Chapter 16

My whole body started to tremble. “Mason, it’s okay, I’m home now,” I tried to soothe him. “Nothing happened, I just –”

“You ran away!” Mason pushed unsteadily to feet and shoved the desk out of his way, sending bottles crashing to the floor. “You left the pack house without my permission! You let another man carry you from my bed!”

I stepped back until my back hit the wall. Mason snarled at the move. Then faster than I could track, he grabbed a glass bottle and threw it.

“MASON, STOP!” I screamed, terror shredding my voice. I ducked and the bottle shattered above my head.

“YOU BETRAYED ME!” Mason’s roar shook the whole house. He grabbed my arm and hauled me to my feet. “Was it fun, you whore?” he hissed in my face, breath reeking of alcohol.

“Mason, I swear, I never –” but his hand squeezed my arm so hard I whimpered.

“Tell me the fucking truth!” He screamed in my face. “Was he better than me? Did you like him more, is that why you ran away? TELL ME!”

He shook me so hard my skull rattled. I was terrified of what he’d do next – and I wasn’t about to find out.

My fingers closed around the knife I’d stolen from Levi’s kitchen. Small enough to fit in my pajama pocket, but sharp enough to hurt. I knew Mason was dangerous now, I wasn’t about to walk in completely helpless.

“Let me go,” I demanded quietly. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Mason giggled. “You hurt me?” his fingers tightened to the point of pain. But I didn’t scream, I lashed out with the knife with all my strength.

I almost made contact with his cheek, but even drunk, he had a wolf’s reflexes and strength. With a grunt, he grabbed my wrist and twisted painfully. I yelped and dropped the knife – right into his waiting palm.

He started to laugh again, the sound so wrong and creepy I just knew I didn’t want to know what followed. Abandoning the knife, I ran.

I heard him curse and stumble after me, but I darted through the house, taking a confusing path to lose him.

“OH HAAAARPEEEEER!” Mason’s voice rang through the walls, raising the hair on my arms. “Come out, come out wherever you are!

Fear poured through me like ice. Every instinct screamed at me to hide, and finally, I found an old storage room that smelled like paint and dust. Perfect. I ducked inside, spying an old wardrobe. Even better

“Harper, I’m tired of this game, come out now!” Mason’s demand rang through the house, muffled by the doors. I ignored it, easing into the wardrobe to hide.

Mason just grew more and more frantic. “Harper, you can come out now, I swear, I’m done! I’m good, love please!”

“Get out here before I do something we’ll both regret, now!”

“HARPER, BABY, PLEASE, I’M SORRY!”

I just sank to the floor and pressed my face to my knees in shock. How was this my life?

I flinched when Mason finally remembered the mindlink. “Harper, please come out. I said I’m sorry, can’t you hear me?”

I said nothing.

“Sweetheart please, I know I lost it, but it’s just because I love you so much.” He laughed a little, and even in our minds it sounded wrong. “You just make me so crazy, but I love it. I love you.”

When I still didn’t respond, something heavy slammed downstairs. “SO YOU DON’T LIKE IT WHEN I’M SWEET, IS THAT IT? FINE THEN!”

More crashing followed, and Mason yelling wild obscenities and threats at me, the man I’d let ruin me, and the house for hiding me. And through it all, I trembled in the dark, waiting for it to be over.

Finally, his raging stopped.

But then white-hot pain sliced across my stomach. I clapped a hand over my mouth to muffle my scream. Before I could catch my breath, another slash cut my thigh, my breast, my palm. What the hell is he doing? It felt like I was being attacked by a knife.

An image of Mason, covered in welts just like me, flashed in my mind. He’d been using his claws to hurt us both through the stupid curse… And I gave him a fucking knife.

Panic started to seep in as Mason cut me – him – us over and over again. The pain burned through me, but there was no blood. That didn’t mean Mason wasn’t bleeding though. What if he hurt himself more than even he could take?

Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. “Mason, please. Stop hurting yourself.”

The pain paused. “Harper? Please come out, please, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, where are you?”

“I’m coming, just please put the knife down,” I made my voice gentle and sweet.

“I did, I swear. Just please, Harper, don’t hate me. I don’t mean to explode like that. You know how my dad was though, that’s just how it was with him too. But I swear I’ll change, just please.”

I sighed. Mason’s father had been abusive. I knew it contributed to some of his self-esteem issues, I thought it was why he fought so hard to keep me, so I’d always be safe and loved like he wasn’t. But hearing him use it now as an excuse made my stomach turn.

“I know, love,” I murmured soothingly, forcing my feet to take me to him.

Mason’s loud sobs drew me to the bedroom where he was crumpled on the floor, blood dripping down his arms. The knife was across the room, out of range – for now.

“Hey, Mason, it’s okay, I’m here,” I said soothingly, trying to calm him down. “I’m just worried about you.”

He blinked up at me, like an overgrown baby, lip trembling. “Harper?”

Sinking down on the carpet, I carefully touched his shoulder. “I’m here,” I repeated softly.

Mason pulled back, and suddenly slapped his own face. “I vow right now, Harper,” he said, eyes wide and crazy, “I will never, ever lay a hand on you again.”

“Shh,” I said, pulling him into my lap as he started sobbing again. “It’s okay, love, I believe you.”

The lie tasted like ash in my mouth.

…

The next morning, I kept up the sweet fiancé act. I cooked him breakfast, was gentle and cheerful, and made sure to tell Mason I loved him every couple of minutes.

But inside, I was planning, mentally reviewing the alphas that would be coming. I’d met them all at different functions on Mason’s arm, and I was making a mental list. Who seemed kind or approachable, who was known for showing mercy or justice.

But these were alpha wolves – it was a pretty short list.

Still, I was determined. The wedding was only 3 days away and I couldn’t wait. In all the commotion, I knew could find a way to escape.

I was washing the dishes when someone tugged on the mindlink. I flinched, but it was a voice I knew from childhood – Noah.

“I have to talk to you,” Levi’s beta said urgently. “It’s about Mason.”