Fatal Justice

† Chapter Four †

We don't live in darkness, the dark lives in us. 

"Scared to face father?" Russell taunted. 

His cold eyes were fixed on his brother but his face gave away nothing of the war he felt inside. Of course, he was terrified to face Braxton, after they would show up empty-handed when Braxton specifically wanted to torture the man Sutton had killed. It was worse that he knew he would take the fall for it but he couldn't show any weakness. 

He met Sutton's eyes, she was grinning wickedly at him, as if she was secretly enjoying trying to read the emotions bubbling beneath his skin. He felt like he was exposed around her and it wasn't in a pleasant way, she was always sizing him up and discovering weaknesses to use against him. He remembered that from when they were little, she never fought fair. 

"Lead the way," Russell continued to rub salt in the burning wound, a twisted smirk painting his face, "You seem to like being in control, father would love to see you first." 

He grit his teeth and despite how he would have liked to toss his brother down the basement stairs, he tore open the door and descended the steps without an inch of fear. Or, that's what he told himself. But the moment he felt the cold chill of the icy walls, the depths of brokenness that echoed from the dark, he felt his muscles tense. He hated it down here. He wanted to turn tail and run but he knew Braxton was waiting for them. They were meant to have the Alpha, ready for torture, but he dreaded what would come next. 

A woman's cry erupted from the chilling silence that engulfed him. He paused in his step, hesitation on his mind, but then he forced himself to keep walking down. Another pleading cry awoke the demons in his own mind. He could hear the broken, helplessness of this woman, and he knew exactly the monster eliciting the pain from her. 

His eyes adjusted to the haunting dark and he passed the cell that had been his prison for many months without a single glance. He kept his eyes straight ahead, feeling the burning stares of his siblings as they waited for him to break, and he followed the pitiful, shrill cries of the woman that continued to rouse the dark. She was begging for her life and his heart clenched when he knew there was no mercy. Not here. 

In the very last cell, a single light bulb illuminated the heartbreaking scene before him. Braxton stood in the cell, a crumbled form at his feet, and a bloodied whip was raised in his hand. He could hardly stop the flinch that rose horrible goosebumps of pain across his own skin as Braxton whipped the woman once more. She cried out, a sobbing mess on the dirty floor, but Braxton's twisted grin was all telling of the joy he was experiencing by bringing her pain. 

Russell and Sutton fell in place on either side of him, they overlooked the bloody, mangled flesh of the helpless woman. He could hardly stomach the amount of blood that was carelessly split in the cell but Russell almost grew excited at the very sight, and Sutton--as always--had a bored expression on her face. He absolutely loathed their lack of hearts and their desire for such sick, twisted acts of violence against other helpless victims.