“...Okay.”
He comes to sit on the sofa with me, though we each sit in the opposite corner, making sure we are not too close. I just hope he is not too tired. He lays his head to rest on the back of the sofa and closes his eyes. I just grab my cup of tea, feeling embarrassed now that we were supposed to talk but don’t. But what could I ask? With that dark background of his, there are lots of questions I wouldn’t dare to ask... Like what it is to be Alpha, or how did he get so rich. I didn’t feel comfortable about asking stupid stuff like his hobbies or his favorite movie, either. After pondering for a while, he surprises me by being the first one to talk.
“...You look better.”
I let out a shy smile, happy he noticed the changes.
“Ah, yes... I feel much better now. Tonia’s watching me. And she’s teaching me a bit of boxing, too.”
“You’re still too thin.”
I couldn’t disagree with that, so I just nod a bit and take a sip. I still have a long way to go to be as healthy as girls myage. But for some reason, I feel so relaxed now that my mate is in the same room. He’s not any less intimidating to me, but his presence is something that my wolf needs.
“Thank you for all of this,” I say, realizing I didn’t have a chance to thank him so far.
When I look back at what my life was before, I would never have imagined such a thing happening to me. Before that, every day was a nightmare. I would work all day long, fearing someone might scold me or hit me for any reason. The days were long, exhausting, and straining. I had no friend, no one that would care for me. All I could do was pray the sun would set soon so that I could hide back into the dark basement...
Even now, I seldom wake up from a nightmare, thinking I’m back in that cold and frightening place, on that yellow couch. I never dare to say to Tonia how cold I feel sometimes.
“The siblings are the ones that saved your life.”
His voice has suddenly gone colder. I look at him, and he has that terrifying, angry look again. Is he thinking about the day they found me? I don’t want to remember it... I can still feel my brother’s hands on my throat, tightening, tightening, tightening so much while I struggled to breathe.
He would have killed me. He really would have, had Tonia and Bobo not found me. How did you get so despicable, Alec...?
“Tonia said you wouldn’t tell us which Clan you’re from.”
I stay silent. They may have been cruel to me, but those people are still my pack. I don’t want Damian’s wrath to unleash on them. Some of the pack members are not that bad, and no matter what, I still owe the Clan somehow...
And I’m afraid of what Damian is capable of.
“What will you do if I tell you?”
This time, it’s his turn to remain silent for a while. The room stays quiet for a couple of minutes, and I take my gaze to the glass wall. It might be past midnight now, but the rain isn’t stopping at all.
“Did they hurt you?”
Yes.
“No.”
“Nora.”
He knows I’m lying, we both do. But I just can’t say it. I can’t.
He suddenly turns to me, scaring me a bit. But he looks serious, not angry at me. Gosh, how can he be that intimidating when he’s only sitting?
“If I let you work, can you tell me?”
“No!” I reply, shocked by his bargaining.
I’m not going to trade my pack’s lives just for the sake of letting me work! All of this is wrong in the first place. I shouldn’t even have to ask him!
“Just let me work; I will be cautious, I promise.”
“You don’t need to work.”
“I do! I need money. I don’t have anything.”
