Chapter 6 Amalie

“Mama?” Rose asked as she peaked out of the basement door.

“Ro… Rose, go down… go downstairs,” I choked out as I tried to shove my father away from me.

“Mommy?” she asked again.

I could hear the terror in her voice. My parents had never used silver and beat me at the same time in front of her. It was one or the other. I knew that Rose would be terrified and would freeze. She was an easy target.

“Grab the brat,” Thomas ordered as he was able to grab my throat again.

“Don’t…touch… her,” I growled as I tried to use the silver chains to my advantage. I tried to push them towards Thomas’s face and any other exposed flesh that I could barely see.

“What are we going to do with them?” Marie asked as she walked back, holding Rose like she was a piece of garbage.

“We’ll take them to the basement. No one will hear them scream,” Thomas stated. He fisted his hands into my hair and started to to drag me towards the basement stairs.

I fought back a scream as he pulled my hair. I had to grab his hands to keep him from pulling out my hair. In the process, the silver touched my face. This brought a scream as the silver left a mark on my face.

“Shut up,” he growled as he threw me down the flight of stairs.

I hit over half the stairs on the way down. The wall stopped me from going any further. The problem, it was a good ten feet from the stairs. I let out a groan as my left shoulder and hip hit the wall. I wanted the pain to end. I wanted Rose not to have to watch this.

“Keep the brat quiet,” Thomas barked as he descended the stairs. Once he got to me, he fisted his hand into my hair and dragged me into the middle of the basement. He dropped me on the concrete floor.

“Why?” I croaked as stared at the man who would beat me again. I stared up at him, trying to keep the tears out of my eyes.

“You ruined everything,” he hissed as he grabbed my hair again.

After that, there was nothing but pain. The pain continued as his fists, then feet, then a leather belt joined the fray. Pain was all I felt until I felt numb but at the same time, it felt like I was on fie. I could barely hear Rose crying. I knew she was terrified, but there was nothing that I was able to do.

I was stuck on the floor. I was laying in a pool of blood not feeling anything and everything. I had no tears. My throat was raw from screaming. I wanted to pass out. Passing out meant no more pain. I would be free for a few hours.

“Mama?” I heard Rose ask me as she curled up in my arms.

I heard Thomas and Marie scoff. I would not call them my parents anymore. No parent should torture their child.

“Mommy?” Rose asked again.

I could only groan in pain. I felt her burrow into my arms, making sure she did not touch the silver. I wanted to scream in pain. My light weight, three-year-old, hurt to hold. I wanted to start crying again, but I was unable to.

Somewhere above us, I heard the basement door slam. It was then followed by the deadbolt sliding into place. We were locked in the basement, again. Only this time, I needed medical attention or Beren help.

“Mommy,” Rose started to sniffle, “I help?”

“No…thing… you can… do, baby,” I wheezed out through the pain. “I… will… be fine.”

“You hurt,” she cried as she burrowed further into my arms.

“I… am,” I agreed into her hair. I was absently aware of the fact that I was staining her hair red from my blood. My left leg was numb and the last thing I knew, it was bent at the wrong angle.

“Moon goddess, please help mommy,” I heard Rose whisper into the darkness that was our home.

I had nothing to say. I wanted to scoff. If my own family hated us, why wouldn’t she. Still, that thought didn’t stop me from sending my own plea. My own prayer for help. Not for me. I knew I was going to die in this basement. No, I wanted help for my pup. I wanted my little Rosebud to bloom in the sun, even if that meant I would not be able to see her grow.

My last thought before the darkness finally took me was of Calyx and Markus. I prayed that they would be good leaders. That they would be wise, kind, caring, and protective of their whole pack. To not let someone like me slip through the cracks again.