Chapter 5

When her torturer had, the next day, gave her a pill to swallow she had at first thought that perhaps he had realised he had went to far the previous day and was giving her pain relief. She should have known better.

It was nearly two weeks later she discovered that those pills where not a simple aspirin, but another horrible way for her torturer to keep her living in his hell.

With only being back on her feet for a couple of days, even with her advanced healing, the beating was so severe it took almost two whole weeks to get back on her feet. Her torturer left early in the morning saying he had "pack business" to take care of. Sophie waited till she knew he was definitely gone before taking the chance to track down her newly discovered mate. Her torturer hadn't locked her in this time believing her too scared to leave the cabin, after the beating he had delivered on the day of the birthday. But Sophie was determined to see Zack.

As she left the cabin and made her way careful towards the pack house, still unsteady, it took her twice as long as it should have to make the half mile trip. As Sophie rounded the side of the imposing building the first person she saw was her mate. He stood in the doorway talking to his father, the Alpha.

Slowly, and mustering every bit of courage and determination she could, Sophie approached the steps and tentatively called out to her mate. "Zack, erm could I talk to for a moment please?"

At the quiet, timid voice from the side Zack turned and looked at Sophie, frowning in confusion. "Do I know you?" He asked. Sophie gasped in surprise. How could he not know who she was, she had been part of this pack for five years. And he didn't have a clue who she was. How could that be.

"I'm Sophie, Sophie Danes. I am...... um my uncle is....... um.......". She stammered, nerves making even simple speech difficult.

Just then her Alpha stepped forward, pushing his son back. "Sophie, this is not a good time we have important pack business to discuss, I will come and see you later at your uncles home."

"I'm sorry Alpha it wasn't you I wanted to talk to, Zack if I could just have a moment of your time please." Sophie said desperately, beginning to wilt under the heavy glare of the Alpha.

"I told you Sophie, I will come......."

"No wait Dad, who is this?" He turned back to Sophie. "I'm sorry, you look familiar but I just can't place you. Are you a member of our pack?" He asked politely.

Sophie could feel the burn of tears stinging her eyes. He didn't even know that she was a member of his pack. Had her torturer really done such a good job isolating her from everyone that the alpha heir didn't even know who she was. But this was her chance, her only chance, to get away. Her chance to escape from hell. She had to take it.

Lifting her chin in determination Sophie looked at her mate and said, "Yes, I am. I have been a member of this pack for five years. I turned eighteen two weeks ago, and you are my mate. I scented you the day of my birthday when you had been swimming in the creek. You are my mate!" She finished in a rush.

"Sophie!" Barked her Alpha. "That is enough of you ridiculous nonsense!"

"No wait Dad, Sophie come up here please." Zack said turning to Sophie.

As she looked at her Alpha she couldn't understand the anger she could see on his face. Why was he angry at her? As Sophie slowly climbed the steps to stand in front of her mate she could feel the glare of the alpha burning into the side of her head.

Zack leaned forward and took a deep breath, taking in her scent. This was it. This was the first day of the rest of my life she thought, smiling in anticipation of her mate recognising her scent as his true mate.

As he stepped back, Sophie could not understand the small frown marring his handsome face. "I'm sorry Sophie but I don't scent you as my mate, why did you think I was yours?"

Sophie gasped. No! How could he not recognise her scent? How could this happen? Her mother had always told her you would immediately know your true mate by their scent, it could not be mistaken or misconstrued.

"Scent me again!" Sophie said a little desperately. "Please, I know I'm your mate. I scented you and I knew straight away you where mine. Please, try again."

" I'm sorry Sophie but you are not my mate, I would know if you were." Zack said firmly. "Dad, do you know anything about this? Is this possible that I would scent as her mate but not her as mine?" He asked the Alpha.

"Don't be ridiculous," blustered his father. "You know how it works, now enough of this nonsense Sophie go home and I will come and speak to you and your uncle later."

Sophie didn't know what to do, she knew that Zack was her mate but if he didn't recognise her as such what could she do. How could she fix this. She knew she had to do something quickly because the alpha was pulling a still frowning Zack back into the pack house.

"Please Zack!" Sophie called desperately. "I know you are my true mate I don't know why you can't scent it but I promise it's true, if you could just............"

"Enough Sophie!" Roared her Alpha. "Go home! Now!"

As they walked away the tears Sophie had been holding at bay fell unchecked down her pale face. What had happened? How had it gone so wrong?

Sophie turned and ran back to the cabin as quickly as her injuries allowed, to the small cabin that had been her prison for the last five years. She could only hope that once he had some time to think about her and their situation he would realise that what she was saying was true. She just hoped her torturer didn't find out she had approached Zack. She had been so sure that she would not be returning there ever again she she hadn't considered the consequences of todays actions.

Sophie learned that night, that hoping for anything was useless. As she huddled in the corner of her room later that day listening to the quiet murmurs of her torturer and the alpha, she knew by the tones of the voices, even though she couldn't hear the actual words, that there was no rescue imminent. Suddenly the voices stopped and a door slammed. Heavy footsteps came closer till the door slammed open, and in he stepped.

The cold hard look on his face froze Sophie in place. "You stupid girl!" He raged at her. "I told you he wouldn't want you! He didn't even acknowledge your scent. No one wants you but me. I told you that two weeks ago when you started this nonsense. Now you know for yourself, accept it and we can move on." He sneered.

As he started towards her, be began unbuckling his belt. And in that moment Sophie realised that as long as her torturer still lived, there would be no escape.

"I will of course have to punish you for your actions this afternoon, but you brought it upon yourself. And the Alpha has asked me to tell you to stay away from his Son. But after today I don't think we will have any more problems, do you?"

Sophie knew there was no point in trying to run, it would only make things worse. But she knew she would survive.

She would wait until the perfect opportunity came. And she would kill her torturer and leave this pack and the people who had turned their backs on her.

She may be beaten, but she would never be broken.