Never marked her

Brinley

I had no idea how long we drove. It felt like several hours, but it could have been more since my brain was hyperaware of every minute that passed by. Thirty minutes ago, we had gotten off of the paved roads and Alpha had driven over bumpy back roads. We had to be far into the dense forest by now…significantly away from help.

…and away from anyone who could hear my screams.

Finally, Alpha stopped, put the car in park and turned off the ignition. We hadn’t spoken a word the entire way. I was okay with that. Somehow I knew every word that came out of his mouth was going to be painful for me. I wanted to know more, but I was afraid of what the truth would do to me. After he got out of his side of the vehicle and walked around to open my door, I mumbled, “Can I take off the blindfold now?”

“In a minute,” he replied briskly, jerking on my elbow so hard that I stumbled out of the vehicle and tumbled forward. My hands shot out instinctively to catch myself, and I landed hard on the rocks below. I bit my lip to keep from crying out as pain shot through my knees and hands at impact.

Without warning, Alpha snatched the back of my neck again, curling his fingers, using my hair like a handhold and yanked me to my feet. This time, I couldn’t hold back my cry as pain radiated through my scalp, “Ow!”

“Shut up and walk!” he barked, pushing me forward.

Within a few feet, I heard the jangle of keys and the release of a lock. He shoved me inside and pulled the blindfold away from my head all in one smooth movement. I blinked as my eyes became accustomed to the dimmer light. I looked around, quickly take in my surroundings, assessing the exits and any potential escape routes. We were inside a small cabin. Not surprising. I asked quietly, “What is this place?” My real question was, ’Does Coal know it exists,’ but I didn’t say that out loud.

Alpha’s answer was disheartening, to say the least.

He strode across the room and opened a liquor cabinet, pulling out a bottle of whiskey. He didn’t bother with a glass. Instead, he just turned a bottle up to his lips, before turning back to face me. “It’s a place of isolation. Coal will never find us here. This safehouse is known only to my Beta and I. Well…there was one other Wolf that knew it existed…” He took another swig. “…your mother.”

My mother? My stomach lurched. I asked hesitantly, “How would she know about this place?”

He carried the bottle with him and settled into one of the large leather chairs. He pointed for me to sit on the couch across from him. I did so, my legs moving woodenly until I dropped into place.

Without even blinking, he answered, “She was my mate. Why shouldn’t she?”

I sucked in a sharp breath, “No…you’re lying!”

He tilted his head and mocked, “Really? Does this look like the face of a liar?”

I didn’t answer that. Instead, I whispered, “But how? Why? If she was your mate, how could you shun her?”

“It wasn’t what I wanted. Soleil forced my hand. It was her fault what happened to her, not mine.” He tilted the bottle back again. Shit, if he kept going, he was going to be ten times worse than he already was. I needed to find a way to keep him talking instead of drinking.

“Who is my father?” I asked quietly.

Alpha sneered, “You act like you want to know him. You think I’m evil?” He snorted at some inside joke I was not privy of and continued derisively, “He makes me look like the Easter Bunny. I warned Soleil. I warned your mother to stay away from him. But did she listen to me? No, she rejected her own mate and instead, spent the night in his bed, allowing that abomination into her body freely! It was disgusting what she did. And you are the disgusting spawn she created.”

I thought I was going to have to prod him for more information, but he just kept going, “Had she not begged for your life, had she not dropped to her knees and finally shown me the submission I was due as her mate, I’d have snuffed out your life the moment you were born.”

My heart raced in my chest. I twisted my fingers together as Alpha continued, “So we made an agreement…your life in exchange for her freedom. She would never run, never disobey me and willingly comply, however, and wherever I wanted her body.”

Tears sprang to my eyes. I’d never known the sacrifice she’d made. She never said anything. There were times when she would disappear for several hours, but I never questioned where she went or what she was doing. I was too little. I just trusted her, never suspecting anything was wrong.

…how foolish and naïve and stupid I’d been!

And all of it…was because of me!

My mother paid a terrible, terrible price just to keep me safe and alive. My throat constricted. I struggled to get air into my lungs and rasped angrily, “How could you? How could you use her like that? Rape her like that?” My voice raised an octave. I knew what that type of violation felt like, but I had no idea what trauma and agony she endured from having her own mate torture her in such a forbidden and unspeakable way—for years!

His expression turned feral. “Soleil was my mate! I took what belonged to me! She acted like she wasn’t a willing participant, the tears, the pleading, the screams for me to stop, but I knew better.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He actually believed the ludicrousness, the insanity, in his own mind. He actually thought his actions were well within his rights. I snapped, “But she wasn’t yours…you never marked her.”

“Why would I? She was a disgraced Wolf…I would never degrade myself in such a manner. I had everything I wanted. She lost the opportunity to be my mate when she ran from me and opened her legs for that beast. That’s all she was good for after that.”