The Lost McCall

Opening up

TW: Description of sexual assault.

---

After leaving Malia's house, Daisy takes the long way home, lost in hundreds of thoughts. She knows Malia is right, it's easy to see that the situation with Isaac will only get worse if they don't talk. The thing is, opening up about it also means to relieve the worst thing that's ever happened to her.

Forcing herself to take deep breaths, she texts Isaac to meet her in the clearing. By the time Daisy gets there, he already found a place to sit, leaning up against an oak.

- Hi. - He doesn't have to look back, the wolf senses combined with the sire bond make it so that he knows whenever she's in a 10ft radius.

Daisy sits next to him, heart beating painfully fast. Isaac knows that she's nervous but he has no idea why. The boy spent most of the past 10 minutes trying not to freak out with the thought she was going to end things with him. Well, it's technically not a break up since they were never fully together.

- I wanna tell you something. - Her gaze remains on the grass in front of them. - But it's kind of a hard topic to talk about so I just... I need a minute.

- We have nothing but time. - He nods, feeling a wave of relief wash over him.

This isn't about us. She's not dumping me.

- Have I ever told you about these? - She pulls down the collar of her shirt, revealing a pale cleavage with two cuts mirroring each other. They're fully healed and look old.

- No, you didn't.

Of course Isaac noticed those before, she doesn't exactly go out of her way to hide them, but he never realized how perfectly lined up they are. Both scars have the exact same size and inclination, thought in opposite directions.

- The doctors had this chair, it was like an evil version of the ones used by dentists. - Memories flash in her mind, a flower nearby dropping dead from the negative magic. - Whatever it had in it, I would obey anything they said for a while after. It had the same effect on Theo. Actually, I think it was worse for him but I'm not sure why.

- And these scars are from the chair? - Isaac looks over at her and for the first time tonight she looks at him.

- Yes.

- Ok.

It's hard to find the right tone or proper words for this type of situation. On one hand he doesn't want to sound intimidated or scared, but he also doesn't wanna come out insensitive or like he doesn't care.

- The first time they used it on me I had a mission. - Daisy looks down and a pungent scent fills the air. Shame. - To find a heretic called Diego Velasquez and steal a potion from his arsenal.

Isaac recognizes the name right away.

- But the idiots forgot to mention that my mind control wouldn't work on him.

- Because he's a warlock. - Isaac nods. - And you can't read them.

- I can read them. What I can't do is control them. - She pauses for a second, playing with the zipper of her jacket. - You are the only person I can't read. That's why I was so scared when we first met. Diego was the only living warlock I met before you and ... that turned out bad.

- What happened?

- He realized what I was there to do. And that I didn't wanna kill him for it. - Her voice cracks. - So he decided to take advantage of it.

- What do you mean?

- Well, he approached me and said he knew why I was there. And offered me a deal: he'd let me take the potion as long as I didn't kill him. - Daisy's eyes shut as another smell fills the space between them: fear. - I was naive enough to believe him. So he took me to the back of his store...to give me the potion.

Isaac slowly takes one of her hands in his, interlocking their fingers in a supportive gesture. She uses the free hand to wipe her face, many tears rolling down her cheeks.

- By the time I realized what he was gonna do it was too late so I just...stared at the ceiling and waited for him to finish. - Her entire body is shaking. - Then he gave me the potion and asked me to come by again if necessary. And that he'd love to make deals with me again.

- Son of a bitch. - Isaac mutters under his breath, holding her hand even tighter.

- There were runes drawn on the walls so I couldn't use any magic. If a warlock casts runes, then he's the only one who can practice magic in the room. - The smell of shame returns, somehow stronger than before. - But he didn't expect me to use a baseball bat that was hanging on the wall.

Isaac doesn't say anything, frankly what could he say? This is not only the story of the day she was raped, but also of the first time she killed. The only thing he can't understand is the shame, the guy totally deserved whatever death he got.

- I honestly lost count of how many times I hit him. - Daisy takes a deep breath, once again unable to look him in the eye. - But by the time I was done he was dead. So I took the potion and went back to where the doctors kept us. They never asked why I was covered in blood. I never told them or anyone else.

- I'm so sorry. - Isaac manages to say.

- I'm not telling you this because I want you to feel sorry for me or guilty of anything. - Daisy lifts her head from his shoulder. - It's because I wanted you to understand what happened last night. And that it had nothing to do with you.

- Well, not gonna lie, I was scared for a moment. - He kisses the top of her head. - We don't have to do anything until you are ready. And if that never happens, it's ok too.

- I wanna do it, I just...

- Need a minute? - He looks at her, a small smile on his lips. - I can wait.

- Really?

- Of course. - Isaac nods confidently. - I've waited for you my entire life. It's gonna take a lot more than that to make me give up.

Butterflies fill her stomach, and before she can stop herself, the words slip out.

- I love you.

Isaac studies her for just a second, his heart releasing fireworks. He cups her face and kisses her forehead.

- I love you, Daisy.