MILO

Ma says good night to me before closing the closet. I crawl closer to the door and peak through the cracks.

"Shit, what's that god awful smell?" The voice asks.

Ma had her back to Ken and she was making something. "It's the porridge. Milo didn't eat so, yeah. Sorry, I should've put it away. I wasn't thinking."

"Yeah well...thinking isn't your strong suit."

"You're right," Ma said. Ma always sounds like this when Ken is around. She sound sad? Why? "Ummm...We've run out of those vitamins. It'd be nice if your could get some more? Please?"

I hear Ken sigh, "You know, I try so hard for you and that bastard of a son of yours. I have given you guys a lot. I opened this pack up for you. It would be nice if you could say a fucking thank you once in a while." He growled. Oh! He said a bad word!

Ma was silent for a bit till she said, "You're right. I should be more thankful. Thank you Alpha Kendrick. You're very kind to me."

I accidently knocked my knocked my elbow on the side of the closet, making a noise.

"What was that?" Ken asked,

"Nothing."

I heard him stand up, "You keep him in the closet? I haven't seen him in a while. Why don't I-" I could hear his foot steps coming closer.

"Hey no! J-just...come to bed with me...please." She whispered. I hear the footsteps retreat. I hear him take his shoes off. That's good, Ma doesn't like shoes in our room. Then I hear the bed squeaking in a rhythm. Ma says Ken comes to play games with her so than she can win me my present. I close my eyes and slowly go to sleep.

SOLOMON

I heard the singing again. It was beautiful It relaxed me for some reason. I just laid in bed and listened. I've been doing this for a couple of days now. I would come to bed, I would lye down, and I would wait until I hear her sing. Then when she is finally finished, I can sleep.

MILO

I woke up during the night. I looked around this stinky cupboard. I lean against the back and sighed. I do this every friday. Ma said that if I don't stay in the cupboard all night...bad things can happen. And I don't want bad things to happen.

Whenever I am in the cupboard, Ken comes around to play with Mummy. I have never seen him before. I have seen his leg, his arm, his back and his hand. But never his face, mummy wouldn't let me.

I wonder what he looks like. Maybe he has orange hair? Or maybe purple? I like purple. Or maybe he was actually santa! Why else would he give presents to me right? Oh my gosh! It could be santa!

I felt tingles of excitement in my body. I really wanted to see what he looked like for one. It wouldn't hurt just to see a glimpse...right?

I slowly opened the cupboard. I see my mommy sleeping on the bed next to Ken. Her back is to him. But his hand came around her and was holding her boobie. I frowned, what kind of a game is that?

I stepped out of the closet and went to the side of the bed. I made sure not take make any noise! Like I'm a spy!

I look down at his face. I frowned, "You're not santa." I whispered to myself. I just stood there for a while, looking at him, till a splotch of colour caught my attention. On the bedside cabinet was a present. It was bright red with a gold ribbon. I want to touch it, but then Ken might take it away.

I looked back to Ken. I gasped when I saw his eyes open. He smiled at me, "Hey there," He whispered. I took a step back and I just stared at him. He chuckles. His eyes quickly glances at the present before looking back at me, "You want the present? Come a little closer." He reached his hand out to me.

Mommy rolled over a little and glanced my way. Her eyes widen in fright. She leaped on top of Ken and yelled, "No! Don't touch him!" Ken's eyes turned very angry. It made me feel scared. He pushed Ma off of him and dragged her under his body. He held her throat tightly and pushed her face into the bed. I screamed and was frightened. I went back into the closet, hoping to make things better, but it didn't.

"Don't you ever react like that again. Do you hear me bitch? Don't ever do that again? Do you want to keep your son? huh? Do you understand me?" He growled.

She whimpered. He shook her and yelled, "Do you understand me, you little bitch?"

She nodded her head quickly.

He leaned down and said, "Good." He then shoved her back into the bed and let her go. He put his pants on (He was wearing underwear).

He mumbled under head breath, "Fuckin bitch." As soon as he was gone, I sobbed into tears. I ran out and jumped in Ma's arms, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll never do it again! I promise! I'm sorry mommy!"

She held me tight to her chest. She stroked my hair, "Ssshhh, it's okay Milo. It wasn't your fault. It's okay. You're okay."

"I didn't mean for that to happen."

She nodded her head, "I know baba, I know. Are you okay?"

I slowly nodded my head.

"Okay, come on baba. Let's go back to bed."

AYLA

I laid down with Milo in our double bed. I tucked him into my chest. He was pretty much under the covers. He was scared, he wanted to hide from all of this. This world. This life. From Ken. I stroked his hair and rubbed his back while singing his song until he finally went to sleep. When I heard his breath even out. I quietly got out of bed. I climbed on top of the shelf to sit down and look out the window into the night sky. I let the tears stream down my face. As a mother, you have to be strong for your child. You can't show that you're scared so than they won't be scared. You act happy, so than they are happy. You act like this life is good and so they think it's good. A child totally relies on it's parents. But I am on my own. Milo totally depends on me for his safety. For his survival. But when your child is safe and asleep. That is when you're allowed to release every emotion.

I let my tears run down my face and neck. I felt tension build in my chest till it is released into a sob. I hold my hand over my mouth as I cry. I hate this life. It's been so hard. I cry for how my life turned out, I cry for how it could've turned out, I cry that my son doesn't have a normal childhood, I cry that I am constantly used like I am a piece of meat. And I finally cry for my mate.

I looked outside and imagine him running out of the woods, charging for the pack, ready to fight for me. I sob so hard into my hand. I need him so bad. I know I was mad at him for what he was like. He sent a letter to me, telling me how he has changed and how he wanted me. But I never responded. He kept writing to letters me. He wrote to me everyday for a year, but I never opened them. Becuase I was so mad at him. He was a horrible mate. I was constantly alone, when I was pregnant. I wanted his touch, his comfort, but he would come home drunk. He would complain about his life and how he could've had it better than this. Than me. I know that being a teenage father isn't ideal. But he could've at least tried. He didn't even try. He just went out, got drunk, came home and sleep. He wouldn't give any kind of attention. He would look at other girl. I always wondered how he could've done all of that when he had a mate. I mean the mate bond must have affected him some way right? I realized that it was because he was denying the bond. He wasn't letting it in because he hated what it has done to his life.

As soon as I thought I miscarried, I left. I couldn't take it anymore. So I left. I sobbed into my hand as I relive the memory. I left a note explaining everything.

But what really breaks my heart. What really makes it shatter was that I was going to go back to him. A month after I left...my belly was getting bigger, I assumed that I was gaining weight, but then how could I because I wasn't eating much? I went to a witch named Carrow. She was a gentle woman that I befriended. I asked her to do a test on me. She did. I was still pregnant. I asked how it was possible? She said werewolf pregnancies are extremely delicate. She said when I felt rejected by my mate, it stalled the pregnancy which made me think that I wasn't pregnant anymore. It was a defensive mechanism to try and encourage the male mate to show affection, but I left. And right when I got the letter about how he had changed, I felt the mate bond again. He had finally accepted it. And it was then the pregnancy progressed. When I found I was pregnant, I planned to go back to Solomon. I wanted to be with him again.

But while I was travelling back, a storm hit I had nowhere to go. I stumbled across a pack. Alpha Kendrick's pack. They took me in and let me stay. But because Alpha Kendrick took a liking to me. He wanted me to stay, but I didn't want to. I tried to leave, but he threatened my pup, my Milo. He would kill me so then it would kill my baby. For my child's safety, I stayed. I was made to be a maid and at night his 'personal' maid. He would force me to have sex with him. I tried to refuse so many time, but he had the one thing that I couldn't bear to lose. My son. He would always threaten my son if I didn't do what he wanted. And every time it worked because I couldn't bear the thought of my son being in his hands.

I gave birth in the attic by myself. No one was allowed to help me. Once I gave birth to Milo...I guess I just lived my life here. Ever since he was born, all he knew was this room. He doesn't know anything about the outer world except the playground outside.

I buried my head into my hands when I realized how long it's been. I have been here for so long. I have suffered for so long. I tried to escape so many times. But every time I have been found. Five years. It's been five years. That is half a decade. I try to think of the future. Surely there is a light at the end of the tunnel. But I couldn't find anything. I look down at my little Milo. I may not get out of here for the rest of my life, but I am going to make sure that my son leaves this place. It breaks my heart to think that he might live his life without me, but it's better than here. I will figure out a way to send him to Solomon with a note. Maybe he could come here and try to save me.

I climb down the shelf and lye on the bed. I pull Milo towards  me and sighed. It's a nice thought.