hapter Seventy
“I was only fifteen when our pack was attacked by the Night Shade pack. Slade had been the Alpha; I would never forget watching my parents die before my eyes, but that wasn’t the worst part. Alpha Slade wanted to do a clean sweep; he didn’t want any of the pack members left alive, and so he went along with his soldiers, house by house, making sure everyone was dead. I don’t know if any survived, but they might have escaped into the woods, yet it would only be a few who’d managed to escape.
When Alpha Slade walked into our house, my mother had hidden me beneath the bed, but when I heard the screams–my mother’s screams–I went for her rescue. I couldn’t let her die, but maybe that was the biggest mistake I made; she was killed but I wasn’t.
Alpha Slade had wanted to kill me, but for some reasons he didn’t; he brought me back to his pack.
That night…” my mother closed her eyes as if the memory was too much to bear and I didn’t need to hear more, but she spoke on, “He was the first–my first, and he made it the worst. I stayed weeks in pain, but that didn’t stop him from visiting every night. I never understood the true meaning of pain till I met this monster. Two years later, after I was too worn out for him, he took me to the guards, made sure I wished I was dead, and those cold–hearted soldiers did just as he had told them too. When they were done with me, I was more than willing to die, very much ready, but death wouldn’t come; even death ran away from me. I wish I had been. killed along side my mother; so many times I had wanted to end my life, but Alpha Slade made sure I was never left with that option, and then he locked me up.
He ‘forgot‘ to feed me most times, and I waited for the hunger to end me. Just when I’ve been starved enough, I was brought some unhealthy, bland food to eat. I never did anything wrong to these people; why had he kept me alive? And then I got the chance; the guard forgot the keys in the room with me, and so… I escaped, I ran away, I knew if I was found I would be killed, and what did I have to lose?, it was a surprise he didn’t discover me, or maybe I just wasn’t worth the search.
I ended up trespassing on another pack’s land, and I was taken, also as a slave, but none gave me nightmares like Alpha Slade did, none made me want to end my own life… I hated this place and coming back here; the memories, they all seemed so fresh and so new; every day here is torture, but I should have overcome this a long time ago, I thought I did. That’s till I saw Thane in the Windborne pack, claiming that he was your mate, and it all shattered. I didn’t want you here; I didn’t want you to be hurt like I was. Thane is just like his father; I couldn’t let my child willingly fall into same torment I suffered. I never stopped loving you, I never stopped thinking about you; I knew I left you alone to face all that had been happening to you, but see, your momma is also afraid too, and I want to help you, but how will I when I can’t even help myself?”
We were both in tears now.
Mother had never told me about her past; I knew it was dark, but never did I imagine that she
Chapter Seventy
suffered the way she did. Now it makes sense, how cold my mother had become since we came here. I felt the guilt for how I had treated her; I had called her selfish, but in real sense she had every right to hate this place; she had every reason to be scared and angry, and I knew I just had to tell her.
“Mother, I also have something to tell you.
After I lost my child, I had wanted to leave the pack so bad, but Ryker… he had been so cruel, he threatened me. I was so desperate to start up afresh, and that’s when Thane walked in. What you saw there–it was all an ‘act‘. He wanted me to pretend like I was his mate.”
wwwhat?u
my mother paused.
“Mother, you cannot tell anyone; if you do, he would kill you and maybe me too; for some reasons, no one can know about this. Thane is not my mate.”
“Then why did he pick you?” she asked.
“I don’t know. But he was willing to offer your freedom and the contract–our agreement only lasts for six months, and then we are both free; he says he would pay me enough money to start a new life.”
