CHAPTER 15

SOLOMON

"Whatcha doin, Pa?" I smiled when I heard that voice. I looked over my shoulder and saw my little son, standing there with his wild and curly hair.

"I'm chopping some wood. You wanna help?"

Milo's eyes brighten and he nods his head, "Yeah I wanna help!"

I chuckle and stand up. His small form came running and stood beside me, waiting for instruction. I got a smaller axe and a very small piece of wood and placed it on the tree stump.

"Come stand in front of me, Milo." He did as told. I bend down and hold his arms.

"Now you hold the axe high. And then with all your might, you slam it down unto the wood okay?"

Milo nodded with a scrunched up face. I stopped myself from laughing. He looks so serious, but his face is all mushed up. Similar to Ayla's concentrating face.

He raised the axe over his head and slammed it down on the wood. It spilt in half instantly.  I smiled in pride. My son is strong.

"That was so good Milo!"

He looked over his shoulder in a toothy smile. I chuckled and told him to continue. The sound of foot steps reached my ear. I stood up and grabbed Milo. I pulled him behind me, holding his shirt as I assessed the area. I watched carefully for a threat of any kind.

Milo was very quiet as he held unto my arm. However, I sighed in relief when I saw Xander coming out of the woods.

I let go of Milo and he went back to chopping the wood like nothing happened. I felt strange about it. He so easily handled such an intense situation.

"Milo are you okay?"

He was picking the wood off of the stump and nodded his head.

"Weren't you scared?" Any normal child would be freaked out.

He just simply shrugged his shoulders, "I'm okay. I don't need to be scared because the scary moment is over."

He got over it so quickly. A little too quickly.

As he put another piece of wood unto the stump he said, "Ma would put me in the closet before the scary stuff happens. And then once I'm out I can be okay."

I leaned forward and asked, "When would it be scary?"

"When old Ken comes around," he positioned the wood exactly in the middle, "He would come like a big monster to try and hurt me. But Ma is so strong that she would fight him. I promised Ma that when I grew up, I would be able to fight the monster and protect her instead." And then he chopped the small piece of wood.

I leaned back in my wooden chair and thought over what he had just said. Ayla would fight Kendrick. She would physically fight him. I felt this ache in my chest...and not the good kind. It had a slight burning sensation that made me want more air. Guilt. I felt guilty because I pushed her there.

Xander made his way towards me and  sat down in one of the chairs.

"Hey." He greeted.

I nodded my head, "What's up."

Xander released a tired sigh, "I bumped into Ayla in the woods."

"What?" I snapped, "Why is she in the woods when Kendrick is around? She told me she was going to see Zay."

Xander shook his head, "Well she wasn't seeing Zay."

I rub my eyes with my one hand and groaned, "I don't know how to handle her. I want to make it better. I want to fix it but she won't let me!"

"You can't force it Solomon. I know that when you found her she was very broken...but I don't think we realize how broken she is."

I turned to him, "What'd you mean?"

"She's not just broken, Solomon. She's damaged. I don't think we understand how bad her life was. I think we've only hit the tip of the iceberg with her. She's not okay. We have to keep an eye on her. She may do something that she might regret."

I soaked in Xander's words. I understand she's broken and she's been through hell. How long was she with Kendrick?

"Milo," I called. He turned around, "How long were you at Attic."

"I was born in Attic. Attic is my home." This stopped my heart. I couldn't breath. I couldn't think.

"Shit." Xander mumbled.

"Sh-shes been trapped for five years." I was in shocked. I though it was a couple oKf months. A year at most. Not FIVE YEARS.

"Milo, my name is Xander. I'm your uncle."

Milo smiled, "Nice to meet you Uncle Xander."

Xander returned a smile back to my son.

She's been trapped for five years. My heart hurt for her. I felt guilt for not finding her sooner. We've had relations with Kendrick and his pack for years now. As soon as we knew he wasn't good, we should have searched his place for victims...especially after Mia.

I groaned as the guilt ate at me. I need to fix this. I need her to know how sorry I am.

AYLA

I was walking around the woods till I got to the pack graveyard. I strolled down the path and looked at every name. Beloved Wife, Beloved husband, child, sister, aunt, uncle, grandfather, grandmother. So many names. So many deaths.

I decided to go visit my grandmother's grave. I smiled when I thought of her. She was so crazy. As I got to the tombstone. I saw fresh flowers there. Red and white roses. My favourite.

However, that peaceful moment was short lived when I saw the words...

HERE LYES JAMES GRAYSTONE...

"No no no no no..." I mumbled when I fell to my knees. I held the tombstone and try read it again hoping that the words would change. But it didn't. None of it changed. I tried scratching the words.

But it didn't move.  It didn't change. It was there. Perminantly.

My father is dead. My dad is dead. The one family I had left was DEAD.

I was planning on visiting him, but I was just trying to figure out a way to explain Milo to him.

"Your Father is dead." I stand up and turn around. I roll my eyes and went back on my knees to the tombstone.

"What do you want."

He bent down next me...close to me...too close to me. I felt my skin crawl as I felt him near.

"The last family you have is head...now you are completely...utterly alone." Kendrick whispered in my ear.

Tears fell from my eyes. My Papa is dead.

"If still have Milo." I said firmly. Milo is my family.

"Only for a little while. Milo will grow, find a mate and have a family of his own. Where does that place you? And you don't want to be with Solomon. You will have a lonely and pointless life."

A painful ache formed inside my chest. I panicked and dug my nails on my chest, hoping to get this pain out.

A sob escaped my lips. I'm alone. I have no one.

"Why don't you just end your misery?" He whispered.

I block my ears and screamed, "SHUT UP! shut up shut up shut up SHUT UP!"

Hands grabs my wrists. I open my eyes and see Solomon's concerned eyes. I slap him across the face. His eyes widen in shock.

I shove him back. He doesn't fight me. I slap him, punch his chest wack him across the head all while screaming.

"Why aren't you fighting me!" I screamed. "Fight me! Fight back! FIGHT BACK YOU BASTARD!"

I sink to the floor and I cry. My body shakes as I release only a portion of me pains entirety. Solomon sits on his knees in front of me. Pain and guilt floating in his eyes.

"Ayla I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for everything. I'm sorry you suffered so much. I'm sorry you went through what you did, what no person ever should. I'm sorry for not saving you sooner."

I stop crying. A deep rage possesses me. I turn to him and threw him my glare full of hate.

I stand up and shout, "That's what you're sorry for? For not saving me sooner?!"

Solomon stood up confused, "Yes I'm sorry for not coming sooner. Or else you wouldn't have suffered for so long!" He yelled back.

I shove him, "I wouldn't have suffered at all if it wasn't for you!"

"What do you mean!" He yelled back, "Stop beating around the bush and tell me straight AYLA!"

"I BLAME YOU FOR EVERYTHING! I Blame you for my suffering for being tormented! I BLAME YOU SOLOMON!" I scream.

He was silent for a moment. He stood there staring at me.

I took a step closer, "You drove me to the brink. I was pregnant. I was scared. And you treated me like crap! You hurt me in ways a mate should NEVER BE hurt. It got to the point where I was going to have fucking MISCARRIAGE! I ran away hoping to get away from YOU! And then Kendrick found me. And that has been my life for FIVE FUCKING YEARS! SO YES I BLAME YOU FOR EVERY OUNCE OF PAIN I HAVE ENDURED. I HATE YOU!

I stood there breathing heavily. All these emotions came flooding through me and out of my mouth. It was too painful to hold it in anymore.

"Because of you," I shouted, "Milo suffered as well! He is only just starting to experience new things NOW WHEN HE IS FIVE YEARS OLD! He had to be stuck in that God forsaken attic for his childhood because of you! You made our child suffer! Every day I had to fight my hardest to protect him. I gave up EVERYTHING to ensure that Milo would be okay. I had to do everything Kendrick said. He calls...I come. That's how it worked."

I cried and collapsed unto the floor, "I had to do horrible things to make sure Milo was safe. Kendrick used me for everything. I would clean for him, I would cook for him, I would be forced to have sex with him almost every night.  I had to do EVERYTHING AND IT'S YOUR FAULT!"

Solomon paled. He stumbled slightly, "You were forced?"

I rolled my eyes and looked at him like he was stupid, "Yes I was. I had to. If I didn't he wouldn't give us food. He wouldn't give us vitamins. He wouldn't provid the means for our survival if I didn't give to him. That has been my life for five years. So I am so fucking sorry if I don't run into your arms at first sight. You can't fix this Solomon. You can't fix me. You can't fix us. I may be able to forgive you...but I don't think I could ever get over what I went through in that attic. "

I stood up and wipe my eyes I look at the tombstone of where my father died.

Solomon looked angry. But not at me. He looked angry at himself.

He growled and snarled. He turned and shifted into his beautiful wolf then sprinted away into the darkness of the woods