Page 34

“We fell in love. It wasn’t sudden and all-consuming, but slow and warm. I needed someone, anyone, and he felt the same way. Once Ivar caught us kissing, he punished me.” I release my death grip on his fingers and he lifts my chin up with his other hand.

“How?” he asks softly. I refuse to look away, to be embarrassed about what I endured.

“He tied me to the post on the steps of his castle and whipped my bare back. When he was done, I was half dead. He left me there overnight. I remember the crows circling me as I watched the night turn to day. Ivar released me the next evening. Noah came and looked after me that night. I could feel his helplessness and anger. I just never expected him to do anything about it. The fool attacked Ivar.” Licking my lips, I carry on.

“Ivar was going to kill him as Noah’s dad stood by and watched, because if he pleaded for his son’s life, it would be seen as a weakness.

Ivar found an even better way to punish him.

He threw me in The Ring. Noah knew if I lost I would be raped and killed in front of everyone.

But I won, so Ivar kept putting me back in. ”

“What happened to Noah?”

“He couldn’t stand by and watch me fight, but I had changed by then, the blood and pain consuming me, my only thoughts on survival.

He wanted to run away, I knew it wouldn’t work.

Ivar would find us, hell we wouldn’t even get out of the territory.

” Stopping, I suck in a breath as the memories cloud my vision.

“I remember I had just won my fifth match. I was so fucking proud of myself, high on the adrenaline and blood. Ivar was happy, too happy. He told me to rest that night which was unusual. Even if I won, Ivar found an excuse to try and punish me. When I got to my room, I found Noah hanging from my ceiling.” My heart breaks all over again, my cries loud in my own ears.

“Oh, babe…” I look at Drax, the pain fresh in my eyes as the tears I didn’t cry then fall now.

“He couldn’t fight, he wouldn’t live for me. Instead, he let his hate and anger consume him and left me all alone.”

“Baby, that’s not—”

“I know. I do. I was so angry at first, so fucking angry at him. I used it in my fights but eventually, I realized how lost he must have felt to do that.” Shaking my head, I grab his hand again .

“I get why he did it Drax, but I can't forgive him. I needed him and he left me. Ivar used it to hurt me, he laughed and wouldn’t remove his body until we left back for Berserker land. I had to sit in that room for days, watching the only person I care about fade away. Major refused to let me stay in that room after that.” Drax's arms wrap around me as I cry silently into his shoulder.

“Fuck, I had a point, I did.” Pulling myself away I face him.

“What I'm trying to say is, I hardened my heart, what was left of it. Now I don’t know anything else, but you four have wormed your way in there.

I care for you Drax, I do. I can't say the l-word again, not yet. But whatever is left of that broken thing in my chest is yours.”

His smile is brilliant, and like the sun rising, it banishes the dark from the land. He cups my cheek gently and kisses me with such tenderness I have to fight off more tears.

“I can live with that until you’re ready.”

We spend the rest of watch wrapped around each other, laughing and joking, telling each other secrets no one else knows.

If someone had told me before that this is where I would be now, I would have laughed.

I would have hated myself for showing any weakness, but these men taught me that I don’t always need to be strong and that letting myself feel doesn’t make me less capable.

The entrance to the small town is blocked by numerous old, abandoned vehicles, including a school bus, a truck, and a lorry.

Houses surround the other two sides, with no passage in between them.

The third and final side is the church. One road in, one road out.

Everything leads back to the church. Fucking Worshippers.

Last night went quickly, and we packed up this morning, each touch longer than the last. Before I mounted up, I kissed them all, something that now felt like goodbye as we now face the cult’s settlement.

With a sigh, I turn to look at my men once more before stepping out from behind the trees with my arms up in surrender.

My instincts are screaming at me to fight, but for once I don't let them rule me. I hear the guys swear behind me but I concentrate on the guards who are now rushing around and shouting at me. Slowly, I walk until I’m feet away from the entrance to the settlement.

Stopping, I wait, sweat pouring down my spine as I fight to stay still.

To not reach for my weapons. To not protect myself.

The bus blocking the way partially moves, allowing four men to slip out. The red patch stitched on the sleeves of their jackets marks them as Worshippers. They quickly surround me.

“Name?” One demands, his gun pointed at me. So, this is where they all disappeared to.

“Worth.” They visibly inhale before squaring back up to me, their weapons closer.

“Why are you here? We could kill you.” Another one warns.

“I know. I have a message for Priest.” They shuffle nervously and I smirk, the stories by Worshipper fighters are coming in handy. I just hope I can spot someone I know, and soon.

“What message?”

“It's for Priest, and I don’t see him anywhere.”

“You think we would let a Berserker cunt in to see our leader?” he laughs.

“You worried that you can't handle one little girl?” I say sweetly. A gun gets shoved into my back, making me grunt.

“Oh, so the four men we just caught in the woods aren’t yours?” One of the men asks.

Fucking son of a -

“They are, but I figured you wouldn’t shoot if I came first.”

“Five of you, that’s all?” The first one asks.

“That’s all,” I say honestly.

A familiar guard steps through the gate and rushes to my side, his smile genuine.

The massive scar across his neck is healed from the last time I saw him.

His head is still shaved, and he's still a big bastard.

Probably just a little smaller than Thorn.

I met Cal my second year at The Ring when we got paired in a gladiator tandem style fight.

“Worth, you crazy bitch.” He slaps my back in greeting before pulling away and glaring at the guards.

“Let her in,” he orders.

“Sir?” One of them asks, his weapon dipping in hesitation. I really have to control myself so I don’t grab it.

“That’s an order, grunt,” he snarls at them, his face reminding me of why he survived so long in the fights before Priest decided to pull him out.

“Yes, sir.”

Cal turns back to me with a smile. “Come on, what are you doing here? Finally ready to accept my marriage offer?” I laugh as I follow behind him. Turning, I see Maxen and the guys following, looking sheepish.

“I need to see Priest.”

“Worth, I don’t even think—”

“I wouldn’t ask if it wasn't important. You know that,” I interrupt, my voice hard .

He sighs before looking us all over.

“Fuck, only because I owe you my life. I'll see what I can do. Until then, you can wait at my house.” I nod my thanks and follow him through the streets.

Well looked after houses line the road to the church. Men carrying various weapons walk freely, their heads up as they glare at us. Women rush by in red robes, their hoods up. Something is niggling at me looking around and I can't figure out what. I keep walking, my eyes taking everything in.

“There are no kids,” I say eventually around a frown. All these women and not one child? Cal looks back at me and then around as some guards come closer. I nod my understanding and follow quietly behind him.

He reaches a house which looks the exact same as the others and ushers us in. Standing in the living room, I cringe at the colourless furniture. Everything is in shades of grey, even the walls. Cal looks out the window and then back at us.

“Stay here while I go see what I can do about that meeting.”

Nodding, I grab his arm on the way by.

“Thank you, Cal.”

“It’s the least I can do, and hey maybe you'll agree to be my wife after, eh?” Laughing, I let him leave and turn back to my men with my hands on my hips.

“What happened to staying hidden?” I fume. Maxen drops to the sofa and watches me with his head tilted back.

“No offence, Mi Alma, but did you really think we would let you waltz into a known cult village alone?” Crossing my arms, I glare at him. Thorn smiles and shuffles to me before pulling me into a hug that drags my feet off the floor.

“Fine,” I groan, unable to stay mad at them, as I uncross my arms and wrap them around his neck. He turns with me still in his arms and dumps me in Maxen’s lap. Maxen’s arms instantly wind around me as Drax and Jax lean against the wall, watching us.

“So, I guess we wait?” Jax asks as he looks around the room. Nodding again, I lean back against Maxen’s chest. I just open my mouth when the front door explodes open and men in hoods come pouring in.

Jumping up, I draw my sword, as does Maxen. With a roar, we attack but there's too many of them. I drop at least three but more swarm in. I watch in horror as Thorn goes down with four on top of him, fighting like a beast.

Drax falls with a cry and Jax jumps in front of him. Ducking, I avoid the man trying to knock my head off. Maxen shouts as he tries to cut a path to me from where we are separated by bodies. I keep fighting even as Maxen disappears from sight.

“Stop, or we kill him,” a voice shouts. Breathing hard, I look around wildly until I see a hooded man with a knife to Jax’s throat. He's fighting, trying to get free, but stops when the knife nicks his throat.

“Drop your sword,” the man warns. Grinding my teeth, I lock my eyes with Jax. He shakes his head, but I let my sword drop from my hand. Curling my now empty hands into fists, I face the man.

“Let him go,” I warn. He laughs and nods at a man next to me. The last thing I see is Jax growl as something slams into the back of my head with a sickening crunch.