“Do you think we should check on her?” she asked, pulling back to look up at him.
Isaac frowned at her. “I think we should let her have some alone time,” he told her gently, she frowned at him. “Knowing Tasha, she’d just want to be alone.”
I raised my eyebrows, he did know me, maybe we were friends? I don’t know but it was nice to know that he cared. I didn’t realise how much I’d cared for our friendship before, because I never really seen us as friends, we hung out and joked, but I just thought of him as Anna’s boyfriend. It made me smile knowing I had another friend, I’d never really had them before.
“You’re right,” she told him with a sigh. “I’ll check on her in the morning.” I could see her bottom lip quiver and she bit it. “Did you see the bruises he left on her? He must’ve been holding her really tight.”
Isaac shook his head. “Yeah I did, I also heard her ribs fucking crack,” he told her darkly. “I’m going to have a word with Oliver tomorrow when he’s sobered up.”
“Thank you,” Anna told him, then he pulled her back along the pool to the bar, ordering drinks. It felt weird listening in on their conversation, but it was also sweet at the same time.
I sighed in relief. Sterling pulled me closer to him. “I’m glad your friends care about you like they do,” he said, he chuckled darkly. “Isaac was walking over to beat the shit out of Oliver right before I beat him to it. I couldn’t let him get away with hurting you like that.” He groaned. “I’m going to have to tell Rushford about Oliver so he can deal with him tomorrow, he was out of line and out of control. He was seconds from turning and he could have ripped you to shreds.” He groaned. “I can’t believe he let himself lose control like that, he’s meant to be an Alpha.”
Grabbing hold of his hand, I squeezed. “It’s okay,” I told him, gently, trying to make him feel better.
He turned towards me, his eyes narrowed. “It’s not okay,” he grumbled.
“I know, but I’m okay because you were there… again… you know what? You’re always saving me,” I told him truthfully. It was true. He saved me from living a shitty life and stripping for a living, he saved me from the werewolves that night, he saved me from Oliver, he’s caught me when I tripped. Maybe, just maybe, we were meant for each other.
Sterling chuckled, pulling me into his arms and onto his lap, and we just sat like that, me sitting in his lap, my head on his chest and his arms around my waist. It felt right. His hand lightly stroked up and down my spine, sending goosebumps along my flesh. “You don’t need me to save you, but I like to,” he replied, kissing my head softly.
My heart lurched in my chest and I smiled. “Good, because I like it when you do too,” I admitted. I pulled out of his arms, looking into his deep brown eyes, feeling like my heart was going to thump so hard it was going to break free of my chest.
We held onto each other, my whole waist ached, but Sterling’s touch was featherlight. Pulling back to look up at Sterling, I leaned forwards, brushing my lips against his, my hand running up his chest, brushing against his stubble, he kissed me back gently. “Let’s get out of here?” I suggested, pulling back.
Sterling chuckled. “Come on,” he told me, reaching for my hand and pulling me out of the little cave, through the sheet of water and out of the pool. We let go and walked in silence back to the bungalows, checking to see if anybody was watching as I stepped into his.
Walking into the bathroom, I stripped off my bikini, heading for the shower, turning it on, waiting for the water to warm up, then stepping underneath, letting it wash over me. I let the shock, fear and sadness flood free from my body from Oliver, it burst from my chest as a sob escaped and I cried, unable to hold on any longer, my legs shook and I fell to the ground, holding my knees to my chest. My trust in Oliver faltered, and I could never look at him the same way again, I didn’t think our friendship would recover and that also made me sad.
In a flash Sterling was in front of me, his eyes full of sorrow as he knelt down in front of me underneath the water, pulling me into his arms and I cried as he held me, unable to feel embarrassed, just sadness and relief, he didn’t say anything as he held me. Eventually the tears stopped, I wiped them from my eyes, my eyelids felt like sandpaper had been scraping along it. “Sorry,” I apologised, feeling slightly embarrassed for my emotional breakdown.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Sterling spoke gently, rubbing small circles into my back.
“I just didn’t realise how much it had affected me,” I told him truthfully.
“Of course, it affected you,” he told me. “He’s your friend and he hurt you, emotionally and physically.”
Looking up at him, I nodded, not leaning out. Sterling held me, and when I could eventually stand, he stepped back, washed my body, wrapped me in a towel and dried me off, pulled his shirt over me and carried me to bed, jumping in the shower himself. When he came back out, he just lay down next to me, his arms wrapped around me, pulling me into his chest, and we lay like that until I fell to sleep.
Chapter 12:
I woke to unbearable pain across my waist and gasped, my eyes widened as tears pricked my eyes, I bit down on my lip hard so I didn’t cry out, my teeth sank to far into my lip, causing blood to spill from my lip. I groaned.
Sterling came walking into the room with a plate of food and drinks in the other hand, he stopped when he seen me, I must have looked like a mess. He sped towards me in a blur, putting everything on the nightstand, sitting down on the bed, looking at me worriedly.
“Are you okay?” he asked, worry in his voice.
I gasped out in pain, my body hurt, and I blinked back the tears, unable to speak, just lying there unable to move. I shook my head. He gently tugged the blanket off me, pulling the shirt up to my chest. He growled, standing up suddenly, rage contorting across his face.
I was too nervous to look down at my body, but from his reaction I knew it was bad, I also didn’t think I could bend to look at it.
“Why aren’t I healing?” I croaked.
Sterling’s lips were in a tight line but as he turned to look at me his face softened. “Because a werewolf did this. An Alpha, at that.” He sighed. “We don’t heal the same when we’ve been injured from a werewolf. The higher up they are in the pack, the worst it is. That’s why when you spar with Grace you have bruises for a few days.”
I sat up slightly with a groan, grinding my teeth together to stop myself from crying out in pain. Leaning over to the table to grab a drink, but as I moved my arm up, pain travelled up my body and I cried out, gasping for air but nothing came.
Sterling grabbed the glass. “It didn’t hurt this bad last night,” I ground out.
“That’s because of the shock and adrenaline,” he replied, looking deeply upset at me being in pain, like it was hurting him too.
He held the glass of red liquid to my lips, and I swallowed greedily, pain overwhelming me every time I swallowed. I pulled back and he set the glass down.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed, groaning in pain as I did, trying to push it back, I stood up on shaky legs, Sterling grabbed hold of my arm. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“I just want to grab my notebook,” I told him, refusing to groan in pain. I held my head high, pulling my arm free from Sterling’s walking over to the lounge, sitting down, grabbing my notebook and unlocked it.
I had a message from Anna, I opened it.
11pm Anna: I couldn’t find you, I hope you’re okay! Let me know if you need anything!
Anna: How are you this morning?
I hit reply.
Tash: I hurt. Probably won’t be doing much today, have extra fun for me though.
I put the notebook down, laying my head back on the couch. Sterling sat next to me. Footsteps along the pier, pulled me out of my silent wallowing, I pushed out with my vampire hearing and heard a knock on the door of my bungalow, my head snapped towards the door, Sterling’s did too. Pushing out with my vampire hear
ing I focused on whoever it was outside my bungalow, stiffening. A moment later a sigh and another knock, slightly louder.
When I didn’t answer the person knocked louder, more insistent. “Tash!” Oliver’s voice called out and I stiffened. Sterling fell incredibly still, a murderous look crossed his face.
“Please talk to me!” Oliver pleaded, he knocked on the door even harder. “Look I’m sorry!” He knocked harder. “Please open the door!”
Silence. But he didn’t leave. “Tash! Please!” he pleaded. “I don’t know what came over me!” Nothing. Then he started pounding on the door. “Just answer me! I need to know you’re okay!”
“I’m going to kill him,” Sterling growled, and as I looked up at him in shock, I honestly believed he would in that moment.
“Don’t go out there,” I pleaded.
“Leave her the fuck alone Oliver!” Isaac growled from outside. “If she doesn’t want to talk to you, she doesn’t have to!”
“I’d never hurt her on purpose!” Oliver whimpered.
“Well you did, so if you don’t leave, I’ll make you!” Isaac shouted at him.
Oliver howled sadly, running off down the pier. Isaac walked off down to his bungalow, slamming the door shut. I tuned back out, not needing to hear anymore.
“I like him,” Sterling stated, looking pleased. “Isaac, I mean.”
I smiled. “Me too.”
The day passed by slowly, Sterling grabbed me glasses of blood to drink throughout the whole day as I couldn’t eat. The pain hurt so much but he made me drink anyways, he kept me hydrated with water and blood, so I’d heal quicker, but it felt like I wasn’t right now.
We spent the day lying in bed, talking occasionally, I drifted in and out of sleep. I hurt so much it was all I could think about but Sterling laid beside me the whole time, reading his book while I slept and watching me as we laid there in silence, he’d kiss my cheek or forehead, his arm laid low on my hips.
I finally got up out of bed with a groan of pain, pulling Sterling’s shirt off, walking into the bathroom to look at myself in the mirror. Sterling followed, watching me limp towards the mirror.
Steeling my nerves, I took a deep breath in, looking up, I gasped in horror. My waist and abdomen had large bruises all over it. They were a black and deep purple, no wonder why I hurt so much, I bit my lip, there were dark bruises over my ribs where they had cracked.
I turned away from my bruised body, walking back to the bed, feeling hideous, Sterling followed behind and I tried not to wince in pain as I pulled myself onto the bed again. I lay there, naked until I fell asleep again.
***
I woke up the next morning feeling slightly better, a lot better than I had yesterday, looking down my body was still badly bruised, but I wasn’t paralysed in pain anymore. I felt Sterling’s arousal pressing into me and I ground against him, he growled, I ground against him more, the pain left my body, and the feeling was replaced by lust, my core throbbed with desire and grew warm.
Turning around to look at him he was watching me with desire. I ground against him again. He kissed me passionately. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he told me.
I shook my head. “I want you,” I told him, grinding against him again. He rolled over on top of me, not putting weight on me. He tore his pants off quickly, lowering himself onto me slowly, I reached down between us, grabbing him and guided him towards my opening, my legs wrapped tightly around him.
He groaned as he felt my wetness and pushed into me with a slow torture, he filled me completely and we both moaned at the same time, slowly he pulled out and thrust back into me. “Ah!” I cried out.
Pain was no longer a feeling I felt as my whole body was alight with pleasure. Sterling leaned into kiss me, his kiss was passionate and slow, just like his thrusts. My arms were around his neck, my legs wrapped around him, holding onto him for dear life as he plunged in and out of my centre. I was alive with electricity and he kept pushing me to the brink, closer and closer, he ground his hips in slow circles when he was inside me, pleasure built in my stomach and the more he thrust, the more it built. “Oh!” I cried out. My legs shook and I matched his thrusts, feeling an urgency.
I fell over that cliff, crying out as relief hit me and I fell apart in his arms. He swelled and groaned out, as he spilled inside me. Kissing me sweeter than ever before. His hips locked with mine and when he could move again, he rolled off me, being careful not to jostle me too much.
“You amaze me,” Sterling breathed.
I giggled. “I tend to do that sometimes,” I joked.
As the pleasure faded from my body, the pain came back slowly, and I groaned. Sterling looked at me, worried. “I’m sorry!” he spoke softly. “I tried not to lean on you.”
I shook my head. “You didn’t hurt me. The pain just came back, but it’s fine,” I told him, rolling over onto my side to look at him. “We can’t spend the day in here, we need to have fun while we can and I’m not going to let a little bit of pain hold me back.”
Sterling smiled at me. “There’s my stubborn girl,” he chuckled, shaking his head.
Standing up out of bed, I pulled his shirt back on me. “I’m going to get dressed and when I get back, I expect you to be ready.”
He chuckled. “Okay,” he stood up, pressing his lips to mine in a quick kiss.
I opened the door, stuck my head to check if it was clear and dashed to my bungalow, opening the door and slipping in, shutting the door behind me. I got changed into a bikini, refusing to cover up my bruises with a coverup. I was going to wear them like the warrior I am. I groaned as I bent down and pulled my sandals on.
Walking back to Sterling’s bungalow, I opened the door, walking in. “Honey, I’m home!” I sung out as I shut the door.
Sterling barked a laugh. “Did you have a good day at work dear?” he called back, playing along.
I giggled. “Not good baby, I forgot to charge for blowjobs!” I cried out.
He burst into the room wearing board shorts. He wrapped his arms around me gently, making sure to keep his hands above my waist, avoiding my bruises. He laughed. “You’re mine.” He kissed me roughly, pulling back as he smiled down at me.
He applied sunscreen on my body, being careful around my bruising. “Let’s get some food in you.”
Opening the door, he stuck his head checking to see if the coast was clear and exited, I trailed after him, shutting the door behind me, we walked along in silence, a distance between us so it looked like we weren’t walking together, I followed him along to the restaurant for a buffet breakfast.
When I walked inside, I noticed some people staring at my bruising, I ignored them and the pain at my sides, grabbing some food and sat down in a corner eating my breakfast. Sterling joined me and we ate in silence. No one from school was in here, so it didn’t matter. And I had the excuse of being with him because I was worried about another run-in with Oliver, and I was sure it would work on anyone who asked question.
“Are you okay with Professor Rushford coming to see your bruises?” Sterling asked quietly, looking down at his notebook. “He needs to inspect them. I told him you weren’t up for it yesterday.”
“Yeah, that’s fine,” I told him, knowing full well he was going to see them or hear about them anyway.
“I’ll let him know,” Sterling told me. “We’ll meet him in ten minutes. Should be enough time to eat.”
When we finished, I sculled my bloody mary and we stood up, I followed him out the door and he led me around to some sunlounges, and I groaned in pain as I lay down, my sunglasses on my face.
I looked up as I heard footsteps approach, Sterling stiffened, putting his professional teacher face on as Professor Rushford and Professor Blackthorne approached.
Gritting my teeth and gasping in pain I stood up, looking at them. Professor Rushford walked over to me, his brow furrowed as he eyed the bruises across most of my torso.
Melissa gasped, rushing forward. “Oh my!” she exclaime
d. “Are you okay?”
I gave her a tight-lipped smile. “I’ll be fine,” I told her, shrugging. She looked at me sympathetically.
Professor Rushford stepped forward. “Do you mind if I take a look?” he asked, I shrugged. He bent down at my waist, looking at the bruising. “I will need to speak to Oliver’s father and the Headmistress about this so we can find a suitable punishment.” He rose to his feet. “I will need photos.”
I bit my lip. “I know he regrets what he did, so is there a way to let it slide?” I questioned. Sterling stiffened beside me like he hated that idea.
No,” Professor Rushford replied. “He attacked you and for no reason, I am bound by oath to my Alpha to report this.”
I nodded my head. “Okay, do what you have to,” I told him.
He pulled out his notebook and took photos of the bruising. “That’ll be it,” he replied.
My brows knotted together. “How much trouble will he be in?” I asked.
Professor Rushford looked at me seriously. “A lot,” he said.
I nodded, knowing I had no say in it, wondering if Oliver would be lashed. I didn’t want Oliver to get away with what he did, but I did worry about what would happen to him, and I wondered how bad this was in their eyes.
I didn’t think Oliver would get shunned, but he’d probably be in a lot of trouble. Professor Rushford sent off a message and walked away calling someone.
Melissa smiled at me apologetically. “I have to go,” she told me. “Make sure you rest.”
I nodded my head. When they were gone, Sterling turned to me confused. “Why did you say that?” he growled.
“Sterling, I just don’t want to make a big deal out of it,” I told him. “I’m worried about how much trouble he’ll be in.”
Sterling scowled. “He deserves it,” he growled. “You have been in so much pain, yesterday you couldn’t even move.” He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “It’s okay to not forgive him and let him get in trouble.”
I sighed. “I know, I just… I don’t know,” I told him. “How bad will it be? He can’t get shunned for it, can he?”
Silverwood Academy Book 1 Page 20
