𝐕𝐄𝐗𝐄𝐃 ❷

𝟏𝟓. ✭ 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐈 ✭

My feet beat the trail beneath me at a quick pace. Running the mountainside has been my only reprieve from my cavern prison. There's no light. No windows. There's no fresh air to breathe, at least that's what it feels like. When I'm inside I feel hopelessly, utterly trapped. I'd sunk into a near depression after Wolf had been pulled away from me when I'd originally gotten here. I had thought maybe, just maybe they'd let me see him or spend some type of time with him but I was wrong. I haven't seen him since.

That was three and a half weeks ago.

The thought of my son makes me ramp up my pace and its's not long before my breathing becomes labored. It's gotten steadier over the course of the last few weeks but not after running uphill and for this long. I've ran this path so many times there's hardly a twig or stone for my sneakers to catch on anymore but I have yet to go as far as I am now, which has me tripping on a fallen branch.

"Woah, take it easy." Large hands steady me before I face plant. "Catch your breath there, Tiger. I didn't convince your father to let you run the mountainside for you to break your ankle or fall on your face."

I bend over, putting my hands on my knees and after a couple of deep breaths I ask, "why did you ask for me to be able to?" I had never asked Tristan. I just took the opportunity as a blessing, no questions asked. When he's quiet for a touch longer than normal I look up at him. "Tris?"

"You were falling into a depression." He deadpans.

"I was fine." Not at all actually. He hit the nail directly on the head.

"If you call not eating or even being able to get out of bed fine then yeah, sure, you were fine. You needed to get out and get active for your overall health, especially mentally." He's not wrong. These runs are just about the only thing keeping me sane. "Your father agreed with me."

"What's it like being his new lapdog?" I wanted to ask what it was like being the new Torey but I refrained. I don't think I could utter his name aloud without feeling physically ill.

"I'm not his new lapdog. I'm not what Torey was to him. I don't think your father will ever let anyone else get that close to him again." Hearing his name makes me swallow uneasily. "I don't know if you know this but he looked at Torey like a son."

"Yeah well, you don't treat family the way he treated Torey." My stomach rolls at the taste of his name on my tongue.

"Look at the way he's treating you."

"You talk like you care about the way he treats me which is doubtful since you stood by and watched me shower like a prisoner."

"I did not look at you while you were naked. Not even once."

"And why is that?" I stand up to my full height. "Do you not find me attractive?" His eyes roam over me, jaw ticking slightly when he finishes. "Guess not."

"Do you want me to find you attractive? Because that doesn't seem to work out too well for the men that do." It's my turn to let my jaw tick in irritation and without giving it much of a second thought I take a swing at him. He dodges it easily. "What, does that bother you?" I take another swing and then swipe my leg. I catch both of his, knocking them right out from underneath him. "Fuck!" He yells out once he lands hard on his backside.

"Looks like you've fallen flat on your ass for me."

"Hardly." Before I know what's even happening I'm on my ass beside him.

"Shit! Ouch!" He starts laughing but I fell hard enough that I know my ass is going to bruise. He stands up and offers me a hand that I end up taking, albeit begrudgingly. "My poor ass."