ECHOES OF LOVE

********* Trigger Warning there is no rape in this chapter but it does contain forms of abuse which may be triggering for some readers ***********

Aurora

The door to my bedroom creaked open, my heart began to race as I laid as still as possible on my side, not wanting to let them know I was awake. My eyes held shut despite being wide awake now as I listened to the heavy footsteps entering my room.

When the door clicked closed, my blood ran cold. I had noticed the way he had started looking at me since I turned 17 years old. Almost a year had passed and each night I was terrified at what might happen. I tried to keep my heart steady, knowing he could probably hear my racing heart.

My floorboards creaked as he continued to walk towards my bed. I felt his tall shadow fall over me as I pretended to sleep for as long as possible. Panic set in when I heard him unbuckling his belt. Mum was out, which was when his behaviour would change to me. His touch was different, leaving me feeling sick.

I was praying mum would return soon. I watched all night how he had been hovering over me until he finally found a way to send mum out. I had rushed to bed hoping I would be safe, out of sight, out of mind right?

I don’t think mum had noticed if I’m honest she loved him. He was her mate, and the bond between them was sacred. I don’t think it even entered her head that he would do something like this. I couldn’t blame her; she was an omega, a weaker wolf by being mated to an alpha; she would struggle more than anyone to go against him.

As I am an alpha wolf, I was going to have to fight him off. I heard his button pop before he began working on his zipper. Fear overcame me and I tried with everything I had to hold on, if I gave into the fear … then what?

‘I know you’re awake.’ I felt a chill run down my spine at his words. On instinct, my eyes snapped open. Looming above me was the man I both feared and loved. A man who was supposed to protect me above all else. A man who I implicitly trusted.

My father.

I don’t know when this sickness took over him or if it’s always been a part of him. All I knew was that I wasn’t going to be a victim.

I had watched how he had treated my mother for years; I watched her tears as it happened, but she loved him and always forgave him. Time after time I saw her beaten, a smack around the face if dinner was late, a smack for sending me to bed early, I even caught him punching her a few times.

There was one night I had seen him half choke her to death before they fucked. It sickened me. All I could think of was that I was glad I wasn’t an omega. He had left her collapsed on the floor as she cried. She knew what he did and was powerless to stop him. I felt bad for her. I wanted to protect her from him.

She never knew what I saw.

He would often come back smelling of other women, she would ask him about it and cry. All he did was beat on her and said he didn’t want someone so pathetic as a mate. If he had been drinking, she would tell me to hide when I was younger.

Hiding got you nowhere. I had to fight.

His hands skimmed over my body before peeling the covers back to reveal my pyjamas. My body shudders. My mouth was dry, my eyes pricked with tears. I have never been so terrified in my life. I kept trying to distance myself from the situation so I could think clearly. He rolled me onto my other side. I kept my arms crossed over my breasts to protect myself.

When I looked up, I could just make out his face in the darkness. I felt something brush across my cheek as I shuddered again.

‘Open your mouth,’ I shook my head as he spoke. There was no way I was going to do that. I hated him with every fibre of my being.

I heard the door downstairs click, signalling mum was home. I felt a mixture of relief and fear at her return. He heard her too and clasped one of his hands over my mouth to stop me from screaming.

‘Richard?’ she calls as I hear her search the lower floor for him. My heart thuds frantically as his face is so close to mine. I can feel the tears streaming down my cheeks as fear takes over when the TV clicks on and he releases me, smiling devilishly.

‘She won’t save you; you know, I could make her watch and do nothing’ he voices my worst fear, that would kill my mum. I wouldn’t want her to suffer like that. I see her suffering every day.

He steps back, releasing my mouth. This is my shot. I need to make this count. I let my arms fling out, hitting his hardened dick as I scream.

‘MUM! MUM! MUM! HELP ME!’ is all I manage as he falls to the floor, but he’s stronger and more resilient than I expected him to be. Before I can even get off the bed, he jumps on top, pinning me in place. My whole body is shaking with fear that I don’t even hear the door burst open.

‘Richard?’ what are you doing?’ I hear mum cry. I look towards her, seeing her face look completely devastated, her heart breaking before my eyes.

Mum, I’m so sorry.

Her grey eyes meet my green ones and I see her determination to save me.

“Get out bitch, I’ll deal with you later,’ my father says, his voice laces with her wolf’s direct command. She can’t refuse him; she gives me one final look before fleeing down the stairs.

He turns back to me, that evil lust filled glint in his eyes I have seen on his face for the past year.

‘You’re such a little cock tease, you think you can walk around in your little shorts and skirts like you do thinking there are no consequences you’re going to learn exactly what that means now open up my girl,’ my eyes widened in horror as he thrust his hips towards my face.

I’m completely trapped as his arms and legs hold me down. I shake my head back and forth, trying to get away from him. My tears are full on streaming down my cheeks. I even have snot running out of my nose. He slaps me across the face before one hand painfully grips my jaw.

‘I said open up!’ he all but spits, before he can force my mouth open, he falls forward and a loud bag rings in my ears.

‘Aurora! Aurora, are you okay?’ I hear the voice of my mother as I look up, seeing her holding a large frying pan above the bed. She saved me.

I push the human turd off of me as he slumps to the floor. She whacks him on the head once more for good measure before pulling me into her arms.

‘He won’t be out for long, grab a few items then we will leave,’ she whispers in my ear as she releases me, my legs shaking as I stumble around my room grabbing anything and everything, I can get my hands on.

I see mum bind his hands and feet with some rope. It won’t do much, but it will give us a few extra seconds and those could make all the difference. Mum has disappeared leaving me with him. I grab a few things before leaving the rest as I help her pack, grabbing as much money and cash as I can.

The only thing my father is going to be useful for is the fact he hates banks, so the house is teeming with cash at all times. I fill one bagful before we both freeze, hearing a groan. We look at each other, giving a nod before I open the window to her room. There’s a small ledge outside and I climb out, dropping the bag on the ground as I help mum out. As an omega, she has more curves than I do.

We both jump from the ledge, landing on the grass of our garden, a place I used to play as a child. Memories flash across my face, but there is no time. I pick up the bag, slinging them over my shoulder as I take mum’s hand.

‘Are you alright?’ she gives me a nod, and we both set off in a run, putting as much distance between the house and us. I look back, seeing the house disappear in the distance before hearing an earth-shattering roar.