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~Hannah~

Pain courses through my body as I land heavily on my butt with full force. My hair now tangled scatters all over my face, some sticking to my skin and a few strands making their way into my mouth. I taste a mixture of sweat and blood from my battered lips and my body shudders. 

“I fuvking gave you everything! What have I not done for you, Hannah? All I ask of you is to stay faithful to me! To stop waggling your fuvking eyes and body at those cheap men!” Liam Durk, my husband of three years, slams at me. He marches to my front, picks me up with his large hands which is able to completely lift me off the floor and wobble in the air. He forces me to look at him.

“Do you want to be a slụ́t so bad?” he scowls, his perfectly carved face stretching. He is usually very good looking when he's not behaving this way. 

“I–” I try to speak but the excruciating pain makes me clench my teeth instead. I give up and shut my eyes. If I finally die today, then so be it. 

You are probably wondering why my husband is using me as his punching bag. Or why I let him do it. All I did was say hi to the new guy in town. But my husband thinks I was seducing him. As for why I let him do it, we all have our reasons, don't we. 

I notice him unsuspecting and kick his groin.

“Fvck! Hannah!” He releases a grunt and I drop to the ground. I crawl backwards and curl myself up close to the wall. My eyes shut tighter and my fingers curl. My wolf, Nina, is whimpering and furious. She wants me to act. But I can't. 

Liam comes over. I know because his scent becomes stronger.

“Open your eyes,” he commands. 

I slowly squint my eyes open in obedience. 

He shifts closer. His hand caresses my face and he speaks with his calm voice. “I don't want to hurt you, Hannah. You know how much I love you. What I went through to make you mine. Tell me the truth.”

“I don't know what you are talking about,” I reply boldly. 

His eyes pinch and the way his nose flare shows my word has hit a spot. He leans up, scowling. In a flash he begins to unbutton his belt. “Fine. Don't say a word then.”

Anger and irritation shoots through me. You see, ever since the first time Liam laid hands on me, I have never asked to be spared nor for him to forgive me. Doesn't matter what I did, if I was at fault or not. Doesn't matter how hard he grabs my hair or how many of his spiteful comments and hits I receive. I am able to bear many things. Unless this one–forceful penetration. He seems to know it and uses it when he wants me to react at all costs.

He grabs me again and throws me against the large sturdy desk. My spine hit the edge and I bit back a groan. “Stop it Liam! Please…” I finally protest. “I will speak!”

He sneers. “Fuvk Hannah! I fuvking gave you the chance yet you ignored me. You really think I'm a fool, huh? I own you Hannah. I fuvking own you. Your body and all you fuvking have belongs to me and I will do as I please!”

He reaches to grab me but I slip out of his grasp. Only that he catches me with his other arm almost immediately. I forgot he had long, large hands. 

Suddenly the door swings open and a figure barges in. Liam's one hand hangs in the air and I struggle to see my unexpected saviour amidst the blinding sun rays. I squint harder and my body becomes still the next instant as the realization dawns. “Nathan Durk,” my lips quiver. But my body shivers more. 

“Who are you?” Liam questions with a snarl backing away from me. He probably already knows who.

“Hello brother,” Nathan says and strides quickly into the room. “Am I interrupting anything?” He asks, glancing at me. I quickly put my face away. I wish the ground would open immediately and suck me in. But I'm still here, covered in embarrassment and raw shame. My life has never been blessed with even the tiniest of luck. All I have ever asked for is a normal life. One, that my past doesn't look better than my present or future. 

“Hello Hannah.” Nathan says to me. My heart is pounding crazily in my chest for many reasons. 

“Is everything alright?” he asks, focusing on me. At this point I want to die. Because Nathan isn't really asking if I'm alright. He bloody knows what is going on. He fuvking knows his brother hits me. And it breaks me to know that he knows my life did not change since he left the Pack. 

“Why are you curled up over there? You need some help–” He is about to come over when Liam stops him. Liam comes instead and helps me up. Wipes my face and pulls a chair for me to sit before he faces Nathan again. “You did not call to inform anyone you were coming back,” he says coldly. 

“My apologies. It happened all of a sudden and I missed home too.”

Liam scoffed. “Home?”

“Yes. Home. Is mother doing alright?”

“After three whole years? You return from wherever–”

“Let's talk in your study.” Nathan cut him off, glancing at me. 

Liam glares at him. After a moment he grudgingly let out an exasperated sigh before he shrugs and finally agrees. He walks over to me. “We are not done with this conversation. Wait for me here,” he whispers before the two walk out. 

My shoulder sinks low and I release the breath I have been holding in. I stand up and hurry over to the window and look through the slit. Nathan and Liam are walking into the main building but my eyes are fixed on Nathan. My heart skips a beat. He has not changed one bit. Neither the way he walks or his looks. While he spoke to Liam, I snuck glances at him. His face is still as handsome as ever but his pose and frame are slightly different–Larger and wider than before he left. He's grown abs and muscles too. I can see it from the way his shirt clings tight to his skin. 

Despite us being apart three whole years, I still remember every spot, every mark, every scar on his body. I know because I have trailed my fingers on them. Because he is not just my husband's brother but my ex lover.