Chained

Chapter 8 - Alone

Winter's POV

I, unfortunately, woke up.

I opened my eyes to see that I was in my panther form, thankfully, but a grogginess overwhelmed my mind stopping me from standing. Unable to recall even my own name, I allowed myself to lay for a what seemed like hours, to gather my thoughts.

All I could feel was the familiar touch of the frozen concrete beneath my blood-soaked fur and a light breeze that washed over it. offering the slightest feel of relief. 

A breeze?

No, it couldn't be. There were no windows in Markus' cells.

But this isn't Markus' cell.

No! that was a dream, a painfully beautiful dream that tricked me. Byron, tricked me into thinking I was no longer their prisoner, that I had a chance to be free. He had always been fond of mind games, especially on me. The breeze was nothing more than wishful thinking. The remains of his tricks still lurking within me.

Despite the end of my beautiful dream, there was no fear or panic in my body. It was like my entire conscious had been dulled like an old blade. At the thought of a dull blade I remembered how Byron's knife had sunk into my human flesh. I expected pain to rage through my side like it usually did after I woke, but I felt nothing.

All I felt was the concrete beneath me and the fake breeze above.

I lay lifeless for a few more hours, or days. When I opened my eyes again, the cell was dark. This time, shadows of lifeless objects danced in my vision as they slowly formed into their fixed shapes.

The fog that clouded my mind seemed to slowly evaporate as I became more aware of my surroundings. But with awareness, came pain. What started as a small throb in my neck and an itch in my shoulder clawed into blinding agony as I regained feeling in my body.

But it was my side that was injured.

Perhaps I had been so out of it that Byron had wounded my shoulder and cut my neck instead of my side. That must have been what happened. The alternative was far too hopeful.

I winced as the pain worsened and my senses became clearer. At the door of my cell, I noticed a bucket of water and before I could think, thirst overcame my mind. I couldn't remember the last time I was offered clean water.

The world spun around me as I lifted my head forcing me to pause and hold down the nausea.

Be smart. Take it slow.

Despite the desert that had formed in my mouth, I forced myself to gradually position my body into standing and lifted my injured leg off the ground.

As I stood I quickly noticed that this wasn't my normal cell. Not only was it larger, but the cells around me were empty. The usually heavy snores of the captured wolves were replaced by an empty silence that wrapped around me.

My heart quickened. Although I would never admit it, I found a safety with my fellow prisoners, an alliance that kept me alive. I couldn't survive without them, without the wolf who had kept me alive despite Markus' best efforts.

I whined quietly before taking a small step towards the bucket of water. Perhaps this was a temporary cell and I would return to the others later.

I couldn't do this alone.

Pain cursed through my veins causing me to collapse onto the lifeless concrete. I yowled so loudly the echo hurt my ears, but it was nothing compared to the thundering agony that rattled through my bones as I collided with the floor. Despite my best efforts and the thirst that tormented me ruthlessly, I couldn't bring myself to stand once more.