Chapter 5
“You wanted her to suffer. That night, we let thirty rogues in rotation with her–made sure she’d be properly broken. Got double payback for Miss Celeste, just like you ordered.”
“But a wolf like her–used up and ruined–you’d best stay away. No need to taint your bloodline, right?
Dominic went completely still. The color drained from his face
as
he
stared at me.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I fought against his grip and bit his hand hard.
As he sat there shocked, I hobbled away on my broken legs. I júst kept running until my body couldn’t handle it anymore. Finally, I collapsed to my knees and broke down howling
I had escaped it all.
I ditched my phone with its pack tracking rune and barely rested before pushing on. By nightfall, I couldn’t go another step and passed out in the neutral forest territory.
When I woke up the next day, Dr. Miles Chandler was sitting beside the bed, carefully applying healing salve to my silver–burned feet. A bowl of warm rabbit stew waited nearby.
ja
I looked around nervously, pulling my feet back.
“You’re safe, Maeve. They won’t find you here,” Dr. Chandler said, his eyes full of sympathy and guilt.
He brought the stew closer and offered me a spoonful.
I didn’t eat. Instead, I asked in a trembling voice, “What do you want from me?”
“You must want something for bringing me here. What’s in it for you?”
Dr. Chandler looked confused. I continued, ““Sex? Videos? Photos? Or you want to hit me? What’s your price?”
Before I could finish, Dr. Chandler put down the stew and pulled me into his arms, his body shaking with emotion.
I tried desperately to pull away, but I was too weak to break free.
I gave up struggling. My hands went to my buttons. I mechanically began undressing in his arms, looking up with dead eyes to show him my scarred body.
“You can fuck me. Just please don’t tell them where I am. I can’t go back there. You can do whatever you want, As long as you wish. Just please, don’t send me back…”
I’d learned that obedience was the only bargaining chip I had during two months. Even if it didn’t work, it also hurt less.
But surprisingly, Dr. Chandler’s eyes filled with tears. They dripped onto my hands as he gently buttoned my clothes back up. He held me carefully, repeating over and over:
“Maeve, I’ll protect you. I’ll protect you. Don’t be afraid.”
I didn’t know how to react.
I barely remembered Dr. Chandler from before. Back when we were adolescent wolves, some pack bullies had forced him into icy territory waters. I’d jumped in and pulled him out.
Afraid he might die from the cold, I gave him CPR, then used my father pack’s influence to punish those responsible. Years later, he’d become the Blackthorn pack’s healer. We barely saw each other after that.
The only times we met were for routine pack examinations.
I numbly finished the stew and fell back asleep, exhausted. All I heard was Dr. Chandler’s gentle voice promising safety.
How long had it been since anyone had shown me kindness
Chapter 5
A5 A5TH
How long had it been since anyone had shown me kindness? No matter if this wasn’t real, I hoped it would last a little longer.
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