Alaska

Bruises - 2

My mother was not kind that night.

Just by River touching my shoulder, his scent already began to mix into mine. Her bottle connected with my cheek, shattering my cheekbone and cutting it open with the glass. The alcohol in the bottle didn't help, although it stung like hell.

After she finished her abuse on me, I went upstairs to begin my own.

I stared at my body in the mirror, only wearing a bra and panties. I thumbed the blade, squeezing my eyes shut as I dragged it along my thighs. They were too big, to fatty, not as small as they should be.

Not as small as Paige's.

I couldn't help but wonder, would he accept me? I'm not a blonde, my family is so fucked it's insane, not to mention I hurt myself more than my mom ever could.

I only knew the name of my father, but I had never once tried to find him. His name was Everette Collins, and he was in the pack next to me. I didn't know if I had a family, but I had never really cared until now.

I couldn't help but wonder, maybe if I had a family I would've told River I was his mate. He could've marked me by now, everything would've been so much simpler.

I didn't bother cleaning my legs before I went to bed, the sounds of my mothers crying echoing through the halls. She still loved my father, and watched him through her seer portals every time she could. After every time, she would hit me harder, so I just shut my eyes, and waited for my punishment.

•••

The cut along my cheek had healed, but I now had a bruise right along my cheekbone. The bone had thankfully healed, but it was still tender to my touch. I shut my eyes before walking down the stairs, holding my breath as I skirted along the wall. I released my breath when I shut the front door, climbing onto my bike and turning it on.

I had been asleep for close to an hour before my mother staggered into my room, waking me up with her hands wrapped around my throat. I knew I had bruises on my throat as well, but thankfully I could wear a turtleneck to cover that.

As I drove into the car lot, it seemed the entire wolf population set their eyes on me. I sighed as I stopped my bike, turning it off before I swung my leg over. I heard their footsteps as I chained the bike to the rack, keeping my helmet on as Andrew, James, and River himself walked over to me.

"Hey Alaska." Andrew waved at me, River somehow finding my eyes through the helmet.

I breathed in deeply, reaching up as I took off my helmet. I heard gasps from Andrew and James, my hair falling to cover my cheeks. A growl came from Rivers chest, his eyes darkening as he stared at me.

"Who the fuck hit you?" I shook my head, pulling my bag up further on my shoulder.

"No one, now I have to go." I walked around them, spinning around when his hand grasped my wrists. The shocks spread up my arm, my eyes staring at his hand wrapped around my arm.

The shocks felt amazing, little kisses that shocked the hell out of me. He smiled wildly, my heart racing in my chest. I stared at his ocean eyes, my lungs catching the longer he held my hand.

But like everything in my life, it crashed and burned right in front of me.

"Riv!" I stuttered out of his grasp when Paige ran to him, jumping up and wrapping herself around his torso. Andrew stepped forward, like he expected me to be like every other shewolf and rip her off of him, but instead, I just felt broken.