The Alpha Queen's Mate (Book 5 of The Regal Eclipse Pack Series)

Chapter 57

Kane held the door open to the pack house and led her down to a large room where several women were seated in various stages of pregnancy. Dr. Stevens was in the room with them, and Noelle could tell they were tense. They were also all rogues.

She was vaguely aware of how she must look to them, her hair wild, her body bathed in blood, the dress she had on sticking to her skin. She desperately needed a shower.

The women all eyed her warrily and she sat down her bag of clothes and turned to them, giving them a similar speech as she had the others. She was again surprised to find that every woman there chose to stay in the pack.

Finally, they were all gone, and Noelle turned to the doctor and Kane. "Well, that's over."

"Thank you, Princess, for what you did tonight," Dr. Stevens said, bowing his head to her. He turned to leave the room.

Noelle turned to Kane. "Will the women trust him?"

"As far as they can trust, yes. He treated them like humans, gave them a safe place to cry, a place away from the pack," Kane said. "We did what we could, but we were threatened as well."

"Your mate?"

"She's safe," Kane confirmed.

"I need a place to shower, Kane and then I need to see my family," Noelle said.

"Okay, come on." He led her down the hall and to a room. "This one is unused. Take your time."

She grabbed her bag of clothes and walked inside and closed the door behind her, locking it. Then she walked into the small bathroom and shut the door and locked it as well. She flipped on the water, noticing that there was body wash, shampoo and conditioner. Clean white towels were sitting on a shelf close by. She pulled off the dress and tossed it in the trash. She didn't want the reminder of this place. Then, she turned to look at herself in the mirror.

She felt disgusting. Besides the fact that she was covered in blood, she still felt the touches from the men earlier, men she had taken pleasure in killing. She felt the tears come and she let them go as she got in the shower.

She stood under the spray, letting it wash all of the blood down the drain as she cried. She cried for all of the women, the ones she'd watched being raped, the lost innocence, and the many, many victims. Then she cried for herself, and the humiliation she'd suffered through.

She grabbed the soap and scrubbed herself raw, washing away the touch of Mason and the feel of everyone's eyes on her. She found herself wishing she could bring him back to life and kill him all over again.

She'd never killed before, though she knew one day, she would cross that line. Today had been that day and she didn't feel the least bit guilty. Mason and his men had made sure of that. Justice had been served, but the aftermath, and the victims left behind made it feel lopsided.

Noelle?

The sound of Nick's voice in her head made her both anxious and excited her. She loved his voice, loved the cadence from his accent. Nick.

Where are you?

I'm in the shower. Nick, I'm sorry.

For what?

For all of this. For you having to watch that. I can understand if you want out.

He was quiet for a moment. What did they do to you?

She swallowed and felt the tears falling again. They touched me.

Where?

She didn't respond for a moment and instead wiped away tears.