Mated Before Love

Chapter 9 - Haven

I find myself standing in a field near a crystal like lake “Come child” I hear an almost angelic voice I knew was safe. I approach where I followed the voice to and found a beautiful woman there. She did not look my way I was to her back “Child, you have grown beautiful both inside and out. You must stay strong” the voice spoke again “Excuse me” I say to the voice unsure of how to ask the next question “Yes child?” The voice calls back, the woman draped in black and purple silk clothing with hair done nicely. Her skin was a gorgeous deep brown colour with mystical tattoos covering parts of her arms. “Who are you mam?” I asked feeling calmer in her presence made it easy to ask “Oh honey, I don’t think you’d like to know” with her sad reply I knew it couldn’t have been the moon goddess. She finally turned to look at me and I was faced with the most beautiful icy blue eyes anyone has come across, yet they were full of sorrow. “Haven, you need to stay strong.” She never came closer to me nor I to her “The next time I see you will be the last” confused and scared I went to ask a question, only to be pulled from the field in burning pain.

“Wake up you dirty mutt.” I heard the screams of my father in my ear, I turned to him vision foggy from barely waking. “Maybe you need another wake up call” he spoke sinisterly as he tipped another bucket of liquid on my exposed back. The burning was unbearable and found myself nearly passing out again from the pain “Don’t you f*cking dare” he screamed out as he approached and slapped me hard across the face, making my teeth loose in the process. “Get your disgusting self cleaned up and to school they’ve been calling and your ungrateful ass didn’t even go” he shouted at me and slammed the door, not before throwing the bucket at my head. A quick sniff from the bucket told me that he had poured vinegar across my open wounds. Seathing in pain I forced myself to sit up on my knees, I could barely manage that pain before nearly passing out. I took a second to glance at my alarm clock 11:30am, f**k, I thought to myself I will get more detention, extra beatings from father and Luke and then to top it off I still need to begin working for Beta Reece. Oh I hope not. I found a bucket in the corner of the basement which had semi clean water in it and used a damp rag to try ease the burn of the vinegar over my wounds. I dried myself with another rag and went to dress, last night father had punished me straight away so the jumper and shirt I had yesterday have now been torn to shreds. I found an extremely baggy long sleeve shirt that I had gotten from a good will bin about a year and a half ago. It was definitely a males shirt from the design and size. But it covered the wounds. I found a pair of leggings which had a couple holes in the knees which looked intentional so I was able to use them. I only own one pair of shoes, as it was a thunderstorm all day yesterday they had not dried out.

I made my way up the stairs and to my surprise found my father had left rather than make sure I left for school. It took me a good hour and a half to hobble into school it was now time for the last class of the day, which for me was home economics.

I tried to quietly sneak into the school grounds undetected by any tormentors hoping to at least be on time for class when I bumped into Monica, one of Tessa’s friends. “Look at you, you just get uglier buy the day” she said with an enthusiastic laugh I kept my head down and attempted to keep walking past her until she roughly grabbed my shoulder and shoved me into some lockers. “I know your trying to get with Alex, you should know he has better tastes then murderering wolf-less whores” she whispered low in my ear “if i catch you near him you will die, and no one will care or even wonder how it happened.” She looked me in the eye dead serious about the threat on my life and I knew she was right, nobody would care which should hurt me but I’ve numbed myself to it.

By the time I made it into the classroom I had interrupted Ms Honeywells speech about partners and how the class will work. I’ve had this class every year so I know it off the top of my head by now. “I-I’m s-sorry” I stuttered out, by the time I got to the class the pain was so unbearable I needed to lean against the door to not collapse. As expected Ms Honeywell was annoyed at my presence and dismissed me quickly with a threat, she would also no doubt call my father.

I found myself a seat at the very back of the class and felt the pain I had tried to suppress then finally took a second to look around while everyone was distracted. Oh s**t, Gamma Alex is also in this class with me, they’ll all find out I’m still alive and call for my death. I need to run. “Now as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted” Ms Honeywell said allowing a bit of her hate towards me through. I just tried to hide myself from both herself and the Gamma, I knew the pairing up would start soon and as normal I would be alone. I found myself tugging on my sleeves, I know she normally leaves the class for this which means if Gamma Alex wants to kill me or punish me for still being alive no one would care. “Well I’m not working with Haven” one by one the girls started, this wasn’t unknown to me and if I had a partner they would be disappointed in the fact the most of the assignments I get are “clean the school showers or toilets” rather then the glamorous projects they get. “Have you all chosen your partners?Move to sit next to them” Ms Honeywell announced upon her return to the classroom.The class had started to move around to their new seats “Well Haven I expected better from you, no partner again.” She berated me, they know no one wants anything to do with me they just like to call it out.

Suddenly a voice boomed out “I’m her partner” Gamma Alex announced, I couldn’t help looking up at this, he was definitely going to kill me, I should’ve died last night and he’s wondering why I’m still alive. “Are you sure Gamma?” Ms Honeywell asked him sounding unsure with his decision, s**t, she’s going to get so mad at me for this “Of course I am” was all he said clearly excited to inflict punishment regularly “Very well” I kept my head down and bowed and tried to shuffle away slightly when he sat down. I know I will regret this but I need to say it. “G-Gamma Alex, I-I don’t mean to be rude. B-but you d-don’t need to be paired with m-me” my voice weakly got out I knew the response coming would be for my death “I know I don’t need to, I want to” and with that response I defeatedly bowed my head so the lesson could continue.