The next day, things don't get any better. If anything, what had happened at the party yesterday was a prelude to my upcoming days. I don't see my family till later in the afternoon, and when I do, it's with a much colder shoulder than usual. Especially Mythine, who's all glares.

After Faust's parting shot in the yard yesterday, I couldn't stay out there. It felt like I was being watched, so I went back in. Holding back tears has almost become second nature, so that wasn't the problem. Acting as everything was fine to a small group of people who actually know me was the tricky part.

I got asked questions, and while some of them I could answer, others I couldn't. I'd admitted to them that he said he was leaving, but as to the why he found the need to tell me, I was clueless about. Think the only reason they left it alone as soon as they did was because they could tell I was just as honestly confused as they. I wanted to share what he said about the Midnight Fang Pack, but that in turn would reveal that he is indeed a royal. Even if he doesn't believe me, I made a promise to keep that secret.

I spent several more hours there and was able to get my mind off of it after awhile, but his words still hurt each time they rose in my mind. Kal and Markus had left first, and I'd hugged them hard, thanking them with tears for the day they all gave me. Kal had left with the parting remark that with us all moving to the same place, we'll be able to do it every year now. My heart sank at the thought while my eyes had darted to Markus, but he'd looked away. I'd left it alone, letting her go thinking what she liked, hoping reality wouldn't hurt too much when her family finally told her.

Marie had again made the option of moving in with her, with her mom in the same room. The woman had just smiled, saying that if I ever needed to come over I was always welcome. I thanked them both and left before they could see me burst into tears. When I got home, the house was empty, so I'd gone for a late night run. Running myself to exhaustion before returning to shower and sleep.

I didn't get up today till nearly ten, but I'd stayed in my room for a few hours, texting Marie about fantasy scenarios of colleges and classes and dream jobs. It again has me wondering about the possibilities. Not like I'm wanted here, or rather there, once everyone gets moved. Checking the calendar on my phone, there's not even a full week left before everyone's scheduled to start moving out.

They'll want to have everyone there before the next full moon, with time to spare to get to know the grounds. It's going to be hectic as all get out for quite awhile as everyone gets situated. Faust had said it was in the mountains and mentioned 'training for possible outcomes', but that it'd be a community. Does that mean a town setup? Putting what he said next to what I'd overheard my parents talk about days before makes some things go together a little better, but other things more confusing.

They'd also mentioned training warriors. I'm assuming that would go with Faust's 'possible outcomes'. Looking out my window, the Grotto Falls wolves will probably have an easier go of it than those from Lunar Soul, who're more like city wolves. We all went through survival training in wilderness areas, but not too many excelled. I wince when thinking of Leilan, our Alpha's son, who'd only passed his thanks to me.

My siblings passed theirs, my brother did better than my sister by far. I did better than everyone thought I would, but since they didn't think I'd survive to begin with, I more or less wanted to toss it in their faces. Not just that I could survive, but do so better than any of them. And I did, just because I don't rely on anyone else.

For them to be trained up as soldiers in new territory, their work is going to be cut out for them. I pause when I catch myself already thinking myself as being separated from them all. Startled, I leave my phone on the bed and go downstairs where I see the others and receive their brush offs and glares. I'm used to it from my sister and my indifferent brother, but my parents becoming so much colder causes my heart to clench. I'm eighteen now, and they've pretty much expressed their wish to be rid of me.

The Alphas had stated I could stay since we'd be leaving soon anyway, but the atmosphere here is becoming increasingly hostile as the day goes on. Marie and her mother's offer rises in my mind, but when I reach for my phone in my pocket, I remember I'd left it in my room. Heading towards the stairs, I'm rudely shoved back. Catching my balance, I shoot a dirty look at my sister and move to go around her, telling myself to keep quiet and just aim for my room.

I don't even get three feet.

Two males that smell of Pack grab me the same time I hear my parents call out from the front room, saying that they're heading out and won't be back till late. I attempt to call out, but a hard hand is clamped over my mouth while Myth grins at me. Looking at the ones who have a hold of me, they're also baring their teeth while dragging me towards the basement door. I recognize the males as being part of our Pack's age group, amongst those that Myth claims as friends, but as to who they are specifically, I don't know their names.

The shove down the basement stairs has my eyes widening and the breath leaving my body in a whoosh. It's a single flight straight down; fifteen wooden steps. I roll down at least half of them, landing hard on the concrete bottom with my back and head screaming at me, and I think my arm is dislocated from catching on one of the spokes of the railing. I hear laughter over the pounding in my ears, yet when I jerk up to get to my feet, I get punched in the face and kicked in the stomach simultaneously.

The combination sends me skidding back several more feet, but I stubbornly stay on my feet. My nose is filled with the scent of blood and it's hard to breathe, but I watch my pursuers warily, pain making me slightly dizzy. Two more come trailing down the stairs after my sister and dread fills me. This can't be happening. Not now.

"No comments? You were just full of things to say to the Alphas. Where'd all that spunk go, sister dear?"

Even if I had an inclination to answer, my face explodes with heat as I get slapped by one of the males next to me. They'd again moved up so there's one on each side of me. He'd angled his hit down with so much weight that I sway on my feet, my knees going weak.

"You know it wasn't just me that they came to, right? They went to our parents. You brought shame to our family."

"I brought shame? How the hell do you figure that when it was you that started...ugh!"

My angry words get cut off abruptly when all the air gets expelled from me violently. The fist getting shoved into my middle by the male next to me sends me to my knees and threatens to have me vomiting. Bent over low, making myself as small as possible, I can hear the voices above me, but I can't register the words. Agony radiates from the center of my body outwards in heated waves. At some point the larger males move away and females move in closer, but I'm still trying to relearn how to breathe to really care what they're doing.

"There's a rumor going around that you were seen with Faust at the school making out. I know for a fact it's false because he's always with me. However, yesterday, he wasn't. I asked for him to come over but he said he was busy. Imagine my surprise when I hear he was spotted talking to you at your lame human's house. What did he say?"

When I refuse to answer her, my hair gets grabbed and yanked back by one of the girls. These two I recognize as part of her usual group at school. Not her human groupies, but packmates. Both are looking at me in disgust, which I think is ironic considering what they're doing. If one were a human looking at them, they'd look downright gorgeous, but inside, they're really ugly people, just like my sister.

"What. Did. He. Say?"

"Believe it or not Mythine...not everything...is about you. Why don't you ask him...yourself?"

The slap to my face stings, and I can tell why when catching sight of my blood on the girl's nails. Petty. This goes on for at least five minutes of her asking, but when I keep refusing to answer, they just keep up the slapping punishment. When it's obvious the slaps are having no effect on my numbed face, they move on to punching. Whenever I fight back, the guys will intervene and things really start getting rough.

She eventually stops asking as they just move to constant beating. I was gagged and my hands were bound behind me to keep me from fighting back effectively. Werewolf females can fight, if they bother to learn. I did, most of the other females in my Pack didn't, which is why they have the males here as well, or always use numbers against me. That realization didn't dawn on me till just now, and I think it's a hell of a time for it to, but considering I'm in so much pain I can't feel half my body, I guess it's better late than never by some standards.

I'm not sure how much time passes, but a good several hours do when I hear my brother shout down the stairs. I can barely breathe, my shoulder is dislocated, my arms have been rubbed raw from the rope binding them from wrist to elbow, and I can practically feel the fractures up and down my body. Hearing his voice, my swollen eyes flicker and my heart races, but his words have me sinking into despair.

"Hey! Either knock it off or quiet down, I'm trying to work on shit."

A muffled whimper manages to slip from me, which just has the one male who noticed smirk at me. This whole time I've been able to keep myself from making too much noise just because they've been trying to make me cry out. Whole point of the gag wasn't to keep me quiet, but to keep me from biting effectively, especially after I got ahold of 'Jay' the first time. To say he wasn't happy is a major understatement, but the punches he got in after I think makes us even.

After Adolphos interrupted them, that seemed to break up their little mass torture party session. I'm dragged to the back area while one of the girls cleans up everything I'd bled on. While not luxurious by any means, our basement is fully furnished with a small bedroom and even boasts a bathroom. It's the bathroom I get dragged to, then tossed into the old clawfoot tub.

"Don't even think about leaving from this spot. Jay will be staying here tonight to keep an eye on you, so I wouldn't get any bright ideas if I were you."

My whole body is shivering yet I refuse to respond. I barely even look at her as she spins and storms out, slamming the door behind her and leaving me in a pitch black room. Tears fill eyes that had gone blurry sometime ago, unsure if they're open or closed at this point. I could attempt to shift to get out of this, but with my arms bound behind me the way they are, I'm not sure what would happen. I know it would for sure be painful, but, that's all my world is currently. 

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✰ \(‾▿‾\) 𝔇𝔬𝔫'𝔱 𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔤𝔢𝔱 𝔱𝔬 𝔳𝔬𝔱𝔢 (/‾▿‾)/ ✰