“I’m trying, man, she’s in heat. She only has one thing on her mind. I’m going to have to knock her out.”
I hear more grunting and then Storm, “Do it.”
“I’m so sorry, River.” I’m so confused about what’s happening until Torin’s hands are around my neck, cutting off my air. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just need you to calm down so I can carry you out of here so they can end this shit.”
My hands reach out trying to push him away, before gripping onto his arms. It’s getting harder to breathe, my vision blurring until there’s nothing.
Just darkness.
***
Buzz…Buzz…
A buzzing sound invades my ear, annoying, but faint. But there’s something behind it. Something familiar. A voice. I concentrate, trying to hone in on the voice.
Storm.
He’s upset. Crying. A deep pressure bears down on my hand, and I want to flinch, to pull away, but I can’t. I’m so tired. But I focus on Storm. On the sound of his voice and the comfort it brings me.
“I failed her,” he sobs. “I shouldn’t have left.”
He’s blaming himself. I want to scream. To tell him he’s wrong. But the words don’t come. No matter how hard I try, my mouth isn’t able to form them. Instead, I stay lingering in this world of murky darkness.
“Do you think it would’ve changed anything?” an unfamiliar male voice speaks.
“You mean, do you think I could have prevented what they did to her?” I hear him break down, crying heavily, before the fog takes hold, lulling me back to sleep.
I don’t know how much time passes. A series of voices floats through my consciousness, their tones calm but urgent, like a conversation just out of reach. I try to pry my eyes open, but they stay stubbornly shut.
“I promise I’ll never leave you again, River.” The pressure is on my hand again. Squeezing it. Gentle but firm.
Slowly, I begin to gain control of my body, my finger twitching.
“River.” Storm's voice rises with excitement.
My mouth feels like cardboard, my eyes flutter, finally opening, the bright light in the room causing me to squint. My eyes scan the room. It’s a bedroom, not the one I was held captive in, but somewhere else. Somewhere unfamiliar. A dresser sits against the far wall, a window cracked just enough to allow a cool breeze to flow in.
“Is this a dream? Are you real?” My voice is hoarse, cracking with each word I say.
“Most definitely not a dream.” He leans forward, kissing me gently on my forehead.
A wave of relief rushes over me, but it doesn’t last long as memories rush back to me. I was in heat. But I’m not feeling any of the effects now. Visions of how I allowed them to defile my body, to bond me. That I bonded with one of them.
His face is splotchy, dried tears on his cheek as he smiles brightly at me. My heart breaks when I see the mottled bruisingalong his cheekbones and his black eye. “You’re going to be okay.”
I nod, but he’s wrong. I’m never going to be okay. Not after this. All I feel is shame, and I hate myself. Instead of fighting, I let them have me.
“How?” I try to swallow, but there’s nothing but dryness as I cough, causing pain to radiate through me. “How…”
“Shh. When I couldn’t get a hold of you and Dad was acting weird, my pack and our friends came with me to find out what was going on.” He clenches his jaw and takes a deep breath. “I found him drunk off his ass at home. I beat the hell out of him until he told me what he did. I just wish I would’ve acted sooner. Got there before they could…” He drops his head so I can’t see his face, but I see the way his shoulders shake.
“Thirsty.” Comes out in a whisper.
He lifts his hand, wiping his face. “I bet you’re hungry too. There’s a lot I need to talk to you about… but after you eat.” He stands up, leans over to brush his hand on the side of my face and places a kiss on my forehead. “I’ll be right back.”
I nod, missing his touch when he lets go. He crosses the room, opens the door and leaves.
The need to pee suddenly takes over, and I carefully ease the covers off of me and sit up. My head spins with the sudden movement, and I have to brace my hands on the mattress. I take a few deep breaths to calm myself. Letting my bare toes dig into the carpet, the coolness is a refreshing shock to my body. I stand slowly, and move across the room, hoping that one of the doors leads to a bathroom.
