Page 4 of Awakening

He shrugs. “So far, so good.”

“He’ll kill you when he finds you. You’ve taken things too far this time.”

“I didn’t ask for your fucking opinion, Olivia. I’m sick and fucking tired of Ethan taking it all! I’m the one,” he yells, beating his fist against his chest, “doing the taking this time!”

“Is this about the girl you used to date? Jesus, Ian, that was years ago. She wasn’t even your mate!”

I cower as he turns and punches the wall. “She was mine!”

Wringing my hands together, I notice something feels different. Bare. “Where’s my engagement ring?”

“Gone. You won’t be needing it anymore.”

“Why? What are you going to do with me?” I ask as my voice shakes.

“I’m going to ruin Ethan by destroying everything he loves.” Ian looks at my baby bump with disgust, and my heart leaps into my throat.

“Ian, no.” Adrenaline kicks in, and I shake my head as I stand to scramble away from him. “Please. I’m begging you. Please don’t hurt her. She’s just an innocent baby.”

“Her?” He laughs. “Yeah, right. Like I believe you aren’t just saying that to make me think you aren’t carrying the next Alpha.”

“It’s true,” I say as tears start to roll down my cheeks. “We’re having a girl. It shouldn’t matter, though. You can’t hurt an innocent baby, Ian. Come on! Are you really that cruel?”

“You should know the answer to that by now,” he says with a shrug.

“You’re insane.” The warmth of my tears rolls down my cheeks.

“That’s what they all keep saying,” he says with a smirk. He then tosses a sandwich in a plastic bag onto the mattress. “I brought you dinner. See, I can be nice.”

He really is insane. My mouth drops open and I shake my head. “You brought me food? Do you really think I’d be crazy enough to eat anything you would give me?”

“Suit yourself. Eat or don’t eat. It makes no difference to me. I’m afraid this is nonnegotiable, however,” he says, taking a syringe out of his pocket.

My heart throbs, and my body shakes as I search for any possible escape. “Ian, no. Please. Please, don’t do this. Please, don’t hurt my baby,” I say through sobs. I try to dodge him, but he lunges at me, wrapping his arms around me as he presses my back to his chest.

“You’re only going to make it harder on yourself if you fight me. Lucky for you, I don’t mind a fight,” he says, and my stomach rolls as his warm breath moistens my ear. Before I have time to react, he jabs the needle into my arm, then releases me, shoving me forward into the wall. I bring my hands to cover my face, and I slide down the wall as my body is engulfed in sobs.

“Behave yourself like a good girl, and I might give you an opportunity to save your life.”

“You’re sick. You really are. You unfeeling, despicable, sick fuck.”

“It’s a shame things had to go this way. I kind of like you, Olivia,” he says with a smirk. Without another word, he leaves the room and I hear him lock the door on the other side.

“Ethan, please. You have to hurry. Please find us,” I say through my tears as I curl myself into a ball on the mattress. My eyelids grow heavy despite my anguish. “Stay strong, sweet girl. Mommy is going to find a way to get us out of this.”

Loud banging and the sound of a key in the door startle me awake with a gasp. “Get up,” Ian says as he barges into the room. I must have been out the entire night.

Sitting up, I have an urgent need to empty my bladder. I stand and head toward the bathroom, but Ian grabs my wrist, yanking me back to him.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

“Let go of me. I’m pregnant. I need to use the bathroom.”

“Ask nicely,” he says, taunting me with a wide grin.

“Screw you.”

He shrugs and his grip tightens. “Suffer then.”

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