ONE
I don’t remember much of those first two days after the fight, I was in too much of a state of shock. Silas made us live in a seedy hotel while he “procured our next living arrangement.” Whatever that meant. I didn’t care anymore. I didn’t care about anything.
“Get up!” Silas snapped, and my body rose from the bed into a sitting position against my will. A growl rumbled in my throat and Silas tipped his head back and laughed.
He was a master of control. He could force my body to do anything he willed, and that terrified me. I didn’t want to even try to use my ten percent of Greywolf power against him for fear it would get me killed if he found out that I was Wren.
Wren. I was Wren.
A sob formed in my throat and Maddy sat up in the bed next to me and rubbed small circles across my back.
Every night that I lay down to fall asleep, I couldn’t get two things out of my head.
Brayden saying,I choose you.
Leah saying,Brayden, I remember you.
They haunted me simultaneously and tore at my heart and soul. Were Leah and Brayden married yet? Did he miss me at all? I didn’t really want to know the answer to either of those questions but I thought about them often.
Silas walked over to hover above me. “Don’t be sad, sweet Lena.” He still thought I was Lena, and that was probably best for both Leah’s and my sake. “I can keep your bed warm while Brayden is away.” Silas reached down, stroked my cheek and I whimpered.
“Touch her again and I’ll remove your balls,” Maddy snarled from her place beside me.
Maddy and I had been sharing a bed in the motel room and Silas was sleeping alone on the other bed, but he’d made multiple passes at me.
I was frozen in place as Silas’ power wrapped around me, forcing me not to move. My gaze flicked up without me moving to see him give Maddy the most hair-raising glare.
“I can do whatever I want to her and you can’t stop me,” he threatened, and my blood went cold.
No. No. No.
He’d not actually done anything to me yet, but I feared that day would come. He was too powerful for either of us to fight. He trailed a finger from my collarbone to my cleavage, and I growled like a wild animal but could physically do nothing to stop it. It was the most helpless, defeating feeling in the world, and a little part of me died in that moment.
Was this how it was going to be for the next year with this psycho? Would he force his way with me whenever he wanted? The thought made me go numb.
Maddy laughed then, a psychotic evil laugh that forced Silas to look over at her.
“What’s so funny?” he spat.
“Touch her again and I’ll shove a broom handle up your ass while you sleep. You can’t control us while you’re sleeping. I know that for a fact because I put a booger on your coffee cup last night.” She cackled and he looked stunned, his eyes widening in shock. “If you want sex, go find a hooker.”
His hand came out so fast I could barely track it as he smacked her hard across the face. I gasped, but again couldn’t move to do anything or protect her. It was how a caged animal must feel. But I was caged in my own body.
“Get your crap. We’re moving to New York today,” was all Silas said before walking into the bathroom. Only after he shut the door did his hold over me drop.
“Are you okay?” I spun to see Maddy holding her reddened cheek and staring at the closed bathroom door like she wanted to light it on fire.
She nodded. “New York?”
“Bastard,” I growled, and started to weep softly, no longer able to be strong and hold it all in. It was too much. First, I lost Brayden and Leah, now he was forcing us to move away from home? My mom? My job? School?
Maddy’s arms came around me tightly and I broke into full sobs. I just wanted to go home. I wanted my old life with my mom where I was clueless to this whole supernatural thing. Spending a year with this monster would break me.
It was then that I remembered Artemis’ letter and that by me being here it meant Brayden’s little sister was not. The thought calmed me. That was worth it. For that I could get through anything. I wiped my eyes and looked over at Maddy. The moment I’d volunteered, she’d tried to take my place. She was a good friend that I was so grateful to have in this hellhole situation right now.
“Thank you,” I told her, pulling back and wiping at my eyes. “For… everything.”
She nodded. “I’m not kidding about the broom handle. He touches you again and he’s going to wake up with a surprise.”
