BK 5 - Chapter 55 - Helping Isla
Isla stayed on the ground crying. She was curled in a ball with her eyes closed. She couldn't look at the man claiming to be her mate. She was too scared that he would hurt her. She thought it would be better for him to reject her than to feel his unrelenting abuse.
"Isla, it's okay, sweetheart. Nathan's not going to hurt you." Petra said, squatting down next to her. She gently touched her shoulder, but Isla just cried harder. Cat mindlinked everyone and told them to go back into the house. She took Nathan's hand, and they approached Isla. He was a werelion, caladrius hybrid, just like his Grandma Cat and Grandma Melanie. His dad, Tristan, didn't have the caladrius effects.
Cat kneeled down next to Isla and gently touched her hand. The fear and hurt she felt from the young woman was overwhelming.
"I'm Grandma Cat, and this is my grandson Nathan. I'm so sorry for the pain you're feeling. We can help you. No one here is going to hurt you." Isla stopped crying to listen to what Cat was saying. While she touched her hand, she felt some of her fear leaving. Nathan wanted to take his mate in his arms and hold her until she felt safe, but he knew right now that would cause more harm than good.
"I'm sorry. I can leave if you want. I don't want to be any trouble." Isla said softly. Cat's heart broke listening to her. She gently stroked her hair. Isla reminded her of how she had been when she met Trey.
"We don't want you to leave. We want you to stay here with us. We're your family. Many of us here have been hurt in one way or another. You're not alone; we can help you heal. I was hurt by someone who should have protected me. It took me a long time to recover. The nightmares still come sometimes, but I have the love of my family now to help me get through them. You're part of our family now, and we protect our family." Isla opened her eyes and looked at Cat.
"People can change. They can pretend to care for you, and then they end up being the ones who hurt you the most." Isla glanced at Nathan and then looked back at Cat.
"You're right. People can change, but we won't. We help children and women who have been abused or abandoned. I have been doing this for sixty years. Our whole family helps at our group homes. Nathan has been helping since he was a cub." Isla slowly sat up with Cat's help. She looked down at her hands.
"Your family helps people?" She asked softly. Cat looked at Nathan and nodded.
"We've been helping people for a long time. We have many group homes for both humans and shifters." He said, moving closer to her. Isla took a deep breath.
*"Listen to him, Isla. I can feel that he's good, even if he is a cat. Our mate can help us."* Scarlet mindlinked her.
"I can't be anyones mate. I'm too broken." Isla said, keeping her head down. She didn't want to see the look in Nathan's eyes when he rejected her or said she wasn't good enough.
"You may be broken, but you can be repaired. You're still alive, and that's what's important. As far as not being able to be my mate, that's not true. I won't rush you into anything or force you to do anything you don't want to. I want to help you. Will you let me help you?" Nathan asked, holding his hand out to her. He wanted it to be her decision to touch him.
Isla looked at Cat and then Nathan. Could they really help her so she wasn't in constant fear and pain? She took a deep breath and slowly held her hand out to Nathan. When they touched, the sparks that filled her body took her breath away. That wasn't the only thing she felt. It seemed like touching him was taking some of her fear away. It was the same thing she felt when Cat touched her.
"I'll try," Isla said, looking into Nathan's eyes. He smiled slightly and helped her to her feet.
"Why don't you two go to the pool house, where it's less crowded? That way, you can talk in private." Cat stood up and stroked Isla's head.
"Thank you," Isla said to Cat.
"You're welcome, sweetheart. Please call me Grandma Cat." She said with a small smile.
Nathan lead Isla toward the pool house. She was still holding his hand because it was making her feel better. When they reached the pool house, she looked around nervously.
"Can I use the restroom, please?" She asked.
"You don't have to ask. The restroom is at the top of the stairs." Nathan pointed, and Isla slowly walked up the stairs. Now that she wasn't touching him, some of her fear was returning.
She closed the door once in the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her face was tear-stained, and her hair was a mess. Isla splashed some water on her face and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to untangle it as best she could. After she was done, she took some deep breaths and then opened the door. She heard Nathan in the kitchen as she went down the stairs. He turned and looked at her when she walked into the room.
"I thought I would make us some tea. Do you like tea?" He asked as he heated the water.
"Yes. Thank you." Isla answered. She wanted to touch him again but was too scared to ask. Nathan quickly made their tea and grabbed some cookies out of the cabinet. The poolhouse was always stocked because they never knew when someone may need it. When he had everything ready, he put the tea and cookies on a tray and carried them to the living room. Isla followed him and sat next to him on the couch.
"How long have you been with Petra and the others?" Nathan asked, handing her a cup of tea.
"They rescued me a few weeks ago from a pack that had bought me when I was an orphaned pup," Isla answered, looking down at her tea.
"They hurt you there, didn't they?" Nathan asked, setting his cup on the table. Isla nodded and wiped away the tears that began to fall.
"Every day, they found a new way to abuse me. I was considered lower than an omega. Both men and women hurt me." Isla spoke so quietly that Nathan could barely hear her. He reached his hand out to her, and she took it willingly this time. The feeling of calmness fell over her right away. Isla could breathe easier, and Nathan could feel the effect he had on her.
"I'm so sorry they hurt you. I promise no one will ever hurt you again. I know you're scared, but you can trust me. Can I hug you?" He asked cautiously. Isla looked up at him. She was terrified of being hugged, but if it had the same effect on her as holding his hand had, she wanted to try.
"Yes." Nathan took her tea cup and sat it on the table. He gently wrapped his arms around her, and Isla's reaction was immediate. She clung to him and sobbed on his shoulder. She finally felt something more than the fear and pain. She felt cared for, but most importantly, she felt wanted. That meant more to her than anything.
