Abused

Sixteen

I shrieked in pure happiness and tears of joy fell from my eyes as I threw myself into Brad's arms. He instantly wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tightly, laughing

"I did it!" I cried, happily.

Brad laughed and nodded pulling back from the hug and pulling my hands into his own. A huge grin was stretched across his face. He let go of one of my hands and tucked a stray hair behind my ear and kissed my lips lightly.

"I'm so proud of you Winter" he smiled, stroking my hair. "You were brave and strong in that room. You spoke like a true Luna and proved to us all that you are going to be an amazing leader."

I smiled. "Thank you so much Brad. You have no idea how much it means to me."

He pulled me up out of the bed and took my hand leading me out of the room. I was slightly confused but followed him anyway as he lead me through the corridors and towards Brittney's room. He let go of my hand and nodded at the door, silently telling me to open it.

I opened the door and saw Brittney packing her bags. My heart clenched both in anger and sadness. Anger because I knew if I didn't go to that meeting than she would have to leave and also sadness because my best friend nearly had to leave her home because of me.

I walked into the room and put my hands over hers as she was plucking her clothes from her draws, halting her. She looked up at me with confusion but I just pulled her into a hug.

"You're going no where" I promised her.

She sighed. "The deal is done Winter. I've got to go"

I chuckled lightly, confusing her even more. "I gatecrashed the meeting and spoke not as your friend but as your Luna. I told them how it was injustice and raised a few other points and they all agreed with me. All charges against you have been dropped Brittney. You're staying here" I grinned.

Brad wrapped his arm around my waist and grinned at Britt. Her face lit up with joy and shock and she threw herself at us

"Thank you so much you guys" She cried.

"It was all on Winter, Brittney." Brad praised me again. "It had nothing to do with me"

Brittney sent me a warm smile as she hugged me once again. "I'm sorry Winter. Truly I am"

I nodded. "I know. I'm sorry too"

■■■■■■■■■■■

My mood had been lifted off of the ground into the sky because of how the mornings events unfolded. There was a new found pride in my body, i finally knew what it was like to be proud of myself and found myself a place where I belonged.

I was wondering aimlessly through the long corridors of the pack house trying to entertain myself because Brad had do some paper work in his office and told me I was forbidden to leave without anyone else. I would have asked Brittney but she was with Drake.

As i turned into the next corridor I discovered a room with nothing but a piano inside. I grinned and walked over to it, inspecting the room as i went.

The piano was beautiful. It was a silky white grand piano with the lid propped open and it had clearly recently been used. The stool in front of it was the same colour and had a plush cushion sewn into it which was incredibly comfy to sit on.

My hands touched the keys delicately, like it was a fragile piece of work, as I pressed down a chord with the sustain pedal. My lips stretched into a wide smile as i savoured how crisp the sound was.

I started playing random things to get used to playing again. It was something I had been learning since I was twelve but since we moved from California, i hadn't had a piano to practice on as the one i had in California was my fathers.

When I had warmed up I  decided to play my favourite song, Zombie by the Cranberries.

I played the intro, smiling the entire time and as I got onto the verse I caught myself singing.

"Another head hangs lowly
Child is slowly taken
And if violence causes the silence
Who are we mistaking
But you see it's not me
It's not my family
In your head in your head
They are fighting

With their tanks and their bombs
And their bombs and their guns
In your head in your head they are crying

What's in your head
In your head
Zombie zombie zombie ei ei
What's in your head
In your head.
Zombie, zombie, zombie ei, ei, ei, oh do,do,do,do,do,do,do,do"

As i moved onto the next verse I heard another voice join mine. I glanced to the door to see my dad walking in. He was singing the song with me and that's when I realised it was him that introduced me to the song when I was little. I also noticed a crowd of people had appeared and my face flamed up in embarrassment.

"Another mother's breaking heart is taking over
the violence causes silence
We must be mistaken
It's the same old thing since 1916
In your head in your head
Their still fighting

With their tanks and their bombs
And their bombs and their guns
In your head in your head they are dying

What's in your head
In your head
Zombie, Zombie zombie ei ei
What's in your head
Zombie, Zombie zombie ei ei ei oh oh oh oh oh oh oh ay ay ah ay aye ah"

I dragged the last note on and then moved up the piano to play the ending. I changed it slightly and played the chorus through an octave higher.

As i finished the song the crowd that had formed began cheering loudly and clapping. Brad appeared in the doorway with a frown on his face as he looked around to see what all of the commotion was about. His eyes drifted to me and my dad and his eyes lit up as he grinned.

"I didn't know you could play" he smiled.

"She sings damn well too" my dad laughed.

Brad raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

I shrugged. "I guess I'm okay"

"She's amazing" someone from the crowd joined in.

I smiled.

Sophia appeared out from somewhere in the crowd and i lifted her up into my arms and hugged her.

"Hello sweetie" i smiled.

"Can you sing something else Mom?" I gasped lightly at what she called me.

I didn't say anything to it because I didn't want to burst her bubble in front of everyone. Plus she may have done it accidentally so I didn't want to embarrass the poor child.

I nodded and put her down on the floor. She walked over to Brad and she held his hand as i started to play My Salvation by Gabrielle Aplin

The song had recently become close to my heart because Brad and his pack were my salvation. They saved me from my pathetic excuse of "parents" and gave me a family. Whether Sophia meant what she said or not, I also considered her family too. The whole pack was. They had given me a place I could call home and they all had a place within my heart.