Chapter 4

He brought me up to the bedroom and pushed me up against the wall. I gasped and trembled slightly.

"I can't seen to keep my hands off of you," he growled in approval. I sucked in a breath as his breath fanned over my neck. I felt his incisors on the soft spot of my neck. I put my hands on his shoulders as my brain registered what he wanted to do.

"Aspen, wait," I breathed. It was too late. He sunk his teeth into my neck, marking me. I gasped as tears stung my eyes. He massaged my neck with his mouth as he groaned. I let out a shaky breath and stayed as still as possible. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath.

"You're mine little one," he muttered into my neck. I couldn't help the sob that escaped my lips. He looked at me shocked. "What's wrong?" he asked. I couldn't help the memories that flooded into me. I wanted to stop them but I couldn't. Aspen cradled me to his chest and laid me down on the bed before he froze. I curled up in a ball and tried to stop the memories but I couldn't.

***

"Camilla, don't go too far," my mother warned me. My mom and dad used to go out for runs together. And with me being their only child, I had to wait by the pond until they came back, but I didn't mind. I loved nature. The forest called to me like it would to any curious 8 year old. I couldn't wait until I could shift and run with my parents.

The leaves crunched and I looked up to see a man. He was dressed in ratty clothes but still looked somewhat attractive. In my young age, I was just curious about everything. At the time, I felt a little weird being alone with this man I'd never seen before, but I was only a kid.

"Hello little girl. What's your name?" he asked, coming closer.

"C-Camilla," I answered hesitantly. He stepped closer and closer to me as I tried to get away rom him without raising any alarm.

"What a beautiful name for a beautiful girl," he said.

"M-My dad is going to be here any minute," I warned nervously. He only chuckled as he had me pressed against a tree.

"Oh, I don't doubt that," he replied before everything went black.

He tortured me. He injected me with something almost every day. He would run silver along my thighs countless times. He would bite into my shoulder and abuse me endlessly no matter how much I begged him to stop. Every time he bit me, he would tease me by saying that he was practicing to mark me like wolves do. I was stuck with him for weeks before he finally just let me go. At the time, I thought I would die there. After he reached whatever goal he wanted, he simply dropped me back in tue forest where he took me.

They rescued me, but they never caught who did that to me.

***

"Cami, I... I didn't know. I'm so sorry," Aspen said. I didn't know what he was talking about until I remembered that he could probably see all of my thoughts. Aspen sighed and tucked my hair behind my ear. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. I moved closer to him and buried my head in his chest. I was just grateful for the warm body and comfort that was being provided at the moment. When it happened, I blocked the event out of my mind, then my mom died, my dad remarried, before he died too. I was never actually comforted. I never even confronted the incident. Aspen hesitated before he wrapped his arms around me.

"Please... don't ask about it," I asked when I finally calmed down a bit. I pulled back to look at him. "I told you I was broken," I shrugged. He shook his head and rubbed his thumb along my cheek.

"No, little one, you're not. You're just hurt, and I understand that. Sometimes bad things happen to good people at random. That's no reason to blame yourself," he said. I chuckled slightly and sniffled.

"You know, for a big bad Alpha, you sure are a big softie," I noted. He chuckled too and kissed my head.

"Only for my little minx," he said jokingly. I moved off of the bed and sighed.

"Pajamas?" I asked.

"You can pick a shirt out of my drawers," he said. I moved to the drawers and did as he said. I went to the bathroom and changed, leaving my underwear on and putting on his shirt. I examined the mark on my neck and sighed. Sure it wasn't how I expected it to happen, but it did. I would just have to accept that. I walked back out and yawned.

"So where am I sleeping?" I asked. He sat up and let his eyes raked over my body. He growled when he saw my legs. They were pretty scarred up from where my kidnapper tortured me with silver and Wolfsbane. Even with my upper thighs like this, I could get away with wearing a lot of things and still have my legs look flawless. The scars were well within the clothing zone. Whoever that kidnapper was, at least he was a bit thoughtful.

"With me, princess. You are my mate, after all," he said with a slight smirk. I sighed and got in, grateful that he didn't bring up my scars.

"No more funny business," I warned as I glanced at him. He pulled me into his chest and caressed my face and neck.

"Not until you give me the go ahead," he promised. I smiled lightly before I moved closer to him and rested my head on his chest.

"You really are a kind man," I muttered. He chuckled.

"Don't tell anyone," he joked. "Goodnight little one."

"Goodnight, Aspen."