Chapter 5-

I felt frozen and stood there for a minute trying to regain my composure after that humiliating “interview”. After I left the room, I pulled the robe closer to my body, and tried to get control of my breathing.

The guard who was now taking me back to my shared room leaned in and said “It’s too bad the Alpha has decided to compete. I would have loved to have claimed you for myself. Who knows maybe he won’t pick you, and then I can take my turn with you? There are a lot of other pretty women here who might catch his eye. Why don’t you give me a little taste of what you have to offer? It’s been so long since I’ve touched a beautiful woman.”

I held my hands up in front of me trying to block his advance, but he was much bigger and stronger than I was. He grabbed at my breast aggressively, and started to pull the night dress down. It hurt when he groped me and I knew I had to try and get away.

Without thinking of what the consequences could be I yelled out “Stop, please!” I tried to shove his hands away, but he continued to grope me roughly. Fear taking over I kicked him as hard as I could in his groin. I just knew if I didn’t get away from him, he would rape me. His green eyes quickly turned red and little brown hairs started sprouting from his skin. I had no idea what was happening, but it terrified me. He grabbed me by the neck squeezing hard, and lifted me up from the ground. He closed his eyes trying to regain his composure.

Soon his breath evened, and the hairs began disappearing back under his skin. “I like a little fight in a woman, it makes breaking her that much more fun.” I started clawing at his arm trying to get him to release me, the lack of oxygen as he gripped my throat made me panic. Suddenly he dropped me, and I fell to the ground gasping for breath. “This will help you remember to do as I say. You have no power here.” I was so happy that he has stopped touching me that I didn't care if my throat burned from his rough hands, I just wanted to be away from him.

When I tried to push myself up, I heard my ribs crack under his foot as he stomped down on me. I felt his heavy crushing foot come down on me three times before an angry voice boomed out.

“What’s going on?!” I looked up and recognized the man speaking as Beta Lucas. “Ian you better have a good fucking reason for harming one of the women.” The Beta had the man up against the wall squeezing his throat like he had just done to me.

The man I now knew to be called Ian said nonchalantly “This stupid woman thought she would try to escape. I had to stop her, and put her in her place.”

The Beta’s eyes began to turn red as he looked at me and then Ian. “I will tell the Alpha about this. You know this is not how we deal with punishment. Get out of my sight, you are pathetic.” Ian gave me a smirk, “See you soon Ember.” I just curled up into a ball wanting to protect myself from any further attack.

Lucas must have heard what he said even though it was whispered because he punched him so hard in the mouth that it sent him flying to the ground. When Ian tried getting back up Lucas continued punching him, he was hitting him so hard that blood was pouring from his face and I thought that he might kill him. Lucas stood over his shaking, bloody body and said “You ever so much as fucking look at Ember, and I will kill you. If you think this is over; it isn’t. You will still have to deal with the Alpha if it was up to me, I’d just kill you now. These women are a gift to our pack, not something for you to play with.”

I started trying to push myself up again as Ian crawled away, but pain radiated through my body. I was just glad Beta Lucas came before he had the chance to kill me or who knows what else. I felt large hands pick me up gently, and lead me from the hallway to a large cabin located behind the lodge. Fear surged through my body as he led me through the cabin to a large bedroom upstairs.

Why wasn’t he taking me back to the room I shared with the other women? I had just gone from one terrible situation to possibly being in another. I had felt so safe and protected in his arms until now, why was I being brought here? Would he try to hurt me too? His kind eyes and smile felt comforting but after the hell of today, I can't trust my instincts.

He must have heard my heart racing as he set me on the bed. “I’m not going to hurt you Ember. I brought you here to look at your wounds and make sure you feel safe. I’m not at all like that scum Ian. He will be dealt with, don’t worry.” I let the breath out I had been holding and moaned out in pain, grabbing my side.

“Tell me what really happened.” A few stray tears escaped, quickly I swiped at my face not wanting him to see me cry. I hated feeling so vulnerable, especially with people that I didn’t know well. I didn't want him to see me as weak or defenseless, even though that's how I felt right now. I wanted him to know that I hadn’t tried to escape, I didn’t want to be punished. “He…he grabbed at me and tried…he was trying to touch me, and I struck him. That’s when he got mad and…please I tried to tell him to stop.” I quickly looked down at the ground, Lucas’s red eyes were beginning to scare me, and shame crept through my body. They changed the same way Ian’s had. His eyes took in the red marks on my neck and the tear at the top of the dress. “You did nothing wrong.” He said, softly cupping my chin and making me lift my eyes to his. “You did good defending yourself; you should have never had to. Listen I need to return to the interviews, but I will tell my brother what happened, and he will make sure Ian is punished harshly. You are safe here, I promise no one will bother you in this room. I will have dinner brought up soon, until then rest.” “Thank you.” I told him quietly, I soaked up his kindness like sunshine,

I needed something good to happen after this awful day. His lovely blue eyes held mine and I gave him a small smile, this was the safest I had felt since being captured. I know it sounded crazy because he had been a part of that terrible interview where they had humiliated me, but I really did feel safe with him. Like he would burn the world down to keep me safe.

Shortly after Lucas had left there was a knock at the bedroom door, and a young man maybe only twelve or thirteen brought a tray in and set it on the table next to the bed. “Beta Lucas told me to bring this to you, and to ask you to take the medication and rest.” I thanked him for the meal and smiled at him. He was the youngest person I had seen since getting here. After eating I eyed the pills left on the tray and felt unsure. I didn’t want to take any medication that I wasn’t familiar with. After much internal debate I decided to take them feeling like Lucas wasn’t out to hurt me.

Looking around the room I saw that it was very neatly kept and large. There was a dark wood wardrobe in the corner of the room and a decent sized desk with a few chairs next to it. On the side of the bed was a small table with some candles and a photo of him, the alpha and a beautiful woman. She looked like she might be related to them. I wondered where she was, so far I hadn't seen any women. The bed was large and comfortable covered in furs, the attack had left me feeling tired, but I felt a little strange falling asleep in a bed that must belong to Lucas.

I thought about Ava and hoped that she wasn’t too traumatized by the “interview”. I wished Ava was here with me now, being alone in this room made me a bit nervous, but Lucas said I’d be safe here. I just didn’t want her to be afraid or alone. There was a door directly across the room and curiosity got the better of me, I decided despite the pain that came with moving to go look inside.

It was a bathroom, with a large tub and a shower on the opposite end. It had been ages since I had a relaxing soak but there was no way I was getting in when I had no idea when Lucas would return. The incessant pain had me making my way back to the bed to wait. Shortly after sitting down sleep overtook me, the events of the day had been exhausting. Sometime later I shot up when I heard my name being called, pain darting through my body making me wince.