You reek

“Where the fucking hell are you coming back from?!” James growled the second the door closed behind me. 

I jumped in shock. I wasn't expecting him to be waiting for me. It was after three in the morning, and by this time, he was usually too drunk to even keep his eyes open. To my surprise, he was sitting in the armchair facing the door, more alert than drowsy. 

My blood ran cold at his expression. I didn't need anyone to spell it out. I knew I was fucked. 

“I…” I gulped. “I… we... went for a walk,” I stammered. “I couldn't sleep.” I rubbed my hand on the back of my neck.

He stood and drew a step towards me. “You couldn't sleep?” He arched a brow. “So you decided to take a stroll at two in the morning without your phone and without telling me that you were leaving. Is that right, Alina?”

I nodded, trying so hard not to flinch when he stopped inches from me. His nostrils flared, and he lifted his hand. Before I could duck, his palm had already descended. The force of the slap snapped my head to the side. Pain bloomed across my face as I clutched my cheek, staring up at him with wide, tear-blurred eyes.

“You reek,” he hissed. “You smell like another alpha, yet you claimed you only went for a fucking walk!” 

“I did,” I whispered, shrinking back as he advanced. “James, I swear, nothing happened—”

“Don't lie to me, you worthless little whore.” He grabbed my jaw and pressed so hard, I thought he would snap my bones. “Did you think I wouldn't know? Did you think you could spread your legs for some stray dog and I wouldn't smell him all over you?”

“I didn't.” I shook my head. “I went to the bar, got drunk, and fell asleep in the bathroom. I swear, I didn't—”

“So you went to a bar now? It wasn't a walk, after all. At least give me a fucking believable lie!” He shoved me backwards, and I stumbled. 

I bit back a cry when I fell hard on my arse. This was the side of him I'd known since the time we got together. The version of him with that woman earlier was one I'd never seen or experienced before. 

He tsked. “You've always been pathetic,” he spat as his eyes raked over me with disgust. “Clinging to me like a leech and begging for scraps of attention. And now this? 

Did you think anyone else would want you? Did you think some back-alley alpha actually desired you? He used you, Alina. He smelled desperation on you, and he fucked you like the disposable, cheap little cunt you are.”

As I pressed my back against the wall, my stomach twisted in shame at the words I had heard for the past three years.

“He didn't touch me,” I whispered, still lying. It was better than saying the truth and getting hit for it. “I wouldn't do that. I know my place, James. I know I'm yours.”

“Are you?” He crowded me against the wall and slammed his hand beside my head, caging me in. His oppressive pheromones washed over me, and I whimpered. “Because from where I'm standing, you smell like a bitch in heat who got mounted by the first available cock. You're filthy and fucking tainted. Yet you dare to walk back into my house reeking of it.”

Tears filled my eyes as I spoke, “I’m so sorry.” I hoped he could sense my struggle to resist the overwhelming pheromones he was releasing. It wasn’t what I needed right now. I longed for the comforting, gentle presence—he had never given me—instead of this intense and intimidating aura. “I'm sorry, please, I didn't mean to—”

“Sorry?” He leaned in. “You're not sorry. You're a lying, useless slut who can't even get pregnant after three years of being bred like an animal. And now you've gone and let someone else pollute what little value you had left.”

Said the same man who never took me during my heat period and forced me to go through an abortion when I was just 18, to avoid having a child through me.

I parted my lips to continue lying, but he didn't give me the chance. He dragged me by the hair, straight to the room, where I was subjected to the most painful sex I'd ever had since I was born. He tugged my hair and slapped me as he fucked me. I bled, but he didn't stop, and he didn't use his pheromones to soothe me. I would have taken any, even his oppressive one.

When he was done, he shoved me aside and left the room, slamming the door hard behind him. 

With him gone, I curled into myself and wept. My body hurt, and blood was trickling from both my scalp and my pussy. It wasn't the first time, though. James had never been gentle with me. 

To him, I would always be the slut who got sold by her mother for just a grand. I wasn't even worth more than that. 

I was nothing but a worthless whore who would likely end up like my mum, used and discarded.

I pulled up, wincing when my thighs rubbed against each other. I reached for the cigarette on my bedside table, lit it, and relaxed as I took the first puff. 

Fuck my life and fuck the moon goddess.

*^*^^^

I had a restless sleep last night because I didn't wash. I was too tired to do anything after I smoked three sticks. My eyes were puffy when I woke up, and my head was throbbing so much it felt like it was about to split in two. As a wolfless Omega, it would bloody take up to a week before my healing kicked in, and that was if it actually did so. I healed slower than others. 

I dragged myself out of bed and limped to the bathroom, where I had my bath before I came out to the room to tidy it up. Breakfast was the next thing I prepared. I couldn't afford to piss James off any more than I did last night. I was still healing, and the last thing I wanted was a repeat of what he did to me…