Chapter 16: Annabelle

Tears ran down Annabelle's face as she ran. She ran from the pain she felt, the pain she caused.

Telling Fenris they weren't mates was one of the hardest things she's ever done, but she had no choice. Annabelle wanted to be with Fenris, but her mother offered her something she couldn't turn down.

After the beating Friday, Poppy had sent Mary to the pack house to apologize to the alpha and luna, she had also told Mary to stay with Ray and start her future luna training. Mary not knowing about what had exactly happened the night before agreed and left before Annabelle had gotten up Saturday morning. Poppy had known that Mary would defend her little sister, and she couldn't have that. Not if she was going to do what she planned.

Annabelle had been starved the entire weekend and been forced to do chores. Her mother said that 'A weak girl like you will only be good enough as a housewife so might as well start now.' After that she had beat Annabelle some more, yelling derogatory names at her like fag, dyke, slut, etc. Annabelle had bruises all up and down her body, she could even make out clear shoe prints on her back. Luckily for Poppy and unfortunately for Annabelle, Annabelle was a fairly fast healer for an omega so by the time Monday came around all of the bruises were pretty much gone.

Annabelle had crawled to her room Saturday night and closed the door, leaning against it and crying till no more tears ran down her cheeks. She couldn't take it anymore, all the pain both physical and mental hurt too much. So standing up on wobbly legs she went to her bedside dresser, opened the door, and pulled out her old pocket knife.

Staring at it she slowly opened and looked at the sharp blade. [No one cares. My mom beats me while my dad watches. Mary has no idea, she's not even here to help stop it. No one cares, so what if I do just cut and make it all go away.] Bringing the knife to her wrist she had lightly run it across the vein there. Just when she was about to apply pressure Fenris' eyes flashed in her mind. The way Fenris had looked at her with so much love and the way she seemed to love to cuddle into Annabelle. All these moments flashed in her mind and made Annabelle feel guilty for having thought about killing herself.

She couldn't do it. Fenris loved her and Annabelle couldn't inflict this pain on her. She herself would rather be alive and eventually feel that happiness with Fenris on Earth instead of feeling it in the heavens with the Goddess.

So Annabelle was going to tell Fenris about everything that happened Friday and Saturday and had planned on doing so, but on Sunday afternoon Poppy cornered her. Annabelle thought she was going to be punched again, but was surprised with what happened. "Annabelle I want to apologize. Your father talked to me and I looked back on what I did and I feel utterly ashamed of myself. I want you to be taken care of and for you to have a normal life. You can't have that with that girl. Please Annabelle just stay away from her, she clearly isn't your mate." Poppy pleaded with her daughter.

"Mom I feel the bond with her."

"Annabelle please. If you do this we can be a happy family. Mary found her mate and you'll find your mate, your real mate, a male mate. All you have to do is tell her your not mates and we can all be happy together."

That's all Annabelle had ever wanted, for her entire family to be happy together, it was a dream come true. "Really? All I have to do is tell her were not mates and we can be happy?"

Poppy nodded and smiled at her daughter, "Really."

However that didn't mean saying those awful things and seeing the pain on Fenris' face was any easier. In truth it hurt more than she had imagined, and she already thought it would hurt like hell.

Still crying, Annabelle didn't want to go to classes so she decided to just run home and hope no one was there.

Going behind a nearby tree she quickly stripped down and shifted into her small brown wolf. Picking up her clothes in her mouth she ran home as fast as she could.

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What was an almost thirty minute car ride took Annabelle nearly two hours to run, but that's just how it is when you're an omega.

Sneaking around the back so no one would see her Annabelle shifted back into her human form and quickly put on her hoodie and jeans. Slowly she opened the sliding door that led to the kitchen and walked in, quietly closing it behind her.

"What are you doing here?"

Whipping around Annabelle saw her mother with a cup, sipping it slowly.

[Crap.]

"I said what are you doing here?"

"I-I, uh" Annabelle blanked on what to say. Even though she had done what her mother asked she was still terrified of her mother now, not knowing what Poppy would do to her next.

Poppy rolled her eyes and looked at Annabelle with annoyance. "Did you tell that mutt what I told you to say?"

The look on Fenris' face when she broke her heart came to mind and tears welled up in Annabelle's eyes as she nodded her head. "Yes, and like you said we can be a happy family now."

"Good." Poppy smiled as she walked away.

Annabelle watched her walk away, regret filling her heart"We can be happy now, right?" she asked, having to know that she gave up her heart for something real.

"I'll be happy once you find a suitable mate and are out of my hair." Poppy said over her shoulder.

"But you said we could be a happy family, together." Annabelle whispered.

Poppy stopped walking and looked back at Annabelle with a smirk. "I lied."

"Then why do this to me? You literally dangled the only thing I have ever wanted, only to take it back. You're supposed to love me and be happy for me when I find my mate."

Before Annabelle knew it Poppy was in front of her with her hand around Annabelle's throat.

"I told you that mutt isn't your mate, and love you, I don't even like you." Poppy snarled.

Annabelle's eyes widened. [She's my mother, how could she not like me. We've never been that close but she's my mother, she gave birth to me.]

Poppy laughed at Annabelle's surprised look and lightly squeezed her throat causing Annabelle to start gasping for air.

"That's right, I don't like you. You were always a weak child and then when we found out you're an omega I couldn't stand to look at you. If it wasn't for your father's constant pleading I would have given you to our old alpha to do with as he pleased. Instead I let the other kids try to get rid of you, in fact I even told them where you were hiding a few times. To my disappointment you always came back, beaten or crying, but always back. Now you come out as a homo and say your mate is female, that's where I draw the line. You will not be both an omega and a dyke. So you have a choice, your life, or your love." With that being said Poppy pushed Annabelle away from her and walked away.

The truth being revealed about Poppy's true feeling toward her youngest daughter left Annabelle numb. Mindlessly she walked to her room and closed the door. Laying on the bed she curled up around her big stuffed marshmallow husky and cried. She cried for the love she lost, for the love she never had, and for the love she wants.