4. Cherish

Calm the fuck down he said. 

What the hell am I supposed to do, just let this red haired, beast covered in open wounds haul me to his bed? He might have looked the sanest of the men in the group but that isn’t saying much. His green eyes are dull and tired, yet he walked so quickly I had to scamper after him.

How can I possibly believe he isn’t going to hurt me? The man with one eye, the way he was touching himself, eager to enjoy violating one of us. If he had picked me…I shudder and try to shake the thought away before I break down. 

My mind is wandering yet I haven’t moved from where my new captor left me. The sounds of water and undressing from the bathroom suggest he is telling the truth, yet I am frozen. I try to lift my tongue, to form any kind of word but it is stuck too. True, catastrophic fear, the likes of which I have never known before, has rendered me both mute and a statue. 

I need to run away, test how strong the bars are on his windows or see if there are any guards in the corridor, but I just can’t. Maybe because my brain knows death is guaranteed if I try any of those mad schemes. Instead of death only utter misery is in store for me here. 

What a fate to choose. I focus on breathing instead. In and out, a steady pattern, hoping that something will click and make my limbs follow my commands again. It is like my brain is having to reboot itself to understand what is happening to me. 

How is it possible to have fallen so far so fast? The faces of my father and brother come to mind. If they are alive how can I ever go back to them, a whore to the murderous wolves we despise? 

The ridiculous silk garment I am barely dressed in is freezing. Perhaps getting warm will help me recover my mind. Using every bit of strength left within me I force my arms upwards, wrapping them around me and rubbing my bare skin. My feet remain frozen to the ground. As I continue to warm myself I feel the surprising trickle of silent tears rolling down my cheeks.

I don’t want to die. Yet there is no way I can survive here. Perhaps heading into the corridor and being electrocuted to death by an overeager guard is a better option.

Some considerable time passed before my new owner reappeared through the door. Owner, the very idea makes my stomach curl in hatred.

Slowly, my head turns to view him. He is dressed only in grey cotton sports shorts. I feel nausea rise as despite everything my curious eyes rise, taking in his wide powerful thighs, granite abs forming valleys and peaks of innumerable muscles leading to his rounded, strong shoulders and wide, solid chest. 

Mixed in with livid red wounds, no longer bleeding he is covered in small silvery lines of scars, traces of his previous shifter healing I guess.

His lips are set sternly, thin and unimpressed by my staring. A strong, clenched jaw framed by a now wet mop of red, fox-like hair. When my eyes finally meet his, there is only a sense of absence. No visceral lust like that one-eyed self-pleasuring shitbag, or even excitement like the young man eager for his turn. His green eyes were so dull he could be mistaken for the prisoner.

“You need to move,” he barked.

I shuddered and looked down at my feet, willing them to shift but finding myself stuck. He let out a huff of irritation then walked around me, towards his bed where he grabbed a white top from a drawer and dressed. In the silence of our room, watching each other in mutual confusion, we heard the approach of heavy footsteps.

He quickly looked at the door handle and then me. Putting a finger over his mouth as if to ask me to be quiet, a poor joke considering I was mute from terror I just scowled at him. He then rolled his eyes, squatted to his haunches and grabbed a leg of the wooden king-size bed. He yanked it, causing the whole bed to make a sickening thud-thud-thud against the wall. 

His face was flushing red with exertion. “Ivan,” a voice called from outside the door and the handle rattled. His eyes shot to mine and he shouted out, “Not the time Vincent!”

“Just a quick word,” the voice boomed with authority.

“Bit fucking busy here!” as the thud-thud-thud pounded loudly.

“You’ve got all night with that pussy just step out for a second.”

Ivan continued banging the bed against the wall then loudly slapped his thighs half a dozen times. He stood up, bright red and panting, suddenly his warm hand landed roughly on my back, and he shoved me towards the bathroom.

That push seemed to kick start my legs at least. I scampered behind the white bathroom door and listened into his conversation as he finally opened the door.

“Where’s she gone?”

“Cleaning herself up for the next round, you know how it is.”

“Very quiet-“

“I’ve sorted out the noise issue.”

The voice of authority, Vincent I believe, chuckled dirtily. “Glad to see you’re enjoying the perks finally. Took you long enough. Just wanted to say make sure you come to the briefing tomorrow. I know you don’t always but you’re gonna want to make it.”

“Okay, can I go now? 

“Sure, you want to get rid of her in the morning?”

“Nah, think there’s some mileage in that pussy. Especially now she’s shut up.”

“Your call, see you tomorrow. Well done tonight you were a fucking brute.”

With that the door closed and locked once more. The footsteps sounded and I exhaled, leaning against the tiled wall for support. Who was this man? 

With my limbs obeying me once more I frantically look around the bathroom, as if there is going to be a gun loaded with silver bullets lying around for me. Instead I found a grey hooded top. It looks warm and inviting. I’m holding it in my hands when Ivan’s face appears around the bathroom door.

I dropped the top in terror and raised my arms in expectation of a beating. Instead I got a raised eyebrow as he bent down to hand it straight back to me. “I’m going to light a fire, you look cold. Then I’m eating and going to bed. I’m in agony and it’s late so you can make yourself a bed out of all those towels or whatever. Eat some food.”

And that was my first night as a prize. Only once I heard his soft snores did I leave the bathroom, wearing the warm hooded top. I tiptoed around the room and devoured the bread, meats and cheeses that were left out. I couldn’t sleep, but I did make myself a warm and cosy nest of towels next to the fire and managed to warm my body like he suggested.

Laying down by the fire, padding out my little bed with more towels I realised I must look exactly like a pet animal to anyone who could see. I sigh and stare up through the darkness at the ceiling, is there anything I can do to change this situation?

I’m at the mercy of a murderer. A human surrounded by wolves.