The Unloved Luna

Charisse's POV

"Have you and Xavier been on a date yet?"

I explain, "I've only known him for two days." Surprisingly, Eva makes me feel at ease enough to speak freely. I don't feel the need to keep my ideas hidden from her.

"It was eight years before you were taken," she corrects.

"Did you know he used to have a crush on you? He stated that he was certain you were his mate."

"Really?" I inquire. Normally, you can only recognize your mate once you shift for the first time. However, youngsters with Alpha, Beta, Gamma, or Delta blood tend to shift before age sixteen. I shifted into my wolf for the first time when I was around ten or twelve, somewhere in that range.

"Xavier's wolf is stronger than any other Alpha's. His senses are even more acute than they should be, so he favored you so much." Eva elaborates.

"I wish I could remember that," I mutter as I feel her latex-gloved hands on my back.

"Your memories will gradually return, and your scars will fade." "I was abused as well," she claims.

"You were?"

"Yes. After declining to marry the Alpha of my previous pack, I was promoted to Omega."

"I was ranked lower than the Omegas." I'll start."I wasn't even allowed to be called the pack enslaved person--Alpha said I didn't deserve a title."

"I cooked, cleaned, did chores, and handled rogues-"

"How do you deal with rogues?"

I finally nodded, allowing some tears to fall. "If they were male, Alpha would have sent me out alone to force them to leave." T-the rogues took advantage of me and fled."

"Oh, Charisse, I'm so sorry it happened to you! I can't image how badly you were handled." Eva dries my back before pulling me into her arms.

"I-I-I can't go b-back." I keep my voice low. "What if they come looking for me?"

Red Stone guys have a chance of escaping with me. They are unable to abuse anyone else since Alpha will not allow it. Furthermore, Lunar Blood and Red Stone are neighbors; the only land that separates them is unclaimed rogue territory that both packs are attempting to conquer.

"Xavier can easily fight them off without an army, honey." Nobody will let them take you away." Eva states. I truly want to believe her. But Alpha James and Beta Matthews have me convinced that every time I open my eyes, I will be subjected to endless hours of torture and pain. They had broken me beyond repair.

"W-what if he likes them?" What if Xavier treats me in the same manner?"

"I know you think no one can save you, but Xavier has already done so." You'll realize the importance of friends sooner or later. Every second you spend at his side strengthens your bond; he already loves you."

"They s-said th-th-that love d-doesn't d-doesn't exist for m-me." I stutter as I struggle to keep my breathing regular.

Eva's POV

With sympathy and grief, I glance at my son's classmate. Her account of her previous life is far worse than mine. Only the cruelest, vicious monster would assign rogues to a sweet teenage girl like Charisse. Even worse, they merely came to rape her and then left.

If one rogue discovered that the Alpha of Charisse's old pack was sending her out alone and helpless, all rogues would come to use her.

When I was her age, I thought that love didn't exist for me, but being told that directly takes it to another level.

She was always happy and dreamed of meeting her soulmate. Many people would try to bring her down, but she ignored them and kept her head held high-the fact that she was terrified of almost everyone meant that the pack that kidnapped her did everything they could to break her.

"Charisse, your old pack is incorrect. Everyone will fall in love and adore you the moment they meet you. Remember that most pack members knew you as a child, and everyone had been waiting for you to return."

"I don't have a place to call home." Charisse murmurs.

"Everyone has a place to live. Your home is here in Lunar Blood, with Brad and Xavier."

Charisse's POV

"We should go grocery shopping next week," Eva recommends using coconut butter lotion on my scars. According to her, if used daily, it lightens scars and marks.

"No, it's okay-"

"Do you know your bra size?" she asks, disregarding me.

"No."

"Raise your arms; I know how to measure," she says as she pulls out a measuring tape.

I smelled Xavier five minutes after I found out my bra size.

"Don't even think about coming in here, you spawn!" Eva dials.

"Spawn?" I inquire quietly.

"Because I pushed him out of me and gave him life, Xavier is my spawn."

"Are both of you fully clothed?" he inquires.

Eva does not respond.

"Charisse, are you both dressed properly?" I nodded, then realized he couldn't see me.

"Yes." I react, trying to be as loud and clear as possible.

"Are there no razors out there?" "Isn't anyone shaving?"

"No, nothing's out."

Xavier walks directly toward me after opening the unlocked door. When he wraps an arm around my waist, I cringe at his tall, muscular body but relax. "You smell like cocoa butter," he says as he takes a whiff of me.

"It's called cocoa butter lotion, stupid." Eva sighs and rolls her eyes.

"Why did you come here?" Xavier requests that I sit on his lap. Eva makes silent eye contact with me and says, "You need to tell him." I trace lines on my wrist instinctively, slightly shaking my head.

"I became bored. If your father phones, I'll be in Walmart."

"Why didn't you just call Dad and tell him you were coming here?"

Eva shrugs and says, "I didn't feel like it."

The doorbell goes off.

"He's got here."

"Bye, Mom," Xavier grumbles and pecks my cheek. His lips are gentle, yet his facial stubble irritates my skin.

"Are you hungry?" My head shakes. He hands me a little pill and adds, "These are supposed to make you eat more."

Swallowing it, I wince as it slides down my parched throat. "How was your day at work?" I inquired, my hands in my lap.

"Boring. "I don't have anything to do."

"Xavier!" Eva yells from the basement. "Your father wants to see both you and Charisse!"

Xavier mutters.

He places crutches under my arms and grabs my waist to assist me in standing. "It's like I'm living with them again," he murmurs.

"How's it going with your back?" "Does it still hurt?" My head shakes.

"I can't feel it; it's numb."

When we arrive downstairs, Eva and, I assume, Xavier's father is in the living room. When we take on his intimidating form, my wolf whimpers.

Xavier is taller and intimidating, but I've seen his good side. "Son, why do you smell like a coconut?" inquires a deep male voice.

"It's Charisse." Xavier moves his arm to make me visible.

"Oh, goddess, it's you." The only feeling on his father's face is shock. He makes a stride forward, but I reflexively take a step back.

He gives me a perplexed look, and I lower my head to gaze at the ground. The only difference between him and Xavier is their eye color and age: both are equally terrifying.

"Charisse, don't you remember me?" That is the first question everyone asks me. My head shakes.

"Well, then, we're going to leave." After a few moments of stillness, Eva says. "We should have dinner soon!"

"Are you afraid of my dad?" Xavier inquires as to when they will go. I'm still determining whether or not to respond.

He'll be upset because I'm not responding if I don't. But if I tell him the truth and say I'm terrified of his father, he might get angry and attack me. I could also lie and pretend I'm not afraid, but he'll catch me, and the penalty will be harsher.

"Sweetheart, are you afraid of me, too?" he asks as I sit on the couch facing him. I nod slowly without looking at him in the eyes.

I cringe and almost jump away from him when he lifts his hand at me. He appears both surprised and hurt by my behavior. "You thought I was going to hit you?"

As I nod, tears well up in my eyes. Shifters are taught as children that their mates will love and protect them no matter what, but I'm terrified that mine will mistreat me just like everyone else. "I would never hit you, baby." That's something I've said before. I will never mistreat, abuse, or starve you."

I bury my face in his chest and let the tears flow. They're soaking his shirt, but he doesn't seem to mind. "What else did they do to you?"

There is one thing I haven't told Xavier yet. He is aware that they separated me from my family and friends, beat my childhood memories out of me, tormented, starved, and tortured me, yet, he is unaware that they also took my innocence.

Red Stone robbed me of everything worthwhile.

They ensured I had nothing, from my home to fundamental werewolf rights.

"I don't w-want y-you to h-hate m-me." I sob.

"I will never hate you, no matter what they did." I'm not upset with you, even if I appear to be. "I'll be angry at them," he says ahead of time.

I take a long breath and murmur, "Th-they r-raped m-m-me."