Chapter 39 Alicia

(TW: rape)
(Alicia POV)

I have kept my secret for so long. I had to. Those were the conditions given to me when we were rescued from our previous pack. My father, the quiet wolf that he was, almost killed the wolf who raped me and for that, was sentenced to death. He fortunately escaped imprisonment, however he was now considered a rogue wolf. My mother, brother and I suffered under the hands of our previous pack when he escaped. We were demoted to slaves, lower than that of an Omega. We were kicked out of our home and were made to live in the basement near the barn of the territory. We were only given scraps to eat and my brother and I were not allowed to attend school. We were beaten, kicked and spat at by all the other wolves of the pack. The worse thing were the lashings. Not only was I raped, I was whipped for it too. Fortunately, the nightmare only lasted for three months. I don't know how long I would have lasted if we stayed there. Maybe, I wouldn't have lasted at all.

I was fifteen when it happened. I was very mature for a fifteen year old. Some other she-wolves were just blossoming while I was already well-formed for my age.

It was the Autumn Equinox. I find it so beautiful to watch the full moon in the sky while the leaves of the trees in all the bright colors of fall sway in the breeze. I was outside at the big oak tree in the territory, laying down on my tummy on a blanket I put on the grass, my head in my arms, dreaming. That's where it happened. Under my favorite tree with the moon as my witness.

He was drunk and the pack's former Alpha. After his son was formally appointed Alpha of the pack, he started drinking heavily, depressed he could not keep his position as Alpha. That night, however, he was different from his usual depressed self.

"Who do we have here?" I hear a growl behind me. "You smell so sweet. Not like my mate who smells like perfume all the time." He lays down beside me on the blanket, putting a leg on top of my legs.

"Sir, I'm sorry. I have to go." I tried to get up but his leg pinned me to the ground. He was fast for a drunk man. From a leg on my back, he was now lying on top of me. He grabbed my arms, put them over my head and held them with one of his giant hands while the other ripped off the shorts and underwear I was wearing.

"Nooooo! Stoooop! Someone please help me! Daaaad! Mooooom! Help me please!" I screamed as loud as I could. I tried to wriggle my body from underneath him, but he was too heavy and too strong.

Then I felt it. The pain between my legs. It felt like a stick being rammed inside me. I screamed so loud, but no one heard me. I called for my father. "Dad, where are you?"

The man kept thrusting and I could feel my insides chafing from each thrust. It hurt so bad! I was crying, begging him to stop, but he just laughed at me. I thrashed my head on the ground and wailed in pain. Each time he would thrust, his awful whiskey breath would blow towards my tear-filled face.

Suddenly, he was off me. I rolled over and sat up and saw my father beating the crap out of him. He was just too drunk to defend himself and couldn't stand up properly because his pants were at his ankles. My father pinned him to the ground and just kept punching his face while the man howled with laughter. The newly-appointed Alpha found us this way. He was shocked to see me without any lower garments with some blood on my legs, his father drunk with his pants down and his father's former Beta, beating the shit out of him for raping his daughter.

The Alpha, covering up for his father, sentenced my father to death. My father was a skilled warrior of the pack and was able to escape while he was being brought to the dungeons to await his punishment. To flush my father out, the Alpha demoted my family to slaves, evicted us from our home and starved us. He even ordered the entire pack to physically abuse us and every day, I would get 10 lashes. The worst part for me was seeing my younger brother bullied. He was too young to handle the abuse.

It was snowing that night and the basement at the barn gives little protection from the cold. Everyone in the pack were safe and warm in their homes while my mother, brother and I were huddled together underneath a blanket striving to keep warm. We were both hungry and cold. If hunger didn't kill us, hypothermia was surely going to be death for us.

The door of the barn suddenly opened and we hear a voice. It was my father! He gave us coats and told us to follow him so we could escape. He had struck a deal with another Alpha to take us in and we would be under his protection. That was the night I met Alpha Alexander. He was at the side of the road with another man waiting for us. He shook hands with my father and said we can entrust him with our care. My father, then, gave us all a kiss and told us not to worry about him. Alpha Alexander has promised he will take good care of us. He couldn't come with us because he had to throw the pack off our trail. He took my brothers shirt and some of my mother's hair. I was about to give him a piece of my clothing when he said he already had something of mine...a reminder of their crimes. My father said one last goodbye and turned to go the opposite direction. The other man with Alpha Alexander, then, wrapped my brother in a blanket and carried him while my mother and I were given boots which Alpha Alexander sprayed on this awful scent. We all walked to the car parked on the other side of the road and climbed in. I never looked back at the place I used to call home ever again.

When we arrived in his territory, Alpha Alexander said we were from a pack located in Canada. He had us change our names and told me to never speak a word of my horrifying experience to no one. My mother suggested we serve as servants for the time being to throw off suspicion. Well, we have been servants for the Ulrich Mansion for over six years. Until today. My mother and brother are so happy to finally go back to some semblance of the life we had before I was raped.

I saw him at the corner of my eye. He was at the hardware awhile ago fighting the urge to talk to me. I excused myself from the group and told them I was heading to the restroom.

I felt him walking behind me. I enter the maintenance closet which is beside the Ladies' room. He comes in after me.

"Grace, why are you with the daughter of Adella? It isn't safe to be near her," he said.

"Dad, I am her new lady-in-waiting. And Dad, it's safer to be with her not away from her."

"How can you say that? The Rogue Lord wants her dead. She is everyone's target."

"She helped me awhile ago. I was being beaten up by a fellow servant. She..." How could I tell my father she's magical?

"She what, Grace?" My father asked.

"She defended me from my attacker and healed all my wounds."

"She is already displaying power? After only becoming of age a few days ago? How can that be?"

"I don't know, Dad. All I know is, she is strong. Very strong. She can conjure lightning at a flick of a hand."

My father pauses for a second trying to digest all this new information. "I am here to warn you. There are rogues in the vicinity. The dark witch of The Rogue Lord is planning something treacherous during the festival. Stay vigilant, Grace."

"I will, Dad. I wish you could meet Luna Hope. She is such a nice person. You would love her. I gotta go. I love you, Dad." I blow him a kiss. I am not allowed to touch my father for fear of spreading my scent.

"I love you, too, Grace. Go." I open the door. I slide out of the room then, I slide into the Ladies's room. I look at myself for a second in the mirror and walk out back to the booth were all my friends are seated.

"I was about to go get you in the Ladies'. What took you so long?" Luna Hope had a look of worry in her face. The food was already on the table. Oliver was already attacking his steak with gusto.

"I washed my face a little bit. My face was getting oily," I lied. I can't believe I'm lying to Luna Hope after all she's done for me, but this isn't the proper time nor the proper place to talk about myself. She looks at me with doubt, but doesn't say another word. She takes a ketchup bottle and starts adding ketchup to her burger.

For now, I'll eat and have fun with my new friends. Tomorrow, I will tell Alpha Alexander of the plans of the dark witch.