Chapter 7 - Memories


    When I got back from my run, I felt better. I had run until my legs gave out, and then I hauled myself to


    the river and slid into the water. I washed away the sweat and blood and then found some clothes


    stashed away in a hollow tree. I slipped on the clothes and walked back to my cabin.


    Upon entering my cabin, I smelt the wolves that were sitting inside. As I pushed the door open, I


    already knew who I was.


    I walked into the dining room where everyone was sitting at the table. L got up the moment she saw


    me and rushed over to me. She embraced me in a tight hug and rubbed my cheek with hers.


    I calmed my beast only a little. But it was enough to keep me rxed.


    Brayleigh and Kade sat next to each other at the table. Kade had his arm around her shoulders and


    had her close to him. I looked at them longingly before tearing my eyes away.


    I met eyes with Alfie and smiled weakly at him. Then I did the same with Ezra.


    They were all sat, drinking wine and beer with arge box of biscuits in the middle. I sat down, L


    sitting next to me at the table.


    "Hungry, Ali? I can make you a sandwich," Ezra asked me. I nodded at him and my belly grumbled as if


    on cue. He smiled at me and got up from the table. He kissed the top of my head before he started to


    make me something to eat.


    "You did the right thing, going for a run to cool off. It takes a lot of strength to make a decision when


    your mind is clouded with anger the way it was," Alfie told me as he pushed a beer towards me. I


    muttered my thanks and then nodded at him.


    "I felt like I could''ve ripped someone''s head off," I chuckled lightly. Kade smiled knowingly at me.


    "Alison, your brother, Beckett called Ezra after you left and he told us about you and what happened in


    Terialta," L told me through our private link. I widened my eyes at her as she slipped her hand into


    mine and smiled sadly.


    What? They knew?


    My insecurities swallowed me whole and I suddenly felt vulnerable and weak. I opened my mouth to


    speak but no words came out. I was speechless.


    "Eat up. You need to get your energy back after your run," Ezra said as he pushed two sandwiches in


    front of me. I said nothing and I ate.


    The others all talked with each other whilst I ate. They didn''t necessarily try to speak to me, and I was


    d. I didn''t feel like talking to anyone.


    Especially now that they all knew my biggest secret.


    Alfie had to leave a short whileter. He stood up and smiled at me before leaving the cabin. I feel his


    blood humming as he walked away. Soon after, Kade and L left too. They exchanged worried


    nces with Brayleigh and I before they walked out.


    Then, Ezra left the cabin too. He imed that he needed to help some other wolves hunt, but I knew he


    was lying.


    It was just Brayleigh and I.


    "You know... you''re not alone in all of this," Brayleigh told me suddenly. I looked up from myp and at


    her. I saw the sadness in her eyes and I frowned.


    What was she talking about? I knew I''m not alone. I had a lot of people to help and support me.


    Although, I didn''t really want help. I didn''t want people to know. Especially this early in the friendships


    that I''ve made.


    "I was fifteen when I was raped by a man in the forest," Brayleigh said. I could hear the pain in her


    voice. I felt a sharp pang in my chest, and it hurt.


    Her too?


    "Really?" I whispered. My voice couldn''t go any louder. I felt like curling up into a ball for the rest of my


    life.


    I felt miserable.


    "Yeah... he was a rogue. I was on a run. I hadn''t even had my first shift yet. I wasn''t strong enough to


    fight him off. My mother found me shoved into some bushes a few hourster. We never found the


    rogue that did it," Brayleigh exined. I noticed how confident she sounded. She didn''t sound at all


    ashamed of what had happened to her.


    I envied her. How could she be so strong? Why wasn''t she as weak as I was?


    "It''s okay to be upset about it, Ali. I swelled on it for years until I met Kade... he helped me get over it.


    Obviously, it still bothers me, but it''s easier to think and talk about now," Brayleigh continued. I stared at


    her in awe.


    I couldn''t believe it. I couldn''t believe that I had met someone who had something that brutal in


    common with me. It was hard for me to wrap my head around.


    "I''m so sorry, Bray," I told her softly. She reached out to me. She grabbed my hands and held them


    gently in hers. She was understanding.


    "It''s okay, Ali. I got through it and you will too. But you need to ept it first. It happened, and it was


    terrible. But you''re stronger than that," she said. I watched tears gloss over her eyes and I felt like


    crying too.


    My gut wrenched painfully. I bit my bottom lip, trying to stop myself from sobbing. My head hurt from


    talking about it, but I knew that I couldn''t just shut myself off like I normally did. Brayleigh was here to


    help me. She wanted to be my friend and help me get through this.


    So did the others. They were in my cabin because they wanted to help. They were doing it for me.


    "Can you tell me what happened? I didn''t get a lot of details from Ezra. He was quite choked up about


    it," Brayleigh asked me. I slowly nodded at him. This would be the second time I told someone what


    happened.


    "I was on a run, just like you. My father''s Beta caught up with me. We ran a little longer, and I just


    thought that he was running with me as a guard or something. But then he grabbed me and tossed me


    to the dirt.


    "I tried to fight him so hard. I wed at him, I kicked and punched. But he was so strong, I couldn''t do


    anything... After, I sat there in the dirt for hours crying before one of my brothers came to find me. He


    saw the marks on my legs and he was furious. He smelt the Beta on me and knew what had happened


    almost immediately."


    I took a deep breath as I felt tears run down my cheeks. Brayleigh held my hands tighter, caressing her


    thumb over the top of my hand. I cried a little before I sniffled and tried to continue.


    "He carried me back and took me to the doctor. He told her what had happened. She alerted my father.


    He wasn''t even mad. He didn''t care about what had happened. He didn''t even punish his Beta. That''s


    what my brothers called to tell me today.


    "He let his Beta off with a warning for raping his only daughter. My brothers pleaded with him, but I


    think my father just didn''t care. My brothers were furious when they found out, and they tried to do


    something, but my father wouldn''t even let them do that," I sobbed as I spoke. My head pounded


    painfully as I cried. I hated crying and I hated feeling like this.


    Brayleigh got up from her chair and walked around the table to me. She knelt and embraced me in a


    tight hug that made me feel better. She let me cry and just rubbed my back.


    My beast howled. She was hurting. We were hurting. We wished that we were stronger. It wouldn''t


    have ever happened in the first ce if we were strong.


    "That''s the whole reason I''m here! My father didn''t want to... deal with it. So he sent me away," I


    sobbed into her shirt. I heard her growl and then sigh.


    "It''s wrong, Ali. So wrong. But you''re here now and it''s never going to happen again, okay? When you


    go back to Terialta, you will be able to kick his ass straight into the curb," Brayleigh sighed softly as she


    continued to rub my back. I sobbed more at the thought of having to ever return to Terialta.


    I never wanted to face that cruel man ever again. I never wanted to see my father again either. I didn''t


    understand how he could let his Beta away with only a warning. Did he not care about me?


    I didn''t want to see anything of Terialta ever again. There were too many bad memories in that ce.


    Just thinking about it made my head hurt more.


    I was torn on what to do. I knew that I didn''t have the guts to return to Terialta, but I also didn''t have the


    guts to tell my father that I was going to stay in Takiani. He would probably disown me.


    "Can we not talk about what happens in four weeks right now?" I whispered to Brayleigh. I felt her nod


    and then hug me tighter. I heard the front door open and I pulled away from her.


    She smiled at me weakly and stood. I nced behind me. Ezra walked into the room and smiled sadly.


    "Kade is waiting outside for you. He says that he hopes you''re alright," Ezra said and then looked at


    me. I felt Kade outside, his wolf was an edge. It felt good to know that he cared about me as well.


    Brayleigh kissed my crown before leaving the cabin. Ezra walked over to me, grabbing my arm. He


    pulled me up and then into the living room where he sat me on the couch.


    He let me sit with my head on hisp and he stroked my hair. I shut my eyes and tried to stop myself


    from crying yet again. I hated crying.


    "You''re so strong, Ali. We''re all proud of you," Ezra told me softly. I sniffled and nodded subtly as he


    continued to stroke my hair gently. His actions calmed my beast but only a little. I could tell he was on


    edge. He wasn''t happy.


    "If I ever get the chance, I''ll kill the man that hurt you. You deserve better," Ezra said darkly. I smiled


    weakly and wiped my nose. I was d that Ezra cared this much.


    "We''reing around with ice creamter, just letting you know," L''s voice chirped inside my head. I


    smiled even more at her words. I was over the moon that there was more than one person who cared


    for me.


    My brothers were almost alway the only people I had that truly cared for me. There was one other girl,


    who I trusted with anything and everything. But she had met her mate a little while ago and she had to


    leave with him to his pack.


    She cared so much for me, and I hadn''t had anything like it since her. But now, I was surrounded by


    several people who felt for me.


    "Try and rest, Ali girl. You need to sleep," Ezra told me softly. He moved his hand away from my head


    and started to rub my shoulder gently.


    I sighed softly as I pulled my knees up to getfortable. Ezra reached back and pulled the nket


    that sat at the end of the couch onto my body. I snuggledfortably and let myself drift off into a deep


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