The Broken Mate Rises

Another day and Arya had to battle to finds ways of living the never ending hell she lived in without slipping into totally numbness or insanity.

"Bitch!"

"There she is."

"Trash."

Arya tried not to look at the younger wolves hurling insults at her. How could she not look at the faces of the people that tormented her? It was the same everyday. She walked out of the back door to get her mop and bucket to clean the restaurant and she was hurled with cusses and blows from those who thought her unworthy of love and saw her as the scum beneath their feet. Unfortunately for Arya that was most of the pack.

Those who weren't contributing to her pain didn't give a damn. They averted their eyes and kept walking.

Arya was the equivalent to a village slave. She was beneath them all, nothing but their slave and object of abuse. Most of her days were spent at the biggest restaurant in the community. It was owned by Leslie, the pack beta. She washed clothes brought it by just about anyone. She mopped the restaurant and the house above it, she cooked for everyone who came in with no help. Arya was on her feet until she was ready to collapse, her feet had blisters and her skin pealed off her hands. Everyday of her young life was work and very little time to eat. Even when the time was found there wasn't much left for her.

"You're late today Arya." One of the young males approached her.

Here we go, Arya thought.

Arya bit her tongue and searched for her bucket.

"I'm talking to you!" The boy's rough hands collided with her shoulders and she slammed into the door.

"Answer me when I'm talking to you trash!"

"I-I I'm sorry," Arya's fragile voice came out in a whisper.

The other teenagers circled her, laughing and pointing. Arya curled herself into a ball. The boy's fist landed on her sculpt, tears burned Arya's eyes.

The laughter died and the crowd parted. The boy was pushed aside. Arya's eyes widened. Cora towered over her, a smirk plastered on her face.

"Look what we have here. Isn't it the traitors spawn." Cora laughed, the crowd followed.

Arya knew it was only the beginning and she wished desperately she was anywhere but in her own body. Cora raised her hand and struck Arya's cheek and again. Tears ran down Arya's cheek and sobs escaped her. Her biggest mistake was making a noise because that was when blows came to her fragile body. Cora laughed as she kicked Arya's legs. The others yanked her red hair while others went as far as to drench her in old bucket water.

"You're worthless Arya! Remember your parents were traitors. You don't deserve to live with the pack. They should have thrown you out when they died."

"No…" Arya whispered. "They weren't traitors." Arya lay on the cold floor, drenched and aching, but she found an ounce of strength to depend the only people that ever lived her.

"What did you say you bitch?" Cora yelled.

Arya couldn't brace herself for the shoe that slammed into her head then the other that smashed her stomach. They should have thrown her out Arya thought, it would have been better than this. Arya's body felt like it was breaking apart like a fragile puzzle thrown off the table and scattered around the floor. She shut her eyes and rolled into darkness, the laughter and yells of her attackers following her to her subconscious.

"Stop!"

Arya sucked in a breath and her eyes popped open. She blinked as she adjusted to the dark room. She looked around the very action was torment to her slim muscles. She heard someone yell. A faint far cry for her attackers to stop.

A savoir, she thought. Unfortunately for Arya there were no saviors in the Full Moon pack, at least none that would save her. She tried to raise her hand to hold the wall, but she cried out.

She gripped her right hand. It burned and throbbed. They fractured her hand. She used her good hand to brush her bangs out of her face. Her yellow hand me down dress had been torn and forever stained by the dirty water they dumped on her. An ugly scary ran down her leg and nasty purple bruises appeared on her arms.

She looked up and noticed the windows for the first time. She looked around and saw the stove, the potatoes scattered on the floor.

"The kitchen…" Arya sighed.

No one cared enough to dump her in her own closet sized bedroom. She hauled her body up, every muscle cried out as she stood. Barely able to drag her feet she managed to get to the kitchen door. She yanked on the handle, but the darn thing wouldn't budge.

"No, no. Please open." Arya whimpered.

She pulled the handle, but it was no use. She was locked in at least for the night. Arya could think of only one person who'd look her in. The same person who'd broken her hand and brought on more pain than necessary. Cora.

Arya had no choice she curled into a ball on the floor. The kitchen was the coldest room in the whole restaurant. It was good for the food, but not her. Before she drifted off to sleep she wondered who she heard before she passed out. Nothing but a lonely girl's allusions. She thought.

***

The sun shimmering on the window came as sweet relief for Arya. Her body trembled so much she thought her bones would crack just from it. She didn't know how she'd get through the day with a fractured hand and pain rippling through her body every few seconds. She had to wash then make breakfast. The door that was locked last night was slightly jar, it was time for her to get to work.

The wolves would be in for their meals. Arya sighed and for the second time since her merciless beating picked herself off the cold concrete floor. She stood by the sink and nearly ducked back down, but her body wouldn't let her move that fast. Cora and her friends stood outside talking and laughing. No, she couldn't go out there, they would surely kill her this time.

As if by magic Arya managed to fry three kilograms of sausages and eggs. Leslie, the pack beta popped into the kitchen once or twice. She didn't say a word to Arya, as long as she was doing her job.

While Arya attempted to clean the diner with one good hand and another screaming out for relief, the front door slammed shut. She startled and turned.

A six foot tall commanding presence stood in expensive leather. Arya swallowed, could her day get any worse? Ace, was the son of the Full Moon pack Alpha. Neck in line and the most sought after boy among her peers. At eighteen he was fully grown in, broad shoulders, meaty arms and long legs. He had golden curls on his head and crystal blue eyes at made many women swoon. Arya shuddered, he looked like an angel sometimes, but Arya knew he was an angel of darkness.

Ace lifted his hands. "What do I have to do to get some food around here?"

Arya set her mop down and dragged my aching feet to the kitchen. She made a plate and found Ace standing by his favorite table. He felt like a giant to her. Ace turned to find Arya standing in front of him with a plate packed with meat.

Ace scrutinized the plate then the hand that held it. A bony hand with cuts and bruises. He recoiled, the rest of her wasn't any better. Her matted hair stuck to her face, her clothes were tattered and stained. He reached for the plate, much to Arya's relief then it slipped from his hand. All the food Arya prepared lay wasted on the floor she just mopped.

Arya looked up at Ace with big green stolen eyes. His blue eyes darkened with his glare. He did it on purpose, Arya thought.

"You're disgusting." He spat.

"But I—"

"You soil the ground Arya."

Arya clutched her aching hand to her chest. She knew this wouldn't end peacefully, it never did with Ace.

"I'm sorry."

"Clean this up then clean yourself up." He ordered.

Arya looked up. "What?"

Ace clenched his teeth, every second standing in front of her was painful. "You know what will happen when everyone else gets here and finds this mess."

The mess you created! Arya wanted to yell, but she knew better.

She nodded and disappeared to find a mop and broom. She picked up the meat and attempted to clean the oil with one good hand. She whimpered with every stroke of the mop. All she was doing was putting her body through more pain and writing the oil on the floor.

Ace watched her work with immense difficult. She was only making it worse. Ace frowned, though kept his mouth shut.

Arya took a step and slipped on the oily floor, the mop clattered on the floor, in an instant she braced for her bones to shatter on the floor, but she never made it. Two meaty arms wrapped around her scrawny waist.

"Put me down," Arya squeaked.

Ace pulled her up so she was standing up right, but not facing him. He span her around so that she faced him. Arya gasped, she'd never been this close to someone who wasn't beating her. She covered her face because she knew it was horrible.

Ace tilted his head, he didn't understand what she was doing. Did she think she could disappear?

"What are you doing? What are you hiding?" He asked.

Arya kept her hands on her face. Through the cracks of her fingers she saw Ace's hands near her face. He pealed off her hands. Arya's heart beat faster and faster with each second. Ace's face was calm as he gazed on her filth covered face. He went to remove a lock of her red hair that stuck to her cheek. He wanted to see her eyes, but Arya shut them right. Arya's breath caught in her throat, she was sure she would faint, but the waited for the blow Ace would undoubtedly hand her.

While the two were entranced, someone walked into the restaurant.

"What the hell are you doing?"