7. Unbearable assaults 

Warning: Contains triggering scenes ahead. 

7. Unbearable assaults 

Katherine's POV 

"Eat this, Kathrine." Asher said in a stern tone as I turned my head away. 

I was back in my room after spending four days in the hospital. The doctors suggested keeping me in for a few more days. My father, nevertheless, demanded them to discharge me because there was a lot left to learn and just a month left before my twenty-first birthday. 

"Come on, sweetheart," Asher carried the spoon of porridge against my lips. "Stop being so tough. You know you're weak and helpless. You have no one other than me who cares for you." 

I rolled my eyes and twisted my lips. Care for me. Bull shit.

He attempted to set the strands of my wild hair away from my face when I slapped his hand away. 

"I told you to fuck off, didn't I?" I tried to keep anger out of my tone. 

I wouldn't do it usually in front of Asher. But the asshole has gotten permission from my father to discipline me if I misbehaved with him. 

Yeah, he was not affected or felt even an ounce of pity when he was told what Asher did to me in hospital. My father was rather happy and decided to give Asher special powers over me. He believed it was only my mate who could make me submit and become a fine product that can be shipped to Israel Babbiani on the deal-day. 

He lifted a hand to caress my cheek. I quickly flinched away and sought to crawl out of his reach. Asher forcefully held my aching thigh and pulled me closer. He pressed his face against my left cheek as he sniffed me and growled. 

"I hate hurting you, Kat. But you are wild. You are disobedient and disobedient kids need whooping to conduct themselves properly." He squeezed my jaw, tearing a moan out of me. 

I knew the consequences yet I clawed his wrist and punched his jaw. He fell off my bed on his back flat, his teeth turning into canines. Asher got up on his elbow and gave me a seething glare. It made my spine melt and I shrunk back into the pillow.

"You won't change, will you?" Asher, my loathsome lower mate stood up with a swift move and didn't hesitate to close his fingers around my neck even though it was bruised from his last beating. "You're like a nasty stray dog that will bite no matter how much you train him to be on his best behavior as a pet dog." 

I was embraced by a cloud of darkness, my head spinning. I was a second from slipping into oblivion when his fingers unwrapped from my neck. A loud boom made my eyes startle open. 

"You're not permitted to kill her, bastard. Don't you dare do that to her again." Hugo kicked him in the gut while Claud rushed towards me. 

"Are you okay?" My eyes answered his query as they melted into tears and trickled from my eyes. 

Throwing myself into his arms, I sobbed on top of my voice, "Pl-please help me e-escape this hell."

I don't remember how long I remained hiding in his chest and cried. There was only a faint sting on my left arm and the next moment my eyes were heavy, and my senses dissolved like ink in water. 

When I woke up again, the pain in my body was gone. No scars either. I left the bed to assess myself in the mirror and found I was back to being flawless and gorgeous Kathrine. I checked under my breasts at my ribs too, the blue tint has vanished from sight. 

My body smelled of perfume and my old clothes were replaced with new and clean ones. It didn't take long to recognise I was injected with healing potion and left unconscious for days to get rid of all the wounds and cuts on my skin. 

It wasn't new though. I've gone through this process many times in my twenty years of life. In fact, my first time taking a healing potion was at the age of seven when my  father beat me for sneaking into his room without permission. 

Heaving a sigh, I went back to bed for my legs trembled. I might have restored my health but I was weak. My stomach churned and I pressed a hand to tame the sound. I haven't had food properly after my return from hospital. Then a few days of unconsciousness during the healing process. It's a miracle I don't look as starved as I am. 

The door on my right creaked and set ajar. Beverly walked in with a smile. She looked as usual pale and assaulted. 

"I can't tell you how relieved I am to see you awake." She bit back a cry while sitting on the edge of the bed. "I-i missed you." 

"Bev?" Tears surfaced in her eyes, yet she maintained that cute smile as if she was okay. "What's wrong? Did my brother do something wrong?" 

"When he doesn't do anything wrong!" She chuckled, tears falling past her lashes and down her chin in her lap. 

I took her in a hug and rubbed her back. She was shivering badly, her body burning like it was really put on fire. 

"Shit, you are burning! You should be in bed, Beverly. Let's take you bac—" 

"No, please no. Let me stay here with you. I'll be fine here with you." I let her crawl in bed beside me and put the blanket over her. 

"Stay here." Since she won't go to her room, I filled a bowl with water and dipped a handkerchief in it. 

Making her lie nicely on the bed, I put the handkerchief of cold water on her forehead. She was trembling harder now. I can see she was going to battle with herself. I wanted to ask what was bothering her when she sobbed loudly and said, "Will we ever escape this hell, Kat?" 

Her tone was laced with torment, and it made me think twice to find an answer. I've always failed in my attempts to get away from here. 

But still, "We sure will, Bev."

"I hope i-it's soon b-because I can't take it anymore." She sobbed. "My mom is not helping me either. S-she wants me to be quiet and play by Aaren's rules."

"Persist, Beverly. Persist. I'll find a way out. I promise I'll get us both out of this hell." 

"Us?" Beverly held my hand. She sat straight on the bed as if I said something horrible to her. "Not just us two, Kat. But the three of us." 

My eyebrows drew in together as I searched her face. She was vulnerable. Her expressions are totally grave and her breaths erratic.

"Did Theo pick a girl for himself too?" 

"No," Her reply was barely a whisper. "I am pregnant." 

I froze, feeling a chill of terror take my spine. Words went on a strike as I struggled to say something. My mouth, however, parted and closed again like a gold fish does and no words came out. 

"I am pregnant with Aaren's baby. It's been a month and all the sickness and nausea I've been feeling these days wasn't from lack of sleep. It was because of the baby I have in my womb." She gritted her teeth to keep from sobbing. "But not for long because he's taking me to hospital for an abortion tonight." 

"Abortion?" I reiterated, not sure if I heard it right.

Beverly nodded, "He said he doesn't want a bastard from a whore he's temporarily using."

"Such an asshole." I didn't expect anything better than this from my brothers.

But abortion! The thought alone makes my blood boil. More than that, what sets my heart ablaze are his words. How dare he call Beverly a whore? She was fucking forced by him and lost her virginity to him. He has been her first and pretty much controlled her life since she caught his eyes at the age of sixteen.

I had seen my own ups and downs but if we are to compare, Beverly had it rougher than I did. At least, I haven't been sexually assaulted. She's been tied to bed and left naked for days. Many times I helped her get out of bed and tended to the full teeth bites on her chest and thighs.

She cried and covered her face, "I am going to commit suicide."

"Have you lost your mind?" I shook her by the shoulders. 

"That's the only way I could find peace now, Kat. That's the only option I have."

Enraged by her cowardice, I grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled them, "Don't you dare think about it, Beverly? You will never do such a thing."

She continued to cry as she mumbled about committing suicide. Seeing her like this made my perseverance waver.

I don't have many to support me. My wolf is weak and even more hopeless than I have ever been. Beverly was my only friend in need, a mother in tough times and a sister who saved me from my father's wrath in her own way.

"Bev, look at me. Bev!" I couldn't see her like this.

I shook her shoulders and kissed her burning forehead, "We'll get out of this Beverly. I swear we will."

"Death is our only escape, Kat." Her words sent a pang through my heart. "There's no savior coming. We are on our own."

"Exactly. We are on our own... And we need to stay together and become stronger."

She shook her head again, "You can die with me if yo—"

"Shut up, Beverly! Don't force me to claw your beautiful face." I screamed at her before pulling her in a hug.

Later that evening, we brought food to my bedroom. Claud supplied medicines for Beverly and some watermelon slices. Luckily, I didn't have to see Asher or my annoying mother. They were invisible like they should be and I happened to stay the whole time with Beverly.

Since she was in a very poor state with high fever, her mother, Bobby, didn't come to take her to help her in the kitchen. We stuck together in one blanket, talking about our lives as free birds.

It was warm. Just the conversation filled us with so much happiness that when Aaren came to my bedroom to take Beverly with him for abortion, we didn't twitch or show any emotion.

"I'll wait for you here. And you better not dare hurt her more, Aaren." I told her before she was dragged out like an animal by the back of her neck by Aaren as he ignored my warning.

I wiped my tears away and closed my eyes. I am sad for the baby that was going to lose his chance of having a life before it is even born. But that's for his own good. He doesn't deserve this world. Not a father like Aaren at all.

My food was sent to my room again at midnight, which I downed with difficulty as my mind lingered towards Beverly and her condition. I assumed she would be back within a few hours. When it has been two days since she and Aaren hadn't returned I tried to ask mom. 

She was clueless, careless even. When I told her Beverly was with him she said that she was Aaren's mistress, and he could take her anywhere as he wished. Clearly, mom wasn't fond of anyone other than herself and dad. 

That evening, I went without food. Claud came to me several times with food and I returned him with the full plate. An hour later the door creaked open again, "Kat," Hugo's scent and voice cut the silence in my room but I didn't turn at him. It was until I heard a wince.

"Beverly!" She was finally here. 

"What took you so long, Bev. Come and sit here." I cleaned the bed while Hugo assisted her into crawling under the sheets. 

He left us not before saying, "Call me if you need anything. I am right out of the door." 

My lips curved at the relieving sight of my best friend. She was finally home again. Unfortunately, she looked way worse than she was before.

I held her shoulders as her eyes brimmed with tears. She had a faint, painful smile on her face. Then she burst into heavy terrifying sobs.

"It's over, Kat. The baby's gone... " I gathered her in my arms, holding my tears back. "So does my chance at mothering a baby."

"Beverly?"

She let out a tight cry as she whispered with a voice permeated by torment, "He had my uterus removed, Kat."

Hell. No. 

Tbc...