Chapter 2:Echoes

Elara drove until the sun was high and her eyes burned from crying.The mountain road twisted behind her like a bad memory she couldn’t shake. Every bump jolted her sore body, reminding her of how thoroughly she’d been used how thoroughly she’d let herself be used. Her pussy was tender, swollen, still leaking him in slow, humiliating pulses. She kept her thighs pressed tight together, as if that could stop the evidence of what she’d done.She stopped once, at a remote gas station, to clean up in the grimy bathroom. The mirror showed a stranger lips swollen, throat marked with bruises shaped like fingerprints and teeth, eyes red-rimmed. She splashed cold water on her face, pulled her hoodie up to hide the hickeys, and bought the largest coffee they had.By the time she reached her apartment that evening, she was running on fumes.She stripped in the laundry room, shoving everything into the wash on hot his scent clung to her clothes, to her skin, to her hair. She showered until the water ran cold, scrubbing with her roughest loofah, trying to erase the feel of his mouth on her breasts, his dick stretching her, that impossible swelling locking inside her.It didn’t work.She crawled into bed naked, exhausted, and cried herself to sleep.But sleep brought dreams.Kai above her, silver eyes glowing, voice rough “Take my dick deeper, baby. This pussy was made for me.”She woke gasping, hand already between her legs, fingers sliding through wet heat. She came in less than a minute, biting her pillow to muffle the sob.The shame was worse the second time.

The days blurred into a careful routine of avoidance.

She went back to work at the nursery two days later, smiling at customers while her body betrayed her constantly. Her nipples stayed hard under her bra, rubbing against fabric until she ached. She caught herself zoning out during slow moments, staring at nothing, remembering the way he’d pinned her wrists and fucked her face to face by the fire.One afternoon, a male customer flirted mildly something harmless about her smile and she felt a rush of wetness so sudden she had to excuse herself to the back greenhouse.She locked the door, leaned against a potting bench, and let her hand slip under her skirt.Just a quick release, she told herself.But quick turned into long.She closed her eyes and let the memory flood her.The cabin counter. His hand in her hair. The first brutal thrust.“Beg for it.”“Please fuck my pussy need your big dick”Her fingers pumped fast, palm grinding her clit, imagining the stretch, the slap of his hips against her ass.The swelling. The lock. The flood of cum.She came hard, knees buckling, forehead pressed to the cool wood.Afterward she washed her hands twice and went back to work with flushed cheeks no one commented on.A week after the storm, the physical reminders finally faded ,the bruises yellowed, the soreness eased but the mental ones sharpened.She started wearing looser clothes, because anything tight made her too aware of her body. She avoided romance novels, turned off the TV when sex scenes came on.At night she fought the dreams.She lost most nights.One particularly bad evening, she gave in completely.She dimmed the lights, lit a candle for atmosphere she immediately regretted, and pulled out her thickest vibrator the one she’d bought years ago and rarely used.She lay on her back, legs spread wide, and turned it on low.The buzz against her clit made her gasp.She let the fantasy build slow this time.Kai carrying her to the rug by the fire. Peeling her clothes away like he owned her.His mouth between her legs slow, filthy licks, sucking her clit until she begged.She pushed the toy inside, groaning at the stretch.Not as big as him. Never as big.She fucked herself deep, imagining his weight pinning her, his voice in her ear.“Gonna fuck this sweet pussy again. Fill you until you’re dripping my cum for days.”She came twice once on the toy, once with her fingers on her clit sobbing his name into her pillow.Afterward she curled on her side and cried, hand on her empty belly, whispering, “Please let this be over soon.”

Four weeks after the storm The nausea started subtly queasy mornings, aversion to coffee.Elara blamed stress. New job worries. The move she was already planning in her head.When her period didn’t come, she bought ovulation tests first maybe she’d miscalculated.Negative.Then a pregnancy test, hidden at the bottom of her grocery basket.She waited until midnight to take it, as if darkness made it less real.The two lines appeared almost immediately.She stared at them for a long minute.Then took another test.Same result.She sat on the bathroom floor until the tile went cold under her thighs, test sticks lined up like accusations.Pregnant.From one night.One stranger.One impossible, body shattering night.She pressed both hands to her belly, still flat, still impossible.A baby.His baby.The thought brought a wave of terror and a shameful pulse of heat between her legs.She hated herself for it.She cried until she dry heaved, then crawled into bed and didn’t sleep.

The decision to run came fast.She gave notice at the nursery the next day, packed her Jeep over the following week, and left without telling anyone where she was going.Pine Ridge was far enough, small enough, pretty enough.She found the storefront with the loft above it on her second day perfect location, reasonable rent, exposed brick and big windows.She signed the lease with shaking hands, using every cent of savings for first and last month plus deposits.Moonbloom Botanicals opened six weeks later.The work kept her busy painting, shelving, ordering stock, designing labels. Physical labor dulled the nausea and the memories, at least during the day.At night, they came roaring back.

Twelve weeks after the storm Elara’s new life had a rhythm now.Mornings , ginger tea on the tiny balcony overlooking the quiet street, hand unconsciously resting on the faint curve of her lower belly that only she could see.Shop hours, soft music, the scent of herbs, customers who lingered to chat. She wore flowy skirts and loose tops to hide the changes breasts fuller, nipples constantly sensitive, hips rounding.Slow afternoons were dangerous.One golden Thursday, sunlight slanting through the back room window onto the long wooden drying table, she gave in again.She locked the front door, flipped the sign to Closed for Lunch, and drew the curtains.The table was sturdy oak, waist high.She leaned her hips against it, skirt rucked up, bare pussy pressing to the cool edge.No panties she’d stopped entirely, they irritated her swollen clit.She closed her eyes and let the fantasy build slow and filthy.Kai walking in. Seeing her like this. Knowing instantly.“Still dripping for me, baby? Still remember how I ruined this pussy?”Pushing her skirt higher, finding her bare.“Good girl. Ready for my dick whenever I want.”Bending her over the table her table and sliding in slow, letting her feel every inch.She turned now, hopped up to sit on the edge, legs spread wide.Her fingers circled her clit, then plunged deep three this time, stretching herself.In the fantasy he fucked her slow at first, one hand on her pregnant belly, voice rough with awe.“Look at you. Swollen with my baby. This pussy even tighter now.”Then harder, the table creaking, herbs scattering.“Gonna fuck you right here. Fill you again. You’re never running this time.”She came hard, back arching, pussy gushing around her fingers, a low moan escaping that she muffled with her own arm.Afterward she cleaned the table meticulously, face burning, and reopened the shop with a calm smile.Nights were for baths and surrender.The claw foot tub in the loft was deep, perfect.She filled it with hot water and lavender oil, sank in until only her breasts and belly broke the surface.Her body had changed so much already breasts heavy and veined, nipples dark and aching for touch.She cupped them, thumbs circling sensitive tips, imagining his mouth.Another fantasy this one tender and filthy.Kai finding her like this. Kneeling by the tub.“Let me take care of you.”Sucking her nipples slow, one hand between her legs, fingers pumping while he whispered how beautiful she looked carrying his kid.Then lifting her out, drying her gently, laying her on the bed and fucking her slow from behind, hand splayed over her belly.She came twice in the water, fingers buried deep, tears sliding into the bath.

Kai’s obsession grew in parallel.He ran his pack with ruthless efficiency by day, feral and short tempered by night.No female interested him. His dick only hardened for memories of her.He jerked off constantly shower, bed, woods after a run always to her.The way she’d submitted. The way her pussy had milked his knot.He didn’t know about the pup.But when Mira handed him the order form and he saw Elara’s name, everything clicked.He drove to Pine Ridge that night.Watched her close up.His wolf roared Mine.He waited in the shadows until the lights went out.Then he approached the door.The bell would ring soon.And everything would change.