Mated Before Love

Chapter 1 - Haven

There hasn’t been a peaceful day/night since the 16th anniversary. Every day I’d wake up at 3am to do my chores, Luke would drag me down the stairs for a beating after he would finish his morning training. Tessa would call me names, she was never physical didn’t want to get dirty Omega blood on her. Id drag myself to school everyday, I was never allowed on the bus so I walked the 8kms there and back everyday.

School was no better then home, I was shoved, beaten and bullied some of the male wolves were also starting to become handsy towards me due to some rumours Tessa and Luke had spread about me being a slut. The only thing I had left for dignity was my virginity.

After school was over I would sprint home as fast as I could so that I could get the evening chores done, including dinner and laundry being done before my father got home from work. After he got home no matter what I did I’d end up in the basement.

They only developed one new tool in the last nearly 2 years, they called it the gauger. Was simple really it was a thick board with nails, screws, spikes and broken glass imbedded into it. This I was told would only be used for special occasions, I have yet to receive it yet but I know the 18th anniversary will be here within the month I was bound to get it then. Often their punishment sessions would leave me unconscious now, with no wolf or any strength left after each day I couldn’t bare to last very long any more. At least I now scream less.

*beep beep beep beep beep* with a pounding head I woke up to my alarm clock, with the beatings becoming more regular and severe i decided to move my stuff down to the basement, no one cared anyway they were just glad I was no longer sleeping above them and my clock wouldn’t wake them up anymore. I looked at the time, s**t, it was 5am. I quickly ran to fill a bucket of water so that I could wash my wounds from the night before, the water was staining with blood after one wipe with the cloth I could only imagine the deep shade it’ll turn when I’m done. After I’ve cleaned the wounds as best as I could I walked over to the cracked mirror I had dragged down from my room. My eyes held unshed tears as I looked at the damage they had caused. I had scars upon scars and bruising with patches darker than others. I was ugly. Not that I ever expected a mate to accept me in general because I am a murderer, but I am ugly and wolf-less.

I quickly dressed in clothes that had the best chance of covering the wounds, I had some very old leggings that were thinned with age and baggy hoody with only one hole I couldn’t patch in the pocket I paired this with my only pair of shoes which were an old pair of black flats with many holes in the bottom barely providing any protection to the elements at all. I looked at myself in the mirror, I sighed and then looked to my face my complexion was sickly, despite having a nice olive skin tone. My hair was full and lifeless, hanging to my mid back the ashy brown locks flopping in slight waves at the ends. My eyes had lost all vibrancy from their previous emerald green colour to now look swampy and lifeless. I looked at the person in the mirror and saw someone just existing. That’s all I was. I tied my hair up into a messy bun quickly and scurried to do the morning chores.

When Luke hadn’t arrived home from training it was very out of character for him he loved to come home and get a quick beating in before school. Although both the twins should have graduated last year, there below standard scoring caused them to repeat, to which I believe my father was please as this meant they would be able to torture me more throughout classes. I was staring out the window waiting to see Luke walk up to the house “What are you looking at trog, waiting for something to smash you in the face” Tessa came from the stairs in a flourish, she was looking her best, her chestnut hair curled perfectly and makeup done to perfection, she chose a short dress to wear today despite it being the middle of winter. The dress was a lavender purple colour that went just below her bum and she had sheer nude tights underneath and paired it with a new pair of white heels she bought yesterday and a cropped 3/4 sleeve jacket. I must’ve stared too long because she was soon screaming for our father to wake up and deal with me. I bowed my head waiting for him to come down the stairs. To our surprise he also wasn’t home “Just wait until tonight, your gonna get it” Tessa had said in a tattle-tale like manner and left the house leaving their breakfast untouched. I looked at the food, it’d been 5 days since I had eaten, I gently walked up to it despite knowing I was alone, took another look around and grabbed two pieces of toast and an egg to make a sandwich. I don’t know if it was the hunger or not but it was the most feeling and satisfying meal I could stomach. I ran out of there as fast as I could and got rid of any evidence that I had touch it at all.

When I finally got to the school all the kids were waiting outside or around the front of the entry hall, all the she-wolves dressed to impress and the males doing what they can to seem cool. I tried my best to keep my head bowed to everyone including the other Omegas, despite us being the same rank they are superior to me as I am wolf-less. A couple of Tessa’s friends Jayne, was the first to spot me and without missing a beat walked over and tipped her rotten smelling smoothie all over me and kicked me into some lockers. Her other friends Hayley and Monica started to shove me to the floor and call me names, they then invites they’re flavour of the month boyfriends over to enjoy a quick session of kicking the murderer, as if my ribs weren’t bruised enough. One of the boys had cracked my ribs and I seethed in pain, knowing full well if you cry or scream it only gets worse. They all of a sudden stopped and ran over to the front of the entry, using this to my advantage I got up of the floor as staggered my way into a nearby closet. I switched on the little light in there so I could see the damaged they had added to my collection, sure enough bruising and a couple cracked ribs. I stayed in there until I had heard the bell ring, people would be heading into there classes now so I will have time to blend into the crowd and sneak into one of mine.

Unfortunately right as I was exiting the closet Luke had arrived “What do we have here?” Oh s**t, I quickly turned around bowing in the process to not anger him further “Good morning Luke” *smack* “Did I say you could use my name?! And where do you think your entitled ass is going” “I’m sorry, I was on my way to class” *smack* “Like f**k you are! Go throw yourself in the garbage where you belong” and he daunted off, not before spitting on me first. No passers by even noticed the exchange or if they did they didn’t care.

I didn’t end up going to class instead I stayed in the hallway for a few minutes before making my way to the library. Fortunately I was ahead of all my schoolwork despite having no time for myself so when I walked in Vicki the librarian was unfazed by my presence. I nested myself in a very far corner where no one tends to go breaking out all the study materials I had for the higher ranking wolves to complete. I was about a third of the way through the work load when a heavy pile of books fell on top of me, the shelving they’d been on had been knocked quite hard. Unconsciously I let out a small yelp as while it did hurt it had shocked me as no one ever knew I was here. “Oh s**t I think they hit someone” I heard a male wolf say, panic set in as I realised the kind of danger I was in. I was all alone in the furtherest corner of the room with at least one or more male-wolves with numerous rumours of me being easy going around. I cowered into the pile of books to be as small as possible, hopeful I wouldn’t be noticed. “I don’t know what your talking about, no one will be there” another voice added “I should look” the first voice said, s**t I’m f****d “Bro it’ll be fine” “No I have a feeling trust me” the owner of the first voice said as they rounded the corner, I’m in big trouble.