Enough
The slow walk up the stairs was excruciating as I fought the urge to run. I didn’t want to alert my sister or cause suspicion. I didn’t utter a word and neither did she. The conversation with Father hung in the air between us. Would Shane hate me as much as I hate myself for what’s happened to him? I didn’t deserve to, but I wanted nothing more than to see him, feel him, kiss, and hold him. I couldn’t pay any attention to him downstairs and it gutted me. It took everything to resist running to him, checking if he was okay, and wrapping my arms around him. Doing so would have signed his death warrant.
Father wanted to see if I’d have a reaction to any of them. He wanted to see if I would give away any hint of emotion to try and weed out if there was any merit to the rumors. He wanted to know if the man I loved was among the men on their knees. I wouldn’t give it to him. I knew he would have killed them all. I still felt a hint of relief knowing that Shane had lived. I feared he would have killed them all anyway but when he didn’t, I was so relieved I could have cried. My hands trembled and I squeezed them closed tightly to stop the movement. Ava stopped in front of my door and turned to me.
“Your suspicions are going to get people killed if you don’t stop,” I said.
“Why should I care about the worries of sheep when I’m a wolf?” Ava scoffed.
“If we were men, it would be our responsibility to care for and rule over this pack,” I said.
“Who cares about what-ifs? We aren’t men. We are women,” Ava started. “Don’t think you’ve fooled me. You may have gotten away today and the tables may be turned for now but I know what I saw. I know you’re up to something and I will find out what you’re hiding, sister.”
I didn’t utter a word. I didn’t even acknowledge her as she spoke. I kept my gaze trained on the door. I felt the weight of her gaze on me before she scoffed and turned from me. When she began to make her descent down the stairs. I prayed a silent thank you to the Goddess. With trembling fingers, I reached forward and pushed my door open. The glow of the candle on my vanity was the only source of light. Quickly, I stepped in and closed the door behind me. Only when it was bolted did I look around. I walked to the window and when I looked down, I didn’t see anything. I felt a sense of disappointment but reassured myself that he was okay. He would be with his sister. She would take care of his wounds. It didn’t stop me from wishing he was here. I wanted to be the one who took care of him. A tear ran down my cheek and I closed my eyes. Turning from the window, I went to throw myself on the bed when I came to an abrupt stop. I covered my mouth as my gaze dropped. On the floor by the bed was a crumpled form. I dropped to the floor but couldn’t touch him, instead, my hands hovered over his body. Shane lay on the floor, face down. I could hear his soft, pained breathing. He groaned as he lifted his head, his face was bruised. It wasn’t until he smirked at me that I choked on a sob as I fell to my knees. I leaned against the bed and this time, I couldn’t fight the tears. The floodgates had opened and I couldn’t stop them even if I wanted to. I’d been powerless to do anything. The one thing I didn’t want to do was the only way to keep him alive. I was childish and selfish but at this point, I couldn’t let him go. I don’t know how I would let him go when Ethan came for me.
His hand rested on my thigh above the material of my dress. I wanted nothing more than to crawl into his embrace but I knew he was hurting. He was in pain because of me. A group of men were hurting because of me. There was no way to stop the tyranny that was my father. The only thing I could do was obey.
“You can’t be here,” I cried through tears.
Shane didn’t say anything but I felt his fingers moving as he caressed my thigh, as he tried to comfort me. The gentleness that this man showed me at times still caught me off guard.
“Shane,” I whispered.
I closed my eyes and when I opened them again he was sitting up. My gaze wandered over his face before the rest of his body. He was shirtless and bleeding. How had he climbed the wall in his state?
“The ladies were all over me today,” he said gruffly. “They wouldn’t let me keep my shirt.” When the words registered I wanted to hit him and cry at the same time. “I barely got out with my pants.”
Looking into his eyes, there was a warmth there that started the tears up again. Why didn’t he tell me he was in pain? Why didn’t he blame me, why didn’t he hate me?
He reached out but before he could touch me there was a loud noise. My head turned for the door as my eyes widened. The sound of someone slamming against the door sounded again. I could hear the sound of my heart beating in my ears.
“Shane. You need to get out of here,” I whispered as I turned to him.
“No,” he said as he tried to get to his feet.
“Shane! What do you mean no? Come on!” I urged. He shook his head and looked at me.
“It’s too late. Can’t you see? I can’t get away in this state and I accepted my fate the moment the whipped first slice skin. If I were to die I needed to see you one more time. With that one last need, that last wish, I was able to hold on through the torture. I didn’t have a choice. I had to come here,” Shane said.
He smiled as I shook my head. No, this wasn’t happening. If they broke in here and found him, he would die.
“Why did you come? You’re hurt!” I cried.
“Open the door Adea!”
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