Unbroken ▹ Teen Wolf [02]

35; scars

Rachel didn't sleep well that night.

With Katashi's words repeating over & over in her mind, she was left lying awake until midnight despite being exhausted. The night was as cold as ice, making going for a late night stroll to calm her nerves a near impossibility. It was down in the Fahrenheit 20s, which to a California native was the equivalent of teleporting to the arctic. Rachel had gotten a feel for the icy weather upon leaving her loft to go to the McCall house for the night & the chill hadn't left her since.

Even in the warm arms of her boyfriend and a heated house, she felt cold— for the first time in her life she went to bed in sweatpants & a hoodie. Perhaps it was just the overall coldness of the world that gave her an everlasting chill; the realization that someone she cared for was possessed & in imminent danger kept her on a constant edge. She couldn't find comfort.

Still, she managed to drift off to sleep after staring at the ceiling for a solid forty-five minutes. Rachel couldn't remember exactly what time it had been when she did fade away, but it didn't feel as though much time had passed when she was began to regain consciousness. Her vision was abnormally fuzzy at first, her eyes unable to open due to a blindingly bright light hovering above her.

Rachel was about to snap at Isaac for turning the light on at ass o'clock in the morning, when it dawned on her that she no longer felt as though she was laying on a bed. She could feel a pillow beneath her head, but as she shifted her weight the soft sound that emitted from it mimicked leather far more than the memory foam pillow she typically slept on.

She no longer felt the warmth of someone beside her, but instead cold emptiness. The brunette squinted her eyes at the light above her, blinking rapidly to adjust to it. She attempted to turn her head away, but found her movement to be restricted. Rachel went to reach her hand up and move the light away, but found that something was wrapped snugly around her wrists.

That was enough to send a wave of panic through her. Rachel was wide awake within seconds & a little too aware of her surroundings; she was in what felt to be a chair similar to one in a dentist's office. But it was modified to restrict her head movements. She couldn't turn her head, and as she attempted to sit up she found something was wrapped around her neck to prevent that. It wasn't tight enough to suffocate her, but like the bindings holding down her arms it prevented her from moving— and made her feel completely helpless.

The brunette tugged at her wrist restraints with more force, silently praying to whatever could hear that she'd be able to summon her supernatural strength to break free. Rachel could hear a familiar clicking sound across the room growing louder, and the sound of footsteps nearing. She was uncontrollably shaking in fear, and could feel the burn of tears in her eyes as she continued to fight for freedom to no avail.

Rachel could see movement in her peripheral vision, but her voice failed her as she tried to scream. The clicking loudened as the figure approached her, the sound of their metal boots thudding against the stone floor with each step. She couldn't make out any details until they were right beside her, leaning over her & blocking the bright light above.

The girl's panic escalated to a whole other level when she finally caught sight of the person's face covered by a steampunk styled mask staring down at her intently. She fought harder against the restraints to no avail as the masked person observed, seeming unbothered by her violent efforts.

"Condition improves." They spoke in a robotic voice. It didn't sound real to her, but combined with the hypnotizing clicks nothing did. Her own heart beat sounded like a sick illusion created by the same person who'd stuck her in this little hell.