Apprehended By My Mate novel Chapter 67

"It's about my mother isn't it?" I sigh and tighten my arms around Clare.

"Yes." I hear her take a deep breath and I feel her tighten her hold on me.

"She is dying, isn't she?" She ask in child a small and childlike voice that my hear breaks.

"How did you know?" I hear her sniffle and know she is going to cry.

"I am not stupid Conner."

"I never said you were Clare. You are a very smart women." I feel her tears on my bare chest and her body shakes as she cries.

"I knew something was wrong. My father love my mother very much and would never go anywhere without her." I kiss her head as I just let her cry because the truth is there is nothing I can do at the moment. I just hold Clare until she cries herself back to sleep.

"She took it better than I thought but then again it is probably the drugs that are keeping her calm. I wish I could take away her pain because it hurts me every time to see her in so much pain and agony. I can feel my wolf careful touch hers offering a comfort I cannot provide. My wolf settle back down telling me that everything is fine with our mate at the moment. So I fall asleep knowing that Clare is alright at the moment.

Clare

I wake up before Conner the next morning. I am wrapped tightly around him and I am scared that if I move everything will fall apart. Conner is like the glue. I am the broken pieces and he is the glue keeping everything in place. I knew the moment I sat down with my father that something was wrong with Mum. Dad never goes away without taking Mum with him. I feel Conner stir and I watch as he slowly wakes up.

"Morning." He goes to unwrap his arms but I shake my head.

"Don't please, j-j- just, just hold me." I stutter and Conner complies my keep his arms around me.

"What's wrong Clare?" He ask softly while stroking my hair.

"You once asked how I got the scar on my face. Before we go down I want to tell you."

I knew Derek was gone for the day and I knew this was my only chance. I couldn't deal living like this anymore. I didn't want to give Derek a child that he has been demanding for, after he broke my jaw I knew I couldn't do it anymore. He would never let me kill myself so I knew the only chance I had for survival was to run.

I waited until I heard his car disappeared down the street before I grabbed my bag shoving as many clothes' into it as I can. My heart is pounding in my chest and a fine sheer of sweat breaks across my skin from pain and nerves. I quickly grab some money and food shoving it into my bag as fast as I can.

I run to the back door and pull out the key I stole from Derek this morning while he was still sleeping. I open then back door a take a deep breath. It has been almost two years since I smelt the fresh air. I look out into the forest in the distance and I can almost taste my freedom.

I take a step out the door and my body screams in pain from last night's beating. I don't dwell on the pain as I take off into a slow sprint into the woods. I keep running and looking behind as paranoia settles deep into my bones. My heart is beating like crazy and it is not from running. I hear a twig snap making me stop and turn in the direction of the sound.

"Well what do we have here?" I become paralysed with fear as Paul Derek's mate comes out of the bushes.