Once Abused. Now Loved.

Two

CHAPTER TWO. THE THOUGHT OF ESCAPING.

HARA.

The voices around me were indistinct, and it'd been that way for as long as I got here. It was the courtyard of the palace, and it had almost everyone in the kingdom. There were a lot of movements, and sometimes I felt them bump into me, but I was too lost in my agonizing thoughts to acknowledge whatever was happening around me.

Last night was the most terrible of all the nights I've had with Roland. Unable to resist his orders, I'd followed every bit of all he'd asked me to do. I've never had a threesome ever, and when I did last night, it was hell.

I had to do a lot of lewd things - to finger that b***h's p***y, lick her dry after she cums from Roland's massive plunging into her, suck her n*****s and let her suck mine, scream endlessly when Roland plunges into my hole with the force of ten men, suck his d**k at the same time she had her fingers inside of me. The list was unending, but one thing was for sure. Last night had everything but pleasure, and I'm feeling nauseous as a result of all the c*m I ingested.

After three hours of s*x, Roland finally let me be, but I barely had a chance to sleep as he continued plunging into that b***h all night, their moans, screams, and grunts scaring off whatever bit of sleep I had coming my way. But that's okay, I mean, I'd rather endure their noises than have to go through the beating and torture that always comes after our s*x session.

With my face hidden in the duvet, I cried endlessly, rubbing my stomach and praying to the moon Goddess that the rough session I just had didn't affect my child in any way. And then the thought came and stayed -the thought of leaving him- and until now, it still occupies my mind. I was thinking of whatever possibility of escaping there was.

Again, I felt a hard bump on my shoulder, and this was forceful enough to snap me out of my reverie. I quickly apologized to the old woman who'd tripped with her basket of fruits.

"It's okay, my child," she reassured and walked away.

Now I was aware of the frenzy around and it made my eyes spin, as I tried following everyone's movement.

But the frenzy was worth every bit of it. It's not every day a smaller pack like ours gets the honor of hosting the Alpha of the strongest pack in the werewolf kingdom. The Red Cross pack was like a myth and was told to every newly-born werewolf child. The lords speak about their insane wealth, their massive warlords, and the juiciest part, their Alpha-prince, Ryder.

Even with his father still alive, Alpha Ryder was already in charge of every s**t going on in the Red Cross pack.

The man was dreaded for his valiance and dominance. Some people say he could shift into more than a werewolf form. Others say he never eats normal food but has the flesh of his victims instead.

Alpha Ryder was all that, but there was one little flaw with him. he was yet to find a mate. At age 27, he was still without a mate. There were a lot of stories behind it, and... as I glanced at the three women seated beside me, I realized they'd been rattling about him for hours, and I just got to notice.

"...that the moon Goddess placed an irrevocable curse on him." I fear he might live all his life without a mate, " The oldest of the three shuddered.

"But that's not the case, you know. From what I heard, he has been rejecting all his mates, as he doesn't think any one of them is right for him, "one of the women chirped in.

"Not that, but because he's that much of a flirt and doesn't want to be tied down. As far as I know, he's had his d**k in all the she-wolves in his pack. " The youngest of the three women added.

Oh well, better that than having a mate and still putting her through the agony of cheating, like Roland.

I was immediately interrupted from my thoughts by the next words I heard.

"I heard the ball wasn't an ordinary one but for a mate-hunt. Alpha Ryder has been visiting all the werewolf kingdoms to find his supposed mate. Our pack happens to be his fifth visit,“

"What an honor it would be if he found his mate here in our pack!" The youngest of them squealed and hurried to her feet, "I better go get my daughter ready for the ball,"

"Me too." The other two replied simultaneously, as they hurried to their feet.

I thought they were already gone, as I was eager to return to my reverie, but they weren't.

"Hey Hara, we're sorry, we didn't notice you sitting there," The oldest said with a smile, and the others nodded in agreement.

I forced a smile in return. There was no need for an apology. Ever since I was a child, I was treated like I was invincible, and I'd been okay with it. I only got noticed by others when I got mated to Roland. But most of the time, I still preferred being treated as invincible instead of the awkward, trying-to-be-nice kind of talk.

"It's okay, ladies. Have a lovely night," I was quick to discuss them.

"You too, Hara. And how about your mate, Roland? What a lovely man he is. "You two remain the reason our young ones believe in the blessing of the moon Goddess," the woman added.

Of course, it always leads to this. I'm still waiting for the day I'm going to have a conversation without being rubbed in my face how pathetic I was for making others believe an illusion.

Every time Roland and I get complimented for being the perfect couple, it makes me want to go insane. I know I can't be honest about it, but all they have to do is look beyond what they see, right?

That way, they'll realize I'm drowning and in desperate need of help.

I fought back my tears and just nodded. "Yeah, we sure are,"

"I pray the moon Goddess to bless you with a child soon - to commemorate the love you both share,"

But the moon Goddess already gave me a child, and I have to do all it takes to keep my child away from its monster-father.

"Tell me, Hara. When will you have to come over to your house for dinner night? I'd love to hear more about the romantic moments you share with your mate," The oldest of them cooed.

I had no replies but didn't bother trying for one. I was too busy fighting back my tears and holding back the retching in my throat. But what, supper night? That was the icing on Roland's illusion of a perfect mate-bond. Every once in a while, he'd invite all the she-wolves of our kingdom, and we'll sit so passionately and go on and on, telling imaginary tales of a love story we never had. I still find it quite unbelievable that they bought our lies for every penny. It was worth it.

I felt the retching grow stronger and I immediately sprang to my feet.

"Have a lovely night, ladies. I must be on my way now, "I was already running off before I ended my words."

I pretended to be heading towards the exit but diverted and ran to the garden. The scent from the flowers did wonders in calming my retching, but not my aching heart.

Looking up at the sky, I realized it was a crescent moon, surrounded by thousands of twinkling stars. My heart was gloomy, the sky was lovely, and I felt cheated.

How could it have so much beauty when a descendant of the moon has her life all tangled up in a gruesome twist?

I couldn't hold it in anymore. My emotions were like a raging sea, and if I tried to keep them all in, I might explode.

"Please help me!!!!" I began, screaming so loudly in tears. "Save me from this hell! I can't go on like this any longer! Tell me what to do!! Send me a sign, please moon Goddess!!!"

I waited. Nothing. Just silence and the echoes of my voice.

"It can't be that bad, right?" I heard a husky voice from behind, and I was shocked beyond my wits. My heart sank.

Oh no. I got caught. Now they're gonna find out about Roland's sinister ways, and he'll be doomed, and I'll be doomed too.

Now more than ever, I begged the earth to open up and swallow me.

"It's okay, you can turn around. I don't bite…much," I heard the amusement in his words. Still, I was too stupefied to do so.

I felt a strong grip on my hand and I gasped so loudly, but before I realized it, I'd been spun around and staring at a stranger.

My brows puckered. Who's he? Not that I know everyone from my pack, but at least we all shared a link, something I wasn't feeling with him.

He was speechless for a while, just taking me in - just taking every inch of me in. I felt completely inferior and naked in his smoldering gaze. Then, suddenly, the corner of his lips lifted in a smile.

"Just like the ocean, your eyes are beautiful," He said the words so lightly but in a way that had genuineness written all over it.

I was still in shock, but when I had my wits around me seconds later, I was snatching my hand away from his hold.

I took to my heels but froze at his voice. "The answers you seek are deep inside of you. And if you're lacking the courage, then just do it without overthinking it. What's the worst that could happen, right?"

His cryptic words got me turning to give him one last glance. He had a black cloak on, which had a hood. His aura, alongside everything else about him, was different.

Who was he?

"Hara!" I heard Roland repeatedly calling out my name. I shook my head and resumed walking farther away from the mysterious stranger.

On our way home, I didn't overthink it, just as the stranger had suggested. I just knew it was something I had to do.

I'll be leaving with the entourage from the Red Cross pack. If I wanted to start life anew, what better pack than them, right?

I wasn't sure how I'd get to leave with them, but I was going to do it, one way or the other.

When we got home, I hurried to our room and waited for Roland to get in.

He walked in and grinned as he saw me all naked, lying and waiting on the bed.

Without hesitation, he was already ripping off his clothes and pouncing on me like I was prey.

I accepted every roughness he gave with a satisfied heart. "One last time" didn't sound so bad. Just this night, I want to feel every inch of him inside of me just for the night. Tomorrow, everything changes. But for the night…

"Oh...God! No…ow...Fuck! " I was already yelling my head off as his d**k thrust harder into me without any sort of foreplay. Rough, as always.