Instinct

The cold metal of the handcuffs kisses my wrists as I try to free myself once more. I could only imagine the bruises that would grace my tender skin within the next few days. I find myself flinching at the thought that I may never even get the chance to see my next few days. A loud scream escapes my lungs, sending painful vibrations through my chest as I sob. The power of the scream shocks me. It ignites a spark deep enough within my soul that I was able to conceal so well for the past three years. It kicked my instincts into gear. I needed to escape, now.

Three years. That's how long it has been. It certainly did not feel like it, it felt like it had happened maybe fifteen minutes ago.

"Thea? As in Thea-cursed-Thea? Are you serious? How? Why? What did I do to the goddess to deserve this?" Alastair growled angrily, frightening the group of elders that sat before him. They all looked down at him sympathetically, and a whimper had escaped my lips exposing my presence in the room. The hatred that flashed through his eyes was enough to shatter my wolf in two.

The memory elicited another scream from me, this one more powerful than the last. I felt the moon on my neck tingle, sending an electric sensation over my nerves. I close my eyes as I dig my nails into my hand, the feeling of my nails breaking through my skin enough to make me scream again. How long has it been? Where am I? How did I get here?  I pathetically laugh at my thoughts, my mind twisting and turning. Isn't that what everyone asks? Just as I am about to give up and give in to my fate, I feel my breath catch in my throat as I hear the door creak open.

It is a haunting sound, one that taunts my imagination and slithers through my ears. I must have been screaming for hours, and now someone comes for me? My eyes focus on the direction of the door, and a scent hits me hard enough to make me want to throw up my heart. "Alastair," I whisper, praying to the goddess that my mind is playing tricks on me, that my mind is making me imagine things. I look up to find a dark silhouette in the doorway, surely my wolf must be waking up because it is too dark to see with my own eyes.

Within seconds, I feel a hand trace my wrists, slowly tracing where I presume my bruising has started. Rough pads on fingers trace circles down my arm, and I feel my cheeks moisten from my fresh tears. "Thea... I am so sorry Thea. I didn't know that he was going to do this to you. You're hurt." I could hear the frown from the man that I loved the most, loved so much that I hated him. His words were confirmation of what had happened.

"Rhys, you can take me to the forest but I will not run. How many times do I have to tell you? I'm done with this. The goddess doesn't care, why should I?" I could see the pain in his face as I told him for what felt like the hundredth time. I, however, felt nothing. I felt no connection to my wolf. No need to take her for a run, and while my body ached because of it, I had learned to live with it.

"I really wish that you could understand, Thea. I really do. Hopefully, this brings you peace." I looked up at him with my eyes full of confusion, before everything went black.

"I swear to the goddess, if he hurt you in any way I will rip his f.ucking throat out," I could hear the growl in his alpha voice, and it brought me back into the moment.

"Rhys," I whimper, the realization that he was the one who kidnapped me punched me in the gut. The betrayal was enough to draw a low growl from my wolf, who had apparently decided to wake up.

"I swear on my life Thea that I never knew that this was what he was going to do. I was going crazy, I still am going crazy. I need you, Thea, my wolf needs yours. How much longer can we do this for? I was stupid okay, I was so f.ucking stupid. I was never mad at you. I was mad at the goddess... at me... at the elders. I was f.ucked up okay? I fell in love with you the day of my eighth birthday. Did you know that? I never told you because I never knew how. But I need you, Thea. I need you so bad it hurts. Don't you want me too? Don't you need me too?" His pleading eyes begged mine as the room suddenly lit up.