My Hunted Mate
Chapter Fourty Eight

Corinna

As I lay on the dirty mattress, fading in and out of the world around medue to the wolfsbane being pumped into my system in a regular basis, Ireplace myself losing track of the hours and days that go by.

Each time that the wolfsbane starts to wear off, Olive appears bringingme water and small amount of bread and fruit before Josephine bargesin to stick another needle in my neck.

Groggily, I push myself into a sitting position on the mattress. My entirebody feels weak, too weak to fight back or attempt another escape, notthat my mind has been clear enough to plan one.

Tears begin to rush out of my eyes as I place a hand on my bump. " It'sokay baby, I'll get you out of here somehow. " I whisper.

A hopeless sob escapes my lips, as I peal my sweat covered hoodiefrom my body, folding it and placing it beside me. The side of my neckfeels swollen and bruised from the constant injections, my mind beginsto wander as I think about the moments of my life that have led up tothis.

From being a happy, naive child, to replaceing out my mother was a witch,watching her slaughter members of my pack to escape my uncle andfather and judging her for it, even though years later, I would replacemyself also killing for my survival.

Being isolated within my pack for something I had no control over,never being able to properly learn things about my own kind, beinghated and only replaceing comfort in my father until the day his love forhis own blood, turned to hate.

The pain and guilt I felt for each person I harmed or killed to protectmyself, the happiness and safety I found in the friends I made along theway, only to feel the deep never ending grief of them being torn awayfrom the world because I had put them in harms way.

As I think of all the horrible things I've done and had to endure in mylife, the anxiety and fear of my child having to go through the samething haunts me. I can't let that happen.

My thoughts are cut off as the door of the basement opens, as I clear aset of footsteps walking down the wooden stairs, I lift my head up tosee Olive making her way over to me with a bowl, glass of water and anorange all set on top of a tray.

Without a word, she kneels down on the floor beside the mattress andplaces the tray in front of me. As I struggle to drink the soup in thebowl, she peels the skin from the orange for me.

"1 don't understand why you're bringing me food, if you want me dead." I say, my voice croaky and weak.

She doesn't respond to me, she just hands me the glass of water whichI gulp down straight away. When the empty bowl and glass are back onthe tray, she places the orange into my hand and leaves me alone toeat it.

Josephine walks into the room before I even swallow the last piece offruit, her eyes are hard and hateful as they fall on me, but when I flinchat the sight of the needle in her hand, a small satisfied smirk crosses herlips.

"1 didn't do anything to you, you know. I just found my mate. " Iremind her, the smirk on her face drops and is replaced with a look ofdisgust.

" Your mate made promises to me that he couldn't keep, then he choseyou, someone he knew for a handful of hours over me, the person whostood beside him for centuries! You're the reason I can't see my familywithout sneaking around to do it, you're the reason my friends turnedtheir back on me and you're the reason I don't have a home. * Sheseethes.

"1 never intended to take your home from you, or your family andfriends. But Josephine, you didn't just act petty and jealous, you tried todrown me while I was bathing. I didn't do anything to you. " I scowl.

" Shut the fuck up. " She hisses, coming at me with the needle.

"No more! Please! I can't go anywhere, just please- " I beg, pushingmyself as close to the wall and away from her as possible.

She raises her hand to me, automatically I flinch and wrap my armsaround my stomach. Her eyes fall on my bump, they immediately fillwith rage, disgust and hatred. Something about how she looks at myunborn child with such loathing, makes me snap a little and I let out aloud protective growl.

That only seems to anger her more.

"I'm going to go get a second needle and hopefully that'll kill thatthing inside you off. * She glares at me, spinning on her heels andexiting the room.

Seconds later I hear her and Olive arguing behind the basement door. *The child didn't do anything, Josie! Stop this! * Olive shouts as the doorswings open, I watch as she chases her sister down the stairs in a panic,trying to grab onto her arm.

Josephine roughly shoves her sister away. " Get with the plan or get outOlive, right now I meant it. *

" This is wrong and you know it is. " Olive cries, trying once again tochange her sisters mind.

But instead she ignores Olive and storms toward me jamming a needleinto my neck without remorse or a second thought, the effects of thewolfsbane start to take over as soon as it enters my bloodstream, but Ivaguely register another being jammed into my skin and then anotheruntil finally black splashes cover my blurred vision, they come and gofor a couple of moments before darkness completely takes hold of meand drags me into unconsciousness.