Chained

Chapter 6 - Victory

Nico's POV

When I woke for the fifth time in the pack infirmary I knew I would not be getting anymore sleep for the night.  

I groaned slightly as I rose from the hospital bed, clutching my chest in pain. 

As soon as the fight was finished, I had been rushed into the infirmary and given stitches and pain-relief for the wounds the panther had inflicted. Under the bandages, six lines of stitches ran from both of my collar bones down to just past my belly-button. My father had said they would be marks of my victory. 

I scoffed. I had won nothing. 

The only thing this fight earnt me was a few days rest in what seemed like years. A chance to not worry about learning from my father every day how to lead and manage the pack. It was selfish. So selfish I hated myself for even thinking it, but the last few days were the most blissful I had felt since childhood despite any form of pain that had come with the wounds. 

The fight was lost, I knew that, and so did everyone else. We would be dead or enslaved if the panther hadn't forfeit the fight. It hadn't stopped the tears of joy my mother has wept or the look of pride in my father's eyes when I had seen them after my wounds had been dressed. 

'You fought a were-panther Nico,' he had said. 'They aren't like were-wolves, they have always been stronger.'

It had offered me little solace. 

Before I could think about what I was doing, I found myself slowly dressing myself with the clothes my bother had left me and leaving the infirmary. I had been sleeping there for days to ensure I didn't get an infection, but I knew I was ready to leave thanks to my advanced healing. 

The night air snapped against my bare arms as I stepped outside. I looked to my side to see the pack house that was connected to the infirmary and stared at it for what seemed like an eternity. Despite its size as a mansion, it had a surprisingly homely feel to it. The lilies that Vivian, my little sister, had planted grew wild outside her window. I sighed knowing how upset she would be when they loose their petals in the coming winter. 

I looked back out to the wide open space that was cleared over a century ago when my pack first claimed the territory. A hedge wall separated the grass from the pebble drive-way that hardly anyone used. Most of the time, the space was where the children played after school or when their parents worked. 

Further beyond, past where the younger children were allowed to play, was the concrete cell block that hadn't been used for years. It was where the panther was being kept until my father decided what to do with her. 

I frowned. It was understandable why she was kept away, but she shouldn't be locked away after what she had done. 

I groaned softly as I walked down the cold brick steps onto the grass that still held the day's warmth in its soil. My chest burnt as I walked towards the cells but I kept my pace steady and my eyes forward. 

Goosebumps formed on my arms as I approached the building; whether that was from the chill or the apprehension, I wasn't sure. The cell building was surprisingly big, it was over twice my height and long enough to fit 4 cells on either side. 

I hadn't entered since I was a boy. I had snuck in out of curiosity despite my mother's rule against it. Once I saw the cells, I ran out as quickly as I could. Neither of my parents had found out, though I had always tried to stay as far away from it as I could. 

I paused outside the large iron door. I could smell her from outside. Or rather, I could smell her blood and the stench of Markus that followed. 

The door screeched so loudly as I pushed it open, I was sure I was going to wake her. Yet as I entered there was no movement from her cage. I stepped inside, further than I had ever gone and looked into the only locked cell in the building. For a moment I thought it was empty until I saw her silhouette that was outlined from the moonlight that pierced through the small barred window at the top of was cell's wall. If it wasn't for the rise and fall of her chest, I would have mistaken her for a shadow. Her fur seemed to consume almost all of the light that touched it; well, what was left of it. Even in the darkness I could see scar tissue in place of fur. Most of the scars seemed old, some recent. It was hard to tell under the darkness though I had seen how poor her health was as we had fought. She was muscular, that was undeniable. But even in her panther form, I could see her features to be gaunt and abused. 

I had been so shocked when I had first seen her I hadn't thought about the marks and injuring that littered her body, I had only thought of the terror that had purged through my veins. I knew immediately I couldn't win. No matter how hard I trained I never could have prepared for a panther, especially one trained by Markus. 

A white bandage that was stained red outlined her neck  and a separate one was wrapped around her shoulder where I had wounded her. 

I stepped further into the cell block. It was almost dead silent aside from the sound of her heavy breaths and the chitter of wild-life outside. If I listened close enough I could hear her heart-beat. It was faster than it should have been, it was probably from the blood loss. My father had told me that she had passed out almost immediately when she had arrived. 

The panther stirred and I was immediately snapped from my thoughts. I tucked my hands into the pockets of my pants and walked out of the cell building.