Wolf Girl

Chapter 2-Ashton



Ashton's body screamed with pain as his hip connected with the hard wood floor. He could taste the blood in his mouth from when his father backhanded him, but suppressed the urge to spit it out on the floor. He had felt his collarbone break and bit down on the whimper that threatened to come out. He didn't want to give the bastard the satisfaction. He wasn't surprised at how fragile he felt. He wasn't exactly small, but when his father started beating the shit out of him, he felt like he was thirteen again and half the size he was now. He often tried to disassociate when his father was in one of these moods. He knew that if he showed weakness, he would get it twice as bad as punishment. He also didn't want his older brother Devon to see the bruises and start asking questions Ashton didn't want to answer. His brother had no idea how bad the beatings had gotten. If he had, he'd kill their father and would be exiled for murdering an Alpha.

"You've been starting trouble again at school, you little shit!" his father screamed. "How many times does that fucking Omega have to call me until you learn the lesson?!"

Ashton had a feeling that if Headmaster Kensington, or Uncle Ben as Ashton called him, had any idea what his calls home would result in, he would have kept his mouth shut. Uncle Ben probably did know, but his fear of the former Alpha kept him reporting. There might have also been some residual loyalty from their childhood friendship days. Another reason why the headmaster was always going to be an Omega.

"Your brother and sister never caused me this much trouble!" his father continued.

At the mention of his sister, Ashton stiffened. Devon wasn't the only sibling he wanted to keep in ignorance. For completely different reasons. If Devon knew how bad things really were at home, he'd go all ape-shit on their father. If his twin sister Rowan knew, she might accidentally put herself in their father's crosshairs and end up being the target of his wrath. Ashton couldn't risk that. He loved his sister too much to allow her to be at the receiving end of their father's bullshit. He was just happy she wasn't home either. He slowly got to his feet. Luckily as a werewolf, he healed quickly enough. Though the process was more painful than he was willing to deal with.

"I'm sorry, Dad," he muttered, bowing his head slightly. He hated being submissive, but if it meant protecting Rowan, he'd swallow his pride and tell his father what he wanted to hear. "Peter wasn't thinking as usual, and bit off more than he could chew against someone bigger than him. I was just trying to help out my Beta."

He didn't like throwing his best friend under the bus and making him look weaker than he actually was, but it was necessary in this case. Anyway, Peter was fully aware of how monstrous his father could be and would agree to any story if it meant keeping his best friend safe. It didn't always work, but Peter didn't need to know that. It seemed to work this time, however, because his father paused.

"So, you didn't start this?" his father asked, narrowing his eyes, as if he was trying to detect a lie.

"No, Sir," Ashton answered even though that was a bald-faced lie. Cameron Stiles had disrespected him once again and Ashton snapped. Another fucking Omega that needed to know his place. "I was just looking out for Peter."

"Hmm, well, the ability to protect those weaker than you makes a stronger Alpha," his father said thoughtfully. "As long as they don't become a liability. Once they become a liability, they're no longer needed."

"Peter's a strong wolf," Ashton said backtracking. "He just misjudged and acted without thinking."

"Fine." His father sighed. Ashton had to suppress an eye roll. It was as if he was disappointed he no longer had a good reason to beat his kid or threaten another seventeen year old. "Since you were just trying to be a good Alpha, misguided as it was, I'll let it slide. Sometimes I wish your brother could have just stopped being a pussy and taken the title. It would have saved us all this trouble."

With those words, Wilfred Philips walked away from his son and into his study. Ashton could already feel his minor fractures mending. He winced with every snap. The bruises might take a little longer, but if it meant protecting his brother and sister from the truth about who their father really was, he'd take the beating. Devon suspected, he wasn't stupid, but he couldn't be positive. And Rowan was completely oblivious, but Ashton preferred it that way. The less she knew, the better.

Ashton wasn't completely sure why he was the one who his father chose to take his temper tantrums out on. Maybe it was because Devon was twice his size and could put him down like the dog that he was if he chose to. Maybe it was because, as a girl, Rowan was considered to be less worthy of his attention and was spared. Ashton had no idea, but what he did know was that he needed to go for a run and clear his head. He'd noticed a moving van coming into town a few streets over. It was his job to investigate these new people and determine how much trouble they were going to cause him and his pack.