Page 105 of Aine

He’s going to punish me for dirtying him.

“It’s okay,” Alex whispers, his voice soothing as he grabs my hands and gently pries them off his skin. I remain still as he looks over my bare form, his attention lingering on my thighs before he clears his throat and looks away.

A part of me wants to cover myself and hide in shame for what I made Owen do, but I remain still in self-punishment. If I hadn’t made Owen so angry and been a better girl, he wouldn’t have been forced to hurt me.

This is my fault.

“Aine—” Alex exhales, his eyes damp. “I—”

My attention slides to his arm as he lifts a shaky hand and pushes away the hair that’s fallen over his eyes. He gulps, tilting his head to the side before moving to the left and clearing the path between me and Damien.

Damien charges in my direction, shifting mid-step as Alex did and skidding to a halt at my feet. Damien’s arms are wrapped around my waist and his face is buried in my neck before I can process what’s happening.

What’s he doing?

Owen promised Damien would beat and hate me for what I’ve done. Fear spreads through my veins like wildfire as Damien continues to press his body against mine, his skin warm and coated with blood from the beasts he fought.

“Aine.” He sighs into my hair, or at least what’s left of it. “I was so scared.”

His eyes are full of pain as he pulls back and looks me over as Alex did. I can’t bring myself to watch his face, too ashamed to see the disgust I know lives on it. He felt me kissing Owen. He felt me being fondled by Owen. He felt me forcing Owen to punish me. He felt everything, and I’m not ready to face it yet.

“I’ll get her some clothes,” Alex says, his fingers curling around Damien’s shoulder.

The shoulder that’s missing a sizable chunk of skin. My chest burns as I scan Damien, noting the number of cuts and bites he’s endured. He fought hard, and each scrape has my guilt mounting.

They shouldn’t have come.

“We’re going to take you home, okay? Nobody’s going to hurt you again,” Damien whispers, reaching toward me with slow movements.

I flinch, not trusting his motives. He’s too intelligent to be tricked by the mate bond like this. He’ll lure me into a sense of security and strike when I least expect it. Just like Owen promised he would.

Damien’s pupils dilate as he freezes, his hand hesitating where it reaches for me. It remains suspended in the air as he struggles to determine what to do next, and with a quiet sigh, he drops it back to his thighs.

He doesn’t know how to engage with me.

I don’t know how to react.

The column of his throat twitches as he gulps, his head turning slightly as Alex approaches with an oversized shirt. I don’t have enough strength to move my limbs, and I try not to look too petrified as Damien sets the fabric over my head and helps ease my arms through the holes.

I frown as I recognize the shirt to be Damien’s. I’m going to ruin it.

My shoulders scream as I force my arms to my front and tug gently at the hem. I know I’m not going to be able to take it off myself, and I look to Alex and Damien in desperation. They seem confused as they glance between me and the shirt.

Damien is the first to speak. “You don’t like it?”

I shake my head.

“Do you want us to take it off?” Alex guesses.

I nod.

“Do you want one of my shirts instead?” he asks.

I shake my head again. I don’t deserve to wear anything.

The quiet rumbling from Damien’s chest draws my attention from the guessing game I’m currently engaged in. Have I made him upset? I don’t want him thinking I don’t appreciate his kind gestures.

Opening my mouth to apologize, my face crumbles when I’m still unable to force any words out. Both Damien and Alex stare at me with clear anticipation and worry as I try to speak, my mouth gaping open before I give up and shut it all together.

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