Abused Love (AL Series)

Chapter 4

Trent

  I sat at my table waiting for Inara to come back out while I ordered dessert in hopes that she will come back out soon. I couldn't help but wonder about her. My wolf is itching to get out and find her. But how could I? I didn't have her sent yet to be able to track her. No. I'll just have to wait till she comes back out.

'You should just go find her.'

'Oh, really and how would you suggest I do that?'

'Don't know. Don't care. She is sad and we need to help her. It hurts to see our mate so sad. She should be happy.'

'Why are you so attracted to her? We just met her.'

'She was meant for us. She is the only one that will make us better. Make us stronger.' My wolf says with a stronger growl. I roll my eyes. I'm already the strongest wolf out there.

'We could be stronger..... IF we had the right mate.'

'Oh really... And how is that?'

'You will see. You will see....' And with that, he seems to sit back and wait.

  The door that leads to the hall for the bathrooms opens and I just can't stop myself from smiling. How on earth can she make me feel like my skin is crawling while my heart rate picks up and my mouth goes dry. She is so beautiful.

  As I'm studying her again she walks closer to my table I notice one side of her face is red. I start to get angry and worried all at the same time. I don't know what happened but I know I won't like it. She stops at my table and asks to take my dishes again. With her being close I can see the red is in the shape of a handprint. A DAMN HANDPRINT! Who is the person that hit her? Why did they hit her? How dare they lay a finger on her. My wolf is growling at this. He is not happy and wants to rip the person's hands-off.

"Are you okay?" I ask her and she looks at me confused.

"You look like you're having a hard day." I offer her a small forced smile while I try to calm my wolf down.

"Ah. Oh well, I've had better days and I've had worse days." She smiles but I see the sad look in her eyes that are now red from crying.

"What happened to your face?" I didn't mean for it to come out harsh or like I was aggravated but unfortunately for me, that's exactly how it came out.

"Oh. Um. N... Nothing happened. I just rested on it for a little too long while on break." Her hand goes up to hide the mark but my blood is already boiling. Why in the world is she trying to cover for the person who hit her? It's clearly a hand mark from someone with larger hands than hers.

"Hmm. It looks like someone smacked you. Who would smack someone as beautiful as you?" Oh no, did I just say that out loud? Yep, I said it... I mentally smack my forehead while my wolf keeps telling me how beautiful she is.

  Her face turns as red as her fire-red hair and she turns and rushes away as fast as her legs would go without but not quite running speed. I will take that as a good sign and a bad one but I wish she told me who did that to her. She shouldn't be hit, ever. No woman should be hit. In our pack, if a man hits a woman or child that is not as strong as they are or does not deserve it they run the risk of being whipped or turned rogue. It's not fun and the pain that goes with it can bring any man to their knees.

  I don't see her the rest of the time I'm there which is not long. I pay and leave the restaurant ready to go to bed. I have a long start tomorrow and I need all the sleep I can get. 

Inara

  Oh no! Oh no! Someone saw and asked me about my cheek! I didn't think it was that bad. I can't go back out there. I can't. I'll just have to take off work and hope I can find the money I'll need somewhere else. I mean what else am I supposed to do? Walk around with a handprint on my face for all to see? No, I'll go home and make sure my adopted sisters are fed and okay since I did not see them here with our parents.

  I inform my manager that I was not feeling so well and ask if I can leave early. She did her normal, gross your sick get away from me, face, and waved for me to get out. So I packed my items in my locker and started to walk home. The walk is about an hour long. Most of the time I run it back, it's scary to walk alone in the dark as a woman. It makes us easy targets.

  I got home and fed my sisters. I'm a little upset that they have not had dinner yet. I also get everything I need for breakfast tomorrow morning ready for everyone as I wait for my dad to call me to his office once he gets home.

  He asked for all of my pay stubs from my job so he can figure out a better price for rent. I know I won't be able to pay for college classes but I am still going to have hope and try my hardest.

  After the talk with my dad, I end up having to sleep outside in the shed until he says otherwise. He wasn't happy I was making what I was and told me that my new rent was now $300 more than it used to be and I needed to pay the full amount coming up. I nodded and just took it. I mean what was I supposed to do? If I argued it would have been worse. At least I'll have ten bucks I can set aside as long as I don't buy any lunch, not that I normally ate lunch. I hope the cash tips I get will help me out.

  I start stacking the pillows and blankets that I have to hide, on the cot in the shed to make it feel somewhat better and I hope that tomorrow everything goes good at my sister's doctor's appointment. She has been through so much for only being 10. For the last three years, she has been fighting kidney cancer. I'm very thankful that my parents pay for most of it as she is still on their health insurance so they can't say they won't. All I have to do is pay what's leftover and that's why I work at the old folk's community. The pay was good and I got to spend time with some amazing people that have so many crazy stories.

  I sigh and lay down ready for bed. Wondering what life has planned for me.