Matilda Anderson's POV
When I woke up, Ana was already bustling around the room, a bright smile on her face as usual.
"Good morning!" she chirped, setting down a tray of food on the table.
I stretched, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "Morning."
She turned to me, a little hesitant. "Uh, Marco and some of the warriors left early for a meeting. They might be gone for a while."
I sat up, feeling a strange mix of relief and something else I didn't want to name. Marco being gone meant I could breathe. No tension. No unreadable stares. No overwhelming presence keeping me on edge.
"Oh.okay." I tried to sound casual.
Ana grinned. "That means you can have a bit more freedom today! Maybe we can do something fun?"
Fun. That was something I barely remembered.
But as the day passed, I actually tried.
Ana took me to the sitting area where Rita and some of the other women gathered. We talked, played a few card games, and even laughed. It felt. normal. Almost.
Later, I found myself curled up in the library, reading a book I barely understood. The quiet was nice, soothing even.
But then.
A shiver ran down my spine.
That feeling again.
The unsettling sensation of being watched.
I slowly lowered my book, my heart starting to race.
"Is anybody there?" I called out, my voice small in the silence.
Nothing.
I swallowed hard, glancing around. The room was empty, but the eerie feeling didn't fade.
Trying to shake it off, I went back to my book.
Then, a voice behind me made my blood run cold.
"Ain't you a pretty little thing?"
I froze.
Slowly, I turned my head
And locked eyes with him,Samuel,I have seen him once or twice.
My heart pounded in my chest.
Samuel's eyes roamed over me like I was prey.
I tried to keep my breathing steady, but my body screamed at me to run.
"Excuse me," I muttered, trying to step past him.
He shifted, blocking my way with a smirk. "Now, now, don't be in such a hurry. I was just admiring the view."
I clenched my fists. "Move."
He chuckled, stepping closer. "Relax, sweetheart. What's a delicate thing like you doing with a brute like Marco? You should be with someone who knows how to treat a woman right."
His voice was smooth, but it made my skin crawl.
I knew I had to get out.
Now.
Without warning, I turned and bolted.
A growl ripped through the air behind me. "You little"
I didn't stop. I pushed forward, my legs burning as I ran for the door.
But he was too fast.
Before I could reach it, a strong hand grabbed my arm and yanked me back.
I screamed.Samuel's grip tightened painfully around my arm before his hand struck my face.
The sharp sting burned across my cheek, and I stumbled back, dazed.
"Be quiet," he hissed. "You don't want to make this harder on yourself, do you?"
Tears blurred my vision, panic choking me. This can't be happening.
I shook my head violently. "Please, don't"
His lips twisted into a cruel smirk. "If you cooperate, I won't hurt you."
Liar.
I knew men like him didn't stop at words.
Fueled by desperation, I fought.
I kicked and thrashed, clawing at him, trying to shove him away, but he was too strong.
His nails ripped through my top, exposing my shoulder. A cold rush of air hit my skin, making me tremble in fear.
"Stop fighting, damn it"
He suddenly stomped down on my leg.
A sickening crack filled the room.
Pain exploded through my body.
A bloodcurdling scream tore from my throat as I collapsed to the ground, clutching my leg. The pain was unbearable.
Samuel knelt down, grabbing my chin roughly. "You should've just listened."
He forced his lips toward mine, but with every ounce of strength I had left, I shoved him away.
"No please!"
I was shaking, my vision swimming from the pain, but I begged for someone anyone to come.I was weak, my body trembling as I begged for him to stop, tears blurring my vision. My voice cracked, raw with fear. "Please… don't do this."
But Samuel just grinned, his hands moving to yank at my trousers. My stomach twisted in terror.
No. No. No.
I tried to push him away, to kick at him, but he was too strong. My struggles only made him angrier. His hand cracked across my face, sending pain exploding through my skull.
"Shut up," he hissed. "The more you fight, the worse it gets."
I sobbed. My strength was fading. This can't be happening.
Then suddenly, his weight was gone.
The air shifted, thick with danger. A deep, guttural snarl filled the room.
I curled into myself, my breath ragged, too scared to look.
A loud crash. A choked gasp. A sickening crack.
Then Marco's voice.
"You dare touch my mate?"
The sound was pure fury, a deep, growling threat that made my blood run cold.
Samuel coughed, his breath wheezing. "A-Alpha "
Another punch. A cry of pain.
I risked a glance.
Marco was on top of him, his eyes glowing gold, his muscles trembling with rage. His fists slammed into Samuel's face again and again, his strength terrifying.Samuel let out a strangled gasp as Marco's fist collided with his face, sending him crashing against the wall. The room vibrated with the force of Marco's rage, his golden eyes glowing with deadly fury.
"You dare touch my mate?" Marco snarled, his voice dripping with venom.
Samuel coughed, wiping blood from his mouth, but before he could even attempt to move, Marco was on him again. A thunderous growl filled the air as Marco grabbed Samuel by the throat, lifting him effortlessly.
"I should kill you." His voice was low and deadly, his claws elongating.
Samuel struggled, clawing at Marco's grip, his face turning pale. "Alpha—please—"
"You lost the right to beg the moment you touched what's mine." Marco's voice sent shivers down my spine.
I was still on the ground, frozen in shock, my breath coming out in ragged gasps. My torn clothes barely covered me, my body trembling uncontrollably.
Darius stepped forward. "Marco! Look at your mate. She needs you more than this filth deserves your wrath."
Marco's grip tightened for one last agonizing second before he threw Samuel to the ground like a worthless rag.
Marco's gaze snapped to me, and the pure rage in his eyes softened into something else,something raw and desperate.
Samuel's broken body was yanked away by the warriors, his groans of pain barely registering in my mind. All I could see was Marco.
His chest rose and fell heavily, his fists still clenched, his knuckles dripping with blood. But his golden eyes were locked on me now, scanning my torn clothes, my bruised skin my trembling form.
"Matilda…" His voice was rough, strained, like he was barely holding himself together.
I flinched as he took a step toward me, my body too shaken to think clearly.
His entire expression darkened, pain flashing through his face.
"Lock him up," he ordered his warriors, not sparing Samuel another glance.
The furious Alpha disappeared, replaced by a man whose face was etched with concern.
I could barely breathe. My body felt foreign to me, my mind still trapped in terror. Then, without thinking, I moved.
Marco barely made it three steps before I threw myself at him, clutching onto his shirt like my life depended on it.
I didn't care that I was half-naked, that my torn clothes barely covered me. All I cared about was the warmth of his body, the safety of his arms.
He stiffened for half a second before his arms tightened around me, one hand pressing against the back of my head, his fingers tangling into my hair.
A low, threatening growl rumbled from his chest.
"Turn around." His voice was deadly calm.
The warriors hesitated for only a breath before spinning on their heels, facing the other direction.
That wasn't enough for Marco. His grip on me tightened, and his next words sent a chill through the air.
"If any of you so much as glance at her, I will rip your eyes from their sockets."
Silence.
I buried my face into his chest, gripping his shirt even tighter, my body shaking uncontrollably.
Marco held me tightly as my body trembled against him. The weight of everything hit me all at once. The fear, the helplessness, the relief it was too much.
I sobbed uncontrollably, my fingers digging into his shirt as if he were the only thing keeping me from falling apart.
His chest rose and fell unevenly, his breathing heavy with barely restrained rage. His grip on me was firm but careful, as if he were afraid I might break.
"You're safe," he murmured, his voice lower than a whisper, but I could hear the raw anger still laced in his words.
I barely registered the warriors turning away, following his command. It didn't matter. Nothing did.
My vision blurred. My chest ached. My body felt too heavy.
I couldn't stop crying.
Marco held me closer, rocking me slightly, his warmth surrounding me, but it wasn't enough to stop the darkness creeping in at the edges of my mind.
I was too tired. Too drained.
Then, everything faded.
I passed out in his arms.
Marco exhaled sharply, pressing his lips to my forehead a silent promise.
Then, without another word, he carried me away.
I didn't care about anything else right now only that he was the only person who could make me feel safe
"I've got you," he murmured, his voice raw with emotion. "No one will ever touch you again. I swear it."