Hey guys! I know it's been a few days. I've started Uni and it's great so far! I'm a bit scared but I'm mostly excited. I feel like it's going to affect the frequency of my writing, but I guess you're used to it by now :P Hope you like the new chapter! Don't forget to vote and comment :) Love you all <3
The sound of Rilos' singing voice prompted my eyes to open. Taking the water dripping and the clear sky into account, he was most likely under the shower. My cheeks were still damped so I went in the bathroom not caring at all that Rilos was currently showering. Okay, I did care a bit. Who would turn down free eye-candy? Certainly not me. Either he didn't hear me enter or he didn't mind that I did. I rinsed my face and glanced at him in the fogged mirror. I couldn't help but lick my lips. He was to die for. Everything around me suddenly stayed still. I was aware of every nerve in my body. I was overdosing on sensations and something pulled me towards Rilos. It lasted for four heartbeats then everything snapped back into place.
"Lyra? Sweetheart, are you alright? Did you hit your head?"
Hit my head? Wasn't I standing up? Apparently not, I was on the floor with a drenched Rilos poised over me.
"Elun, if you are going to stay like this, you need to put a towel around your waist or I will jump you."
"Guess your head isn't this affected, uh?" he smiled making a towel appear nonetheless. "Woah, don't move," he stopped me as I was about to get up. "You broke the sink and there's shards everywhere. Here, all good now."
"Rilos, I know that I'm strong for a werewolf but I'm not strong enough to break a sink." I looked at my hands. They were covered with cuts and marble dust. "Oh, wow. I am strong enough. Well at least this time it wasn't a window."
"What happened?"
"Don't frown like that, worrywart. It probably was low blood pressure."
"Low blood pressure made you break a marble sink with your bare hands?"
"It was nothing. Look, if it happens again, I'll go see Nerika or Hyphas."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Fine. Now go get changed. We have a lot of work to do but we need to eat first."
We both got dressed and went down to the dinning hall where we ate breakfast with the wolves who were awake at that time. It was fairly early after all.
"Do you want anyone to be here with us?" Rilos asked when we got back to our bedroom.
"No. The chances of me breaking down are very high and I don't want anyone to see that."
"Very well. Would you prefer to start with their voices or their faces?"
"Voices are less scary. Besides, whether I like it or not, I'm already used to Sadist's. You should probably have a protection field around me just in case I snap and break something."
"Let's start."
"Wait! Can you hold me?"
"Of course, sweetheart. But as soon as you get used to it, you'll have to do it without me touching you, understand?"
"Yes, your Highness."
"My, my, my. What do we have here, Lyra? The King of werewolves? So my son wasn't powerful enough and you decided to aim even higher. What lies did you tell him? Did you tell him that you were abused? You did know that what we did to you is within the acceptable ways to punish a wolf, right? Why don't you ask your 'soul-mate' about it? I have to admit that raping you might have been a little... too much, but do you really believe that death is the answer?"
"I didn't lie! What you did was wrong! I don't care about power; I just want someone who won't abuse me."
"Lyra, calm down. Everything's fine. I'm here, sweetheart. I'm here."
For the second time in the span of an hour, I was on the ground but this instance, my head was resting on Rilos' knees. He was caressing my face, trying to soothe me.
"Stars, Elun, you are scary good at imitating him. You were wrong on one thing, though."
"On what?"
"Dark-Soul never raped me. Only Sadist and the other four did." His jaw dropped. "I'm sorry, I thought you knew. You obviously didn't. He never laid a hand on me, well, at least not with something sexual in the back of his head. His beatings were the worst but I was never sexually assaulted while he was present. I can't believe I'm saying this but I preferred when he was the one opening the cell door. Torture was easier than the other option." The tears that fell on my face were like a stab in my heart. "Why are you crying? He can't hurt me anymore. You told me that."
"I know. I'm just glad that I got you out of there. I'm glad that you will never get those things done to you again. I'm glad that these bastards didn't break you completely and that you are able to heal. I'm glad that you're strong enough to see that there's light even in darkness."
"You're the one who made me believe," I smiled, drying his tears. "You showed me the good when I couldn't see any. I'm glad you found me. Can you remember that? No matter what happens between us, fights, anger, disagreements, you are the best thing that happened to me and that will never change."
"If you say it like that, I'll have no choice but to believe you."
"You better. Let's do it again before I chicken out."
"As if you ever would. You might be scared of them but I know that you are stronger than your fear."
"Don't put this kind of pressure on me, Rilos. Now I'll have to live up to your expectations."
"I didn't think you would wake up so you're already way over that, but it's good to see that my words have an impact on you."
"Can we stay on the floor? This way the risk of me falling are minimal."
"That's if you don't destroy the floor."
"Don't be mean." I kissed him. "It's like the only thing I haven't broken yet."
"Which is why I'm worried."
We did it three times before dinner and six times before supper. I had broken down every time but I was gradually able to stay conscious longer. I was so exhausted that as soon as he said that we were done for the day, I fell asleep without even reaching my bed.
The next morning, I got up and took a shower. When I was done, I grabbed a towel. I inhaled and smiled as the smell of rain overwhelmed me. The air got charged with static electricity. I sensed Rilos in the other room, his heart rate rising. I salivated. Three heartbeats. Everything snapped, like the day before. The back of my head was stinging. Sticky; it was bloodied. I must have hit it when I fell. Rilos would be pissed. Blinked. Rilos was here and pissed. And scared.
"Lyra, this is not normal. You go to a healer right this instant. I will teleport you by force if necessary."
"I'll go now. Just need to patch my head."
"I already did."
"I'll get going then. Don't worry, Elun. I'm probably lacking iron. Let's ask Balio for bloody steaks for dinner just in case."
"It'll be dealt with. Go."