4.Battered Queen

Killian woke up and smiled a bit to himself. The sun was pouring in and the room was warm. Crystal was now in human form and curled up next to him. He admired her naked body but the more he stared, the more he grew furious. She was underweight and her skin was shades of black, blue, purple, and yellow. Not a single part of her was untouched. She had truly been a prisoner in her own home and her captors were her own family. Before she woke up and panicked, he carefully got out of bed and covered her. He walked out the door and locked it. He went straight to the training yards to let out his anger. He didn't want her to see him like that. Jake met him down along with a few others to help him work out his aggression.

Crystal jolted out of bed and sat straight up. She began to panic as she didn't know where she was. She caught the scent of rain and cedarwood and she let it relax her. Once she was calmed down, she opened her eyes and looked around, and tried to remember what happened. She remembered running and then she remembered Killian and Andrew. Then she thought to herself, where was Killian? His scent was strong on the bed next to her so she knew he was there. She got up and wrapped the sheet around her. She walked around the room and found a closet. She grabbed a sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants. She walked to the bathroom and cleaned up. She stared at her image and wondered if Killian had seen all of it. After she dressed, she wondered if she should venture out. She decided against it because she didn't know any of this land that well. She walked to the window and stepped onto the balcony. As she did, she heard a commotion underneath her. She saw training grounds and spotted Killian. At first, she wanted to shrink away and hide, but she stopped herself. He saved her from Andrew and she wanted a better look. 

Killian was tall, tanned, muscular, and all-around a beast of a man. In the sunlight, his brown hair showed more red along with his facial hair. The hair on his face was unmistakably red. As she watched him fight, she could tell his strength and power. Alpha Killian of the Blood Moon Pack was her mate. Then she froze. She would be Luna. Even though she grew up in an alpha's home, she had no idea how to do anything. She began to panic as she thought she had made a mistake. She couldn't be who Killian needed. She would fail him. When she failed him, would he beat her?

In the midst of her panic, she hadn't noticed Killian stop and look at her. He caught her scent mid-fight and stopped everything. He glanced up and felt pride swell within him as he noticed what she was wearing. The smile soon faded as he saw so many emotions cross her face. Knowing he needed to be there with her, he scaled the house and climbed up to the balcony. She began pacing and that's what he saw when his feet landed on his balcony. She was mumbling and freaking out. He stayed next to the railing as he spoke.

"A penny for your thoughts, beautiful?"

She jumped at the sudden voice but then blushed as she realized he called her beautiful. Then she remembered he asked a question.

"I'm sorry?"

"You seem to be in such distress. Anything I can help you with?"

"A million different things. I can't really recall everything."

"I can help if you want."

"Please."

"I'm Killian, by the way. Killian Barker."

"Crystal Johnston."

He smiled and led them into the room. They sat on the chairs and he explained all he could.

"Well, from my standpoint, I arrived at your father's house for negotiations I didn't want to be part of. Everyone knew the rumors about what happened to you. Then when I arrived, I caught your scent and I saw you. I knew then you were my mate. I had no way of getting you then and only hoped you would find a way to me. As soon as I returned, I knew you'd be coming for me. I raced to the border and found your brother trying to kill you. I easily overpowered him and made him leave. Then, while you were in wolf form, I carried you here. I was going to leave you alone, but you whined. I curled up next to you and fell asleep. When I woke this morning, you were as you are and I left to keep from freaking you out."

"I remember seeing you. I remember thinking that you could save me. I jumped right out of the window and took off. I knew they gave chase but I knew if I reached you, I'd be safe. When you arrived and I saw him so afraid of you, I've never been happier. When you carried me here, I felt safe. After you left me, I remember feeling exposed. Sleeping with you was the first time I had actually slept."

"Crystal, I know you don't me, not yet, but I really need to know everything they did to you. When you are comfortable, though."

"Breakfast first?"

"Of course. We can go down or I can have it brought up here."

"Can you really have it brought up here?"

"Yes. I'll have my Beta's wife bring you clothes if you'd like and you can shower later."

"I'm sorry for taking your clothes."

"Don't be. They make you feel safe."

She blushed as she hadn't even realized the real reason she put his clothes on besides having nothing else. He smiled and walked up to her and kissed the top of her head. He walked out the door to fetch breakfast. 

She stood grounded on her spot. She had never been shown such tenderness before. She smiled to herself as she felt that warmth spread through her and she thanked the Moon Goddess for finally setting her free. 

Killian wasn't sure what to get her but she was malnourished so he had the cook fix a little bit of everything. He was hoping she would open up and the truth would be revealed. Rumors are one thing, but after seeing what he did, he knew the rumors only scratched the surface. 

She was sitting on the bed when Killian and a few omegas walked in. They set trays down on the table in the room and left. She stared at them all and looked at him.

"Expecting company?"

"No. This is for you."

"I won't be able to eat all this."

"You may. You said last night was the first night you had actually slept. You are as thin as a rake. You need to eat. You eat and if you feel like talking, I'd like to get to know you. Everything about you. When it becomes too much, I'll talk about myself. That way it doesn't feel like you are on the spot."

"I'd like that, actually. Are you sure, though?"

"Crystal, you are my mate and I have no intention of rejecting you. I want to know everything about you and I will tell you everything about me."

She took a deep breath and let him lead her to the table. She looked at all the food and began to eat. Killian watched and waited for her to say something. She finished her plate, she added more and looked at him.

"When I was born, everything was normal. Even after my brother was born, everything was just fine. It was when my brother turned ten that everything went downhill. I was eleven and he came into my room. He usually did as a kid when he got scared so when he came in that night, I thought nothing of it. Then he hit me and tied me down and he raped me that night. I went and told my parents but they blamed me. When they found out it wasn't me, they were more concerned about keeping his image as future alpha than protecting me. To keep me silent, my dad started doing it too. When Andrew turned fourteen, he let his friends do the same. Every time I resisted any of them, they beat me. My mother turned a blind eye and eventually others in the pack started doing it whenever I went out. So, I just stayed in my room. I tried several times to end my life, thinking it was the only way. Aurora, my wolf, told me it would be worth it to find my mate and it was. The day I saw you, I knew even if you rejected me, it would be better. My brother tried to kill me after you left and so I leapt from the window. They beat me, raped me, and starved me. Sometimes they even locked me up in cells. I was a prisoner in my own home."

"Crystal, nothing like that will happen to you ever again while I draw breath. I promise you that."

"I'll hold you to that. So, tell me about you."

He watched her eat another plate and he began to tell her everything.

"My parents were not mates. My mother loved me with everything she had. My father ended up killing her in a drunken rage one night. I was taken in by the alpha and luna of Green Marsh Pack. I was raised in a military life to try and cope with what happened. When I turned sixteen, I came back here. The alpha's son, Levi, was my best friend. He ended up dying from battle wounds. I tried my best to save him. I didn't know the whole time that he had plans on making me his beta. After he passed, his father made me alpha. I've been alpha here for almost four years now. My first act was to banish my father for shooting my mother. I turned Blood Moon into a military pack and to make sure no one could take advantage of us again."

"I'm sorry about your mother."

"It was a long time ago, but I still miss her."

"Killian, they will try to come back for me."

"They will have to go through me. That won't be easy. Now, how about we finish up breakfast and go shopping for you?"

"Don't you have things to do?"

"They can wait for you, my dear."

She blushed and smiled. She thought of everything that her future held now and it made her happy. She nodded her head and soon they were off for the shops.

Killian promised to give his mate the world and whatever she wanted, she'd get. He would make sure she forgot about everything that had ever happened to her. First, he needed to gain her trust.