Three of a Kind

Prologue Part 1

My body jerked with every lash and I could not keep in the loud sobs that slipped from my chapped lips. Tears escaped from my cracked eyelids as I squeezed them shut, hoping the punishment was over. But I knew it was only the begging.

A girl can hope.

"Gorgeous," the stranger mumbled as he grabbed my naked hip. Digging his fingers into the skin. I bit my lip from crying out in pain as he dragged me from the metal chair, caked in my own blood. His nails dug deeper inside as he dragged me along and out of the punishment room.

The whip still in his hand, dragging beside the two of us. He pushed my naked body into the living room where my legs gave out and I crumbled to the ground. "Get up!"

I shook my head, dizzy from the blood loss. "I cannot, sir," I cried. "I have lost too much blood."

He sighed and grabbed my hallow cheeks so I was staring up at him. His dark brown eyes almost looking black as he glared at me. My body trembled with fear as he looked over my body with satisfaction. "Tonight, you will take shower and go to bed, I will treat your wounds tomorrow morning. This time, you will not skip college," he demanded and I nodded, knowing my punishment was going to be worse if I did. "Good, now go."

I scrambled to my feet, to only collapse again. My mind screaming to get away before he did something worse. Quickly, I crawled upstairs and into the bathroom.

Not allowed to use any hot water, I took a slow cold shower that left my lips blue at the end. Wrapped the rags around me, I crawled into my bedroom to collapse near it, my eyes dropping as the blood seeped from my wounds.

If only I make it tomorrow, I thought as I drifted to sleep. In my towel and on the floor, I was going to be in trouble tomorrow.

Cold hair hit me and I froze, realizing he had stripped me from my towel and was putting pressure on my back. "Relax, love," he coaxed. "I am only fixing these beautiful marks I gave you. Such a shame you have to hide them." I gulped and shivered from his words. "Now I am finished. You have fifteen minutes to get ready and go to school."

***

My body was too sore. Every step I took, I would wince in pain. No matter how hard of a mask I put on, the pain just increased, it was noticeable that I was in pain. Tears blurred my vision and I began stumbling around, not helping my freshly made wounds.

I think I blacked out once or twice. However, no one cared. The dirty looks I got as the pushed by me, pressing my wounds, were enough to tell me they hate me.

I had to admit, they had to hate me. From what I had done to their alphas.

I choked the empty feeling back inside my heart as I thought of my wonderful mates. The feeling of their warm thick arms wrapped around my tiny waist. Their soft lips pressed against my skin, feeling loved. Their legs tangled inside mine as I fall asleep against their hard chest, feeling their heartbeat that left me feeling safe.

I smiled at those wonderful time, tears springing in my eyes when I knew they were memories. Only memories. And that is all they will be, forever.

I stumbled into class, my glasses almost falling off the bridge of my nose as I sat in the far back, sitting straight to my back did not press the cold seat.

"Hey," Lizzie spoke as she sat next to me. I froze, and smiled. I did not know what to say, I haven't spoken a word to anymore in three years besides Sid. "I saw you in the hallway, you look like your in pain."

I shrugged. "I'm okay," I croaked and winced at how dry my voice sounded. "I'm doing great." Total lie.

If you looked at my face, just for a second, you would see I was not. But for three years, I placed my ash black hair in my face, hoping no one would look. "So my brothers were asking about you," Lizzie mumbled. "They want to know when you are planning on leaving town. You know you can't stay here, right? The only way you are going to be safe without my brother protecting you, is to go far away."

If only you knew, I thought.

"I can't," I whispered, my throat dry from not having any liquids today.

"Do you want to torture my brothers," Lizzie screamed and I flinched. "First you reject them and the pack and stay here. My brothers may say they moved on from you but we all know the truth! Every time you come into their sight, they forget about everything except you. Then they turn around and you see the raw pain in their eyes and it makes us hate you even more. So, just leave! None of us want you here!"

My eyes burned with tears that I held back, knowing she would be able to smell the saltiness. "I'm. Not. Leaving," I growled out before running out of class.

I stilled as the door slammed behind me. I just disrupted Sin's class and left. My body trembled and I collapsed on the floor, breathing unevenly as punishments flashed through my head. "I, I," spoke to myself as I began crying.

Thank goodness everyone was in the class in this hallway.

"Ember," a husky voice whispered beside me. I turned my head to see Damien, one of my mates. My breath was caught in my throat as I stared at him wide eyed, frozen. "Are you alright?" Thank goodness he couldn't see my face, it was hidden under my hair as always.

His dark brown hair reached his shoulders, he had not cut it on a while. His bright blue eyes stared into my red and puffy ones. I shook my head as another sob escaped. My heart clenched in pain as I studied him carefully, seeing all the damage I had done.

Dark black circles circled his gorgeous eyes as his stumble was longer than I liked, his hair messed up as if he hasn't brushed it in a whole. And his eyes, filled with pain and sorrow.

I had done this. I messed up his life, I didn't mean to. I had to, to keep him alive. I would rather live a thousand years of being unhappy then to have my three mates dead when I knew I could have done something about it.

"I," I stuttered before stoping, placing my head between my knees as another sob escaped. They wouldn't stop. My throat burned as I cried, I haven't gotten water yet as I planned.

He sat down beside me and wrapped his arms around me. Tingles spread where he touched, fire heat when he flexed, moving his arm slightly on my skin. It was pleasurable. It was comfort.

I closed my eyes and laid my head against his shoulders, missing the feelings of his touch.

Every thought was screaming at me to push him away but the tug on my heart made me ignore of. I missed this, I missed feeling loved.

Love.

The word snapped me out of my daze and I pushed Damien away, feeling the aching pain return. "I love you," I whispered as I stood up and ran, completely forgetting he would be able to hear me.

I shuddered as the bell rang and people began exiting class. I don't have another class until two, three hours to do nothing. But I knew differently to think of going to have fun. Sid would want me. I ditched his class and cuddled up next to Damien.

It was time for my punishment.