Chapter 162 Walk

Avalyn

True to my word, I did end up going for a walk. But I didn't go until after I had lunch. In fact, I went for a walk in the evening.

Everyone was worried for me but I assured them that I'd be okay. And after having two meals after a long time, I felt like I had more energy now.

I had tried talking to both Tori and Klaus all afternoon but they refused to speak a word. They had spent the entire day locked up in Klaus's room along with Kol.

I left them alone. They needed to cool down. They needed time. For the first time, I didn't know how to deal with them. I felt like an awful mother for not being able to console them or even have a decent conversation.

I started walking in a random direction with no place as a goal in my mind.

After years, I was walking outside without four guards around me. I don't remember the last time I had done something aimlessly. I had dedicated the last seven years to my kids and my pack.

But I felt like I had lost everything now. And I have. The kids won't love me anymore. They won't understand. They don't understand what heartache is. They don't know what rejection is. Hell, they hardly know what mates are. It was better that way. They shouldn't know this kind of pain so early in life.

I felt guilty for making them go through all of this. All for my selfish reasons.

I don't know for how long I walked. Nor had I been keeping a track of where I was walking. I was sure I had crossed at least two mountains though.

And then I brushed past a plant and a very, very faint scent of Papa's hit my nose.

I realised that this is one of the many trails on which I used to come with him for our evening runs when we hadn't shifted to the palace and were staying at Montana.

My knees felt weak as I took in his familiar scent. I sat down on a rock and brought my knees together. The sky had gotten dark and the moon was rising.

For some reason, I was at peace. I felt like Papa was watching over me. I missed him. I missed him so much.

I am the worst person for thinking this but Valerie's presence didn't bring me the peace that Papa's seven year old faint scent brought me.

I picked a flower from the plant besides me. It was white and pretty. I twirled it between my fingers.

I suddenly remembered why this place held Papa's scent. He had scratched his leg on the throne of this plant and he was bleeding a lot before I healed him quickly. The blood must have settled in the plant or something. I was so bummed that he was hurt that day.

But right now, I'm so thankful for that.

I heard a crunch of a dried leave and my ears picked up. "Who is it?" I asked loudly.

I felt like I was in a horror movie. And I'll end up dying right now.

I can't die.

I need to see my kids grow up first. I need to earn the forgiveness of Nik first. I want to spend more time with the three most important people in my lives. I haven't spent nearly enough time with them.

And then I could hear a couple of more crunches. "Eli? Dimitri? It's not funny." I said and stood up on shaky feet.

I looked around. I couldn't see too far because it was foggy and nor could I smell anybody.

I backed away from that place and began walking back in the direction I came from. I had an idea of where I was so I knew the general direction I had to go to.

After a couple of minutes, I heard footsteps. Following me.

My heart was beating wilding in my chest. Why can't I see or smell the person? How can he see me?

I picked up my pace.

The footsteps also quickened.

After I took a turn around a huge tree, I started running.

The person also started running, the sound of his steps terrifying me.

'Someone is following me!' I mind-linked Dimitri.

'Where are you?' He instantly asked.

'On the trek back to Alvar. Not exactly sure where.' I whispered.

'I'm on my way.'

I turned around another huge tree and tried to teleport home but I hardly moved half a mile. I was weak. Too weak to use my powers so much.

Even though I had lost the person, I kept running. My legs hurt. My entire body hurt. And it was getting too breathless. My lungs hurt.

When I had crossed crossed one mountain, I took shelter under a large canopy tree. I need to regain my strength. I took deep breaths and placed my hand on my heart, trying to calm myself down.

Who was it?

And just like my luck, or lack of thereof, the began pouring; hard, obscuring my vision even further.

Suddenly, my arm was grabbed and my back pulled against someone's chest.

"Nik?" I breathed.

"Nope." The voice whispered in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. "Guess again."

Adrik.

Shit.

I tried to use my powers but they didn't work. They don't work on him. Fuck.

I tried to pull my hand away but he was strong, too strong.

I managed to turn around and pushed against his chest, struggling hard. How can I kill a man that cannot be killed? How can I hurt a man that I can't use my magic on?

His grey eyes bored into mine. "That little bitch has been hunting me to the ends of earth again. I thought he'd died."

"Well he is alive now." I hissed before I screamed on top of my lungs. "Help!"

He slapped me across my face, making me fall on the cold, damp ground.

A sharp cry tore through my mouth.

"Help!" I kept screaming and he kicked me, cracking my rib. Tears flowed down my cheeks.

"Shut up, Slut. I remember the way I caned the fuck out of your ass before I fucked your pussy raw. You were lucky you had passed out then. All this screaming makes me want to gag you." He hissed as he grabbed my hair and yanked me up.

It was getting difficult to breathe.

He brought me close to his face and then hissed. "Consider what I'm going to do to you now as a warning." He started putting his hand down my shorts. I started struggling. His fingers found my core and I could only cry. It hurt so much.

No.

No. I'm not going to let this happen to me again.

"Tell Nikolai to stop searching for me or else the next time, will be worse." He spat in my face.

I can't kill him. But I can hurt him. His skin was impenetrable but he had openings too.

I brought my hand up and dug my thumb in his eye. Hard.

He screamed and released his hold on me. I used my powers to teleport back home but I didn't get too far again. So I began running.

It hurt too much. My arm was hurting and so was my rib. And I don't think my legs could hold me up for much longer.

After another couple of minutes, I could hear his feet hit the ground and then I teleported myself before I continued again.

It was a cycle.

He found me and I teleported myself as far as I could, towards home, of course and then I'd run until he found me again.

It hurt so much.

Thankfully, today wasn't new moon day. And the moon was at almost at it's peak. My powers were strongest under the moonlight. When I reached the top of the second mountain, I stood there for a solid minute, soaking in the power of the moonlight and getting soaked under the harsh downpour as I did do.

I could still hear the sound of his feet on the ground. I was too aware of my surroundings to not. I wanted to use my power but I knew I needed to charge up more so I can directly teleport to the palace.

My heart was beating wildly and my blood was rushing through my veins with an energy I didn't know I had.

I saw his dark expression as he ran towards me. I saw the devilish glint in his eye and the cruel smirk on his face.

I hated him.

It was because of him that my life was such a mess right now.

Why did I have to come for a walk? Why did I have to leave the palace?

"I gave you a warning and you didn't listen." He growled. "Since Nikolai has sent you out without guards, I'll teach him a lesson along with you too."

He was thirty seconds away from reaching me.

His smirk grew as he neared me.

Twenty seconds.

I gathered all my strength.

Ten seconds.

His hand extended to grab me.

I closed my eyes and I teleported myself to the only place I could think of.

I opened my eyes to see the burnt walls of our bedroom. My legs couldn't hold myself any longer. I was tired. So tired. And in pain. I wanted to sleep.

I stumbled and thankfully fell on the mattress that was placed on the ground. I didn't have the power to move. I curled into a ball.

I hurt to breathe. My ribs hurt too much.

But I didn't even have the energy to heal myself.

And then my body started shaking uncontrollably as I remembered his words.

Shut up, Slut. I remember the way I fucked you in your own house as Emilio thrusted in your mouth. You screaming makes me want to gag you.

Adrik had abused my body. Nikolai's father.

I didn't even know...

I really am a slut.

How many men have used my body that I wasn't even aware of?

And Nikolai's father of all people...

His grey eyes burned in my mind. The same grey eyes that Nikolai shared with him.

I closed my eyes.

I just wanted to get it out of my mind.

I wanted to forget it.

My core still stung where he had forced his fingers in. I need to take a shower. I just need to.

But I couldn't even hold myself up. I'm weak. I'm so weak. I'm a slut.

The crying made my ribs hurt more and I curled into myself further, trying to hold my breath so even for a second, a split second it would feel better.

"What are you doing here?" Nikolai's hard, gruff voice hit my ears.

I couldn't control my sob when I heard his cold, hard voice.

"Crying like a fucking baby will get you nowhere with me. Your tears don't matter to me." And then he grabbed my arm, exactly where Adrik had grabbed and pulled me off the bed. "Don't come in my fucking room. You make it reek of your fucking smell."

I tried to twist my arm out of his hold but it was of no use. He was too strong. Everyone is stronger than me.

I looked up into his angry grey eyes.

The same ones as Adrik.

And then a nightmare, distant memory flashed in front of my eyes.

"Gentlemen, let the show begin. Punishment position five pet." He ordered me. I quickly crawled to the table and stood up, extending my legs to touch the table legs, bending the upper half of my body to lean on the table. I knew what was going to come and I was terrified of it.

I could hear the sound of the whip snapping in the air, the tears were already forming in my eyes. Soon, the whip met my ass with a searing sting.

"One, thank you Master." I always had to thank him for the punishment.

More lashing met my back, ass and thighs, the sound of leather meeting my skin engulfing the room. I was sobbing badly and I couldn't take it anymore. His werewolf strength was no match for me. I was stronger than a human for sure, but I was also weaker than an omega.

"Please, no, please, Master, stop, no..." I was sobbing but he did not stop.

He stopped after a couple of more hits. I took a harsh, shuddering breath in. Thank god!

"Okay who wants to go next?" He asked.

Oh no! Not anymore!

"I'll go." I heard someone say. More tears leaked my eyes. I didnt dare move from my position or else it would be even worse.

This time I heard the 'swoosh' of the cane. My trembling and sobbing grew. It was the most painful.

He started beating me with the cane, first on my left ass cheek, then the right, then between my cheeks at which I cried out.

"Red, Master, pleasee, no, no, it hurts, please, Master Red, no!" I begged, using my safe word to make him stop, but like most times I was ignored.

"Nice work Adrik, you haven't lost your touch yet." I heard him laugh, the others joining him. I was still begging him to stop, sobbing hysterically.

"Avalyn!" Nikolai's grey eyes bored into mine.

A whimper escaped my lips and he released my arm like I just burned him.

I backed away from him.