Escaping the Monster's Embrace

Sever

The smell of lavender danced around the small room as steam waltzes in front of my eyes. My shoulders sank deeper into the water as I shut my lids enjoying the peace. I could hear a water droplet fall into the body of the water, it was almost as though there was a rhythm to the constant drip.

I left out a sigh of relief as I could hear the front door close as the Beta left for work. I was now alone and able to enjoy my bath with no disturbances. Donovan had filled this bath for me before going to work. It had been five days since he had broke down over his father, we had five days of acting like we were 'friends'.

My gut was telling me not to trust him, that he had to have a motive for being nice. What was his pay off going to be?

I rolled my eyes at how I reacted to him. I was weak, allowing his story of his past to gently pull on my heart strings. Weak for feeling pity for him. The only person I should feel sorry for in this situation was me!

I looked over at the book that sat on the counter of the sink. I was glad for the bath to relax after what I had read inside the thick book about mates. I had skipped over most of the chapters and only focused on the details that would affect me as a human mate. Even though I was human as time goes on I would eventually develop feelings thanks to the mating bond. I would never feel the extent of the bond like a Were does but gradually over time I would feel a fraction of it.

I sighed as I got out off the bath, wrapping myself in a fluffy towel. I walked into the bedroom to see the freshly made bed, one thing the Beta was good for since I despised making the bed. Sitting on the edge of the bed I began rubbing cream into my skin, prophet children or not I was not having huge stretch marks.

Throwing a loose jumper and leggings on I headed downstairs. I turned the TV on flicking to the news station, hiring up the volume and then I walked into the kitchen. The sound of the News Anchor was surprisingly soothing to me and listening to the news in the background was becoming ritual.

"Alpha Rowan Moloch has expanded our territory once again. We are now the biggest pack within North America-"

I began dicing up strawberries as the woman's voice drones on about the victories of their Alpha. They were a greedy selfish creature wolves, taking whatever they could and making it theirs. It was a survival trait that I understand.

A rattle of knuckles sounded on the front door gaining my attention. I nipped my finger off the blade of the knife accidentally. Cussing I sucked on my finger as I went to answer the door. My tongue ran over my already sealed finger making me frown.

I opened the door shocked to see Beau and my Nana being accompanied by Emmett. I opened the door letting them in and followed them into the sitting room.

"Good morning pet, how're you?" My nana asked taking me into a hug.

"I'm good Nana, I've missed you both so much," I sighed gripping onto her for comfort.

"We've missed you," Beau's voice was unrecognizable, strong and steady. A pang stung my chest at the absence of my nickname.

I teared up dropping to my knees and wrapping my arms around him. He tightly hugged me back his small arms made a necklace. His body felt sturdier in my arms something positive from his time with the wolves.

He pulled back from me and his eyes didn't stray from my swollen belly. There was no judgement in his pure eyes, the same couldn't be said for my Nana. I took his little hand and placed it where one of the babies had been kicking profusely.

"Hello little babies," he whispered smiling.

"I think they like you Beau," I whispered as I could feel more than one movement.

He giggled before jumping onto the sofa and flicking through the channels. I turned to see my Nana and Emmet in deep discussion, as I slowly approached them they began to quite down.

"Lilah, can I talk to you?" Emmet cocked his head to the side wanting us to go into the kitchen.

I followed behind him but not too closely, I have been ignored by Rowan and Emmet for weeks. They know how hostile and violent Donovan is, and they blatantly left me alone with him.

"Did he hurt you this morning? I can smell fresh blood?" His voice rumbled as his eyes scanned my face.

"No he didn't I had an accident prepping breakfast this morning," I avoided his eyes feeling uncomfortable.

"Are you sure? You don't need to lie and feel like you're protecting him," his voice didn't mean to come across in a condescending tone but it did.

"I cut myself eating strawberries I'm fine," I ground out.

"Are you positive?" My jaw knitted together tightly at his persistence.

"Even if he did hurt me, which he didn't, I would heal. Look-" I grabbed the knife I had been using and quickly dragged it down my palm.

Before I knew what was happening Emmet had grabbed my bloody hand cussing as he turned the faucet on and shoving my hand under the icy water. As the crimson stain washed away from my palm my soft pink and already healed skin was under it.

"How-" he trailed off standing closely behind me.

"Why are you here?" I asked rudely turning away from him.

"Donovan asked me to bring them to visit you," His head jerked to where my family were.

I hadn't seen them in weeks and yet he had me cooped up in the kitchen wasting my time by talking to him about nothing in particular.

"Is it really that easy for you and your brother to forget about me? You come to visit but it's not even on your own free will, your psycho beast of a cousin had to ask?" I scoffed glaring at him.

"I was told by Rowan to back off, he didn't want Donovan to be suspicious of us. We had to be careful so that he didn't realize we know he's different." His eyes matched the slant slits of my own, his chest rattling with a growl.

"Whatever I don't believe that shit for a minute. He doesn't care if he's found out and you know it! The only reason you think you care about me is because you think I resemble your mate!" I threw back in his face.

His back straightened instantly, his eyes displaying shock at how bold I sounded. His face quickly contorted into a snarl as he reached for his wallet, opening it and showing me of a photo of a blonde teenager.

"Look at her, look at her hard and tell me she looks like you! The furthest it goes is you have the same hair color! The way I feel about you has nothing to do with how my mate looks! I barely knew my mate, the mourning I done after I found her body was for the fact that I would never be with my true soulmate.

It was selfish I didn't mourn for her life that was taken because she was probably happier dead. My brother already told you what happened to our mates, well mine suffered the worse out of every female in their pack. The Rogue came in and took their Alphas title and tormented their pack, my mate had birthed four of his pups, the first one at the age of fourteen. A child she was just a child! I don't think she would have wanted a life with a man after the abuse she went through, she probably welcomed death."

His eyes brimmed with tears and guilt tightly gripped my chest.

"It's not selfish at all," I whispered touching his arm gently.

"I didn't even want to know her name, it was easier to move past the grief that way."

The silence that surrounded me left me feeling uncomfortable. I felt awkward and unsure of myself after the revelation Emmet shared with me.

"How I feel about you is authentic and real, I wanted to come see you but was prohibited to," he went to touch me and I subconsciously took a step back.

His eyes hardened slightly at my rejection of his affection but then they changed to the wild look of determination.

"We're going to get you out of here."

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Love y'all and stay safe!
~ Ari