Chapter 4

Claire

I wasn't sure how long I laid there, not really sleeping, but not totally awake either. There were no windows, so I had no idea if the sun had come up. Eventually, the light flicked on and I had to cover my eyes from the stinging pain it caused. I heard loud footsteps and the metal of my cell lock clanking. I squint my eyes against the light and see Bennett walk into my cell. I shoot up and press myself against the wall, watching as he stalks towards me. When he sees my terrified face, he stops his approach and kneels in front of me. He watches me for a moment before he sighs and his shoulders sag.

"I'm sorry. I tried to talk Rowan into letting you upstairs, but he was pissed. Are you going to listen to us now?" He asks quietly. I nod, mostly because I really need to use the bathroom.

"Thank you." He says, holding his hand out. I reach out tentatively and take it. He helps me up and I wobble on my unsteady legs. He wraps his arm around my waist to help me and leads me from the cell.

We walk upstairs and I try to stay behind him, but he keeps me firmly at his side.

"Are you hungry?" He asks.

"Bathroom?" I respond, my voice hoarse from crying and having no water. He leads me to a powder room and I use it quickly as my stomach rumbles.

"Come have breakfast, little one." He says, gripping my hand and pulling me towards the kitchen. He sits me down at the table where Rowan is sipping coffee from a cup.

"Do you drink coffee?" Bennett asks and I nod. He brings me a cup and a plate full of food. I eat a little, my stomach upset from my anxiety.

"You should eat more than that." Bennett says. Scared of pissing him off, I shove a few more mouthfuls in and manage to swallow them without gagging. He seems content with how much I've eaten and I sit quietly, minding my own business as they eat.

"Are you going to tell us your name now?" Bennett asks.

"Or would you like another trip to the basement?" Rowan threatens. Bennett growls at him and bares his teeth. I don't like the direction this is going so I decide to just comply.

"It's Claire." I say and Bennett smiles.

"Claire. It's beautiful." He says and I give him a small, awkward smile.

"You need to shower." Rowan says and my fear skyrockets at the idea of taking my clothes off in the same house as them.

"You can wear some of my clothes until we can get you your own." Bennett says, grabbing my hand and pulling me from the table. His fingers clench around my hand and I scream as pain shoots up my arm. He drops my hand and frowns.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to hurt you." He says quietly.

"It's ok." I tell him, trying not to upset his wolf.

He shows me to a bathroom that's bigger than my old bedroom and brings in some clothes and a towel. I wait for the water to heat up and slip inside. All they have is guy scented soap, but I figure I just have to deal with it. As I'm rinsing shampoo out of my hair, the shower door slides open and a very naked Bennett slips in. My eyes widen and I try to hide myself from him with my hands. He looks at me confused and stands next to me in the water.

"What are you doing?!" I scream and he covers his ears with his hands.

"Showering." He says simply and grabs the soap.

"Why are you in here with me?" I ask, outraged and his face falls.

"You're my mate. You don't have to hide from me." He says, soaping up his hair. A second later the bathroom door opens and my fear increases at the idea of Rowan in here as well. To my relief, he doesn't get in the shower, just speaks from outside the door.

"I told you it was a bad idea." He says smugly as I angle away from Bennett and towards the door. Bennett just scoffs and grips me around my waist, pulling me into his chest. He plants kisses up my neck and I stand frozen against him.

"The longer you're with us, the stronger the bond will grow. You won't be able to deny us for long, little one." Bennett whispers in my ear before he crashes his lips to mine painfully.

I feel blood seep in my mouth from my teeth jamming against my lip. I try to pull away from him, but he growls and pushes me against the wall, forcing his tongue in my mouth. I whimper in fear and pain, but he doesn't release me, holding my neck so tight I can barely breathe. I do the only thing I can think of and bite down hard on his tongue. He growls and pulls away from me, his eyes glowing green again. He snarls in my face, before shoving me away. I slip on the wet tile floor and fall, hitting the back of my head against the wall. My brain goes a little fuzzy at the contact and I'm dazed for a moment as pain shoots through the back of my skull. I reach up and run over it with my fingers. When I pull them away, they're coated with blood. Bennett growls again when he sees and I watch him with wide, terrified eyes as he slams the wall with a fist.

"DAMN IT!" He screams so loud my ears ring and I curl into a naked, wet ball in the corner of the shower, my whole body trembling from both fear and cold. Bennett growls again before he leaves the shower, leaving the door open. Rowan peers in at me and shakes his head, his arms crossed over his chest. He sighs and leaves the room, leaving me by myself.

I hurry to rinse the blood from my hair and towel myself dry before slipping on the much too large clothes that Bennett brought. I stand by the door and listen for any hint of where they are in the house, but hear nothing so I sneak out of the bathroom and down a random hallway. I open the first door I find and slip into the room. It seems to be a spare bedroom of sorts so I go and lay down on the bed, exhausted from lack of sleep the previous night as well as the constant stress on my body from fear. I can't seem to figure out how to handle these creatures.

Bennett is definitely the less scary of the two. He hasn't threatened to kill me yet and most of the times he has caused me pain, I don't think he honestly meant to do it. He just doesn't know how to rein in his strength. But forcing himself on me in the shower scared me more than anything Rowan has done so far. He seems like he would be content to ignore me.

I hear a door slam somewhere and burrow down into the pillows and blankets on the bed, pretending I could just disappear for awhile. The footsteps stop at the bathroom and I hear a low growl as they move closer to the room I'm in. The door opens slowly and Rowan is on the other side.

"I thought you might try to run." He says, his voice holding no emotion. For some reason, the thought of running hadn't even occured to me. Maybe I hit my head harder than I thought.

"I didn't mean to make him mad. He scared me. I couldn't breathe." I say quietly. Rowan observes me for a moment before slinking into the room and over to the bed. His eyes flit across my face and down to my neck before landing on the pillowcase, now stained with my blood. He sighs heavily and runs his hand down his face.

"His wolf got excited. He's attached to you already. I told you not to piss him off." He says and I can't help but scoff.

"It's hard to think clearly when there is a lack of oxygen to your brain." I spit at him and he snarls at me.

"Watch your tone, human." He says fiercely.

"My name is Claire." I almost shout back and he chuckles.

"If you think for one instant that I give any fucks what your name is, you have seriously over estimated your importance in my life. The only reason you're still alive is Bennett wants you." He says cruelly. I don't respond, sitting quietly and hoping he leaves. He grunts at my silence and bites his wrist, shoving it in my mouth like before.

"Here. Let me heal you so Bennett stops beating himself up over hurting you. It's not his fault you're so pathetic." He sneers with pure venom in his tone. I lick his arm, mostly because I don't want to fight with him and also because my head fucking hurts.

I can feel that I'm healed a moment later. He stands and walks towards the door, much to my relief.

"You should stay in here until Bennett comes to get you. I've had enough of you for today." Rowan says flatly before the door snaps shut behind him.

He doesn't have to tell me twice.