06

« I can’t leave. I’ll be punished. » I wince at my own words, knowing how they’d sound to Ashton.

I hate talking about my life here in this pack. It’s embarrassing to discuss how I’m abused so much by a pack everyone believes is a dream pack that they’d be lucky to get into. For anyone else I suppose it’s true, for me ? Not so much.

« I won’t let them hurt you. » He runs both his hands down my arms until he reaches my hands, interlacing our fingers when he reaches them.

If I’m being completely honest I’m over the moon right now at how he’s treating me.

I always thought my mate would reject me when he saw how much of a disappointment i was, and how much of an embarrassment I’d be standing beside him in his pack.

Knowing Ashton is an Alpha, of the strongest fucking pack in America no less, doubled my fear of rejection so to know that he isn’t rejecting me puts my mood through the roof.

I smile up at Ashton but it quickly goes away when I remember the conversation were having.

« If I leave I’ll be punished, you won’t be able to do anything about it… » Once again I look down at the floor, away from his eyes.

There’s a piece of lint on my floor… Why is there lint on my floor ? I thought I just vacuumed.. Oh wait, right, conversation. Focus Maddie.

« Madeline, I’m you’re mate, I’m here for you. To protect you, to love you, to cherish you, to care for you when you aren’t feeling well, to hold you and make you feel better when you are sad, to celebrate with you when you are happy. Let me do what I’m here to do. » By the end of his sentence I’m basically dying with the amount of effort I’m using to hold in my tears.

This may sound cliche but who gives a fuck ? That was truthfully the sweetest and most sincere thing anyone has ever said to me. With it coming from my mate it just has a more emotional impact on me.

Don’t even think of judging me, if you’re told all of this when you’re already in an emotional state and then have that added on then come talk to me.

Not trusting my voice to speak, I only nod my head, giving him the approval of taking me to his pack.

His smile lights up the room which in turn makes me smile as well.

I just now notice how he has deep dimples whenever he smiles. I love them.

« Ok, go pack. » He swats my butt as I walk by, making me jump about 30 feet in the air with a yelp.

I run to my room down the hallway and pull out a duffel bag from my closet. I pack all my clothes and my toiletries quickly since I don’t have a lot, most got thrown away or destroyed during punishments I’ve had in the past.

I grab my makeup bag and add it to my duffel bag. I take one last look around to make sure I didn’t miss anything and see my necklace sitting on the beside table.

I quickly grab it and stuff it into the bottom of my bag.

It’s my most valued item I own. My mother gave it to me a year before she died. It’s a key that has a wolf howling in the middle with wings above it on both side with three blue gems in a line.

I don’t know if it opens anything or if it’s just for decoration but I know for a fact I’m never leaving it behind.

(Picture of the key I was mentioning, sorry for the bad description I’m not good with those. Sorry again for the blurriness as well XD)

Zipping up my duffel I swing it onto my shoulder and walk back out to my living room where I left Ashton.

He’s right where I left him, standing to the side of the room. He has a picture with him this time and by the frame I know exactly which one it is.

It’s of me and my parents before they died. We were at a beach in Florida for a week vacation and decided to take a few pictures.

« These are you’re parents ? » He asks, still looking at the picture. He must have smelled me or just sensed me in general.

« Yeah. » I smile slightly but it quickly vanishes. I know not to smile here, they don’t like it.

« We should be going, do you need anything else ? » He sets the picture back on the table below the window before turning to me and taking my bag.

« No, I’ve gotten everything I need. » He nods and swings the bag over his shoulder before leading the way out.

I immediately stop when I smell a scent that always scares me.

It’s Alpha George of course, who else would it be. Cue the eye roll.

I yank Ashton back by his shirt and push him inside the house and close the door in his face.

I caught him by surprise so that was a lot easier that it would’ve been if he was expecting it. I’m sure I wouldn’t even be able to make him budge a centimeter with all the muscle he has.

Alpha George storms up to me and gets right up into my face.

« Where the fuck are you going ? » He yells at me, making me flinch and almost gag at the spit that flies out of his mouth and onto my face. Gross.

« N-nowhere sir. » I press myself up against the door so I can quickly open it if I need Ashton’s help. Pathetic I know, depending on my mate to save me but if it prevents the pain I know that he can cause me then I’ll do whatever is necessary.

« That’s what I thought, go back into that house and get out of my sight ugly bitch ! » The back of his hand comes down harshly on my cheek making me fall back into the door.

I hold in my cry of pain so Ashton doesn’t hear me even though I’m positive he heard the slap, fucking China probably heard it.

I quickly open the door and stumble inside so Alpha George will leave.

Ashton of course is standing right there so I end up running straight into his chest. I slam the door shut so Alpha George won’t see him.

When I look up at Ashton I see his eyes are a bright blue instead of his steel grey I’ve come to love.

Great, now I have his wolf to deal with. My god can this day get any better ? I think not !

« Ashton, hey, calm down I’m fine. » I put one of my hands on his arm and the other on his shoulder, hoping that the contact will calm him down a little.

But ya know, with my luck his eyes flash a brighter blue.

Dammit, I didn’t want this to happen this way but I’ll take what I can get.

Standing on my tiptoes I move my hand to the back of his neck and pull him down to meet me. I softly press my lips to his.

Without even a seconds hesitation I’m pressed up against the door behind me with him hungrily kissing me back.

I moan into the kiss and kiss him back with just as much hunger and possessiveness he’s giving me.

He growls and breaks away from me, kissing down my jaw to my neck.

Shit, this feels a-fucking-mazing, I wish this could have happened differently but I asked for it… Right ?