Chapter Four

Charlie couldn't say a word.

She used to think Gideon Blakewell was just her nightmare. To act like he never existed would be a the product of his savagery currently resting in a bedroom nearby.

Surely Willow is asleep. No way was she awake seeing a tiny bit of scare would made her bawled in tears. The thought of that reassures her. The violence she had witness should never be witness by her sweet soul.

" Come home, mate. You've been away for too long." Gideon gritting voice bring chills down her spine. He's didn't even use his Alpha voice yet, the tone almost made her fall to her feet.

" No." She choked the word.

"I'm not coming back. This ... where I'm at now is my home."

Even through the phone, Charlie could see the flesh under his eyes twitches.

" You and my daughter will come home. Or else, that human toy of yours will regret ever meeting you. Is that what you want?"

" You wouldn't..."

" Why wouldn't I? What kind of an alpha I am to let a man who touches my mate, live?"

" I am not your mate! You forced me! I am never yours after what you did to my father!" Her voice broke into a sob. Immediately she covers her mouth while her whole body shaking uncontrollably. She immediately becomes worried if Willow had heard her.

" Just leave us, please. Leave Leonard alone. We never did anything. We never.... we were never intimate so yes, I will leave him. But just leave me and my daughter alone here. I beg of you. Didn't I suffer enough already?"

Gideon's expression smooth into unyielding lines. Dread morphed into full blown terror as she witnessed the change. She knew how ruthless he could be.

“Stubborn, mate."

Gideon move away from the screen and the sight in front of her brings her whole body and soul into a stop.

She winked both eyes several time to take a better look while her mind tried to process what she was seeing.

Leonard, bound to a chair. His face so swollen, nose crooked, left eyes closed and claw marks on his thigh. If kt wasnt for the cross necklace in his neck, she wouldnt be able to recognise him. Blood smeared his skin and a tiny puddle form under where he was seated at.

She clutched the wall next to her for balance as her head spin.

“What have you done to him?” she whispered.

“I haven't kill him, if that's what you're wondering. Tell me..." Gideon pinch Leonard's lips while his eyes glued on Charlie.

" Was this the lips that has touched you several times? Should i slice it off of him? So he'll learned not to touch what is mine?"

Leonard did not move. He had passed out from Gideon's brutality, and she knows very well he was the one that had inflict damage on Leonard seeing his knuckles have blood stains all over it.

"Please..." She utters the words with dread.

" You dare beg for your lover?"

She shook her head, crying with her hands covered her mouth.

" Don't hurt him."

" Then what do you intend to do now, mate? What are you willing to do for him?” Gideon asked.

She broke out in a cold sweat. Gideon knew what she was going to say. “I’ll do anything,” she whispered.

“See, that answer of yours make me absolutely content but it still piss me off the fact that you want to protect him. ”

" I'll come back— I won't ever see him again. I swear it."

His gaze hardened. He stood up straight and ask her.

“ Is that so?"

She couldn’t speak so she nodded.

" No more games, Charlie. Come home, or I'll destroy everything you ever love. Understand?"

She responded with a nod.

" Pass the phone to, James."

She didn't even reach to James. He was nearby enough to just ripped the phone from her. Switching it to voice call, he puts the phone to his ear and spoke to Gideon.

After a minute, James switch off the call and turn to Charlie.

" We're leaving in 5 minutes. Get ready now and any attempt to escape, you know what's gonna happen."

Just like that, her life just turned upside down. She ran to Willow's bedroom and relief washed over her seeing her daughter lay peacefully on the bed with her doll in her arms. Six years she’d been on the run. Six years she planned every step to run from her horror of a rapist only to end up caught like a rat. In a matter of minutes Gideon crushed the normal life she built for herself into tiny pieces.

Memories of her dead father, her leaving her family and the countless scream and torture she experienced under Gideon flood her thoughts.

The small window next to her sleeping daughter would be a great escape for both of them but how can she let Leonard die?

She had already put her family in jeopardy when she left Eve's Hollow. She didn't even know if they are still alive. surely Gideon had hurt them after she had escape many years ago and the thought of that made her nauseous.

Her poor mom.

Her only brother.

Sweet sister who would've been 9 years old now.

Now, another individual who had loved her tenderly might lose his life and she have no one but herself to be blamed for it.

How can she be selfish again?

She have no choice now.

She wanted to curse, cry and rage, but she didn’t have the time for such a luxury. James pounded on the door yelling 5 minutes. He was here to carry out Gavin’s wishes and he would do whatever it takes to see it through.

And the thought of that pours terror into her mind.

...

Charlie lay against a warm chest. She looked up at Lenny who wore an unusually somber expression.

They were in bed in their apartment. Sunlight poured through the window, but the apartment was curiously silent and muted. She sat up and brushed a hand through his short hair. Something niggled at the back of her mind, but she pushed it away so she could focus on him.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Why didn’t you tell me about him?” He asked.

Charlie retracted her hand. She had no doubt who Lenny was referring to.

“How did you find out?”

“He called." His voice drops like he was lunched in the gut.

"He says he wants you back.”

Charlie felt chills running down her spine. She tried to move off the bed, but Lenny gathered her into his arms.

She was surprised by his strength as he lay down and settled her beside him.

“Why are you leaving? Do you want to go back to him?” Lenny asked gently.

“No!” she whispered, clutching fistfuls of his shirt. Her hand shaking and tears flowing with pain lacing her every breath.

"I ... I have no choice. It's the only way to save you. to protect you and Willow. He won't stop. He is determined and hateful. He won't stop. But what option do it have?"

“You want to stay with me?” Lenny asked.

Charlie squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.

" Don't do this Lenny ..."

" Answer me."

She looks up with her teary doe eyes.

“Yes.”

He smiled sadly. “Then we’ll figure this out,” He said.

She relaxed fractionally, wanting to believe him. “Are you sure?”

“Very. Never been so sure in my life. ” Lenny said and brushed her hair back from her face. “I’ll do anything for you, Charlie.”

Her heart swelled. Lenny, her gentle knight. She was safe with him.

...