Apprehended By My Mate novel Chapter 61

Ivy follows my gaze and I watch as she frowns with a faraway look in her eyes. She turns back to my with a solemn look on her face.

"You should go over and see him." She nods in the direction of Conner and I feel my stomach drop as I walk slowly over to him. I stand in front of Conner in a bundle of nerves. I slowly look up and swallow the lump in my throat.

"Hey." My voice is slightly husky from the dryness in my throat. Conner looks down at me and holds out his hand. He doesn't say anything as I place mine in his and he leads us over to the swings. I sit down in one and he sits in the other as he watches Grace play around in the sand box.

"Is what you said true?" I slightly push my legs back and forth swinging on the swing. I want to avoid the question but I knew this time would come where Conner finds out just how bad I had it with Derek.

"Yes, but there is no point getting mad over something that you had no control over." Conner still doesn't say anything so I just start rambling.

"It wasn't that bad, I mean of course it was, but I was so used to it that it was weird when he didn't do anything to me and left me alone. Sometimes I wished for the pain because it meant that I could still feel and was still capable of having emotions. The abuse didn't start until after the first year of being with him. He never let me out and always had me doing chores around the house or he would lock me in the dark room."

"The first time he hit me was when I was about half a year of being with him. I was almost 6 at the time. I didn't even see his hand coming. I was so shocked that I didn't even move. Derek kept apologising over and over again telling me how much he loved me and how sorry he was, I believed him. The real abuse didn't start until after we mated for about 3 months." I take a deep breath and keep talking.

"I remember waking up, I was confused to where I was the last thing I remembered was eating dinner with Derek. I found my hands and feet hand cuffed to a chair. I was in a dark room that smelled of dry blood. I don't remember how long I was in darkness before Derek walked in."

"I remember asking him what was going on as he walked around the room. He kept telling me that he loved me and it was for the best. I was crying and pulling at my hands and feet that the cuffs began to cut into my skin, but that was nothing compared to what can next. He had knives and he just sliced up my skin telling me that he loved me over and over again. I passed out and when I woke up I was back in our bed. I thought it was a dream until I looked down at my body. From there on out he would punish me for anything any chance to hurt me." I am rambling I know that, something I used to do when I was younger.

"She wasn't made out of love. She wouldn't even be here if I had it my way. I didn't want to have a child that had to grow up in the environment I was living in." Conner's hand doesn't leave my face and I know that having skin to skin contact is keeping his wolf at bay.

"It's ok Conner. Without Grace I wouldn't have found the courage to leave, meaning I would never have met you. Aside from Grace you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I think I might be falling in love with you." I hear his sharp intake of breath as I place my hand on his face.

"Clare,"

"No, you don't need to say anything back but I want to let you know that I think wait no I know I am falling in love with Conner. I have never been loved by anyone other my parents. Derek didn't love me I thought he did but he didn't. You have taught me what it is like to have someone who treats you as an equal." I lean forehead and give his head a soft kiss before pulling back.