Their Little Surprise

An Unforgivable Crime

Chintu's POV

Shame. Hate. Disgust. Pity.

Shut up and do your part!

Stop screaming, it's for your own good!

Be. Silent.

No one could ever love you!

Good for nothing!

The multi-breed pride I was raised in resented me. I brought shame upon them for being a weak, minuscule omega. I was the first-ever born into the pride, causing my mother's death and then later her mate's. Every day they reminded me that I was a murderer, that I was a disgusting freak who murdered the respected original beta pair. To them, I was someone to use, beat on when angered, and blame for the pride's misfortunes. Being an omega, I had no right to stand up for myself and the majority of the abuse came from the alpha family who had full authority; no one dared to stand up for me. They were so ashamed of me, they hid me away whenever we had visitors. I wasn't allowed to make a sound when they crammed me into the bottom of the linen closet, I wasn't allowed to ever make a sound, really. Except for the screams, they reveled in my agony. Tearing me apart physically and verbally, letting the wounds scab over, just to start all over again.

I thought my luck had struck when I finally turned 16; the age omegas can find their mate, their other half, the one who completes their soul. I waited a week, then two, then a month, and still no heroic mate in shining armor to speak of. The only change was in the form of abuse, sure they still beat and tormented me mentally, but by then I was old enough for what they really wanted. First, it was the alpha's son. Then, the replacement beta and his son, and soon nearly all the unclaimed males, and even some mated had had a piece of me, of my body meant solely for my mate.

The first time, a fortnight after my 16th birthday, the alpha's son had caught me outside stargazing. I wasn't allowed outside the house, especially so when we had visitors. It was the only rule I dared to break, drawn so strongly to the expansive beauty of the night sky. This was the second time I had ever been caught, expecting a severe beating and a week chained in the windowless basement, as was the punishment the first time. I should have known better, a second infringement always resulted in a harsher punishment as I clearly didn't learn the first time.

Black dots swam in my vision as his right hook nearly knocked me out. The world was still tilting around me when a boot imbedded itself in my gut. At this point, I had no idea who was dishing out the punishment this time as I was too engrossed in the stars to notice my attacker's approach. With a ragged groan, I realize I must have fallen to the ground, the taste of dirt, grass, and blood making a home in my mouth. I saw him then, Abasi, the next alpha, and new the best outcome would be not living to see the next sunrise. He pinned me down, tore off the rags I had to call clothes and stole my innocence. I refused to speak after that night, found solace in silence and isolation because at least when I was alone, I wasn't being hurt. I tried my best to follow the rules, adhere to every command, but it didn't matter, not when they found every excuse to rape me.

Three weeks before my 17th birthday, I discovered my mate. As per usual, I was smashed into the bottom of the linen closet, forbidden to shift forms, when it was announced that the pride was getting a visit from another. This one supposedly only consisted of cheetahs; known for their hot temper and quick thinking. I was waiting for when they would release me when I heard someone sniffing and huffing at the door. Then, incessant scratching followed by a loud chirp, and the door was finally opened. I shied back from the face of a large cheetah, covering my battered face. He leaned in further, stuffing his face into my neck before roughly nudging my chest. Instinctively, my inner lion emerged and hissed at what he perceived to be a threat, even though he also felt the mate bond. My mate's head bunts against my chest yet again before the enraged roar of my alpha practically shook the house and actually rattled the glassware. Appearing out of nowhere, my alpha grabs a fist full of my hair, proceeds to drag my complying body out of the pride house, and throws my weak form down the front stairs.

"I told you what would happen if you disgraced us," the cool, disgusted tone that could only belong to my alpha greeted me as I tried to steady the spinning in my head.

The encroaching headache, from what I'm sure is a concussion, and the pain radiating from my left leg, do nothing to curb the all consuming nausea. My anxiety kicks into high gear with the realization that I am even more helpless in my injured state than normal. Why am I being punished? Where is my mate? Shouldn't they be protecting me?

"Uncle, stop him! He's my mate, they can't do this to him!"

"Trust me, you don't want it, but be my guest, take the used piece of garbage with you,"

To my extreme surprise, they did, my savior took me away from all the pain and resentment of my past and promised to always treat me with respect. He did for a while as I got to know him and learn to integrate into his pride. Little by little, I gained confidence, the ability to speak and make my own decisions came slow as I had only ever known the harsh backlash from my birth pride whenever I had tried. But, eventually, even that came back to me.

Eight months after my rescue, the final crushing blow finally broke me, tore my soul apart and reduced me to nothing but a sniveling, helpless mongrel. My mate had decided he'd waited long enough to complete our bond, and when I had refused, demanded a reason. I owed him one, admittedly, but I knew he'd throw me away because I'm a nobody, completely replaceable, and, even worse, everything my alpha ever called me. Used. Disgusting. Waste of space. Disgrace. Good for nothing weakling.

Truth be told, I was terrified of giving myself over to him, of submitting myself to the pain and reliving those horrible moments I went through in my birth pride. Nothing I had experienced sexually had been pleasurable up to that point and I was sure the same torture would ensue with Mosi. If he learned of my history, the true horror, and saw my grotesque soul, I would be cast out, rejected, or worse, treated in the same manner as I had been before he freed me from my prison.

I tried to placate him, distract him, escape him. None of it worked, he would not let the subject go this time, no matter how much I pleaded.

"What do you mean, no? Don't you feel for me the way I feel for you? I've given so much to you and you wont even put out!"

"I can't, I'm - they - you wouldn't understand."

"Try me."