Sophie walked into Zack's bedroom, her spine stiff with tension. As the door closed quietly behind her she flinched and the stiffness in her shoulders increased. She could feel the panic trying to rise up within her and struggled to keep it at bay.

Footsteps, muffled by the plush carpet, came closer and her breathing began to labour. She closed her eyes, willing calmness, but without much success. As Zack moved closer to her she began to feel the heat against her back from his body.

She almost jumped out of her skin when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's OK to be worried Sophie. I understand you are afraid. On my honour, I will do everything I can to make this as good for you as I can. If you need me to stop or don't like something I do tell me and I will stop."

Sophie let out a shuddering breath, unable to say anything past the fear clogging her throat.

Zack took her silence as permission to continue and his hands moved around her back to span across her stomach. His hand moved lower and worked its way under the bottom of her sweater and rubbed gently back and forth. He moved closer and she could feel the entire length of his body pressed against her back, his breath ticking the back of her neck.

His other hand quickly joined the first, gently and soothingly stroking the tension from her abdomen. Her eyes drifted closed and amazingly some of the tension began to slowly seep from her limbs.

Sophie had no idea how long they stood in complete silence, with only the sound of their breathing disturbing the stillness that surrounded them. Zack's gentle breaths ruffled the sensitive skin at the back of her neck and a shiver ran up her spine when she felt his lips graze the sensitive skin there.

She started abruptly when she felt Zack's hand slowly begin to inch it's way up the smooth plain of her stomach, it's journey only ending when it touched the underside of her breast. He paused with the tips of his fingers resting against the smooth cotton of her bra, waiting, almost asking for permission to go further, and when she uttered no protest his hand slid over the swell and cupped her gently.

Her breath stuttered in her chest and her heart kicked into high gear pounding in her chest, the familiar feeling of blooming panic rushed through her. Her hand shot up to grip Zack's and she pulled it away from her body sharply.

Zack tightened his grip on her with his arm still wrapped around her waist. "Sshhh." he mumbled in her ear. "It's ok Sophie you're safe. I won't hurt you." But his words only increased her panic. Memories began flooding her mind, but forefront to them all was the memory of the first time her torturer had raped her. He had help her down and whispered cruelly "it's ok girly it won't hurt if you just relax!" But oh Goddess how it hurt. Worse than anything she could have ever imagined. The panic rushing through her increased exponentially with the memories of her abuse piling in one after another.

"No!" She said sharply. "I can't do this! I can't, I just can't. I'm sorry Zack."

She wrenched herself from his arms and almost ran across the room to put some much needed distance between them, her shoulders curled in on themselves, defeat clear in every line of her body.

"Just give me a minute please! I just need a minute." She gasped out.

She desperately tried to pull herself together. Frantically trying to push the memories flooding her back into the box she usually managed to keep them locked up in.

She could feel Zack's eyes burning into her back and couldn't help but be appreciative of the fact that he stood silently waiting for her to pull herself together.

After what seemed like forever, her breathing slowed and her heartbeat returned to a manageable level and she slowly straightened her back and firmed her shoulders. She turned to look at Zack, dreading seeing the look of.... what would it be? Pity. Anger? Disgust? Did it really matter? Probably some combination of all three, and more she was sure.

But she was wrong. What she saw in his eyes drew a gasp from her. Understanding, acceptance. There was no condemnation. No anger at her inability to accept his touch. No disgust at her panic. In that moment her bruised and batted heart broke a bit more.

As he took a tentative step forward he said gently. "Sophie it's OK. I told you earlier it doesn't have to be tonight. We have a day, maybe two before the council start asking questions. Let's take that time, get to know each other a bit better. It might make things a little easier for you."

As Sophie looked at the strong man in front of her, the one who should have been her happy ever after, she knew that a day, two days or two years wouldn't make her first time with him, or indeed anyone, any easier.

"No!" She said loud and firm. "It will be tonight. Putting it off won't help. We need to just get it over with."

She saw Zack flinch at her words, but couldn't, no wouldn't, feel bad at her harsh words. He knew what he was getting into.

"Just don't talk to me OK! Don't try to make me feel better with pretty words. There are no words that will make this any easier." She turned away from him and moved over to the bed.

She quickly stripped off her jeans and top, leaving her standing in only her underwear. Even from across the room Zack could easily see the network of scars marring the expanse of her back. To see her standing there, so afraid, but yet still willing to complete the mating ritual with him. It humbled him. He had no words.

Sophie drew in a shuddering breath. "I don't think I can look at you." She said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Zack asked, confused.

"Whenever he raped me, he made me look at him. It was always him on top, facing me, holding me down. He got off on my fear, seeing my tears and the terror in my eyes. I just don't think I can let you be on top of me, it would feel too much like what he did." The way she spoke, so matter of fact, sent chills through him.

"The quicker we get this over with the better!" She said calmly.

"But you won't be ready for me. I don't want to hurt you." Zach said frowning heavily.

"You wouldn't hurt me Zack." Sophie said sadly.

Zack felt a momentary thrill go through him when at first he thought she meant that she knew he would never deliberately hurt her. But when she turned and he saw the look in her eyes, he knew she meant something different.

She meant that everything he did to her here tonight, would never be as bad or painful as what he had put her through.

"I have something we can use to make it easier." He mumbled. Suddenly embarrassed at the turn of conversation.

He swiftly moved across the room to the small bathroom and came out seconds later holding a small bottle in his hand. "I keep this for.....". He trailed off, obviously uncomfortable.

"It's OK Zack." Sophie said quietly. She quickly slipped of her panties and climbed up on to the large bed and settled on her knees, looking at her soon to be mate, over her shoulder.

As Zack stood in the centre of the room looking at Sophie sitting so still, waiting for him he felt a sudden rush of rage wash over him. It should never have been like this for them. They should have met and mated the same way all wolf couples did. The initial immediate attraction, a very brief courtship followed by a beautiful mating ceremony. Then culminating in the actual mating itself. Something all wolves looked forward to their whole lives.

But instead they had this! An awkward tension, which bordered on excruciating. A travesty of a mating!

For the first time he felt true rage at his parents. He had made excuses for them time and time again, always managing to find ways to excuse what they had done to both him and Sophie. But when faced here tonight, with the consequences of those decisions, he finally realised how heinous their actions were.

If Sophie never forgave any of them, he would not blame her in the slightest. But even when his heart and conscience where telling him to leave Sophie alone, his head knew that if they did not complete their mating everything would be lost. As he squared his shoulders and moved silently over to the bed, be sent a quick prayer to the Goddess that he didn't make things any worse for his brave mate than he already had.

He quickly stripped of his clothes and climbed onto the bed behind her. He roughly coated his cock with the lube, which unbelievably had remained hard throughout, simply from the close proximity to his beautiful mate.

Sophie sat still and silent in front of him until he applied gentle pressure between he shoulders, bending her over in front of him and moved quickly into position. With a hand on her shoulder holding her in place, he thrust inside of her in one smooth motion, aided buy the copious amount of lube he had used.

He felt Sophie suck in a sharp breath at the sudden intrusion of her body but she did not move. He gave her a few seconds to acclimatise to his considerable length and girth, then began to move within her.

Conscious of every breath and movement his mate made, ready to stop, should she begin to panic he began to thrust quicker and harder.

Very quickly, almost embarrassingly so, he felt the tell tale tingle at the base of his spine signaling his climax was near, he moved over his mate so to reach her shoulder and deliver the mating bite. "I'm going to bite soon." He gritted out through clenched teeth, and saw her nod in acknowledgment.

After a few more hard thrust, his orgasm was upon him, and he felt his teeth elongate. As he bit down firmly on Sophie's shoulder, he felt a rush of exhilaration rush over him as her sweet blood filled his mouth and slid smoothly down his throat. And when the mating bond snapped into place, utter contentment.

He slumped over his prone mate, but quickly moved to the side not wanting to crush her under his weight.

As his breathing slowed, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye and he turned to see his mate climb of the bed and begin to redress. When she was covered she turned to look at her mate still lying in the middle of the big bed.

"I'm going to go back to my room now. I know I should stay with you but.......". She trailed off, her uncertainty in the situation clear in her voice. "I just need some space, for a little while."

She made her way to the door, but stopped with her hand on the handle. "I'm sorry Zack." She whispered brokenly.

Zack sat up quickly, his hand reaching out to her. "Oh Sophie no. You have nothing to be sorry about." Zack stated firmly. "If anyone should be apologising it's me. Again. I feel as if that's all I do when I'm with you."

Sophie nodded, opened the door, and slipped out into the hall. He heard he soft footsteps as she made her way back to the room he had shown her too earlier.

As he lay staring up at the ceiling he couldn't stop the single tear that slid from his eye and ran down the side of his face to disappear into his thick hair.

He allowed himself a brief moment of pity for both his brave mate and for himself. But after that moment was up, he felt a new sense of determination rush over him.

Tomorrow was a new day. And it would signal the first day of the rest of their lives. And he did mean their lives.

Tomorrow he would begin his courtship of his mate. She had sacrificed everything here for him tonight, and given him her trust. He would show Sophie he was worthy of that trust and could be a good and strong mate.

His little mate thought she would be able to walk away when the business with the council was done. He would show her how good it could be to stay.

Tomorrow was indeed a new day.