The Rebel
Chapter 42

Logan’s mouth opened and closed in shock, not knowing what to say.

” Brother ? »

“I saved him seven years ago, when I was crossing no man’s land. His mate… She… rejected him because of another man who was an Alpha… And they tortured him together… Hitting him… Breaking his bones to make him accept the rejection. »

She smiled as she remembered that day like it was yesterday.

“That’s the first time I realized, Logan… That it’s not always women who get abused… Men like Alex do it too… It’s just society that doesn’t Don’t let them talk about it… Considering it’s because of his cowardice. »

“I saved him that day and since that day, I consider him the little brother I never had. »

She looked lost, as if she were talking to herself.

And Logan was happy that she opened up to him.

“At least he was better than my real brother… Who never cared if I was alive or dead. Who always followed our father and didn’t even once come to my defense. »

“Yet you still saved him?” Logan asked, remembering the recording he saw, when he knew she was the lost princess, Zara Saravera.

” I had to do it. I’m not like them, Logan. I cannot bear the evil before my eyes. »

The silence stretched between them and Logan hesitated to ask him about Benjamin.

When suddenly, she took his hands in hers and rubbed her thumb over them in a soothing manner.

“You must curse your fate… Right?” »

“Mate with someone like me instead of a good, submissive, obedient girl who would give you love… who would please you… And who makes you cubs by giving you a family? »

Logan didn’t understand this girl. She spoke as if she was going to die tomorrow.

His eyes filled with sadness and depression.

“I just want you, Vera. Nobody else. Just the two of us together. »

She looked into his eyes, as he pulled her towards him.

His back hit his chest.

She felt the warmth spread over her.

She took his hands in hers as his words surprisingly soothed and comforted her.

“He received the antidote and is unconscious because of it.” You can see him again as soon as he wakes up. Trust me Vera…he’ll be fine. »

She chuckled sadly as she looked at the meadows.

“But how long can this last, Logan? The council won’t let him live…

Logan didn’t know how to answer that.

But he tried anyway, for his own good.

Holding her hands in his, he said with the greatest sincerity: “I will do my best to save him, Vera… I promise. I will do everything in my power. »

“Can you veto it?” she said, and that’s when Logan shut up. It was very rare for the king to veto the council.

Since its repercussions usually end in wars and coups against kingdoms.

“You can’t, Logan. The elders will hate you and your—”

“I will,” he said and Vera looked at him, shocked. Is he really going to do this for her?

He placed his hand behind her neck and pulled her towards him. He looked into her brown orbs filled with surprise.

His other hand held her waist and pulled her even closer to him.

“I can do anything for you, Vera. Anything. »

His insides were screaming at him to believe it, and his heart was pounding in his chest.

“And I can go beyond imagination to make you believe me, Vera. »

His breath hit her lips and she held back. Which made Logan wince. Touching his nose to hers, he placed a soft k**s on her lips.

His grip on his collar tightened and a small smile escaped his lips.

” Anything ? »

He nodded, pecked her lips and smiled at her again.

” Anything. »

They remained hugging, looking at the moon in the dark sky.

His fingers playing with his, she surprisingly enjoyed the contact.

He opened his palms and put his small palms on top of hers, to see the difference in size between them.

“Can I ask you one last question, Vera?” Logan asked, hoping that she would finally tell him the whole truth. The truth about Benjamin.

He wasn’t lying, he could do anything for her, but just this once.

Just today, he wanted her to tell him the straight truth.

The truth he wanted to hear.

“Hmm,” she said, playing with her fingers. She hoped to feel the sparks of love even when they were dead.

That alone could extinguish his hope of living.

“The rumors… …Why is Benjamin doing this? What’s the story… …Between you two? »

Vera stayed still in Logan’s arms and he felt it.

Placing a k**s on her neck from behind, he tried to soothe her racing heart that he could hear.

“He told you that… Didn’t he?” she asked and Logan closed his eyes. He hoped things would go well from there, because he was literally entering into troubled waters right now.

“Do you believe him and all the other rumors in the village? she asked, looking away again. His grip on her hands loosened, but he still held her hands.

” No. But…”

“But what, Logan. You can check, right? »

“Vera no…”

“He told you that we had an affair in the past… That I slept with him and other men… To control my impulses and use me as a ‘them… And you want to see for yourself if I slept with them or not. You want to check if I’m a whore…”

“VERA! »

Logan yelled at her as he placed his palms on her lips, silencing her.

“Don’t you dare finish it, Vera! Don’t you dare! »

And that’s when her tears slid down her cheeks, making Logan’s palms wet.

She was overreacting. He never assumed such things.

He just asked.

Yes, there are rumors, but he also doubts that it was Benjamin who spread them, who concocted the lies.

But, he didn’t know that she was emotionally exhausted right now, having her only friend be killed in front of her the next day, for crimes he didn’t even commit.

A scapegoat for his crimes and atrocities.

When it is she who should be hanged and killed.

If she wouldn’t have fought against the disease, who could kill her only friend at any time?

How Benjamin could ruin her reputation, her honor, could call into question her morality when she never allowed a man to touch her let alone bed her.

And Logan even believed this man’s bullshit.

Logan’s eyes widened as she smiled sadly at him, then she grabbed the front of her dress and tore it off.

Logan’s eyes widened in shock, but he didn’t dare lower his gaze.

What is she doing? Has she lost her mind?

“Vera!” What the f**k is wrong with you! he shouted, lifting his palms from his mouth and holding her wrists instead, when she twisted in his hold.

“No Logan. Leave me. Isn’t that what all men want… Isn’t that what you wanted? You want to check, don’t you? Let me…”

“Will you listen to me at least once, Vera! Just stop! “, he said, pinning her against the wall. Her tears flowed like a waterfall, her head turned to the side and her eyes were closed in sorrow.

Logan’s eyes moved to her clothes and he saw the buttons on her top ripped off and her underwear torn.

” Whore ! »

He cursed and immediately turned his back on her.

His wolf struggled to take control in his mind, but he wouldn’t let it.

Vera looked so broken right now.

If only he could hold her like this never happened.

If only he could rewind a few minutes forward.

“You want to know the story between Benjamin and me, don’t you?” ”, she said in a voice so broken but strong, quivering but firm.

” There she is. »

He could see her turn her back to him through his peripheral view.

Confused, he dared to turn around to see her approaching him.

Her fingers trembled as she held the collar of his torn shirt and pulled it down.

“Check my body… Every stroke is a reminder of my willingness to disrespect his male ego. »

The shirt came halfway down his back and Logan stopped breathing.

“Every scar is a reminder of my past. »

That’s when his grip loosened and the shirt was pulled down, exposing his entire back.

Logan’s body went numb. Everyone had battle scars, even he did.

But something like this? He had never seen it before.

“I am… A disaster, Logan… A cursed one… I could never submit to a man, Logan… Even if to my mate. »

How true his words were.

Now he knew why she never submitted, and he was glad she didn’t.

“I’m tainted… Logan”

He wanted to touch them… To trace them… To feel his pain.

His eyes fixed on them.

It really was like a white canvas painted with carbon black lines.

Beautiful but terrifying.

He couldn’t breathe… His wolf was screaming in pain and it had been for a long time.

He felt tears moisten his eyes.

His Vera was innocent, he knew it.

But so broken and yet indestructible.

He never knew it.

His respect for her increased a thousandfold.

He approached her.

Her sobs hurt his heart, he held her shoulder gently, and placed a tender k**s on the first scar above.

His breath hit his back and he whispered, his words making his eyes widen and a shiver run down his spine to his heart.

“They are beautiful, Vera. You are beautiful. »