Asa is running, running from her captor and everything she's known for the past two years. With her daughter in her arms and a handful of secrets, she crosses the Northern border into safety. Stay hidden. Stay Safe. That's the name of the game. But...
Please be advised that this chapter contains mature content including but not limited to sexual assault, rape, and strong language. [Please skip the italics if any of these topics are triggering or make you uncomfortable.]
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Asa could feel his hot breath on the back of her neck. Goosebumps broke out up and down her arms, sending an uncomfortable chill down her spine. After all this time, she could not hide her reaction, her disgust in him.
Shivering, she turned away from him to stare at the old, hardwood floor beneath their bare feet. It was cold against her skin but smooth and consistent. She concentrated hard, branding the image in her mind. Over and over again, her eyes examined very niche, every discoloration, every imperfection as though it were her job. Asa was grasping at anything to distract her mind from the empty bassinet beside the bed.
Malachi's teeth grazed her neck, breaking her concentration. She could smell the sweat coming off of his skin and the stench of cigarette smoke that lingered in his presence.
His hands found her waist, spinning her around to face him. With a wicked grin, he pulled her roughly against him. "Don't forget who you belong to."
Asa felt bile rise up in her throat as she felt his hands roam to her most intimate areas. He was always staking his claim, using his power to degrade her. She wanted to cry out, to scream, to make him stop, but she couldn't. Her bruised body had known his anger before.
Malachi pushed her against the bed hard enough to make Asa cry out. She was already bruised and sore. Her body already screaming in protest. "Please, don't." She whimpered. Not again.
But her fear only excited him more. "This time you will give me a son."
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The open window by Asa's bed carried that same stench. The smell of cigarette smoke lingered in the air around her and brought her to a time she did not want to remember. As she inhaled, her body was overcome by uncontrollable panic. Her chest felt tight. Her heart was beating hard and she could no longer control the rhythm of her breathing.
Asa reached for the closest bedpost for support. She wrapped her arms around the solid wood and squeezed tight as if it were her lifeline. Her mind was sent reeling to a time only a few weeks before she'd escaped. Every detail was so clear in her head. The way he'd used her as if she were only a little bitch to be mounted; the way he'd punished her when their first child was born a girl, the way he'd enjoyed even smallest evidence of the pain he'd inflicted.
Asa sank to the warm floor, holding her knees tight to her chest. She felt as though her heart would shatter with any movement at all. The panic was effecting every sense within her. Her throat tightened, tears falling freely from her eyes as strong sobs ripped through her body.
Vaguely, she could hear Luna crying, but she seemed so far away. She kept seeing Malachi's face, the wicked grin that always followed a threat. "Don't ever think you will outrun me. There is nowhere you can go that I won't follow. Do you hear me, bitch?"
The sound of the door slamming against the wall wasn't enough to shake Asa from her stupor. She sat on the floor beside the bed, unable to control the physical reaction overcoming her.
WHAM. Another loud slam and the stench of cigarette smoke seemed to disappear. It was replaced by the smell of the forest after a long run, the scent of the fresh Earth beneath her feet...
Our mate is here, Her wolf growled. Open your eyes!
Before Asa could open her eyes, she felt him. His large, calloused hands found her face, wiping away the tears. He filled all of her voids, overcame all of her senses until all she could feel was his presence.
Open your eyes, Asa. Look at me. His voice was dominant in her mind. She could feel their connection. Stronger than any mind link she'd felt before. It felt like a window into his head. She saw flashes of memories, smiling faces, and thoughts that weren't her own.
A new wave of panic hit her and she concentrated on him. He was trying to use their connection to search, to absorb information. Anger overcame her other senses. She slammed their link closed as if she were slamming a door. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes.
The Alpha was kneeling beside her, a vulnerable look upon his handsome face. His hair was unruly, matted with dirt and sweat. It gave him a wild look that set Asa's mind at ease in a strange way. His brown eyes found hers easily, revealing the sadness within him. His gaze was trained on her for only a moment before he looked down at the little bundle in his arms. Luna was no longer crying. She was looking up at him in wonder and began babbling a mile a minute.
"Hello, sweet girl." He whispered softly as he adjusted Luna's position in his arms. He moved her as though he'd done it a million times before. "It's nice to finally meet you, Miss Luna."
Asa felt so ashamed of herself, embarrassed. Was this how a mother behaved in front of her children? What kind of mother am I? Feeling overcome with helplessness, Asa hastily stood and brushed the tears from her cheeks with the sleeve of her shirt. Before she could speak, a soft voice behind her caught her attention.
"Alpha? Asa?" Ella's kind eyes found Asa. As soon as she saw the look on Asa's face, the sorrow in her expression, she could not contain herself. She pulled Asa into a warm, motherly embrace.
Asa didn't know what to do. For a moment, she stood there frozen in time. Slowly as the seconds passed, she began to relax in Ella's arms. Her chest felt so tight, so ready to explode from every emotion. Ella felt safe and strong, a possible true friend in her whirlwind of a life.
"Ella," Zane interrupted. "I need you to watch over Luna for a few hours."
Asa pulled away and shook her head immediately, but before she could respond, the Alpha was speaking again. "Ella will stay here with her in your room. She will be perfectly safe. You and I have a lot to discuss."
"Alpha," She whispered reaching for Luna, pleading with her eyes.
"Zane," he corrected, eyes piercing hers.
"I will take good care of her, Asa, just as I cared for you." Ella's hand found Asa's and squeezed. Something in the gesture eased her fears. She remembered Ella asleep beside her hospital bed, determined to stay and make sure she was okay. She could be trusted.
Sighing deeply, aware of Zane's eyes on her, Asa bent over and kissed Luna's forehead. "Mama will be back, baby girl. I'm sorry..."
