Chapter 6

Five Years Later..

"I'm sorry, Luna, but it was another dead end."

My heart was crushed yet again, and the little bit of hope that I had fizzled into nothing. I've tried everything I've had people ask around everywhere, but it's a dead end every time, and my heart also stops every time.

I watched as the man I trusted, one of the few who still offered a semblance of kindness, turned and walked away. Each step he took widened the hole within me, a void consuming what little remained of the woman I once was.

I longed for his voice and his presence, and it was a punch in my soul because I'm the one who is responsible for everything. I should have saved our love and run away with him, but I didn't fight for us, and now I might never see him again. I chose duty over love, obedience over freedom, and now I might never see him again. The consequences were unbearable.

"Mommy." A little figure hugged my legs, and just like always, I had to give him a mega bright smile while my soul was in its weakness. It was instinct. I couldn't let him see the monster I was becoming

"Look at how dirty you are." I said, carrying him in my arms while trying to wipe off the dirt with my hands.

"I loooove youuuu." He sing sang and I remembered the reason why I'm still alive. the reason why This Heart Still beats. He was the reason I breathed, even when every breath was agony.

I felt everything stop when I came face-to-face with his evil glint. I instinctively shifted, trying to shield Keith behind me, a pathetic attempt to keep him from the darkness that radiated from Mark.

"What have I said about being carried around, Keith?" He said roughly to my 5 year old who didn't understand why he shouldn't be carried by his mother, but making my little boy's life miserable is what Mark lives for.

I placed Keith on the ground.

"Go and run yourself about, and I'll be there to clean you up in a minute." I said to Keith, my voice trembling despite my best efforts. He didn't need to witness the ugliness that was about to unfold. He never did.

He ran up to his room, and I stayed behind.

I was used to being dragged by my arm like an animal to receive my punishment, and today was no different, just a bit harsher than yesterday.

I used the same method that I use, which was not crying when Mark pushed me down and removed his belt to belt me.

I took it like a soldier with every whip on my skin. I know how much it kills him that I don't cry out anymore, but I've come to the realization that nobody's going to come and save me. I lost my wolf, so everybody else is just insignificant, but I know they heard my screams every day. I know they could hear me cry for help every time that belt landed on my skin, but they pretended otherwise.

"Won't you cry out for him." He said probably going harder, but the pain doesn't matter anymore because my heart is going through worse. My heart and my brain can't handle the fact that I may have lost Griffin forever, and I can't sleep at night anymore because the memories haunt me. I'm living my worst nightmare.

l kept quiet, and the punishment went on, and the punishment is just because Keith was dirty today.

The fact that Keith breathes bothers him because that little boy takes after his father. Everybody assumes that he takes after his uncle because of their relationship, but my son takes after his father. He is a literal copy of the man that I fell in love with. he keeps to himself, but the only difference is that he got my feistiness, my stubborn streak, and ability to win people over.

I thank the moon goddess every day that I have been unable to bear Mark's child. I've lost three in the past 5 years, and it's all because of him. He tries to stop the abuse every time I get pregnant, but it doesn't stop the turmoil that he has already put on my heart. I try, but emotionally and mentally, I'm broken to the point of no repair.

I'm not sure I would be able to hate my child despite the fact that the father is a monster who gets off on mom's pain but I'm also not sure I would be able to look at my child in the same way I look at Keith and l hate myself for that.

I hate that I celebrate every time I lose that part of myself, but I can't bear to have a child with him. I can't bear to conceive a child that is a product of my pain and suffering.

When I finally snapped out of my mind,  Mark was gone. I don't know when the beating stopped, but as always, I had to stand up.

I thought Mark was ruthless before and I knew he was capable of everyday but ever since he started a secret alliance with multiple alphas he's become worse.

I wish I could wallow in self-pity or just rot down here with my blood all over me, but I'm a mother.

I winced and screamed in pain as I stood up because my whole body was burning in pain, and I may never scream for him, but I do feel the pain.

I helped myself up to the bathroom, and I tried to clean myself up in the shower, but I couldn't help but fall down on my knees and cry. I don't know if I can handle this life any further, and I've tried to run and save my son, but I always get caught, and the punishment is always double.

My family. My Pack. My friends. I've lost everybody. He has taken everything from me, and he continues to do it, and I'm tired of giving because I have nothing left to give anymore.

The worst part of all of this is that everybody is afraid of him and with good reason because he doesn't mind killing to get what he wants or to get people to obey him.

"Where are you?" I said, clutching my heart, hoping Griffin could hear me from wherever he was, because I refuse to believe that he is gone. The hope that I have is enough not to send me over the edge, and if I were to lose that, then I'm not sure I would be the same person.

I look at myself in the mirror and I don't know who I am, but there's only one thing that I'm sure of, and it's that I would love him for the rest of my life.

Is he back?