Chapter 005

I ran to my car, yelling at Jay to follow me at the first hit I felt on my face.

My mate was being touched.

Then another pain striked across my face.

By the time I got into the car, I was feeling strikes and strikes of painful kicks all over my body which had me clenching my fist in anger.

Someone was touching my mate - not just touching but beating her. Someone, some retarded bastard had the fucking nerves to lay their hands on her.

I gripped the armrest and yelled at Jay to drive faster. I was filled with rage - so much rage that I could fucking erupt.

As the pain kept coming, the need to spill blood kept on building.

I'm going to kill whoever it was that dared to raise a hand at her…that dared to cause her this much pain.

And I'd start by breaking their pathetic fingers one after the other.

Nobody, absolutely nobody touches my mate.

Jay drove me straight to a compound which I had discovered earlier was where Hayley lived. The car was barely packed before I dove out and rushed to the door.

I kicked the door open and froze at the sight that greeted me.

Hayley, on the floor hugging herself perhaps to shield herself from the kicks being delivered by a woman who was yelling on top of her voice and calling her all sorts of names.

/Whore!/

/Slut!/

The woman however stopped when she saw me and I smiled in satisfaction at the look of horror that spread across her face.

Good. She should be scared because this would be the last day she'd ever have the opportunity to hit Hayley, or anyone at all.

Hayley turned, and my heart broke at the look of relief that flashed in her eyes.

Relief that she has been saved. Her face was swollen. Her beautiful face and who knows how many times the woman had kicked her face.

I stepped into the room, trying to look as calm as possible even though the anger, the rage in me was building up like a volcano and would erupt any moment from now.

“Aa.. Alpha Sky,” she stammered stepping away from Hayley.

“How dare you, lay your filthy hands on my mate?!”

The woman's eyes widened and I saw the blood drain from her face as her gaze moved frantically between Hayley and I.

For a moment, I ignored her and shifted my attention to Hayley who was shivering and trying to sit up. She hadn't fully recovered from the poison and now this?

I bent down, taking off my coat to cover her with it, all the while calculating the numerous ways I'd make this woman pay for such a crime.

“You…your mate? That can't be!” The lady sputtered, but still kept her distance. I could smell her fear even from several feet away but she could wait. My concern was my mate.

My mate who had endured so much suffering in the space of twenty four hours right under my nose. What the fuck was I doing? I was supposed to be protecting her!

My chest tightened as I helped her sit up.

Never again.

Never again will something like this happen - ever!

“Are you okay?” I whispered and brushed some strands of hair away from her sweaty forehead.

She nodded, but she was nothing but okay. She opened her mouth to say something, but it was only a choking sound that came out and she bit her lip…as tears gushed out of her eyes.

My blood boiled.

“Take her into the car, Jay.”

Thankfully she didn't try to protest as Jay carried her out.

I turned to the woman - who was now visibly shaking.

“What have you done?”

She fell to her knees immediately, “Forgive me, Alpha Sky. Forgive me. She's ..she's my step daughter and I was just trying to discipline her.”

“That's what you call discipline?” My voice rose at the last words causing her to flinch, “ that's the only explanation you could give for treating my mate like some animal?”

“I …I…I…”

“Not that I want to listen to your explanation anyways. I'm going to make you a promise…I don't care who you are. I'm going to make you pay - for every drop of tears you caused her, for every single pain you gave her today - you will pay for it.” I took two steps closer to her, enjoying the way she staggered backwards, “you will never touch her again.”

I turned and marched to the car where Jay was already waiting for me.

༺༺♡♡༻༻

It has been six hours and I was still trying to keep my rage at bay. To hold it in…but kept failing.

How could I? When each time I open my eyes I see my mate, laying on the bed, looking so little and pale. How could I when I could clearly see the bruises on her face, her hand and goddess alone knows where else.

How long had she been suffering here? In the hands of these bastards?

How long had she been enduring such treatment?

I shuddered and gritted my teeth together in anger.

I was angry - beyond angry.

Mad at her stupid step mother for treating her like this.

Mad at the nurse who had switched her at birth - if only she had grown up in her rightful place as the Alpha's daughter, she wouldn't suffer so.

I was mostly mad at Luna for being so selfish. Did she know…that Hayley was her daughter? Did she know what her own flesh and blood was going through and did nothing about it?

Blood shed. That was what I could feel the most.

Blood shed. To shed their blood to keep my mate in this condition.

But this would be the end of it all.

Something like this would never ever happen again.

Not while I live.

Hayley stirred on the bed and slowly opened her eyes.

“You shouldn't be up right now. You need to rest more, to recuperate.” I said before she could say anything.

She looked like she was going to argue, but instead nodded and looked away.

“I'm sorry that…I'm sorry for the bother.” She murmured and I frowned.

“Bother? Damn it Hayley you do not have to apologise to me…not ever. I feel disgusted with myself that I had not been there sooner - I feel bad that I even allowed you to go back to that hell hole. If I had known…” I took a deep breath as she just kept staring at me with wide curious eyes. Eyes that had so much pain and sorrow in them that it tore at my heart.

“There's no need for regret. Once you are healed, you are going back to my pack with me.”

Hayley started shaking her head, “I can't…”

“At this point, I do not care what you have to say because I'm not giving you a choice. I'm taking you home with me, like it or not. I do not care if I have to drag you, or carry you but I will not be leaving you here…at all. Do you get me?”

She looked away, and said nothing. But her refusal was all over her face which really confused me. Why was she fighting this?

Any lady would jump at being my Luna. Why isn't just jumping at the first chance to run from this nightmare?

Why would she rather stay here, being bullied and mistreated instead of being my Luna?

“Hayley,” I leaned closer, and grabbed one of her frail hands, “You are my mate, my Luna. You belong by my side…where no one will ever have the power to mistreat or bully you again. Where you will be feared and respected. Where you can make even your enemies bow to you.”

When she said nothing, I continued, “It's my duty as your mate to protect you. You have to understand this…you have to understand that I'd rather die than allow another person touch you again in a way that would hurt you.”

She swallowed, and finally turned her gaze to me.

“Where's my stepmother?” She asked and I hesitated before answering.

“She's gone,” I murmured, dropping her hands, “She got what she deserves. No one touches my mate and lives. I killed her myself…after breaking her ten fingers one by one.”

The look she gave me was strange and I could not quite tell what she was thinking.

That was until she nodded and whispered, “Good. Thank you.”