Reid's POV
"Are you going to tell me what that was about?" Damien asked.
"I don't understand, how could the Moon Goddess do this to me?" I said as I stared out the windshield in front of me.
"What? What are you talking about?" Damien asked.
"I hate hybrids! She knows I hate hybrids!... Why would she do this to me?" I said as I ran my hands through my hair before running it down my face.
"Who? What are you talking about? You're making no sense." Damien said, confusion dancing across his face as he glanced at me.
"Is this about the one in the last cell?"
"Yeah," I said quietly, my stomach churning again.
"Man, you gotta tell me,...what's going on? You're making me nervous now."
"It was my mate."
I jerk forward as the tires screech, and the car jerks off to the side. The car finally comes to a stop as I grip the dashboard and my door.
"Are you fucking kidding me!? That was your mate and you just left him back there? What the fuck is wrong with you?"
I looked over at Damien after I pulled my stomach out of my ass, from his little stunt.
"You may be my cousin and Beta, but watch the way you fucking talk to me! I am your Alpha now!" I said angrily. I'm not in the mood for his bullshit.
"I'm sorry about that man, but how could you do that? How could you leave your own mate back there like that?"
"I don't know." Was all I could say.
"Just drive," I said, looking forward again.
"Where too? Back there to get your mate? Or home without our Luna?"
My head snapped in his direction,
"That hybrid is not your Luna!" I said through gritted teeth
"Wow, man!" Damien said as he put the car in drive, and began driving home.
"Wow!" He said again.
Neither one of us said another word the rest of the way home. As soon as we got home, the car jerked to a stop. Damien through his door opened before climbing out of the car and slamming the door shut. I sat there for a few moments, watching the retreating back of my best friend as he stormed toward the house.
I sat there alone with my thoughts, trying to wrap my head around everything. I slowly make my way out of the car and walk into the pack house.
"Hey honey, how was your visit with Ace today?" I heard my dad ask as he came out of the kitchen.
I stop and look at him for a moment, unable to form any words. I slowly turn toward the stairs and head upstairs to my room.
"Honey?... Reid! Is everything okay?" My dad asked as I began climbing the stairs.
But I don't respond, I just keep walking up the stairs. Wanting as far away from everyone as possible.
I feel numb as I take off my clothes, before stepping into the shower. I feel like the stench from the dungeon seeped into my pores. I can still smell it on my skin and on my clothes.
I get in the shower, turning it on as hot as I can. I feel my skin burn as the hot water rains down onto my skin, and it begins to turn red. I grab the loofah, drenching it in soap before scrubbing my body as hard as I can.
I can still smell it. I can almost feel the stench covering my body. I scrub harder, feeling as though I'm scrubbing the skin off my body.
I feel my shoulders shake and I realize I'm crying. I crumpled to the floor and felt the water as it poured down over my head.
I bring my knees up, wrapping my arms around them, and dropping my head onto my knees as I break down crying.
I just left him there...
I feel my chest ache, knowing I just left him there like that. Remembering his poor broken body, curled up on the floor in his own waste. Remembering how skinny he was, every bone I saw, every cut, and open wound that covered his body.
He was so small...
How could I do that? How could I just leave him there like that?
I squeeze my eyes tight as I ball my hands into fists. I throw my head back, as I open my mouth and scream as loud as I can.
I crumpled to the floor, laying down as I cried.
I hear banging at the door, and the sound of my father's voice on the other side.
I don't say anything, I just lay there crying... I can't look at them, I can't do anything, I can't move. The only thing I want is to go back there and get him.
I hear the door break open as my father comes rushing in. He opens the shower door and pulls me up off the floor.
He pulls me into his lap and I throw my arm around my father, my face goes to his neck as I cry and grip his shirt.
"Son, hey, it's okay... It's okay now." He says as he rubs my back and squeezes me tighter.
"What's wrong, what happened?" My father's soothing voice asked.
"I left him there Father, I left him there!" I said. My chest ached, and my heart felt like someone ripped it out.
"Who? Who did you leave, and where?" My father asked.
"My mate!... I just left him there!"
"You're mate?" My father asked, shock lacing his voice as he grabbed my face, and pulled it back to look at me.
But I can't look at him, I can't bring myself to look into the eyes of my father, so I look down. I don't want him to see the person that did this, that left their own mate back there in that hell.
"What are you talking about son? Where did you leave him?" He asked, concerned.
"In the dungeon... At aces. I fucking left him in there." I cried harder as I dropped my forehead against my father again.
My father pries me off of him forcefully. He holds me away at arm's length, his hands gripping me harshly,
I can feel his fingers digging into my skin."What the fuck are you talking about!?" He yelled angrily.
****
As we sit in my father's office, I struggle to look at him, still too ashamed of myself... Well, technically it's my office now, but at the moment he's the one sitting in the Alpha's seat.
He was so furious, I thought for a moment he was going to claim the title again and take it from me... And to be honest, I wouldn't have blamed him, or even protested.
I sit directly across from my father, with Damien to my right, keeping an empty chair between us. I think Damien is so upset with me, he can't even stand to sit near me.
My father forced me to tell him everything that happened. I reminded him of my hate for hybrids, and the fact I'm still trying to find Anthony's killer. I told him about my conversation with Alpha Ace, and the reason we went there today.
I told him I assumed these were rogue hybrids, that were thrown in the cells for coming onto their property and attacking like rogues do.
But neither Damien nor I were prepared for what we actually saw down there. I told him everything we saw. How the hybrids were being treated, how it looked like they were barely alive, and how they were raping them, while chained to the walls.
I watched my father's expression as I told him everything. His jaw clenched tight, he gripped the armrest tightly, his claws dug into the woods, and I could hear it creak. He leaned onto the opposite armrest, onto his elbow. His chin rests on his fist, as the anger swirls in his eyes.
"I can't believe you went there with the intention that you did!... I raised you better than that! I know you're angry at hybrids for what one did, but you can't blame the entire race of hybrids, for something only one did!
I'm glad you came to your senses once you got down there and realized how wrong that was. At least you understood what fucked up is, and didn't go down a path I couldn't save you from!"
He paused.
"As for your mate, I hate to say this, but you did the right thing by leaving him there-"
"What!?" Damien yelled angrily, cutting my father off as he stood up, and looked at my father as if he just grew two heads.
My dad growled at Damien as he glared at him. Damien immediately dropped back into his seat and bared his neck to my father
"I'm sorry sir!" Damien said.
My father sighs as he looks back at me.
"Like I was saying, it was the right thing to do, to leave him there. But not for the reasons you're thinking Damien!" He said, glancing at Damien, and giving him a firm look.
"I don't think Ace would have let you just take him out of there. Not alone at least. I think all hell would have broken loose if you told Ace he was your mate and tried to take him with you.
And the fact that you were only there with Damien, It just wasn't safe for you to attempt to bring him home."
I was relieved when my father said that. Because to be honest, I was surprised when he first started talking. For a moment I thought he actually agreed that I left him there.
"I want you to let Ace know you're coming back over there today. But this time, we're all coming with you. But I want you to keep that little detail out when you talk to him."
"Who's all coming?" I asked
"Your dad and your aunt for starters, since the twins are almost unstoppable. And for added muscles, we're bringing Xander and Marcus." My father said.
"Damien, you're staying here. You're the beta now, so you're going to hold things down here while we're gone."
"Yes sir!" Damien said, bowing his head.
"I'm going, to make sure everything runs smoothly, and make sure you keep your cool. I know you can get a little hot-headed, and we need to do this the right way. We don't need to be starting a war... At least not just yet."
My Father's eyes glaze over for a moment before returning to normal.
"Okay, I just linked everyone that's coming with us. We'll fill them in once we're on the road. Meet me outside in 15 minutes... Reid, let's go get your mate!"
.
**Trigger Warning! Abuse and rape*** Reid's POV I called Ace and apologized for leaving the way I did and asked if I could come back. Of course, he was more than happy to have me come back. I however did fail to mention that I was bringing the gang along. "I can't believe you guys made me sit back here!" I hear Xander complain from the very back end of the SUV. There were six of us, and the SUV only seats five, so Xander was stuck sitting in the back end. We obviously couldn't take more than one car, since I didn't tell Ace everyone else was coming. As we pull up to the pack house I see Ace walking out of the door with a smile on his face. His smile slowly drops when he looks into the car, and notices it's not me and Damien this time. Instead, he sees my father and I in the front seat. His head cocks to the side, as he slowly approaches the car. I ignore the sound of Xander falling to the ground, as he climbs out of the back end of the SUV. "It's good to see you back, but I'm
*** Trigger Warning! *** Reid's POV After passing two more guards doing the same thing, we finally made it to the end. The last cell on the right. As I approach the cell, my heart hammers in my chest, and my palms feel cold and sweaty. My wolf pushes forward, trying to look into the cell with me. I look into the cell and see he's still laying in the same exact spot. He hasn't moved an inch in the last several hours. My chest tightens, and my stomach drops. Oh Goddess, is he even still alive? If he was dead before I found him earlier, I would have never known my mate died. But if he died after I saw him, I would have felt it. But it would have been faint, since I haven't touched him, or made eye contact with him yet, nor have I talked to him. Our connection is barely formed, hanging on by the smallest thread since I only laid eyes on his unconscious body. "Well, here we are!" Ace said as he stuck the key in the door before opening it. He looks into the cell, "Yup, I'm going t
Reid's POV As we pulled up to the pack house I linked Damien, asking him to fill my bathtub for me. He desperately needs a bath, not just for the fact that he's so filthy, but I want the dirt out of his wounds. My dad opens the door for me and I climb out with my mate tucked in my arms tightly. The movement of getting out of the car woke him. His eyes blink open and he begins looking around. I can see the fear in his eyes as soon as he sees other pack members walking around. He clings to me, holding on for dear life while his body violently trembles. His eyes dart around as he whimpers. I can hear his rapid breathing as tears roll down his face. I look around when I hear several gasps and realize people have stopped to look at him. Some look at him shocked, while others look at him while covering their mouth. I looked down and realized the blanket had fallen off of him, and they could see how bad his body was. I quickly bent over, grabbed the blanket, and draped it over him. I
Reid's POVI took the towel and moved it around drying him off before standing up and heading into my room.I walked over to the bed and laid him down before I walked back into the bathroom. I grabbed the first aid kit then walked back over to him, slowly sitting on the edge trying not to scare him.I applied some peroxide on a cotton pad then brought it up to his cheek. He flinched back as I approached his face with my hand and I paused."I just want to clean your wound so it doesn't get any worse than it already is. It might sting a little bit but I'm not trying to hurt you."I slowly move my hand forward again, dabbing his cheek. He hissed and flinched once the peroxide got into the wound on his cheek."I'm sorry, I know it hurts but I have to clean it out okay." I proceeded to move forward again and this time he let me clean
Reid's POV I was just coming out of the bathroom when my dad knocked on the door twice before entering with a tray of food. Julian instantly grabbed the pillow and held it in front of him tightly as he looked at my dad terrified. It almost looked as if he was holding the pillow trying to hide behind it. My dad instantly noticed this and froze. He glanced at me then back at Julian. "Julian, it's okay this is my dad Aiden. He means you no harm, he won't hurt you. He just brought some food up for you." I said trying to calm him down. My dad slowly approached setting the tray on the table next to the bed. My dad turned to me and said, "I think it's probably best if I leave you too alone. He probably needs some more time to get used to you." He glances back at Julian, giving him a smile before turning and leaving the bedroom. I take a deep breath and release it before walking over and grabbing the food. I smile when I realize it's pizza night. The tray is loaded with different vari
Julian's POV I woke up to a strange sensation on my shoulder. I felt this tingling sensation running from my shoulder, down my arm and threw my chest. I bit my lip so I don't make a sound as I roll onto my back. The pain from last night is unbearable. I know better than to make a sound. They want you to cry, they want you to scream out in pain. They thrive on it. It only excites them more. Most people here have learned to suppress their fears and cries. Even those that have only been here for a short time. But for some reason I have not.... It's not like I haven't been here for that long. I actually have. Probably longer than most people. I was born here.My mother was captured while pregnant and gave birth to me in this hell hole. She was tortured while pregnant with me. Then once she had me they left her alone for a short time. Until I was strong enough to not be on her teets. Then they ripped me from my mother and continue to torture her until I was strong enough. Then they
Julian's POV I looked at my body after he walked away. He said he cleaned my wounds and had to bandage them. I have these strange things all over my body now covering the wounds. They never cared about fixing my wounds. I've never had anybody try to make them better. Only make them worse and add more. I was so confused by his actions. I can't figure him out. I keep expecting him to hurt me but he hasn't yet. Instead he does this, try to fix them. "I know these are probably not going to fit you, but I thought you might want to put something on." The man said. I didn't understand what he meant. Does he want me to put that stuff on my body like he does? He place them in front of me and I look at him, then back at the stuff he placed in front of me. " It's clothes, You can go ahead and put them on, it's okay." The man said. Still not wanting to talk because I'm not really used to using my voice. I'm not used to being allowed to use my voice. I points at the clothes then at myself.
Julian's POV I wake up warm and comfortable. I slowly stretch my body, as I move I realize I'm laying on the soft comfortable thing again and become confused. I open my eyes and look around. I am back on the warm comfy thing. And he covered me up again. I looked around and I don't see him anywhere, but I do hear water running in the other room. I sit up when I hear the water turned off a few minutes later. I feel my wolf push forward when he walks out of the room where the water was. We both look at him as he walks out with just pants on hanging low and he's wiping his face with one of those towels. He doesn't have anything on his chest and I find my eyes roaming his chest, admiring it. His skin isn't white like mine. It's darker and I can't see any of his bones like I can on myself.His body has all these round firm muscles on his chest and arms. Over his stomach there's defined lines going all the way down to his pants. I look at the lines that disappear below his pants and my wo