The Mark of a Queen

Chapter 1

Beep beep. Beep beep.

The sound of a blaring alarm next to my head.

Groaning and wiping the remnants of sleep out of my eyes, I slowly sit up. My long, red hair falling down my back. Sighing, I know I must get up. There are consequences to being seen.

 Noticed. Being anything but a shadow. 

I must begin my work before the pack wakes up and realizes I even exist.

Slowly I get up off my cell floor and walk over to the toilet to relieve myself. Looking in the mirror, I do not recognize the frail frame staring back at me. 

My vibrant green eyes are now dull and lifeless, now resembling a shit colored brown. The bags under my eyes have now been there for so long, they are now deep purple, and completely stand out. 

What used to be rosy cheeks and a fair complexion, is now caked in filth. Appearing as a more tan complexion. I attempt to wash off as much dirt as possible. Being careful of the slashes on my face still crimson red, yelling at me anytime I attempt to move.

Knowing I won't eat today, I am grateful for what I do have. My cell. I have a mattress so I do not have to sleep on the cold floor every night, and I have my fluffy.

My fluffy is a stuffed lamb that my mother gave me as a child, a gift from the only person I have ever been loved by. The only one to care, and look after my well being. I keep it well hidden as this is the only remaining item I have left of my mother aside from the necklace that stays hidden beneath the mattress.

My necklace is a golden full moon pendant. My mother always told me that I was her sunshine in the moonlight, and right before she left to be with the moon goddess, she gave the necklace to me. Anytime I wear it, I feel as though my mother is right behind my shoulder watching over me.

I look over at the open cell door. I do not have to ask permission to leave to do my duties. This would only result in more harm to my already frail body.

I put my floor length hair in a bun, and begin to walk out of the prison to begin making breakfast.

Today's menu? The works. Bacon, sausage, pancakes, eggs, muffins.

Hearing the howling from outside the pack house, I rushed into overtime. Not knowing the pack began their run earlier than usual. I must hurry.

Feeling the aching in my bones, my brain feeling fuzzy, starts to run around like crazy. I feel like I cannot breath, as though the wind has been sucked up completely from my lungs. My eyes blurry, filled with tears. But I must work through. Be fast. Deep breath.

In. Out. In. Out.

Focus. Focus. FOCUS!!!

Think.

I think back, to when I was a child. My mother would hold my cheeks in her warm frail hands. Smiling and singing. She had a beautiful voice, and her face always lit up, like she was the goddess herself. Her blonde hair radiating in the light, big blue doe eyes looking down on me like I could steal the breath right out of her lungs if I fell the wrong way.

She was the absolute best, I felt loved, cared for, and I felt carefree. Like nothing else in the world mattered.

Finally, my breath started to slow, my heart no longer beating out of my chest. I. Am. Okay. At least I will be. Just get through breakfast, go downstairs and I can be alone, and I can be my true self.

Not giving a care in the world, I begin to hum, the same lullaby my mother always sang to me.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray"

Hmm. hm. Hm. hm. hmmm.

No worries or wonders on when someone will come into the room.

Utter Bliss.

As the only Omega, I am responsible for all the dirty work. Cooking, cleaning, preparing guest rooms during events, laundry, groceries.

Soon, I am done with cooking, now time to prepare the guest rooms and complete the laundry.

I go to step onto the stairs when I hear a creak. 

Attempting to get away before I am seen, I scurry up the stairs as quiet as a mouse.

Thinking I was in the clear, I run down the hall into the second room on the right. As soon as I attempt to shut the door, a large muscular, tan hand with veins practically popping out of the skin grabs onto the door and stops my attempt at getting away.

I freeze. There is no where to go. The renovations on this guest room has just been completed. All that sits here is a bed with no bed frame, and a mirror on the wall. 

In. Out. In. Out.

All I see is black, with white dots dancing in my vision. The man in front of me is blurry, but I know exactly who it was. Alpha Stone's son, Jamie. Next thing I know, I have completely fainted.

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Opening my eyes, I cannot see a single thing. I feel like shit, but I know exactly where I am. My wrists are bonded, and hung above my head holding my entire body from plummeting to the ground. The stinging sensation traveling from my fingers, to my wrists, down my forearms and traveling down my body until I can hear the sound.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The sound of wolfsbane falling to the floor.

Groaning. I realized my eyes are still closed. Slowly attempting to raise my eyelids. I hear the sound of a wet whip sloshing in a bowl. Attempting to sniff the air, I cannot smell anything.

Oh crap. Not again.

"Good your awake. Strip." a firm tone demands. Sitting up ready for my punishment, lifting my tattered and torn, once white shirt over my head, I balance myself onto my hands and knees, anticipating for the agonizing burn illuminating through my back.

"Good girl. For listening to instructions I will not add any slashes. You have 15 today. You are to be unseen, unheard. You are an omega. Do not let it happen again. Do I make myself clear?" I keep my eyes narrowed at the floor as the future alpha questions me, demanding to be heard.

"Yes alpha" I respond back. Although he is not the current alpha, he always forced me to use the title. He has not earned the title, and he does not deserve it. Ever since I could remember, Jamie has been there to ridicule and bully me in school until I was forced to drop out to take care of the pack. 

Jamie was the one in the meeting, smirking at me over his fathers shoulders. Seeing the hardness in his eyes, I could never understand why I was the victim. I never approached Jamie, I never have so much as looked in his direction, yet he was out for blood. As if he was the reason everything was happening. The reason why I am an omega, and the very reason why I was not allowed to continue my education. 

The first time I remember meeting Jamie was in grade school. We were in the same English class in 5th grade. I remember from the beginning he had a vendetta against me. My first day, he took a 5-gallon bucket of brown slime, and dumped it over my head. 

I remember running out the the room crying as I heard everyone's laughter drowning out in the background, and wishing my mother was here to save me. But she wasn't. 

There was no one to call, no one who would be willing to help me. So, I did what any other 10 year old would do. I sat in silence in the stall, tears running down my face wishing someone would save me. I sat in there until school was over, and all the halls were empty before swallowing my pride and walking back to the pack house.

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"5....6....7....8..." I heard the sound of Jamie counting the amount of blows that had laid across my back.

I did not wince, I did not faulter. He may take everything from me but one thing. He will never be able to break my spirit.