I am driving for about 2 hours, my wounds are still bleeding a decent amount, and so I found some cloth and tie it tight around my arm to keep the blood from coming out. I wrap the pieces of fabric around my wrists the most because of how deep the chains cut in. I look over to the wolf pups that are on the passenger seat, and I see they are curled up in a ball together and are slightly shivering, I grab another couple pieces of clothing and lay them on top of the pups.

After driving for so long, I finally pull up to my house I own in a rural part of Russia. I pull up in the driveway, and I reach over and grab the pups. I walk to the door and set them down, I open the door, and the puppies shot into my house while I stumbled through the door and unarmed the security system.

I got some food for the pups in the kitchen and left them downstairs while I walk up the stairs. I walk into my bathroom and grab my first aid kit. I walk over to the sink and grab a towel and run it under the water; I grab the peroxide and another sheet. I sit down on the chair and place a towel underneath me, I open the kit and brace myself.

I lean forward, resting my arms over the towel that is on the ground, and I begin to pour the peroxide on my wrists. I hiss out of pain and watch as my wounds start to foam and turn white while bubbling. I pour peroxide over the cuts three more times to be safe, I then pick up the washcloth and wipe away everything that remained on my wrist. I grab a couple of bandages and some gauze and wrap up my wrists. I pick up the towel from the ground and throw it in the dirty hamper, I walk over to the bathtub and sit inside it. I brought all the medical supplies with me and set them aside, and I clean all the rest of my wounds.

Once I am finished, 2 hours later, I get out and walk to my bedroom and grab some ratty clothes I keep there. I walk downstairs and find the pups, I catch them and set them down in the kitchen. I make some food and grab some water and a Gatorade. I eat and drink the food I made for myself; it felt heavenly. After a while of being in the kitchen, I walk back upstairs with the pups following me.

I walk back into the bathroom and strip off my clothes and hop in the shower. I watch the water circle the drain, the dirt and the blood swirling around the floor. The water slides down my body, and I bite my lip to keep from screaming out of pain as the water hits my back. I grad the peroxide bottle again and poured it over the whip marks, I whimper, and I feel my nails dig into the palm of my hand.

After my shower, I put on some clothes and lay in my bed. I lay on my stomach and let my eyes close. I listen to the sound of my pups' breathing, and it lulls me to sleep.


I shoot up out of bed, sitting on my knees, and I find myself covered in sweat. I get out of bed and walk downstairs; I enter the kitchen and grab some water. I hear something, I lower my glass slowly and listen intently. The pups are still upstairs laying in my bed, I set my glass down on the counter and reach under it and grab one of the many guns I have placed all over the house.

I hear the sound of my front door opening, and I spring into action, I hide behind a door and peek around the corner. A person is standing in the dark; I take the safety of my gun and aim.

"Nikki?" I know that voice. Clint.

"Nikki, are you here? Nikki?!" I see Clint walk around in the dark, and I flip the lights on. He freezes and then spins around to face me.

"Hey, Clint," I say in a rough voice, "what are you doing here?"

"Did you think that I wouldn't come here to make sure that you were okay?" He questions me, and I shrug.

He sighs out and then walks at a fast pace to me, his arms wrap around me and pull me to his chest. His scent envelops me, and I welcome the familiarity of it. He holds me for a minute before he pushes me back, he looks over my body, and I see anger pulse in his eyes when his eyes see all the bandages covering my body.

"Come on; I want to look at these." He walks me up to my bathroom and makes me sit down.

"You don't have to, I am fine," I say.

"Yes, I do."

I don't say anything as I watch him unwrap all my bandages. He started with my wrists; I hear his sharp intake of breath when he sees all the damage done to the skin. His hands shake slightly, and he tries to be as gentle as he can, after finishing with my wrists, arms, legs, feet, and ankles. He sighed before looking up at me,

"Anywhere else?" I hesitate before nodding silently, I grab the hem of my shirt, and I wince as I try and bring it over my head. Clint saw my wince and helped me take off my shirt.

I sigh before I hesitantly say, "My back." He nods and grabs a bandage. I turn around, and I hear him drop all the medical supplies he had in his hands.

"Oh my god, Nikki! What did they do to you? How bad does it hurt?" I lower my head and reply,

"They whipped me; I don't remember how many times. It hurts bad, Clint. Help me." I feel his trembling hands as he cleans my wounds. I whimper and make small, quiet sounds of agony. I observe him wrapping bandages around me, and I sigh in relief.

Clint lifts me in his arms and walks out of the bedroom and set me on my bed. He grabs my pajamas, and he helps me get dressed. He laid me on my side before he pulled the covers over me; he shuts off the light before walking back into the bathroom again. I hear him cleaning everything up and washing away all the blood that got on the floor. He turns off the lights, and I watch as he walks over to my bed, and he lays down next to me. For the first time in 2 months, I feel safe and protected.