Sunflower with Thorns

TWENTY-THREE

WARNING: This chapter has mentions of rape and sexual assault

ZANDER

"Before I start, I should explain that werewolves normally live in packs. We are social beings and need the company of others, of a pack. I was able to survive longer than others would've without one, until I found you, then you and your men became my pack." I smiled fondly at him, memorizing how he looked at me before learning about my past.

"I was ten when I first met Peter. He was the new leader of our pack, having just killed our old one for the title. He was nice enough, my parents didn't think anything of him wanting to shake my hand and hug me. Until he started demanding to spend time with me, not my family and I- just me." I took a shaky breath and grabbed his hand.

"Concerned, my parents asked why he wanted to see me. H-he told them that I was his mate and that he had a right to see me; that I was his and he was allowed to do with me as he pleased." It was hard talking about my past, but I had to tell him. Cain was my mate and I had to trust him.

"H-how is that possible? Do you have two mates?" He asked softly. I looked up at him and was shocked. He looked scared, like I was going to leave him.

"It's not, you are the only one for me. If Peter was my mate, I would've felt some kind of pull toward him. I didn't, I never felt anything but fear toward him. Peter was," I paused and took a breath. "Is a sick man, my parents spent years keeping me away from him as best they could. But when I turned eighteen, I was hopeful. I hoped that if I went out I would meet my mate and Peter would finally leave me alone. I was out with my friends when he cornered me. He m-made me," I stopped talking as tears began to flow down my face. I hated thinking about that time in my life, it made me so sick.

Cain pulled me into a hug and gently rubbed my back. "You don't have to keep going, puppy."

"I-I do." I cleared my throat and focused my breathing. "He took me back to his house. He raped me, m-made me touch him and tell him that I was enjoying myself. He kept me there for a week, locking me in while he left for the day. I was only able to escape because he thought that I wasn't lying anymore, I made him believe that I wanted him. He left the door unlocked and I left. I went straight to my parents, when I told them what happened, they said I had to run. They said I had to get away from the pack and away from Peter."

"Wasn't there anything else they could've done? Couldn't they help you?" Cain asked in shock. I shook my head sadly.

"There is no higher power over an Alpha, no cops to interfere in pack business." I knew what Cain was going to ask next so I added, "no mafia either."

Cain nodded, "So you ran."

"So I ran, and I've been running for years. I came here almost a year ago, I was able to find a landlord willing to listen to my story and give me a place to stay. I wasn't able to afford rent so I asked this really nice mafia boss who turned out to be my true mate." I smiled up at him.

"And then you lived happily ever after?" Cain asked gently while he smiled fondly down at me.

"Not yet, when I ran away it should've severed the connection between me and my pack, and Peter. But I heard him through the pack link. He is on his way to get me and he is close. H-he wants to take me back to the pack." I watched as Cain's eyes grew dark with anger.

"He can try but you aren't going anywhere. You are my mate and no one is going to take you away from me, alpha or not. You're my puppy until we die." He froze, blinked, then looked down at me worriedly, "Did I just sound like him? I won't talk like that again if I did."

I smiled up at him and nuzzled into him. "You sounded like you, like my mate, my Master. I would really like it if my Master would show me just how serious he is about me being his."

Cain grinned at me and tossed me into a different position on the bed before he climbed on top of me.

I was so glad that he wasn't treating me differently after learning about my past. Me being a survivor didn't change who I was, and it didn't change that I was my Master's.