CHAPTER 1, MY MESSY LIFE

Gemma's pov,

My name is Gemma Star, and I'm 15 years old. I've lived in the Blood Moon Pack for as long as I can remember.

I didn't have a mum, dad, brothers, or sisters; I was an only child brought up by my evil uncle and his evil mate, Khloe and Richard, who, by the way, showed me just how much they hated me.

It was a cold thunderstorm, the rain pouring down. I could hear it bouncing off the cars, and I could hear some people out and about moaning about the weather. I sat in my room, which is in the basement. I wasn't allowed a bed; I only had a battered mattress with holes in it. I was allowed two dirty, ratty blankets. I wasn't allowed a pillow, so I had to use my clothes to rest my head on. Let me not forget about my bucket, which served as my toilet.

I heard yelling from upstairs and then footsteps coming my way.

As Richard walked into my room, he gave me a beating. I always ended up passing out. This was one of the worst times; I felt like I was dying. I was in so much pain, and worse, once I was in my room, I was not allowed out, and it would be locked from the outside until dawn. I needed to get up and finish all the cleaning, as well as prepare breakfast and dinner. If breakfast wasn't done and on the table by six a.m., I was in big trouble. If dinner was late, then I would get an even worse beating.

I don't understand why Richard saved me, yet he's always beating me. Why not let me be killed by my family?

I was locked in my room and had school in the morning. I wasn't liked and was the most hated. The Alphas were always making my life a nightmare, terrorizing me and making me want to end my life. Then the cheerleading sluts, who were always with the Alphas, added their two cents to it.

I must have fallen asleep, as I woke up in the morning, but I wasn't able to move. I had to lie still for a few extra minutes because I couldn't move my legs or arms; the pain was really bad. I heard someone moving and heard voices, so I knew Richard and Khloe were both up. I had no choice but to get up and do what I needed to do. I sat up slowly, and when I stood on my feet, my whole side hurt, causing dizziness in my head. I stood up, holding myself up using the wall. As I got ready, I went to the kitchen to start my chores. Khloe and Richard were already sitting there.

"Don't look my way, Gemma. I'm not in the mood for your nonsense this morning. You will leave now for school, and don't think about pissing me off either," said Khloe as I walked around the table.

"But I've had no breakfast."

"Do I care? I told you to get out of my face right now. Get out altogether and get to school where you should be," Khloe said as she stood up from her chair and walked over to me, grabbing my arm and yanking me outside. I could hear Richard laughing, and for some odd reason, I wanted to wipe that look off his face.

I stumbled as Khloe let go of my arm. Going to move, I couldn't, so I slid down the house post, leaning against it.

I couldn't go to school. I felt so ill and drained, but why must my body put me through this? Why did the moon goddess do this to me? Does she hate me so much that she's letting me be tortured?

Sitting on the floor, leaning against the pole and looking into space, I saw the Alphas walking past. I didn't dare look at them closely, as Jayden, Logan, and Asher hate me; they make my life hell.

I decided I had to get up as I heard Khloe saying she was leaving, and I needed to be gone; otherwise, I would get a beating.

Getting up and walking slowly to the gate, I made my way to school, thinking of everything that could go wrong for me today.

"What is going to happen today?" I had a really bad feeling that something was going to happen.

I was close to the school when I heard the bell ring, letting all the students know it was class time. Arriving at the school and walking straight through the double glass doors, it was quiet; not a sound was heard.

Walking to my locker, I put away the books that I would need later before going to class when I remembered I had Miss Shaw, the Wicked Witch.

"You're late, Gemma. Why? If you don't answer that, I will ring your guardian later and fill them in," Miss Shaw said as I made my way to the table at the back. I don't have any friends; everyone hates me, and I don't get why. I've never done anything wrong to them.

"Gemma, Gemma, Gemma, what shall I do with you?" said one of the Alphas as he spat in my face.

I went to get up when the oldest Alpha pushed me back down. "We aren't done with you yet. Where do you think you're going?"

"To the toilet. Please let me go; I've done nothing wrong to any of you," I begged as I tried to get up.

Alpha Jayden laughed and pushed me back in my chair. "You will stay here. You distracted us because you think you can be late," Alpha Logan said as he yanked my hair back.

I think Alpha Asher saw the scars on my neck as he looked at them and then back at me, turning to his brothers. "Let's go; she's not worth our time. Come, brothers, let's go and party with real girls."

Walking away from me, the bell rang. "Gemma, you will come back at the end of the day. You will do a detention with me, and we will call home to find out why you're late," Miss Shaw said.

I got my things and ran straight out, only to be tripped up by the cheerleading slut, Mia, the one who was seeing Logan.

I fell straight on my face, breaking my nose as I heard it crack and blood pouring down. I don't normally let them see me cry, but this time I couldn't help it as the tears came down.

"Get away from us! You’re putting blood all over. Move, you tramp! Go back to the server where you belong, you dirty rat," said Mia.

As Mia walked past, she couldn't help herself, so she kicked me in the back. If I may add, it hurt; I already have open cuts from Richard and Khloe. Getting up, I ran straight to the toilets, checking that no one was in there. As it was empty, I just broke down and cried. I realized I didn't have my bag; I was in trouble.

I cleaned my face and did my business, washing my hands. As I was about to leave the toilets, I noticed my bag was there next to the wall; someone had put it there. I picked it up and noticed a note from Asher.

"Gemma, I thought you would want this," was all it said.

Why was Asher being nice when they all hated me? I hated myself. I will never forget when they properly beat me up; I couldn't come to school for days. I will always remember it as Richard and Khloe both beat me up, and they had to pay for my treatment.

I realized I was already in for a beating, so, being me, I left school—well, I flew out of school as I ran. Although it killed me, I did it as fast as my legs would take me.

Slowing down outside the school's main gates, I didn't see anyone and ended up bumping into a girl. "I'm so sorry; I didn't see you there."

"It's alright. Where's the fire? Are you alright? What's your name? Shouldn't you be in class?" she said as she started to giggle.

I got a sense that I could trust her.

"Sorry, my name is Gemma, and I'm done with school for today. I'm just going home," I lied and told her, as I still didn't know her despite what I felt.

"My name is Emily. I'm new. My aunt died, so I'm back living with my parents here. Let's walk together. I've just enrolled in school, and it was the paperwork today, so I'm done too."

"Let's go," I said as we started walking. I wanted to get away from the school before the Alphas and cheerleading slags came.

We started walking when I felt a pain so intense in my arms; it was burning like I was on fire. I dropped to my knees, lifting my sleeves. "Please make it stop; please, it's hurting and burning."

"Gemma, what's happening? Why are there letters on your arm? Who's doing this?" Emily said as she bent down beside me, rubbing my back.

"It's my uncle's mate. She hates me, and she's torturing me. I walked out of school; the teacher must have told her that. That's why she's put, 'Get Home Now.'"

That was all I said before I passed out. Within a few minutes, I opened my eyes to realize I was being carried. I gasped in shock at who was holding me, and I felt safe. It was none other than the Alphas—the big bad Alphas whom I hated.

Jumping down, I stumbled but regained my footing straight away. I turned to look up at them. "Gemma, please don't do it. We are not going to hurt you," said Alpha Asher.

As if I was going to believe them, I turned to Emily and said, "I need to go. I will see you around."

Then I ran off, needing to get home... I'm pretty sure I could feel someone or someone's following me.