Saffie had meant to leave Clayton to his sleep. He looked like he had really needed it and she didn't want to disturb him. However the more she tried to keep herself occupied with packing up the things in the house she wanted to keep, the more she thought of him laid in her bed in such an attractive disarray of clothing. There was so much skin she could touch, of course nothing that was covered as that would be competely inappropriate, and she was wasting time that she could do so without Clayton's keen gaze watching her every move. Awake she was too flustered to explore and she knew she would be bright red from just a simple touch of her hand on his shoulder let alone do anything else. With him asleep it would be a lot easier for her to innocently explore without having to feel so very self-conscious. Biting her lip she finished putting the last item in the family room slash dining room they were keeping into the box before looking towards her bedroom door. Surely one moment to make sure he was alright wouldn't be bad?

Unable to resist the temptation any longer Saffie left the box on the dining room table and headed towards her bedroom. She made sure to be slow and silent as she opened the door, walked in and closed the door behind her. Inhaling deeply Saffie crossed over her small bedroom to her bed and stood beside his shoulders on the bed for some time just looking at him. Now that she was here she was nervous about exploring as she had intended. She shouldn't. Technically it would be a violation of privacy. To put it simply it was a violation full stop. After all he wasn't agreeing to this and yet could it really be considered such if she was pretty sure he'd allow it if he knew about it? Clayton had been rather attentive so far and with the way he kept mentioning her as his Mate she was pretty sure he'd allow her this if he knew. Infact if he was awake he would probably enjoy it a lot. However the point was to do this when he was asleep so she didn't feel self-conscious. Did that still make this wrong or did it make it right? Saffie had no idea.

Deciding she couldn't come this far and do nothing, Saffie stretched a hand out to touch Clayton's closest bicep. His skin felt silky smooth but the muscle beneath it felt stronger then steel yet as flexible as elastic under the right touch. She was pretty sure his biceps had to be as large as a melon or a coconut at least. Her hand travelled higher up along his broad shoulder before sliding south to trace his collarbone. Unable to resist the ultimate temptation Saffie placed both hands on each pectoral, fascinated in the soft yet strong feel of them and how pronounced they were - in a good way of course. She hummed quietly under her breath as she let her fingertips travel further down his chest to explore the toned six pack revealed by the parted shirt he wore. The muscle beneath the skin seemed to flex with her touch but she knew this was probably just her mind fabricating it. Saffie could feel her heatbeat racing and she knew if she wasn't trying so hard to be quiet then her breathing would be rather laboured. After all it felt slightly like she was doing something forbidden and yet thrilling.

She was definitely enjoying this. She had never been so close to a man unrelated to her before. She'd never had a chance to really explore a man's anatomy. 'I should stop while I can. I promised myself I'd go no further then the bare skin on display. I won't break that. I won't violate him. I should go now and make sure the rest of the house is all packed and ready.' Saffie thought. With that thought in mind she removed her hands from his beautiful body and turned away from him. She would have backed away but she knew if she had done that her bad luck would have her bump into something along the way. Quietly she opened the door and left the room, shutting the door behind her just as quietly. She exhaled a deep breath once the door was completely shut. That had definitely been an incredible experience. Hopefully we wouldn't mind when she eventually got comfortable enough with him to divulge what she had done. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear she decided to head out of the house to go hunt. She would have to find some meat for tea and that unfortunately would mean she would have to hunt - something she was very bad at and really didn't like.

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Clayton had been perfectly asleep when his wolf came alive in his mind, forcing him to wake enough to hear everything going on around him. What’s going on? Why am I awake, he thought with confusion burning in his brain. It was only when he felt the feeling of someone beside him that he felt his muscles trying to contract instinctively. Except, his muscles didn’t contract in preparation of a fight, rather her relaxed once more. In his semi-lucid state he wondered why. It was only when a hand touched his bicep that he was able to figure out why he had relaxed so suddenly and why his wolf had woken up so quickly.

A rumble locked in his chest, and he kept it from escaping as her hand felt his bicep, just trailing her fingers over his exposed skin. Clay became very glad that he hadn’t been able to button up his shirt and hadn’t even attempted to as her hand touched him. If he hadn’t she might not have come up the stairs and began touching him. Part of him wondered if he was still dreaming, but his wolf was so active in his mind that it just didn't’ seem right that he wa asleep. The beast was always out of his mind in dreams, never a part of them.

Then, he was quickly distracted when both of her hands were on him, each on a pectoral. His body instantly reacted in such a way that he hoped she didn’t try and feel too far south on his body. Of course, his wolf was whining with pure need in his mind, telling him that he should be happy if she was to travel that far south on his body. Then, her hands started to go down and Clay couldn’t complain.

He was fully awake, his nerves alive as if she had electrified him. Under her touch his muscles instinctively flexed and moved, loving her touch more than he could ever explain. It was obvious that she was also enjoying herself as she continued over his six-pack, his toned muscles reacting in the only way they knew with her, moving.

Then her touch was gone and he was left struggling to breathe correctly and his body aching for more. His eyes opened as she moved away, with her back to him. His eyes trailed over body, eyes dark with desire as she left him there, wanting her madly. Only when he was sure she was out of hearing range, he let out a groan. His hand rubbed over his face, finding that he wouldn’t mind more wake up calls like that. Though, he was quite confused as to why she had to wait until he was asleep to comfortably touch him. He knew that if she asked him if she could, he would give his wholehearted consent to the idea, and probably suggestion that they find some place alone so he could ravish her afterwards. Of course, he would have to stick to kissing and touching clothed skin, but it would be enough to stave off his lust.

Clay laid there, staring up at the ceiling while he tried to calm his body. He was fully, painfully awake and wondering if she would come back to visit him in her bed. Part of him wanted her to. The other part of him rationalized that he wouldn’t have as much control over making himself appear asleep the second time around and jump her right then and there.

He blew out a breath and stretched his arms over his head, letting his muscles stretch. Then, he let his eyes close once more, lulled by the smell of her around him once more. This time as he drifted off, it wasn’t a deep sleep, but a light one that could make him wake up at the slightest of sounds. Even his wolf was alive in his mind, waiting and watchful. The beast was also very vocal about him much he wanted him mate back and in his arms. Of course, Clayton brushed off the creature, knowing it wasn’t a smart idea to listen to him, especially where his mate was involved. He would take it slow if it killed him, at least as slowly as he could. He would wait, be very internally upset all the while, but he would wait for her to make the call. He wanted her to be happy with him, want him as much as he very much wanted her. If that wasn’t going to happen soon, he wouldn’t take her. Rather, he would try his very best to please her, to make him love him as a mate and accept him. He didn’t know if he would be able to stick to his plan, but he would try his hardest.

His mind shut off as his thoughts lulled to silence once more and sleep overcame him.

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Saffie bit her bottom lip as she stood behind the shed, scanning the world around her for any living thing. Fortunately the only living thing she could see was her horses and the plant life. She took a deep breath, summoned up all her courage and began taking off all her clothes. Once her clothes were off and folded neatly on the floor, Saffie transformed into her werewolf form. With a stretch of her jaws and a yawn, Saffie shook her furry body before walking quietly on all fours into the forest. She tried her best to keep her steps silent despite the crunchy leaf litter on the floor. Saffie knew she was probably failing spectaculary but she had no choice but to try. She had a family to feed as well as Clayton now. Plus if Clayton's carriage drivers arrived soon she would have them to feed as well. She would need a decent chunk of meat to feed them all. Usually she could get away with small animals like hares and she would allow the rest of her family to take the meat. She was odd in the fact she would only eat normal beef, pork, chicken and lamb. She had once tried venison and one bite was enough to make her feel sick and put her off eating any 'exotic' meats ever again.

Saffie did her best to listen out for animals but she wasn't the best hunter in the world. She could hear birds chirping in the trees and squirrels scurrying up and down trees to gather nuts. She did hear other animal footsteps but whenever she went in that direction she never did see the animals who made it. They just seemed to have a sixth sense, or perhaps just very good senses, and knew when to hide as they knew when she was coming. She sighed in annoyance as she noticed the world around her was getting darker quickly. If she didn't leave before dark then it would be too late to cook the meat for dinner. Not only that but it made it harder for Saffie to find her way back out. Shaking her head, Saffie kept trying her best to pick out an animal she could hunt. Upon hearing a snap of twigs nearby, Saffie's head and ears pricked upwards in the direction of the sound. Without hesitation she began walking towards the source of the noise, doing her best to avoid stepping on anything noisy.

She was so intent on finding an animal to hunt that she didn't notice the danger surrounding her until it was too late.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here."

Came a taunting voice from her right side. Saffie froze as she looked over to see the current Alpha Female's daughter appear before her from the shadows. Then one by one the single females of the Pack came out of the darkness of the trees to surround her. Saffie would have gone backwards but she could see females there as well. Some were as young as thirteen years old, around the age females took interest in males she supposed, up to about nineteen year olds as any female older were already Mated. Saffie didn't doubt the older females were probably out there watching with approval. It was extremely rare anything stayed secret in the Pack.

"So you thought you could claim the most desirable male that ever graced the Hunts? You? Its laughable. I mean really, what could he see in you. Even the best of liars wouldn't be able to fake any interest in you in the bedroom."

The Alpha's daughter, Maribelle, said smirking. A dark skinned, black haired, exotic beauty snorted in amusement beside her, shaking her head at the mere thought of anyone wanting her. Saffie stayed tense, ready to spring into action at a second's notice but she knew it was futile. There was at least twenty, if not thirty, females surrounding her. It was extremely unlikely she could break through their circle. What else could she do though? She did not feel relaxed at all. So far the bullying had never been physical and Saffie feared that right now that fact was going to change. She could see it dawning already and had no idea how to escape without alerting her family to how she was treated. Not only that but she really didn't want Clayton to get into trouble and if she howled for him... well, he wouldn't show anyone involved any mercy and that could start a Pack war. If she could just survive this then she could go to the stream, clean and treat her wounds as best she could with the water, and then go home to dress and hopefully hide the wounds from her family. She could make the excuse of turning in early to go to sleep...

"Well, we're going to show you just where your place in the world is."

Said the exotic, dark haired woman. All the girls descended on her then and Saffie did her best to try and loose herself in the memories of Clayton's kisses. It seemed like hours to her before she was alone. Breathing hurt, even so much as twitching hurt but Saffie knew she had no choice but to move. Her family depended on her, Clayton needed her, and she wasn't about to disappoint them. She managed to surpress the howl of pain she wanted to let out as she slowly stood up on all fours. It was as she tried to keep her bearings, pushing the dizziness away, that she noticed the girls had left behind a dairy calf carcass which they must have thought to use to draw her out here. They had planned it. Cringing, Saffie forced herself to walk over to it and grabbed it by the leg in her mouth before turning to head towards the river. The sound of water was quite loud here so it wasn't hard for her to find which she was very relieved by. Saffie let go of the calf leg as soon as she was close enough to the river bank. She found it easier, funnily enough, to shift back to her human form whilst in pain and slipped down the bank into the river.

Saffie gasped in shock at how cold it was, shivering and cringing all at once as the wounds opened up further due to the stretching. It took all her control for Saffie to focus on what she was here to do. She grabbed some dry moss from the bank of the river and began scrubbing it over every bit of skin covered in blood in an attempt to get all the blood off. Fortunately it seemed to work and before long her body seemed to be clear of blood and the wounds seemed to be bleeding slower then they had started out with. They were still bleeding though and Saffie knew she couldn't stay much longer out here without catching pneumonia. She would have to head home anyway and hope she could dress the multitude of wounds before anyone could notice. It seemed to take the last of her energy to climb out of the river and shift back to her Werewolf form and yet Saffie continued on.

She didn't know how long it took to drag the calf back to her house, and had no idea how she found her house either, but she managed it to her relief. She quickly shifted back to her human form and dressed, the long walk having dried out her fur and skin, and then picked up the calf leg again to drag it round to the front of the house. Now she just had to hope her wounds didn't bleed so much that it was noticable whilst getting the calf into the kitchen and then getting into her bedroom (which was hopefully empty) or the bathroom to dress all her wounds before her family noticed. She didn't want them to worry (including Clayton) and she didn't want a Pack war to start. No, if she could keep this quiet then she would. She just hoped breathing got easier soon otherwise she feared some serious damage had been done to her ribs.

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With sleep came memories of his childhood on his own. He was walking and just heading in a direction, bare feet rough against the ground. Even then he was slowly filling out, just from the amount of work he had to put up to stay alive, to keep moving, always moving. Wolf packs always looked down at him, the outcast thrown away from his own family. He was unwanted and unneeded. They all knew it as they sneered at him, judging him for being a runt, too small to do very much damage. He didn’t know what blood ran through his veins, what his wolf really would become to him or just how powerful he would eventually be. All he knew was that he had to survive and show them that he wasn’t a runt a he wasn’t someone you could just throw away.

So, he wandered, keeping himself from bothering other packs by toeing the lines of territories, their shapes becoming engraved in his mind as he took small roads to avoid getting too far into any place that would reject him. No one tried to help him, thinking he had something wrong with him. Little did they know, he did, but not in the way they thought. Instead, he was a blood wolf, something he only found out the year he changed into a werewolf for the first time. That year had been rough. He had to run from a pack who hunted him on their land for fun, struggling to outrun their wolf forms.

Yet, he was able to make it to the border and stumble over before they could get him. They snarled from their lands, knowing he was no longer their problem, but questioning what they could get away with doing to him. Clayton felt a growl emitt low from his chest, growing in volume as he slowly stood up. Something came alive inside of him, his wolf. Slowly, his eyes grew a deadly red and his canines grew longer and longer. More and more snarls left him as he wolf took over, shredding what little clothes he had left with his first transformation. It wasn’t a slow transformation, like most, but rather it was fluid like a river. Then, he was on all fours, and a lot larger than his physical human form. It was as if the wolf itself was a separate being, one that was alive, strong, and only growing stronger the longer their minds connected.

Clayton didn’t know what was going on, having not been prepared to transform when he did. After all, he still looked so young, his aging already slowing down bit by bit. Yet, he was a werewolf and the beast guided him to the edge of the pack land and he snarled louder, red eyes gleaming with bloodlust. A few of the weaker wolves backed off, realizing it wasn’t just going to be a simple, easy fight. He would go tooth and nail to win, to finally prove himself. Yet, the alpha seemed to acknowledge him, something in the older eyes of the male and the female who stood beside him. They nodded lowly and barked once, calling off the rest of the pack and disappeared off into the forest at once.

Clay still stood there, wolf form shaking, before he collapsed to the ground once the last wolf left. He let out pants, wounds covering his sides and feet from the mad dash through the forest. Thorns and branches had scraped at his skin, pulling at it until it bled. However, he felt them slowly healing a bit faster than they had before.

Then, they were asleep.

Over a span of time he couldn’t recognize, he didn’t think he changed into his human form once. It became so natural to walk around as a wolf that he had just done it. There was no one to tell him to change back. There was no one there to explain to him how to act. Instead, he went around as a wolf, hunting and eating fresh kills as if he was an animal rather than a human. Packs didn’t know what he was when he came in. There was a vague smell of human on him still, but he grew to smell more and more like a wolf, like the animal that lived in the forest that sometimes werewolves would find, though they were rare.

Clayton nearly became a wolf in those months until he woke up and found he was in his human form once more, curled up by a river and shivering. He blinked, staring down at his reflection and jolting at the sight of it. His hands moved to his face, touching it as if he was afraid he was hallucinating. It had been a lot longer than he had thought. His face looked more and more masculine with some stubble starting to grow. His chest had expanded, growing muscular, strong. Finally, he looked like he had grown into a man, although he was still young.

As he rose to two legs he wobbled, as if he was still a child. He blinked, wondering how much time had passed that he felt so strange in a form that should have been as natural as breathing. Part of him wondered why he was human, but then a bark of laughter answered him in his mind. The wolf had done it. The wolf seemed to tell him it was to help him to become stronger in both forms, and then it seemed to sit down and wait for Clay to grow stronger.

So, the boy who was becoming a man started to.

Clayton woke up, staring up at the ceiling as his wolf began to pace in his mind once more. It seemed the beast was wide awake and had been waiting for him to join him. With a chuckle, he sat up, stretching his arms over his head before finding that he was more comfortable laying down in his mate’s bed. Mine, he thought with a slow grin. Still, something was making his wolf on edge, something that Clay couldn’t immediately tell.

(OOC: A little bit more of Clay's past in here! I just decided him to have a dream that sort of explained what happened in his earlier years and why he is so comfortable in his wolf form and has such a calm relationship with his wolf!)

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"Malachite, Jasper, could you come strip this carcass please? Emmie, Ruby, would you mind cooking the meat they get off it? I want some for dinner tonight, enough for nine just incase, and then the rest of the meat can be cooked for jerky so it lasts. I'm just going to start packing my things."

Saffie asked them politely as she dumped the calf carcass just beyond the doorway inside the house. After getting the agreement from her four siblings she made her way past the kitchen and living to the back two rooms. It was just as she was about to open her bedroom door that she realised Clay must still be inside. With no other choice she turned abruptly to the right and entered the bathroom. She put the water that was always freshly brought in for the day into the bathtub, grabbed some washcloths and bandages from the cupboard, and then stripped off her all her clothing besides her plain white slip. Then with her hand on the bathtub she slowly inched herself inside. It was only when she was laid in the bathtub that the adrenaline began to wear off and the searing agony she was in took centre stage.

Her body was decorated with red (from her blood), as well as black and blue from bruises. The only part of her body that had been spared was her head. Fortunately her clothing covered her up and since it was mostly dark it hid where her wounds had continued bleeding from view. Her left leg was very swollen, twice its normal size, and she was pretty sure it was broken. Scratches littered her body of various depths, widths, and lengths. The worst scratch was the set of five scratches from one hand that had sunk deep into her flesh from her collarbone, down the middle of her bust and ended just five inches above her belly button. There were some bitemarks along her arms as well and a few of them had pierced the skin to draw blood. Her head was pounding viciously from having been repeatedly hit against the forest floor.

"Oh god..."

Saffie whimpered, eyes closed as she tried to summon the strength to use the washcloths to scrub her body clean. What she would do about the broken leg she had no idea. It should have a cast but she had no way to make a cast and even if she did how would she hide it from her family? Whilst she could hide it under clothes there was still the issue of walking. Normally a walking stick was required as no weight was supposed to be carried through a broken leg through walking and even if she did walk without a stick there was no way to walk normally in a cast. There would be a limp at least and it would be very noticeable. She would be found out. If she had not suffered bitemarks and scratches then she could have pretended she had fallen, probably after they had moved so she wasn't a burden or bother. However there was no way to account for the scratches and bitemarks without saying there was at least one person there. No, she had to hide these injuries. How she would do that though she had no idea. She could wrap everything with bandages, putting thick amounts of cloth beneath it to absorb the blood, but she had no clue what to do with her leg. She couldn't even cut it off (not that she would) as it would be noticable she was missing a leg.

Finally Saffie managed to sit up enough but just as she was about to clean herself she felt dizzy and before she knew it her eyes had rolled up into her head, her eyelids fluttered closed, and she landed with a thud back into a laying position in the bathtub. Fortunately she was tall enough that she fit snugly inside the bathtub and so there was no room for her body to sink beneath the water.

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Clayton closed his eyes, listening closely to every sound coming from outside his quiet room. There was talking going on between siblings, and he tried to figure out what was wrong. Then, he heard his mate’s voice and his wolf perked up further, whining in his mind. Clay had no idea why the beast was so distressed over his mate’s voice, and he rose carefully and quietly from the bed. His feet were light against the ground, barely making a noise as he moved to the door. He breathed in the air, finding that it didn’t smell quite right.

Slowly, he pressed his ear to the door, listening carefully to the sounds of movement in the hallway. With another sniff and his wolf’s reaction he knew it was his mate. Except, the beast became more and more worried, pacing in his mind. He had no idea what was going on or why he was having such a freak out over his mate. It didn’t feel right, though, and he couldn’t just place anything. So, he opened the door to his mate’s room, and then slowly stepped out of the doorway. He made his way down the hall, breathing deeply while trying to come up with a reason why his wolf was acting out of sorts.

It was when he smelled the distinct scent of metal mixed with his mate’s scent that his eyes widened and his wolf let out a low, angry snarl. Blood. It was the only explanation to what he was smelling. So, he breathed in deeper, his eyes closing as he paused outside a room. There was the sound of water moving, something that made his head tilt to the side as he realized his mate was in the bath. Immediately, his wolf wanted to go to her, but he held himself back, letting the wolf whine and pace in his mind while he tried to keep himself calm. His mate was hurt, but he didn’t know the extent of her wounds.

He rubbed his hand over his face, and his hearing, which was finely tuned to every sound emanating from what he figured was a bathroom, caught his mate’s whimpering. His wolf let out an eager whine, wanting to go to her and wrap her in his arms. The urge to protect had him placed in front of the bathroom door, waiting for her to come out so that he could comfort her in any way he possibly could.

Yet, there was a thud after a long, excruciatingly long, bit of time, and his wolf jerked and he found his hand around the doorknob. He didn’t care if she killed him for seeing her in a state of undress. Clay had to help her. His wolf told him so, and even the human side of him trembled with the need for action. So, the door opened up under his hand and he stared at the bath. His breath was swept out from him and he stood stock still for the longest moment. His mate was wounded, terribly wounded.

Her body was red, black and blue, and looked so broken and beaten in that moment that he wanted to collapse. Except, his feet moved forward, the door closing gently behind him and his form knelt by the bath. His hand shook as he moved it close to her untouched face, and he stopped inches away. His wolf had gone silent, and he could only stare at her pale features and the fact that she seemed to be in pain. His mate was in pain and he hadn’t been there to protect her. Saffie obviously had gotten hurt because of someone else and his wolf was completely frozen in the harsh realization.

He had failed to protect her.

Clay ground his teeth and shook his head from the idea of hunting down those responsible. He would have to face that option at another time. In that moment, he had to care for his mate. He gently took a rag, wetting it and getting it slightly soaped up. He gentled cleaned her face, his hands gentle and for once he wasn’t focused on anything sexual. Rather, he was focused on cleaning her, seeing the true extent of her wounds under the red, drying blood. He made sure to be light, as gentle as he could possibly be as he washed off her skin. It was obvious she was passed out, and he knew that she would possibly slap him if she were to wake up with him washing her, but he couldn’t just leave her there. No, he had to protect her. His wolf didn’t want to lose her, and he knew he was going to help her in any way he could.

Part of him wanted to give her his blood, but he wanted it to be her decision to accept his blood’s helpful abilities. If she didn’t he wouldn’t make her, though it would pain him to see her in pain. His blood could alleviate that pain, being the reason he aged so slowly and could fight of illnesses slightly better. It was also created to help his mate if she became sick, his wolf knew that and he did too, unconsciously. It was just another way the blood wolf had changed to help his mate, to make her stronger and safer in his grasp. After all, the blood wolf couldn’t have another and had to be able to be strong enough to protect his mate and have some way of making sure she didn’t end up dying from something that could be avoided.

Clayton continued to wash her, touch light and careful as he cleaned the red blood from her skin, and worked his way thoroughly. “I’m so sorry, mate. I’m so terribly sorry,” he whispered, eyes showing off a deep pain as he looked at her wounds. The discoloration hurt him more than any wound had ever been able to, striking him and making him regret not being there.

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Saffie slowly started to stir. She groaned softly, her head turning towards the source of the gentle, smoothing touch. It felt so good compared to the awful pain that was coursing through her body. It took a while for her mind to be alert enough to realise she shouldn't be feeling a moving touch, especially a soft one. Frowning briefly, she waited for a moment as she gathered her strength up before opening her eyes halfway. The first thing she saw was the hazy figure of Clayton.

"Clay... Clay..."

She breathed softly, wondering why she was imagining him here with her in this moment. She supposed it would be nice to have a tender touch for once. To have someone comfort her and care for her instead of it being the other way around. Plus, Clayton was the most attractive man she had ever seen. To have him care for her would be the best thing in the world. Especially if he happened to be shirtless. She didn't know why she was having him apologise to her though.

"Mmm... why... why ar-ya sorry?"

Saffie asked, a small smile playing on her lips even as the pain began to make itself more and more known. She shifted her position in the bathtub a little only to have to bite her lip to stop herself screaming as agony shot through her broken leg. It was only after she felt the pain that Saffie began to realise that Clayton was actually in the bathroom with her. The door was closed, he was in the room, and he was trying to clean her up. He could see how hurt she was. He could see all the wounds and in that moment that was worse then seeing her almost bare.

"Oh my god!"

She gasped, more aware and conscious now as her eyes widened. What could she say to him? What could she tell him? Also, why on earth was he saying sorry anyway?

"I... I don't know why you think you should be sorry but you don't need to be. This isn't your fault. Please, you can't tell anyone. You have to help me hide this. No one else can know about the wounds."

She begged him, reaching a hand out to grasp Clayton's bicep. Saffie decided that she wouldn't tell Clayton what happened. She didn't want any deaths on her conscience and besides it would only hurt him to know that the girls had used him as an excuse to hurt her. It would just be easier to keep it all secret. She was about to leave the Pack anyway. She could go to Clayton's home, heal up there, and just forget all of this had ever happened. She would never have to see any of the girls after today anyway so what was the point? It would spare everyone else a lot of distress. Besides, at least this way no one would ever have to know just how deeply she had been abused and how little self worth she actually had. She could bluff as well as the next guy. As long as everyone else thought she was a well put together woman then why would she correct them?

When Saffie asked Clayton to help her hide her wounds she didn't even consider drinking Clayton's blood. She knew the blood must have healing properties for Clayton to use it on her father but she never considered using it for her own gain. She was focused on using the bandages to wrap all of the wounds beside her leg. She still didn't know what she was going to do about her leg.

"I've got bandages to wrap around everything. There should be enough. I don't know what to do about my leg though. I think its broken but I've got to walk on it like normal so no one suspects a thing. Just until I reach your home then I can rest it and let it heal naturally. Maybe I should just tie some sticks to my leg and hide it beneath my stockings, shoes, and dress. That could work for now... I think..."

She rambled, pulling on the edge of the bathtub to force her body up into a sitting position despite the agony she was feeling to do so. Deep down Saffie knew it was unlikely she would be able to walk without screaming in pain but she had no choice. She had to do it. She would do it, she would look like everything was fine, and then everything would be fine.

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Clay heard her groan and his eyes moved over her face, touch getting even more gentle as he worried he was hurting her. He didn’t want to be the cause of her pain. Just the thought made his jaw tighten and his eyes to fill with worry. She looked so broken and it hurt him to think that he hadn’t been there for her. He didn’t know what had happened, but wished he had been able to tear apart any who threatened her. She was his mate, and his wolf was already seemingly plotting how he could hunt whoever did it down if Saffie was to name any names or have any reactions towards any females while they were leaving. Yet, most of his attention was on her, and worrying about how she was doing.

When she breathed out his name his eyes moved to her face and he had the instinctive need to comfort her further. She looked so lost, and there was pain in her eyes. He could just see it, and it hurt him deeply. His wolf whined in his mind, needing to heal his mate so that she wasn’t suffering anymore. Still, she was just waking up and he was watching as she seemed to not understand his presence. Perhaps she would grow angry at him, but he didn’t care. Instead, he just wanted to be there for her, to take care of her in her time of need as she had washed the blood off of him before in a state of undress.

Her question made him frown, and he didn’t respond. His eyes moved away for a moment when she smiled, before trying to shift. That was when he noticed the way she bit her lip and the pain that seemed to appear in her eyes more and more apparent. “Don’t- don’t force yourself to move too much, Saffie,” he murmured, wanting to keep her from hurting herself further, but also knowing that he didn’t want to touch her so that she hurt more. So, instead, he contented himself with pulling his hand with the rag back slightly and leaning more fully against the tub. He continued to clean her wounds, but relaxed himself slightly.

He winced at her realization, watching her facial expression with saddened dark eyes. At her quick words, he wanted to tell her that he wanted to hunt down whoever did that to her, but her touch made him still and his voice to quiet before he could even speak. “If that is what you wish,” he stated with a nod of his head. His eyes focused on making sure she was mostly cleaned up, which she was by then.

He listened to her ramble, her words coming out one after another and he just watched her. “I will not let you walk on that leg, not when you are so injured. Saffie- Saffie, I can help you if you want me to. You can use my blood as your father did, to help you heal faster. I just- I cannot watch you walk in pain,” he explained, his eyes growing very stubborn at his last statement. “As for my apologies, it was because I knew you were a target of ridicule and still left you alone to sleep out of all things. I know someone did this, this isn’t the work of some accident. This is intentional and it is infuriating to think that someone would treat you with such hostility.” His words grew slightly louder before he stopped, grinding his jaw and his eyes having grown ruby red. Even his breath was a bit out of it as he fought back the urge to seek revenge for what had been done unto his mate.

However, he shook his head, breathing deeply as he looked away from her. “However, I will hold back if that is what you wish.” His words were a lot quieter and he looked to be having an internal battle over the idea of not hurting those who had harmed his mate. Instead he took the rag and let it soak up the water before putting it above Saffie’s head and letting the water roll down over her hair. His other came and kept the water from going into her eyes, gently touching her. His hands slowly moved through her hair, his body shaking slightly from inaction and from his own internal pain at seeing his mate so hurt.

“You are my mate, Saffie. You being hurt- it makes me feel pain. I want to protect you from those idiots, every single one. Just, let me heal you. I cannot stand to watch you in agony. I thought, perhaps, that I could deal with whatever decision you made, but just seeing your face…” his voice broke off as his hand went to her cheek to brush over her skin as if she was something that could so easily be broken and not wishing to break her. He wanted to hold her close to him, but had to content himself with the tub in between and think about how he felt it was his fault for everything. His wolf kept whining in his head, the long, drawn-out sounds reflecting even his human emotions. The bond between them, though it was somewhat one-sided at times, was strong for him. All he wanted was to take her pain away, in any way he could possibly.

So, he let his wrist drift down to her mouth and nodded his head toward it. “Bite it. Bite it and just drink for a moment. I may seem disgusting, but it will help you as it did for your father,” he whispered to her lowly. His eyes moved over her face even though every detail was already memorized in his brain. He didn’t look at her body, not wanting to have it in his mind as something broken, something that would haunt his dreams. Clay wanted to be able to think about her and her body and not feel guilt pounding in his chest and tearing him apart.

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Saffie could see how important it was to Clayton for her to drink his blood and let it heal her. The pain in his eyes, the emotional pain, equalled the physical pain she knew had to be in her eyes. As much as it sent a chorus of 'ew' in her mind Saffie grabbed his arm with one hand, opened her mouth and sunk her teeth into the flesh of his wrist. It took everything in her not to pull away as she felt his blood enter her mouth. She closed her eyes as she kept her mouth connected to his wrist, not entirely sure when she should stop sucking the blood into her mouth. It tasted hot, thick, and with a hint of something that fiction may describe as metallic but since when can anyone taste metal like they tasted spices? It had never made sense to her.

After a few mouthfuls she began to feel it. It felt like his wolf, not hers but a seperate entity, was running through her veins like the fastest warhorse and it she felt high over it. She could feel a tingle where the blood wolf touched the parts of her body that hurt, the tingling and stinging feeling growing greater in some areas where the injury was worse. When it came to her leg it felt like static shocks all over every inch of flesh on her leg and it hurt. It hurt a lot but it felt like a warm pain, a good pain, rather then the agony it had been in.

Saffie gasped as she fell back into a laying position, back arching as both her hands grasped either side of the bathtub. She had never felt so alive. Then as sudden as the wolf rush came it was gone, settling into her blood like an extra protector, hiding in the shadows waiting until it was needed again. Meanwhile Saffie was left to catch her breath, her heart racing as she licked the blood from her lips. When she finally felt calm and composed enough to function, Saffie opened her eyes and using both eyes as well as hands to investigate the parts of her body where the wounds should be. To her amazement every single wound was gone. Even her leg felt like normal. There was no sign of any damage having been done what so ever.

"Thats... Wow, thats incredible."

Saffie said softly as she turned her gaze back up to Clayton from her sitting position in the bathtub.

"I want you to know I only took your blood because you wanted me to. I could see how important it was to you and I never want to see you in pain."

She told him, making sure she knew how much she respected and cared for him as well as the fact she would never take him or his abilities for granted or believe them to be at her disposal especially without giving anything in return. Saffie had been about to get out of the bathtub when she realised she was wet, in her slip, and the fact something important happened when white clothes got wet. Blushing bright red she pulled her knees up to her chest as she looked around the bathroom.

"I need a towel. I have to get dry and dressed. I should probably throw all of these clothes away," 'including the slip' Saffie thought, "and then get my things packed. Do you feel well rested? Do you know when your carriages will be here? I think the sooner we leave the better."

The sooner she could be somewhere else, somewhere new, and able to start a different life the better. Even if the Pack only pretended to like her because she was the Alpha Female and the Alpha Male's mate, it had to be better then how she was treated here. She'd take fake kindness then no kindness at all.

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Relief filled him when she moved to grab his arm with one of her hands. Her teeth sunk into his skin, making him let out a hiss of a breath in immediate reaction. However, he kept his mouth in place as she drank down his blood, knowing that at least she would be healed, completely fine. His eyes closed as her mouth moved against his skin, knowing that she was going through the healing process, and a more extreme version of it than her father. He hadn’t wanted to cause her father to jerk back to reality too quickly, knowing that it would have probably only broken him further. That was why he had to be careful with his blood that healed anyone who drank it very quickly, especially his mate. It was made to keep them safe, to heal their wounds and even lengthen their lifespans over time if they drank it enough times, to the length of his own long life span.

He let out a low breath as he opened his eyes to watch the wounds closing all over her body. The amount of blood she had ingested although she fell back into the bathtub was enough to stay in her system for a long time. He smiled as he watched the wounds disappearing, and watched her body. It was hard not to look over her in the bathtub in just a slip, with water having soaked into it to leave not too much to the imagination. However, he looked away quickly, letting out a frustrated sound while she was still healing, knowing that he shouldn’t look at her. It was an ungentleman-like gesture and she deserved better than just that.

Clay chuckled at her amazement and nodded his head with a grin on his face at her realization that all her wounds were gone. “Hmm,” he responded lightly to her comment, just nodding his head again. He raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders. “I’m just glad you took it so that you are no longer hurt,” he stated easily, not bothered at all by the fact that he had given away his blood. Yes, there had been those who grew close to him just to try and use him if they knew of his bloodwolf genes, but he trusted his mate and knew she probably had no clue that had been the full extent of his abilities. She had probably expected she would only heal slightly, but she was back to normal, what his wolf and he had wanted.

He grinned wider and held up his hands, the bite mark on his wrist slowly healing. It seemed a bit slower, but he didn’t let on the fact that she had taken a slight bit more than he was used to. Instead, he just smiled it off, knowing that his body was already trying to recover from the loss of blood. “I did not look too much. I was more worried about your condition than anything else,” he told her calmly as he rose. His movements were careful, and he walked over to look for the towels before quickly spotting them. He took one into his hand and looked down at her, but into her eyes instead of looking at her body.

“You should throw them away, if you do not wish for your siblings to know of what happened. As for rested, I am adequately rested. The carriage will probably arrive in the next few hours, giving you time to pack like you wish. That is, unless they are too giddy about getting here. Than, it will probably be a bit sooner, though not too very much,” he explained with a look that said that he honestly was sure that the men would easily wait for the next day and sleep outside. However, it did occur to him that she did say she wanted to leave early, which could mean that night. It all depended on how she felt about the situation. “They will arrive by tonight, though. That much, I know will happen. However, they will be able to rest wherever you direct them if you plan on waiting to leave until morning. If you don’t, then they will drive through the night and your family may rest during the ride.”

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The fact she would have to throw away one of the few items of clothes she owned did annoy Saffie but she had no other choice. She couldn't get the blood out of the dress and so she would not be able to wear it without giving away everything. Sighing softly, Saffie took the towel gently from Clayton's hands and held it infront of herself whilst she stood up. Once stood up she wrapped the towel around herself before taking hold of one of Clayton's arms and climbed out of the bathtub. Once she felt steady on the cold floor of the bathroom she let go of Clayton, offering him a small smile in thanks.

Saffie had honestly expected for Clayton to strongly ask her what happened and who did it. So far though he'd made no move to get the truth out of her. Infact he seemed to be steering clear of such questions. She wasn't sure what to feel about it. On one hand he was probably just respecting her wish when she mentioned she didn't want her family to know and lumped himself in with her family as those she didn't want to tell what happened to. This was, of course, very sweet and appreciated. It was most likely the reason but a part of her couldn't help but feel disappointed he wasn't asking. Of course she didn't want to be interrogated and she knew Clay would be so angry if she told him what had really happened and why but a part of her felt lost at not being questioned about the whole thing.

"They should get their rest."

She told him softly, knowing it wouldn't be fair to his Pack members to make them drive her family and herself to Clayton's territory as soon as they got here.

"Infact they should stay here for the night. One can sleep in my bed, the other can sleep here on the sofa, and I'll make you up a bed in my daddy's room on the floor. It'll be fine. They should get a good night's sleep."

Saffie knew she would feel terribly guilty if they slept outside. Granted it wasn't much warmer inside the house but at least it would definitely be dry and safe. She was so used to caring for everyone, to being the hostess, that she just couldn't imagine leaving two young men out in the cold when they could be relative comfort inside the house where she could care for them. Sure, it put her out of a bed but after what she had gone through she really didn't have any desire to sleep and leave herself vulnerable again. She would probably just sit next to Clayton's bedside after he had gone asleep and try to bask in his protective presence as she thought about the future and all the new things she could experience in a new Pack and with Clay.

"First though I should probably change. C... Could you come with me?"

It was an innocent request. Saffie didn't feel quite safe on her own anymore and right now she just really needed Clayton to be around for protection. She wasn't weak. She knew that but after being surrounded by at least ten girls, she was sure there were more then that though, she couldn't help but feel powerless and helpless. She knew she would just feel better if he was stood inside the room with her, probably facing the door, whilst she got changed. She had a feeling it would be quite a long time before she could be comfortable being on her own again. Now that the adrenaline had worn off and the physical pain was gone, Saffie realised she was left with the emotional pain. She really didn't want to be on her own anywhere, she really wanted a cuddle and cry, and she most definitely wanted to leave this Pack as soon as possible. However that last one would definitely have to wait until the morning. She wouldn't force others to suffer because of her own feelings and fears. She could make through just one more night here because tomorrow they would leave and perhaps her life would change for the better.

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Clayton watched as she took a hold of one of his arms to use to get out of the tub. She smiled at him once she let go of his arm, making his mouth twitch as it tried to move upward until a pang of guilt settled once more in his chest when he realized she had been hurt while he had been sleeping. His wolf whined again, unable to forget the way she looked when he had walked in with her body bruised, broken, and beaten. Of course, the wolf wished to hunt whoever it was down, but he held that back because of his mate’s desires. She wanted no one to know and she obviously didn’t want him to get involved. However, he knew there would be no stopping him if he was to notice any male or female from the pack looking at her in a smug way. He would jump into action regardless of what rank was held, punishing whoever hurt his mate or had been involved.

He knew that they would grow to have shocked looks at her pristine condition, and he would be watching and waiting. His wolf was ready to fight and he knew that Saffie would object if he was to tell her his line of thought concerning the situation. Yet, he knew he couldn’t deny his wolf and himself such a pleasure as to hurt those who had caused his mate to look at him with pained eyes and bite her lip to hold back her own cries of pain.

He nodded his head at her response, not fighting her on the fact. If she wanted them to rest at her house, then he would let them do just that. Clay knew she wanted to leave as soon as possible, but it seemed she was conflicted. Perhaps she felt bad for making his sub-betas work so hard, or maybe she was too wrung out from what had happened. Either way, he wasn’t going to tell her what to do, especially since he just wanted to hold her close, to protect her from everything.

“As you wish,” he stated, though his wolf snarled at the thought of someone sleeping in his mate’s bed except for him. He hushed the wolf, knowing it wasn’t a fight they should pick. After all, he knew how to pick his battles, and he knew her heart was too kind to even contemplate letting one of them sleep on the ground.

His wolf perked up at her comment, and he froze. Clayton looked at her closely, worried about her, but also wanting to immediately say that he would come with her anywhere. For once, he didn’t think any heated thought, rather his mind still set on protecting his mate and his own guilt that he hid with practice. “Of course, Saffie. I don’t think I can very well leave you after what has happened,” he murmured with a nod of his head. He walked closer to her, his hand brushed against her face gently, his eyes soft as he stared down at her face. “I doubt I will be able to sleep at all tonight either.” His voice had grown to a whisper as he stared at her eyes and tried to figure her out.

He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep, even with her at his side. His wolf would be too keyed up for something like that. Not only that, but he wanted to be awake so that he didn’t slack in his watch of her. If anything happened, he would know it was him to blame. Clay doubted he would be able to take seeing her hurt again, knowing he wasn’t able to stop it. So, he nodded to the door. “Lead the way,” he stated with a smile, trying to keep her from worrying about him and, at the same time, trying to make her more comfortable.

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When Clayton mentioned he didn't think he'd be able to sleep either, with his hand brushing softly against her cheek, Saffie found herself blurting out something she hadn't intended to...

"I'm scared."

She was scared. Actually she was terrified. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to sleep or even go outside, anywhere, without Clayton beside her. Saffie could actually see herself just tagging along with Clayton on his duties, her hand in his or gripping his shirt, as her body stayed tense and gaze shot from place to place anxiously. She didn't want to end up that way. She was an independant, strong woman and yet... none of that had helped her tonight. Saffie was pretty sure nothing would have helped her tonight beside having Clayton there beside her. He could have made a difference and scared the girls off at the least. Her siblings wouldn't have been able to stop them. They weren't strong enough yet and Emmie had only just reached of age whilst the others were all underage. They wouldn't have helped. Even if her father had been aware and conscious for the first time in over fifteen years, his muscles were so weak and stiff that he probably wouldn't be able to shift into his Werewolf form let alone fight to protect her. No, the only one who would have made a difference was Clayton. However that didn't mean it was his fault. It wasn't his fault and she would always make sure he knew that.

Saffie gathered up her clothes and shoes, wrapping it all up into one tight bundle before holding it tight in the same hand that held her towel up. The faintest of blushes graced her cheeks as she slipped her hand into his as he mentioned for her to lead the way. With one hand in Clay's, Saffie walked out of the bathroom, down the hallway, and into her bedroom. Once she was sure her bedroom door was shut properly Saffie opened the small wardrobe to reveal the few clothes she owned, all of which had been repaired various times and showed it. Keeping the wardrobe doors open, she hid behind them before stripping off completely. She dried her body and hair thoroughly with the towel before putting on a fresh pair of underwear, stockings, and dress with a white top, black waistband, and pastel yellow skirt. Picking up her towel she hung it over one of the wardrobe doors before shutting both doors, one shutting completely whilst the other was left ajar. Now dressed, Saffie walked over to her bedside table and took out her hairbrush to brush her hair until the tangles were gone. Once finished she put the hairbrush away before shifting her focus back onto Clayton. He was such a good man.

"If neither of us are going to sleep... What did you want to do?"

Saffie asked, sitting down on her bed and patting a space next to her. She didn't know what she would do about transport tomorrow. Clay would most likely run in his Werewolf form as usual since the horses shied away from him. Saffie knew she was supposed to drive her carriage but she felt a very deep urge to stick close to Clayton's side and that meant running in her Werewolf form as well to do so since he couldn't really get on a carriage. However if she did that then she would have to find someone else to drive her carriage. Could any of her siblings do it? She hadn't actually had to teach anyone how to do so. Perhaps they could leave the carriage behind. Emmie and Ruby could ride the two stallions, Ursa and Major, as Saffie had taught them how to ride. They could ride them inbetween the carriages for safety, and the boys would be in the carriage with their father. It would be a shame to leave the carriage behind but she supposed if she packed well then they probably wouldn't need it.

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Clayton kept himself calm as he heard her words, knowing that whoever had attacked her had scared her and that he hadn’t been there for her, to comfort her and to protect her from danger. His mind kept going back to the fact that she had been hurt and he could have been there for her to keep her safe if he had only decided against sleep. His mind kept moving back to that fact. No matter what she said he would always remember and always wonder if he could have done something, anything to protect his mate from harm. There was no doubt in his mind that whoever hurt her was a part of her pack. He had no clue why they were so set against her, unless they realized that she should have been the next alpha female. Perhaps they got a kick out of hurting one another as they did. However, his wolf wasn’t pleased with the way the pack was carrying itself, as if the divide in status was what led the pack.

Yes, he had the title of alpha, but that didn’t mean that he treated the rest of his pack horribly. Rather, he cared for them and got to know them after time. It was the job of alpha to make sure the pack was united, and he knew his was, despite the large number in the pack. He After all, they held parties when a new werewolf was born and celebrated as a pack, each taking part, from young to old.

He watched her gathering her clothes and as Saffie slipped her hand into his with a blush on her face. He wanted to hold her close, but knew he couldn’t just do that in that moment. She wanted to dress and he wasn’t going to hold her up, especially when he wore such tight clothing and had to keep the buttons untouched to fit them. Clayton walked with Saffie down the hallway, and into her bedroom. The room smelled like her still, but his scent intermingled slightly, just enough to make his wolf’s tail thump happily in Clayton’s mind. He watched her move over to the wardrobe, hiding behind it as she changed, which caused a slight smile to move his lips upward and at the same time want to touch her. Even as he thought about touching her, he remembered the injuries and his train of thought centered once more.

If what happened to her helped him keep himself from touching her until she was ready, then he was willing to deal with the waves of guilt. She changed quickly, and his eyes automatically moved over the new outfit which was a bright, sweet outfit that made his lips curl upward even further. He watched her brush her hair, and realized he just enjoyed watching her going about her day. After all, she had looked so beautiful in the kitchen, making him wish they were in his home where he could walk up behind her and kiss at her neck and shoulder while pressing himself against her back. He wanted to be able to talk about their days to one another in those sweet moments alone and he yearned to have her with him at all times, being pained whenever she wasn’t next to him or somewhere he could reach in a few moments if he ran fast enough.

“Why don’t we just talk?” he proposed to her question. He walked over at her motion for him to join her, and knew that he just wanted to be next to her. “You may ask me anything you want to know, and in return, I want to be able to ask you more about yourself,” he explained as he sat down next to her. Automatically he sat close to her, and turned his undivided attention to her.

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Saffie could feel her thigh pressed against his, noticing how muscular his was compared to her soft, squidgy (in her opinion) one. He was so warm. She could feel it through her dress. She felt as if his presence had wrapped around her, as if he'd placed her to sit between his legs on bed, his legs spread, back straight and arms curved around her. It was an odd feeling but she liked it. She felt safe and right now that was the most important thing to her.

She was surprised that he suggested they talk. On reflection she knew they needed to talk. There was a lot she didn't know about him that she needed to know, and he probably wanted to know more about her. Where to start however... She supposed the first question she should ask is why he was so sure she was his Mate, how did his blood heal her and her father, and why did his eyes flash that strange colour when he felt heightened emotion? There was so many other questions she wanted to ask as well that it was hard to find a question that she could start with without sounding like this was an interrogation. At the end of the day though, deep down she knew what the first question should be.

"How do you know I'm your Mate?"

Saffie asked gently, her gaze focused solely on Clayton. She was very flattered by his attention of course. He looked like he had just walked out from her dreams, from muscle to temprement, and he wanted her. She knew she shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth but she really wanted to know. He didn't seem to have taken long to know she was his Mate. Perhaps the spirit in which she had fought for and protected her sister when they first met had sparked his interest, and then when that had met at Nationals perhaps he liked the fact she hadn't followed the crowd up to the higher ground and instead sat down at leisure under the tree, showing she was an independant woman and quite happy to seek her own company rather then beg or bribe for someone else's company. She also hadn't actively tried to seek out a male, especially one of higher standing or wealthier, and so couldn't be said she was a gold-digger or power hungry. Perhaps it was all that which had attracted her to him and how he had decided for himself she would make him a good Mate and his pack a good Alpha Female. Perhaps she really was worthy of this new life she was going to lead.

At least that was what Saffie hoped for.

Perhaps she shouldn't have asked him about it though. He was such a good man and she didn't want to loose him. He was so kind and gentle to her, so very understanding and he had done all he could so far to make her feel wanted. He had never been ashamed to be seen with her infront of others either. He had even defended her when she'd tried to ignore negative behaviour towards her. He was also clearly upset she had gotten so hurt and she knew deep down if she gave him names he would go out and make sure they knew never to hurt her again by hurting them. He was so understanding of the fact that wherever she went her family would have to come to, and how her father at the moment took more care then would be ordinary. Perhaps in the morning her father would finally be the man she remembered as a little girl. Clay was everything that was good in her life, besides her family, and she didn't want to go back to a life without him. Saffie knew she could survive without him, she had done so for thirty years half of which was spent as the head of the family, but she'd much rather survive with him then without.

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