Chapter 2: "Take the car."

"Maya RUN!"

 

 Maya screams and goes bolting off the way she came but Hunter follows her, stumbling on his feet but still going after my daughter.

 

No.

 

I'd rather be dead before I allow him to lay his hands on her.

 

I scramble off the floor and run as fast as I can to intercept him. He's still drunk so his steps are slow but he's almost at the door to her room. I beat him to it and slam it shut.

 

"Hunter, leave Maya out of this! She's never done anything to you, it's me you want to hurt."

 

My husband grabs me by the neck before I can even realize it and hauls me up, choking me as he does so.

 

"You'll get your turn, stupid cunt. You think I don't see the way you dote on her, your precious daughter, while I'm made a mockery of by everyone around me. I'll kill her today, and then fuck your brains out, maybe the death of one child will get your body to bring out another, and if you still refuse, I'll kill you too."

 

Hunter throws me with the strength of an Alpha and I crash against the wall, my body screaming out in pain as something pops out of place. Horror blinds my vision as he opens the door to Maya's room and steps in and immediately, all I can hear is the sound of Maya screaming.

 

"Mummy!"

 

"Mummy help me!"

 

"Mummy help me!"

 

She screams again and this time she's crying heavily. I hear something crash and Hunter's grunt is mixed into the fray of all that sound. Maya screams again and as she screams, cold rage fills my bones.

 

I pick myself up despite the pain in my ribs and I walk into the room. Hunter has our daughter by the hem of her dress and even though he's swaying on his feet I can tell he's going to do it. He's going to kill her.

 

I grab the lamp on the drawer by the door and advance bravely. He catches my movement and his eyes narrow at me. Menacingly.

 

"You wouldn't dare."

 

I burst into a run and slam the lamp right down on his head.

 

Hunter goes down cold and Maya runs to me, sobbing and hiding her face in the folds of my yellow dress. I'm heaving and looking at my husband on the floor but my daughter's sobbing is what catches my attention the most. I kneel to wrap her in my arms and let her cry into my hair.

 

We need to get out of here.

 

Looking at Hunter's form on the floor reminds me we don't have much time. He'll never allow us leave when he wakes up and he's only going to continue from where he stopped. I can't allow that to happen.

 

"Mummy?"

 

Maya sniffles and I turn to her, wiping her tears off her cheek and trying not to cry myself.

 

"Yes, darling."

 

"I'm scared."

 

I nod at that and hug my daughter once more, she starts crying again and her tears hurt me more than any pain I've ever felt. She isn't meant to go through this. It isn't her fault she was born a girl.

 

"I need you to be strong Maya, okay? We'll leave this place tonight and go somewhere else."

 

She nods and sniffles again, wiping at her tears.

 

"Okay."

 

I get up the minute she says that and take my daughter out of the room. The key is still in my pocket and I lock the door when we go out. Breaking it down won't take him two minutes but it will give us some warning.

 

There's a first aid box in the kitchen and I bring it down, taking care of a bruise Maya has on her leg and applying some lotion around her neck.

 

Hunter wanted to strangle his daughter.

 

It makes me work faster and soon I've tended to both of our injuries. It's well past eleven on the clock when we slip out of the house with nothing but the clothes on our backs and Maya is trembling as she holds my hand. I look down at her and smile.

 

"We'll be okay, my love."

 

She nods and I lead her to the back of the house. No one should be wandering around the pack by this time except for some of the warriors going on patrol. Their patrol routine is one I have observed and we pass the first batch of them easily enough.

 

When we get to the next stop we pass by more carefully. Maya is as silent as I am and I can see the pack entrance. I can see our escape when a hand grabs me and pulls me into the woods around us. Panic flares and I want to shout but there's a hand over my mouth.

 

"Shhhhhh, it's me, Aria."

 

Aria lets go of me and when I turn she's standing there, her dark hair identical to her brother's, and the fact that she's Hunter's younger sister sends a chill down my spine. She directs a leveled stare at me.

 

"What are you both doing outside by this time of the night?"

 

A lie pops into my head and I make the mistake of blurting it out.

 

"Maya couldn't sleep, so I'm taking her for a walk."

 

My chest is tight with emotion and I watch as Aria Tyson cocks an unbelieving eyebrow up at me before her look softens. She moves closer and touches the new cut on my cheek.

 

"He's hurt you again hasn't he?"

 

Maya sobs lightly against my skirt and tears slide down my face. I sniffle and wipe them off.

 

"It's nothing serious. It's the same way he's always been. We'll go back now."

 

Aria grabs my arm and stops me, her eyes darting around.

 

"The entrance is guarded by Hunter's head warrior. He's very watchful and he's much more on guard than the others."

 

She drops something into my hand and I see it's a car key.

 

"Take my car. The windows are tinted so they won't see you, but they won't stop you either. I'm famous for late-night outings."

 

The sob that escapes my body is sudden and I hug her

 

"Thank you, Aria. Thank you."

 

She hugs me back and pulls away before kneeling to hug Maya.

 

"Be a good girl, okay?"

 

Maya nods and Aria stands up to look at me.

 

"You should have run the minute he started hitting you, but there's no time like the present so go. The car is parked just behind that house you passed."

 

I nod and carry Maya, taking off with her and being careful not to make any noise.

 

We don't encounter any warriors on patrol as we go to the car, and by the time we're inside, I can see Maya yawning. I place her in the back and start the car, hoping in my heart that this isn't some cruel joke Aria Tyson is playing on me for the sake of her brother.

 

My heart hammers in my chest as we get to the pack gates and as I drive the car past, I don't see anyone coming out to stop me. I keep a steady pace for a few more minutes until I turn a bend.

 

The car jolts forward as I hit the accelerator and wind down the windows.

 

The night air makes me laugh through my tears and the free roads make me cry even more.

 

I look at the back seat to see my daughter sleeping and emotion swells in my heart. I should have done this a long time ago.

 

But as I've heard there's no time like the present.

 

And I can smell it now, the smell of freedom.