Captivated By Her Innocence - Book 2 - Finding Their Mates Series

Chapter 14

The following day, after Selina and Austin had dropped Chloe off at the nursery.

Austin had gone with Cole to attend to a pack meeting.

This left Selina free to run personal errands.

Deciding to do a bit of cleaning, she went home and did just that.

Spending most of the morning cleaning the house and doing laundry, it was almost lunch time and she knew that she should hurry up, because she had told Austin she would meet up with him for lunch.

She decided to take a shower to freshen up before leaving.

As she took her clothes off, in the bathroom, she looked in the mirror at her naked body.

From the front, she looked like any young woman.

However, it was her back that she hated the most, with all the crisscross marks of her beatings, marks that would never go away, a constant reminder of what she had endured...

"What the hell did they do to you...?" Austin growled out.

He had decided to surprise his mate and meet her at the house, spend a bit more quality time with her.

As he had entered the cottage, he used his senses to locate his mate, at first he could only stare at her naked reflection in the mirror.

His mind filled with lust at her beauty, but as his gaze wandered to her back, fury rose in him, as he saw her back littered with scars, some older than others.

Selina gasped in shock, turning around quickly, trying to cover herself, "What are you doing here...?" Avoiding his question, staring past him.

Austin moved forward, grabbing her arms in a firm grip, he pushed her against him, first looking down at her and then gazing past her, her back facing the mirror, still seeing the scars, "I said..." He gritted out, "What did they do to you...?" He repeated, trying to remain calm.

Lowering her head in shame and defeat, "Ryker's way of making us submit..." She whispered out.

"Whipping, cutting, slashing...You name it, he did it, barely giving us time to heal and using either small quantities of wolfs bane or silver, on his weapon of choice, to make us suffer...too hear our screams for mercy." Tears dripping silently on to the floor.

Austin closed his eyes, the image of her back forever ingrained in his mind. Taking a deep breath of his mate's scent to calm himself, he gazed down at the down bent head of his mate.

Cupping her face gently, he lifted her face, locking eyes with hers, seeing the sadness and fears, "Why...why did he do this?" He asked, "And don't get me wrong...why only your back?"

She let out a bitter laugh, "Having us hanging, tied to a chain was easier to torture and it was easier to cover up the back than the front." She informed him, "That way...they could keep us in line and nobody from the outside would know the true sadistic nature of our leaders."

"Why didn't his uncle stop him?" He asked.

Shaking her head, "The same uncle who killed our Alpha and Luna, the one who kidnapped innocent girls, beat them into submission and then sold them to the highest bidder...that uncle?" She asked bitterly, "He probably would have encouraged it or perhaps he knew and didn't care."

"I'm so sorry..." He growled lowly, pressing his forehead to hers, gazing into her eyes, wishing that he could wipe away all that she had suffered, at the hands of ruthless bastards.

"Again...why should you be sorry? You didn't cause this." She asked, "I actually thought you would be disgusted with me...seeing my weakness, the scars, that I'm not as strong as you want me to be." She said, shrugging her shoulders.

Giving her a light kiss on her lips, "You are not weak...having you stand here, still able to smile and give out love and care, after what you have been through." Whispering against her lips as he continued, "No...You are stronger than I will ever be."

Turning her around in his arms, they both faced the mirror, Selina blushed, only remembering then that she was naked.

Seeing that she was about to cover up, Austin pressed his front to her back. With one hand, he moved her hair aside, while the other hand lightly gripped her waist.

Bending his head, he kissed down her neck, down to her shoulder, making his way to her back, kissing every scar he could reach, his hands moving lovingly against her skin.

"You are still beautiful to me..." He murmured huskily against her skin.

Selina shivered, feeling his hot breath against her skin. Pressing her body closer to his, looking at their reflection, "Then make me completely yours..." She whispered out, gazing lovingly at his handsome face.

Austin drew in a sharp breath, "Are you sure..." Watching her intently for any signs of doubt.

At her nod, he scooped her up and carried her to their room...