Where Cruelty Lies

Chapter Three

Walking through the hallway at our werewolf school, Oak Grove High School, I kept my head down, avoiding eye contact with my fellow students as I reached my locker, opening the lock quickly as I shoved half my books onto the shelf.  I had no friends here, my father had made sure of that by telling the entire pack that I was unstable, a danger if antagonised.  All the parents had warned their children away from me, my friends had pulled away out of fear and confusion, I can't blame them, we were seven years old, everyone was saying I was dangerous, i'd have done the same if I was them.

A few years had passed with everyone avoiding me before one of my classmates accidentally tripped me up as I came out of a classroom, they were playing football in the corridor, he stuck his foot out to stop the ball just as I walked out and sent me flying into the lockers that lined the hallway.

You could have heard a pin drop in that moment, every eye was on me as I raised myself to my feet, the cause of my accident was literally shaking as he watched me turn toward him waiting to see what would happen when I exploded with this uncontrollable anger.

Yeah, it never happened, as it was all lies, I brushed myself off and gave a half hearted 'it's ok' wave and went about my business.  Seems this was possibly the second worse decision I would make in my life, after that everyone was curious as to exactly WHAT would push my buttons and bring out this unstable rage I supposedly contained.

Suddenly I was being tripped up as I walked, my books being snatched and thrown, my locker was broken into and my possessions scattered across the school.  The less I reacted, the braver they got until I was basically the schools walking punch bag.

Suddenly I felt myself slam into the lockers as someones shoulder slammed into mine painfully.  'Watch out the way psycho' the mound of muscle sneered, psycho, the nickname I had been christened with by my peers.  Raising my eyes I met the disgusted gaze of my old best friend Jordan who was glaring at me, his group of friends crowded around him grinning as they waited for the fun.

'Sorry Jordan, I didn't realise standing beside my locker would be in your way' I replied dully as I watched the future Alpha's eyes darken angrily.

'Watch your mouth psycho, or i'll watch it for you' Jordan growled, stepping closer to me and glaring into my eyes, poking me in the chest.

'OK, whatever you say Jordan' I sighed calmly, not wanting to get into an altercation with him whilst my body was still healing from my fathers temper last night.

Studying me for a moment, Jordan suddenly raised his fist and slammed it into the locker beside me, denting the door with his force as his friends snickered behind him.

Annoyance flickered across his face as I didn't flinch at the movement, 'always so brave psycho' he muttered as he patted my face with his hand, 'but not for long, when I become Alpha I wont be as accommodating as my father, i'm still amazed he lets your rabid ass around the rest of us' he sneered before backing up and leading his posse away.

Letting out a breath, I turned back to my locker and fastened it shut, gathering up my back pack that I had dropped by my feet and getting ready to set off for my first class.  Suddenly the scent of vanilla caught my attention, turning behind me I watched as Jordan's twin sister Jayden made her way down the corridor, flanked by her two besties Kaitlyn and Marcie.  These were the three most popular girls in school, every boy in our year and the year above salivated over them, especially Jayden.  If these girls wore a type of top, it was the next 'must have' item of every girl in our year.  Younger by four minutes, Jayden was a goddess, she owned these halls and she knew it.  I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I was among the boys who were captivated by her, but she wouldn't give anyone in the school the time of day, she was waiting for her eighteenth birthday when she would finally find her mate who she was sure would be a future Alpha from another pack due to her Alpha blood.

Marching past me, Kaitlyn scowled at me as her hips swung from side to side, the three of them parting the crowd like Moses and the Red sea.  A few of my classmates tried to speak to them hopeful for acknowledgement but were brushed aside as they made their way to their class.

Sighing to myself, I started the slow walk toward my first lesson, walking into the Geography classroom and taking a seat at the back away from everyone else, stealing looks over at the fabulous three who were perched on their desks laughing, Jayden throwing her sheet of straight brown hair over her shoulder, he hazel eyes sparkling with humour as she spoke with her friends.

Jordan strode in just before the bell and sat himself down across from his sister, his latest slut draped over him, her lipstick smeared as she was obviously the reason he was nearly late to class.

Mrs Dennison entered the room and called for quiet, waiting impatiently for everyone to take their seats before starting the lesson.  I was pretty good at school, got reasonably good grades, stayed out of trouble and kept my head down so that teachers wouldn't call on me, as its never a good idea to draw attention to yourself ever if you are the school psychotic.  My mind wandered back to my sister this morning as Mrs Dennison droned on about some mountains somewhere.  Elise had been agitated this morning, she had kept looking at me, the worry etched into he face despite my repeated smiles in her direction.

I'd walked her to school as I do every day as our father is usually to hung over to get off the sofa let alone walk the half mile to her Elementary school.  She had been lost in her own world as we walked, i'd finally managed to break through to her and get her to tell me what was wrong.

'Does Daddy hurt you sometimes?' she had whispered sadly

Shocked i'd ground to a halt, turning her toward me, grasping her shoulders gently in my hands, 'Of course not Angel' i'd lied, 'Daddy just gets upset sometimes and needs to let off steam so we go down into the basement so he can hit a punching bag for a bit, it makes him feel better' I had explained, realising that I needed to up my game to protect her from our fathers anger.

Looking into my eyes, Elise had slowly nodded, accepting my words, her little body relaxing as she took comfort from what I had said.

Cheering up, she had taken my hand and skipped the remainder of the journey, babbling to me about a new teddy she had seen at the toy store and that she was going to ask Santa if she could have it this year, asking me if I thought she had been good enough to get it.

I'd smiled happily down at my one ray of sunshine, agreeing whole heartedly that she was definitely a good enough girl for such an amazing gift, and vowing to earn the money to get it for her.  Though our father loved her as much as he hated me, he was usually too drunk to remember things like Christmas presents and Birthday presents, so I had taken on that responsibility as soon as I was old enough to get my first job.  I'd sit and wrap her presents on Christmas eve after she went to bed, sneak into her room to fill her stocking and place a few gifts for myself and our father as well under the tree so she wouldn't suspect.

Christmas day was the only day my father let me be, even he could not bring himself to ruin Christmas for my sister.

Snapping out of my thoughts I looked up to see the classroom around me practically empty, Mrs Dennison was looking at me concerned.  'Hurry up Brandon or you will be late for your next lesson' she called out as I hastily threw all my belongings into my bag and sprinted from the room.