Page 61 of The Alpha's Forbidden Secret Baby

Maybe things would have been better if she had allowed him to post it on the internet. There, she could have had a chance at pretending that this was fabricated just for views. Besides, there would have been many skeptics who would do that for her, rushing at the chance to prove to everyone that there was no way something like that could ever be real.

This was the problem with living in a small town. They were too much in everybody’s business and always so eager to band together for witch hunts without trying to think of how ridiculous their accusations were. She needed to fix things.

But what can I do? What do they even want to do to me? I can’t die here.

She forced herself to calm down as the panic began to set in and the tremors ran through her body. She needed to be able to take care of her son. She needed to warn them about what was happening before the people found ways to harm them, too.

Gosh… I’ve been such a fool.

A single tear rolled down her eyes, and she winced again when the salty liquid slid into the tiny cut at the top of her lip, a wound that had been inflicted by Martha’s heavy hand.

Every hurt seemed to have amplified, hurting more than it should have.

How could I have been so stupid to believe that his greed for money and his obsession with having me would keep him from showing everyone in town?

She snickered, unable to stop herself.

How could I have allowed myself one minute to think that anything in this town would happen positively for me?

She started laughing loudly as her body shook from her hysterics, halting Ralph’s speech. For a moment, everyone remained silent. However, it was clear that she had given him exactly what he needed to crucify her. Now, there would be nothing stopping him.

“Look how she laughs in our faces now. She does not fear because she knows what she is and what she’s done. Who knows what else she has done to us all since she returned to the village, and we innocently welcomed her back with open arms and understanding.”

Rayla scoffed. The last thing the people of the town could ever be describes as was understanding. Not even her parents had been willing to understand her situation. They had all cast her to the wolf, which was funny since that was how she got into this mess in the first place… not that she would change anything about what happened.

“She scoffs and laughs and plays games with us…” He got down from his makeshift podium and lifted her face harshly.

Rayla grimaced, although it was her only reaction. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing just how much pain she was in and how that single move sent her body screaming in agony.

It was the first time since she was beaten and tied up that she had looked at any of them. She looked around at the faces morphed in anger, with eyes staring at her with so much hate and disgust… not one look of pity in sight. Not even from the teenagers.

It was worse than she had thought. They would kill her without any guilt. She tried to close her eyes and shut the people out, but the hands on her chin tightened painfully, digging into her already bruised flesh.

“Now, what do you think you’re doing shutting those eyes?” Ralph asked with a disgusting grin.

She struggled for where to focus her gaze. He still had the wetness in his beard and she was beginning to think it was saliva. His eyes showed even more madness than she ever could have thought possible, and his sneer only served to mock. He was terrible to look at and yet impossible not to because of his tight grip on her chin.

“Maybe if you had accepted me, things would not have been like this for you,” he leaned in to whisper in her ear.

Rayla swallowed the bile in her throat and forced herself to remain calm as the stench from his breath and beard hit her all at once.

“We can still fix things. I can make them believe you had no idea what your son was and that he had you under a spell. They’ll pity you and let you live, and then we can be together. You only have to tell us where he is.”

Rayla glared up at him and ripped her hand from his hand, biting back the tears from his nails that were scratching a long line into her already bruised skin.

“Fine then. Have it your way,” he growled out angrily, spitting close to where she sat.

She heard his footsteps retreat and turned away with her head pressed against the wall as she tried to tune them out, a feat which was surprisingly easy to accomplish with the ache in her head and the sound of blood pumping in her veins hitting her ears loudly. Everything inside her suddenly seemed more amplified.

She did not know how long had passed before hands grabbed at the ropes tying her arms behind her. She shook in fear and swiveled around as much as her body would allow, looking to see who it was.

Ralph grinned at her. “I’m sure you must be wondering what is happening right now.”

He pulled her back to him, and she grimaced as he rubbed his hard-on on her. She made to move away from him, utterly disgusted and horrified as her brain registered exactly where this was going.

Rayla struggled against him as he dragged her away to a stable.

I can’t let this happen. I would rather die than allow him to have his way.