Chapter 16
AT MY MERCY
NIA
The sun creeps over the mountain peaks and the shards of light disperse their color over the world beneath. It even reaches this room and its warmth is welcome. It’s comforting. It’s a moment of bliss in days filled with pain.
“Morning, Nia.”
I stiffen, reacting to Luke’s voice. The muscles on my back tighten and he pushes into me, his chest pressing against me. I try to curl away but his strong, muscular arms wrap around me and cage me within their hold like I’m an animal he’s playing with.
“Fuck off.”
“You’re getting better,” he says.
No, I’m not. And if I feel any stronger then it’s no thanks to him.
Cole and Malcolm do little things to undermine him when he leaves the room, and their discomfort is palpable.
Their small acts of rebellion haven’t been big enough to notice, but they’ve given me a little hope and I’ve clung to it and it’s helped me get through this.
“I can move the sofa back to the window. We could sit there?” Luke pauses and his voice doesn’t sound right. There’s more than a hint of desperation in his tone. Something else. Something that sounds strangely like longing. “I could open the window and let some fresh air in?”
I grunt and ignore the asshole.
His arms loosen their grip and his fingers trail down my arm. Goosebumps follow in their wake and I refuse to like the electrifying sparks of exhilaration shooting over me.
I tug on my wrists and make my point quite clear.
I’m not going anywhere until he unties me from this goddamn bed.
“I’ll take them down if you promise to leave the tube alone. Malcolm says you still need it, Nia.”
I shake my head and I hear his heart sink. The low and muffled sound shatters through me and my heart responds, shuddering as its beats ache and its pounding hurts.
“Please, Nia.”
“Fuck off, Luke.”
“I’ve only done what was necessary,” he says, his fingers still stroking me. “That’s all I did. I did it for you.”
I growl and he flinches.
“You’ll get better soon, pretty girl.”
My clit throbs and I hate it. He's conditioned me to like those two little words and my body betrays me, responding to Luke without hesitation.
A low moan rolls off his chest and his head drops to my shoulder. “You like that, Nia?” He places a gentle kiss on my skin. “You like being called a pretty girl?” I shake my head, frantic as I protest too much. “My pretty girl?”
My clit burns and the heat between my legs is so uncomfortable I'm forced to move.
“My pretty girl can have whatever she wants,” he says and I decide I hate him for making me feel this way. “All she has to do is behave for me.”
I close my eyes and pretend this isn't happening.
I imagine I'm somewhere else and convince myself my body's betraying me, acting against my better judgment.
I don't want to want this and I can't understand why I do.
I've lost my goddamn mind and the man lying next to me has done something truly wicked, manipulating me and making some part of me think he cares.
He doesn't.
He couldn't.
He wouldn't poison me if he did.
I focus on the agony of what I've endured.
The days and nights of pain blur into one miserable experience that doesn't seem to end.
I'm so broken that I can't find all the smashed parts of my former self and I wouldn't know how to begin gluing them back together.
Luke has destroyed anything and everything, and I don't even know if I still have my wolf.
Lyall has been absolutely silent. I can't sense her presence and I feel empty. I feel alone. I'm a hollow shell and my wolf has abandoned me. My chest tightens as I wonder if this is what Luke wanted and I shudder as I pray that whatever poison he’s been feeding me hasn’t killed my wolf.
I stifle a sob and Luke hushes me.
“You’re okay, Nia. It’s going to be okay. I promise I’ll get you through this.” He strokes my arm and I don’t know if his touch is comforting or arousing. “Malcolm says it’s almost over. You’re almost done.”
A second sob escapes my lips and I bite my lip, trying to stop the torment of tears threatening to descend.
“We’re so close, pretty girl. So close to getting you better. It’s a few days more.” He presses another kiss on my shoulder and I try to nudge his head away. “It would be faster if you’d eat.”
“What would be faster?”
My voice is a snarl of rage that catches us both by surprise.
Luke draws back a little and I turn around, coming face to face with the man who’s become my tormentor.
It’s hard to believe that a man so damn beautiful could be so ugly underneath, but Luke is a monster conjured from some hellish nightmare sent to haunt my reality.
“This,” he says as if he doesn’t owe me any explanation. “It would be over quicker and we could take that awful tube out. You’re strong enough to eat but you’re refusing. You’re making this worse for yourself.”
“Says the man who tied me to the bed.”
Luke’s jaw tightens. “You wouldn’t eat and that damn tube kept you alive. I couldn’t risk you pulling it out.”
“I hate you.”
“I know, sweetheart,” he says and for a moment he looks sad. “We’ll work on it.”
His eyes shimmer in the morning light and their blue picks up hints of pink and purple.
They’re stunning and they’re mirrors reflecting the world around him, concealing the darkness inside him.
His cheekbones draw attention to them as if they’re trying to distract you from everything else, and my eyes can’t help but wander down, tracing the ink that paints his body.
The tattoos are dark, deep, and dangerous, and Luke’s body is more stunning because of them.
My father doesn’t approve of this tradition, but it’s common in primitive packs.
The males mark themselves with designs that represent their history and their status, and the women fawn over them.
It’s a ridiculous custom and my father barely has any tattoos, and I shouldn’t like them at all.
They’re an affront to the body the Moon Goddess gave him and yet they sit so perfectly against the outline of his muscles, and their harsh, sharp edges make him seem stronger and more alluring.
My pulse quickens and my legs rub against each other as I try to fight off the insanity building between them. I’m so turned on it’s sickening and I screw my eyes shut, refusing to follow Luke’s tattoos down in case I discover something I’d rather not see.
I hiss, aware that even the thought of his cock has my pussy clenching in anticipation. It’s despicable and whatever drug he’s given me has got me hooked, and I’m craving his attention. I’m craving his touch. I’m craving his cock and I hate him for it.
“You like them?”
I shake my head.
“I think you do, pretty girl. You’re imagining the way your body’s going to feel being handled by mine. Goddess, you’re practically begging for me to make you feel good again.”
I shake my head again.
“You know what else I think, Nia?” He smirks and I close my eyes, praying he’ll shut up. “I think I’m the first man who’s made you come.” He sucks air between his teeth. “Tell me I’m wrong, sweetheart. Tell me that I didn’t give you your first orgasm.”
I bite my lip and shake my head as heat spreads over my cheeks.
“Don’t lie, Nia. Bad girls don’t get to come.”
Fuck, my clit throbs and my sob turns into a whimper.
“Fuck, you’re perfect, Nia. I don’t care if we have to hate fuck but I am going to screw you until you scream my goddamn name. I need to fucking breed you, sweetheart, and the pretty little pussy of yours is going to look so incredibly hot dripping with my come.”
“I don’t want this, Luke.”
He smirks and the mischief in his eyes burns hotter. “You do, Nia. You want this and you want me.” Luke rolls me onto my back and I don’t fight him. “You can have whatever you want, Nia. All you have to do is behave.”
“I hate you.”
“You still want my cock, sweetheart,” he says, dragging his nail down my center. “You might hate me but you can’t get enough of me.”
I toss my head and he pulls it back, lowering his mouth until it’s dangerously close to mine. Luke presses his lips together and it takes all my control not to rise to meet him.
Fuck, I want him to kiss me.
“Beg for me, pretty girl.”
“Fuck off, Luke.”
He growls and dips his head to one side, dragging his tongue over my cheek. It’s disgusting and I cringe, ignoring the slight arch of my back that brings my body into contact with his.
“You’re desperate for my cock, sweetheart. I can smell you dripping for me. Beg, pretty girl. Beg for me and put us both out of our misery.”
“No.” My tone is hard and he stills, shocked I’ve defied him.
“I want you, Nia, and I’m going to have you.”
My wrists yank against the restraints and Luke’s eyes move to them before he lifts his chest away. I pull against them, struggling even though I know it’s pointless.
“You’re so hot like this, Nia. At my fucking mercy and unable to do anything to stop me.”
I roll my chest to one side and I can’t turn over. Luke’s arms contain me and he’s right. I’ve got no control and he didn’t need to tie me up to prove it. The leather cuffs heighten my predicament, but he’s always been able to overpower me, and whatever he’s done has only made me weaker.
“I don’t want this, Luke.”
“But you do, Nia,” he says, pulling my tank top up. “Your breathing’s fast and your chest is flushed. Your pupils are dilated and you can’t take your eyes off me. You smell of arousal and you’ve even spread your legs for me.”
Fuck, he’s sitting between my legs.
“It’s okay, Nia. All you have to do is ask for it. I’ll let you have my cock just as soon as you beg me for it.”
I moan as his hands stroke my stomach. He’s gentle and surprisingly soft. Luke’s being careful and I don’t mind it. I really don’t mind it. In fact, I’m ashamed to admit that I like it and the sounds coming from my mouth sound more and more depraved.
I’m losing myself in this madness and I can’t let it continue. Luke’s hurting me, and no amount of pleasure will wash away the pain.
“Not. Happening. Luke.”
“Want to put that to the test, pretty girl?” he asks, drawing his fingers over my skin.
I don’t. I definitely don’t.
I know I’d lose.
Fuck, I’ve already lost to him.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Nia,” Luke whispers, dragging his fingers over my leggings. “Not unless you like it.”
“You’ve already hurt me.”
He freezes and his eyes meet mine. They’re filled with pain and they break my heart.
I don’t understand why he’s so goddamn hurt but it’s a weakness and I can exploit it, and I’ve got nothing else to lose.
He’s taken everything from me and what he offers in return isn’t enough.
It’ll never be enough and if hurting him is all I can do, then I’m damn well going to take my revenge.
“You don’t get to look at me like you give a shit. You’re despicable and I hate you. I loathe you. You make my skin crawl and I will never, ever accept you or anything you’re doing to me.”
Luke pulls back and his eyes darken.
“Nia…”
“You don’t get to 'Nia me', you complete and utter cunt.”
He shakes his head in disbelief and rests his weight back. I stare at him, spitting with hate and fury as I notice he’s making damn sure he isn’t touching me. It’s adding insult to injury and it’s another injustice I can’t and won’t tolerate.
“You didn’t think I’d accept you?” I hiss, glaring at him with utter contempt.
“You didn’t think I’d actually roll over for you?
You’re even more stupid than I thought if you did, and I thought it was impossible to underestimate you.
” I lift my head and Luke stays still. Completely still.
So still it hurts. “You’ve done nothing but hurt me since I got here.
What is it you expect me to do, exactly?
Thank you for it? Spread my legs and let you fuck me like a good girl?
You’ve tied me to a fucking bed and fed my fuck knows what poison, and there’s not a chance I’ll ever forgive you for trying to kill my wolf. ”
I pant as my anger burns through me, heating my core until it’s too hot tolerate.
I pour every drop of vitriol into my gaze and Luke just stares back at me, dumbfounded and shocked into silence.
He’s reeling from what I’ve just said but I don’t expect it to change anything.
In fact, I’m pretty damn sure he’s going to lose his temper in a few seconds and I brace, expecting a burst of pain as he lashes out.
The violence doesn’t come.
“Sweetheart, I didn’t treat you well when you arrived but you’ve got to know that I would never hurt you like that.”
I screw my eyes shut and turn my head away, flinching instinctively.
“I’m so sorry, Nia. I’m sorry for all of this,” he sighs and his voice is filled with pain so agonizing it’s visceral notes cut straight through me like barbed wire tearing through flesh.
“I’m not the one who’s been poisoning your wolf, sweetheart.
I’m so sorry, Nia, but I swear on the Moon Goddess that it wasn’t me. ”