Prisoner

Chapter 13

"She was a child!" Doll-eyes says in disbelief. "I saw her! We all saw her, even you!"

"Our kind has selective immortality," Hero replies. His eyes meet mine. "If she wanted to stop aging now, she could. Otherwise she would age as a human child would."

"What about my parents?" I ask. "And my uncle?"

"How many memories do you have of your parents?" He replies. "Little to none, right? The only thing you remember of your family is your little side trip here with your uncle. The only reason you remember that...is because of me."

I shook my head. "No," I say. "No. I'm not like you."

"You are," he insists. "You are persuasive like me. You have power." When he sees my complete denial, he straightens. "Do you honestly believe that an alpha wolf of one of the most powerful packs in existence would submit to you because you are the Warden? Do you think that orange-haired vampire would have stopped right before freeing me simply because you told him to?"

He had a point. I shake my head, trying to throw his words away, and repeat, "No. No."

"You are my mate, Noelle," he says quickly. "I would never hurt you."

"My dream," I say, desperate to find a way he could be wrong. "You put me in chains."

"What man doesn't want to chain up his woman every once in a while?" He muses.

Doll-eyes growls. "You did not just go there." 

Hero grows serious. "I almost went mad waiting for you. The Wardens put that collar on me and made me wear that mask so I couldn't call out to you."

"You had to have been more powerful than them," I comment. "Why did you let them imprison you?"

"They would have killed you if I didn't," Hero murmurs. "I held that grudge against them for imprisoning me...and one against you for not coming to me when I spoke to you in your nightmares."

"I don't believe any of this," Doll-eyes mutters.

"Ask Leo, then," Hero says. "You know he won't lie to you."

"If he's still alive," I say, glowering at Hero.

He winces. "Oops."

I yell in surprise as an almost explosive sound shakes the walls. I hear multiple howls coming from the maximum vaults. Even Hero turns around. I push Doll-eyes away and turn towards the door.

"What. The hell. Was that?" I hiss slowly.

"I don't know," Doll-eyes murmurs. "Something big and bad."

"And hairy," Hero adds.

I realize it. "Kris called the rest of the wolf pack."

No sooner than the moment I had said that phrase, the thunderous sound of wolves growling and running grew closer. My eyes widen as a huge shape looms in the doorway.

The wolf's eyes glow brilliantly. He is huge, larger than a truck, and has pitch black fur. In his behavior there is ferocity and wild, animalistic strength; but in his eyes, there is intelligence and perception. I know immediately that this is the alpha, Kris.

Doll-eyes blinks, revealing his surprise. "Looking good, Kris."

Kris snarls and lunges towards Hero, who quickly dodges. I press myself against the wall as more wolves squeeze in. I feel a hand grab mine. I can barely see because of the wolves. They were tall enough to block the already dim lights. The hand squeezes mine and pulls me towards the door, and I follow.

Doll-eyes, the owner of the hand, tugs me back towards the maximum vaults. I can hear the wolves fighting. I can't help but glance back. "How many were there?"

"Twelve," Doll-eyes replies. "Come on, we need to find Leo."

"The wall is broken," I say. "I can't let anything else out!"

"You pick a hell of a time to act like a Warden," He growls. "I will build you two hundred walls if we survive this!" Suddenly, Doll-eyes falls to the ground with a scream. He groans and scrambles, kicking and thrashing and groping at something that isn't there. He looks as if he is pinned beneath something huge.

"Hongbin!" I shout, kneeling down.

His face is white with pain. "The doll!" He rasps. "Something is crushing it..." He tries to shove against an invisible stone. "I can't move!"

"What can I do?" I ask fearfully, staring at him. I jolt as one of the wolves is thrown into another, almost bringing another wall down. Hero ducks out of the vault, a flash of red against the black, grey, and sand-colored fur. He snarls and slams the Vault door closed, trapping all twelve wolves into Vault 120.

"Run!" Doll-eyes bellows as Hero turns towards us. "Noelle, run!"

"Noelle," Hero says softly. "Please don't run away from me."

I hear the wolves howling and scratching at the doors. They know they can't escape the Vault. Not even Hero could do it alone.

"Noelle, no!" Doll-eyes roars. "Don't look him in the eyes!"

I immediately lower my eyes away from Hero. My heart breaks for the caged animals in the Vault. I was too scared to even move. Hero steps in front of me. I stiffen as he raises his hands and gently cradles my face like a lover. I close my eyes as he tilts my head up. I can't look at him. I must not look at him!

"Noelle." His voice is so close, so quiet. "Please." Don't reject me now. Look at me. Please. I feel myself relax. I can't help it. My eyes slowly begin to open.

Hero leans down and presses his lips against mine.