Huntress

Chapter 22

There was no relief in changing tactics as Keiko demanded. I knew there wouldn't be. Despite the fact that I hoped Ajax would soften her, she only seemed more driven now, like laying eyes on him had reignited her hatred for me. She had almost lost him because of me and she wasn't going to forget that any time soon.

Though, to be fair, this was something I had been warned about. Armond made it very clear that I needed to kill both of the current rulers. He told me that they would come after me with all of the wrath of a thousand suns. And I had failed. I hadn't even killed one of them, but through injury and threat to their daughter, I had now made both of them furious and vengeful.

So, I wasn't surprised when Keiko rose from the corner after spending a few minutes sitting on the paint can with a cell phone in her hand.

"What do you think?" she asked Noah, shoving the phone under his nose.

"Jesus Christ."

"My thoughts exactly."

My heart tightened in my chest when I saw Noah's reaction. His brow pinched in the middle while his head shook ever so slightly. It wasn't much, but he hadn't even flinched when she suggested pulling off my fingernails. "Are you sure about this? It seems a little extreme."

"What would you do if someone shot your mate? What would you do if she had been successful and she managed to kill Ajax?" Keiko challenged.

That was all it took to give Noah the resolve he needed. "I'll get some rope."

I should have been scanning for a way out then or at least something sharp that I could maybe grab to defend myself if I ever got the chance to get out of these binds. Instead, I was staring down at my left hand. Two little stumps no longer had nails. It was strange to see. The blood and the empty nail beds, but it wasn't like my body was going to let me forget what had just been inflicted upon it. The pulsing was still pumping through those fingers, sharp and brutal.

Muddy pink runners approached me, prompting me to lift my head slowly. The queen stood before me. I could have sworn I watched pity flit across her features, but it came and went so quickly, that I couldn't truly believe it had ever been there. "This is your last chance," she said, so soft it was almost a murmur. "You can just tell me the truth right now and we can end all of this."

That's all it would take. Just some simple words leaving my mouth. Armond and Dawn ordered me to. There is a whole team of us. They are going to be untraceable once they realize I'm gone. I joined them because of what you fuckers did to my parents and to thousands of other innocent humans. I could have said any of those things and she would have killed me quickly and painlessly.

It could all just end right now.

Instead, I spat at her. A glob of my spit struck her cheek and I watched her eyes go wide. Then, very quickly, she became calm again.

"String her up, Noah."

And so, I was strung. A thick rope was looped over a low hanging rafter of the shed and I was secured to that rope. At first, I didn't really understand what their angle was. Sure, my legs were a little tired from running and squat in that tree. Sure, the way they pulled my arms behind my back and tied them with the rope was a little uncomfortable. But it was nothing compared to getting my finger nails ripped off. I almost felt like laughing in their faces, even as they hobbled my legs together. This was it? This is what they thought was going to break me? Did they not realize what I had been through just to get here? I thought this was child's play.

"Well, I hope you enjoy the rest of your night," Keiko said, meeting my eyes with a knowing smile. "And while you're out here, you can comfort yourself with knowing that I'm going to be in my own home, relaxing, with my mate who is still very much alive thanks to you having the worst aim I have ever seen."

The queen left without much fanfare. Her henchman cast me one glance before he shut off the single light in the shed and shut the door.

Darkness enveloped me as a howl rang out.

It took some time for me to fully grasp what was done to me. for a while, I only felt relief. I was alone. And no more pain was being inflicted upon me at this point. It felt like a mercy.

Then time started to get a little sticky.

Had I been alone for minutes or hours now?

I listened to the sound of my breathing in the dark, trying to control the rise and fall of my chest just like Milo had taught me. and, as I strained my ears to listen to my breathing, I heard a small scratch. Or maybe it was a squeak. My shoulders jerked tight again. Was it a mouse? I couldn't see a single thing. If it was a small critter and it decided to crawl up my pant leg... I stomped both of my feet as hard as the hobble would allow as a deterrent.

But, without my eyes, it felt like my ears were working overtime. What was that noise? It sounded small. Was something getting closer to me? Maybe it wasn't a mouse. Maybe it was a spider. Or maybe it was one of the werewolves, just beyond the door. A werewolf could be circling the shed right now, waiting for me to do something rash. And God, right now, I did want to do something crazy. I felt like screaming and thrashing because my mind was now certain that bugs were crawling all over my skin and mice had ventured up my legs beneath my clothes.

Breathing. I needed to breathe. Because the mind was a powerful thing and it could convince anyone of anything. I sucked in a hard, long breath, making sure that every centimeter of my lungs was full. Then I held my breath and counted to ten. Then a slow, steady exhale until I felt entirely deflated.

I was okay. I was alive. Nothing was happening to me right this moment.

But they had been so close. And so many of them. For so long. Was it possible that wolf-drain had already taken my mind? It happened so slowly with my parents, but I had literally been surrounded by werewolves hours. I mean, they could be around me right now, just outside the shed. Could I get wolf-drain through walls? Was that even possible?

And if I was already dealing with wolf-drain, was any of this even real? Maybe I was already like my parents. I could be getting pushed around in a wheelchair right now with spittle on my chin. I could be alive and well in my body, but my mind could be trapped within itself, replaying this day. Who knew how many times I already lived through this?

I was spiraling. I could feel it in my belly, hear it in my thoughts. I was falling apart at the very seams. What a clever queen Keiko was, leaving me trapped and in the dark, knowing that I could tear myself into little shreds and she wouldn't even have to lift a single finger.

I was just tired. I was exhausted in my bones and the darkness and the threat of tomorrow were messing with my mind. But I would be okay. I had been awake for over twenty-four hours at this point and I just needed my rest.

I focused on my breathing again. I didn't allow my mind to stray for a single second. In and out. Feeling the lungs expanding and compressing. The swirling in my mind was easing. Each breath came a little smoother. My eyes fluttered shut. My knees softened as my body tried to lower me to the ground. I just needed a little bit of sleep and I could form a proper plan in the morning.

The rope binding my arms together jerked tight as my body slumped. My shoulders and tendons screamed at the awkward angle. My body jerked upright, my eyes flying open.

I could not sleep standing up and I couldn't function without resting.

It would seem that I had underestimated the queen of werewolves greatly.

This was going to be the longest night of my life and it started with me letting out a manic laugh that would have chased even the toughest werewolf away. 

~~~Distraction Section~~~

Surprise update as per request by a very special reader! Hope this sates you all for a while longer.