The Beast (Alpha Trilogy #1)

Chapter 21

Beast

Leo and I are soaking in the bathtub with him in front of me. He's rubbing my feet as we stay quiet, not really knowing what to say.

"You said you would tell me about everything. How did you end up in the facility?" Leo suddenly asks, sounding unsure of my reaction.

And so I begin telling him my life story.

"I was bought. Despite forgetting a lot of things from my childhood, that one memory is clear in my mind. – I sigh – My parents sold me to the boss. I still remember it like it was yesterday. I came back from school, I don't remember how old I was, 5 maybe 6. Boss was sitting in the room with my parents. As soon as I entered the room, my dad said: "That's her. How much?" I didn't know what he was talking about. I caught the boss' gaze. I was completely paralyzed with fear. I couldn't look away or move. He said that I'm cute and asked what I can do. He ordered the men that were with him to undress me. Soon I was completely naked in front of him as he inspected me. – Leo starts growling lowly at that – He said that I won't make a good whore because of the scars on my body from when my parents beat me. But he bought me anyways. Little did I know he had a different purpose for me.

The first years in there were filled with beatings, cutting, whipping and breaking my bones. I found solace in Andrew. He was one of my guards. He told me stories while he tended to my wounds, he taught me how to read, write, count. Every day he would cut one line on the wall, and when I got better at math, I did it myself. Seven lines meant a week. Then I would cross them out. Fifty two crosses meant a year and I would start on another wall. Four walls crossed – 4 years in there. Andrew was also the only one that called me by something else than 'kid' or 'girl'. For as long as I remember those were the only names I had, even with my parents. But Andrew never called me that, even after I earned the name Beast. He would always call me 'honey'. He said I was like a second daughter to him, but there was nothing he could do to help me. He kept tending to my wounds every time I was back from the torture room, reading me books, feeding me whenever he managed to sneak some food in." I can barely talk anymore, the memories of Andrew make my throat tighten.

"What happened to him? Is he still there?"

"He was killed years ago, when he was caught in my cell after being appointed somewhere else. The boss just slit his throat in front of me. That's when I stopped talking. Without him, there was no point for me to talk, since there was no one to talk to anymore. The torture got worse every year. The boss told me it's to heighten my pain tolerance, so I wouldn't die during sex with an Undead.

Then the fights began. I was trained to master archery, hand-to-hand combat, swordsmanship, using both swords and knives. Basically any form of fighting they threw my way, I had to master. If the boss was not satisfied with my progress, I would be starved to the brink of death then start the training again. I was also taught anatomy. I know everything about human body. Supposedly, that was to help me know where to hit to win. The boss was earning money off of the fights, I was his best earner. I won the most fights, but it was mainly because loss meant 3 days of torture nonstop." I'm cut off by Leo's furious growl.

"Leo, calm down." I plead, scooting closer to him and putting my hand on his heaving chest. It seems to do the trick. I noticed earlier that my touch seems to calm him down.

He pulls me into his chest, my legs on each side of his hips, as he cradles my body with his thick arms. He's so warm. The water went cold a while ago, but with how hot his body's temperature runs, I'm not surprised he hasn't noticed. And I? I don't care. I'm used to cold water.

Leo nuzzles his face into my neck, inhaling deeply. Surprisingly, none of the weird things he does seem to bother me. The smelling, the touching or even the growling. On the contrary, I actually like his touch on me. I'm not even bothered by his very prominent manhood poking my backside as I straddle him.