Page 16 of Petals and Strings
My hair was matted and clumped together. Eyes dark and hollow. Empty voids that screamed of dissociation.
“Who is this?” I asked, refusing to admit I knew the truth.
At my core, I knew, didn’t I? Knew where this was. Who did this to me.
Stale coffee and cigars filled my senses, making me flinch back and curl in on myself, I flung the folder away before hugging my knees like it could save me from the gruesome truth.
“The scars on your chest, Audrey. Where did they come from?”
“Them,” I whispered in a barely-there waver. I could see their faces now, feel their unwanted touches.
“Who arethey?” he asked, still gentle and calm, unwavering against the emotions pummeling me into a blob of emotion and shame.
Sins I never consented to.
They didn’t just break me, they brokeher.
The omega that lived inside me. She’d retreated long ago. I could feel her there now as I looked back down at the photo, stirring in fear and horror.
My eyelids fluttered closed as the flashbacks started, an onslaught I’d hidden away for so long that I couldn’t do anything to brace myself as they slammed through me over and over again.
“Yes, Mom,” I grumbled. “I’m on my way now. It was just a study group.”
My argument fell on deaf ears as she continued to rant at me about punctuality. That was the hardest thing to come to terms with in regards to my mother. You were either perfect, or a disgrace, there was no in between.
Before I could say another word my phone was yanked from my hand, an alpha’s dark growl echoing out as he barked for me to stay still and be quiet.
My jaw locked down even though I fought against the alpha’s command, but it didn’t matter. The pause had giventhem long enough to slap duct tape over my mouth and throw me into a waiting van.
That was the last time I’d talked to my mother for over ten years. Ten fucking years of brutality and assault.
Ten damn years of loneliness, pain, and grime.
Alpha barks forcing me to do whatever they pleased, even if that was to scream against the pain they inflicted.
Sharp knives, fists, teeth, tore at my skin until my brain was fuzzy and my body no more than a heap.
Broken bones.
Thrown into my dark cell and dragging myself to my corner for some attempt at safety.
The sting of a syringe. So hot, skin stinging and feverish, slick sliding down my thighs.
Rut. Claimed. Used. Shame.
Then it was over and when my body didn’t swell with their babies, it started again. The time in between was my only reprieve. They wouldn’t let them hurt me quite as bad.
Nothing to harm the baby.
When it failed, years of bearing no children they could sell, then the bonding started.
“Bite the omega, then she’ll finally fucking learn to be a real omega.”
As if the years and money they received for random alphas using my broken body wasn’t enough for me to give.
They wanted my babies, too.
“No!” It was the first reaction I’d had in years, my cries desperate. My captor grinned, a flash of rotting teeth and pure, unfiltered glee in his eyes.
