Abused and Broken

Chapter 4

*Ember*

I didn't stop running until I hit the riverbank. I stop, then slowly start walking over to the fallen log where I like to sit. This is the one place I feel any kind of peace, any kind of safe. The river flows slower here over top of small rocks. The water is so clear that you can see straight down to the pebbles on the bottom. I love the sound as it runs and breaks on the rocks, every now and then you can even hear fish jumping. 

As I listen to the sounds of the river and the forest around me, I think about the events of the day. What a day it has been. I can't believe I was so careless today. How did I fall asleep so hard? And for so long?

I know all too well that the spray doesn't cover my scent nearly as well or as long as it did in the beginning, but now it barely lasts an hour. I don't understand why. It should be lasting at least two hours. There are only a few reasons why it isn't lasting. The witch I bought it from told me as I got older it would work less and less because I would enter into adulthood where my scent held more weight than just finding my mate. Then there was the chance that I am getting closer to my first heat. I hope that isn't the reason. Once I go into heat every male around will know. Even Blaze. I won't be able to hide from them. Even my own biology betrays and hates me.

"He almost figured it out," Willow says not even trying to hide her excitement.

"I know" 

" He is going to figure it out soon." She isn't wrong, now that the seeds been planted, he will have questions. She wants so bad for Blaze to find out so that she can be with her mate, but I can't let that happen.

I've been hiding for four years now. I remember the first time I saw him. I still don't know how I managed to see him and know that he was my mate and he didn't have any clue. I guess I really am nothing.

My first day at Jefferson High. I somehow managed to talk my dad into letting me attend school. I am standing in the office when the door opens and the most amazing smell of sandalwood and lavender floods the room and my nose. I whip my head around and I see the most beautiful boy walking by, his dark chocolate hair has hues of red, his eyes as clear and blue as the icy waters of Iceland. He is tall, at least six feet, and he looks so strong. 

"Mate" 

That one word from Willow sends me into a panic. He can't be our mate. He looks strong... too strong, he will hurt us badly... kill us even and not have to be his wolf to do it. I decide then, I need to figure out how I can hide before he sees me. I took off running for the first time that day, to hide myself from him. 

Ever since that day that's exactly what I have been doing. He has to be able to smell and see my eyes to know who I am. That is why I am careful to keep my scent covered and my face hidden behind my hair and the hood. At first, I didn't know he was the next Alpha but after a few days of being in the back of the classroom listening, it wasn't hard to figure it out. Once I did find out, I knew as we got older, just looking at me, could trigger his wolf. So I did everything I could to switch my classes, arrive early, leave late, and even went as far as to hide after I got my lunch. I was doing good...until today.

"You don't know that he will be like dad, he could save us" Willow whimpers

"He is Alpha, he will be possessive, and at least twice as strong... what do you think is gonna happens when we break the rules or f**k up? or how about when he see how worthless and ugly we are? what about when we are in the way?"

" You don't know that he will be like that!" she yells at me

" We are weak. We have been starved and locked away. This body is gross and covered in scars and bruises. For goodness sake, we can't even shift anymore we are so broken. What kind of mate would we be? nothing like we are now just like he has made us... he would wind up beating us or rejecting us and you know it"

All she does is whine and whimper in my head and slips back into my mind. She knows I am right. Knowing that just makes me want to cry. I learned to deal with it. At least I know what and who I am, that there is no hope in this matter. Honestly, I could deal with the beatings, but what I can't handle is the mental pain of being reminded of what I am to another person, especially one who is meant to love me... just like my father was meant to love me. Like he was meant to love my mother. I guess that's just what love really is, it comes with pain, broken bones, cuts, and bruises.

Blaze

The day drug on painfully slow. I sent my beta home to start the search. The only reason I stayed at school was to ask everyone if they knew the girl named Ember with the Silver hair. I quickly found out that no one knew who she was. No one seemed to recall her at any point in time. No one... this gave me a heavy feeling... " I am nothing, I am no one" but she wasn't no one, she was someone.

As I walk into the door of the packhouse, I head to my room waiting for Mark to join me. Why can't I get this girl out of my head? All I saw of her was her hair and where it ended, at her ass. I smirk to myself thinking about how perfectly curvy she looked from behind, perfect hips to grab and an ass and thighs for days. All I want to do is grab and... I quickly shake my head away from my thoughts. Why am I thinking like that? I need to be focusing on figuring out who she is. You would have thought the silver hair would have got me somewhere it's not normal... I wonder if It's as soft as it looks... What the f**k is wrong with me.

"BLAZE!" Mark yells in my ear

"What" I snap covering my freshly assaulted ear

"dude I've been calling you for like 5 minutes now"

"Sorry man I don't know where my head is right now"

"Yes, you do. your mind is on Ember" Haze cuts through my mind

" Shut up, you want to know her just as bad" I snap at Haze.

" Yes, I do. I... I.. I.."

"spit it out already Haze! What is wrong with you today"

" She is special, I feel a pull, the pull, I think she is a mate." I am shocked at his words

"could she be?

"I don't know for sure. I couldn't smell her very well, I need to see her face, I need to know her." Haze whimpers to me

"So her last name is Ren. I got her possible address. Do you want..." I cut Marks words off by jumping up grabbing my keys and saying

"Let's go"