A/n - This chapter contains a triggering incident!
- Pedophile
- SA
Michael's POV
"I got mated before I came here," I said, looking at his chest. I didn't want to look into his eyes; I was scared I might see something I didn't want to see or something that might break my heart.
"You came here when you were 18!" he was surprised at this knowledge. He took my hands and his and caressed them. "You can keep on going. I am listening," he said in a gentle tone. Just like his father, when I told my story
"My mate was the head alpha of my previous pack," I said in a low voice. "My parents were his beta..."
"What was his age when he marked you? And what was your age?" Alex asked me carefully.
"I was something around the age of sixteen and he was thirty... He hadn't found his mate when he had marked me."
I heard Alex take a deep breath, and I could feel his grip tighten on me. It was tight but not that painful, it was okay. It was protective, and I kind of liked it.
"How did he mark you?"
"In the moment of rut, I didn't know he was in rut and I had gone to his cabin asking for something that my parents had asked me to ask him..."
"What did your parents do after they came to know?!"
"Gave me away to him. He was nice and everything, but he was too possessive, and I couldn't handle him every night. I just couldn't. I was like his trophy that he showed to others-" my breath hitched as I shuddered on my saliva as I remembered my past with the man who marked me.
"It's okay, breathe, Michael." Alex pulled me in a hug. I leaned into the hug and took in his scent. His scent calmed me down, very much. I didn't want to leave his arms, they were so safe and comforting.
"Why did they give you to him?!"
"He claimed to be my mate... He was always more affectionate towards me, and he acted differently around me. So, they thought his claim was real. But I wasn't his mate... I knew it. I don't know how, but something in me told me that I was not his mate. They were surprised when they came to know the truth, but it was too late..."
"Did he find his mate?" Alex asked as he patted my back, and I took in his scent.
I hummed in response, which sent a shiver all over his body. I felt him shiver. "He did. He found his mate a year after he marked me. I don't know how he found her, but he did. She hated me... She hated that I had the mark of her alpha." I clenched his hands as I remembered how she treated me and let out a whimper, unknowingly.
Alex continued patting my back as I took his scent to calm me down. "How did you run away?"
"I ran away when I was eighteen. He came to my room to celebrate my eighteenth birthday -she hated the fact that he came to me almost every night instead of her, she abused me more because of that- he was trying to force me, so I took a knife that I had saved and stabbed him a few times. I ran away from there while I was covered in blood."
"Did anyone try to tail you? Did they find out?"
"I don't know. I jumped from the window and ran away. I think he is still alive, that's why I still have a mark on my neck. I think someone saved him."
"It's okay. Now, you are here with me, you don't have to worry about anything." Alex broke the hug and cupped my face as he caressed my cheeks. I think he was surprised that I wasn't crying. I didn't want to cry over my past, not anymore. I cried for years because of my previous pack.
"Can you tell me which pack it is?" Alex asked me in a sweet tone.
"The Red Wood Pack," I don't know why, but Alex seemed very surprised. It's like he isn't able to believe that it's that pack.. "What happened? Did I say something wrong?" he immediately shook his head. "Are you sure it's The Red Wood Pack?" I nodded.
"Your father also gave me the same reaction when I told him this. Is something wrong?" I asked hesitantly, worried that I might have said something wrong.
"Nothing. It's just that, it's my uncle's pack...." I gasped.