Alpha's Human Mate

CHAPTER ONE THE FIRE

DANIELLA’S POV

“Your better shut the f**k up, bitch.”

The venom in his voice was as sharp as a knife. I parted my lips to give a befitting reply when an object flew in my direction. I barely had time to shield my face before it shattered on my palm. Pain sent my knees falling to the ground, a loud scream leaving my lips.

I slapped my left hand on my mouth, trying to stop myself from screaming once more at the sight of my other hand. The back of my right palm was torn open, shards from the bottle he had thrown at me sticking out of the wound.

“I told you to shut up!” His boot connected with my stomach. The forceful impact had my body sliding backwards to meet with a wooden chair, a trickle of blood escaping my mouth. I bit down on my lower lip, trying to stop myself from screaming again.

It was of no use.

I screamed.

The customer made an attempt to approach me once more but that was when Mr. Rass appeared inside the bar, a few of the local police officers trailing behind him. The customer was cuffed immediately, the scuffle between us becoming the perfect evidence the police were looking for to convict him.

As they dragged him out one of them gave me a subtle thankful nod. I managed a small smile in return watching them until they were out of my line of sight. I twisted my lips, trying to move past the entire incident.

It had been planned since last week after all.

The rebel customer who had a clean slate would be lured to commit something.

And I would be the bait.

I sighed inwardly, admitting to myself that I hadn’t exactly had a choice. In everyone’s eyes I was insignificant. Nothing but a tool to be toyed with and discarded.

Just like every other day, today was no different. Mr. Rass gave me a little extra money. I saw the gesture for what it was. A little show of appreciation.

I gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes and excused myself to the bathroom.

I hastened my steps as I walked, feeling more and more nauseous by the second. I was a few feet away from the bathroom door when I gagged violently and threw up in the flowers instead. I drew my eyebrows together, sliding down the wall as a tear escaped my eye.

Once again I’d been used. Once again someone had gained something at the expense of my pain and hardwork. I threw my head back, a second tear rolling down my cheek as I wondered when it would eventually end.

It wasn’t like home was any different. Both my younger brothers had refused to find a good job and as much as they angered me, I couldn’t sit back and do nothing. I couldn’t let them starve to death. Every penny I earned went to them, there was nothing left to save up.

Not that they ever bothered to ask about my health. My needs had completely been forgotten even by my own father. I was the legendary sacrificial lamb, cursed to live out her whole life servant to another and die In some rat infested hole.

I shook my head, smiling ruefully at the last thought. My room was exactly like that so it was a prophecy that would soon come true.

Slowly, I picked myself off the floor and went back to work. I stopped by the nurse’s office to get a small bandage that would stop the wound from bleeding but that was it.

I worked eighteen hours at the bar everyday. Today was no exception.

Work ended and I was given the rest of the daily pay. It wasn’t much but at least it was something, I internalized, dragging myself home.

We lived in a small town, Mite. A pastoral village with little developments and few schools which only the wealthy could afford. My own home was situated far out from the buildings in the village seeing as we owned a farm.

As I approached home, I began to hear disturbing sounds. At first I tried to ignore them but it was just too much. I picked up my pace. The barn door was open and that was where the sound was coming from. I slipped in the second I got close enough.

My mouth dropped open at the sight in front of me.

Tonas and Jay were standing over an old man. The old man was on his knees, his clothes covered in blood. His blood. Tonas gave the man a look of disgust, his voice echoing around the barn. “Just pay your passage dues and we will let you go.”

“I will do no such thing.” The man shot back, spitting blood out of his mouth. He was bruised, his face glistering from both sweat and his blood but it didn’t make him cower. “That was an open farm, anyone has the right to pass, no one is supposed to pay any money for passing there.”

“Really?” The smug look on Tonas’ face scared me. He met Jay’s eyes, both of them sharing an inside joke. I couldn’t help but think that the man had fallen right into their trap with his reply. If there was anything my brothers hated it was feeling like they had been challenged.

“He is still talking crap. He hasn’t learned anything. Let’s teach him a few things.”

Jay smiled back and raised his boots ready to kick the life out of the old man. His foot connected with flesh but it wasn’t the old man that crashed to the floor. It was me.

Jay stared wide eyed at me.

“You b***h, what do you think you’re doing? You want to die? Then die you piece of filth!” He was over me immediately, bringing his foot down on my head over and over and over again. I tried to protect my head with my arms. The sole of his boot tore open my previous wounds while inflicting new ones.

“That’s enough Jay,” Tonas warned, the firm note of his voice leaving no room as to who was older. He took hold of Jay’s midriff, forcefully pulling him away from me.

“You are going to kill the bank, f*****g calm down.” I wasn’t surprised by his words as I struggled to sit back up.

I’d known he hadn’t spoken up because he cared. He’d only done it because I was ‘The bank’.

They’d stopped calling me by my name years ago just after mum died.

The thought burned and at that moment, I wished he would continue. Maybe if he kicked the right place, my neck would break or my skull would crack and I would finally be able to leave this miserable life.

A hand grabbed me and wrenched me up. I fell back to the ground, my legs too weak to carry my weight. Tonas was upset by that, hissing loudly as he dragged me by my arm instead and threw me out of the barn like a rag doll.

“Don’t come back here looking for who would murder you, you fool!” He spat at me in disgust, shutting the barn door and driving the bolt. I slowly picked myself up, limping my way into the house and heading straight for my room.

I had kept everything I made on the table just as I was always instructed to do. I laid down on the bed, grateful that I could finally fall asleep. My stomach had already been ripped apart by the ulcer I suffered, not to mention the kicks. There was no way I could eat the scrap they usually fed me tonight.

Immediately I fell on the bed, sleep stole me but not too long as I was awakened by my father’s loud yells. I tried to take a deep breath but I ended up coughing badly instead. The air in my room was dense with smoke.

I sprang up immediately.

“Is the house on fire?”

I instantly forced my door open, noting that house in fact wasn’t on fire. What was then? I wondered silently as I dashed outside. I came to a complete halt after throwing open the front door, unable to believe eyes.

The farm was on fire. I saw father, Jay and Tonas trying to douse it but the flames had engulfed the whole meadow. As I watched them try their best to salvage the situation, realization dawned on me.

Everything would burn.

I crumbled to the floor. My breath shaking, hot tears streamed down my face immediately.

That farm was all we had. Our only means of survival. I realized at that moment that we had become dirt poor.

And I would suffer for it.