Survivor (#1 The Lost Crown Series)

Chapter 50:- The Next Step

"We can't win."

"Let's give them the room, guys, c'mon," Lorcan said breaking the chilling silence with his grim voice as he ushered everyone else out.

When it was just her and Xavier in the room, she finally loosened her hold on his shirt. But Xavier didn't move back, his hand was still rubbing her back soothingly.

"It's okay, love, we are all here with you. They won't take you, they won't win."

He kept whispering such soothing words hoping to provide at least a little assurance to his still shivering mate.

It was after a few very slow and painfully minutes that Selena's breathing became normal. She sniffled and muttered a light sorry before she pulled away from Xavier. However, the alpha still wasn't about to let her go. Instead, he pulled her closer to his chest.

"Talk to me, Selena. What did you see?"

"All of them," she answered instantly, "I saw all of them. They..." She hesitated and Xavier didn't miss the slight wince before she continued, "They were talking about me."

Xavier's hold on her tightened. The touch and scent of her mate had, at last, calmed her down enough to let her speak without stuttering.

"Leon doesn't want to wait any longer. They will attack three days from now."

"Why is he so obsessed with you?" Xavier muttered, he hadn't directed the question to her. But Selena still felt the need to answer.

"When I told you my experience in the place, I omitted a few things out."

This time, Xavier did loosen his arms around her, allowing her to move back a little. As Selena raised her head slower than ever, her shameful eyes found his and for a second Selena wondered if telling him was the right thing to do.

'Trust me, it is,' Izzy answered, and Selena felt Inara agreeing with her.

'You don't want him to know about it from that pathetic excuse of a breather. Knowing the man, he might use it against our man on the battlefield.'

"The abuse wasn't just physical," Selena whispered before she could talk herself out of it.

Instantly Xavier's face whitened. He didn't need her to explain what she meant. When Selena held his hand, his temper had only been mildly comforted. When she showed him what had happened the last time, he had dared to hope that the abuse wasn't sexual. He knew it was a possibility but he didn't want to consider it.

He had dared to hope that she hadn't lived through the contents of his current nightmares.

"What?" Xavier whispered, his voice barely audible, a fire lighting up his eyes.

"It was just Leon," Selena said as if that made it a little better. When Xavier's face remained stoic, she gulped and continued, "He wouldn't let anyone else touch or harm me. He um... used me, many, many times, and I had no way of protecting myself."

Xavier closed his eyes and focused on controlling his breathing. He was struggling to maintain his hold on reality and not lose it.

"There were times when I fought long enough to hurt him or he would just get bored and leave, but I can count those in one hand. His favourite was either Wolfsbane or silver weapons. Almost every day for the time that I was there, this was my life."

Xavier knew he had to stay strong for her. Breaking apart now was not what Selena needed. But for how long could he control it?

"I would have run away faster. But since that first injection, I had never felt Izzy until the day I finally fled from that cave. My strength, healing power, increased senses, were all gone.