Doc worked quickly. He took the splint off my leg and felt the bone with his fingers. My leg was thin and he could feel them well enough without needing to do much. After he was content with feeling the bones and muscles he put my leg under this weird machine that he pointed right at the bones. After he left and pressed a button it made a loud noise.

A little while later he came in with a flat black thing in his hand. When he tapped it the thing lit up and showed different pictures.

“Here, look at the tablet and I will show you your leg.” He laughed, still finding all this funny.

[What’s that?] I asked him, pointing at the thing in his hand.

“This, it’s a tablet. It’s like a cellphone or a computer, it’s connected to the internet and helps us see things electronically.” I just tilted my head in confusion and wrote one word.

[Huh] He looked shocked at the word so I added more. [I’ve read about computers and phones, but I don’t know how they work. But that thing is new to me.]

“Yeah, if you were two when you were locked away you wouldn’t know about this stuff.” He ran a hand through his hair. “How did you learn to read and write?” He asked me, wonder written in his eyes.

[I had some cousins who weren’t like the others]

“That’s good, I hope they made things better for you.” I nodded, they really had. “Ok, well, this tablet can work like a TV, it will show us the pictures I just took of your leg.” I nodded looking with him. “Here is the bone.” He pointed to the bright white part of the picture, it sure looked like a bone alright. “This line here shows where the break is. Thankfully the bones are mending properly. If you stay off it for a day or two it will heal faster with no damage.”

[I had no choice but to run on it] I lowered my head in shame, wondering if I made things worse.

“Oh I know. We needed to get you out of there. I understand why you wanted to run from that house. But you’re safe now and you can rest here and get better.” I didn’t really believe that, but I figured I would be safer for a little while.

Doc flipped through the images and showed me the x-ray of my foot next. He then pointed out the two bones that were broken and said as long as I kept it all splinted and wrapped up I should be fine.

Next, he checked my neck, and the bite mark I had received when Liam grabbed me from behind to stop me from running. The wound hadn’t been overly deep, but it was bad enough. And I don’t even want to think about the germs that were in his nasty mouth.

“This is healing good, no need to worry.” He grinned at me. “I know that they’re taking clean clothes to your room so you can shower and get dressed. I will redress this wound with a waterproof bandage, but I will still need to change it after you’re cleaned up. Alright?” I nodded, understanding what he was telling me.

After the bandages and splints were in place I was taken back to the room. The guard, Morgan, was still outside the door. Doc didn’t come in with me, he just led me to the room and opened the door for me.

When I went inside there was a girl sitting at the table with a pile of clothes and a smile on her face.

“Hi there.” She grinned at me. “I hear your name is Star.” I nodded at her. I recognized her voice, she was the girl from last night. “It’s nice to meet you Star, my name is Cesya, but everyone calls me Chay cause it’s easier to pronounce.” She was giggling now. I took out my pen and wrote:

[My name is Astraia Westbrook but I go by Star]

“That’s quite the nickname, how did you get it?”

[Astraia means Star]

“Oh, your mom was one of those types, huh?” I tilted my head at her. “Ceysa is Latin, and it means goddess of the moon and defender of the people. My mom liked names that fit a theme.” I smiled at her words, it sounded like our moms would have gotten along.

[I guess my mom was that type too]

“You’ll fit right in with my brother too.”

[Who’s your brother?] I asked her, curious.

“Artemis, the Alpha.” I gulped and stepped away from her. “What’s wrong?” I didn’t know how to respond. She was the Alpha’s sister. That meant she probably hated weak wolves like me just as much as he did.

“Star, are you alright?” She took a step toward me, concern showing all over her face. “Everything is alright, there’s no need to worry.” Her voice was soothing and her face was calm. “Come on, here take these clothes and go take a shower, it will make you feel better. Or would you prefer a bath?” I hadn’t had either in so long I didn’t remember how.

[I don’t know how to] I admitted reluctantly.

“What do you mean?”

[I’ve been locked away since I was 2]

“How old are you Star?” She asked me the same question as the doctor.

[I will be 18 next week]

“Well, then we got you just in time.” She grinned. “I turned eighteen seven months ago, in October.” She was the same age as me but we didn’t act anything alike, but it was no wonder. “Ok, so you don’t know how to get the water started?” She asked me, I shook my head no. “Then I will show you. If you need me to, I can wash you too.” I shook my head again, violently.

[NO] She laughed at that.

“No need to panic, it was just an offer.”

Chay went into the bathroom and turned the knob at a big, tiled square that was raised and sitting in the middle of the floor.

“Let’s have a lesson while this fills up. This is the tub, these here are the hot and cold tabs, and press this to get a soothing whirlpool that makes the muscles feel so relaxed.

She showed me how to work the shower, which taps were which for the tub, shower, and sink. There was a hand soap in the bathroom, in a pump bottle, that smelled like pink grapefruit, according to the bottle. It was nice. There was another small closet in the bathroom I hadn’t noticed, it was filled with soft, fluffy, white towels, washcloths, and extra soap.

“I brought you some body wash and shampoo and conditioner. I don’t know what scents you like, but you probably don’t have a preference do you?” I shook my head. I didn’t know what kinds there were. “Use the shampoo on your hair first, then the conditioner. You’ll be fine, call me if you need help.” She giggled and left the room, but not before turning the water off.

This place was nice, different. But it was still just a new kind of prison for me. Still, I wanted to take a bath.

I spent so much time soaking in the water, cleaning and relaxing for the first time in, ever, that the water started to get cold. Reluctantly, I rinsed and got out.

As I stood there, naked, I caught sight of myself in the mirror. The bandage had come loose over my shoulder and I took it off a while ago. I had set the splint for my leg aside too, so it was just my body draped with a towel.

In my eyes I looked small, compared to Chay and my aunts and cousins. They were all a couple inches taller than me. Uncle Howard told me I was five feet seven inches tall. He measured. My waist was narrow, my legs and arms were thin. My chest wasn’t very large, I had noticed that Chay’s was bigger, she was bigger everywhere: breasts, hips, arms, everything.

But aside from my appearance that made me think I was too small for my own good, there were the injuries. The fading bruise from my leg that was yellowed around the edges and purple in the middle. There were the puncture wounds around my neck and shoulder. There was still a massive bruise in the middle of my chest where Uncle Howard had kicked me. The worst of the cuts and scrapes from the other night had become nothing more than thin lines that were fading quickly.

My face was oval, soft looking even though it was thin. My eyes still looked scared and my face was pale. My hair looked darker than I thought it should be, probably because it was wet. And right now, as I wasn’t scared of something happening right this minute, my eyes were a bright shining blue.

There was nothing remarkable about me. Why did Uncle Howard want me so bad? Why did the Alpha want me? Couldn’t they find wives somewhere else?

I dressed in the clothes that Chay had brought for me after I was dried off. When I went back to the bedroom, Chay was there again.

“I had them bring you some lunch. Did you have a good bath?” I nodded, not having the paper in hand yet. “It’s over there.” She pointed to the table where I could see the pad, pen, and plates of food. My stomach growled loudly when I smelled it all. “Come on, let’s eat.” Chay took my hand and led me to the table.

She had them prepare a bunch of food, more than I had ever eaten in an entire month.

I don’t know what any of it was, but it all tasted good. I ate a little bit of it all, feeling full and sick when I was done. I didn’t care, I knew this was all going to end soon and I needed the food to help me heal.

“Better?” Chay asked as she looked at me. I nodded. “Can we talk?” That didn’t sound pleasant.