The Start
Nora's POV
My little heart raced in excitement. Running away from Billy, I giggled. Hearing the others scream and laugh, I glanced over my shoulder when I suddenly kicked something, and I fell onto my stomach.
Air knocked out of my chest. My eyes were watering, and I was confused as I heard laughter surround me. I tried pushing myself up, but someone stepped on my back, and I planted into the dirt, whimpering in pain and fear. "Stay down, you dirt runt," a boy said, and everyone around me chuckled.
I tried again, but the same thing happened.
I whimpered and struggled to pull myself away from the boy’s foot. Still, he stomped. "Stop moving! See, I told you she is a monster rogue. She is not listening to her Alpha!"
"Stop! You're hurting me!" I shouted, pulling the grass off their roots.
"Please stop!" I screamed.
Laughter came from the boy while whispers and murmuring surrounded me. Suddenly, I felt a blow on my side. Air pushed out from my chest, and pain followed; I wanted to scream, but unfortunately, my voice was gone. "Don't tell me what to do, you rogue!" he yelled.
Confused and scared, I wanted help. "Pete! Pete!" I screamed, feeling pain and heat over my body.
"SHUT UP!"
Despite his pressure on my back, I ignored the boy and continued screaming for my big brother, "PETE!"
"Nora!" Pete's voice exclaimed through the whispers. I hear footsteps thumping my way. "Danny! Get off my sister!" Pete said.
Suddenly, I felt a foot on my back and heard a thump and groans beside me. Gasps and mayhem broke; the others around me walked past and surrounded the commotion. I could not see anything, but I knew I had to find help for Pete. I pushed myself off the dirt, running away to find a grown-up.
My vision was blurry, and dirt and tears burned my eyes. Nevertheless, I pushed through. Pete needed my help.
My forehead hits a tall frame out of the blue, and I stumble backwards. A hand grabs my arm. "Nora, be careful," I hear a familiar deep voice.
Looking up, I see warm hazel-green eyes. "Alpha Jay, Pete needs help!" I said, breaking into a sob.
I felt my body being left up while he carried me. We headed to where the noise came from, and he wiped my face. "Don't cry, Nora. Pete is okay," Alpha Jay said.
"PETE! Get off of Daniel!" Mom's voice exclaimed.
Alpha Jay walked past the leaves, and I saw Mom pulling Pete and Mrs Helen pulling Danny away from each other. I saw a scrape on Pete's cheek, and my heart dropped. "Pete!" I called out, pushing away from Alpha Jay.
Once on the ground, I ran straight to Pete and hugged him tight. "Pete, are you okay?" I asked.
"Nora!" Mom exclaimed, brushing my ebony hair away from my face. "What happened to you?" she asked.
"Daniel, what do you have to say about this?" Alpha Jay asked.
The atmosphere changed, and everything was silent. I looked over my shoulder, seeing Alpha Jay towering Danny with a cold expression that scared me. "Jay-" Mrs Helen whispered, stepping forward.
However, Alpha Jay glared at her, and she stopped herself. She stood behind Danny, who lowered his head. "No child of mine will cause this commotion without reason..." Alpha Jay said, "Unless he is an idiot."
"Sophie, why don't you take your children home to be cleaned up," he said without taking his gaze away from Danny.
"Y-yes, Alpha," Mom said, pulling away from Pete and carrying me. She bowed her head and took Pete's hand before walking away.
As we walked away, I looked over Mom's shoulder, and my eyes met with Danny's dark blue-green eyes. My arms wrapped around Mom's neck, and I tried hiding from Danny, feeling that I had caused Danny trouble with his Dad.
Mom and Pete did not say a word until we walked down the road heading home. "Pete, what happened?" Mom asked.
My heart raced, afraid Pete would also get in trouble.
"Danny was hurting Nora. He held her down to the ground, and she was screaming for help," Pete said. "I had to teach him a lesson for hurting my sister!"
His voice rose, and Mom stopped. She turned to face Pete, and I felt her arms tighten around me. "But it does not mean you must fight with your Alpha's son!" she said.
"So?"
"Pete!"
"Mommy, please don't be angry at Pete," I said, hiding my face on her shoulder.
Mom's body relaxed, and she hugged me while she rocked side to side. "Mommy's not angry at your brother. I am worried about him," she muttered. "Promise me, this will never happen again?" she asked.
Pete was silent.
"I cannot make a promise like that because I already promised to protect my baby sister..."
No one said anything before we moved again. However, I could not shake the fear and remember Danny's words when he held me down. "Mommy... am I a rogue?" I asked.
Mom stopped again, pulling me, wanting to look at my face. However, I did not want to see her expression or her to see me cry. She stopped trying to pull me and sighed. "You are my baby," she whispered.
"You and Pete are my babies, and I will fight anyone who does otherwise. I am sorry for making you worry… Let’s get home to clean you up and have ice cream,” Mom said, petting my head gently.
