Chapter 5-

I stood with my mouth open and feet frozen to the floor trying to regain my composure after that humiliating “interview”.  Beta Lucas no longer had the caring look from before on his face but stared at the wall with his forehead creased and lips tight with tension. When the door closed behind me, I pulled the robe closer to my body, still trying to comprehend what had just happened. The guard who was in charge of escorting me back to my shared room leaned in and spoke, his raspy, hungry voice making my stomach turn.

“It’s too bad the Alpha has decided to compete. I would have loved to have claimed you for myself. Who knows maybe he will pick someone else and then I can take my turn with you? There are a lot of pretty girls here he could choose from. Why don’t you give me a little taste of what you have to offer? I like what you have hidden under that gown, and it’s been so long since I’ve touched a beautiful woman.”

I held my hands up in front of me trying to block his advance, but he is so much bigger and stronger than I am. His rough, greedy hands grabbed at my breast and started to pull my night dress down. Without thinking of what the consequences could be I yelled out “Stop, please!” When my pleas didn’t stop him and his hands continued to grope me, I kicked him as hard as I could in the groin.

I just knew if I didn’t get away from him, he would rape me. His black eyes quickly turned red and little brown hairs started sprouting from his skin. His face started to become distorted, and I had no idea what was happening, but it terrified me. Before I could get more than a step away, he grabbed me by the neck squeezing hard and lifted me up from the ground. I desperately clawed at his arm trying to get him to release his grip, I just wanted to be back in my bed. I want my small, boring life, I was so stupid to wish away the mundane.

Just when I thought I might pass out, his breath evened, and the hairs began disappearing back under his skin. His face although still terrifying to me no longer looked misshapen. I coughed and gasped for air when he threw me to the floor.  “I like a little fight in a woman, it makes breaking her that much more fun.” He laughed and looked down at my face full of tears. “This will help you remember to do as I say. You have no power here.” When I tried to push myself up off the ground, I felt my ribs crack under his foot as he stomped down on me.

He’s going to kill me ran through my mind both times I felt his heavy crushing foot come down on my body. Before he can land another blow, I hear an angry voice booming out. “What’s going on?!” I looked up and recognized the man speaking as Beta Lucas. In a flash the beta had the guard up against the wall squeezing his throat like he had just done to me. “What the fuck is wrong with you Ian?! How dare you put your hands on Ember!”  The man I now knew to be called Ian shrugged his shoulders and nonchalantly replied. “This stupid woman thought she would try to escape. I had to stop her and put her in her place.”

The Beta’s eyes went from mesmerizing blue to red as he looked at me on the ground and then at Ian. “I’ll be reporting you to the Alpha and the council. You know this is not how we deal with punishment it doesn’t matter what the supposed offense was. Get out of my sight, you pathetic excuse of a man.” Ian gave me a smirk, while rubbing his neck. “See you soon Ember.” Ian said softly as we walked past me. Lucas must have heard even though it was whispered because he grabbed him punching him hard in the mouth sending him flying to the ground. When Ian tried getting back up Lucas crouched over him and continued his assault, my mouth hung open in shock at the scene before me.

There is so much blood coming from Ian’s face, if Lucas doesn’t stop, I’m afraid he might kill him. I have never encountered so much violence and it is terrifying. I don’t want to get into trouble if Lucas seriously hurts or kills that horrible man, I wish I could just disappear. Lucas stood over Ian’s bloody body and said in a dark low voice “You ever so much as fucking look at Ember and I will kill you. If you think this is over; it isn’t. You still have to deal with the Alpha and if it were up to me, I’d just kill you now. These women are a gift not something for you to play with.”  I started trying to push myself up again as Ian crawled away, but pain radiated through my body.

I’m just glad Beta Lucas came before he killed me or who knows what else. I felt large hands pick me up gently and cradle me to his strong, warm chest. I can’t help but breathe in his earthy scent and relax in the comfort and safety of his arms.  Confusion replaces that comfort when he leads me from the hallway to a large cabin located behind the lodge. Fear returned as he takes me through the cabin to a large bedroom upstairs. Why wasn’t he taking me back to the room I shared with the other women? I had felt so safe and protected in his arms until now, why was I being brought here?

Lucas must have heard my rapid, scared breaths as he set me gently on the bed. “I’m not going to hurt you Ember. I brought you here to look at your wounds and make sure you’re okay. I also need to collect your statement about what happened before I report it to the Alpha. I’m not at all like that scum Ian. He will be dealt with, I promise.” I nodded my head in acknowledgement and winced, grabbing my side as I tried to sit up.

“Tell me what really happened.” A few stray tears escaped, quickly I swiped at my face not wanting him to see me cry. I hated feeling so vulnerable, especially with someone that I didn’t know well. I needed him to know that I hadn’t tried to escape, I didn’t want to be punished. “He…he grabbed at me and tried…he was trying to touch me, and I kicked him. That’s when he got mad and…please I tried to tell him to stop. I just…wanted him to stop.” I quickly looked down at the bed, shame creeping through my body. I hate feeling this weak, I hate that men have trapped me and made me feel so small. I want to be strong and take charge of my own life.

Lucas’s eyes took in the red marks on my neck and the tear at the top of the dress. “You did nothing wrong.” He said, softly cupping my chin and making me lift my eyes to his. “You did good defending yourself; you should have never had to. I’m sorry you weren’t properly protected, we failed you. Listen I need to return to the interviews, but I will tell my brother what happened, and he will make sure Ian is punished severely. You are safe here, I promise no one will bother you in this room. I’ll have food brought up soon, until then rest.” “Thank you.” I told him quietly. His lovely blue eyes held mine and I gave him a small smile, this was the safest I had felt since being captured. I know it sounds crazy because he had been a part of that awful interview where they had humiliated me, but I really do feel safe with him. Like he would burn the world down to keep me from harm.

Shortly after Lucas had left there was a knock at the bedroom door and a young man probably only twelve or thirteen brought a tray in and set it on the table next to the bed. “Beta Lucas told me to bring this to you and to let you know to take the medication and rest.” I thanked him for the meal and smiled at him. He is the youngest person I have seen since getting here.  After eating I eyed the pills left on the tray and felt unsure. I didn’t want to take any medication that I wasn’t familiar with. After much internal debate I decided to take them feeling like Lucas wasn’t out to hurt me. Looking around the room I saw that it was very neatly kept and large.

There was a dark wood wardrobe in the corner of the room and a decent sized desk with a few chairs next to it. On the side of the bed was a small table with some candles and a photo of him, the alpha and a beautiful woman. All three looked so happy and comfortable together, I wonder who she is. It’s strange but I feel a pang of jealousy when I look at their smiling faces. I shake my head and try to rid myself of these odd feelings.

The bed was large and comfortable covered in furs, the attack had left me feeling tired, but I felt a little weird falling asleep in a bed that must belong to Lucas. I thought about Ava and hoped that she wasn’t too traumatized by the “interview”. I wished she was here with me now, being alone in this room made me a bit nervous but Lucas said I’d be safe here. I just don’t want her to be afraid or alone, I hope she doesn’t think I abandoned her.  There is a door directly across the room and curiosity got the better of me, I decided despite the pain that came with moving to go look inside. It’s a bathroom, with a large tub and a shower on the opposite end. It had been ages since I had a long, relaxing soak but there is no way I was getting in when I didn’t have any idea when Lucas would return. The pain in my side had me making my way back to the bed to wait. Shortly after sitting down sleep overtook me, the events of the day had been exhausting. Sometime later I shot up when I heard my name being called. “Beta Lucas?” I called out in a groggy voice.