Annaâs POV~
Morning came earlyâ¦What a stupid thing to sayâ¦it comes the same time every day! I toss the covers off and stretch my whole 5â4 length! This is a comfy bed! As I turn to get a shower, a knock at my door, has me turning that direction.
Opening the doorâ¦my aunt..my last family..leans against the wall..beaten and bloody! I grab her and lie her down on my bed. I looked at my open door and see a maid..I ordered her to bring Falcon immediately! I ran and got a wet warm cloth..began washing her skin, so I could see the extent of her injuries.
Falcon rushed in the room.. looking at her, he immediately started to lift her and I asked him âwhat are you doing?â He snapped âtaking her to the infirmaryâ and Belinda said âNo! It will be worse!â I kept washing her skin..healing at each new injury. Only enough that she wasnât in agonyâ¦because I want people to see her..and realize what they let happen under their noses.. I healed her ribs..her broken wrist and legâ¦then her ankle..describing what I was doing, as I put her into a comfortable sleep.. She looked like hell but I wanted the bruises to be seen! Someone knew! Somewhere in this packâ¦someone knew she was being hurt! And said nothingâ¦did nothing! Falcon laid his gigantic hand on my shoulder, and tells me âI know..and I will get to the bottom of itâ
I asked âI said that out loudâ and he smiled âNo! But your angry thoughts are deafening!â Hnh! Thatâs never happened before! I looked at him⦠âHeâs mine! I know heâs your pack memberâ¦but he nearly killed the last of my family! I wonât stand for itâ He nods and agrees âYour call! Thatâs why you left evidence of the beating? You want the pack to see whatâs been kept hidden in their midst.. and why her neighbors never tried to stop himâ¦or, at least..come and reported it!â
I noddedâ¦âThatâs bullshit, Falcon! The blatant disregard and lack of respect for you..the lack of loyalty to pack! Iâm guessing you have a divisive packâ¦.those that still follow your fatherâs doctrine?â He sighed and looked like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulder. I reached my arms around his waist and hugged himâ¦pulling the pain in his heart away.
He took a deep breath and said âFuck! I havenât felt this good since I took Alpha!â I smiled.. âIâm gonna help you..every time I feel your heart get heavyâ¦these people are testing you..pushing you. You need to speak with Belinda⦠Iâm sure she can give you a lot of informationâ¦as long as she feels safe from that prick. And she will be perfectly safe..once I kill him!â And he shook his head and laughed! I told him Shoo now! I need a shower before breakfast!
I toweled offâ¦slipped into black fleece leggings and a heavy teal sweater over a black cami.. I walked over and helped my aunt into the tubâ¦and while she soaked, I asked her questions⦠â How long Aunt Belinda?â She whispered since almost the beginning⦠I whispered âthatâs why you couldnât see mama much! Iâm going to kill him..you know that, right?â She nods and says âheâs not my mate. He forced the mark. Falconâs dad ordered me to accept â
This is worse than I thought! I ran out of my roomâ¦knocking on Falconâs door. He opened it in just jeansâ¦button undone..his hair still damp from the shower and Bethany yelled HotDamn! in my head so loud my eyes rolled! Hussy! Falcon clears his throat and I said âOh right! Got distractedâ¦I need you and Brady to come to my roomâ¦Belinda has shit to talk about!â And turned on my heel, running back to my room.
I got Belinda dressed in a maxi dress..just to keep her comfortable. She still looked like hellâ¦but I want this pack to see that! Falcon walked in with Brady and I wasnât even upset they didnât knock! What the hell is going on with me!? I led Belinda over to the sitting area.. I spoke softly âI need you to tell Falcon everything. Absolutely everything! He is your Alpha! And he canât fix what he doesnât know is broken! He has a responsibility to his packâ¦but the pack has a responsibility to Him! So tell him!â
Falcon sat across from her and spoke âBelindaâ¦I am so very sorry you have suffered so greatlyâ¦for so long. Please share your story with me so that I can begin to make everything better â She sighed â Bertram isnât my mate. He force marked me..and your father ordered me to accept. I was 16. It was a common practice with the former Alpha .. and all of us forced mates are made to act a certain way. Clean cook spit out babies and be still while we are raped. Michelle would beg me to get out.. called us Stepford wives. I escaped three times. But I was always caught..and it was always worse. There are about 30 of us..we live on the west endâ¦by the mountain⦠I was told it was so he could hear my screams echo. All of the 30 men are planning to take the pack.. Iâm not sure how many are involvedâ¦the only reason I know anything is because Bert gets drunk and talks in his sleep.â
Falcon sat still..staring at his hands. I could feel Othello at the surface..pissed and ready. Brady stepped over and said âBro! Letâs go to breakfast and make everyone know we are aware of this⦠Letâs make them sweat a bit before we take them out!â I smirked âThatâs a good idea! But good olâ Bert diesâ¦preferably before I eatâ¦donât wanna ruin my breakfast!â And they chuckled..which was what I was hoping for!
Falcon asked âBelinda, will you write down any of the names of the men you know are involved..?â And she nodded. I helped her stand and we headed to the dining hall⦠knowing confrontation was coming.!
We all walked in together and heard several gasps as they saw Belinda. They glanced at Falcon and could see the anger in his face. I laid my hand on his arm and took enough of his anger that he could focus again. We sat down and I kept my aunt tucked close..waiting on the eruption I knew was coming. Bethany was excited in anticipation.. Sure as hell didnât think this was how this day was gonna go!
We all heard it..Bertram bellowed!! âGet your ass in the correct seat Belinda..donât make me come get you!â I responded quietly..âThis is her correct seatâ¦from now on! However..I am hoping youâll come Try and get here!â He rushed meâ¦grabbing my arm and knocking Belinda over. I ducked under the arm he held me with and grabbed his head..slammed his face into the table. Another man yelled âyou canât do that! You arenât pack!â And I grinned. I looked at Falcon and said âLook! Thereâs Ernie! I wondered when heâd appear..to help good olâ Bert!â They laughed.. And I yanked Bertramâs arm behind his back..holding his bent wrist high..between his shoulder blades.
I shoved him out the back door and told him âyou have ten seconds to get your sorry ass in the fighting ring⦠Move!â He looked at Falconâ¦who chinned toward the ring. Bertram stomped off..and I said âHe will die..are you going to punish me for killing a pack member?â He smiled and said âFor protecting and defending your family member? Never!â And I nodded and jumped into the ring!