Reclaiming His Abused Mate

I stared out the window of the passenger seat. It was raining, which suited my mood perfectly. I had just gotten in trouble, again, with him, my husband. So I wanted to remain quiet for this trip, as I knew what waited at the end and didn't want to make what was about to happen any worse on myself. Every few minutes I mumbled an apology, wincing as I got no response. The silence was deafening, and a sure sign that my evening would be painful. My hands shook slightly as they lay folded in my lap. I prayed I would survive, and for the first time in years, I seriously considered running. I knew how nearly impossible it would be to get away, but it may be my only chance this time. Earlier that evening, I had been caught breaking the rules I had come to live and breathe with over the past ten years. I had been caught stealing a private moment with the other half of my soul, a man who was very much not the one sitting next to me in this truck. Now, I would be punished. I am Mia Lane, and I am the last female wolf of my family. At 19, my father had married me off to this rigid, angry man, convinced that there were not enough wolves left in the world for a fated mate to ever find me. His name was Eaton Lane, and he ruled our house with an iron fist and made no secret of his violent nature. He wanted a young pretty wife, and he wanted pups. He had not even the smallest bit of affection for me, not ever. If I disobeyed him, or angered him, I paid the price. Bruises decorated my body wherever clothing could hide them, one set hardly fading before I received the next. Worse than that, was the cold and indifferent way he chose to take my body. Two short years after my marriage, I found my fated mate. He was married to an older, very powerful she wolf. A woman who was angry and bitter with the world, and bent on using him to have strong pups. Hers was a family that ruled when wolves were everywhere. She too, had no real affection for him. She only wanted control. He was miserably unhappy, you could see it all over his face and how he held his strong, muscled shoulders. He was incredibly handsome, with his blonde hair and green eyes. Even with the sad, defeated look that seemed permanently etched on his face. I met his gaze at dinner, and it was like electricity suddenly ran over every inch of my skin. It was a feeling unlike any I had ever felt before. My Mate. That night, after we had felt the bond snap into place, I begged my husband to set me free. He refused, and violently. It was the first real beating I had ever received, and it left me weak and shaken. Little did I know it would become my normal. Tears streamed down my bloody face as I shakily splashed water over myself in the bathroom afterwards. My destiny was going to be denied me, and I resolved to find a way to escape this terrible life. But then, only two short weeks later, I discovered that I was carrying my first pup. Leaving became more and more impossible. In what I soon realized was his usual sadistic nature, my husband worked very hard over the next few months to get close to my Mate and the woman who had him. He also made sure to have me attend every meeting and get together that they were at. He found my misery amusing, and greatly enjoyed watching our pain as we went through life watching each other from across rooms, feeling that mate bond so strongly and being unable to fulfill its call. We were not always strong enough to fight the mate bond, and soon, once our spouses were sufficiently distracted, we began to meet in secret at these events. We would meet in a darkened room or hall, and steal what little affection we could. A secret touch, a hidden kiss, a quiet whispered conversation. We knew if we were caught, we would face severe, maybe even fatal consequences, and we worried for our pups, but our bond was strong. His name is Devin Carter, and he had been forced to marry as well, to cover debts his family owed to the older woman. He was incredibly unhappy, and it was only during these secret meetings that I got to hear his laugh and see his handsome, amazing smile. despite all the risks, I was so grateful for each stolen moment we had. I kept my feelings well hidden, but I craved those snippets of time. I lived for them, almost as much as I lived for my pups. Tonight had been one of those secret meetings. they were never planned, we couldn't risk having any evidence. this time, we had waited for everyone to be busy drinking and socializing. As was the normal routine, my husband became well absorbed in a small blonde she wolf, one he was currently seeing on the side, and Devin's wife had gone upstairs to lie down, complaining of a headache. She consistently used a variety of maladies to remove herself from any parties or dinners we had to attend. So, we had met each other's gaze and wordlessly knew we had an opportunity. One at a time, we slipped away from the party, heading to a small wine cellar we had visited before, just off the kitchen. This was our usual spot when parties were held here, at the house of one of wolves our spouses were friends with. Once there, we kissed passionately and held each other. We talked quietly of our pups and our joy in them. They were truly the only happiness either of us carried in our everyday life. Tonight, though, I had a special secret to share, and I worried over his reaction. I told him of my Raine, my eldest pup, ten years old now, and we despaired that it had been so long since we had found each other only to be denied our destiny. Then, I mentioned my twins , George and Gwendolyn, who had just had their eighth birthday. He talked of his twins, Benjamin and Cole, also eight, and laughed as he relayed stories of the four of them becoming fast friends at school this past year, completely unaware that their parents were Fated mates. I took a deep breath, I knew what I had to say next would be bittersweet and painful for us both. Now, I prayed hard that this part had not been overheard. I remembered taking a deep breath and gathering my courage. My voice came out hesitantly. "Devin," I said solemnly, and his grip tightened on mine, as though he anticipated that my next words would bring pain to us both, and he was right , " I am carrying another pup." The words took only a second to utter, and his eyes widened as he heard them. Not all of our meetings were so innocent. He knew the meaning already, I didn't have to finish telling him, but I chose to anyway. I needed to let the truth hang in the air for the first time. " This pup is special. He is a gift from my true mate. I hope he has your beautiful green eyes, love." In his eyes, I could see the fear. If my pup was found out to be his, we could both be killed for adultery. I hugged him tightly to me, wanting to reassure both of us, but as I started to speak, the door to the wine cellar flew open with a loud crash. We jumped away from each other, but not quickly enough. And there, standing in the doorway, his wolf showing in his eyes, and his rage scenting the air with a dire heaviness, was my husband.