CHAPTER 1 - JUST LIKE ALL OTHER MORNINGS

SCARLET’S POV

I rolled on the mat one more time as I heard my name being called again. That was the usual practice, but today, they would have to come and get me themselves.

“Where is that girl, what is she still doing on the bed by this time?” he screamed and cursed.

I could tell that he was furious, but for now, I don’t care how he felt. So determined to pull through this, I remained on my bed with my eyes closed. I was ready for whatever punishment he would dish out this time.

“Damn it, it is already 4:00 am and I have been up to some good this morning. Then why is she still sleeping?” I heard him say as he approaches and from how he sounded, I could tell that he would be in here soon.

I heard the shattering sound of falling iron buckets followed by a scream from him. He must have hit his leg on one of the iron buckets littered on the passage leading to my room and I could tell it must have hurt him so badly as he continued to scream and curse at the buckets.

“Shit, I can’t believe this shit is this painful, fool” he cursed.

I have been awake even before three and had been rolling on my tattered mat ever since trying to fight off the giant mosquitoes that sang rough songs with terrible beats on my ear. Even my skin was not spared from their fierce attack as I wondered when all these would be over.

Anyways, I am already used to this way of life. In fact, this is the only life that I know of even though I was living in the second largest mansion in the Diamond Cut Pack, with my own family. Yes, you heard me right, my own family.

I barely slept for more than three hours after retiring by midnight. I always have to be awake in case I am needed by any one of them for even the most minute reason. A delay of an extra second on my part always resulted in extreme torture.

But this morning is just different for me. The weather is too cold and I think I need some more rest just as my sister, Dawn, was allowed to have.

And so, I had vowed that unless I am dragged out of this old mat by them, I am going to get some extra rest.

As I unwillingly awaited his arrival, I cursed each one of them under my breath and I hoped that the pain he sustained from hitting the iron bucket never subside any soon.

“What is she even still doing in bed by this time?” I could hear him yell again.

I intentionally remained quiet and refused to answer as I would have done. What difference would that make anyway? Whether I answer his call or not, I was still going to get some terrible beating. And of course, I am aware that the torture I would receive for not answering would always be more, but at least that one is justified, so cut me some slacks.

“Scarlet” he called. “Where is that bitch, Scarlet?” he cursed again.

Scarlet, Yes I am Scarlet. That was the name that my father, the beta of the Pack had given me as soon as he set his eyes on me.

I was so frail to pass for his daughter and I was nothing compared to anyone of them. I was a disgrace to every one of them. So he did not care to give me a name that was common among my people, but Scarlet. When asked about the import of the name, he said he does not care whatever it meant. He however revealed to some that I was a danger to him.

“You good for nothing, get out of this bed now” he shouted and emptied a bucket of water on me.

This was unexpected and I screamed when I felt the cold and harsh water on my skin. Every part of my body that the water touched went numb for the first few seconds before I was able to feel them again.

Now I remember that I had stopped locking the door which was why I did not notice when he had entered my room. The lock of the door was of no good and even a single kick from a kid would bring it down so I figured that since it could not guarantee my safety, it was better to leave it open. And what was the use of a door that cannot protect? However, with the cold water splashed all over my body, I see the usefulness of even a useless door.

Nevertheless, since I had already vowed that if he wanted me, he must get me, I remained where I was with my whole body wrapped up and did not attempt to get up even after the cold water was poured on me.

“Won’t you ever be useful in your life, you loser?” he screamed and threw the bucket at me.

I screeched and rolled myself even more. My eyes were still tightly closed as I did not want to see what was coming for me.

“You are always a disgrace” he cursed.

Yes, he was right. To everyone, I am a disgrace to the enviable family of Beta Tim. They are the strongest family in the Pack after the alpha and their offspring were the best but I am the direct opposite of all of those.

In anger, he used just one hand to drag me away from the mat and flung me in the air. I landed on the bare floor with my back and I screamed out in agony. At least, I wished to be lifted and now that I was, I have come to realize that it was not a very good wish.

“Sam, I am sorry” I begged.

I know what was coming next, no one needs to tell me. I have already infuriated him this morning and now he will make sure I pay a fair price for that.

Every single part of my body reflects the prizes that I have to pay for not living up to their expectations which as a result of my condition, was unattainable. The scars, the wounds, the pains, and the broken bone were all shreds of evidence of my predicament.

My predicament did not stop at that, it continued to my wolf which is completely different from every other regular wolf. My wolf could not assist my wounds to heal themselves like every other werewolf. It takes time to heal and still leaves some scars just like humans.

Now you can see that Stake, my wolf is not just useless to everyone, but was of no value to me either. However, I loved it still because just like Mama Ruth, she was one person that expects nothing from me, she accepted me wholeheartedly just as I am.

“You fool, why have you not been responding to my calls and what are you still doing sleeping by this time?” he asked in a fury.

Sam is the first child of my parents and they are two other boys after him. I am the fourth and when my mother was pregnant with me, everyone was happy that she was finally going to have a girl since the luna of our Pack had no female child. But I came and my appearance turned their joy into a living nightmare.

“I didn’t hear you call, brother” I begged again.

Addressing him as a brother further infuriated him. He had always hated to hear me do that and had never failed to show his displeasure. None of my family members wanted me to associate myself with them. They all wished that I never existed and they made sure to use every opportunity they get to pass the message to me.

“Brother?” he walked up to me and without as much as giving it a second thought, he slapped me hard on my face.

“No Sam, Sam, I mean to say Sam” I apologized and corrected myself as I held on to my hurting cheek.

He chuckled and looked at me with disdain, and his eyes filled with rage and he said. “Go look for your brother amongst fools and weaklings”

He smirked. I was shivering in fear, afraid of what might come next.

“I would not want to get to the mansion before you" he warned.

Before he left, he turned to me and said. "Don’t worry, we would soon hand you over to a mate just as misery as you are. But we are even finding it difficult to get such a person. You are just so disgusting” he cursed.

“Yo... you said…” I stammered.

A mate? I just turned sixteen only a few months ago why are they already thinking of handing me away just yet, or am I that useless to them that they cannot even wait to discard me and why were they not decent enough to hide it?

I had always believed that all these torments were going to end someday. I had hoped that one day they were going to see me as one of them and would apologize for all the wrongs that they had inflicted on me and then I was going to forgive them and we would all live as one big and happy family.

But no, they are not even sorry and it is now obvious to me that they would never be. Now they want to do even worse than they have always done, handling me over to just anyone without caring how I felt. They don’t care if I was going to love him or not.

But what I am even thinking? Did I for once believe that I was going to find love? From who and how? My own family doesn’t love me and no one ever does. Now I think that even I don’t love myself. Yes. So how would anyone accept such a weak and useless werewolf?

Or maybe they are even doing me a favor. Finding someone might be the best for me because if I should grow older in this weak state, no man might ever find me attractive. And now, I have to start praying and hoping that my mate would find me worthy, or at least he would be less brutal than my own family.

“That is to show you the trouble that you are putting us through. But you will never appreciate the sacrifices. You would never see the pains that we have to bear just because of you. You are just so ungrateful. Now we have to go through great pain to find you a mate. We have to beg for someone to accept you and we are even ready to pay if that is what it takes. But what do we get from you in return? Nothing but ingratitude. You are the ingrate here” he yelled.

“I am happy and grateful for everything, Sam” I murmured.

He smirked. “So you always say, Scarlet, so you always say”

He walked out of the room and I ran steadily behind him because I must be right behind him when he gets to the mansion just as he had commanded if I don’t want to feel his wrath.

“If you were any normal, now we should be thinking of mating you to the alpha” he murmured as he walked.