Sour Souls The Morningstar Series Book 6
Sour Souls Chapter 5

- Three Years Later ~

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Three years later, and I still do not want a mate. Like anyone could rescue me from this hell hole. Or would want to.

I'm 16 now, with hardly any curves. I'm an orphan, abused by my step father, and forced to raise his kid. Oh, don't forget, I'm also a bastard child.

Accroding to the kids at school, I'll be lucky to even have a mate. Apparently, bastard children are not worthy. Like I care anyways.

All I care about, is getting Noah and I the hell out of here. I'm kind of hoping Talia, and Granny come with us too. I just have to play my cards right, and we can all escape.

Over the last three years, things have remained the same for the most part. Dave's drinking has become worse. To the point where he doesn't even work.

The rest of the pack doesn't seem to know that though. Alpha Fredrick must be keeping it quiet for some reason. Probably not to tarnish his precisous reputation.

Because Dave is always home, things have gotten worse, and better in ways. He's always so drunk that he my beatings have lessened. Even when I do get beat, half the time Dave is so hammered his strenght has diminished. Other times though... Well, other times I leave with broken bones. But what else is new?

Noah and I can never sneak away now that Dave is here all the time though. All Dave does is sit in his recliner, and watch TV as he drinks his life away. Noah and I only come out of my room for food, and school.

My little Noah is now in the first grade. He loves school, and has lots of friends. Though, he says that they are only friends with him because he's going to be the Beta.

At this point in Noah's life... I think he hates this pack as much as I do.

And how could anyone blame him?

Look at the abuse he's witnessed his whole life? How this pack treats his sister. It's no wonder why he hates them.

It's a shame that the Alpha's son seems to be the same way. Although, he is the same age as Noah, so there's still hope. Maybe one day this pack won't be so cruel.

Noah seems to like the Alpha's son though. That's the only reason I have hope. Maybe Noah's light will rub off on the little Alpha.

I've lived in this pack for over ten years now. Mom as been gone for six. It's been surreal. This wasn't how I thought life would go all those years ago sitting in that diner.

I know I was only six myself at the time, but I always thought that it would be just Mom and me. I thought that I would be able to go to school. That I would get strong, and help Mom work. My life, my world, revolved around my mother. All for her to tell me she never wanted me.

I'm not sure if it's because I'm getting older, or if I just never let myself feel before, but I've been thinking about Mom more these days. It hurts. A lot.

Remembering those harsh words she told me. At the time, I was crushed. I thought that I was Mom's world before she met Dave. That it was her, and me against the world.

I was wrong.

Looking back now, Mom never cared. She never wanted me. All I was, was a leech to her. Something she was forced to have, but didn't want.

If my mother really did love me, she wouldn't have left me for dates almost every night. She wouldn't have drank her life with me away. And she wouldn't of treated me the way she did when she found her mate.

Coming to this realization has me hoping that I never meet my mate. Mates are stupid, and useless. I do not want my entire life to change just because some guy, or girl, walk in, and think they have some claim on me.

Who does the Moon Goddess think she is doing something like that to me?

If the Moon Goddess wanted to help me at all, she can start with helping Noah and I get the hell out of here.

"What are you thinking so hard about?"

I turned my head to see my best friend.

Talia has filled out with puberty. It's completely unfair how goregous she is. Her natural hair is hanging in beautiful dark ringlets around her head to her shoulders. Talia's dark skin shines beautifully, even under the floresent lights. And those light brown eyes. Ugh! "Has anyone ever told you that it's unfair how hot you are?" I grumbled.

Talia laughed.

"I tell her everyday, but she still refuses to give me any attention." Derek, a boy in our class said.

Talia rolled her eyes, and cocked her hip.

"I tell you every single time thank you, but I am waiting for my mate." She said sweetly.

"It's not like I asked to sleep with you Talia. I just wanna take you out." Derek said.

I rolled my eyes.

"Maybe you should just take no as an answer Derek." I chimed in.

"Maybe you should just shut your mouth Emilia." He said back.

Derek is the only one in our class that doesn't refer to me as 'bastard child'. It's nice of him. Although, I am pretty sure that's only because he has a huge crush on my best friend.

"Derek, I think you're sweet, and all, but I'm waiting for my mate. No dates. No physical acivities, no anything. I'm waiting. Granny would kill me if I didn't. Besides, I want the same love my parents had. They both waited for each other." Talia said. "You don't know that we aren't mates." Derek said.

Derek has a point. Talia has started to hear her wolf, but she hasn't shifted yet. A Werewolf can only sense their mate after they've shifted. Since neither of them has...

“།

I guess you have a point there, but until we know for sure..." Talia trailed off as she leaned in closer to Derek. "Just be happy I'm waiting for you." She said lowly.

Derek's entire face turned a deep shade of red. I had to fight down a laugh. Talia might be waiting for her mate, but she loves to watch Derek squirm. I wonder if they will end up being mates.

It's not like Derek is a bad looking guy. He's got dark brown hair, and blue eyes. Derek is tall with a kind of buff physique. His dad is a warrior, and he plans to do the same. I'm sure that Derek trains with his dad every day.

Not only that, but Derek isn't a bad guy. I'm pretty sure that he only tolerates me because I'm Talia's best friend, but that might be paranoia. He's one of the only people here to treat me like a normal person, instead of a parasite.

Derek would make a good mate for Talia. Although, I want her and Granny to get out of this pack just as bad as I want to go. These precisous souls are too good for this hell of a pack.

I wonder if all packs are this cruel. Being who I am, I never get to meet any others. I'm confined to this territory, and I am barely allowed to leave my room as it is. Sometimes, I stay up at night wondering about other packs. Other supernaturals.

Are there some out there that would see this abuse, and do something? Or, would they turn their cheek like the ones in this pack? Is it silly to think that anyone out there would even care about a bastard child like me?

"I-I-I'll be waiting for you too then." Derek finally replied knocking me from my thoughts.

Talia smirked. "Good, cause if we did turn out to be mates, and I found out you didn't wait.." She blew out a whistle. "I would be so disappointed." Talia pouted at him.

Derek's face went even deeper red, and a goofy smile spread across his face.

"Derek, come on, training." One of his friends called from the doorway.

Derek turned back to Talia.

"Walk with me to training?" He asked.

Talia sighed. "I guess we could do that. As friends." She warned.

"Of course." Derek said.

Talia grabbed her bag, and told me good bye. I smiled as I watched them walk out of the classroom. Talia also wants to be a warrior. She said that if she can get stronger, that she can stand up for me more. Which scares the shit out of me, but my best friend is stubborn.

I gathered up my own things, and walked out of the school. I kept my head high as I walked to the pack house. A few people I passed snickered, and whispered about me.

I never pay them any mind. Granny said that I should always keep my head high no matter what they say about me. I just repeat what I always tell Noah to say.

I am kind. I am worthy. I am strong.

Although, I wish that it worked for me the way I think it does for Noah. Unfortunately, I am beat down too much on a daily basis to think I am worth anything. No one ever shows me kindness, which means I never get the opportunity to return it. And I am definitely not strong.

Still, I do what Granny says in hopes that one day I will feel different. One day I will be out of this place. Noah will have the life he derserves. I just have to get us out. "Emi!"

I turned when I heard my favorite little person shout for me.

Noah came running up to me. He threw his arms around my legs, and gave me a big hug. I bent down to hug him back.

"Hey buddy, did you have a good day today?" I asked.

Noah attends special classes after school in the pack house. Things that all the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma's kids go to. Their teacher walks them, so all I have to do is be here when he's done. It gives me about a full hour after my grade lets out. Usually, I get my homework done in that time.

"Yeah, I guess, my teacher here is so boring though. He's always going on and on about how Neal and I have to be good, and we have to do this, and be like that. All because we are going to rule the pack one day." Noah grumbled.

I chuckled at him. "Well, he has a point. You two, along with your Gamma, will be running this pack one day. Everyone will look to you to lead." I told him.

Noah scrunched his face up in anger. He looks so much more like Mom now. Noah still has his dad's golden hair, but everything else is Mom. I guess except how big he is as well. Noah is the Beta, which means he's bred to be a fighter. Kid's already two times the normal size of a six year old.

We started to walk up the stairs to our home.

"Emi, do you think when I take over as Beta, that I can make everyone be nicer to you?" Noah asked.

I winced.

I've been waiting for this, although, I thought that I had a few more years. Noah is not ignorant to the way I'm treated in this pack. It's not like his father cares about who is around when I get a beating. I just don't want the pack to turn against Noah because of his loyalty to me.

"I don't think you should force people to change their minds Noah." I said.

"Why not?" He asked angrily.

"Because, people have free will for a reason. It's not right as a leader to abuse your power." I said.

"It's not right the way they treat you." Noah stated.

How can a six year old sound so grown?

"I know Noah, but I can handle it. If you really want to do something to help me once you take over as Beta, let me move in with Granny. I won't have to worry so much if I have Granny to protect me." I told him.

"Okay!" Noah said confidently.

Noah has no idea about my plan to get us out of here. It's barely even a plan right now. I just couldn't trust someone as young as him to keep this big a secret. All I'm waiting for, is to get my wolf.

I still haven't heard mine yet, but I have a feeling it's going to be soon. At least I hope so. I'm the only one in my grade who hasn't heard their wolf yet.

Noah and I walked through our front door. It's quiet, but the stench of beer is thick in the air. Noah walked right in, and I looked around as I did.

"Dad isn't here." Noah told me. "I saw him talking to Alpha Frederick right before you came to get me." He said.

"Oh." I said.

Relief flooded my body. Dave hasn't beat me in a couple of weeks now. It feels like I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Well, how about some dinner?" I asked Noah.

********

I made Noah dinner, fed him, bathed him, and tucked him into bed. Into my bed I should say. Noah sleeps with me almost every night now. I know that it isn't healthy. He deserves to have his own space, but this is how he feels safe. With the way our home life is.. I don't blame Noah. One day he won't want to sleep in his big sisters bed anymore.

Noah's soft snores filled my room. I chuckled at him. He is so precious.

I joined him, and after a few minutes, I drifted off to sleep.

*****************

Noah being ripped from my arms startled me awake.

"What?" I breathed out.

"Ow!" Noah cried out.

I shot up as my eyes scanned the room. Dave is dragging Noah out of my room by his hair. Noah is screaming, kicking, and crying.

"You little shit! Every time I check on you, you're with that!" Dave spewed.

"Dad stop! It hurts!" Noah cried out.

Oh no.

This is my worst fear.

I jumped up to chase after them.

"Dave stop! Let him go!" I yelled as I tried to pry his fingers from Noah's hair.

Dave drug his son to the kitchen. This is where most of my beatings take place. He isn't really going to..

"Dave stop! If you want to hit someone, hit me!" I yelled.

Dave back handed me, hard, across my face. I fell to the ground, and can taste the metalic blood in my mouth. I turned my head back to them.

Dave threw his son to the floor like he does with me. He took his belt off of his jeans slowly as he stood above Noah. Noah is whimpering as he tries to crawl backwards to hide.

"You. You're the real reason I lost my mate. It wasn't enough to take her away from me, but now you have to keep looking more and more like her." Dave seethed. "I can't fucking stand it. And you love that stupid half sister of yours more than you love your own father!" Dave shouted.

"Dad stop.. please.." Noah whimpered again.

Dave lifted his hand into the air. My blood ran cold. This isn't happening. Can't be happening.

Everything happened in slow motion.

Dave flung his arm down. I watched the belt hit Noah one time. Then, an ear piercing scream escaped me.

The sound so loud that all of the windows, and glass on the floor shattered. My scream wouldn't stop. A prickling feeling tickled all of my nerve endings. Wind swirled around the room at unreasonable speeds.

Then, Dave was lifted into the air. He made a sickening gurrgle sound. Then he fell to the ground in a heap. Blood poured from his eyes, his mouth, his nose coating the floor.

Finally, my scream stopped. I stared at Dave's lifeless body. My own body grew weak.

What the hell just happened?

Before Noah, or I could even react, our front door brust open. A few warriors, along with the Alpha rushed into the room. The Alpha took in the scene before his eyes settled on me. "You. You did this." He accused.

I shook my head. "I-I-I didn't.." I trailed off.

Did I do this? How?

"Take her to the dungeon." Alpha Frederick ordered.

My eyes went wide, and I tried to back away from the warriors.

"No! Stop!" Noah screamed.

He ran up to me, and latched onto my leg.

"She didn't do it!" Noah said.

Noah was pryed from my leg. I have no words. I'm frozen.

My life is ruined. I don't know how I did it, but I just killed the Beta of the pack. There's no way they will let me live now.

I was dragged out of my home. Down the stairs. Out of the pack house.

People gathered as I was drug through the pack, to the dungeon.

"What's going on?" I heard Talia ask. "Emi!"

I turned my head to her. Granny is right behind Talia, holding her. Tears are streaming down her face.

I started to fight against the warriors, but it's no use.

"You have to keep an eye on Noah. Please! Take care of him!" I shouted as I'm being dragged away.

"Emi! What happened?" Talia shouted back.

"Please! Promise me you will look out for him!" I begged.

We're almost to the dungeon. The warriors aren't letting Talia get close to me. This is my last chance to make sure that Noah will be okay.

"We will child! We will take care of him!" Granny shouted.

I was dragged into the dark building. Despite the stench of death, relief flooded me. Noah will be safe now. I killed his father. Granny will look out for him. He's finally safe.

I was walked to the back of the hall. The warriors that had me, threw me into the cell. Then it was locked behind me.

I grabbed the bars, and winced as they burned my flesh.

Alpha Frederick stared at me through the bars.

"Get used to this cell bastard. It's your new home."