Page 29 of Knotted By the Demon

They’d leave me there for days, long enough that I’d lost track of time, forced to sit in my own filth, hungry, shivering, waiting for the next inevitable beating. My chest heaved as I tried to push the thoughts down, but the sight of the small stall brought everything rushing back. It didn’t matter that the enclosure was sheer, that I could see into the room beyond.

I’d be trapped again. Confined. Closed off. My hands curled into fists at my sides, nails digging into my palms as I fought to keep my breathing even. I couldn’t let them see this. Not Demon. Not Sofia. They’d think I was weak, broken. And I was, but I didn’t want them to know just how much. I swallowed hard, but my throat felt too tight like I couldn’t get enough air.

“You okay?” Sofia’s voice was soft, concerned, pulling me from the edge.

I forced a nod, my gaze still fixed on the shower stall like it might leap out and swallow me whole. “Yeah,” I croaked, though my voice betrayed the lie.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn’t press me. Instead, she reached out and touched my arm. “It’s just a shower, Greek,” she said gently as if sensing the storm brewing inside me. “You’re safe here.”

Safe. The word echoed in my mind, a concept that felt foreign and fragile. I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe I could step into that stall, let the water wash over me, and come out feeling clean, renewed. But the thought of closing the door, of being surrounded by walls in such a small space... I couldn’t do it.

It was ridiculous, irrational, this fear of mine – especially in this situation. Still, I couldn’t shove it down. I couldn’t force it back into the dark recesses of my mind. I couldn’t force myself to step forward to enter the shower stall. I just couldn’t. I felt him before I heard him. Demon approached me from behind, which should’ve made me recoil.

Instead, my eyes drifted shut as I felt the heat of his body grow closer. A low rumble filled the air. This alpha, this sweet alpha, was purring for me, trying to calm me down. We remained that way for a few minutes, with Demon purring for me while Sofia gently rubbed my arm, their scents enclosing me in a safe space. I swallowed, took a deep breath, and slowly opened my eyes. My gaze met Sofia’s.

“Which part of the bathroom is the problem?” she asked.

“I...” My voice cracked, and I hated it. “I’ve never used a shower before,” I admitted, hoping the truth would hide the deeper fear beneath.

“Showers are like dancing in the rain,” Sofia told me. “You’ll like it.”

I knew I would. The shower wasn’t the problem. The space was. The showers back at the compound had been open. Some pack members used curtains for privacy. But no doors that shut you into the shower space. Sofia said I’d like it. I wanted to laugh at how impossible that felt right now.

But I didn’t. Instead, I nodded again, not wanting to be a disappointment to her and Demon. Plus, I desperately needed to bathe, and there was no tub in this bathroom. Swallowing, I took another deep breath, willing my legs to move, to step further into the bathroom, closer to that damn stall. My feet felt like they were weighed down, my body sluggish and resistant. But I moved anyway, even as my heart raced faster with every step.

From behind me, Sofia said, “If you need anything, just call out. I’ll be right outside, okay? And Demon is going to find something for you to wear.”

Her words were kind, but they felt like a trap. I couldn’t call for her. I couldn’t admit to being so broken that I couldn’t handle something as simple as a shower. Demon didn’t say anything, but I felt his gaze on me. Could he see every crack I was trying to hide?

“Thanks,” I mumbled, not looking at either of them as I stepped closer to the stall.

The closer I got, the smaller it seemed, like the walls were pressing in before I even entered. My stomach churned, my palms clammy.It’s just a shower, I told myself again. It’s not the shed. You’re not there anymore. You’re here. With them. They’re not like the others.

But even as I tried to force the logic into my mind, my hands shook when I reached for the door. My fingers brushed the smooth handle, and for a second, I was back at the compound, back with that cruel pack and the alphas who wanted me to be a part of their bond. I yanked my hand back, my breathing coming faster now. I couldn’t do this.

I stared at the door, my chest heaving, my vision blurring at the edges. I wanted to scream, to cry, to break something, just to release the pressure building inside me. But all I could do was stand there, frozen, trapped in my own mind.

Behind me, I heard Sofia’s soft voice again, tinged with worry. “Greek?”

I didn’t turn around. I couldn’t. My throat felt too tight to answer. My omega whimpered, clawing at the walls I’d built to keep myself together. I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood, desperate to keep the panic from spilling over, to keep myself from falling apart in front of them. But I was already cracking.

“Would it help if I showered with you?” Sofia asked.

I spun around to face her, my face frozen in an expression of shock. “You... you’d come inside with me?”

She smiled. “Of course, silly. Would that make things better?”

I nodded, unable to find the words, fearing if I spoke, the tears would fall. It was taking all of my energy to hold them back.

“Thank you,” I managed to whisper, feeling weak but unable to turn down her offer.

“You’re welcome, Little Rabbit.” She winked at me before facing Demon. “Can you bring clothing for both of us and sit them outside the door.”

“They’ll be too big,” Demon told her. “Is that okay?”

“That’ll be perfect. Don’t bring anything that has that scent blocker smell on it.”

“Why?” Demon asked.

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