Eleanor:
I couldn’t help the smile that formed on my lips as I walked into the bedroom, my bedroom, as my cheeks reddened.
I held onto the shirts and ointment as if they were the most precious thing to me, and to me, they really were.
I carefully folded the shirts and put the ointment on the bed before walking to the bathroom to shower. The bruises were yet to heal, though I didn’t really expect them to, considering my shielded wolf. But the fact that I had something that would help me heal was something that I was thankful for.
I took a shower, the warm water soothing my aching muscles. I couldn’t even tell anyone that I was hurting, and therefore, I was stuck dealing with the pain on my own, but at this point, I was actually used to it.
I rubbed the soap over my body as a smile formed on my lips before I could stop myself. This was the first time that I had taken a shower in a long time without someone banging at the door, me being afraid that the door would open, revealing Elton, who would be naked and ready to take me whether or not I wanted to, or going out to meet the man, ready for me to either take or beat me for something that he saw as disrespectful.
For the first time since as long as I could remember, I felt safe as I washed my hair and body clean, scrubbed the soap off my body without the need to be careful of fresh cuts and bruises that were either too dark for me to distinguish my skin under or forming.
I bit my bottom lip as I washed my face, recalling how gentle the Alpha was as he leaned in, giving me the time to pull away if I wanted, and not taking his anger out on me despite me pulling away, reflecting the fact that I did not want to do it.