Wildling

~~~Ember’s POV~~~

Ugh he’s a stubborn ass! We have been arguing for the last 10 minutes about sleeping arrangements. I know he’s probably fully healed now but I don’t want to tell him the real reason I want to stay on the couch. I glared into his green eyes.

“You were shot a night ago. You seem to be healing fast, but I don’t care. You are staying in that bed until I see fit!” He opened his mouth to argue but snapped it shut again as I raised my eyebrow at him. He turned towards the bed mumbling under his breath. He can’t really argue unless he wants to tell me about his superhuman healing abilities. I roll my eyes and head towards the couch.

I have nightmares every night. I can’t let him see that. Since he arrived, I try my best not to sleep and the couch helps since it isn’t entirely comfortable. I know it will wake him up and he will only ask questions I don’t want to answer right now. How do you tell your mate you were tortured for a year by someone who was supposed to be family?

Now that he has met me, even though we are not fully mated, his proximity will enable him to feel everything I do in my nightmares. These aren’t dreams. They are a reliving of the past. Every single torture I was put through actually happened. The pain is just as real in my sleep as it was when it happened. My mind refuses to let me forget. Every morning I wake up stiff and painful from the previous night. Old scars burning until enough of the day has passed and then I have to repeat it all over again. I’m used to the pain. But he is not. I can’t do that to him. Not until I can explain.

“Goodnight Ember.” I’m pulled from my thoughts by his deep, gravelly voice. He is settled in bed looking at me intently.

“Goodnight Jaxson.” I reach to the table beside the couch and turn off the lantern. In the pitch black, I’m keenly aware he is still staring at me. I lay down turning towards him and see the glint of moonlight off his eyes. A warmth in my chest spreads as he continues to stare at me. All I want to do is crawl into bed and sleep with his arms wrapped around me; protected. Accalia breaks our gaze as she passes me to hop onto the couch, cuddling atop my legs. I force my eyes away from the god that is occupying my bed and start petting Accalia. I continue my ministrations until I hear both Accalia and Jaxson’s breath even out. I force myself to stay awake.

A few hours pass with me trying everything I can to keep awake. I used most of the time to study Jaxson as he slept. It amazed me how this godly creature was destined for me. I already feel safe in his presence. I have deeply missed talking to someone other than myself and Accalia. I’m surprised I haven’t gone crazy yet. My thoughts drifted to what the future could be. What if he doesn’t reject me. Maybe I can finally have peace and love. A future. A sense of calm spread through me, thinking of all that could be with Jaxson by my side. My eyes drifted closed before I can register what was happening.

My eyes kept fluttering open, desperately trying to stay awake. My whole body was protesting me. Something was holding me up as my knees continued to buckle. I finally succeeded in keeping my eyes open enough to glance around. I was back in my cell, my arms bound keeping me from crumpling to the floor. My back was on fire. Wincing as I moved, I could feel the stickiness of drying blood. A fire spread across my body as I could feel each welt that scarred my skin. I can’t take this anymore. I haven’t been able to speak with Aoralia in months. She is weak, trying her best to heal our constant injuries.

I just want to die. Dimitri has done whatever he could to break me. My head hung as I continued to fight losing consciousness. My head snapped up at the sound of the basement door slamming shut. My heartrate started accelerating. I couldn’t hear over the pulsing in my head. My breath was constricting in my throat.

“Time’s up little wolf. Let’s go” Dimitri’s voice rang out as he opened my cell door and stepped in. A guard stood behind him. Trent, I think his name was. One of Dimitri’s minions. He took just as much pleasure in my torture as Dimitri did. Dimitri motioned to me and Trent began unlocking the chains from the walls, making sure to keep them bound to my wrists. Dimitri turned and walked out; Trent followed while yanking the chains to make me follow. I took one step before crumpling to the ground in agony, a strangled scream gurgling up in my throat.

“Stand up bitch!” Trent backhanded me. Seeing me not moving, he grabbed a fist of hair, yanking me to my feet. I cried out in pain.

“I will just have to drag you.” He growled. He continued walking while he held me up by my hair. I didn’t know where they were taking me but at this point, I didn’t care. They dragged me from the cells towards the basement door that led up to the yard near the packhouse. The basement was attached to an outbuilding that held other minimum security holding cells. I stumbled while they dragged me upstairs.

Trent finally had enough and shoved me out the door where I fell, collapsing in a heap in the bright sunlight. I squinted, eyes burning, not used to the bright after so many months of darkness. I heard gasps around me. I shoved my eyes open and saw the faces of my pack members. I watched the looks of sorrow, pity, fear, and anger cross their faces.

“Em!” My ears perked up. My hands grabbed onto dirt and grass as I tried to crawl towards the familiar voice.

“Don’t even try it, bitch.” Trent yanked the chains back, making me fall on my scarred, open back. I screamed as he dragged me across the dirt towards him. The pain was excruciating. My wrists had open burns on them from the silver cuffs, old breaks in my bones throbbing, dirt and gravel filled the open wounds on my back.

“Em.” I heard a small whimper. I pried my eyes open to see my little brother staring at me, tears streaming down his face. Oh my god. He was still alive. I thought everyone had been killed. I tried to keep my pain off my face so he couldn’t see how bad off I was.

“Alex. I love you. Don’t be afraid.” I croaked trying to calm him. He was only 10 he didn’t need to see this.

“Well, now that the pack has assembled...” Dimitri’s voice sneered. He walked towards Alex and pushed him roughly to the ground.

“Leave him alone!” I glared at Dimitri. His red eyes turned towards me. A small, evil grin appeared on his face while he watched tears leaking from my eyes. Alex was all I had left. Everyone else was dead.

Dimitri walked towards me and bent down to whisper in my ear.

“You will come with me. You will provide me with an heir, or I will kill your dear little brother.” He had me. I gulped. I would never sacrifice my family. I knew he would do it. He killed the rest of the family. What’s to stop him now.

Trent yanked me back and began dragging me towards the pack house before I could utter a word. I struggled against the chains, desperately fighting to get back to Alex. The last thing I saw before darkness was Trent’s fist coming towards my face.

“Ember!” I felt someone shaking me awake.

I jumped up off the couch gasping for breath and immediately crumpled on my knees as a wave of dizziness enveloped me. I felt shocks travel my skin as the heat of someone’s hands was placed on my shoulders. This touch though, was tender. I blinked slowly, coming to. Standing in front of me was Jaxson. His bare chest heaving a bit as he tried to calm his breaths. His muscles rippling as he put a finger under my chin to lift my head. His eyes full of concern as he watched me try and calm myself.

I trembled as I tried to take a few calming breaths while he stayed crouched in front of me, his hands never leaving my shoulders.

“Ember, are you ok? What on earth was that?”

Shit.