Chapter 35: We are still bonded
Belle struggled to rise, but her body betrayed her as she had no strength left. Her vision blurred again, and every attempt to speak was met with failure. "I..." she rasped, her voice a faint whisper. Her mouth was dry, her vitality drained.
"Save that sweet little voice for your moans," the man sneered, his tone dripping with malice. He began removing his trousers, discarding them carelessly before positioning himself over her again.
"If you are a virgin, it will hurt. Otherwise, you will enjoy this far more than you think," he taunted, his hand cupping her face as he spoke. With a cruel tug, he tore away the remaining fabric of her gown, leaving her in her undergarments.
"Ple... please," Belle stammered, her voice barely audible, a desperate plea that only seemed to amuse him further.
Her eyes darted around, searching desperately for the blade the man had discarded earlier. When she spotted it lying far out of reach, a despairing hiss escaped her lips. If only she could grasp it, then and there, she could end this nightmare herself. At that moment, she resigned herself to a bitter thought. In her next life, she would pray to be born into a loving family, one that cherished her and shielded her from harm.
Just as darkness began to consume her, a faint figure appeared at the cave’s entrance—a white wolf with piercing golden eyes that glowed like embers in the dim light. For a fleeting moment, Belle thought she was hallucinating. A faint smile graced her lips before she succumbed to unconsciousness.
---
Hours later, a young woman, swathed in a warm blanket, rested her head on a man’s lap. The man was Quinn, his back leaned casually against the cave wall, his eyes closed as if in meditation. A small fire flickered in the cave, its glow casting a warm light over their resting forms.
Belle stirred, murmuring incoherent words, her grip on the blanket tightening as though caught in a nightmare. After a few seconds, her eyes fluttered open, taking in her unfamiliar surroundings.