I'm not sure what all else Jay said to Kent, but for the next few hours, he pretty much keeps to himself. He had grumbled for a time, then seen that I was still just laying there, so had gone silent. He walked around for a bit then decided on the recliner, dropping his bag next to it. I never heard my parents or either of my siblings, so they had to have left before we woke. Doubt they were being quiet for my convenience.

Surprisingly enough, my newest babysitter seems to work on some homework for awhile before tucking everything away to play on his phone, completely ignoring the TV. I shift around every now and then, which has his eyes dropping to me in warning, but for the most part I stay where I am. Don't very well want to give him any reasons to get handsy or change up my bindings, which I keep under me and out of sight. For a time I even lay there with my eyes closed, thinking over things and allowing my body to heal as much as possible. Have a feeling I'm going to need it.

"Hey, wake up. I may not get to beat you, but that doesn't mean you get to sleep either."

Blinking at him, I fail to hide the dirty look that makes him sit up and take notice, but dropping my eyes has him settling back down. If I'm not careful I'm going to screw myself up before I get the chance to possibly take any advantage afforded me. My patience gets tested as I have to lay there for another hour. I think. Not sure, since I can't see the clock from my angle, but it feels that long by the time he starts swearing at his most recent texts.

Sliding my eyes back up at him, he's sat forward in the chair and his expression is angry before his rapid typing turns into a phone call. Not sure who he's talking to, but he storms into the bathroom for it as he talks heatedly to the person on the other end. The call doesn't last long before he comes stomping out, face red and looking rushed. His eyes catch on me after he grabs up his bag and starts heading for the stairs, which starts up another rant of swearing.

I barely get enough time to brace as a large foot comes flying towards my face. While it does have me seeing stars and shooting pain through my skull, the attempted knockout is a complete fail. His frantic and jerky motions are heard as he makes his way up and rushes out while I keep my eyes closed, breathing shallow so as not to alert him, but I don't think he was in the right mindset to see anything. I don't know what Jay told him to have him in such a state, but it works in my favor.

I only wait a couple minutes after hearing the back door close and silence to fill the house before I roll to my side then maneuver to my knees. My body is again stiff and painful, the cold cement floor not helping whatsoever, but I welcome it as the possibility of freedom rises. While laying on my arms I'd been flexing and pulling at the rope, Jay not having tied it the same way he'd done before, allowing the ability to break it with a little work. It takes longer than what I'd like, but I finally get it snapped.

As it falls, I look at my rubbed raw wrists, the skin looking like a very bad case of rug burn as several layers of skin have been removed. I can't even be bothered with that right now as I hurry to stand, nearly falling in the process. Dizziness from the kick runs rampant as a headache throbs behind my eyes but I force it aside as I hurry to the stairs. I keep hold of the rope, unsure what I should do with it quite yet.

I listen for a moment, but when again reassured that no one else is here, I bolt all the way upstairs to my room. My legs keep wanting to lock up, but I push through. The muscles abused and still bruised from Jay's mercies. My heart pounds as I grab my bookbag, amazed that nothing in my room had been messed with. I thought for sure she would have come through here and trashed everything, but I guess she bypassed that to go right for me instead.

My phone is still laying on my bed untouched. Shoving the laptop that I bought with my own funds into my bag with the school books, I shove in a change of clothes then grab my oversized hoodie. Only a few minutes have passed, but it already feels like too long. My hands are shaking so bad I can barely hold my phone steady to send a message through. Slipping my feet into some shoes, I grab my keys then rush out of the house, leaving the rope on the kitchen counter.

I send a text to Marie who should be at school while I hurry to the bookshop, keeping my head down the whole way while a limp makes itself increasingly prominent. Making sure no one is following me, I slip inside. Betty looks up to make the usual greeting, a smile on her face, but as soon as she sees me, she blanches. I was able to keep the tears at bay, but they're rapidly making their way down my cheeks as she hurries to me.

When she reaches my side, I can't stay upright anymore and collapse against her. Her arms go around me and I can't stop the pitiful sound that rips out of me from her arm pressing into my back. She ushers me into the back room while demanding to know what happened, but all I can do is cry and cower in the corner of the room. Not sure how long I'm there for when I hear a gasp. Peeking through the limp hair once again hanging in front of my face, the pale strands are streaked in old and new blood.

Marie is looking at me with wide eyes as she gawks for a moment, they quickly fill with tears as she starts crying herself before falling to her knees next to me on the floor. She tries to wrap her arms around me, but I shudder and cringe away which has her pulling away and looking at my back.

"Wynter! You're bleeding! What happened? Who did this to you? Where've you been? We've been trying to get ahold of you, but no one would tell us where you were."

I'd seen the missed calls and texts, but I ignored them since I was in a hurry. All I can do is shake my head, which she frowns at.

"What's going on? Did Mythine do this? Have you told your parents?"

Flinching, I look away, tightening my arms around myself.

"No... No, they wouldn't..."

I shake my head again, reaching for my words. My throat is still raw, my voice not wanting to produce sound, so after several failed attempts that have her in tears, I pull out my phone and type it out.

"There's nothing that can be done."

Seeing what I typed, she shakes her head in denial, her anger picking up.

"That's bullshit. What about your Alphas?"

My chest squeezes down while my eyes go blurry. I have to blink several times before I can see the message I type.

"This is the result of having gone to them."

Betty had been reading the messages over our shoulders, and after showing this one to them, both of their eyes widen in shock. Betty nods after a moment then leaves the room to tend to a customer that comes in. Hearing the bell jingle on the front door causes me to clench and my heart to speed up, but when no shouting or raised voices are heard, I slowly settle. Marie tries to rub my back, but when I wince and at the sight of fresh blood, she stops.

She stays next to me the whole time her grandmother deals with whoever had come in, then when they leave, I hear her lock the front door. When she returns several minutes later, she motions us to precede her to the back door. We get driven back to Marie's house, where I'm led to the bathroom by my friend, bags getting dropped off in her room, the elder staying behind in the kitchen. Her parents still at work or at least not here currently.

Once in the bathroom, she helps me remove the hoodie just to gasp at the bloodied shirt and bared bruises.

"Oh my God, Wynter... I'm so sorry. I should have come over and demanded some answers..."

Cupping the girl's face in my hand, she clutches it to her so I lean forward to touch my forehead to hers with a soft smile. She's already done enough, I couldn't ask for more. I don't dare. Just doing this I risk putting them in danger, but can only hope that Myth wouldn't chance angering the Alphas any more by going after humans. I slipped her grasp, it's over. She'll get all her damn answers once they get moved.

"Want me to stay in here while you get cleaned up?"

I'm glad she made the offer, because I really don't want to be alone. I nod with a watery smile. While she gets the shower started, I work at stripping myself of the rest of my clothes. The shoes are easy enough to remove, I never put socks on, and my jeans are looser than they should be. They stick around my waist, but aside from the grossness, they slide right off. My shirt gets left as I need her aid with it, the angles I need to twist sending pain shooting through my back and spine.

Once she gets the water temperature where she's happy, she turns back to me and makes a small strangled sound. I wince, her reaction telling me all I need to know. Werewolves heal fast - as long as they have the energy to do so. I hadn't eaten yet that day the beatings started and have yet to do so, I've been running on sips of water and adrenaline. Granted it really hasn't been that long, but it feels like it was much longer.

Marie weeps as she helps me wrangle free of the shirt, but when she actually gets a look at my back, she fairly screams. Not in horror, thankfully, I'm not sure what I would have done if she had. No, her anger finally makes an appearance.

"How can they get away with this? This isn't right! Can't we do anything? Police? Do werewolves have the equivalent?"

We do actually, as it turns out. From what I understand, and I've had the time to think it over, that's what the Midnight Fang Pack is. I wasn't really registering his words at the time, but when laying in that tub thinking over everything I possibly could, I finally realized that's what he was saying. And if he already thinks I did him wrong, he won't lift a finger to aid me. Not a runt, and not one who has a sister who wants in his pants.

I sigh and shrug, unable to give her the answer needed without a voice. Her brows furrow as she looks at my throat, touching it with gentle fingertips.

"Your throat is bruised and swollen. Your whole body is. I can't even imagine what you went through. Your voice will return though, right? Just needs some time?"

I nod, mouthing that I hope so. She motions me into the shower after my underwear gets slipped off, the pile of clothes gets nudged to the side with her foot but as far as I'm concerned, they can all be tossed. I don't want any reminders. She seems to get it when picking them all up and tossing them into the bin next to the sink. Offering another small smile, I step into the shower. 

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