---- Chapter 9 The moment Raymond's gaze landed on my chest, his breath hitched. "What happened? Who did this to you?" Iran my fingers across my scars. "This, you mean?" Icontinued, "These are the cigarette burns the love of your life left on me. Or are you asking about this? "She carved the word 'slut' into my skin with a penknife. She said I was born one, so it's only right for her to remind me of my identity." Raymond and [had slept together countless times, but I had never allowed him to turn on the lights. I even kept my shirt on. This was the first time he saw the scars on my body. His mind went blank. He clearly didn't want to hear any more details, but I didn't stop. "Those are nothing," I said, guiding his hand to my back. ---- As soon as he sensed the jagged ridges on my skin, he flinched. "Every single one of these burns was made by Cora with a curling iron. 13 in total," I said. "She said it was the only way to make sure I remembered the pain, and my place." "Why... Why did she do this to you?" he quavered, running his fingers gently across my scars. I shoved Raymond away and tidied my clothes. "Why else? It was the reason you approached me-she wanted to ruin me." He still looked incredulous, as if he simply couldn't imagine that the woman he'd admired for so long could be so vicious. "Raymond, you're the Alpha heir. You can't really be that naive, can you? "Has it ever crossed your mind that Cora's the principal daughter, so she's practically a noble in the pack? With all the power she has, why would she need to send you to get close to me? ---- "Tt's only because I stopped her from ruining me in every other possible way."