***sexual abuse trigger***

Once we got back to the sitting room after our run, Jackson brought me a glass of water. I was very appreciative because somehow I felt like I could drink a bathtub full.

"Parvulus, your wolf is fascinatingly beautiful." Darius crooned.

"Thank you, I made her myself" I laughed.

Ethan and Bryan were snickering.

They would need to get used to my personality.

"Seriously Aubrey, I have never seen any wolf that compares to you. You're so large and you emanate power." Bryan soothed.

"She actually shimmers in the moonlight, I found it distracting." Ethan interjects.

"She's definitely a beauty." Jackson confirmed.

"Thanks guys, now Amare is gonna get a big head." I rolled my eyes.

"Is that the route your taking, blaming everything on the wolf." Jackson chuckled.

"For as long as I can milk it" I confirmed.

"That's what she said" Bryan barked.

Darius threw a pillow at his face while we all broke out in giggles.

"Are you ready for bed princess?" Darius asked.

"Sure, but you can call me Queen" I winked.

"First you have to be Luna, then you are Queen, your majesty" Ethan corrected.

"My first rule as being Queen is that Ethan will be massaging my feet!" I laughed.

"Oh god, Darius what have you done?" Jackson laughed.

"I will massage anything you want parvulus" Darius promised.

"I will hold you to that" I laughed.

"Put her heinass to bed" Bryan ordered.

"Bryan, don't make me hurt you." I glared.

"Ok, up we go. Bed time for the Luna." Darius demanded as he pulled me from my seat.

"Goodnight besties, be ready to catch hell tomorrow!" I blew them a kiss before I walked away.

"We look forward to it." The shouted back.

"They really truly adore you, Aubrey." Darius said.

"I already love them." I replied.

"Just them?" He whined.

"Your love is different, it's stronger so it takes longer to build" I coddled.

"Let's see if I can change your mind" Darius whispered as he whisked me off my feet and cradled me in his arms, climbing the stairs.

Darius turned the knob to a very large black wooden door. He kicked his foot at the bottom of the door and backed into a room.

When he spun around I gasped at the elegance. It had dark wood flooring, almost Black and whitewashed dressers. The bed was humongous. I had never been in a bed that size. The whole back wall was glass with seamless doors which opened onto the balcony. The only way to know it had doors were the small nickel brushed plates that were on both doors inside and out.

The bed spread was a duvet with intricate silver embroidery in a very regal pattern. It's material was a dark grey. The pillow cases and sheets were shiny and the color of blood. I was excited to feel the bed. I hadn't seen anything look so comfortable in my entire life.

"Would you like a shower and a clean set of pajamas, I don't have any girl clothes, but you can use some of mine." Darius offered.

"Yes, please" I replied.

"I will get the water ready and set out your towel and clothes." Darius promised.

"Hey" I called out.

Darius looked at my face.

"Thank you for everything" I smiled.

"Anything for you parvulus" he promised.

After my shower, I got ready for bed. The shower was gigantic. It could probably hold ten people. The walls were made of cold smooth marble in a light grey and black. The floor of the shower was heated. That made my feet very comfy.

There was a long counter made of stone granite with two glass bowl sinks. The faucets looked extremely modern and matched the glass doors of the balcony.

I spotted, a big ass porcelain tub and I staked claim to it for my next bath. It has jets and lots of candles all over the backsplash. I couldn't wait to test those waters.

I tried to wear Darius pants but, he's much longer than me and I decided to nix the pants altogether. So, I was swallowed by a large white T-shirt instead. I wrapped my hair into a messy bun and headed to sample the bed.

Darius was sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for me to get out of the bathroom. I felt bad for taking so long.

"I'm sorry I made you wait" I apologized.

"It's perfectly fine sweetheart. I can be patient. Lay down and I will be right back." He promised.

I went to the bed to crawl in. But the minute my skin touched the sheets, shivers creeped over my skin. I was suddenly shoved into a memory from my childhood.

I was seven and the room was dark. My sister laid beside me fast asleep. So I closed my eyes and followed her lead. I woke to the feeling of satin scraping across my skin roughly. I cringed at the panting breath that licked my skin. I smelled the scent of cheap cigarettes and coffee. I felt nauseated. Calloused hands were crawling over my bottom and yanking my panties to my knees. I cried out. I begged him not to do it.

"You know you like it" the demon spit.

"Please don't, I will be good. I promise. Don't hurt me." I pleaded.

But he wasn't listening to my cries.

***Darius POV***

I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth and changing for bed when I heard Aubrey screaming shrilly. I ran to look for her. She wasn't on the bed but, I knew she was in the room.

I looked over the side of the bed, and she was holding her knees crying into her lap while rocking back and forth.

I tried to call her name but she couldn't hear me.

"Baby, what's wrong? I'm here. Your safe." I whispered frantically.

I yanked her softly into my arms and carried her to my couch.

"Aubrey sweetheart? Why are you crying." I pleaded.

"The sheets. I can't touch the sheets. They hurt. They scratch me. Please don't make me touch the sheets." She begged.

"The sheets on our bed?" I asked in horror.

"Please, I cant sleep here. Please." She cried.

"Aubrey, baby we won't sleep on the sheets. I promise. Let's go down stairs and I will get you something to drink." I promised.

"Ok" she whimpered, while holding tightly to my shirt in an iron grip.

"Jackson!" I called thru the mind link.

"I'm outside your door, Alpha, we all are. What's wrong? We heard Aubrey screaming." Jackson asked.

"When I leave this room, please discard the sheets and bring new ones. Cotton ones please." I asked.

"What's the problem with the sheets?" He questioned.

"I'm not sure. But, Aubrey is deathly afraid to touch them. Please just get rid of them. Don't keep them in this house, as a matter of fact, tomorrow everyone gets cotton sheets." I demanded.

"No problem, Alpha! I will tend to it personally." Jackson promised.

"Thank you and I'm sorry to have waken you guys." I apologized.

"Alpha, she's bound to have trauma. We are all here to help her thru it. Don't apologize." He consoled.

"Thank you Jackson, I don't know what I would do without you." I replied.

"You will never have to know" Jackson reassured me.

I carried my angel to the kitchen. I set her down on the bar stool and kissed her forehead before bringing her a glass of water and two ibuprofen for the headache that would surely form.

I microwaved two cups of hot cocoa and added whip cream to the top. I carried the cups to the living room and placed them on the coffee table.

"Aubrey, do you need something to help you sleep baby?" I asked.

"No, I am okay." She whimpered.

"Parvulus you don't always have to be strong. Please consider the sleeping pills. You have had a long night." I pleaded.

"I don't want to hurt Amare" she cried.

"Wolves take sleeping pills sweetheart. You won't hurt her. If you are worried you can ask her and she will confirm." I promised.

"No, I trust you. I will take a half if that's ok. I don't want to be knocked out." She compromised.

"Thank you my sweet angel. Let me grab one." I replied.

Aubrey will need to learn that I always want her to be comfortable and she can have anything she wants to make her happy.

I grabbed the small pill and cut it in half before handing it to her. She placed it into her mouth and drank some water behind it.

"Did you swallow the pill baby?" I asked.

"Of course, I would never trick you" she promised.

"I don't know why I even asked that, please accept my apologies." I begged.

"You're too much" she laughed.

I carried Aubrey to the couch and set her beside me. I wrapped a throw over her lap and turned the tv on with the volume low. She started sipping her hot chocolate.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked.

"Not really" she whispered.

"Okay" I agreed.

"But, I will if you promise not to look at me different." She said.

"Parvulus I will never look at you differently for anything that you couldn't control. We know a lot of what you have been thru. And what we couldn't see, we pieced together. You aren't going to tell me anything I can't handle. I promise." I consoled her.

"My mom's boyfriend, he used to do dirty stuff to me. One night, when I was seven, he pulled me from the room I shared with my sister and carried me into his room. He hurt me in that room. And, I remember the sheets as they painfully scrubbed at my skin while he was hurting me. When I felt your bed, I was reminded of that night." She hung her head as tears poured down her face.

I knew exactly which night Aubrey had described. I remember Ethan explaining her scent and the way his stomach coiled when he described it. Aubrey's confession only confirmed our worse nightmares.

I will never understand how someone could lust for a child. It's absolutely sick. That man never received the death that Ultor begged to give. Unfortunately, Fate only allowed us so many options.

"Oh Aubrey, I wish I could make those memories disappear. You don't deserve to remember that bad stuff." I said while I held her close to my side.

"It's ok. I lived. And I like to think that everything I went thru has made me a better person. I turned out okay in spite of him." She shrugged.

"No, it's not okay. And you didn't turn out fine." I stated.

Aubrey looked at me like I slapped her, tears threatened to poor again down her face.

"You turned out incredible parvulus!" I finished.

Aubrey's face beamed as a smile returned to her features.

"Do you want to go to sleep or would you like to watch a movie?" I asked.

"Do you mind cuddling with me on the couch while we watch a movie?" She asked.

"I would love to sweetheart." I smiled.

I turned on a happy movie, "Wedding Singer" and draped a blanket over me and Aubrey. I spooned her on the chase portion of our sectional.

I didn't watch much of the movie. I was too busy focusing on my angel. Persephone had blessed me so immensely. I played with her hair and kissed her cheek while she curled in front of me.

Aubrey has her breakdowns and moments where she freaks completely out. But, she handles everything that has been sent her way with so much grace and more understanding than anyone can expect.

I will spend all my days giving my parvulus everything she deserves. Especially, when she doesn't think she deserves it. (And we all know those times will come more often than necessary.)

We will make new memories to soften the jagged edges of the bad ones.

Shes's gonna be a great Luna. She is perfect.

We fell asleep with my arms wrapped around my little one. My Luna. My Queen.