When I got back from my run, I felt better. I had run until my legs gave out, and then I hauled myself to
the river and slid into the water. I washed away the sweat and blood and then found some clothes
stashed away in a hollow tree. I slipped on the clothes and walked back to my cabin.
Upon entering my cabin, I smelt the wolves that were sitting inside. As I pushed the door open, I
already knew who I was.
I walked into the dining room where everyone was sitting at the table. Lila got up the moment she saw
me and rushed over to me. She embraced me in a tight hug and rubbed my cheek with hers.
I calmed my beast only a little. But it was enough to keep me relaxed.
Brayleigh and Kade sat next to each other at the table. Kade had his arm around her shoulders and
had her close to him. I looked at them longingly before tearing my eyes away.
I met eyes with Alfie and smiled weakly at him. Then I did the same with Ezra.
They were all sat, drinking wine and beer with a large box of biscuits in the middle. I sat down, Lila
sitting next to me at the table.
"Hungry, Ali? I can make you a sandwich," Ezra asked me. I nodded at him and my belly grumbled as if
on cue. He smiled at me and got up from the table. He kissed the top of my head before he started to
make me something to eat.
"You did the right thing, going for a run to cool off. It takes a lot of strength to make a decision when
your mind is clouded with anger the way it was," Alfie told me as he pushed a beer towards me. I
muttered my thanks and then nodded at him.
"I felt like I could've ripped someone's head off," I chuckled lightly. Kade smiled knowingly at me.
"Alison, your brother, Beckett called Ezra after you left and he told us about you and what happened in
Terialta," Lila told me through our private link. I widened my eyes at her as she slipped her hand into
mine and smiled sadly.
What? They knew?
My insecurities swallowed me whole and I suddenly felt vulnerable and weak. I opened my mouth to
speak but no words came out. I was speechless.
"Eat up. You need to get your energy back after your run," Ezra said as he pushed two sandwiches in
front of me. I said nothing and I ate.
The others all talked with each other whilst I ate. They didn't necessarily try to speak to me, and I was
glad. I didn't feel like talking to anyone.
Especially now that they all knew my biggest secret.
Alfie had to leave a short while later. He stood up and smiled at me before leaving the cabin. I feel his
blood humming as he walked away. Soon after, Kade and Lila left too. They exchanged worried
glances with Brayleigh and I before they walked out.
Then, Ezra left the cabin too. He claimed that he needed to help some other wolves hunt, but I knew he
was lying.
It was just Brayleigh and I.
"You know... you're not alone in all of this," Brayleigh told me suddenly. I looked up from my lap and at
her. I saw the sadness in her eyes and I frowned.
What was she talking about? I knew I'm not alone. I had a lot of people to help and support me.
Although, I didn't really want help. I didn't want people to know. Especially this early in the friendships
that I've made.
"I was fifteen when I was raped by a man in the forest," Brayleigh said. I could hear the pain in her
voice. I felt a sharp pang in my chest, and it hurt.
Her too?
"Really?" I whispered. My voice couldn't go any louder. I felt like curling up into a ball for the rest of my
life.
I felt miserable.
"Yeah... he was a rogue. I was on a run. I hadn't even had my first shift yet. I wasn't strong enough to
fight him off. My mother found me shoved into some bushes a few hours later. We never found the
rogue that did it," Brayleigh explained. I noticed how confident she sounded. She didn't sound at all
ashamed of what had happened to her.
I envied her. How could she be so strong? Why wasn't she as weak as I was?
"It's okay to be upset about it, Ali. I swelled on it for years until I met Kade... he helped me get over it.
Obviously, it still bothers me, but it's easier to think and talk about now," Brayleigh continued. I stared at
her in awe.
I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that I had met someone who had something that brutal in
common with me. It was hard for me to wrap my head around.
"I'm so sorry, Bray," I told her softly. She reached out to me. She grabbed my hands and held them
gently in hers. She was understanding.
"It's okay, Ali. I got through it and you will too. But you need to accept it first. It happened, and it was
terrible. But you're stronger than that," she said. I watched tears gloss over her eyes and I felt like
crying too.
My gut wrenched painfully. I bit my bottom lip, trying to stop myself from sobbing. My head hurt from
talking about it, but I knew that I couldn't just shut myself off like I normally did. Brayleigh was here to
help me. She wanted to be my friend and help me get through this.
So did the others. They were in my cabin because they wanted to help. They were doing it for me.
"Can you tell me what happened? I didn't get a lot of details from Ezra. He was quite choked up about
it," Brayleigh asked me. I slowly nodded at him. This would be the second time I told someone what
happened.
"I was on a run, just like you. My father's Beta caught up with me. We ran a little longer, and I just
thought that he was running with me as a guard or something. But then he grabbed me and tossed me
to the dirt.
"I tried to fight him so hard. I clawed at him, I kicked and punched. But he was so strong, I couldn't do
anything... After, I sat there in the dirt for hours crying before one of my brothers came to find me. He
saw the marks on my legs and he was furious. He smelt the Beta on me and knew what had happened
almost immediately."
I took a deep breath as I felt tears run down my cheeks. Brayleigh held my hands tighter, caressing her
thumb over the top of my hand. I cried a little before I sniffled and tried to continue.
"He carried me back and took me to the doctor. He told her what had happened. She alerted my father.
He wasn't even mad. He didn't care about what had happened. He didn't even punish his Beta. That's
what my brothers called to tell me today.
"He let his Beta off with a warning for raping his only daughter. My brothers pleaded with him, but I
think my father just didn't care. My brothers were furious when they found out, and they tried to do
something, but my father wouldn't even let them do that," I sobbed as I spoke. My head pounded
painfully as I cried. I hated crying and I hated feeling like this.
Brayleigh got up from her chair and walked around the table to me. She knelt and embraced me in a
tight hug that made me feel better. She let me cry and just rubbed my back.
My beast howled. She was hurting. We were hurting. We wished that we were stronger. It wouldn't
have ever happened in the first place if we were strong.
"That's the whole reason I'm here! My father didn't want to... deal with it. So he sent me away," I
sobbed into her shirt. I heard her growl and then sigh.
"It's wrong, Ali. So wrong. But you're here now and it's never going to happen again, okay? When you
go back to Terialta, you will be able to kick his ass straight into the curb," Brayleigh sighed softly as she
continued to rub my back. I sobbed more at the thought of having to ever return to Terialta.
I never wanted to face that cruel man ever again. I never wanted to see my father again either. I didn't
understand how he could let his Beta away with only a warning. Did he not care about me?
I didn't want to see anything of Terialta ever again. There were too many bad memories in that place.
Just thinking about it made my head hurt more.
I was torn on what to do. I knew that I didn't have the guts to return to Terialta, but I also didn't have the
guts to tell my father that I was going to stay in Takiani. He would probably disown me.
"Can we not talk about what happens in four weeks right now?" I whispered to Brayleigh. I felt her nod
and then hug me tighter. I heard the front door open and I pulled away from her.
She smiled at me weakly and stood. I glanced behind me. Ezra walked into the room and smiled sadly.
"Kade is waiting outside for you. He says that he hopes you're alright," Ezra said and then looked at
me. I felt Kade outside, his wolf was an edge. It felt good to know that he cared about me as well.
Brayleigh kissed my crown before leaving the cabin. Ezra walked over to me, grabbing my arm. He
pulled me up and then into the living room where he sat me on the couch.
He let me sit with my head on his lap and he stroked my hair. I shut my eyes and tried to stop myself
from crying yet again. I hated crying.
"You're so strong, Ali. We're all proud of you," Ezra told me softly. I sniffled and nodded subtly as he
continued to stroke my hair gently. His actions calmed my beast but only a little. I could tell he was on
edge. He wasn't happy.
"If I ever get the chance, I'll kill the man that hurt you. You deserve better," Ezra said darkly. I smiled
weakly and wiped my nose. I was glad that Ezra cared this much.
"We're coming around with ice cream later, just letting you know," Lila's voice chirped inside my head. I
smiled even more at her words. I was over the moon that there was more than one person who cared
for me.
My brothers were almost alway the only people I had that truly cared for me. There was one other girl,
who I trusted with anything and everything. But she had met her mate a little while ago and she had to
leave with him to his pack.
She cared so much for me, and I hadn't had anything like it since her. But now, I was surrounded by
several people who felt for me.
"Try and rest, Ali girl. You need to sleep," Ezra told me softly. He moved his hand away from my head
and started to rub my shoulder gently.
I sighed softly as I pulled my knees up to get comfortable. Ezra reached back and pulled the blanket
that sat at the end of the couch onto my body. I snuggled comfortably and let myself drift off into a deep
sleep.
| sighed softly as | pulled my knees up to get comfortable. Ezra reached back and pulled the blanket
that sat at the end of the couch onto my body. | snuggled comfortably and let myself drift off into a deep
sleep.
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