Hiding the Alpha's Twins

5

MEGHAN

Everything around me was just darkness. Whatever direction I turned to, everything was pitch black – a pure, eerie, and yet peaceful darkness that embraced and hugged me.

A comforting darkness.

I don’t want to leave, I thought. And I could almost hear that darkness answering, looking back at me.

You don’t have to leave, child. You were hurt by those who were meant to love you the most. Here, no one will find you. You’ll be at peace.

Yes, a part of me murmured, yearning. Yes, I could stay.

Peace was what I wanted – the one thing I craved with every fiber of my being. It was too late to desire to be put out of my misery as a slave, to be freed, but peace… yes, I could ask for that.

The one thing I felt like I deserved.

Still, there was a part of me that prevented me from totally accepting that offer – a part that strenuously fought to exist, to breathe, to live.

Beep – beep – beep.

Suddenly, I heard a faint, constant sound, almost like an alarm. The only difference was that, while alarms usually stopped after a while, this one didn’t.

It went on, and on, and on – oh, and wasn’t as irritating as an alarm.

What’s going on?

“Meghan!” I heard a voice – a male voice – call my name. “Doctor Haley! Nurse! She’s waking up! Hurry!”

I remembered that voice, it belonged to a man I knew a lifetime ago. A handsome, kind, respectful man… and yet, I associated that same voice with a monster that had hurt me in a horrible, horrible way. A phantom pain rippled through my body as I felt rough, calloused and hungry hands roam and squeeze and pull… that once-kind voice grunting and moaning and telling me how good I felt, and the utter disgust and humiliation that burned through me at each of those words…

“Don’t worry, Mr. Ballard.” a female voice said. “She’s fine. Just give her a couple of seconds and she’ll open her eyes.”

No, I don’t want to…

I didn’t want to leave that soft, warm darkness. I didn’t want to wake up and go back to the world that had forgotten and tortured me. There was nothing for me there but pain and humiliation.

And I didn’t want to see Jackson Ballard. My whole body rejected the idea of seeing his face again, of hearing his voice again, even the fact that he was clearly close to me made my skin itch with disgust and my stomach clench with fear.

“Miss Thorne?” the soft, female voice called me. “Meghan, can you hear me?”

No. No, I can’t, I wanted to say, to scream. Leave me alone here.

But they knew I was coming to my senses: sooner or later, I’d have to give up my ruse. And I knew that waiting would only make my anxiety grow.

Toughen up and face it, Meg, I said to myself. You can do this.

I did not believe those words, but I pretended to.

So, summoning up all that was left of my courage, I slowly nodded and opened my eyes.

Thankfully, the first face I saw was not Connor Ballard’s, it was a woman’s face, with sweet blue eyes and a kind smile.

“Welcome back, Meghan.” the woman, who I assumed was doctor Haley, smiled at me. “How do you feel?”

“Meg!”

Suddenly, Jackson appeared behind the doctor. He was smiling, the bastard – he was f*****g beaming.

Of course he is, his fucktoy’s still alive, an angry, ferocious part of me growled.

“Thank goodness you’re awake.” he sighed. “You got us all really scared for a while.”

Us all, scared? What the hell was going on?

“What’s going on?” I asked then at the doctor – but my voice came out croaky, and my throat hurt as the air vibrated through it, almost as if I hadn’t used it for a while.

“You suffered a domestic incident.” doctor Haley explained to me. “I don’t know if you remember, but you fell down the stairs while fighting with mr. Ballard. He was the one who brought you here – three days ago.”

“I don’t understand.” I stammered.

I was a slave. Slaves didn’t get medical care. We didn’t get brought to the ER if something happened to us. If someone cared enough, they’d drag us to our bedroll and forget us there, and hope for the best.

“A bit of confusion is normal after an injury like that.” the doctor went on. “It should clear out in a few hours. In the meantime, I’d like to talk to you about your exams and update you on what we did.”

She touched something on her iPad, then turned it towards me, showing me the image of a head CT scan.

“This is your brain. As you can see, everything looks normal here.” she said. “No hemorrhage or injuries, thank goodness. This is compatible with the bruises we found on your arms, our guess is that you covered your head as you fell, and that really helped. Actually, all you got from the incident were some bruises and a broken arm and rib, that are already healing…”

It was only then that I noticed the cast on my arm.

How did I miss that?

“What I wanted to talk to you about were your blood exams.” she added. “They’re fine, but you’re a bit low on sugars and proteins.”

Her eyes took a sad hue, and I realized it was her way to tell me she knew. She knew what kind of life I’d been forced into.

I slowly nodded. “I-it was a bit of a stressful period. I’ll make sure to fix my diet, doctor, don’t worry.”

“Now that’s a good patient.” she chuckled. “If only everyone was like you! Well, if you don’t have any further questions, I’d go. We ran another set of blood exams on you today, and I just got notified they’re ready.”

“No, I’m… I’m fine.” I said.

Doctor Haley smiled. “In that case, I’ll go. There’s some water and snacks there if you’re hungry or thirsty.” she added, nodding towards the bedside table. “See you soon, sweetie.”

With that, she and the nurse left, leaving me in the room alone with Jackson… my rapist.

Of course, he did not waste any time in reaching for my bedside – but when he tried to take my hand, I jerked it back.

At least I can’t fall from a flight of stairs here – and hopefully, he won’t do anything in a public space.

“I’m so sorry for all that happened.” he hastened to say. His eyes looked so pleading, like those of a puppy, but I didn’t let them fool me into thinking he was something different than a monster. “I… I didn’t want to…”

“I don’t want to hear it.” I said, probably – no, surely – harsher than I was allowed to. After all, he was an Alpha, and I was a slave, I could not deny him anything. “I just … where am I?”

“At my pack’s hospital.” he said. “I brought you here as soon as you fell. Your father and your sister weren’t really on board with this, but they let me do what had to be done once I told them I’d take on your medical expenses.”

This must be a joke.

He had to be joking. I couldn’t believe what I just heard.

He’d raped me, then he’d slept with my sister, and now he was paying my medical bill?

“I don’t need your charity.” I hissed. “I’ll make sure to pay what I owe.”

“Meg, how…”

“I don’t care how I’ll do it, but I will not take your money!”

“If you’re in that bed it’s because of me!” he raised his voice too. “I know you’re angry, you have every right to be, but this is all my fault, and I’ll pay for this. I won’t have it any other way, and that’s final, Meg.”

Shame burned through my chest, hot and raging. Once again, he was making a decision for me, trampling on my will, ignoring it. Just as he had ignored it that night.

Those words, that behavior, were enough to bring back all those unwanted and all-to-fresh memories – and when his hand landed on my arm, I shied away, trying to put as much distance between him and myself as possible.

My eyes prickled with tears, but I’d be damned before I’d let even one of them fall. At least in front of him.

“Meghan…”

His voice was not as imposing, now – it was soft, gentle, pleading.

“I really am sorry, Meg.” he said. “For all I did. Ever since I came back into your life, I gave you nothing but problems… but I hope I’ll earn your forgiveness. I’ll make sure I do.”

“I want to rest.” the words slipped through my lips easily. A quick way out of a situation that was quickly becoming unbearable. “Please.”

Jackson stayed silent for a moment, then nodded.

“Of course.” he murmured, standing up. “I’ll leave you alone for a while. Can I do anything for you in the meantime?”

“No, thanks.”

He nodded again.

“I’ll see you later, then.” he said and closed the door behind himself.

Only at that moment, I let those tears run.