Aurora watched as Georgia moved around the room. She was in a tizzy after seeing the marks on her back. She seemed so surprised by the way that the pack treated Aurora, that she wondered if the pack Georgia came from didn't have a Runt.

Most runts were killed young, as it was just too hard for them to survive in the wild. Being in a pack, a runt was just another mouth to feed and a creature more likely to get a disease. That was the last thing a pack wanted, which was why they killed the runts if nature didn't.

"Well, I should go. Thank you for your help." Rory spoke getting up, laying the blanket down on the bed. She was barely able to take a step before was stopped by Georgia.

"Wait, you can't go back down there!" Georgia hissed appalled.

"I have to, Alpha is going to expect my work to be done."

"Does the Alpha know about the abuse?" Georgia asked her brow furrowing.

"Yes."

"And he allows it to continue?"

"Some times he leads them." Rory shrugged.

"That's not right. Not right at all."

"It is what it is."

"It will be corrected soon, just wait." Georgia said quietly to herself, but Rory heard her.

"What are you taking about?" She questioned confused.

"Come here." Georgia spoke reaching to take Aurora's arm. Aurora couldn't help but flinch, her natural reaction when someone moved towards her. Having seen this Georgia apologized and retracted her hand. She gestured into the bathroom, leaving Aurora to stand in the room confused. With a nervous glance to the clock she followed, watching as Georgia turned on the shower and the sink, ushering her inside.

"What are you doing?" Aurora asked slightly amused by the wolf in front of her, turning on all the faucets.

"It's harder to be overheard if there is background noise." Georgia whispered. " I want to tell you something, but you can't tell anyone else."

"Who do I have to tell?" Aurora rolled her eyes, a sour laugh coming form her mouth.

"Aurora, I'm serious." Georgia said.

"Ok, fine."

"You know the Alpha that's coming to visit?" Georgia asked and continued when she saw her nod. "Well, that's actually my brother. He's heard about the bad things going on in this pack, I don't think he knew how bad it really was, but he's going to put a stop to it."

"And how is he going to do that?"

"He may challenge the Alpha."

"If your brother is the Alpha, why would he send you to this pack?"

"Because he needed someone on the inside, to see what was really going on and report back to him. Originally we were looking for an alliance, but hearing the rumors about the pack on this territory, we had to see what was true and what we'd be getting ourselves into."

Rory didn't know what to say. Was she supposed to feel hopeful that things were going to change? She felt a seed of doubt in the back of her mind. What if this was just the Alpha Darren trying to test her, trying to tease her? Georgia seemed to be sincere while she was helping her, but she also could have just been a really good actress.

"Please don't tell anyone." Georgia said after they sat in silence. "If Darren finds out, he will set up an ambush for my brother, and I can't let that happen."

"Sure." Rory nodded. "Now, I better get my things done. Thank you for your help." She spoke, quickly leaving Georgia.

Returning back to the dinning room, she quickly gathered towels to clean up the mess of water and moved along to the next item on her list.

Working in the kitchen was never a fun task, she liked to cook but never was able to due to the other females taking over. The other women always ignored her giving her the smallest tasks, where they could push her into the corner of the kitchen and not have to be bothered by her. Today they were gracious enough to let her peel all of the potatoes, using a little paring knife for 45 potatoes. It was a task that was going to take her forever, but that's exactly what the others wanted. Knowing better than to complain she grabbed the pot, cutting board and the tiny knife before making her way to the other side of the room.

It took her nearly two and a half hours to peel them all and get them into a pot to be boiled.

"We will take it from here." Angel said a sneer on her face. Her name didn't represent her personality; if it had, she would have to change it to Devil. The girl was only a couple years older than Aurora and was one of the she-wolves that tried to get into the Alpha's bed every night. Unlike the other she-wolves, Angel was the most successful. It made her feel like she should act like she was the Luna and order everyone about; and they let her.

Aurora didn't respond but gave her a nod, she had wanted to get out of there any way. She wanted to run; her paw was healed enough that she could go searching for a few hours.

Feeling giddy, she walked into the woods and started to strip her clothes, tucking them away in a tree. With a smile on her face, she shifted and felt the warmth and happiness wash over her as she started to run. She quickly came across to the river, pausing to take a drink. Her bright green eyes sparkled as she looked at her reflection taking in her fox. Having no friends, and spent a lot of time by herself, she was a lot more in touch with her inner canine, than some of the others.

Her nose twitches as she quickly make sure she was alone, scanning her surroundings for a nice place to lay. Due to being chased and hunted in the past she learned that it was best to seek higher ground, rather than make a fox hole where she could be easily attacked. She may have been in a wolf pack but they hadn't discovered the art of agility to climb the trees. The cool breeze ran through her fur, causing her to calm down, which allowed her to rest peacefully.

It had only been a few hours and she wanted to stay in her tree for longer amount of time, but Alpha Darren had called for her. She ran back to the tree she stuffed her clothes in, only to discover that they were missing. Figuring something like this was bound to happen, she had already placed an extra pair in a tree just a few yards away. Quickly shifting she pulled on her clothes. Alpha didn't like to wait, and she was wasting time.

Running into the house, she quickly ran into his study, where her Alpha was sitting.

"You're late." He accused, sitting behind his desk looking annoyed.

"I'm sorry Alpha..." She whispered looking down to her toes.

"I heard that you left your duties earlier." He stated, "Is this true?"

He already knew the answer but he wanted to hear it from her lips.

"Yes, sir." She nodded.

"What was the reasoning?"

"I don't have one, sir." She didn't tell him that Alec had tried to drown her, Darren wouldn't care. In fact, he probably already knew what had happened, and if he didn't he'd probably congratulate Alec for coming up with a new way to mess with her.

"Very well. You know the punishment."

Aurora couldn't help but gulp. She knew it was coming but nothing could prepare her for it.

"Let's go." He demanded, his eyes harsh. He took her from his study, which was on the second floor and lead her throughout the house, as if on display, all the way to the basement. The old rickety stairs wobbled under her weight. The basement was dark and cold, the perfect place to hold prisoners or misbehaving runts.

She knelt on the floor her back to him. Not being able to see him made everything worse.

"Hands." He spoke. She let him do what he needed, knowing that it was no use to fighting him. If anything, it would make the punishment ten times worse.

He moved her hands to the chain that dangled from the ceiling, with practiced ease, quickly snapping her ankles into the straps on the floor. The chain was just long enough to have her on her knees, her arms up in the air at an odd angle and unable to move her legs.

"How many times are we going to have to do this, before you learn." Darren took ahold of her shirt and tore it off her body leaving her in her bra. Unsatisfied with the height she was at, he adjusted the chains, so that she was pulled up even more, her knees just hovering on the ground.

Try as she might, she wasn't able to hold back the whimper that escaped from her lips. Her shoulders cried out in pain, the cuffs cutting into both her wrist and her ankles. Her inner beast was annoyed at the position she was in. She knew she had no power over her punishment, but to not be able to see him before he struck was even worse.

She heard him unbuckle his belt and knew that it was going to be his method of punishment for the night. The belt was worse than the whip, especially when he hit her with the buckle.

"Count." He instructed before raising his hand.

Crack.

The blow on her back stung, and she bit into her lip to avoid crying out.

"One." She whispered.

Crack.

"Two."

Crack.

It took forever but she knew she was nearing the end of her punishment.

Crack.

"Nineteen." She cried out with a whimper. Blood was spitting from her mouth as she spoke. At some point between ten and twelve she had bit through her lip, causing the blood to start pouring into her mouth, down her chin. The cuffs had torn into her skin as she squirmed. She could feel the wetness, running down her arms and to her elbows, dripping onto the floor. She was a mess.

Crack.

"Twenty." She sobbed.

Heavy footsteps coming towards her made her cringe. Without any warning her unhooked her hands, dropping her to the ground. She screamed in pain as her shoulders felt sudden relief, and couldn't hold back her another one as she felt a liquid being poured over her. Wolfsbane. Her body unable to handle anymore pain, fighting for her to sleep. Anything to escape the pain. Darkness was creeping into her vision and against her wishes, she blacked out.

~~~~

Her whole body felt like she had been put through a stampede. Her head ached, her arms were heavy and her back was on fire. The welts on her back felt gritty, stung with any movement. She didn't have a way to see them, but she knew that they were healing slowly. That was due to the wolfsbane. Wolfsbane was used by hunters, it was of their own creation. It was a liquid mixture, of who knows what; but it burned. It caused a werewolves' skin to burn, and if it was injected into the bloodstream it forced their wolves to sleep; to become dormant for a period of time.

Aurora felt disgusting, and she was hungry. A small amount of light crept into the basement, but it was too dull to be early morning. Aurora slowly sat up, looking around the basement. She had no idea how long she had been in the basement but she was starting to get cold. Just as she moved to grab the scraps of her shirt, the basement door was thrown open. Jerking her hand back she scrambled to the wall, not sure who was entering.

Foot steps stampede down the steps.

"Get up, you've got work to do." One of the male wolves, she couldn't remember his name, demanded.

"Yes, sir." She mumbled, grabbing the shirt and pulling it on.

"Dinner needs to be started, get to the kitchen."

Wordlessly she made her way to the kitchen, and assigned to yet another a meaningless task. She worked on autopilot, not even aware of what was going on around her. The pain she was in didn't allow her think about anything else.

She finished putting the last piece of silverware onto the table and immediately the pack around her dug in to eat.

"Runt." Darren spoke shoving a plate in her direction.

"Thank you." She took the plate not looking him in the eye, before scurrying into the kitchen; where she had to eat isolated from everyone. She wasn't allowed to eat at the table. Not that she really wanted too, as lonely as she felt, when she was in the kitchen she didn't have to take the rude comments, or being verbally pushed; no, she could just sit down and eat in peace.

Her cheap plastic plate was filled with scraps, not nearly enough to fill her up. Not knowing when her next meal was she took what ever she was given.

Finishing the last piece of bread, she filled up the sink with hot water and cleaned her plate. While the women liked to take control in the kitchen, they didn't like to bother to clean up after themselves, leaving all of the work to her. She pushed a piece of her stringy brown hair behind her ear and finished drying the last dish.

The house was silent, only few up and moving. Glancing at the clock she saw that it was nearly eleven o'clock- no wonder she felt dead on her feet. Slowly climbing the stairs she made her way to her room; a very small walk in closet that had been converted into a bedroom. She was just passing down the hallway when all of a sudden, her arm was grabbed.

She let out a gasp, only to feel a small warm hand covering her mouth. Her heart was beating rapidly, not sure who was touching her. She tried to push away from her captor but they were just too strong.

"It's ok, its just me, Aurora." A warm voice whispered. Opening her eyes, Aurora saw that the person in front of her was Georgia. What was with this girl. She had to have been crazy, or just asking for trouble. First she's actually a Princess, the next in line to be Luna, and she was going out of her way to talk to a runt. Aurora thought to herself.

"Oh Rory, what did he do to you?" She whispered her eyes scanning over her body.

"I'm fine." She pulled away.

"No you're not. Let me see."

"I'm fine."

"Your shirt is destroyed, I can see every mark." Georgia spoke, her voice sad.

"Why do you care, why cant you just let me go to bed!" Rory snapped.

"I care because you need someone who does." Georgia said.

"So you pity me, that's why?" Aurora was getting upset, never had anyone care for her. She didn't know what to feel but all it did was make her fell awkward and uncomfortable.

"No, not pity." She said. "I don't know I can explain it, I just want to be your friend. If you let me?"

Aurora looked at her in complete silence, so many thoughts ran though her mind. The girl in front of her was persistent, and if what she said was true; about her brother coming, well she wouldn't be around long. What would it hurt to have a friend for a couple days?

"Sure." Aurora shrugged.

Georgia left the room and returned before Aurora could make a run for it. Rory watched as she returned with things to heal her, to help clean her up.

"Remove your shirt and climb onto the bed- laying on your stomach." Georgia said gently while she got the materials she brought all set up. Aurora did as she was told, knowing it would be easier to comply with the woman rather than argue. She would just allow Georgia do what ever she felt was necessary and then Aurora could leave.

For the first time in forever she was relaxed at someone else's touch. Georgia had used a warm rag and was working on cleaning up the blood that covered her back.

Georgia didn't say another word about the bruises, the scars and the welts that were currently marking her back. For that, Aurora was thankful.

"Did you want to stay in here tonight?" Georgia whispered.

"Sure." Aurora spoke snuggling closer to the soft pillows. They laid in silence, Aurora shifting uncomfortably in her bed.

"What's wrong?" Georgia asked like a concerned sister.

"I can't sleep like this."

"Do you want to switch sides?" Georgia offered.

"No, I mean I can't sleep if I'm not in my form."

"Oh," Georgia spoke surprised, her eyes widening slightly.

"It's for safety reasons." Aurora explained.

"Well you can change in here, I don't mind. We do puppy piles in our pack too."

"You do?" Aurora asked. She had never heard of such a thing.

"It's just another way of connecting, it puts our wolves at ease being with the family and also allows our relationship with one another to grow stronger. Maybe once everything gets corrected, you can join in." Georgia smiled, reassuring her that things were going to get fixed.

The way that the young girl's eyes lit up at the thought of being able to be apart of a group, made georgia sad. Her heart broke for the young girl who had to be no older than nineteen who was isolated from her pack . Nineteen years of severe abuse, it made Georgia want to throw up.

"Now, why don't you shift so we can get some sleep? Tomorrow is going to be a big day."

"Ok, but I have to tell you. The reason why the others don't like me is because I'm different." She hesitated afraid she was going to scare off the other women. "I don't shift into a wolf...I am a fox."

"A fox?" Georgia gasped surprised. "That's super rare, will you show me?"

Without another word Aurora shifted, sure enough; there at the foot of her bed was a small dusty fox, no more than a foot tall and a foot and a half long, weighing maybe thirty-five pounds. Her paws were black, as well at her nuzzle. She was adorable. It stumped Georgia as to why they would treat sure a rarity, as an abomination-not the gift that it was.

"You're so cute." Georgia spoke reaching her hand out and running it through her soft fur. They sat like that for about five minutes, before Georgia realized how tired Aurora was. "Alright, lets go to bed." Aurora shuffled under the covers, liking the feeling of being buried and fell into a peaceful sleep.