Broken Mate

Chapter Seven

-Rain POV-

I look away from Kayden before my face turns red. I continue looking around as we walk. Everything is new to me, and most stores look very fancy. 

We pass by a store that has a huge poster of a girl modeling clothes and she has a huge smile on her face. I stand there looking at her and I can't help wonder how can anyone ever be that happy. 

"Oh, my goddess! Look Rain." Layla says excitedly pointing at a huge fountain in the middle of the mall. 

Avery holds her hand out to Layla and smiles. "Let's go check it out." 

Layla looks at her hand and takes a few steps towards her cautiously, she takes her hand and they walk over to the fountain. 

I feel people looking at us, when I look around its mostly human girls and they are staring at the guys.  

(Oh yea, I've heard that werewolves tend to be better looking than normal humans.) I look around again and the rumors are true, none of the human guys here look anywhere near as good-looking as Kayden, Grant, and Preston. Even human girls don't hold a candle to Avery. 

"So, what do you do for fun in the packhouse, since you don't go out?" Preston asks me taking me out of my thoughts. 

(I don't know how to answer that question. I don't do anything fun...ever.) 

"I go for walks in the lake and runs in the woods." I say.  

"Oh... that's it?" He asks and I nod.  

Layla comes back with Avery smiling.  

"You having fun, kid?" Grant asks Layla and she nods smiling as she has never before. 

"I wish the same was for miss Rain. Do you ever smile?" Grant asks in a joking way but I'm distracted looking at people. 

"Why would I?  What is there for me to be happy about." I say without really thinking.  

I realize what I said and I look at them. They are all staring at me surprised but they don't say anything. 

"Food, let's get some food." Avery says breaking the awkwardness and we all nod. 

(I need to keep my mouth shut.)  

We walk to what looks like a huge dining room with lots of tables and what I'm guessing are different food restaurants. 

"You guys go sit while Preston and I go get the food." Grant says as he and Preston walk away. 

"Rain, I need to use the bathroom." Layla whispers into my ear. 

"This way." Kayden says before I can say anything and starts to lead us.  

We follow him to a corridor and we see the girl's bathroom but it's one of those that only one person can go to at a time. Layla heads in while I and Kayden wait outside but the moment she locks the door, Kayden takes me by the arm and pulls me to a corner that is away from everyone. He holds me by the arm with one hand and has the other hand on the wall, blocking my way. I panic and cover my head with my burned hand, waiting for the hit but it never comes. I dare look up at him still covering part of my face and he has a shocked expression. He stares at me and I notice now that I have tears streaming down my face.  

(And why wouldn't I? I'm scared, if he hits me, it won't be like Evan, this guy can kill me.) 

"Rain... why are you so scared?... I... I'm not going to hurt you." He says lifting a hand to my face but I flinch when his finger gets close to my cheek. 

(He won't hurt me? Of course, he will.) 

"Please... let my arm go.... don't touch me." I say whimpering. 

He quickly lets my hand go but his eyes are still wide with shock. He backs away giving space between us. At that moment, Layla comes out of the bathroom and I rush inside locking the door behind me. 

I splash water on my face and look in the mirror. 

(I need to calm down. I don't want to have a panic attack now.) 

I breathe slowly and try to calm down. A few minutes later I feel better and go out of the bathroom. I immediately regret it when I see Kayden waiting for me.  

"Are you ok?" He asks softly. 

I nod and wait for him to start walking back and when he does, I follow him. We spend a little more time there but I really don't pay attention, I just want to go back home to my room, to my safe place. 

We finally leave and head to the car. The whole way home Kayden would not avert his eyes from me. I kept my eyes away from him but it was hard, my body wanted to betray me and get a glimpse of his beautiful eyes. 

When we get home, the sun is down already and Layla and I head to our rooms leaving everyone else behind.  

"The new Alpha seems nicer." Layla says smiling as we walk. 

(So it would seem, but I don't trust him.)  

Layla shares her room with three other girls who are also orphans and also work in the packhouse. I've had the same room since I moved here and I don't complain, it's my safe haven. Once in my room, I change and hide under the covers.  

(What is he playing at? I don't get it, what was he doing today? I don't get why he won't reject me. He's had plenty of time.) 

Not wanting to think too much about today, I slowly find sleep. 

The next day, we make breakfast as usual, and obviously, Celeste is not happy at all. She is pissed and nothing we do is good enough. We somehow manage to finish cooking and start to serve breakfast. Kayden watches my every move but I don't look at him once. When we are done serving, I quickly go into the kitchen with Levi following me only to be met by beta Abraham.  

"You two are exactly who I wanted to see." He says looking at us. Whenever I see him, this anger rises inside of me and then is quickly replaced with fear, because I know what he is capable of. 

"Beta." Levi and I say softly, bowing our heads. 

"You two will be catering tonight to a small get-together with Alpha Cristian and his beta. Make sure you wear something... cleaner. And need I remind you that if you mess this up, you will have to deal with me." He says walking away but when he gets to the doorway, he turns back around and looks at me.  

"Sometimes I hope you do mess up, so I can get my hands on you." I can feel the hate oozing behind those words. 

When he finally leaves, I let out a breath that I didn't even know I was holding. Even Levi gives a sigh of relief. 

(I can't catch a break.) 

I clean the kitchen with Levi and Layla's help and then head to the lake.  

(I really should go for a run sometime. I haven't done that in a while.) My wolf is weaker than others in the pack since we have been mistreated and neglected.

I hear footsteps behind me and when I look, is Levi and Layla.  

"Hey, figured you'd be here." Levi says. 

"Let's go for a swim." Layla says. 

I shake my head. "I don't feel like swimming, you go ahead." 

She smiles and pulls Levi with her and he doesn't fight her. 

(Huh? Maybe she is right, they might be mates.) 

I don't give it much thought and relax. We head back when its time to prep for dinner. I help out as much as I can before I have to go upstairs and change for the get-together.  

"Go! Go get ready. I don't want the beta coming here and blaming me for your stupidity." Celeste shouts. 

I nod and head upstairs not wanting to get slapped a third time today. I look through my clothes and pull out a black dress that goes to my knees, it has long sleeves and it buttons up in the front all the way to the collared neckline. I keep this dress for moments like these. I put my hair up trying to make it look decent and then change the bandage on my hand which looks much better now. 

I come out of my room just to be met by Evan and Abraham who are talking in the hall. I take a deep breath and start walking as fast as I can buy them but obviously not fast enough. 

"Oh look, the girl who cries wolf." Abraham says smirking and Evan smirks as well. 

I try to go faster but Abraham puts an arm out stopping me. He looks at Evan. "Go downstairs and chat the young Alpha up, it's best to be on his good side."  

Evan nods and walks downstairs but looks back and throws me a kiss and then laughs evilly. 

Abraham steps in front of me and stares at me as if he’s studying me. “The only reason I've let you live this long, was so that I could make your life hell. If I was going to live in misery, then so would you."  

(Yea... I know that already.) 

He looks at me studying my face and his eyes fill with hate. "You don't deserve to look like her, you don't deserve to have her beautiful face. I should have given you a new look when you were younger and couldn't heal." His hands close into fists and start to tremble. 

"Uncle, Alpha Cristian has arrived." Evan says walking up the stairs. 

(I feel thankful for that interruption cause I know he was about to hurt me.) 

"Don't be late." He says and then turns around and walks downstairs with Evan. 

 I stay there for a couple of minutes composing myself.  

(Words don't hurt me anymore.) 

I head downstairs and into the living room and immediately see Kayden there sitting, waiting with a drink in his hand and wearing a black suit. It makes him look even more intimidating but he looks very good in it.  Abraham's mate Jocelyn and his daughter Heidi are here as well along with Evan. Delta Richard is also here with his mate and then the Alpha walks in with the Luna and Alpha Cristian. 

I stand on the corner waiting. All I have to do is bring them drinks and appetizers. Levi comes in and starts to serves the drinks. I take the tray with hummus crostini's and walk around offering the treat to them.  

Kayden is still sitting on the sofa looking like he is the least interested in this whole thing but he stares at me the whole time.  

"So I hear that you are going to take a chosen mate." Heidi says sitting next to Kayden. 

He looks at her like he wants to strangle her but doesn't say a thing. 

(...I already knew that he would take someone else... but... it hurts a little. If that's the case then why won't he reject me?) 

I compose myself and continue my task. I go over to them and offer them snacks with a stern unreadable expression. 

 Kayden smiles at me and takes a crostini and then I move to Heidi. She looks up at me and rolls her eyes. 

"No thanks, I'll probably get indigestion with anything you serve." She says. 

Kayden gives her a side look and scrunches his face at her. I ignore her and move to the other chair, where Evan sits. My body tenses immediately. Evan looks at me now noticing me and smirks. He shakes his head not wanting anything I am serving. 

"Good choice nephew, she might think that you actually like her and throw herself at you again." Jocelyn says. She is Abraham's wife and Heidi's mom. And just like Abraham, she hates my guts. 

"Then again.... like mother like daughter." She mumbles. 

Kayden gets up abruptly and walks to the window looking tense. I take a deep breath and continue my task ignoring them all. I'm sure she knows about my mother and Abraham, that's why she hates me so much.  

Once I'm done, I stand on the corner with Levi waiting for us to be called again. Kayden watches me but tends to avert his eyes so no one notices. Evan's eyes are also on me and I hate it. The way he looks at me makes me feel small, worthless and causes me anxiety. 

I try to keep my head straight but then he does it, Evan comes near the table smirking where I am, and starts to pour his own drink. He is inches away but I keep staring straight, trying to ignore him. That's when I feel his hand caressing my arm and then he starts whistling that tune. The tune that reminds me of him, my body shakes and the tray that I was holding falls with a loud shatter but I'm not in this room anymore. My mind is back at that moment, back in that room with Evan.  

"No no no no no no no." I say in a whisper and whimpering as I kneel on the floor with my body moving by itself picking up the mess. But it's like a am not seeing what is in front of me anymore. My body wants to automatically run as I remember what he tried to do that time.

I feel someone touch me and say something but I can't make it out. I panic and start swinging my hands trying to get them away from me. 

"Don't touch me! Don't touch me!!" I yell and then I feel someone slap me. 

I look up with tears streaming down my face and finally notice the Luna, she is looking at me pissed. I look around the room and everyone is looking at me shocked except for Alpha Cristian who has a bloodied nose and looks at me like he can't believe what just happened.  

(Oh no....did I hit him?... I am so dead.)