Bruised

  Bruised

  Description

  Ava Carter was a 17 year old orphan. She was a member of the Crystal Blue Pack. She was the punching bag in her pack, as people usually walked all over her, literally. She was the weakling, the outcast, the loner who no one ever bothered to get to know.

  Until the night of her birthday when she overheard a conversation that left her with no other decision but to leave and never look back. She had never been outside the pack territory, so she had no idea what was lurking in the woods.

  She ran into the most handsome man that she had ever seen in her entire life and he uttered one word, four letters that changed her life forever.

  "Mine"

  Jayden King was the alpha of the North Pack. He was the most feared alpha and was often times referred to as the alpha of all alphas. No one who trespassed on his land ever lived long enough to tell the tale.

  He was a very cold and heartless man. Until the night he ran into someone he had long ago lost hope of finding.

  Now he has her and instead of being the mate that she had always hoped for, he ignores her.

  Prologue

  I'm Ava Cater. I'm a member of the Crystal Blue pack; at least I think I am. I don't know if I can refer to myself as a member of a pack that tortures its own pack members for their own twisted satisfaction.

  I was the walking punching bag for anyone who felt the need to hit something, or in my case someone. It was absolute torture living among these people who you thought would be there to protect you and not cause you even more suffering than you have already endured.

  I was a loner not by choice, but nonetheless a loner. It was easy for anyone to take advantage of me since I was the weakling. I was the weakest person in my pack. I wasn't always weak, but over time as the beatings intensified, I lost communication with my wolf.

  I think she was mad that I never stood up for myself, or she was too weak from all the beatings I endured over the years. It wasn't always like this though.

  There was once a time in my life where I was somewhat happy.

  I was told when I was old enough to understand that my parents left me in a basket at the border of the pack's territory. I was found by border patrol, which then brought me back to the pack house.

  The Luna took me in almost immediately and raised me as her own. She only had one son and later after giving birth she was told by a healer from a faraway pack that she couldn't conceive any more children. I think that was one of the reasons why she took me in.

  I was happy, living with the alpha (Benjamin), Luna (Caroline) and their son Caleb. Caroline was the one who named me and gave me their last name, Cater. They were the Caters- loving, kind and gentle.

  They always put their people first and made sure that everyone was treated equally. That didn't last long though and neither did my happiness. The Luna died when I was six and so did my happiness.

  After the Luna passed away, everyone blamed me for her death. She died protecting me from a rogue, during the time when there was a rogue attack on our pack.

  She had told me to stay hidden in a secret passage when the attack began, but I didn't listen. I was too scared to stay in the passage by myself, so I came out of hiding to find her and that's when it happened.

  She was distracted for a second as she tried pleading with me to go back inside. A second, that was all it took as one of the rogues charged at her and bit into her neck.

  All I could do was stood their silently watching as the life drained from her once vibrant eyes. I screamed at the top of my lungs as I ran over to her lifeless body on the ground. The rogues retreated when she fell to the ground in a thud, blood oozing out of her neck.

  I hugged her lifeless body with my small hands, sobbing as I got blood all over me. When the alpha found out about what happened from a warrior that was in the room, which was when my life turned to hell.

  Even now at 17, I could still see the hatred in his eyes as if it had happened just yesterday. I knew he blamed me for what happened, because he never failed to remind me how I took his mate from him.

  That's when he grew cold and distant. After her death he would punish me for the littlest things, like forgetting to clean the house or something.

  Yes. I had to clean the entire pack house that was occupied by at least 50 members. I never complained though, because I always believed that I deserved everything that was happening to me now.

  If I had just listened, then their Luna and the woman that I knew as my mother would still be alive. It was my fault and I will spend the rest of my life accepting their punishments, until they forgave me.

  Chapter 1

  Ava's POV

  "Mom, please don't go" I begged as tears ran down my face. I sniffled a little trembling in fear as I pleaded with her with my eyes.

  "I have to go sweetie. You have to stay in here and don't come out until I come get you" she said placing a kiss on my forehead as she pulled back with a reassuring smile on her face.

  She walked out the door and closed it softly behind her. I sat on the floor in the secret passage and rocked myself back and forth. I was terrified and not having anyone else in here to keep me company only made me even more anxious.

  I heard screams outside the door and panicked.

  What if something happened to her?

  I could just stay in here and do nothing, but at the same time what could a six year old do. I didn't think about it as I ran out into the hallway to see my mom being surrounded by four wolves. She was still in her human form as she sized them up.

  She looked in my direction and begged me to go back in hiding, but I only stood there frozen in place as my eyes widen in fear.

  Then it happened. In a second a wolf attacked her from behind and sunk its teeth into her neck. A scream of terror left my lips as I stood still, too afraid to move. I could hear the cracking of bones from where I stood as the wolf snapped her neck. The wolf let her go and retreated.

  Her body fell to the ground with a thud as her lifeless eyes stared back at me. I rushed over to her unmoving body and hugged her.

  I was covered in her blood, but I didn't care. Tears were streaming down my face as I cried my eyes out, my face buried in her chest.

  "No!" I screamed as I shook her body, with even more tears flowing down my face.

  "Please come back to me" I begged shaking her body.

  "Mom, please" I begged crying even harder.

  "You, this is your entire fault" my father boomed and rushed over to his unmoving mate. He held her body close to his as he cried.

  "This is your entire fault!" he exclaimed.

  "No. I-I-I didn't. I didn't do anything" I stuttered.

  "This is your entire fault" he roared, baring his teeth at me.

  I scramble away terrified as he walked over to me. He raised his hand and I covered my face with my small hands.

  "I didn't do anything" I cried, waiting for the impact.

  "I didn't do anything" I screamed as I sat up in bed, my body covered in sweat. A shiver ran down my spine as I shuddered in fear.

  It was just a nightmare. I have been having these nightmares ever since the day it happened. Every time it was different, but it always ended with my mother dying and everyone blaming me for her death.

  I checked the time to see that it was 3 in the morning. I knew I wasn't going to get any sleep after that horrifying nightmare, so I lay awake.

  When it finally hit 5, I shut my alarm off and got out of bed to do my morning routine. I got dressed and went downstairs to start on breakfast.

  Everyone will be waking up soon to either go to school or work, everyone except me. I wasn't allowed to go to school. I had to learn on my own. I would swing by the library whenever I had the chance and read books to educate myself.

  In case you're wondering, I also had to teach myself to read. It was hard living among people who looked at you with hate and disgust, but I managed.

  My room was in the attic away from everyone else. It wasn't much, but it was all mine. As for clothes, I would scurry through everyone's trash and take out the clothes that they threw away.

  Yeah. My life was great.

  I made bacons, eggs and toasts for everyone. I normally ate whatever was left and sometimes it wasn't much, but I never complained.

  "Clean it up!" Brittany, one of the teenagers who stayed at the pack house demanded.

  She had spilt some juice on the floor, on purpose. I grabbed a mop and cleaned up the mess. She then proceeded to spill somewhere else. Still not complaining, I cleaned it up.

  If you haven't guessed it already, she was very popular and mean. She always got what she wanted. I wasn't the only one that she walked all over; she was like that to everyone. She thought that because she was dating the alpha's son it gave her these privileges.

  "Pathetic" she said throwing the juice in my face.

  Can you guess what I did next?

  Of course I cleaned up the mess with no complaints. My clothes were now sticking to me, but I didn't want to change until I cleaned up the kitchen.

  After everyone finished their breakfast, I cleaned up and went to 'my room'. I took a quick shower and changed into some old baggy jeans and shirt, with a worn out converse. I put my dark brown hair that reached my waist up in a messy bun and made my way to the library.

  I sat down at the back of the library away from all the scrutinizing eyes. I grabbed a book and began reading.

  This was how my day went, sometimes. I sat silently away from everyone, until I heard a chair scrapping the floor in front of me. I looked
up and immediately cast my eyes down and back to the book that I was reading.

  In front of me was my brother's best friend, Josh. I've had a crush on him for as long as I could remember. He had sandy blonde hair, silver eyes, a straight nose and a sharp jawline. He was hot and girls always threw themselves at him.

  I pretended to read as I tried to contain the blush fighting to make an appearance.

  "What yah reading?" he asked.

  I looked up and looked around to see who he was talking to. He chuckled at that as he showed me that smile that could make any girl fall for him. It didn't help that his dimples were more prominent when he smiled.

  "Yeah, I'm talking to you" he chuckled again.

  "Shakespeare" I murmured.

  "Cool"

  "So I hear that tomorrow is your birthday" he said resting his hands on the table and leaning forward.

  "Y-yeah" I stuttered a bit flustered from the closeness and the fact that he is actually talking to me.

  "So... What are you doing tomorrow?"

  "No-nothing"

  "How about I take you out... on a date" he suggested.

  "I don't know" I blushed, pushing back a few stray strands of hair behind my ear.

  "Come on. Go out with me" he smiled that panty-dropping smile.

  "Sure" I said unsure.

  At that I heard laughter beside me. I turned my attention to the source and saw someone holding up a phone and a few of his friends looking at the phone laughing.

  I looked back to Josh to see him trying to hold in his laughter.

  This was a joke. I was a joke.

  "You should have seen your face. Like I would ever go out with a loser like you" he said with a smirk, mocking me.

  I grabbed my stuff with a few stray tears escaping my eyes, rushing out of the library, their laughter getting louder as I ran out of there.

  Chapter 2

  *Trigger Warning*

  Ava's POV

  "Happy Birthday to me" I said sarcastically to myself.

  There was nothing happy about my birthday. It was just another reminder to remind me that I got to live and my mom didn't. I had no one to celebrate with. I had no friends or family. I was just a girl staying in a pack surrounded by people that wanted nothing to do with her.

  My life was pathetic. I was pathetic. My life was so messed up. I felt broken and dead inside like there was nothing left for me in this world, and there truly was nothing left for me.

  Sometimes I felt like I didn't deserve to be alive. I know that if she was here she would comfort me and tell me it wasn't my fault. No matter how many times I tried to reassure myself that it wasn't my fault because I wasn't the one who killed her, it never seemed to make me feel any less guilty.

  I shook away my depressing thoughts and thought about something positive.

  I looked around the crappy space where I occupied. I had a single bed pushed up in one corner of the room. The walls were stripping from not being painted in a long time. I had a full length mirror over one side and my clothes were stored in boxes.

  I didn't have anything else up here, apart from all the other junk that everyone else stored up here. I was literally surrounded by old junk that crept me out at nights. I think they did it on purpose because most of the things up here didn't need to be stored.

  As for showering, I used one of the bathrooms that everyone else used. I always tried to use it when no one was here.

  My life sucks.

  I rolled out of bed and started my day as I usually did. Today was Saturday, so everyone was here. I quickly made breakfast and later cleaned the entire house. When I say the entire house, I do mean it. I had to clean all the rooms, which was pretty awkward on my part cleaning while they watched me.

  I had finally completed all my chores. Dinner wasn't on my to-do list, so I had the rest of the day to myself.

  I was walking back to my room now with my head down careful not to make eye contact with anyone on the way. Just as I was about to pass my Caleb's room I heard someone mention my name.

  I stopped outside his slightly ajar door to hear what they were saying. I went up to the door and listened intently. I know that it was rude to eavesdrop, but at the same time I was curious to know what they were saying about me.

  "Tonight, I'm going to fuck her tonight and when I'm done, she's all yours." I heard Josh say.

  "I don't mind tapping that ass" another voice says.

  "We could make this even more interesting and each have our turn with her all at once" someone suggested.

  "You watch way too much porn" another voice said laughing.

  "Oh come one, let a dude live out his dreams" the voice from before complained.

  "Your dream is to have a gangbang with one girl and all your friends?" a voice asked in disbelief.

  "I don't see why the hell not?" he laughed.

  "It could be fun" someone else suggested.

  "Guys chill out. We'll all get our turn" Josh said.

  "If she won't give in willingly, then we'll have to take what we want" Josh continued with a laugh.

  I covered my mouth in shock after I heard what they were planning. They were all planning to have their way with me. I knew I couldn't fight all of them off at once, nor could I fight off one of them.

  I wasn't just going to let them take away the only precious thing I had left in my life. I was saving myself for my mate, for when I found him. I wasn't about to just sit and do nothing so that they could ruin me.

  "Caleb, are you ok with this?" I heard Josh say a few moments later.

  "Are you kidding me? That bitch is the reason my mother is dead. I don't give a fuck what you guys want to do with her" was Caleb's reply.

  "Good" was the last thing I heard as I walked away.

  I made my way to my room and grabbed an old duffel bag. I couldn't stay here anymore. I was old enough to be on my own, not that I haven't been on my own for a very long time now. I might live in a house full of people, but I was all alone.

  I threw in only the necessary items that I would need, deciding to pack light so that I could move faster. I shoved the bag under my bed and decided to wait till nightfall, that way I could slip away easily without anyone catching a glimpse of me.

  I sat in my room thrumming my fingers against my thighs nervously. It was now nightfall and I needed to leave before they executed their plan.

  I got up and threw on an oversize hoodie. I pulled the hood up and took up my bag. I walked along the halls with my head down, not wanting anyone to recognize me. I wasn't taking any chances. Josh and his friends could be anywhere.

  If they tried to take me away forcefully, no one would stop them, because no one cared about the loser, the loner. They wouldn't even bother to bat an eyelash in my direction.

  I slipped outside without anyone noticing me. As I walked a little down the path to go into the woods I heard someone talking not too far from where I was.

  I slipped behind a tree and peeked around to see who was there.

  "What's taking him so long?" I heard an impatient voice say and then the person blew out a puff of smoke.

  "Who knows?" another voice answered. Josh. He was here with his friends.

  I heard footsteps approaching and then shouting. They were talking about me.

  "Where is she?" Josh asked impatiently.

  "We looked everywhere. She's not in the house" someone answered.

  "She's around here somewhere. Split up and look for her. We'll meet back up at the cabin" Josh ordered and they all dispersed in different directions.

  As soon as they were gone, I ran. I ran like my life depended on it and in this case it did. Because if they were to ever succeed with their plan I would be even deader inside than I already was.

  I ran as fast as my legs could take me through the woods. I could hear the creatures of the night- the wolves howling, owls hooting and other noises that I couldn't make out. I was terrified of the woods, but even more terrified of getting caught and that was all the motivation I needed to not look back.

  I have been running and walking for what must have been hours now. I had already passed the pack borders and was now running to god knows where.

  I've never been outside the pack's territory and I had no idea what was lurking in the shadows. I've heard stories about the type of wolfs that lived on the unmarked territory. In fact, I've had my run in with them years ago when they killed my mother, the rogues.