Scarred Strength

Chapter 4

Tundra's POV

I sat in the bed. The alpha came back with a plate of food. He handed it to me but I didn't take it.

"Tundra? Here." The alpha said as he pushed the plate of food towards me.

"T-that's okay alpha..." I mumbled.

He growled a bit which scared me. I moved back, away from him. His eyes hold sadness.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just don't like it when you call me alpha. Please call me Ash." The alpha says.

"I-I can't, it's against the rules." I whimpered.

"Not here it isn't." The alpha snorted.

"Alpha-." I started.

"Ash." He corrected me.

"S-sorry..." I whimpered as I curled up into a ball.

I felt arms wrap around me and I started panicking.

"Hey, hey. It's okay, it's only me." The alp- Ash said.

I tried to calm myself down. It didn't work so I got out of his arms.

"P-please don't hurt me..." I begged.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Ash said.

I heard yelling downstairs. Ash sighed.

"I'll be back." He said as he got up.

He left the room and once again, I was left alone.

Kestrel's POV

"Ash!" I yelled. I collapsed onto the stone ground and barely landed on my hands.

I grasped my stomach and felt the blood pouring from my wound.

I let myself fall to the ground as the people crowded me.

I didn't want to seem weak, but I have no other choice.

The crowd parts and I see my brother. "Keeeeeessssstreeeeellll." His voice slurs.

He touches my hand and he is burning to the touch.

My eyes flutter a few times before they close completely.

"Stttttaaaaaay aaaaawwwwwaaaakkkke."

~*~*~*~*~*

I screamed out in pain as the silver knife coated in wolfsbane slashed at me.

"You'll never amount to anything!" My father spat venomous words at me.

I was just 11 in human years and I couldn't control my shifting ability yet.

He slashed me with the knife again. I collapsed onto the ground.

He tossed the knife beside me and spit on the ground. I cried on the ground as he walked.

He stopped in the doorway to look at me. "Pathetic." He muttered.

I curled up in a ball on the floor and wept. The door opened and a 13 year old Ash came in the door.

He kneeled by me and picked me up. "It's okay Kess."

I shook against his words. "I won't let him hurt you." He says.

Tundra's POV

I sat in the bed for hours. I fell asleep once or twice but when I woke up, Ash was nowhere to be seen. Yes I was scared of making him mad and getting hurt, but I was also worried. Was he okay? What was going on? Would I be told anything or kept out of the loop?

Thought ran through my head as a stressed Ash came through the door. He sighed and sat on the bed.

"W-what's wr-wrong?" I question scaredly.

I didn't want to get hit for speaking when I was spoken to.

"My sister." He choked on his words.

"She's badly injured, she was attacked by werewolves." Ash said shakily.

"I-is she okay?" I ask worriedly.

"I don't know." Ash sighed again.

"C-can I go see her?" I question.

Ash looks at me and then nods. He gets up and outstretches his hand. I whimpered, thinking he was going to hit me. He whined and pulled his hand back. I took a deep breath and slowly slipped my hand I to his. He looked at me and smiled.

We walked downstairs and through series of hallways. We finally stopped somewhere. Ash opened the door and I saw the alpha female laying on a medical bed. She was covered in scratches and cuts. I smelled a familiar scent and my eyes widened. My breath got hitched in my throat.

"Tundra?" Ash questioned.

I collapsed to the ground, trying to get oxygen into my lungs.

"I need a doctor!" I heard Ash shout.

"Tundra? Stay with me." Ash begged.

Everything went black and I closed my eyes.

Kestrel's POV

I stirred and opened my eyes. I stared at the roof of the infirmary. I sat up and grimaced.

I touched my back and felt medical wrap around me. I looked around and saw Ash fast asleep beside another cot.

I angle myself and look at the person on the cot. It was Tundra. I sigh and slowly lean myself back onto the bed.

My brother twitched then his eyes opened. "Kestrel, are you okay?" He asked.

I shook my head. "I didn't even do anything, I went to the old war grounds and-"

He cut me off. "You went to the war grounds! That's beyond our territory!" He basically yells.

I look over at Tundra, she doesn't move. I look over at Ash and hit his arm. "Shush! You'll wake Tundra!"

He looks over at her and a look of regret washes his face. "That's not the point, they wanted..." I trailed off.

"What?" He demanded. I leaned in and whispered "They wanted her." Ash looks over at her and growls.

"They aren't getting her." I smile. He hasn't rejected her. My brother will be happy with her.

"Get some rest." He says. I nod and lay back down, but I can't fall back asleep.

Tundra's POV

I woke up and looked around. I saw Ash sitting beside my medical cot, holding my hand. I looked over at his sister. She sits up and looks at me.

"Hey Tundra." She smiles.

"H-hello alpha." I bowed my head.

She laughed lightly.

"There's no need for formality." She chuckled.

I put my head back up. "My name is Kestrel." She introduced herself.

"N-nice to meet you..." I said, afraid of saying something wrong.

"You treat my brother good, okay?" She says.

I shakily nod my head. She smiled at me.

"I can tell we're going to be great friends." Kestrel said happily.

I smiled but then it faded. "I'm sorry... It's my fault you're hurt..." I whimpered.

I sure was going to get hurt badly this time.