Nothing to Gain (Watty Awards 2013)

Chapter Two: Shadows

Edited: 10/26/2014

Readers be warn; this story is different from all the rejected mate stories. The girl does not run and find a new pack and get stronger in one year. This is completely different! So sorry if it's out of the norm! I edited this chapter so tell me if you see any mistakes.

Lia

***

I stared at them as they watched me squirm and fidget on the floor. They didn’t say anything; they only watched me. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I closed my eyes, but soon snapped them open from the fear of what might happen if my eyes were closed. As tears clouded my eyes, my vision became blurry; I looked up with my blurry vision and did a double take.

Shadows danced around the three of them, but I couldn’t see its faces. The shadows were radiating so much malice, I started to choke. I felt like someone, or something was depriving my lungs of air. I could hear my wolf gasping too. I felt heat crept up into my throat as I struggled to breath. My breathing began labeled and heavy; I squinted at the shadows, and the more I stared, the more they began to grow larger.

“What’s happening?” I cried to my wolf.

“I don’t know they never grew to this magnitude before,” She replied, sounding frightened from the unexplainable realness of the shadows.

SLAP!

A sharp pain stings my face. I looked up. ‘The Father’ was looking downed on me with rage. He seemed to be screaming something at me, but I couldn’t hear. . I was too distracted with the shadows that kept getting bigger as if something was feeding them, like putting gasoline on fire

It felt like my head was underwater; sounds became jumbled together. My heart was not helping from how hard it was pounding. I felt like it wanted to jump out of my chest and run far away. My wolf too was shaking; I could hear her shallow breathing inside off me. I just wanted it to end. I felt another slap to my ears, but my eyes were still focused on the growing malice to register who landed the hit. I could feel my lungs collapsing as they struggling for air.

Black dots started to appear behind my eyes as more blows left nasty bruises across my already broken body. I was only too excited to welcome the darkness, if only to get away from the shadows as everything went silent, and then I passed out.

***

Standing in the kitchen by the garbage can, I looked down at a half-eaten apple. It wouldn’t hurt to take it, right? Father said I must not touch anything because nothing belonged to me, but I’m so hungry, and the apple looked like nobody wanted it. It was in the garbage, so it meant I could take it, right?

My small brain debated whether it was a good idea. I didn’t want Father to be angry with me; I always seem to make him mad. Maybe if I don’t take the apple then he would allow me to go outside and see the light I always saw through the kitchen window. I was about to walk away and go back to my tiny room father gave me when my stomach growled. I hesitated and then walked back to the garbage can.

Yanking out the half-eaten apple, I bit into the skin. It was so good; I started to devour it greedily, hoping I would finish it before father found me. He always seemed to know when I was doing something he didn’t like. I jumped in fright when I heard the kitchen door opened. I froze and looked to the door; it was father.

He looked at me, and his nose went up like he smelled something stinky. I was so scared! I was beyond terrified! I started to cry. I mad Father angry, I am a bad girl. I looked down so he wouldn’t see me cry; he hates my tears. He said it was crocodile tears, although I don’t know what that means.