Burnt

Chapter 1: Mates

Alison's POV

My sneakers echo footsteps down the empty school hallway as I rush to class, the dark blue lockers practically a blur in my peripheral vision. I can't believe I'm late again and, once again, it's all his fault.

Fuck! 

I really don't want to sit through a detention because of this. That's just time wasted when I could be working. Making money. Trying to just fucking survive.

That's why I had picked up an extra early shift at the pack house in the first place. They schedule my usual hours for after school but I need the money so when I was offered the shift I had jumped at it. Now, my idea to make more money could end up costing me money. Fantastic.

I was so close too. Breakfast had been made, served, and cleaned up. I was almost out the door and then the worst possible thing happened--He saw me.

One hour earlier

"Where do you think you're going?" Chris' voice causes me to jump in my place. I clench the door handle in my fist, contemplating how ignoring him and just leaving would go. It would be worthless though. He'd catch up to me. He always does.

"School." I tell him, still facing the door even though I know I should turn to face him when we're speaking. I seem to be in a defiant mood today though. Getting up extra early makes me cranky.

A big hand roughly grips my shoulder, spinning me around and pushing me up against the door. It wasn't a terribly hard push, but I can still feel the bruises forming on my underfed shoulder blades. I try to mask my pain, to appear strong, but I know a wince made it through.

"Look at me when I speak to you." He grits out angrily. I can feel the blood leave my face as fear overtakes me, forcing me to remember my place.

"Yes, Alpha." I say, bowing my head. Maybe he'll just take the win and let me leave.

"That's better." He sneers. "Now let's see if you're actually done with your work."

I follow silently behind him into the kitchen. My eyes continue to follow him around the room as he inspects the cleanliness of everything. Some of my pride returns when it looks like he can't find anything wrong. Nonetheless, I remain still with my hands clasped behind my back.

"Decent job but-" He pauses, reaching over onto the counter next to him and pushing the stack of plates I had just finished putting up onto the floor. A loud crash echoes through the house. "Looks like you have one more thing to do before you can go to school."

"Chris." A voice says from the kitchen doorway. I take my wide eyes off the sharp pieces of glass now littering the floor to look over.

Cameron. The nice twin.

"What're you doing? Come on, we have to go." He grabs his brothers arm and practically pulls him from the room.

I can finally take deeps breaths when I'm left alone. The exhaustion from working late yesterday and early this morning hits me as I struggle to hold back tears.

It's fine.

Don't cry.

You just have to clean it up.

I wipe the tired blur from my vision and get to work.

Present

I pull myself from my thoughts as I round the corner to my first class. All thinking about it will do is make me more upset and that's exactly what he always wants. I learned how to ignore my anger when it came to Chris a long time ago.