***WARNING: This chapter contains attempted rape, mentions of rape, and self-harm. Read at your own discretion.***
Cyrus POV
I hadn't had a cigarette in ages. The lack of access to my unnecessary, but wanted, vice mixed with the fact that a 'golden wolf' had been coming here for the last five days has left me more irritated than usual. As of right now, I balanced on a tree limb far above golden boy's head as he walked around scenting the air. I'd cleared these woods two days ago, and I was its only new resident. So, most likely, he was looking for me. As I watched him, a smile crept onto my face. It was cute how he checked everything twice, making sure his large frame didn't disturb the surrounding flora too much.
Wait. Did I just think he was cute? Welp, it's time for me to take my leave. I had no room for ridiculous thoughts like that. There was also no reason for pushing my luck in staying hidden anyway, even though I was sure that, from this height, if I couldn't smell him, he couldn't smell me. Regardless, I still wanted a pack of cigarettes. Even if wolves can't get addicted to such things, it was relaxing to smoke. Plus, a walk around town in my human form would do me good. I traveled by treetop until I reached the edge of the forest where my clothes were hidden. Shifting back, I got dressed and caught a glimpse of, what I assumed to be, golden boy's car. It was an all-black Lamborghini with silver accents. His pack must be pretty well off. Must be nice. Running my fingers through my blue-black hair, I began my walk into town.
The city was beginning to liven up the closer the first day of school got. That being said, most of the shops still didn't stay open long, causing the city to still be fairly quiet and empty. I reached a closed convenience store and made my way 'round back. As bad as I felt about stealing, I was broke and slightly desperate. My scent was still masked, so I wouldn't leave a trail. I firmly grasped the handle of the door marked "Employees Only". I turned it hard, with enough strength to break the lock. Opening it, I looked around for any sort of security. Apparently, since this was a town full of shifters, the owner didn't deem such a thing necessary. Closing the door behind me, I made a beeline for the counter and jumped behind it. Grabbing the cheapest pack and lighter, I took my leave. I was desperate, not greedy.
I quickly opened the pack and lit up before continuing my late afternoon stroll. There were a few other wolves and jaguars roaming around, going to the few restaurants that were open. I stayed out of the way and out of sight, observing them from afar. I needed to grab a few more outfits, but the used clothes shop was, for some odd reason, tucked into the strip mall across from the restaurants. Sitting down in the alley a block or two away, I figured it wouldn't hurt to relax for a while as I waited for the restaurants to close.
I don't know when I drifted off, but I know I regretted it more than anything. The weight and scent of some drunken jaguar shifter pressed me to the ground. My body was shaking as flashbacks of Marren on top of me rushed through my mind. I couldn't focus as I tried to push him off. He grabbed my left wrist, pushing it above my head as his other hand tried to pull my jeans down. I wanted to scream. I tried to scream. My voice was stuck in my throat. His breathing was ragged and his scent was heavy with arousal. Tears ran down my face as he finally undid the button of my jeans. Not again. NOT AGAIN! Please! I couldn't breathe, as I felt his tongue on my neck. Suddenly, I heard voices I couldn't make out. Whoever it was, they didn't like what was going on.
The drunk jaguar was ripped off of me. I didn't wait to see what happened next. Gathering whatever shaky strength I could muster, I booked it. I ran hard and fast and didn't stop 'til I was in the center of the clearing. My legs gave out as I became a shaking pile of tears. I still felt his hands on me...it made me feel disgusting. All this training and strength and I've even managed to escape him and still I was almost raped, again, because I couldn't get my anxiety under control. My breathing and heartbeat were still way too fast. I hugged myself, trying to calm down but instead, I felt lightheaded. It felt like I was falling. Falling into the deepest abyss.
I was in a dark room, or, at least it felt like a room. It was so dark I couldn't see where, or even if, there were walls.
" So the little whore is up to his old tricks."
Marren's voice echoed through the dark space. I broke out in a cold sweat and tried to steady my voice,
" F-fuck off...just leave me alone."
" Well, if you returned your REBELLIOUS LITTLE ASS BACK TO ME, I'd consider it. Property isn't supposed to leave its owner you know."
" I'm not your property."
I flinched as his laughter rang out from every direction,
I beg to differ.
As he said it, memories filled the space. Every beating...every rape. I was forced to watch them playback like twisted home videos. I tried to close my eyes and block them out, but they were still visible. Even my tears couldn't properly blur the images. I screamed as my body started to relive the abuse. I felt his touch and his hits. I felt him inside of me all over again. I couldn't take the pain. Suddenly, I was drowning in red liquid. I didn't have the strength to move. My body gave in and my lungs filled with what tasted like blood.
I woke up in a cold sweat, remnants of my personal hellscape still running through my mind. I stripped, deciding that a swim would help to wash it away. The cold water surrounded me instantly as I jumped in. My breath caught as the temperature shocked my body. I breached the surface and swam back to the shore. My fingers shakily combed my wet hair back, and I pulled my knees to my chest. I still felt him touching me.
I gripped my head, trying to will it all away. My arms began to itch as if to remind me that numbness was a cut away. I crossed my legs and steadied my arm across my knee. Letting out a claw, I sliced across my inner arm. I kept going 'til all I was focused on were the closing wounds and my bloodied arm. There were probably 15 fresh cuts, and I watched each of them heal with vague fascination. Each of them left fresh scars, only adding to the dozens upon dozens that were already there. I felt empty...finally.
Worried: Leo POV
My eyes flew open. I gripped the couch arm tightly. What the hell? My heart was pounding and my breath was coming out in quick bursts. The door in the entryway opened, causing me to snap my head towards it. The figure of Josh walking through the door was the only thing that appeared. Why was I so on edge? Josh slammed the door and plopped onto the couch angrily. I looked at him, still feeling as if something was wrong,
"What's up with you?"
"Fucking rogue jaguars, man! They have absolutely no self-control."
I raised an eyebrow inviting him to continue.
"I had to rip one of those horny bastards off of some poor guy. He had him pinned down in an alley. The whole place smelled of fear and arousal. I think I got there just in time, too. Any longer and the cat would have probably been mid-deed."
"Shit. Was the guy okay?"
"Didn't have a chance to ask him. As soon as I pulled the jaguar off, he disappeared. He must've been scared out of his mind. I couldn't really see his face so, I wouldn't know if I bumped into him again. I hope he's okay. Speaking of being okay...what's up with you?"
I turned back towards the television, feigning ignorance,
"What do you mean?"
"Come on, man. I know you've been going back to that forest every day looking for your mate...have you gotten any closer?"
"No. He's really good at hiding his scent. Hell, he's really good at hiding."
"Hey man, I know you're excited to meet your mate and all, but don't try to force it. Let you guys meet naturally. He's clearly very cautious for a reason and you reappearing every day on the hunt for him won't help him calm down. When The Mother sees fit, I'm sure she'll bring the two of you together. Hell, what other reason would he have shown up here? I know it's hard, but just be patient. It'll work out."
I took a breath, leaning my head back on the couch,
"I'll try."
I saw Josh nod out of my peripheral before leaving the room. I checked the clock and realized it was about 11:30. Stretching as I got off the couch, I turned the t.v. off. The stairs creaked gently as I made my way to my room. Stripping to boxers, I jumped into bed and stared at the ceiling. I hope he's okay. That night, my dreams were filled with a scarred black wolf running just out of reach.
Cyrus POVI haven't slept in four days and I hadn't been able to catch anything for the last two. The sleep deprivation had turned me into a walking noise machine, making it impossible to hunt. As if it couldn't get any worse, it was also the first day of school. I was an irritated mess of nerves as I pulled my clothes on. I'd washed them clean of the cat's scent the day after and had stayed in my wolf form since. After double-checking to make sure my sleeves were pulled down to cover my arms, I wrapped my lanyard around a belt loop and shoved my schedule in my pocket. It was just after sunrise as I walked to the city, smoking the last cigarette in the pack.By the time I took my last drag, I was halfway to the school. I crushed out the small smolder left in a trashcan's ashtray and continued walking. As the doors came into sight, I pulled out my schedule to check my locker number. Committing it to memory, I made my way through the doors. Struggling to keep my face neutral, I made my
My wolf was as giddy as ever, thinking about our mate and how he'd warmed up to us. I couldn't wait to see him after class so we could spend time together during free period. I wanted to know everything about him. His likes, his dislikes. I wanted to hold him again. The way he comfortably fit in my arms. It was a feeling I'd happily become addicted to. Even with all of these happy thoughts bouncing through my head, there were still a few things bothering me. Like that scar.From the look of it...he shouldn't even be alive right now. Dread and relief flooded through me. Then there was the way he'd been looking during training. Most of the time, his face was neutral, but in the back of his eyes, he looked as if he were in pain. He didn't say anything, but it was clear to see that whatever was going on was messing with his mood. Especially when he snapped on Nico's Beta, Henry. It co
Everyone at the table was silent, probably processing my little display. I felt atinybit bad having shown that side of me, but something about hearing that waste of space talk about Leo had flipped a switch. Slowly, some of the conversations started back up. Leo offered me a bite of his burger, I think. I bit into it willingly, since the fries tasted good. Unfortunately, it was nothing like those. I scrunched my face up as the flavor of, what seemed like, burnt meat flooded my taste buds. I stuck my tongue out after forcing it down,"How can youeatthat?"My reaction caused Leo and Josh to laugh, making the atmosphere more relaxed again. I felt a kiss on my cheek before Leo's voice sounded from behind me,"It's okay, beautiful. We
We were about halfway there when I looked over and saw my baby fast asleep. Good, he needed the rest. I reached over, brushing my finger against his cheek, causing him to purr quietly. I was officially worried about him and whatever he'd been forced to go through. Seeing him like that broke my heart. Hearing the doubts he had about himself and what our relationship could be. It made me regret not finding him sooner. I would have been able to protect him from whatever caused this. As we pulled up to the packhouse, a few warriors walked over to greet me,"Welcome back, Leo."I nodded as I got out of the car and walked over to the passenger side, where Jayce and Micah stood peering through the glass at Cyrus with suspicion. I growled gently, causing them to step out of the way. Pulling open the door, I undid his seatbelt and gen
I looked at my bare chest in the bathroom mirror with Leo's shirt in my hand. Tracing the long scar down my chest before glancing at the scars along my arms. I shook my head and pulled the shirt on. I wasn't ready to talk about that yet. Guilt washed over me as the image of Leo's worried gaze came to mind. I quickly pushed the feelings down with a shake of my head before walking out with my only possessions in my hand. Leo smiled at me gently as he slipped them from my hands and gestured towards the bed while avoiding my gaze,"You can sleep in my bed. I'll sleep on the couch."I scrunched my eyebrows at the thought of not sleeping next to him,"Why?"He looked at me in surprise,
I watched Cyrus' face and eyes, trying to see what he was getting at. All I saw was his usual stoic expression. Even his voice was emotionless. Jayce looked at him suspiciously,"Why would I trust a rogue to fight fair?"Cyrus' eyes flashing pale blue was the only sign that he was irritated at the implications of the statement,"If my memory serves me right, official fights between warriors within a pack needs two observers. Also, just to keep it interesting, if either observer sees me cheating in any way, I will leave this territory and never set foot in the borders again. If I do, I'll let you kill me on sight with no resistance."I tried to keep my emotions in check. Not that I thought for a second that
I was slightly embarrassed that I'd forgotten, but Leo just laughed it off. Rubbing my back, he started to guide us back to the house, "We're shopping today, beautiful."I hummed as we walked through the back doors and headed up the stairs. Once we were in the room, I headed to the bathroom to wipe the blood off my leg. The bite was already healed. Thankfully, it wasn't deep enough to scar. Which is the last thing I need. I heard Leo walking towards me and repositioned my arms to cover my cuts. I turned towards him with a smile and saw that he was handing me the clothes I was wearing before the fight, "Here you go, baby." "Thank you."I took the clothes from his hand, careful not to show the underside of my arm. He walked away after pecking me on the lips. I smiled at his back and closed the door. Quickly getting dressed again, I headed out, tossing the clothes in the hamper. The drive to the mall wasn't exceptionally long. When we arrived, I took my time examining the large struct
Three days. That's how long it's been since my baby slept. It's been five days since the incident with Kyle and his lackeys. That night, as well as the next two, I awoke to Cyrus screaming. Begging incoherently, while tears streamed down his face as he clawed at his body. The third night, after I finally pulled him from his nightmare, I held him for an hour as his mind locked itself into a cycle of anxiety attacks and intense paranoia. That was the last straw, in his eyes, and so began his streak of insomnia. The next night, he simply refused to sleep. He laid in my arms, waiting for me to drift off and wake up again. When I tried to bring it up, he simply brushed it off, saying 'it'll pass'. It didn't stop me from worrying.The change in him from lack of sleep became more noticeable the longer it went on. He was extremely irritable and agitated with any and everyone that wasn't me. His usually emotionless face had turned into a permanent glare that threatened violence at t
***WARNING: This chapter contains some offensive language. Read at your own discretion.***Cy and I were in the kitchen. It was Sunday, and though we planned to have a double date with Jax and Fin later today, that wasn't until dinner. At the moment, it was noon. Both of our stomachs had protested while we were wandering through the surrounding woods, which had cut our walk short. I'd placed my baby on the center island, as per usual. Currently, I was struggling to slice tomatoes while Cy watched with an amused smirk on his face, "You know, those rom-coms got it right. Having a man who can cook is a bit of a turn-on."I raised a brow while I made my movements more exaggerated, "Does this turn you on? Are you not entertained, love?"I'd moved on to constructing the sandwich as exaggeratedly as possible while he struggled to hold back a giggle, "Oh, most definitely. It's especially hot when you make the slices crooked before smashing the rest of the tomato." "It's my secret weapon,
Blinding light assaulted my eyes as I forced them open. I jumped up instantly, remembering the fight with Tyler and company. My chest and head protested angrily, causing me to growl from the waves of pain. I hear something fall to the ground and look towards the sound, half expecting to find Tyler or any of my other attackers. Instead, I find an anxious-looking female wolf in a white lab coat. Keeping her in my peripheral, I take in my surroundings. I'm in a nice-sized room with a small, tan, leather love seat and a medium-sized TV mounted to the wall. The bed, I realize I'm on, resembles the ones I've seen in hospitals on TV. There's an IV in my arm going to, what looks, and smells like, a saline bag. My eyes travel towards the constant beeping sound that has been present since my eyes opened. It looks like a heart monitor. "Young Luna? You're in the pack infirmary. Don't move too much, you have a concussion and your bones need to mend."I flicked my eyes back to the brown-haired fe
"Cyrus?"The call had suddenly cut off. There weren't any dead zones in the school as far as I knew. Maybe he'd accidentally hung up. But he would have texted me or called back. He wasn't extremely 'tech-savvy' because he spent most of his time locked away by that Marren bastard, but he'd mastered texting fairly quick. I had a bad feeling. I looked through the rearview at Jax and Fin, "Hey, I'm about to go inside and get Cy."They pulled away from their make-out session and Jax gave me a questioning look, "I thought he was on his way out?" "He was, but the call cut off."Jax shrugged his shoulders, "'Kay and. He's a big, strong boy. He knows how to make it out to the car."I growled softly in irritation, causing Fin to raise an eyebrow with a serious expression, "What's got you riled up?"Though he was asking out of friendship, there was a warning in his tone. I couldn't blame him since I'd just growled at his mate, even if it was nonthreatening, "I've got a bad feeling I can't
I lean back in my chair, trying not to strangle the piece of shit who's been glaring at me since I walked in. When I apologized to all of Leo and I's teachers, I didn't expect to get off easy. Detention was to be expected. I'm not stupid. What I didn't expect was to be stuck in here with, of all people, fucking Tyler. Did I mention that during my week-long lead-up to my breakdown, he was a constant thorn in my side? Almost like he was personally hired by the Mother Spirit to be a pain in my ass. He was one of the few people that was able to get me angry enough to want to spill blood. His preferably. Now, I'm stuck in detention for two weeks with this fucker. I inhaled deeply as his eyes continued to bore holes into the side of my face. I clenched and unclenched my fists as his glare slowly wore down my patience. After thirty minutes of this shit, I'd had enough. I took another breath, in a failed attempt to reign in my growing irritation, and turned an icily blank stare towards him,
I pulled my baby into my chest. I didn't know what to say. What could I say? A multitude of emotions swirled around my brain as I processed what he'd told me. He'd been through a seemingly endless hell and yet he'd dragged himself through. And he kept all this buried inside of himself. And, after all of this, he was more worried about me and the pack than he was himself. He was so strong. He was a survivor. I held him even closer, as if that was possible,"Baby, you're not going anywhere. I swear, on my life, I will do everything in my power to protect you. You're not alone anymore, so don't force yourself to be. We're gonna put an end to this. Together...and I promise you...I promise you I will kill that bastard in the slowest way possible. He's not gonna get away with what he did to you. I swear."His arms wrapped around my torso and gripped my shirt,"Thank you."His voice was so soft I almost thought I imagined it. I kissed the top of his head and then leane
***WARNING: This chapter contains mentions of rape, torture, and self-harm. Read at your own discretion.***I woke up in a cold sweat wrapped in Leo's arms and scent. Unfortunately, neither calmed my buzzing mind. I was drowning in memories and flashbacks as tears streamed down my face. I eased out of Leo's hold and got up, barely holding back a sob as another wave of memories drowned my mind. My arms wrapped tightly around my body, I silently shuffled into the bathroom. I couldn't be any more of a burden to Leo than I had been the last few days. As the door closed behind me, I locked it and slid down the wall, letting my tears fall freely while my hand kept my sobs from bouncing off the bathroom walls.Memory after memory assaulted my brain. I felt like I was drowning. Drowning in unwanted touch and violent assaults. Choking on hate-filled glares and spiteful words. I can't take this. I pulled at my hair, trying, and failing, to push the images away to the back of my m
Three days. That's how long it's been since my baby slept. It's been five days since the incident with Kyle and his lackeys. That night, as well as the next two, I awoke to Cyrus screaming. Begging incoherently, while tears streamed down his face as he clawed at his body. The third night, after I finally pulled him from his nightmare, I held him for an hour as his mind locked itself into a cycle of anxiety attacks and intense paranoia. That was the last straw, in his eyes, and so began his streak of insomnia. The next night, he simply refused to sleep. He laid in my arms, waiting for me to drift off and wake up again. When I tried to bring it up, he simply brushed it off, saying 'it'll pass'. It didn't stop me from worrying.The change in him from lack of sleep became more noticeable the longer it went on. He was extremely irritable and agitated with any and everyone that wasn't me. His usually emotionless face had turned into a permanent glare that threatened violence at t
I was slightly embarrassed that I'd forgotten, but Leo just laughed it off. Rubbing my back, he started to guide us back to the house, "We're shopping today, beautiful."I hummed as we walked through the back doors and headed up the stairs. Once we were in the room, I headed to the bathroom to wipe the blood off my leg. The bite was already healed. Thankfully, it wasn't deep enough to scar. Which is the last thing I need. I heard Leo walking towards me and repositioned my arms to cover my cuts. I turned towards him with a smile and saw that he was handing me the clothes I was wearing before the fight, "Here you go, baby." "Thank you."I took the clothes from his hand, careful not to show the underside of my arm. He walked away after pecking me on the lips. I smiled at his back and closed the door. Quickly getting dressed again, I headed out, tossing the clothes in the hamper. The drive to the mall wasn't exceptionally long. When we arrived, I took my time examining the large struct
I watched Cyrus' face and eyes, trying to see what he was getting at. All I saw was his usual stoic expression. Even his voice was emotionless. Jayce looked at him suspiciously,"Why would I trust a rogue to fight fair?"Cyrus' eyes flashing pale blue was the only sign that he was irritated at the implications of the statement,"If my memory serves me right, official fights between warriors within a pack needs two observers. Also, just to keep it interesting, if either observer sees me cheating in any way, I will leave this territory and never set foot in the borders again. If I do, I'll let you kill me on sight with no resistance."I tried to keep my emotions in check. Not that I thought for a second that