objects, and my mother with tear-struck cheeks and a new bruise. I pushed my sister behind me, shielding her with my body, while my mother ran after him, trying to pull him away from us.

"Do you see what you've done, filthy creatures!" He growled in my face, a small whimper escaping from Rose's lips. Luckily, I had gotten used to his growls, slaps, and screams, so I could now stand tall, even when he was inches away from my face.

"They're not filthy!" My mother screamed, wanting to shield my body as I had done with sis' but dad slapped her, making her fall to the floor. I stared at my mom, tears threatening to fall from my eyes as I watched her clutch her cheek and try to stand up.

"Don't touch her!" I shouted, having had enough of his treatment towards the two girls I loved most. He had no right to lay a hand on either of them and I was sick of being forced to endure it. If he wanted, he could punch, kick, and slap me, but he would never touch them again.

"Learn to clean after yourself first!" My father angrily pointed at the trail of mud behind us. "And never tell me what to do!" He balled his fists, slightly raising them, so they would be ready if I were to oppose him. "Am I clear?" He asked through gritted teeth. I wanted to be brave so bad, I wanted to save my mom and sister, but my heart still sped up whenever his first would get too close.

I envied Zane for his dad. He was kind, played with him, and loved his mom. I envied every little kid I saw along with a father that didn't raise his fist or voice at them. I wanted to know why mine had to, why he couldn't be like them.

But mostly, I envied the warriors. They were strong, could fight, and didn't fear. They went to battle with the enemies and fought without a second thought, while I was a coward. I didn't want my heart to pick up, I didn't want sweat and tears to break out and I tried everything I could to reign them in, but sometimes, times like these, I cursed myself for being weak.

Perhaps if I wasn't, I could have saved my friends, my sister, and my mom.

"I said-" My father brought his fist inches away from my face, making me gulp. My eyes burned and my heart was doing backflips in my chest. "Please don't get to them, hurt me, but don't touch them, please!" I chanted over and over in my head.

"Am I clear?" He swung his fist, punching me in the jaw. I stumbled back but luckily managed to keep my balance, so I wouldn't fall on Rose. She was sobbing, afraid, and screaming for him to stop and for me to not get hurt.

A small trickle of blood spilled from my mouth, but I quickly wiped it away, getting the few fallen tears along with it. If he saw me cry, he would make fun of me and I just wanted him to go back to his office, so I knew mom wouldn't be hurt again, and Rose would be safe.

My father focused his attention on Rose, trying to get me to move, so he could scream at her for making the mess. Unfortunately, it was her shoes that left the trail, the number too small for me to take the blame.

"Please!" My mom cried, frantically looking me over. "Let them go, I'll clean up, I'll make sure there isn't a spot, you won't have to pay for a new carpet, I promise!"

When he didn't protest, mom stumbled to her feet and kneeled in front of us.

"Go! Mommy will be fine, I'll see you tonight, ok?" She cupped our cheeks in each hand and kissed our foreheads before ushering us toward the door, not allowing us to look back.

Despite her strength, I managed to turn my head, looking over at my father as he broke a wooden mop in half, holding the sharper end while throwing the other to the ground. My eyes widened at the thought of what he may do to mom with it. I planted my feet on the carpet, hoping her strength won't be enough to keep pushing me.

"It better be done by the time I come back!" My father commanded irritated. He kicked the bucket toward mom, a bit of the water spilling on the carpet. "I will personally use this on you if there is even a spot!" He spat, took his new weapon with him, and left.

Mom finally managed to turn me around again, not stopping until we reached the door. She gave us both a kiss goodbye, tears threatening to spill from her eyes, but as always, she remained strong.

"You're in charge, Hunny, protect your sister!" She whispered in my ear before she shut the door in our faces.

I stared at the now-closed door, unable to turn around and face my sister. Her eyes would be full of terror and fear I couldn't bare to see it another time. So, I turned around and forced myself to run, knowing what would follow if I didn't.

More terror, along with my mother's screams.

It was the worst when she would cover for us. He would be far crueler for reasons I can't begin to understand. I sometimes wonder where the father I once knew went, but I don't dare think about it. He doesn't need me to remember the good, he wants me to see the bad and I see him as nothing more but someone I should fear and protect my loved ones from.

I hated that I couldn't really do anything to make mom's screams stop, that she wouldn't let me take the blame. All my life, pack members, teachers, and even mom herself, told me how strong and brave I was, yet when it came to it, she was the one shielding me when it should be the opposite.

I cleared my head of the thoughts, for now, focusing on the task at hand. The warriors that trained me said I should always be focused on the task, and that while running, my focus should be on breathing, and getting to where I needed.

Except this time I didn't know where I was going, and my main concern wasn't my breathing.

Rose and I ran for what felt like hours but was no more than twenty minutes. We managed to make it to the woods, now running aimlessly through the trees until we could find anywhere to hide from fellow pack members.

"Knox!" Rose whined, causing me to stop. I took deep breaths, resting my hands on my knees for a bit while my lungs received enough oxygen to return my breathing back to normal. "I-I can't anymore!" She panted, trying to breathe herself.

I nodded my head up and down in understanding, then kneeled in front of her and looked into her eyes.

"One day-" I started, taking her hand in mind. "One day you'll be the most beautiful princess and everyone will want to be your friend! I'll throw you a huge birthday party and we'll fight all the bad guys together, ok?" She nodded, her mind digesting my words, her eyes finding a glimmer of hope and shining with it. "I just need you to run a little longer, please!" She nodded, and with her hand once more grasped in mind, we took off again.

Not long after, we stumbled upon a small, kind of run-down cottage, Rose tugging at my arm again. I shook my head.

"Why not?" She whined.

"It's not safe," I replied, though I wanted more than anything to be able to sit down and hide from the cold for just a bit.

I sniffed around, placing a finger over my lips, urging my sister to stay quiet as I sniffed around. If there was an owner, they would let my father know where we were and everything would be pointless.

I carefully circled the property but caught no scent or sound coming from anywhere around. I got back to Rose and took her hand, walking inside together. It wasn't much different temperature-wise, but it still wasn't as cold as it was out there. We curled up on the floor, finally able to take some rest, my mind once again wandering to my mom.

I hoped she was alright.

A/N:

Hi, Treasures! Make sure you join my F-a-c-e-b-o-o-k group Teddy's Treasures for extra content and discussions! Things have to get worse before they get better, bear with me!