Ella was compelled to start packing but she could only stare at her deflated duffle bags in the corner of Braxton's room. Tapping the edge of her cell phone to her palm, she went over her options; stay in the house with her mate – which made her irk, go back to her dorm – which frightened her, or...
She looked down to the cell phone and punched in the number.
It rung, three times before the soft hello of her aunt answered.
“H-hi.” Ella kept her voice low, but part of it was involuntary. Azalea's words hadn't hurt, but they had cemented her fears of Braxton's pack. Rich, ruthless, impossible standards. It wasn't that she wouldn't eventually measure up, it was that she didn't think she wanted to.
“Oh, Ella!” Abigail's voice perked. “It's been weeks! How are you doing?”
“Um...” She winced, rubbing her brow and not knowing how honestly to answer the question.
“Ella?”
“Do-” Ella knew she needed to start speaking before Abigail started to hear the unsettled reverberations in her voice. “Do you think Colten will be upset if I come home? It's not really working out here.”
Abigail paused and it left the line in silence.
“I just miss home.” Because at home, she'd never had a mate, never gotten stalked and didn't have a crappy room-mate that hated her. Plus, home was warmer.
“No, he won't mind, Ella. If you need to come home, come home.”
“You're not—” Ella sighed, “Upset?”
“No.” Abigail said suddenly, “Of course not, Ella. We miss you.”
“You-you do?” Ella just didn't believe that, how could they miss her? They were starting a new life.
“Don't be silly!” Abigail sounded stern. “Come home.”
“Okay. Thanks.” Ella breathed as the bedroom door opened. She swung around face to face with her mate and winced. Their eyes fused together as he nudge the bedroom door behind him closed. “I'll call you back in a bit, Abi.”
“Okay, hun, talk to you later.”
Ella removed her cell from her ear and hit end call. She was unsure how much of the phone conversation Braxton had heard but she hoped none.
It seemed, he was waiting for her to say something but she kept her mouth shut, gripping her cell phone the longer the silence continued.
He let out a weary breath. “Who were you talking to?”
“Abigail.” She answered, “My aunt.”
“Oh.” He limped over to his bed and sat slowly to it. “My mother left, so...”
She looked down to her hands, not knowing what to say to that.
“Sorry, if she seemed sort of nosey. She's like that. I just ignore her.” He smiled but the awkwardness between them hadn't faded any.
Ella searched for the words to tell him how she was going home. “I heard you and your mom, before I went upstairs.”
He looked up to her. “What did you hear?”
“Everything.” She smiled from her general annoyance.
“My mom's just a pill sometimes.” He tried to explain but it didn't help change her mind any.
“Truth is...” Ella breathed, taking a step into the middle of the room. “I want to go home.”
His body tensed enough that it sent to his feet. He cringed from the sudden movement but it didn't stop him from moving toward her.
She watched him approach and when he came close enough, she grabbed his shoulders to stop him. “You're in so much pain.”
“Don't leave me because of my mom. She doesn’t know what she's talking about.”
“It's not just that, Braxton. I just don't belong here and--”
His eyes showed more emotion than she expected.
“I need to think about things.” She shrugged a shoulder as she dropped contact on him.
His brow furrowed enough to accentuate his dissatisfaction. “So, you're running away again?”
“No.” She snapped. “I'm going home. Where I belong.”
“You belong with me, Daniella, how many times do I need to say that to you!” He'd taken another step closer and with it, his wolf revealed itself to her senses.
The increased pressure made her feel weak, beneath him, cowardice. She didn't like or appreciate it. Her shoulders squared and then she pushed past him, on a mission to collect her things.
“Daniella!”
She ignored him as she began to grab anything she saw was hers. “I really just think you should focus on getting another mate. We just aren’t right and it's not like this sort of thing doesn’t happen--”
He grabbed her elbow as she went for her duffle-bag, “Excuse me?”
She hugged her belongings close to her chest, like the barrier would stop him from invading her space more than he already was. “Yeah, happens.”
“I know what happens.” He hissed, inching closer, “But it won't happen to me.”
She began to smile. “That's a bit egotistical. You must get that from your mother.”
He let her go and walked across his room, fuming.
She dove for her bag and began to throw the things inside.
“You won't be safe alone.” He spoke with his back turned once she'd begun to search the room again.
“I'l take the chance.” She found a few more things and stuffed them in the bag on the floor.
He let out an annoyed laugh that was so deep in his chest, she knew it wasn't just solely from him. “My luna,taking a chance. Some would say I'm being a pussy when it comes to you.”
Her eyes snapped up as he turned back to face her.
“I've done everything to prove myself to you.”
She stayed quiet.
“I'm doing everything you want.” He fell quiet as he thought about his next words, which were obviously amusing to him. “I'm starting to think it's given you too much willpower. I mean, you honestly think you can run back home, just like that? Believing you can just integrate back into your pack, even though you smell like me, marked by me...”
“Screw you.” Ella growled.
He cocked an eyebrow. “Screw me? You're the one leaving your mate! What the hell did your pack teach you! Do they condone this type of behaviour?” He exploded into a loud voice that made her cower.
Her brain told her to do one thing and one thing only, run.
She grabbed her bag, swung it over her shoulder and walked for the door but he grabbed her around the waist and even if it hurt him to hold her so tight, he showed her no weakness.
“You aren't leaving.”
“You are seriously mistaken.” She struggled as he took her bag and dropped it to the floor feet away. Taking her around her waist, he hoisted her from the ground and walked her to the bed.
Her eyes flew open upon realization of what he wanted. “N-no!”
Braxton dropped her to the messy blankets and caged her, pinning her wrists above her head. “Look at me.”
She refused to and so she kept her eyes focused across the room, pretending she couldn't hear him.
“Consent to it, Daniella. Make this easier on me.” His voice was emotional but he was still on top of her, pinning her weaker body under his.
She shook her head slowly from side to side.
“Fine.” Adjusting both her wrists under his one, he grabbed her hips with his other. “I'm doing this because once we're mated, I know you'll be okay with it.”
“Which part?” She snapped, “The rape part?”
“It's not rape!” He argued, “An hour ago, you asked me to do it!”
“I changed my mind!” In one swift and precise move, she freed her hands and sent her elbow flying into the side of his head, knocking him off her.
She got to her feet, grabbing her purse and not caring about the rest as she ran down the stairs and out of the house.
Aaron was coming in the front door and she shoved him out of her way.
“Ella!” He called after her as she ran for her car, trying to get her keys from inside her purse as she did.
“Argh!” She finally found them, throwing herself in the driver's seat just as her mate ran from the house, and that was the last image she had of Braxton Hall, looking enraged and bereaved all at once.
#
She tapped her foot as she waited for the gas pump to finish. Literally, hours from home, it was all she could think of to keep her mind off her burning neck. She wasn't looking forward to explaining that to Abigail and Colten. Perhaps her aunt would understand, but her uncle, she shuddered at the thought.
The pump stopped and she quickly went about getting back in the car. It was relieving once she was back on the road, being by herself just reminded her of the attacks in Maine. She hoped leaving the state would hinder the offender and ultimately, end there.
But that's all it would be, a wish and hope, till time would tell.
At least, back in Texas, she was safe with her pack and that brought her promise and comfort as she followed the highway for the next two hours. The sight of RedValley Ranch brought actual tears to her eyes and as she rolled up the driveway to her home, she was full on sobbing. She parked the car near the front lawn and stared at the front door of the log house.
Home.
She grabbed the door handle and got out, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
It was late at night but the living room lights were still on and that image brought her so much comfort.
The front door opened and Abigail stepped out. “Ella!” She walked toward her instantly, almost running but not quite, mostly because – Ella's eyes went to her aunt's huge stomach.
She ran the rest of the way and somewhere in between her laboured breathing and teary eyes, she was enveloped in a warm hug from her loving aunt. Who didn't question her tears, just held her onto like she needed.
She bit her lip the harder she cried and Abigail continued to soothe her. Rubbing her back but not questioning her on why she was so upset.
Ella finally parted from her, sniffling and running her hand under her nose. “H-hi.”
Abigail smile was full of concern. “Why don't we go inside? Have some cookies?”
She tried not to let herself burst into more tears, Abigail's cookies were just what she needed. They meant home.
Her aunt put her hands to her cheeks. “I think that's a yes?”
Ella nodded and followed her aunt inside, holding her hand as they got to the front door.
The house's smell even brought her relaxation.
Abigail closed the front door and Ella turned to her, smiling.
“You're belly is huge!”
Abigail burst into a wide smile. “I know! It's killer. I had no idea being pregnant would be this exhausting!”
“She likes it.” The voice of her amused uncle made her spin on the spot and she lunged at him, grabbing ahold of him into a hug.
He grunted and caught up to the abrupt embrace, slowly putting his arms around his niece's shoulders. “Welcome home but what did you do, drive a hundred and fifty miles an hour to get here this quick?”
She buried her face in his chest, breathing him in just like when she had been little. “I totally went the speed limit.”
“I somehow don't believe that.”
Ella squeezed him, “I missed you guys, so much.”
Colten began to stiffen in her arms, his hands tensing and then he pulled her from him, his fingers clenching into her shoulders.
She swallowed. “What?”
He stared down at her, his brow creasing. “Why did you come home?” It wasn't a request for information, it was a demand.
Her mouth opened but nothing came, she hadn't rehearsed the excuse, she didn't even have one.
“Oh, Colten, stop it. It dons't matter--”
He stopped his wife's complaints when he took the sleeve of Ella's shirt and tugged it down to reveal the mark.
Ella slapped her hand to it, but it scorched and she tried her best, but it made her cringe.
Abigail gasped, her hand coming to her mouth.
“Where is he?” Colten's grip on her increased.
Ella could only shake her head from side to side.
“Ella!” Colten wasn't impressed, in fact, he looked just as angry as Braxton had when she was leaving.
She broke away from her uncle. “I-I left him.”
Colten stared at her, not blinking. “Why?”
Ella couldn't speak, the questions were overwhelming her and she began to cry.
“Ella, tell me!”
“Colten, enough.” Abigail came to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and bringing her into her so she could cry without her uncle's pressure.
Ella sobbed into her aunt's shoulder, hearing the irritated breathing of her uncle behind her.
“It's okay, Ella.” Abigail soothed her, “You're safe here.”
Ella winced between her tears, safe, but was Braxton not safe? Was that why she'd run from him... either way, the cards were piled high against her mate. Colten was a sure bet at that.
“I'm s-sorry.” She apologized, pulling away from her aunt.
Abigail shook her head, not letting her sorry mean anything. “It's all okay. Do you want to talk about it?”
“N-not really.”
“Well, I need to know what we're dealing with.” Colten snapped.
Abigail gave him a disapproving glare and led Ella toward the living room, so she could sit by the crackling ember's of the dying fire.
Her aunt draped a blanket over Ella on the comfy leather love seat and promised she'd be right back.
Colten stayed in the room with her. “Why didn't you tell Abigail on the phone earlier?”
“I--” Ella looked to her hands wrapped in the blankets. “I couldn’t really talk.”
“Did he hurt you?”
She blinked, looking up to him.
“Did he do anything to you, Ella?”
She bit her lip from her internal qualm. “I got away before anything happened.”
“What do you mean?” Her uncle's brow creased into it's normal frown. “Obviously, he marked you. He--”
“It's a long story.” She breathed, looking away.
“We have a lot of time.” Colten specified in a deep voice, which meant to Ella one thing, he wasn't messing around.
Abigail brought her a hot chocolate and with it, her warm comforting smile. She sat beside her niece, adjusting herself on the couch. Ella's eyes went to her aunt's stomach again, was her aunt lucky to have a mate like Colten? Ella was starting to think her aunt and uncle were something of a fairy tale, after all, they were happy, unlike so many stories she'd heard of mates.
Colten sat to the couch across from them. “Tell us, Ella, everything.”
In a deep, slow exhale, Ella formed the best way to start the tale of Braxton Hall and everything they'd been through in only a few short months.