Chapter Fifteen

Liam snarled, his temper flaring at the sight of the broken, beautiful woman who was his Alpha's mate. Very gently, Kaiden picked up the blanket and approached me using his Alpha pheromones to calm me and slowly wrapped me in the blanket. He scooped me into his powerful arms and felt me go still as I froze in fear when he held me close to his chest, letting his warmth surround me.

‘It’s okay, little mate, I’ve got you, and I promise I won’t hurt you. I would never hurt you.’

He soothed me, kissing the top of my head tenderly as he tightened his grip until I rested my head against his shoulder tentatively.

‘That’s it, good girl.’

He crooned, trying to reassure me.

‘I’ve got you, baby girl, and no one will ever hurt you ever again.’

He repeated softly so only she could hear his words as he strode back towards their Pack House, a huge luxurious mansion that had been built into the side of the mountain and was almost impenetrable from their enemies. He headed up to his bedroom, where he had left me to sleep the first time he brought me home and placed me gently on his bed. He stepped back and sighed in resignation when I tore off the blanket and leapt to my feet, facing him angrily, not caring that I was naked.

‘Who are you and what the fuck do you want with me?’

I snarled at him, my fists clenching and unclenching tightly by my sides. Kaiden thought she looked adorable; all he wanted to do was kiss those beautiful lips until she was breathless.

I was watching him closely and saw his eyes change colour, darkening until they were a deep, rich cerulean, and I blushed when I realised exactly what he was thinking. My mouth went dry when I  saw him glance at my lips, and I wasn’t aware when my pink tongue slipped out to trace away the dryness there until his eyes locked on the movement. Kaiden moved closer, bending his head until his nose touched my ear.

‘I am your mate, my little wolf, and you know this, or at least your pretty wolf does.’

I stiffened at his words, and I knew he could scent the fear pulsing through my rigid body.

‘Hey, hey, calm down, baby girl, remember, I won’t hurt you, I will never hurt you. All I want to do is make you happy.’

He nuzzled into my neck, kissing me just below my ear as desire coursed through every cell in his body.

‘Claim mate.’  

Midnight growled, pacing around his mind, desperately, his animal instincts telling him to take his mate and make her his.

Kaiden licked down my slender neck to the tender place where it joined my shoulder, placing kisses along the way, his breath hot against my skin. It was then he realised I was frozen in his arms, holding myself so stiffly he thought I would break if he tried to move me.

‘Baby, baby, please, I’m not going to hurt you.’

He whispered against my hair, letting his hands stroke along my arms, and then he rubbed my back, doing everything he could to make me relax. I  was trembling, and he could scent my anxiety increasing, and he was at a loss as to what to do.

‘Dakota, I give you my word, I will never hurt you. I want to make you feel good. I only want you to be happy here in my Pack as my mate.’

It did not help; he could only watch in confusion as I  whimpered and tears began to stream down my face.

‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please don’t punish me. I won’t do it again.’

He groaned softly, his forehead resting against mine.

‘Oh baby, you haven’t done anything wrong, you have nothing to be sorry about. I will never hurt you, my little mate.’

My trembling did not cease, and I knew he was holding back his own feelings when he let me go, and I cried out as my legs buckled beneath me, sending me falling back onto his bed, where I curled back into a ball, sobbing silently. I heard Kaiden hiss in frustration, and then he turned on his heel and walked out of his room down into his office. All I wanted was for someone to wrap their arms around me and hug me, to tell me everything would be alright. I knew it would never happen; the last person who had voluntarily hugged me had been my mother on the day she died fourteen years ago. No one cared enough about me to give me something as simple as a reassuring hug; all that damn Alpha wanted was to claim me, and he did not give a damn what I wanted.

‘I don’t know what to do about her.’

Kaiden groaned to Matty, who lifted an eyebrow.

‘I’ve tried everything, but she’s still terrified of me.’

Matty looked at his Alpha; he had never seen the man looking so completely frazzled.

‘I think, perhaps you should call in the Healer, find out what that fucking Pack did to her, why she has all these fucking hang-ups. It’s not normal for a Werewolf to be so introverted about sex.’

Kaiden looked at his number two,

‘He is right.’

He thought everyone who grew up within the Pack was completely at ease with everything to do with sex. Werewolves shifted often, so they were not uptight about nudity. From a young age, they got used to seeing naked bodies of both sexes. When they hit puberty and began showing an interest in each other, it was not unusual for them to experiment, and both sexes often had multiple partners before they found their mates. They did not feel it necessary to remain virgins until they mated; most preferred to have a mate with experience. The way Dakota was behaving suggested she had been subject to serious abuse, and Kaiden knew she needed help that he was not qualified to give her.