Katia could not believe what Nathan had done. Why could he not understand that she could not stand being cooped up? She spent so much time locked in her room, in the basement, and then in a dungeon. Once she had reached the border between Snow Moon and Moon Touched land, she linked Kane, letting him know she was safe, and she would not be returning, as Luna, to the Snow Moon pack. She told him that she never wanted to see his Alpha again.
“What happened?” Kane immediately asked. She did not answer though. How could she tell her cousin that his Alpha was nothing better than a rapist? Kane would not let up though he kept asking, “Katia, tell me, what did he do?”
Wiping tears, she knew Kane could not see, from her face, she told him, “I never want to see him again. I will fight my own war with grandfather. I am done Kane.”
“Cousin, where are you?” Kane asked worriedly.
“Don’t worry about me. I will be fine. I know what I need to do.” She told him and then blocked the link she had with everyone. Sneaking behind the waterfall to the hidden cave she had found on one of her outings by herself, she sat down and quietly cried. She was shaking and felt like she was going to throw up.
Aza was trying to calm her, but she was just as shook up, “It will be alright girly. We will figure something out. We will make our way far away from here and live on our own. Nobody but you and me, girly.”
Katia cried even harder, “We must take care of grandfather first. Lili deserves a chance to live the life she wishes without worrying about him trying to kill her.” Aza was sending as much warmth to her girly as she could. Her girly was cold to her bones and felt so lost now. Connecting to Kalen, Nathan’s wolf, she said, “Kally, how could he do this to her. He knew what she had been through. She is terrified of him now. Afraid that if he finds her she will be punished for us attacking him.”
Kalen jumped on the link from his mate, “Aza baby tell me, where are you? Nathan is horrified at what he has done. I tried to stop him, but he was so angry and wanted to teach her a lesson.”
Aza whimpered as she answered, “I will not betray my girly, even to you. I am all she has now, and she is all I have ever had. You and your man side are not worth a betrayal of any kind. He hurt her and has made it, so she must leave everyone who cared for us, and we cared for.”
Aza cut him off, knowing she was not going to get any answers from him either. He wanted them to return, so they could be mates, but she did not trust him anymore either. He did not stop Nathan. He should have pushed forwards and taken control to stop everything, but he did not. Did his human side have that much control over his wolf? They were not one.
Katia sat for the longest time staring at nothing and replaying the whole incident over in her head. Remembering every word Nathan said to her and threatened. The way he ripped her clothing. Squeezing her breasts until they felt bruised, they still hurt. Yelling how the children’s death would be her fault. Tears were running down her face again. The fear she felt when he went to release his member from his pants made her start shaking all over again. He even made fun of her title given to her by the Moon Touched pack. She was going to miss them so much. They had been there for her since she met most of them when she was ten. Katia could still feel Nathan’s angry hands and touch all over her body and she wanted to wash it away. He had made her feel the same way Alpha Thomas had. Like she was the dirt he walked on. Finally, she leaned forward and threw up a yellowish spittle.
Aza said softly to her, “Girly, let’s go further back in the cave to the hidden pool and bathe. You will feel better washing away the day’s events and washing your mouth out. Once we do that, we can think about what to do next.”
Katia said nothing, just stood and started walking further into the cave. Along the way she stopped at a wooden box and lifted the lid. She pulled out some soap, shampoo, toothpaste and brush, a hairbrush, a change of clothes, and a towel. Aza was glad that her girly was so smart and had thought about hiding some things in case they needed to hide out for a few days. She had hidden some of Nathan’s things there too. Never dreaming she would be hiding from him. Her girly was quiet the entire time they bathed. Aza knew she needed this time to get herself together and come to terms with what had happened. Aza silently cried for her girly. She wanted so badly for her to be happy and have a wonderful life with someone who loves her. She asked for the hundredth time silently why her girl had to be destroyed. She knew the same happened to Selene, and her sister wolf Loza, whenever it was their turn to try for a life in the earth realm. Aza also saw the remnants of thoughts floating around in the girly’s brain and how she wanted to make sure this ended with her attempt and then Selene and Loza could live the life they wanted in the realm they wanted.
Finally, Katia said solemnly, “He promised if I came back, he would love me and treat me the way I should have been treated. I guess he figured the rest of them had it right and that was how I deserved to be treated.”
Aza inhaled deeply and said, “You know that is not true. You deserve to be treated like the goddess you are. Girly, I can see and hear your thoughts. I know what you are starting to plan, and I do not think it is a good idea.”
Drying her hair, Katia answered back, “It could work. If grandfather accepted the deal, then Lili would be safe, and we would be free. Whether through death or imprisonment.”
It saddened Aza that she and her girly could accept death so easily, but they always knew they did not have much of a chance at living a long happy life. Honestly, the little tidbits of happiness were getting old, and her girly just gets more damaged each time. Aza reasoned that the emotional damage was the worst. Physical damage healed and left a scar sometimes, but emotional damage never really healed. It just hid away until something or someone triggered the emotions. That is what Katia's mate did today. He triggered the emotions, and more damage was done. Aza cannot heal that kind of injury anymore. There is too much of it and the worst has been done by their mate. Aza did not think he could make amends for what he had done. Girly would never forgive or trust him again. Maybe the plan Katia was forming was the way to go.
“Okay girly, what do you think we should do? We could try to make it on our own and live the way we want.” She suggested.
Shaking her head, no, Katia said, “Wolfie, they would keep looking for us, and we would never have peace if we tried to do that. We stand out too much with our eyes and stature. I am going to try and make a deal with grandfather.”
“What kind of deal?” Aza asked.
“I am going to offer our lives for Lili and Loza’s.” She said. “He may do whatever he wishes with us if he leaves them alone. If he allows us to live and keeps us prisoner, then we will do whatever is asked. Only if he leaves Lili and Loza alone.”
“How will we know if he keeps his word or not?” Her wolf asked.
Katia smiled sadly and said, “We will visit Uncle Cronos first. He will keep our secret and not tell anyone where we are. He will also make sure grandfather keeps his word either way. If we die or end up imprisoned.
Aza sighed, “I got to admit, it could work, especially since you are going to bring Cronos into it.” Sending her girly, a hug, she said, “We are pretty smart girly.”
Katia sent for her uncle instead of going to visit him. She did not want to leave her cave until it was time to go to grandfather. Uncle Cronos did not like the plan, but he understood her reasoning and why she just wanted it over. His nieces had been hurt enough and that he would end his father for what he had done to them. Uncle Cronos stayed and watched over her and Aza while they slept that night. They had decided going to Lucifer and asking him to take her to Uranus was the best course. Nathan’s spies would report the news back to him, and then he would accept her death when he heard of it.
The next morning, Uncle escorted Katia to just outside Lucifer’s camp and left her. Katia walked into the camp and up to Lucifer. She looked him in the eye and said, “Take me to my grandfather.”