Beneath Her Darkness: The Alpha's Little Demon

136 - Young Adan LUCY.

"His father, the then Alpha of their pack, was one of the organizers of that Alpha camp.That day I was sparring with Ethan.We were in the corner, far away from the rest.The fucker couldn’t accept that I beat him and told lies to his father.I couldn’t even remember the lies.All I knew was that his father was so mad at me.I tried to reason with him, but he wouldn't hear of it.He slammed the side of his hand into my shoulder.I heard my bones crack.I felt it, but I didn’t scream.I knew my bone had dislocated, but I didn’t even say anything to let him know I was in pain.My body crumbled, and I collapsed on the floor, but I didn’t complain.He continued shouting at me about respect and superiority, and I remained laying on the ground because, as much as I didn’t want him to see me in pain, I knew if I moved he might attack me again.And I was not sure if my body could handle it.He and Ethan left, murmuring curse words about how weak I was.I was only eight, and he was maybe thirty.I wished I knew then that he was too big and too strong for me, that he should be attacking an eight-year-old.But I was too preoccupied with the notion that I needed to be strong to prove that I was worthy of being the next alpha of my pack."

I bit my bottom lip harder as I fought the tears from falling.

My heart broke for young Adan, and it made me wish I had known this before my encounter with Ethan yesterday.

"I dragged myself to my barracks that night.The next morning, I had a fever and couldn’t eat.All I remember is that no one asked if I was okay.I told myself I was expected to be strong, so I acted like one.By nightfall, I couldn’t take the pain anymore.I snuck out of the barracks in the middle of the night.I kept running.I wanted to die.My body was in pain.I was lucky I only had theoretical training that day, but physical training would be up the next day, and I knew I would not survive it.

I should have called Dad, but I didn’t.

I wanted him and Pops to be proud of me.

I don’t know what happened that night.

When I woke up, my shoulder was healed, and there was not a single pain at all.

But I knew the broken bones were not a figment of my imagination because my shoulder was still bruised.

It is still a mystery to me.

But from that day forward, I couldn’t trust anyone with my shoulders.

I didn’t feel the pain anymore.

But I kept remembering it.

I haven’t told a single soul about that day until you."

A lone tear fell from his eye, and he wiped it away immediately before he smiled at me, his face showing uncertainties.

"Are you turned off now by how weak your mate is? I’m still crying over something that's two decades old."

I shook my head as the tears kept trickling down my face.I wiped it away before I cupped his cheeks, and I turned his face gently so he would be looking at me before I brushed the hair that fell off his eyes.

"Do you want to hear one good thing that came out of that experience?"

His brows furrowed, but he smiled.

"Tell me..."

"You meet Hades that night..."

Sobs escaped my throat as I tried to continue talking in between my hiccups and tears.

night I was born...That night, a simple wish from your pure heart connected us for the rest of our lives.I know that...that memory pained you, but

again, but a

"Hades told you?"

"He did..."

I moved my position, kneeled on

at the same moment I let the glasses all around the gazebo be covered with

before I let them caress his shoulders, letting the

on, I promise

talking without taking my eyes off his

remind you of the agony of being alone, but of how brave you’ve been to face the god of hell and wish for me..." I

years old, and you faced him

leaned down as my mouth trailed against his shoulder, leaving soft kisses along the way as his

as my mouth lapped and

"Lucy..."

his voice was telling me that my kisses

He was aroused.

fangs began to elongate, and I knew wanted the memory of his bruised and broken shoulder gone — replaced with

skin, making a growl resonate from his

flew to my hair, coiling it around his

as I wanted

was for Adan, not

into his skin, giving him his second mate mark from me, this time for

making sure that the pain and

"Hmmm..."

off his skin and began sucking his

Adan tasted really good.

you know if you stayed there a bit longer, I

out hoarsely, but

was not done with erasing the bad memories

head up and caught

face and stared into his eyes as I tried

me, the man I'm kneeling to now, the father of my pup, is the most courageous man I've ever met.And you have no idea how proud I

"Thank you..."

spoke softly as he rested his forehead against mine, and we

I needed to hear that.I don’t care what others think of me right now.But it is important to me that you

Feast who fought to have me remain clothed.The one who stood up to Pops, even though I knew he'd be the last person you’d disrespect.And there are so many ways that you have proven to me how strong

but what you’re doing and telling me — I’m not sure now if I can top

snapped open as Adan separated our foreheads, and I found him

I knew I was lucky to be waking up beside this man for the rest of

marry me and carry my last

open while I let Adan guide me, so I