Page 1 of Mates: Posy

Prologue: Alone

Posy

I turned eighteen years old alone in a dark room, whimpering from the pain that racked my whole body.

I’d displeased my father again, and his punishment had been brutal.

They always were.

While Mom was still alive, it hadn’t been so bad. Father and I didn’t have much interaction. He kept his distance and Mom cautioned me to let him. I remembered being jealous of watching him play with my two older brothers, and always wondered why he disliked me more day by day.

Six years ago, a disease swept through shifter communities around the world. It attacked indiscriminately - young and old, alpha and omega, male and female. Almost a year passed before our doctors developed a cure. By then, thousands had died, my mother among them.

With her gone, there was no barrier between my father and me, and his dislike turned to outright hatred.

I asked myself over and over what was so wrong with me. Had I done something as a child I couldn’t remember? What could have set him against me so much?

I tried to make things right. I was on my best behavior at all times and followed his rules, yet nothing was ever enough. There was something about me that infuriated him.

Same with my brothers.

I missed James and Aiden so much, it made my heart hurt. We’d had nothing but fun together growing up. Then, one day out of the blue, they turned against me, and all those happy memories became ashes. They even convinced Father that I didn’t need to go to school, trapping me in this house with him.

Most of the time, I was locked in this small, dark room. It didn’t even have a window or a closet. The only positive was the tiny attached bathroom, just a sink and a toilet, but enough to make do. Once a week, Father permitted me to take a shower in the guest bedroom. I wasn’t allowed warm water or more than ten minutes, but it was still heavenly to wash the grime and blood away.

When he’d first ordered me into this dark hole, he’d watched as I’d moved in my clothes, shoes, and pillow, then said that was all I needed. Over time, I snuck in a few comforts. Mr. Nibbles, my stuffed bunny, who I managed to keep hidden from him by some miracle. A blanket. A yoga mat to sleep on. Once, I tried to smuggle in a small lamp, but he caught me. That punishment took two full weeks for my wolf to heal.

Each day, Father let me out for a few hours to clean, cook, and do the laundry. Despite the chores, I savored that time away from my room. At least it gave me the chance to look out the windows. No matter what the weather was doing, I found the view perfect. It was the only joy in my life.

I couldn’t remember the last time I went outside. The last time I breathed fresh air or ran through the forest and smelled the goodness of dirt and growing things. Felt the breeze on my face. Laid in the grass. Enjoyed the sun’s warmth.

Simple things all denied to me for a reason I couldn’t guess. Simple things I yearned for with all my heart.

Especially whenever my wolf slept.

I hadn’t felt Lark stir in weeks, not since the last dose of wolfsbane Father had administered. The aconite put a shifter’s inner wolf to sleep, although too much could be lethal. I’d built up a tolerance to it, and Father had to constantly adjust how much to give Lark to keep her docile, but still able to heal me.

The last dose, though, had been part of a punishment after we’d tried to escape. He hadn’t killed my wolf, but he’d come close.Veryclose. I’d tried to find some nightshade or foxglove to counter the wolfsbane, but hadn’t been that lucky. Weeks later, she was still in a coma.

Poor Lark. I pitied her for being stuck with me. She was so strong and had hung in there long after most wolves would have gone insane or faded back to the Goddess. She kept herself going with two hopes: being free of Father and finding our mate.

I didn't crush her optimism, even though I knew neither would ever happen. Father would never let us out from under his thumb and even if wedidmeet our mate, he would reject me in a heartbeat. Father had guaranteed that.

I had scars on scars and bruises on bruises. My hands shook all the time and my vision was narrow and dark around the edges. Having been denied food for weeks at a stretch, I was skeletal and weak, and the world spun with every step I took.

The plain truth was that I doubted I’d make it to see another birthday, let alone gain my freedom or find my mate.

But what did it matter? Who would care? I had no pack. No family. No mate. Not even my wolf at the moment.

I was alone in the dark, and death was the only escape I could hope for.

1: Rescued

Posy

The click of the lock opening woke me. Instantly, my eyes darted to the widening sliver of light that came from the door swinging in.

Is it Father? His beta? Or one of my brothers?

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