Chapter 43
Eleanor:
I looked at Killian whose eyes were fixed on mine for a few seconds before he got up from the edge of the bed.
“I will have Natasha staying with you for a bit. I have a few things to tend to, okay?” He asked, his voice softening. I looked down at my lap, and he put his finger under my chin, raising my face to look at him. “If you’re worried about me telling anyone about your secret, you’re safe, malyshka. Vladimir and Viktor would need to know to stop the search for you, and stop the search that they’ve been trying to do about YOU.”
“You had your men searching for me?” I asked, and he smiled.
“You wouldn’t expect me to invite someone that I don’t know over, would you?” He asked, and I scoffed. He chuckled and leaned in before connecting his lips with mine. The fact that he was kissing me was something that I didn’t expect. And the fact that I couldn’t help but do it back was something that surprised me.
I was scared of him, and I was afraid of what he could do with the information that he knew; however, I couldn’t help but feel somewhat safe that he was beside me.
“But I will have to assign new girls to be working on cleaning the suite now.” He said, making me frown in confusion as he let my chin go. I shook my head in question and he smirked. “You wouldn’t expect me to have you working for me when I know who you are, right? Needless to say, you are my woman, and were actually bound to stop working for me in the house like some maid that was here to serve.”
“Killian, you know that I can’t…”
“You can, and will, malyshka.” He said, stopping me. “I can’t say that I am going to mend your scars, nor would I be able to make you forget what you went through. It would be a lie from me to say that I can ever do so. But, what I can and will do, is teach you how to use all that pain as your strength.”
My eyes widened in surprise and he smiled before kissing the crown of my head. “You were strong enough to make it this far. With everything that you’ve been through, your ups, your downs, your anger, fear, pain, and tears; you, malyshka, made it this far. Therefore, I am going to be the strength that you hold onto, and I will be sure to be by your side through every step to ensure that one day, you’re the strength that our kids look up to.”
“Our kids?” I asked, and he smiled.
“I am not rushing it,” he said, his voice softening. “But yes, I want the two of us to have our kids. And I want our kids to look at their mother as a strong woman that they find as their hero.”
I couldn’t help but blush at his words; however, it was his next sentence that took me off guard, making my heart swell despite the pain and fear that I felt. It was one that I never expected to hear from anyone, especially not the Alpha himself.
“For I see her as MY hero, my peace, and my beauty. Our kids would be seeing the same…”
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“You’re angry with me,” I said, looking at Natasha who was sitting on the couch, staring at the TV while I lay in bed.
The woman was yet to say a word to me since she entered the room, and though Liana entered the room a few times to check on me, she didn’t seem to turn to look at me.
Again, she didn’t respond, and I couldn’t help but frown as I fisted the blanket. It was a habit that I had whenever I was nervous or in pain. And now, I didn’t want to lose the person that I believed that I could consider a friend.
“I was afraid of Killian finding out who I was.” I said, looking down at my lap. She tensed for a second before she looked at me over her shoulder. “I was afraid that he would not only end up rejecting me, but would end up sending me to those who were supposed to consider themselves my family.”
“I’m glad that things worked out well for you then,” she said, her tone sarcastic. I sighed and shook my head.
“I was engaged, Natasha.” I said, and she turned to face me. She frowned in confusion and I looked down at my lap, avoiding her eyes. “I ran away from a rapist that almost owned me for life because my father sold me to him under a stupid marriage agreement.”
“What are you talking about?” She asked, stopping me. I bit my bottom lip and she shook her head as she ran her fingers through her hair. “Does Killian know?”
“Yes,” I said, and she frowned. She sat on the edge of the bed and I took a deep breath as I chose to open up. There was no point of hiding things from her now that the Alpha knew, and I had to find someone to talk to.
Natasha stayed quiet as I spoke, listening to everything that I said before she wrapped her arms around me as she hugged me tightly. I hugged her back and laid my head on her shoulder as she ran her fingers through my hair.
“That, at least, explains how you ended up in the car.” Liana said from beside the door. Natasha pulled away from the hug as the woman walked inside and closed the door. Natasha smiled at the sight of her mother, and my heart raced against my chest as I feared what she was going to do. “I have to admit, you have earned my respect.”
“Liana, I…”
“I am not going to judge or ask you any more questions. I heard what I did,” she said, before taking a step toward me. “Killian told me that he didn’t want you working for him and instead, you were going to be his guest. I came to inform you of it, but I have to admit, I did not expect to hear that you are the daughter of the man who Killian swore revenge against.”
“I was just as hurt as Killian was,” I said, and she nodded in understanding. It was something that surprised me before she walked toward me. She sat on the edge of the bed beside me and I took a deep breath before she took my hand in hers.
“Natasha’s father was a man like your fiancé.” She said, taking me by surprise. Natasha looked down at her lap before her mother wrapped her arm around her, pulling her to her chest. “The difference is, I had a family by my side, protecting me, and a daughter to hold on for. I was married to the man, and he had no remorse over me, pregnant or not. I was far too scared to speak of the pain that I went through, and therefore, I took the pain.”
Natasha’s eyes teared up as the woman kept her eyes on mine. “It wasn’t until Killian’s mother saw a bruise on my left eye that things changed. Usually, I would lie to her about how I got my other bruises, but she pressed on me to the point where I couldn’t handle it. The man had my daughter in the house to ensure that I returned to the house on a daily basis and to ensure that I never said a word. I explained that to Killian’s parents, and that was when his father helped me out in a way that I would never forget.”
She looked at her daughter for a second before kissing her temple. “They did send me to the house to ensure my baby’s safety. I got inside the house, and was met by my husband who choked me and pinned me against the wall, wanting to have his way with me. He wasn’t drunk, he just liked to show his strength to me. I didn’t scream, and I knew not to make a sound, I was used to the pain that I felt anyway. However, just before he took my clothes off, his body dropped to the ground, and it was a few minutes later that the whole house was surrounded by the Ivanov pack members. They saved my and my daughter’s life that night and I watched as the man took his last breath as I held onto my daughter. And just as he tormented me, they had him wishing for his death.”
Tears fell from my eyes and she smiled before wiping them for me. “My point is, little one, is that you are not alone. I know that at times, you might feel like you are. The pain can become too much, and I know that I might have scared you off, but I, as a mother, had to protect my daughter. I, as a mother figure to Killian, had to protect him no matter what happened. And, if you would accept me to take you as a daughter, then I would be more than willing to give you the love that was taken from you.”
Her eyes were fixed on mine for a few seconds as I processed her words before a sob broke from my lips. She smiled and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me in for a hug. I hugged her back before I could stop myself and she kissed my temple.
“Ah, to the young broken angel.” She said softly, “I want you to know that you are no longer alone…”