Chapter Four

Alpha Draven POV

What had they done to my mate? My beautiful little mate. I had gone to the dungeon to see the prisoners. I wanted to go before I was called away, but the war of the packs would not wait for me. I had ordered the prisoner they found living in a cave, to be taken care of instead, my guards had tortured, raped, beaten, whipped, and impregnated my mate before beating her to cause miscarriage. How had my guards, wolves I trusted ever thought I would order them to do that?

When I returned, I headed into the prison. I wanted to finally set the innocents free. When I opened the door, the scent of blood and sex was so thick, that I was nearly sick. Among the horrid smell, came the sweet scent of sage and lavender. Mate! My wolf purred. I could feel her nearby. I came to a cell that disgusted me. There was blood everywhere, a bloody dirt-covered mattress lay in the corner. I froze when I realized her scent was mixed in with the blood and filth in this cell. My wolf howled as I raced down the line of prison cells. I came to a door that was locked from the inside. I heard the sounds of a whip cracking, followed by the screams of a girl. Not just any girl, my mate! They were whipping my mate! She is dying! I could feel her life force fading. I broke down the door using my Alpha strength. I gagged at the sight. My guards, who I trusted to protect my people including anyone imprisoned, whipping a tiny skinny girl. She hung there, blood-spattered everywhere.

“You keep getting pregnant! Then you bite one of us? This is your punishment! We would never let you keep one of our babies!” They all froze when they saw me.

“Alpha Draven, we were not told you had returned.” One of them, a taller wolf said. I could hear the fear in his voice.

I circled them dangerously. “How many times did you touch her?” I snarled.

“I don’t know,” one of them stuttered.

“I heard you tell her she was being punished for being pregnant. Did you Impregnant her?” I needed to know what they had done to her.

The first guard laughed, “Don’t worry Alpha, she has been pregnant a bunch of times. There is no worry of her babies running around, we have made sure she miscarries every time.” He laughed as if I would find this funny. “Alpha, we tortured her for her crimes. I even took her virginity. She bled for a while after that. I really fucked her good.” He smiled. “If you want, we can take her down and you could have a go.”

“What crimes was she convicted of?” I asked. Still watching them.

“I don’t know. I thought this was Lydia the wolf who poisoned your food.”

“Wrong! I killed her! Even if it was Lydia, there is no excuse for raping and torturing any living creature! How many of you touched her?” I growled.

“I um,” the guard stuttered.

“How many?” I thundered my eyes turning pitch black.

“Just the four of us.” Stammered the one holding the rope.

“You four are the only ones who raped her, beat her, and caused her miscarriages?” I was trying to keep my voice even.

“Yes, Alpha,” they all said.

Without another word, I pulled out my sword. I killed each one. They had no right to hurt a prisoner. Not to mention, they hurt my mate.

I ripped the chains holding her, off. She was limp, I ran out, with her in my arms, yelling for a doctor. When I got outside, she squeezed her eyes shut tighter. At least she is alive.

I ran to the pack doctor. He looked shocked to see me holding a tiny girl who appeared dead.

“Bring her this way,” he opened the door to a room. There was a bed in the center.

I set her down on it. “Please, you have to save her.”

“Who is she?” he asked.

“I don’t know, but she is my mate.”

It was touch and go for a long time with her. Her wolf was weak but alive. She had been held in that jail, beaten and raped, for so long. I thought for sure I would lose her. I had her moved to my quarters in the packhouse. I had a room prepared for her. I would sit with her, holding her hand. She was so frail. I still had to attend to my duties so I couldn’t always be with her; I would go to her room every chance I had.

As the days turned into weeks, she got stronger. Her wounds from her whipping had healed, but some of the deeper ones still needed a bit more time. I made sure she received a sponge bath when needed. I was surprised when the doctor performed an internal examination and that he believed she would still be able to carry pups.

A month had passed. She had gotten better yet; she did not wake up. I sat at my desk trying to think of ways to help her.

“Alpha, our Luna is out here. She collapsed and is in the fetal position. I think my uniform scared her.”

She is awake? How did she get outside? I raced from my office to where the guard was. Lying on the ground, in a tiny little ball, was my mate.

“Are you ok?” I tried. She didn’t look at me. I carefully scooped her up. She was holding her body so tightly, that I thought she would freeze that way.

I carried her back to the packhouse. I put her gently on the bed. She held on tighter to herself. I could hear her sniffle.

I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to hold her, to comfort her. I wanted to tell her I had killed the men who had done this to her. I wanted to tell her she is my mate, that I wanted her. I wanted to get to know her. I wanted to build a life with her. I had been waiting for her for so long. I was not a virgin, but none of them meant anything to me.

I sat in the chair next to her bed. She was awake. I could hear her sniffling. I sat quietly. I wanted to touch her, I wanted her to know I would never hurt her.

I must have dozed off at some point. I woke up to someone watching me. I looked around. I noticed a green eye watching me from under the blanket. I didn’t move. I didn’t say anything. She watched me for a few more minutes. I sat still; I would wait for as long as it takes for her to trust me. She slid the blanket down the tiniest little bit. I nearly gasped when I saw both eyes. One was a deep emerald color. The other was a deep sapphire blue. She slid the blanket down a bit more. I knew she was beautiful, but I had no idea just how beautiful she really is. I slid back in my chair a little. She jumped and pulled the blanket up over her head.

Damn, why did I move? I decided to try to speak to her. I had already scared her. “It’s ok. I promise I won’t hurt you.” I made my face as gentle as I possibly could. I wasn’t called the Alpha of war for no reason. I saw a green eye peer out from under the banket.

 I held out my hand. “See? I won’t hurt you.” She recoiled at my outstretched hand. I folded my hands, dropping them in my lap. I sat still. “I have an idea, how about I sit still. I promise I won’t move. You can come out, you can investigate me if you get scared, I will leave.

She watched my face; I had the feeling she was deciding if she should believe me. I watched as she slowly slid the blanket down. She had both eyes watching my every move. Slowly, she slid the blanket down a bit more. I still didn’t move. I was barely breathing. She got brave and slid the blanket down to her feet. She slipped her legs over the edge of the bed. She stood up. Her legs shook as she stood. She tripped; it took everything in me not to reach to catch her. She regained her balance, she watched me carefully. I could hear her heartbeat racing as she tried to decide to stay or run. She must have decided I would catch her. She took a finger, poking my face, I felt the tingles from her touch. She must have felt them too because she pulled her hand away.

“It’s ok, I promise. I will not hurt you.”

She had a confused look on her face. She looked at me and then at her finger.

“It’s ok, you feel the tingles because I am your mate.”

She froze, watching me as though I was going to hurt her at any second, she reached out again. This time, she rubbed my cheek with her hand. I wanted to sink into her touch. I wanted to rub my face against her hand. Instead, I stayed still.

She took her hand back. She looked at me as if trying to decide if I was telling the truth.

“Did you feel the tingles too?”

She shook her head yes.

“Do I smell good to you?”

Once again, she nodded a yes.

Do you want to keep investigating me?”

Yes, she nodded once more.

I stayed still as she continued to touch me. I nearly lost control when she sniffed my neck. I stifled a moan as her breath flowed over my marking spot, where I hoped her mark would be.

She reached for my hand. I didn’t know what she was doing. She pulled it to her face, she inhaled my scent. I wanted to pull her to me, to hold her and get lost in her. I pushed those thoughts away. She put my hand on her face. She closed her eyes as she slid my hand up and down her cheek. She opened her eyes and watched me. She let go of my hand, I sat still with my hand suspended in the air. She looked at my hand, then at me. She poked my hand before placing her cheek against my palm. She then pointed to me and back at my hand.

“You want me to rub your cheek?” I asked praying I wasn’t imagining it.

She slowly nodded yes. I did as she asked. She closed her eyes enjoying my hand on her face. I stayed still gently moving my hand on her cheek.