Obey.

19 Hayley

"I'm not stupid," Cayden was saying. "You've been acting like a zombie ever since the day after Matt's disappearance. Don't make me ask again, what did your boyfriend do to him?" His words were like daggers to my heart.
A heart that was now pumping loudly as my eyes scanned the faces around us, afraid of who might pop up.
And the words your boyfriend. Hunter wasn't my boyfriend, he was my kidnapper, my jailer and my rapist. Boyfriend? No.
But Cayden had every right to be mad. Still the anger and threats coming from him. It sickened me.
"Or you'll what?" I challenged another being for the first time in ages, gaining a backbone for once. Only the one I was directing my anger towards wasn't who I should be using it on. Truly his words scared me, anyone could suddenly become a monster before my eyes, everyone capable of evil.
After all, I had thought Hunter was a saint before I really got to know his true nature
"Just tell me," his voice cracked as his false bravo slipped and his true fears shown in his eyes. "He was a good kid. Please, just tell me if it was quick." Cayden reached out to squeeze my hand but I snatched it back. "You can't tell me something didn't happen. I can see it when I look at you."
My face scrunched up. He didn't even know me like that. For all he knew this was me. My normal behavior. Or maybe the mask I had been wearing was finally slipping.
I started to shake as I sniffled loudly. "He's gone." I slammed my locker. "And if you don't start leaving me alone," a hardness came into my voice, "you'll be gone too."
I had to push him away. Or he'd end up dead as Matt surely was.
Before I could shoulder past him, he reached out and grabbed my upper arm as he stared down at my neck.
What? More hickies, suddenly I felt self conscious as he fingered at the heart tag on my collar, his eyebrows pulling together as he studied it. He saw everything I realized, having forgotten to be more aware of which way the heart was flipped, the drugs causing me to be reckless.
"Property of Hunter," he read aloud, causing my eyes to instantly close. When I opened them again, my vision was blurred from tears. I couldn't even summon a lie about it being some kink thing.
"Let me help you," he thumbed at my cheek and I realized the tears had spilled over. "Come stay with me, or at least meet me after school again, please."
Looking around wildly, I realized just how close we were and didn't want to be caught. "Fine, just please leave me alone otherwise?" And then I walked quickly away, flipping my collar tag over, so the offending words were once again invisible, pressing into my chest bone. I cursed it for revealing itself.
What was it going to take for him to leave me alone? Would I cause his death too?

It was Monday.
And Hunter's parents were back in town. Matt's disappearance was causing a stir in the wolf community and it warranted their return.
And I wasn't sure if them being in town would be a relief or make things worse. He had a rocky relationship with his parents but he respected them greatly, knowing without their approval and money, he would be nothing.
And they would be very busy.
Day and night.
Freedom. It felt so-
"I don't want you leaving," Hunter cut into my thoughts like a knife as he stalked towards me from where I sat on the edge of the bed, watching him get ready. He was fully dressed now, in a white collars shirt and jeans with a belt, his hair slicked back. He looked as handsome as the devil.
He was the devil.
His blue eyes looked dull as he stared down at me with a frown. I was very aware of his hands that hung by his side.
"I have to go to school," I tried to say lightly, not wanting the "duhh" to be heard in there. I twisted my hands in my lap nervously. It caused my baby blue dress to wrinkle slightly.
Hunter took in a deep breath as he checked his watch. "Fine, do what you want. But don't come around my parents looking like a slob. We are having dinner on Friday night," he was saying digging into his pocket, taking out the key that went to the lock to my collar. My heart sped up as I saw it. "Change into a wolf, get rid of all the bruises and scars," he pulled me up and turned me to face away from him with inhuman speed. Helping him out, and a little excited, I pulled my hair to one side so he could reach the lock.
When the thick gold chain was being pulled away, it almost felt like I could breath deeply for the first time, and I did taking in a shaky breath.
Turning me around, grabbed my wrist, pulling it towards him as he dropped the necklace into my hands. But not the key, I noticed.
Without saying another word, he pulled my chin up and dipped his head low, giving me a deep kiss that I felt numb towards, as I always did, wondering when it would end. His cologne filled my nose and it would be a pleasant smell if I didn't associate it with pain.
A knock sounded at the door, causing Hunter to pull back with a curse. "I'll see you Friday for dinner. Going to be too busy to be around until then. But I better not find anything out Hayley," he gave me a quick hard stare, before his eyes flickered nervously to the door.
"Okay, good luck." I said just to appease him so he could hurry up and leave. "I love you."
He grinned, pulling me into a hug, that felt suffocating, before kissing the top of my head gently. "When they are gone, me and you are going to take a trip to the beach, get away from everything for a while okay?"
I nodded as he gently kissed my cheek before pulling away. His kindness was unbearable. It was easy to forget just for a second that this once super charming, and still very handsome guy, was evil incarnate.
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding as he moved towards the door.
"Enjoy this week, Hayley, go shopping, see a movie. But don't do anything stupid. Keep to yourself," he added, before he was stepping outside the room, shutting it behind him.
Freedom. A whole week of freedom.
The moment I watched from the window as Hunter and his parents got into his father's Rolls Royce, I screamed in joy as I did a happy dance before I fell to the floor sobbing, throwing the stupid necklace as far as I could away from me.
Tearing down the stairs, I ran out the back and barely got undressed before I was shifting into my wolf, zooming through the woods in pure happiness.
All day I enjoyed being a wolf again, it had been so long since I felt the wind rushing through me like this; it felt like I was flying.
So it shouldn't have surprised me to notice I not only missed school, but I was late meeting Cayden.
Turning back human, I marveled at my pure skin. No bumps. No scabs. No bruises. No cuts. Nothing. Some part of me hated that.
Our scars remind us that the past was real.
And without mine, it was as if I had nothing to show for all the pain I went through. But then again, it was nice to see myself after so long of covering up. Of half healing.
It wasn't like I was reborn or anything, there still were light white scars from where he hurt me using silver. Shaking my head, I realized I was making myself even more late by staring down at my body like I've never seen it before.
Throwing on shorts and a tank top, comfy plain clothes, I threw on white sneakers before heading out the door.