Conrad wanted to ask Cynthia about the nightmares. However, he was concerned he would trigger more. So, he just held her. Cynthia seemed to know he wanted to ask and appreciated the fact he didn't.
She leaned into his strong chest, wrapped in his arms and sighed.
"Conrad?"
"Yes,my love?"
"ummm. I want to tell you but I am afraid."
"Afraid of what? I am here. I won't leave you."
"Maybe not, but you might be disgusted by me."
"Never. I am here whenever you feel like you can share."
"Thank you." she said quietly.
Time seemed to stop. The sun came up eventually and Cynthia looked up at Conrad, whose brows were furrowed. "Conrad?"
"Yes, my love?" he looked down at her lovingly.
"The hunter beat me every night. He used a silver tipped whip and a silver knife." She squirmed out of his embrace and lifted up the t shirt and showed him her back. The scars were awful. She had never asked Athena to heal them. He asked if he could touch them. She closed her eyes and shook her head,"yes." He traced each scar with his index finger of his right hand and kissed each scar gently. And they miraculously healed. By the time he was done touching and kissing them there was not one scar left. "Cynthia,he healed us!" Athena whispered. Cynthia felt the sparks from his touch but she did not know he was healing her! "There." Conrad said quietly, 'All healed. No more reminders on your back of what that pack and hunter did to you." "How...How did you do that? " Cynthia was baffled and confused.
"I don't really know." Conrad admitted. I just know I wanted you to forget, to not be scarred and wounded by those bastards anymore and the scars disappeared under my kisses." He scratched his head and realized that this was not normal. But he wasn't going to question it now. Cynthia needed healing and if the Moon Goddess was using his kisses to do so he was fine with that.
"You mentioned a silver knife being used on you?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
Cynthia paused. It was on her left thigh, high and inside. She was too shy to show him.
"Please,my love. Let me see?" Conrad was nearly begging. He wanted to heal her.
She was still too shy to show him.
"Cynthia?"
"Yes."
"Do you trust me?"
"Yes, strange but I do."
"Then show me please."
She asked him to turn around. He did. She grabbed a sheet from the bed,pulled off the sweatpants and uncovered her left leg all the way up to near her panties. There, near the panty line on the inside of her left thigh was a nasty scar. It was 3 inches long and jagged. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and softly said, "Ok."
Conrad turned and saw her gorgeous long leg. He gulped. "Oh my," he thought to himself, "This is going to take a lot of self control." Leo was spinning in his mind full of "Mate.Mate." thoughts. "Not helpful,wolf. Settle down. This is not about us!" "Fine!" and Leo retreated to the back of his mind.Conrad put up a block so Leo wouldn't again interfere.
Conrad sat beside Cynthia. He placed his hand on her cheek and kissed her forehead. She kept her eyes closed and sighed again. "Ready, love?" "Yes." He gently touched the scar with his index finger and traced it. She shuddered. It wasn't that the scar hurt but his touch...well, it excited her.And THAT embarassed her. He lowered his head to kiss the scar and he almost lost himself in her scent. "Goddess, help me!" he thought. She was delicious and he was so close to her womanly parts. He kissed the bottom of the scar and slowly kissed upward to the top end which was just inches from her panty. He inhaled and almost went feral. But he didn't. He couldn't scare her.He was here now to help her heal not gain another nightmare. He would wait for her to be ready. Better yet, for her to come to him.
Her breathing was becoming erratic and the smell of her arousal was quite strong. He bit his tongue and then came up and kissed her forehead,covered her leg and said, in a more husky voice than he intended, "There. All healed."
Cynthia opened her eyes and saw the golden flicker in Conrad's eyes, knowing his wolf wanted out. He looked into her eyes and saw the flecks of purple and knew her wolf felt the same way. He chuckled and she blushed. Yes, one day...but not today. And something in her heart moved once again.
They sat there together for a while. Conrad mindlinked his father and Beta to carry on their duties as if he was not here and to send Timothy up to guard his bedroom door. Timothy was his third in command, his Gamma and another best friend. He was mated and as the Gamma his duty would be to protect the Luna (the mate of the Alpha...Conrad's mate) with his life. It was proper for Timothy to stand guard. Cynthia would have to get to know Timothy eventually. Better sooner than later, thought Conrad. After doing that he picked Cynthia up and placed her on the bed and climbed in beside her to just hold her.
Silence.
But it was a good silence. A calm silence .
After a while Cynthia spoke again,"Conrad?"
"Yes,my love?"
"The pack called me 'a worthless piece of crap'...they slapped me, she-wolves and males alike. They would.kick me and punch me and step on my hands to break my bones." She gulped and swallowed her tears. He sat and waited for her to continue. "They poured dirty cleaning water on me and spat on me. I was less than nothing." A sob escaped her and he held her tighter.
Conrad was really fighting his wolf's urge to gather his warriors and destroy the entire Silver moon pack right now. He took deep breaths and closed his eyes. And just held her. He was genuinely afraid of what he would say or do if he did anything else. She felt his anger rising and trembled, "I am sorry. I am.worthless.You deserve better..." He cut her off. "No... do not ever say that and do not ever believe that! Lies! All lies! You are beautiful, perfect for.me. I am.angry,not at you, but on your behalf. I want to destroy that pack! " She was rubbing circles on his arm to calm him.
"Thank you." she said quietly. 'Anything for you,my love." He closed his eyes and counted to twenty to calm down.
As Cynthia slept in his arms, Conrad mindlinked Simon again. "Simon, ready 20 warriors, our best. Make the group both male and female.If all goes well, we will be leaving in two weeks for the Silver Moon pack." "Yes ,Alpha." Simon did not have to ask why.He knew. That pack would pay for the abuse to Alpha Conrad's mate and for breaking werewolf law in abusing slaves and females. Simon had gathered that much from what Conrad had mindlinked him so far. Simon did not know the specifics but he knew enough.
The morning was gone and Conrad's hunger was starting to get to him He figured Cynthia had to be hungry as well. Instead of bothering Simon, he mindlinked to Timothy, standing guard outside his bedroom door. "Tomothy?"
"Yes, Alpha." "Leave and grab some lunch for my mate and me, please."
"Yes,Alpha." He woke Cynthia and told her that lunch was on its way. She rolled over and looked up at him and smiled. Conrad was already addicted to her smile. It melted him. He also warned her she would be meeting his Gamma who would be her protector when he was not with her. She was scared. He assured her that it would be alright. Just then there was a knock on the door. Conrad got up and opened the door. There stood a man as imposing as Conrad himself, almost. Cynthia stared. Timothy smiled at her and Conrad gave out a low growl. Timothy started and backed part way out the door as Cynthia giggled. "Jealous are you? Of your own Gamma?" Timothy looked at Conrad and smirked,"I have a mate,Alpha. I have no interest in yours,our Luna. Not any perverse way. I will guard her with my life because she is our Luna,your mate,Alpha. My word as a warrior and a werewolf. " Timothy bowed and gave Conrad the tray of sandwiches and water bottles. Conrad nodded and shut the door. He blushed as he walked towards Cynthia."Sorry about that. I guess I just have to work on sharing you some!" Cynthia laughed out loud. "It's ok. I would be the same way if a she-wolf came near you.Maybe worse!" He smiled.
They ate lunch together and he asked her is she was up to meeting just a few others pack members. She said yes and he mindlinked Simon and his Father. In a few minutes there was a knock on the door. Conrad had not relocked the door when Timothy left so he just asked them to come in.
Conrad sat holding Cynthia on the bed. His back was against the head board and she was laying against his chest. He felt her stiffen and her breathing increase. "It is alright. This is my Father,Tom the former Alpha." Tom bowed his head towards Cynthia,"And acting Alpha now" ...Tom chuckled and Conrad rolled his eyes. Simon bowed and said, "Simon, Beta of the Blood Moon pack at your service ma'am. We have waited a long time for you. And may I say you are indeed worth the wait." Conrad growled and Cynthia giggled into her hand. Simon rolled his eyes at Conrad and then smiled at Cynthia. Tom smacked Simon's back of his head and reminded him she was their Luna,not some she-wolf to flirt with. Simon was incensed. "I honestly meant what I said.She is beautiful and she is indeed worth the wait. Is she not?" Tom grabbed Simon by the collar and apologetically left the room closing the door behind them. Once outside the door, Conrad and Cynthia could hear Tom dressing down Simon for being to forward with Cynthia. "It's too damn soon to start that,boy!" Tom roared.