Escaping Fate

ABEL

Ava’s hands are all over me. I tried to slow her down, but she stirred me up again. All I could muster after hearing her plead for me was a breathless, “Fuck.”

One hand is tangled in my hair, the other gripping her ass. I’m not usually like this—I’m typically in control, but she makes me lose all sense of restraint.

I gently lay her on the bed, trailing kisses down her body as she moans softly and arches her back. My hand glides down her body, instantly soaked in her arousal. Both my bed and my pants are damp from her release.

I start to kiss her intimately as my finger slips inside her. I slowly prepare her as I shed my pants and boxers, then withdraw my finger and bring it to my lips, tasting her as she watches.

Her eyes darken to a deep purple—she’s utterly captivated. I lower my mouth to her and begin to tease her with my tongue as I finger her once more.

Her moans grow louder as I suck and nibble on her, so I slide in a second finger, curling them both, making her cry out in ecstasy. Her legs shake and her hips lift in sheer pleasure.

I sense her climax approaching again, so I wrap her legs around my shoulders and hold her hips, keeping her close to my mouth so I can savor every drop of her.

I keep my fingers inside her as her moans subside and her orgasm fades. Her face is flushed and her body’s slick with sweat. As she catches her breath, I lie down next to her, satisfied that she’s been thoroughly pleasured.

She turns to me and kisses my jaw, resting her head on my chest. My hand traces small circles on her shoulder, and her hand is still teasing me. But something seems off.

“What’s wrong?” My voice is deeper than I intended.

“I didn’t get to please you.” Her voice is filled with regret.

“What are you talking about? You did please me. I loved every second of that. Maybe I wanted to focus on your pleasure first.” I lift her chin so she can see the sincerity in my eyes.

“Okay. But, Abel, you don’t have to treat me like I’m fragile,” she says, a smirk playing on her lips.

“I won’t anymore. Now tell me, is your wolf still content with me?” I laugh at her blush.

This girl is truly extraordinary, and she doesn’t even know it. She might lack self-confidence or self-esteem, but she’s resilient and compassionate. I can’t fathom why anyone would want to hurt her.

She’s breathtaking, and I’m certain that once she’s fully recovered, she’ll be even more so—if that’s even possible.

I keep my hand on her back as she drifts back to sleep, and I take a moment to really look at her.

She doesn’t have a bad attitude or a nasty personality. I can’t comprehend why her mate, the man who’s supposed to protect and cherish her, would sleep with anyone else.

And then it hits me. If she can feel him being unfaithful, that means he can feel her too.

He felt everything that just happened, and it caused him the same pain she’s been feeling. That thought brings a smile to my face—knowing she inflicted that pain on that jerk.

I need to be careful with her though. She might not see herself as delicate, but she is. I can’t let her push herself too hard. I’ll teach her how to defend herself while she’s here, though.

I know she won’t stay forever. My coven is eager to meet her—the wolf who poses no threat—since it’s such a rare occurrence. But I don’t trust them not to frighten her, so until she’s ready, I’ll delay it.

I tuck her in with a blanket, and she immediately snuggles into me. I just lie there next to her, lost in thought and watching her sleep peacefully, until I fall asleep myself.

AVA

When I wake up, I’m naked and wrapped in a blanket with Abel lying next to me, my head resting on his chest. One of my legs is draped over his stomach and the other tucked under his leg—our bodies are entwined.

I lift my head and take in the sight of this stunning man. I’ve never seen anyone like him. Sure, most wolves are attractive, but even my mate wasn’t this irresistible.

I can’t take my eyes off him. His hair is slightly long, the sides neatly trimmed, and the top is tousled and long, begging to be styled. Everything about him is captivating.

Lyra’s voice rings in my head, “He could be our next mate!”

“Lyra, you know wolves can’t mate with vampires. As much as I wish it were different…” I respond, my eyes still locked on him.

“Who says? Just because it’s not common doesn’t mean it’s impossible!” Lyra retorts, her tone sharp with frustration.

I can’t help but roll my eyes. “We just ended things with our mate. It’s too soon to find another.” I rest my head back on Abel’s chest.

“Ava, our bond isn’t completely severed. Our mate hasn’t cut it off. He felt everything you just did,” she whispers, her voice barely audible.

“It’s okay, Lyra. I can survive without him. We have Abel for now, and once we sort things out, we’ll find a new place.” I close my eyes, praying that I’m wrong and we won’t have to leave Abel.

“Get some sleep. We need~ it.”~ Lyra cuts me off before I can respond.

I nestle my head into Abel, careful not to wake him. He stirs slightly, and I feel his hand gently stroke my face.

“Watching someone sleep isn’t very polite, you know,” he teases, his voice deep and sleepy.

“I wasn’t watching you sleep. I was talking to my wolf. And even if I was admiring you, so what?” I retort, rolling my eyes.

“Did you just roll your eyes at me? And here I thought you were a sweetheart.” He chuckles, pinching my cheek.

“You assumed I was a sweetheart. For all you know, I could be a serial killer,” I joke, poking his nose and giggling.

“You? A killer? I find that hard to believe. You’re too kind and caring.” His eyes sparkle as he watches me.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask, a hint of worry in my voice.

“I like seeing you like this. Fearless, happy. It suits you. Maybe I should make you happy more often.” Abel smirks, causing my cheeks to heat up and I bite my lip.

“Damn right, he should!” Lyra exclaims, and I burst into laughter.

Abel looks on, puzzled, clueless about what just happened.

“Do you want to hear my wolf?” I ask, still laughing.

“How?” Abel asks, confused.

“Hold my hand, take a deep breath, and don’t let go until I say so. I’m going to create a link between us.” I take his hand in mine, my chin resting on his chest, then lightly bite my hand, drawing blood.

I use my claw to make a small cut on his palm, then tie our hands together with a discarded tank top, allowing our blood to mix. He looks at me, utterly confused, and after a few moments, glances down at our hands.

“Maybe it didn’t work?” he wonders.

I look up at him, a shy smile on my face, and untie our hands. “It did work.” I giggle at his shocked expression.

“Lyra, do you want to meet Abel officially?” I ask, laying my head back on Abel’s chest, the cut on my hand already healed.

“Oh, absolutely!” she yelps. “He’s the most attractive man I’ve ever seen! Girl, the things I would do to him… If you don’t, I’ll have to take over.” I laugh as Abel’s eyes widen in surprise.

“Well, hello to you too,” Abel greets her. “I’m sure you’re exaggerating, but thank you. I’m curious, though… what exactly do you want to do to me?”

“You can hear me? Oh no…” Lyra groans.

“Lyra, when have you been shy lately? You’re the one who’s always whispering naughty things in my ear,” I remind her.

“You two talked about me?” Abel asks, his voice dripping with seduction. “What kind of things did you discuss?”

“Oh, shut up, Ava,” Lyra snaps. “You were the one who slept with him! I didn’t have to push you to get with Mr. Vampire. Although I must admit, I enjoyed the view.”

“Thanks, Lyra. Love you too,” I laugh, then tune her out.

“She’s quite a character,” Abel remarks. “Is that what you hear all day?”

He clearly doesn’t get the whole wolf thing. “Actually, she used to be silent. All I heard were whines and whimpers. I think it’s because I’ve been so ill.

“She only started speaking to warn me when someone was about to attack me, then she’d take control so I wouldn’t have to face the trauma. She kept me in the dark for a long time.

“But she started communicating with me again two days ago,” I explain in a matter-of-fact tone.

He sits upright. “Hold on. You were attacked more than once?”

I let out a sigh, knowing his reaction will be even more intense once I respond.

“The first time was when I was sixteen. That’s when a wolf is considered mature and ready to mate. A man crept into my ‘room,’ pinned me down, and violated me.

“It was incredibly traumatic. I didn’t speak for over a year, and it didn’t matter that my silence would earn me beatings.” I sit up and take his hand.

“The first time? How many more times did it happen?” he asks, his voice rising.

I look down, feeling a sense of shame. “Three times in total. The pack despised me, and the men would sometimes use me when they couldn’t get what they wanted. The last three years have been the worst of my life.”

“You endured their attacks for three years? Why didn’t you escape?” His jaw tightens.

“What could I do? I was always hurt. I wouldn’t have survived. I would have been caught and punished even more severely.” I trace my fingers over the back of his hand, avoiding his gaze.

“The last time was two days ago,” I confess, my eyes welling up. “That’s why I didn’t want to go all the way. I was afraid you’d be repulsed if you knew how much I’d been used.

“I never had the chance to desire anyone. I was never willing. Every time I was touched, it was by force.” Tears roll down my cheeks. I want to curl up and let myself fall apart, but Abel doesn’t let go of my hand.

“I could never see you as used or disgusting. I find your pack repulsive—and brutal. I wish I could wipe them all out. But you didn’t deserve what happened to you.

“You don’t have to submit to me. I don’t want that. I want you to heal and live a happy life. I just wish I had known all this before I selfishly kissed you. You’re not accustomed to affection.”

Abel pulls me onto his lap and strokes my back as I continue to cry.

I feel utterly shattered. “I… I just don’t get it! Why do you care so much?” I sob.

“I care about you. You’re a young woman who’s been through hell. You have a beautiful soul, and I want to help you become whatever you want to be.

“All my life I’ve seen wolves and humans take life for granted. You haven’t even had a chance to live—” Abel’s voice cracks.

I look into his eyes. “I just want to be happy, to be with people who won’t exploit me.

“All my life I had to look after everyone and everything. I cooked, cleaned, served, gardened, butchered, cared for the pups. I was never anything but submissive.”

“Let’s go,” Abel says, taking my hand and helping me out of bed. “Let’s get you showered and fed. You must be famished.”

He guides me to his bathroom, which is quite spacious. The shower could accommodate five people, and the walls are fitted with shower heads for a thorough clean from every angle.

Abel hands me a dress and a pair of slippers—his coven brought them for me so I’d be comfortable—he tells me, then leaves me to shower in peace.

I spend over an hour in the shower, finally able to cleanse myself properly for the first time in years. I scrub my body and wash my hair, shocked at the amount of dirt that washes off me.

Once I’m done, I step out of the shower and look at myself in the mirror. I haven’t seen myself in normal light in who knows how long. I look a wreck. My body is so thin my bones are visible everywhere.

Now I understand why Abel was so concerned about me breaking.

I look at the clothes I was given. They’re beautiful.

The dress I'm wearing is a babydoll style in a soft shade of pink, ending just below my knees. It's strapless, adorned with a lace top featuring tiny embroidered daisies. The dress billows out at the bottom, thanks to multiple layers of tulle.

My shoes are a neutral tan, each adorned with a small, clear gem.

I brush my hair out, letting it air dry as it cascades down my back. I then leave the bathroom and head to the kitchen, where Abel is busy preparing something for me to eat.

I attempt to sneak up on him, but he turns around and laughs before I can surprise him.

“You thought you could sneak up on me? I can always sense when you’re near,” he teases, still laughing.

“I thought it was worth a shot.” I reach around him and swipe a piece of fruit.

He watches me over his shoulder as he continues to cook. “You’re quite the sneak, aren’t you?” He shakes his head in amusement.

“Not at all. I’m a sweetheart, remember?” I reply, fluttering my eyelashes in mock innocence.

“Well, Ms. Sweetheart, what are your plans for today? I have to visit my coven for a bit and might be back late.”

“I’ll be just fine here,” I respond casually. “I can take it easy like you suggested, and I can even prepare dinner for you when you return.”

He smirks at me. “Oh, you want to cook for me? What do you know about feeding a vampire?”

“More than you might think.” I wink at him before heading to the living room.

“Feel free to watch some TV!” he calls out from the kitchen.

I settle into the armchair I had fallen asleep in the previous day and survey the room. It’s quite a mess, with books strewn about haphazardly. I rise from the chair and begin to tidy up, placing the books neatly on the shelves.

As I clean, I hear Abel’s laughter behind me.

“You just can’t help yourself, can you?” he asks, leaning against the door frame.

“Nope. It’s just who I am,” I reply, continuing to tidy up. I pause when I come across a book. It’s devoid of a title or any other identifying features, but something about it draws me in.

Abel finishes cooking and sets the meal on the table for me. Before he departs, he tells me to help myself to anything, but I simply continue cleaning.

Despite my efforts, my thoughts keep returning to that mysterious book. I try to rest for a bit, but sleep eludes me. Eventually, I get up and eat the meal Abel prepared—bless his heart, it wasn’t great—and then clean up the kitchen.

Around ten in the evening, I start preparing dinner for Abel—blood sausage accompanied by beets and zucchini. I eat a small portion, clean up some more, and eventually drift off to sleep.

***A FEW HOURS LATER***

I sense Abel’s return to the house. Or rather, I smell him. I decide not to get up, figuring he’s probably tired and would prefer not to be disturbed. I hear him set his keys on the counter and serve himself a plate of food.

“She really did know what I like to eat,” I hear him chuckle as he heads to the living room and turns on the TV.

An hour later, the only sound in the house is the drone of the TV. It seems he fell asleep with it on.

I get out of bed, fetch a blanket from the hall closet to cover him, and gently guide him into a lying position, placing a pillow under his head.

I lock the front door, then collect his plate and take it to the kitchen to clean. I leave out a small cup of blood in case he wakes up thirsty, then return to his room. I settle back into bed and soon drift off to sleep.