It has now been four years since Ayame sliced me. The school counselor shocked Andrew and me by showing up and letting me take the exam to finish school early. I did ace it and earned my high school diploma two years early. I am still being beaten by Alpha and Luna, they are just keeping my hands, legs and face free of bruises. When pack members try to throw punches, I dodge and defend myself. They try to tell Luna on me and they are met with silence. Luna does not interfere either way anymore. Most days, I am cooking with broken or bruised ribs. Three days ago, they punctured one of my lungs and had to send me to the hospital. I was in the hospital for two days and got out, thanks to Tasha healing me.
They tortured Ayame for what she did to me, but I guess the lesson didn’t stick. She did the same thing a year later. Alpha executed her that time. I guess you don’t get between Alpha and his food. Tasha was shocked that they did that, but she also made sure to tell me they weren’t doing it for me. They were doing it to save their favorite cook. Nothing more. I agreed, so we never did have false hope. I had no delusions that these people want me around for any other reason than the food I make. I guess cooking saved my life and reduced the severity of the beatings for me. Now I just needed to learn how to control my mouth. I had no filter and that was the reason I would still get any kind of beatings. It’s one thing to say what I think to pack members. It’s a totally other thing to say what I think to the Alpha and Luna. Unfortunately, this was a lesson I was still learning.
Tonight, is my sixteenth birthday and Alpha and Luna know I’m supposed to shift tonight. They think it’s the first time, so Tasha and I have agreed that we need to make it look like the first shift. Everyone was planning to be outside for my shift so they could make fun of my wolf. When the time came, we all walked outside while I was wearing tear-away clothes. I stood in the center of a large circle of people and Luna Kate told me it would go easier if I were to lie down and let Tasha do the work. I nodded and laid down on the ground and soon, my bones started popping and breaking while they rearranged themselves and my nose started to elongate into a snout. I looked at my hands and claws started forming from my nail beds. I started screaming as I remembered the pain of hairs protruding from every pore in my skin. The burning sensation was almost too much to bear. When my paws were done forming, I stood up and everyone outside was just staring at me with their eyes wide. I was enormous. The only wolf bigger than mine was Alpha’s and I was really proud of that.
All of the people outside shifted and Alpha Ben howled. We all howled in response and he took off running. We all followed and Tasha was having a blast feeling like she was part of the pack. She was loving the run and the feeling of freedom when we all went back to the house. When we got there, we all let out one more celebratory howl, then shifted back. Luna Kate handed a robe to me, “Your wolf is huge.” I smiled, “Thank you. I’m not really sure why.” She asked, “Have you been talking with the Goddess?” I nodded, “I have. She just tells me I must go through all these trials. I’m not sure why.” She asked, “You aren’t planning to run away, are you?” I shook my head, “No. Not at all.” She patted my shoulder, “Good. That’s the last thing we want.”
I walked to the pack house and Tasha started telling me, “You know, now that she knows we have our wolf, we are going to have to keep a close eye out for wolfsbane.” I replied, “I know, but at least we know what it smells like now. We can keep watch for it.” She nodded, “We will do that. I have a question.” I asked, “What is that?” She replied, “Was it my imagination or was there only one wolf bigger than me?” I laughed, “That was not your imagination. I’m not sure why, but we are bigger than everyone except Alpha. I really hope they don’t see this as a threat.” She answered, “If they do, we’ll have to deal with it.” I agreed and we went up to our room to go to bed.
For the next two months, Tasha and I were extremely careful with everything we put in our bodies. We didn’t want to ingest anything that would disable her and render me unconscious. We did very well at it too. One day, Luna Kate asked, “How are you avoiding all the wolfsbane?” I laughed, “So you are admitting to trying to disable my wolf?” She sneered, “She needs to be disabled. You could easily overpower me.” I laughed, “It has been two months since I shifted in front of you and yet I haven’t even tried. Did it dawn on you that I know what will happen if I try something so stupid?” She shrugged and I added, “I have no desire to be put back in the dungeons or to be whipped.” She nodded, “Okay, then I will stop trying. I would like to know how you avoid it though.” I replied, “I would prefer not to say, as I know it will be used against me.” She nodded, “You’re probably right.” She walked away and I was relieved.
Tasha asked, “How many ways of wrong did that conversation feel?” I chuckled, “Too many. I’m hoping she’s not planning anything.” She agreed, “Me too.” I got back to work on supper and started my dough for cinnamon rolls for breakfast tomorrow morning. I love working with dough, because it lets me take out my aggressions without hurting anyone in the pack. I was rolling out my cinnamon roll dough, a little too aggressively, when Gabrielle walked up behind me, “Are we having a rough day?” I jumped as she startled me, “No different than any other day. You would think I would be used to it by now.” She asked, “What do you mean?” I replied, “Luna Kate just admitted she has been trying to dose me with wolfsbane.” I told her about the entire conversation and she acted surprised at Luna’s boldness, “She isn’t even trying to keep your abuse a secret from the pack anymore, is she?” I shook my head, “Nope. She only keeps other packs from seeing me because she doesn’t want me to find my mate.” Gabrielle shook her head, “That’s ridiculous. I’m sure we have someone in the pack who can cook. Hell, I can cook.” I laughed, “I know. They just think it’s my job to make them happy now.” She and I rolled our eyes at the same time and laughed, quietly, to keep Luna from hearing.
As soon as I was done in the kitchen, and cleaned up my mess, I walked upstairs and fell onto my bed, face down. After laying there for a minute, I decided to take a shower and get ready for bed. After my shower, I put on my pajamas and laid down. As soon as I did, someone quietly knocked on my door. I got up to see who it was and opened the door just a crack. Gabrielle whispered, “Let me in, please.” I smiled as I opened the door wider, allowing her to come in. I sat on my bed while she sat on my desk chair and she asked, “Are you planning on running away soon?” I replied, “I probably won’t do anything until after my eighteenth birthday. If I don’t find my mate before then, I won’t even be able to get a place to live before I’m eighteen. Why?” She replied, “When you do, I want to come with you. Doug and Andrew do too.” I nodded, “We can all set it up when it’s time.” I smiled, “I would like that. I hope my mate is a ranked wolf. Maybe I can ask him to bring all of you with me.” She smiled, “I would like that. None of us want to be under an Alpha and Luna who could be as cruel as they have been to you.” I sighed, “Thank you.”
Gabrielle stood up and smiled, “I’m going to go now. You get some sleep. I’ll lock the door on my way out.” I smiled at her, “Thank you.”
I'm very sorry for not posting anything yesterday. I was battling a fever. I do hope you liked this chapter. I would love to read your comments.
I turned seventeen two months ago and found out that no one in this pack is my mate and I am so happy for that. Although Luna Kate was quite disappointed. After all, if my mate had been in this pack, I could’ve kept cooking for them. I just wouldn’t be a slave anymore. They wouldn’t be able to hurt me anymore. The problem with that is the fact that I wouldn’t want to work for them anymore. I’m happy that my mate will be able to take me away from here. Now I just need to make sure he can find me, somehow. Tasha smiled in my head, “All you have to do is be around. He will scent you and be drawn to you.” I sighed, “I hope so. Hopefully, Luna won’t keep me hidden when there is company coming.” Tasha laughed, “Lady, don’t you know that your scent is all over this house?” I laughed, “I guess I need to walk around the house some more.” She grinned, “I was hoping you’d say that.” I started making my chipotle sauce for sub sandwiches and then started gathering the ingredients for them. I had m
After a full week and a half of total chaos in the pack house, I am really ramping up on trying to get my stuff together for the ball. Today is the day I get to go to the farmers market and I am so excited. I know I will be guarded; I just wonder who will be doing the guarding. After breakfast was done and dishes were washed, I went to my room and dressed in a sundress that Gabrielle had given to me for my birthday. I brushed my hair and grabbed my wallet and ran downstairs. I went to Alpha Ben’s office and knocked on the door. When I heard, “Come in, Isabel.” I walked in and smiled, “Alpha, I’m ready to go to the farmers market for the ball. Would it be possible to get the cash for the vegetables?” He nodded as he opened a desk drawer, “Here is two hundred dollars. Will that be enough?” I raised my eyebrows, “I am sure that will be enough. I would like to show you that my wallet is empty before I put the cash in it. When I get back I will make sure you get all of your change back.” He
Doug had brought in all of my purchases and I had to move them to the pantry until after lunch. The kitchen was smelling so good, I started humming as I worked. I prepared lunch and waited until Alpha Ben returned with the alcohol to serve it. After setting the table, I announced that lunch was ready and people started filing into the dining room. After everyone was done and the all the dishes were washing in the dishwasher, I pulled all the watermelons out of the pantry. I immediately put two watermelons into the spare refrigerator for the ones with no alcohol, then I sat four on the counter to wash. I washed each one, then I sat them aside, knowing Alpha wanted to help with it. I found my apple corer to help with the task. While I waited for Alpha and Luna to join me, I started rinsing the berries and sorting them. I put them in big bowls with lids after drying them on a paper towel. I put them in the spare refrigerator just when Alpha and Luna walked into the kitchen. Alpha Ben pl
The next three days were spent with Doug prepping vegetables and me making desserts that could be refrigerated, preparing dinner roll dough, freezing it, and cooking meals for the pack. Today is the day before the ball and I was able to really start my cooking and baking. I had asked Luna if she wanted me to precook the roasts or the dinner rolls, but she answered, “Neither.” So, I am going to concentrate on desserts today, so I already have my cakes in the ovens, I have already made the hot-hot and put it in a giant bowl. I covered it and put it in the spare refrigerator, then I started washing strawberries and slicing them I set aside enough for a strawberry pie. I put them in a bowl and put them in the main refrigerator. I continued slicing them until I had enough to macerate for ice cream topping. I poured sugar on those and then put a lid on them. I then sliced the rest of them and macerated them for strawberry shortcake. When the cakes are done, I set them out to cool and starte
Joshua POV “Come on, Joshua! We’re running late! We need to get there in time to get dressed for the ball,” Matthew yelled from the foyer. I trotted down the stairs carrying my duffle bag and my suit on a hanger covered in dry cleaning plastic, “What the hell, brother? I’m really not looking forward to this. You know that.” Matt’s mate, Jessie, sighed, “Josh, we just want you to find your mate. You deserve to feel complete and I really need my beta.” I rolled my eyes and laughed internally, “Let’s get this over with. I’m not crazy about that pack, but we’ll see if my mate is there.” I’ve been looking for my mate for five years and still haven’t found her. A chosen mate is not an option. It’s not fair to our fated mates, if we find them, or each other. I am beta to the Cold Springs Pack and my brother, Matthew, is Alpha of our pack. He found his mate, Jessie, four years ago and they just found out that she is pregnant with twins, so she has been more determined, now, for me to find my
Isabel POV I hid in my room for a short while, but realized that I have to get back to the kitchen. I went back and Gabrielle was still there, waiting for me. She smiled brightly at me and I was on the edge of tears. She opened her arms and I hugged her, “Why would a high ranked wolf want me?” Gabrielle laughed, “Are you kidding? You’re beautiful, you’re smart, and you kick ass in the kitchen.” I laughed, “Thanks. I just know he’s going to reject me.” Gabrielle grinned while shaking her head, “He came in here looking for you. I talked to him. Hon, he wants you. He doesn’t care what your rank is. You are a blessing to him.” I shook my head, “How can I be sure of that?” She shrugged, “You can’t; all you can do is trust the Moon Goddess.” I sighed, “I’ve trusted her my whole life. I guess I should do that now too. But, first, I need to get through this ball. I’m not supposed to be seen by anyone. Can you check the food for me”? The rest of the night went very well. Gabrielle said everyo
My mate raised his eyebrows and looked at Alpha Ben, “If you want to protect your mate, you will get her to stand down. I will not leave my mate here. She was given to me by the Moon Goddess and to reject her is to reject a gift from the Goddess herself. I will not do it.” Luna Kate turned white as a sheet and Alpha Ben replied, “She is valuable to us. She is the only one who knows how to cook well.” My mate just shook his head, “What were you planning to do if she found her mate?” I spoke up, “Luna Kate told me to reject my mate if I found him. She told me I was to never be seen by anyone outside this pack.” He asked, “Do you want to reject me?” I could see the hurt in his eyes as he asked the question and I shook my head, “No, I don’t. I don’t want to reject my gift from the Goddess.” He smiled and pulled me closer. He looked back to Alpha Ben and Luna Kate, “I, Beta Joshua Roberts of the Cold Spring Pack, accept you, Isabel Myers, as my mate and Co-Beta.” I looked him in the eye and
We decided that we would go ahead and just get to the pack and we can sit in Alpha’s office and I can tell my story. I would rather have talked about it in a private setting anyway. I got to just relax in my mate’s arms the entire way to my new home. The closer we got, the more nervous I got. Not because I was nervous about being Co-Beta, but because I was going to have to tell all of them everything that had happened to me. I was worried about being seen as weak or being looked at with pity. I didn’t want to be pitied and I felt that everything I had been through made me stronger. I started to bite my lower lip and pick at my fingernails, a habit that I had developed when I was anxious, and Joshua put one hand over my hands and gently moved my lower lip from my teeth and asked, “What’s eating at that beautiful brain, love?” I sighed, “Just stressing over what all of you, but especially you, will think of me after I tell you everything.” He responded by kissing the top of my head and t