Page 28 of Hidden Pain

“I’m never powerless. I exposed Selene after all. What would happen if I did the same to you? You’d be the one on the table as an experiment. I’ll show the world what you are. Let’s see what the humans do when they are pushed.”

Nuka slammed his fist into the wall behind her.

“You wouldn’t dare,” Nuka said with certainty, and deep in her gut, Lily knew the kindness he’d once shown her would indeed prevent her from exposing him. She was weak, and he knew it. When he’d said she’d never grown up, he was right. A part of her still remained back in the cage of her youth. She needed to fool him into thinking she would be capable of it, though. She had to embrace the new found strength Hunter and Kingsley had given her.

“Try me?” she retorted through gritted teeth.

Nuka laughed. The fist he’d just slammed against the wall moved to her face. He stroked his hand down the side of her cheek again, but this time it kept moving: over the curve of her breast and lower until he reached between her thighs and grabbed hold of her cleft.

“Remember one thing, Lily. Be mindful of what you say to those around you. I know where you’ve come from…I even know what cage you grew up in, and I won’t hesitate to put you back in there if you get involved in my plans.” Nuka’s warning was drilled into her with a menacing look in his eyes. He stepped back, clicked his fingers, and a magical mist swirled around him before he disappeared.

“What the fuck is going on?” Lily heard from behind her and turned to see Hunter, standing in the door frame with his arms folded across his chest. His nose waggled as he sniffed Nuka Lincoln’s scent all around her.

Chapter Sixteen

Hunter wanted to hit something…anything. He’d seen the image of a man disappear from beside Lily, and the scent of Nuka Lincoln filled the air. His initial worry was that Nuka had returned to claim Lily, and they were working together. But the instant he saw the tears in her eyes, and the bruise forming on her skin, he knew that Nuka had been delivering a warning, not seeking the return of his possession.

“What the hell did he do to you?” Hunter crossed the floor and scooped Lily up into his arms. She cried out in pain, and he laid her carefully on the bed. “Jessica, I need your help!” he called into the air, hoping the witch could hear him and would come. If not, he’d have to leave Lily to find Selene, and he didn’t want to do that. Where the hell was Kingsley? Why was Lily alone?

“I’m ok.” Lily tried to reassure him, but her breath was labored with pain every time she inhaled.

“Jessica!” Hunter ignored Lily and called for the witch again.

“His grandfather is alive,” Lily informed him.

“Whose?” Hunter questioned not understanding what was being said.

“Kas’,” Lily clarified.

The air crackled, and Jessica appeared in the room.

“What’s happened?” the Glacial Blood witch asked, moving instantly to Lily on the bed with a look of concern on her face.

“Nuka was here. He’s hurt Lily.” A thought suddenly hit Hunter. Had Nuka abused Lily sexually?

“Did he…hurt you…down there?” Hunter’s wolf was baying for blood. It was pacing and roaring out a battle cry inside him, and he was struggling to tamper it down. If Lily told him Nuka had raped her, then he would lose it for certain.

Lily shook her head.

“No, he hit me and kicked me. I think my ribs might be broken.” Her breathing was getting more labored as she tried to speak.

“Stay quiet, and relax,” Jessica told Lily. The witch placed her hands over Lily’s ribs, and magic swirled in the room.

“Please be ok,” Hunter whispered an almost silent prayer. Jessica must have heard him, though, for she looked up and smiled at him knowingly.

“The ribs are broken. He kicked you very hard.” The witch shook her head disapprovingly. “I’ll heal them back to together. A human would be sore for a couple of days afterward, but the natural shifter metabolism repairs itself quickly, so hopefully, it will stop that from happening. Do you want me to fix the bruising on your cheek as well?”

Lily shook her head. Hunter growled—the low rumble erupted from his throat, expelling the pent up frustration within him.

“This’ll take me a few minutes, Hunter. Why don’t you sit down and let me work?” Jessica pointed at a chair.

“I’d rather take my pack and rip Nuka Lincoln limb from limb,” the wolf snapped.

Jessica rolled her eyes. “I think you’ll find there’s a rather long queue of people who want to do that. Now sit.”

The witch flicked a finger, and the next thing Hunter knew, he was seated in the chair with magical cuffs around his wrists, and Lily was sitting up in the bed and thanking Jessica for healing her.

“What the hell did you do to me?” Hunter was pissed that the witch had used her magic on him.

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