Agony fell short; she was shattered.
Charlotte, a werewolf, endured relentless abuse, leaving her utterly fractured. Austin, her supposed mate, subjected her to constant mistreatment and even infidelity.
In a daring escape, she fled, only to encount...
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I rushed back to my room, tears streaming down my face. This room was no longer familiar to me, as I had moved in to sleep with Leon. But from now on, this was where I would sleep.
Not long after, I heard Leon's footsteps approaching my room. I wiped my tears away, attempting to regain my composure. I had been crying for quite some time already. He entered and sat beside me, reaching out to me. When his hand brushed against mine, I flinched and withdrew.
I could tell he was hurt, but it was nothing compared to the pain I felt from his earlier words. "Why are you crying? What's wrong? I could feel it through the mate bond," he asked.
I cursed the mate bond for making everything so complicated. I didn't know if I should tell him. The fact that he was still trying to be nice made me sick.
"I don't want to talk to you. You know what you did," I mumbled, my voice trembling.
He tried once more to bring me closer, but I averted my gaze. "Charlotte, I have no idea what you're talking about. Just tell me what I did now! And stop with this ridiculous tantrum!" he shouted at me.
Tears threatened to spill from my eyes once more. He was scolding me for having a tantrum, and I couldn't help but shake with fear as more tears streamed down my cheeks.
Now he was here, upset at me, just like Austin used to be. I feared that he would become abusive too.
Sensing my distress, Leon walked to the door and closed it gently, giving me some much-needed space.
The entire night, I cried myself to sleep. Without Leon beside me, sleep came slowly. It was his scent and warmth that had allowed me to sleep peacefully over the past few days. Without him, I felt empty.
My mind drifted back to those dreadful days with Austin.
"You stupid bitch! You think you have control over me. I'm the alpha. You dare do anything against me. You see what you're gonna get," Austin's venomous voice echoed in my head. He had slapped me across the cheek, then whipped me on my back and stomach with a cruel smile, warning me to stay silent or face the consequences.
I bolted awake, drenched in sweat, my heart pounding. I hadn't had such a nightmare in a long time. I didn't know if I could go back to sleep, but after tossing and turning, I eventually drifted off.
The difference between Austin and Leon was stark. Leon had not abused me. We had spent a lot of time together in the past few days, and at some point, I believed he had truly cared for me. But Austin had been nothing but lies and deceit.
There was a knock on my door, and I panicked, not ready to face Leon yet. The door opened, revealing Lily. Finally, someone I could confide in.
"Hey, what's wrong? What did my brother do to you?" she asked with genuine concern.
I debated whether to tell her, but I desperately needed someone to talk to and seek advice from. "I overheard him talking to John about what was going on between you two. I thought he was going to find out what was wrong, but he told John that it was easy to please women. He said he only needed me as a Luna to make the pack strong. He also said he didn't actually love me yet," I confessed, a tear escaping down my cheek.
Lily embraced me, offering solace and understanding. "I'm going to find my brother and ask him why he said that. How dare he talk about you like that!" With determination in her eyes, she left my room.
Feeling alone, I ventured out of my room and descended the stairs. I spotted Leon at the table, eating his breakfast. I sat down across from him, and we both ate in tense silence.
The silence was disrupted when Lily approached Leon and declared, "I need to talk to you. Now." She grabbed him and led him outside, their voices muffled but their argument apparent.
I couldn't help but wonder how long this cold war would continue. I yearned to be back in his strong arms, to have him put me to sleep, and to spend time together. But his hurtful words lingered, and the pain they caused made it impossible for me to simply forget and move on.
