Page 12

L ily

I saw Patterson come toward me. The gleam of a metal scalpel clutched in his left hand sent shivers running through me. With each step, his twisted smile grew wider, until I could see his perfectly white smile. As the razor-sharp edge touched my cheek, I screamed.

“Lily!” a voice shouted as if at the end of a long tunnel.

I calmed my breathing and listened more closely, warmth spreading through me as the voice spoke again, gentler this time. I recognized the deep baritone. Kai. My mind conjured up an image of him and it calmed me. My lids fluttered open, slowly allowing the room to come into focus. Creeg’s clinic. Not the cold, dank prison. Not Patterson’s awful, clammy hands. Kai’s large, calloused palm rested against my cheek, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Lily?” Kai murmured, his index finger stroking absently.

I looked him over. He had dark circles around his eyes and his shirt was torn at the neck. Dirt smears down the front completed the look. “What happened to you?”

Kai’s gaze widened. “Me? I think we should concentrate on you for now.”

The prison. Patterson and his guard torturing me. I closed my eyes tight to fend off the images slamming into my mind. It did no good. “Oh, God,” I groaned, covering my mouth with my palm.

“Easy,” Kai warned. “You are safe, I swear it.”

Safe . I let the word bounce around in my head, wondering if I’d ever feel that way again. That’s when I remembered the café, and Tessa. My eyes popped open and I turned a pleading gaze toward Kai. “Is Tessa ... is she—”

“She’s well,” he quickly reassured me. “She’s here, actually. In one of the bedrooms upstairs.”

Creeg cleared his throat. He stood directly behind Kai. I hadn’t noticed him there before. But I knew what his presence meant. “I need to examine you, Lily.”

He would attempt to mend the physical wounds that had been inflicted upon me, but as Creeg approached, my attention went back to Kai. “It’s not ... you might want to leave.”

He stiffened. “I will turn around, but I’m not leaving this room.”

“Brother,” Creeg warned, “she needs privacy.”

Kai wavered, as if unsure what to do. “Lily? Do you wish me to leave?”

Did I? He’d saved me. And for whatever reason, I felt connected to Kai. And having him close gave me comfort. “No, don’t go,” I answered. I reached for his hand, entwining our fingers. My panic subsided. “Please don’t look, though. I-I don’t want you to see ... my injuries.”

A muscle in his jaw flexed and he offered me a jerky nod. “You have my word.”

I took a deep breath. “Thank you,” I replied, turning my attention to Creeg. “I’ll need help. My arms ... I can’t lift them.”

Creeg’s eyes warmed and he stepped around Kai. “I’ll be as quick as possible,” he promised, his voice soft. After Kai closed his eyes, Creeg inched the sheet open. When cool air hit my belly and chest, humiliation suffused me. He cursed under his breath and I quickly looked away. I didn’t want to see the horror on his face. Didn’t want to see what Patterson had done.

A shuffling of feet tore my gaze back to Creeg and I watched him open a tube of cream or ointment. He held it in the air. “It’ll help with pain and stave off infection.”

I nodded, squeezing Kai’s hand tighter. “There are also cuts lower.”

A growl emanated from Kai’s chest, and a change came over him. I instinctively knew he was about to lose control. “I’m alive, Kai. And I’ll heal.”

Kai’s nostrils flared and he threw his neck back, face toward the ceiling. “I’ll tear him apart for what he’s done to you.”

“Talk to him, Lily,” Creeg urged, as he spread the ointment on my exposed wounds. “Keep him calm.”

I obeyed, offering Kai soothing words, even as Creeg slowly peeled away the sheet that clung to my battered body. The pain intensified with each movement. My fingers trembled, and my breath hitched as Creeg revealed the extent of the damage that had been inflicted upon me. Ribs were marred by deep, angry cuts that oozed blood even now, and my chest bore a tapestry of bruising that spoke of Patterson’s violence, the kind that defied comprehension. But it was the marks on my breasts that cut the deepest—the stark evidence of a violation that made my stomach churn with nausea and my heart ache with a wounded vulnerability.

Tears welled in my eyes as I looked down at my own body, a landscape of suffering that echoed my inner turmoil. I held back the sobs that threatened to escape my throat, fighting to be brave in the face of unimaginable horror. I had always prided myself on my resilience, and yet in this moment, I felt like a shattered mirror reflecting a distorted image of myself.

As my gaze shifted to Kai, and the helplessness etched across his features, a pang of guilt joined the storm of emotions within me. Rage radiated off him like heat waves, an almost tangible force that made my heart ache in sympathy. I couldn’t help but feel responsible.

Tears spilled down my cheeks. I wanted to reach out, to comfort him in the midst of my own suffering. A fierce determination surged within me—the need to ease his burden.

Summoning all the strength I could muster, my voice barely more than a whisper, I spoke. “I’m ... I’m going to be okay. I promise.”

He flinched as if I’d struck him. “You never should’ve suffered. Patterson will pay for touching you.”

I’d wanted to soothe the storm of emotions that were so clearly raging within Kai, but it’d had the opposite effect. “You saved me, Kai,” I explained, aching for him to understand that he’d torn me away from the darkness.

“Lily,” he groaned.

“Look at me,” I urged, no longer caring that I was nude. No longer worried about my appearance. All I wanted was to see Kai’s eyes. His beautiful golden gaze. That’s what I needed.

When his eyes met mine, a tempest of emotions swirled within their depths, and I saw his anger waver. My heart swelled. We had a connection that went beyond words. In that moment of shared vulnerability, we were united in a way that only true soulmates could understand.

With my body marked by pain and my heart aching, I realized that together we would face the monster. I would heal from my wounds and emerge stronger than ever before. And as I reached out my trembling hand to touch his cheek, something inexplicable passed between us. My gaze shifted from Kai to Creeg, my breath shaky as I tried to calm my racing heart.

Creeg’s expertise was a beacon in a sea of pain. Kai’s protective instincts might have flared at Creeg’s proximity, but I was grateful for his presence. His expertise was vital, his touch a source of hope amid my despair. As he assessed my injuries, I winced at his touch along my wounded ribs. A hiss of pain escaped my lips, but I forced myself to remain still.

Tears welled in my eyes once more, but this time they were born not only of pain but of gratitude. Creeg’s calm demeanor and practiced movements eased the tension within me, offering a semblance of control in a situation that had spiraled beyond my grasp. This was about healing, nothing more.

As Creeg cleaned and bandaged the cuts along my ribs, his touch careful, I clenched my teeth to stifle the groans of pain that threatened to escape, my fingers gripping the edges of the examination table as if it were my lifeline. Each movement amplified the fiery ache in my body, but I reminded myself that Creeg was not Patterson. That I was no longer in that hell.

When he offered me pain medication, I eagerly accepted this time. The prospect of a reprieve from the unrelenting agony was a small comfort, yet one that I welcomed with gratitude. As the medication took effect, a soft sigh of relief escaped my lips, and my muscles relaxed from their tense state. I closed my eyes to let the soothing embrace of the medication dull the edges of my pain.

Throughout the process, Kai’s presence was beside me, his silent support a constant reassurance. The tension in his frame hadn’t fully dissipated, his protectiveness still simmering just below the surface, but I knew that his anger was not directed at me. As my eyes met his, I smiled in gratitude.

In that moment, as Creeg continued his work and Kai stood steadfast, I felt a glimmer of hope flicker within me once more. I was safe. Kai would keep me that way. Of that I had no doubts.

****

K ai

My arms crossed tightly over my chest, and I clenched my jaw. Every movement of Creeg’s hands, every pained wince from Lily, fanned the flames of my protective instincts and anger.

Once Creeg had finished bandaging the wounds and offered Lily pain medication, he turned his attention to me. “Her injuries are serious, but with proper care, she should be able to recover fully,” he said in a calm tone.

My response was a low growl. “I need to feel my claws around Patterson’s throat,” I practically seethed, my voice laced with barely contained fury. “I won’t rest until I find him and make him pay. With blood.”

Creeg’s gaze met mine, and there was an understanding there—an acknowledgment of the fire that burned within me. “I understand your anger. I feel it, too,” he replied softly, his voice tinged with empathy. “But right now, her recovery is the priority. The emotional trauma of what she went through can be just as damaging as the physical injuries.”

My fists clenched at my sides, knuckles turning white. “You think I don’t know that?” I practically spat. “They hurt her. They violated her. I won’t let them get away with it.”

My words hung in the air, heavy with a promise of vengeance that reverberated throughout the room. Creeg’s expression remained compassionate but firm as he said, “I’ll be right by your side, brother. Let us find Patterson.”

A muscle twitched in my jaw, my gaze never wavering from Lily, who had since closed her eyes. She was asleep, thanks to the meds. I lowered my voice to keep from waking her and replied, “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, to help her heal. But that bastard will die by my hand.”

Creeg placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “I believe you,” he said, his voice rife with understanding, as well as caution. “For now, we’ll be glad we got her back. Got Dad back.”

My brother was right, but all I could see were those cuts and bruises. Lily’s tears. Some of my anger was tempered by my deep concern for my mate’s well-being. Creeg’s words had struck a chord—the balance between vengeance and healing was a precarious one. With a determined resolve, I turned my attention back to the woman who had captured my heart. I knew that the journey ahead would be arduous, but I was ready to face it.

“Go, see to Dad,” I ordered. “He’ll need you.”

Creeg nodded, then stared down at Lily. “Let me know if she wakes.”

“Yeah.” I took the chair next to the table and sat. The soft rise and fall of her chest took me down a few notches. When she woke, we would have to talk. And I would need to tell her everything. No more secrets.

As I sat by Lily’s side, my gaze unwavering, the door creaked open and a figure stepped into the room, drawing my attention like a magnet. Fostine, always a striking woman and so like our mother in appearance. Her long, flowing black hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall of darkness. Her attire was a blend of casual and edgy—fitted jeans ripped at the knees showcased her slim figure, while a black tank top accentuated the curves of her body. A leather jacket, worn with an air of effortless cool, completed her ensemble. Her creamy alabaster skin was a stark contrast to the blackness of her clothing.

Her eyes, the same shade as mine, widened as they landed on Lily. Her lips parted, but no words came out as she took in the sight before her—Lily lying battered and bruised, a testament to the violence she had endured. The room grew still as my sister’s gaze moved toward me.

“Did you need something?” I asked, frustrated that she was interrupting Lily’s recovery.

“I won’t ask if she’s okay,” she bit out. “I know what Patterson is capable of.”

I nodded, my voice laden with fatigue, “Physically, she’ll recover. But it’s been ... a nightmare.”

Fostine’s steps quickened as she moved closer, her leather-clad arm reaching out to touch mine. “I know how much you care about her,” she said softly, her voice carrying the weight of her understanding.

I’d always had a bond with Fostine. One that I’d thought had been severed when she’d left. But in the quiet exam room, our kinship felt stronger than ever. It went beyond mere siblinghood. Maybe it was because Fostine had suffered at Patterson’s hands as well. I didn’t know. But her presence eased the tension riding me.

Her concerned gaze returned to Lily. “I know what she went through. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.” Her heart clearly ached at the sight of Lily’s injuries.

“Perhaps when she wakes you could speak to her,” I replied. “I think she would like that.”

She nodded, then reached out, her fingers gently brushed against Lily’s hand. “I will.”

My eyes softened as I looked at my sister, gratitude filled me. I had always known that Fostine was strong, and I also knew that she was currently battling her own inner demons, but to see her facing down this new challenge filled me with pride. That she was willing to help Lily warmed me.

“I’m sorry you were forced to endure Patterson’s torture,” I offered. “And since you’ve been home, all we’ve done is offer a bunch of bullshit.”

She took a deep breath, her gaze returning to Lily, as she spoke with a vulnerability that surprised me. “Look, I can’t fault you for the way you reacted when I returned. I put everything through hell when I disappeared. Especially Dad.”

“That’s over. We’re together now.”

“Yeah. A family.” She wrapped her arms around her middle, then added, “Lily will have nightmares. You’ll need to be patient with her.”

Fostine’s revelation caught me off guard. “Do you have them?”

She offered me a jerky nod. “So much so that I don’t want to close my eyes.”

I’d known that Fostine had been through something I couldn’t fathom, but to hear her speak of nightmares, hearing the pain in her voice, sent a shockwave through me. My sister’s strength had always been an inspiration, but now it took on a new depth.

“Look, I’m not the sharing-is-caring type, but I want you to know that I’m here for both of you,” she continued, her voice steady. “I know how hard it’ll be to heal from something like this.”

Sorrow welled up within me. I reached out and pulled my sister into a tight embrace. “Thank you,” I whispered, my voice choked. “I’m in your debt, sister.”

Fostine returned the embrace, her presence a soothing balm for my creature’s rage. As we pulled apart, she offered me a small, sad smile, her voice carrying so much sadness that I felt it like a gut punch. “We’ll get through this, together. And we’ll make sure that Patterson pays.”

A renewed determination flickered inside me as I stared down at Lily, still asleep and vulnerable. With Fostine’s support and my own unwavering resolve, I knew that we could face the darkness that had descended upon our lives. And in that moment, a tighter bond formed. After Fostine left, I began to form a plan. Soon, Lily would belong to me. And no one would separate us ever again.