Betrayal And Redemption (Wolves of Hollow Ridge Book 1)

Chapter 20. The Mating!

Sophie walked into Zack's bedroom, her spine stiff with tension. As the door closed quietly behind her she flinched and the stiffness in her shoulders increased. She could feel the panic trying to rise up within her and struggled to keep it at bay.

Footsteps, muffled by the plush carpet, came closer and her breathing began to labour. She closed her eyes, willing calmness, but without much success. As Zack moved closer to her she began to feel the heat against her back from his body.

She almost jumped out of her skin when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's OK to be worried Sophie. I understand you are afraid. On my honour, I will do everything I can to make this as good for you as I can. If you need me to stop or don't like something I do tell me and I will stop."

Sophie let out a shuddering breath, unable to say anything past the fear clogging her throat.

Zack took her silence as permission to continue and his hands moved around her back to span across her stomach. His hand moved lower and worked its way under the bottom of her sweater and rubbed gently back and forth. He moved closer and she could feel the entire length of his body pressed against her back, his breath ticking the back of her neck.

His other hand quickly joined the first, gently and soothingly stroking the tension from her abdomen. Her eyes drifted closed and amazingly some of the tension began to slowly seep from her limbs.

Sophie had no idea how long they stood in complete silence, with only the sound of their breathing disturbing the stillness that surrounded them. Zack's gentle breaths ruffled the sensitive skin at the back of her neck and a shiver ran up her spine when she felt his lips graze the sensitive skin there. 

She started abruptly when she felt Zack's hand slowly begin to inch it's way up the smooth plain of her stomach, it's journey only ending when it touched the underside of her breast.  He paused with the tips of his fingers resting against the smooth cotton of her bra, waiting, almost asking for permission to go further, and when she uttered no protest his hand slid over the swell and cupped her gently.

Her breath stuttered in her chest and her heart kicked into high gear pounding in her chest, the familiar feeling of blooming panic rushed through her. Her hand shot up to grip Zack's and she pulled it away from her body sharply.

Zack tightened his grip on her with his arm still wrapped around her waist. "Sshhh." he mumbled in her ear. "It's ok Sophie you're safe. I won't hurt you." But his words only increased her panic. Memories began flooding her mind, but forefront to them all was the memory of the first time her torturer had raped her. He had help her down and whispered cruelly "it's ok girly it won't hurt if you just relax!" But oh Goddess how it hurt. Worse than anything she could have ever imagined. The panic rushing through her increased exponentially with the memories of her abuse piling in one after another.

"No!" She said sharply. "I can't do this! I can't, I just can't. I'm sorry Zack."

She wrenched herself from his arms and almost ran across the room to put some much needed distance between them, her shoulders curled in on themselves, defeat clear in every line of her body.

"Just give me a minute please! I just need a minute." She gasped out.

She desperately tried to pull herself together. Frantically trying to push the memories flooding her back into the box she usually managed to keep them locked up in.

She could feel Zack's eyes burning into her back and couldn't help but be appreciative of the fact that he stood silently waiting for her to pull herself together.

After what seemed like forever, her breathing slowed and her heartbeat returned to a manageable level and she slowly straightened her back and firmed her shoulders. She turned to look at Zack, dreading seeing the look of.... what would it be? Pity. Anger? Disgust? Did it really matter? Probably some combination of all three, and more she was sure.