Reclaiming Herself—Completed

Chapter Thirteen

Danielle.

***Mature content throughout the chapter. Read with caution. s****l trauma and abuse.***

Pain. All she felt was pain for every millisecond that he touched her skin. Mate. He had said she was his mate. She needed to get away from him as quickly as possible. If d**k knew what had just transpired, he’d kill the alpha on the spot. Even if a war did break out because of it. She didn’t know why, but that man was obsessed with her and wouldn’t let go without a fight.

Rubbing her wrist where he’d touched her, Danielle gracefully made her way quickly through the crowd and found a small hallway leading further into the building. She dashed into it and pressed herself up against the wall, breathing heavily.

What was it that she’d felt? Her emotions were all over the place. Part of her wanted to run away. Part of her wanted to run into Patrick’s arms. Part of her wanted– No. It didn’t matter what she wanted. She knew the risks. She knew the lives at stake if she so much as dared to breathe incorrectly. She had a part to play, else good people–frightened people–would die.

Gathering herself, and ignoring the weird feelings welling up inside of her, she walked back towards the party, only to be met by Patrick standing in her way. She took a small step backwards before he could reach out for her.

“Why did you run?” he asked, clearly hurt.

“Like I said before, I think you’ve mistaken who I am.”

He shook his head. “I don’t understand how your his luna if I’m your mate.”

“I’m not your mate,” she said a little too quickly.

“Caleb told me all about you.”

Her heart stopped at the mention of her friend’s name. He was alive? How was this possible? d**k had told her that he’d killed him for trying to escape! He said that she had no one else in the pack who cared about her except him. That he’d enjoyed taking his life, and that his only regret was not letting her watch.

She opened her mouth to ask one of the hundred questions flooding her mind, but nothing came out.

“Your friend, right? He made it to my pack. He’s safe and very concerned for you. Aren’t you excited?” Patrick asked, searching her face.

She attempted to speak again, only to find the wrong words exiting her mouth. “Caleb is a traitor. He is nothing to me.”

“What?” he frowned. “No, he told me about your friendship, what you had to endure. It’s taking everything within me to not tear Richard to shreds right now.”

“Please let me pass,” Danielle said.

“No, I need to speak to you, to take you away from here. I want to save you from him,” Patrick pleaded.

Danielle wanted nothing more than to shout, “Please! Please say me from this hell. Say us all!” but her lips would not move. She didn’t understand. Everything she did was the complete opposite of what she wanted to do.

“I need you to leave. I will call Richard over here to deal with you if you don’t stop harassing me,” she said quietly.

The pain that flickered over Patrick’s face pained her greatly. She saw that he didn’t comprehend her responses. She saw his confusion and frustration. She felt the same. However, her body was acting on its own accord, and she had no answer as to why.

“Do–do you really want me to leave you alone? Do you really want to go back to him? Is it him you want over me? Your mate?” he questioned.

“Yes. You are not my mate. You must be mistaken,” Danielle replied firmly.

Pushing forward with her body, though careful to avoid any skin-to-skin contact, she slipped past Patrick and made her way to where Richard was chatting up a few she-wolves. It didn’t bother her. In fact, if he were to find his pleasure in someone else, she’d be grateful. All Danielle felt was immense heartbreak. It wasn’t that she wanted her mate. She had told herself over and over again that she’d never accept her mate. But, Patrick gave her a false hope. A hope that something could change or that he could save her from her situation. She also hated hurting him. It was more painful than her own.

Richard caught her eye and smiled wickedly at her. His lustful eyes undressed her, and she felt sick to her stomach.

“Ladies,” he said in his best schmoozing voice. “This is my second chance mate and Luna, Danielle.”

A chorus of hello’s greeted. She only gave a half-assed smile back. She didn’t have it in her to be fake at the moment.

“These are the lunas from several packs around us. They are very interested in your new business venture, dearest.”

“Oh, how lovely,” Danielle said.

An awkward moment passed before Richard prompted, “Why don’t you tell them about it?”

“Right,” she chuckled softly. “Right. Yes, um, I’d call it less of a business venture, and more of a charity foundation. I’ve created a home for forced rogue women and children who’ve lost their homes due to rogue attacks. Because their packs are no longer around, Richard has so generously opened his pack doors to them. My foundation will teach them the basics of cooking, cleaning, and sewing. We’ll be holding an auction at the end of the month with the things they’ve made. A few of the ladies are very talented artists and we’ve even been able to have painting and pottery classes. It’s a way to help them with stability and feel like they’re part of a pack again.”

“Oh wow!” the lunas ‘ooh-ed’ and ‘awe-d’.

“That’s incredible,” one said.

“Give me all the details! I’d love to help and donate to your cause!” another chimed in.

Danielle did her best to smile and seem interested. “Yes, of course. I’ll get in touch with you later this week or next.”

What she really wanted to say was that d**k was forcing his slaves to create the items for his so-called auction, which was really a front for the black market auction of the women themselves. All of the proceeds went to him and his lavish lifestyle. Not to mention that these women were kidnapped or the sole survivors of his attacks on their packs. It was sickening, and she was selling it as a wonderful shelter.

Danielle felt sick.

“Please, excuse me for a moment. I think I’ve had a touch of too much wine,” she said as she backed away.

She wanted to vomit.

“Of course!” the lunas assured her.

Wobbling over to the wall, Danielle searched for a way towards the bathroom. After asking an attendant, she found the right hallway and started down it. Bile rose up in her mouth, and she had to brace herself against the wall to keep from falling.

Feeling as though she was tumbling towards the ground anyway, she reached a hand out and found a man’s chest instead of the ground.

“Patri–” she began, as her eyes adjusted to the darkened hallway and rose up to his eyes.

Fear strangled her instead.

“Patrick?” Richard asked, coldly. “Is that who you wanted to come catch you? Is that who you expected? You filthy w***e. Were you going to meet him here and f**k him? You slut. You cocksucking b***h!”

“Please, no!” Danielle called out.

“After all I’ve done for you? You made me look like a fool in front of those women. We need their funds. We need their support. You had one f*****g job, you dirty, little f**k. I should beat the s**t out of you right here in the hallway and then f**k you unconscious. It’s a good thing we’re at this party, but they won’t save you tonight, when you’re alone, chained to my bed. I’ll teach you to be grateful. I’ll teach you to do as you’re told. You’ll jump when I say jump. You’ll beg when I want you to beg. And you’ll f**k when I say bend over. Is that understood?”

Danielle nodded frantically. Richard was crushing her wrists in his hands.

“Say it out loud.”

“Yes, master,” she whispered.

Richard had a disgustingly pleased look on his face, and closed his eyes. “Say it again.”

Danielle hesitated only for a moment before saying, “Yes, master. I understand.”

In an instant, Richard had her face pressed up against the wall, slamming her head into it. He then hiked up her dress and began unzipping his pants.

“Say it like you’re terrified of what I’ll do to you,” Richard demanded, letting his newly freed member slide along her ass cheeks.

“I understand what you want from me,” Danielle said. “I know what I need to do tonight.”

Spreading her cheeks apart, he then forcefully entered her, causing her to whimper from pain.

“No,” he grunted as he thrusted. “Say it like you’re scared. I’ll murder the blond one tonight if you don’t please me right now. The blond girl who helped you get ready tonight. I’ll f**k her while I bleed her out.”

“Wh–whatever you want, m-master. Please don’t hurt her,” she pleaded, real fear lacing her words.

If she knew anything about Richard, it was that his threats were always serious.

“Good,” he replied, picking up his pace. “f**k, that’s good. Yeah, envision her blood seeping into the floor. Watch as the life drains out of her as I f**k her. The boys got tired of her because her p***y wore out too fast. But, I’ll be her last. I’ll end her misery as I ride the high of cumming inside of her nearly lifeless body. It’ll be all your fault, Danielle. If you can’t make me c*m, her dead, c*m-filled body will be all your fault. Can you live with the guilt?”

“Please, master. Don’t. I’ll do anything. Anything you want,” Danielle implored. “Please just leave her alone.”

“Mark me tonight. Complete our bond,” Richard said, enjoying every pained expression on her face.

Every wince or cry made him harder, made him get that much closer to finishing. However, seeing the utter shock and terror on her face now about marking him made c*m powerfully into her. He grunted with satisfaction and pulled out of her, zipping his pants up and dropping the skirt of her dress.

He had purposefully kept her from wearing underwear for this exact reason, and he was pleased with the decision. Richard then wondered how many times he could f**k her at this party before the night was over.

Danielle held back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. It would ruin her makeup, and she was worried her omegas would be beaten to death if Richard saw her face smudged, though it wouldn’t be their fault. She then caught the smallest waft of a husky, mouth-watering scent. Even though the smell that drifted over her gave her a small bit of comfort, she wanted nothing to do with that man or any other man. She never wanted to hear the words “mate” uttered to her again.

Nothing could save her, and if this was what it looked like to be someone’s mate, then she wanted nothing to do with it. She couldn’t. Not after everything she’d endured. Danielle squeezed her eyes shut even tighter. Maybe she could forget she ever met her mate.

“What the f**k did I just accidentally witness?” a man’s voice questioned.

Richard looked annoyed and angry, and Danielle instantly shrank back into herself.

“You saw nothing,” Richard said.

“Like hell I did. I’m telling the New Council,” the man said, before turning around. “That’s some sick s**t you were saying to her. You shouldn’t talk to her like that!”

“No you’re not!” Richard growled, lunging at the man and tackling him to the ground.

“Get the f**k off me!” he shouted, loudly enough to attract attention. “Someone! Help!”

Danielle watched in fear as Richard climbed atop the man and began choking the life out of him. She then looked around and saw several people running towards the scene, one of them being her mate, Patrick.