The Light

Chapter 89

Chapter 89

Greyback didn't haste in undoing the cuffs that were starting to cut into Remus' wrists. He just stood in front of him, staring with those grisly yellow eyes. He didn't look like he'd been fighting, and Remus took a second to thank his lucky stars. All he could do was pray that his friends were okay, and try to lean back on his heels to alleviate the pain in his wrists.

"I'll ask you again, pup," drawled Greyback, and Remus lowered his eyes. Greyback spoke slowly and quietly. "Why aren't you at the den?"

Remus swallowed thickly. Greyback heard.

He lifted up a sharp nail, dragged it down his cheek and Remus clenched his eyes shut. His breathing was heavy and he bit the inside of his mouth so it didn't sound as scared as he felt. There was no point, though- Remus knew the Alpha could smell his scent on the air, could taste the fear.

"Answer me," Greyback growled, and there was the hint of a threat both in his voice and the way he dug his nail in the soft skin along Remus' cheekbone.

Remus sucked back a whimper. "I-" he began, whispering.

"What?" Greyback demanded, cupping Remus' jaw and spreading his fingers wide so his hand spanned his cheek. "Take your tail from your legs and answer me, pup, before I am forced to jump to conclusions-"

"I wanted to come and fight!"

It burst out before he could bite it back, and the lie should've burnt his tongue but it was true for everything but context. Greyback seemed momentarily taken aback and his hand turned soft on his face. He ran the pad of his thumb back and forth along Remus' jaw.

"You are young and inexperienced, pup. You could get yourself killed... Though I admire your foolhardiness." Greyback regarded him for a moment. "Who locked you in this wardrobe?"

"One of-" Remus gulped, trying to recollect his thoughts as Greyback continued to stroke his cheek. "One of the wizards. I begged them for my life so they threw me in here instead."

He hoped that Greyback would take the erratic beating of his heart as fear, as opposed to dishonesty. The wolf seemed to mull this over, regarding him with yellow eyes. Then, with a precariously blank expression, he reached up and tore the chains from Remus' wrists.

The metal clanged and Remus winced, before his eyes grew wide at the fact that Greyback had managed to break through Hermione's chains without so much as a struggle. Nevertheless, he didn't ponder on it for very long, rubbing at his sore wrists fervently. Greyback stepped back and watched him.

He was hesitant to do magic in front of his Alpha, and so, Remus just let his wrists sting. The skin had been rubbed that violently by the metal cuffs during his partial transformation that it had blistered. He tried to hide any pain that he felt, especially under Greyback's keen eyes.

"Normally, they'd kill you," said Greyback. His voice was aloof, matter-of-fact, but Remus sensed the distrust behind it.

"They must've known I wasn't supposed to be here," he suggested feebly, staring at the floor. A howl cut through the house, followed by a loud bang, and Remus couldn't stop himself from jumping. He prayed it wasn't as bad as it sounded. His breaths shook.

Greyback inhaled deeply, closing his eyes and relishing in the fear that lay stagnant on the air.

"They're young."

"Oh," said Remus. He didn't know how else to reply. The caution he felt made his bones rigid.

"Your age, perhaps," continued Greyback. "I can smell their youth. They reek of it." He stopped suddenly. His yellow eyes locked on Remus', and he leaned in close, lip curling over his canines as he spoke. His voice was slow and he said every word like he was tasting them, savouring the richness of them on his tongue. "Like you did... When I first bit you."