The Breeder

V - Betrayal

Breathe in. 

Breathe out.

Pause. Brace.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Paul chanted in his mind, reminding himself not to cave, not to give in.  His head was pushed under icy cold water.  The water bit at his skin, digging in its claws.  He instinctively tried to fight against it, to pull back.  Fingers gripped at his wet locks, keeping his head pushed down.  He blew air out of his nose trying to keep as much water as he could from assaulting his senses.

Don't give in.  Don't cave.  Don't give up.

The fingers gripped at his hair tightly, pulling his head out.  Rivers of water ran down his face.  The water stung his eyes as he blinked.  A forced groan as his body anticipated his continuing torture.  

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Pause. Brace.

Water rushed up as he was forced under again. And again.  

Don't give in.  Don't cave.  Don't give up.

The process was repeated again and again.  He didn't know how long he had been enduring the frozen torture.  Time seemed to favor no one and especially not him.  It stilled not caring, prolonging each moment in a sickening betrayal.

Paul forgot to breathe.  His head was pushed under.  The water's frozen like fingers clawing at his neck.  It forced its way through, rushing up his nose.  He coughed and sputtered involuntarily drawing in water deeper and deeper into his lungs.  His body shook at the foreign invasion.  He felt as if he was being pulled and clawed from the inside out.  

He was yanked out, coughing and wheezing, his chest rising and falling.  The sound of his hacking lungs hurting his sensitive ears.

"Where is she?!" his assaulter screamed in his ears, pulling back his neck, fingers ripping his hair.

Don't give in. Don't cave. Don't give up. 

"I will never tell you." he snarled, his dark eyes simmering.  No matter what torture he endured, it was never enough.  He would never quit.  He would never give her up.  With each sting of pain, with each assault he knew it was still less than the evil the she-wolf had endured each day.  What a coward he was!  Every night he shivered, ignoring her wolfish screams as they chanted and beat their thighs.  Bile rose in his throat.

His head turned forcefully as his cheek burned.   He deserved this.  He deserved this torment.  By standing by he was just as guilty, just as guilty as raping her daily.  The bile rushed out of his throat as he vomited on the hard, cement floor.

The Breeder's Enforcer glared at him.  A deep evil lifted his features as a slow smile tilted his lips.  He grabbed Paul's hair again yanking his head back.

"We shall see, mutt.  We shall see."  He moved his fingers to clench tightly around Paul's neck.  Paul choked under the pressure.  He led Paul out of the torture chambers and out into the village.  The afternoon sunlight burned his eyes, and he faltered, his knees buckling scraping against the hard stone surface of the stairs.  However he never completely fell, the grip around his neck tightening pulling his body upwards like strings on a puppet.

"Pack mates!"  The Breeder's Enforcer bellowed.  "Down to the striking column!"

Wolves hesitantly opened there doors, surprise on their shocked faces.  One by one the wolves followed obediently.  Males leading their families.  Pups following their fathers and she-wolves walking behind them.  Their heads bowed in submission.  Some sported bruises on their faces while others limped.  A she-wolf within the Savage pack held no place, had no authority.  She was not her own.

Obediently they all followed.  The Breeder's Enforcer looked around glancing around the pack.  No one said a word.  They all stood there solemnly.  He beckoned to a pack warrior.  The warrior strode over to him and picked up the rusted chains from the base of the striking column then clasped them around Paul's wrists.  The Breeder's Enforcer held out his hand as the warrior handed him the chain.

"Pack mates! This sentry has betrayed us!  Betrayed your leaders their rights!  He has stolen our future pups, our future leaders and warriors!"  He yanked on the chain, fury and anger bubbling forth.  His face rose-tinged and his eyes wide.

The members of the pack parted, their eyes now on their leader, the Alpha.  A sadistic creature standing close to seven feet tall with dark grey matted fur.  A form halfway between that of wolf and of a human.  Muscles rippled and clenched beneath short coarse fur.  A long muzzle glistened with ivory sharp teeth.  Pointed ears listening to all, hearing every sound.  Razor claws hung at his sides from large paws that could crush a man's skull in one clench. 

Beside him, the Luna stood proud and tall. A black feathered head-dress framed her pale features.  Her violet eyes piercing, blood-colored lips pulled back in a sneer.  Her large canines curved over her bottom lip.  One arm entwined around her mate's large muscular hybrid arm.  Their hands clasped together.  Long claws and small fingers with nails dipped in blood.  

The Alpha roared.  The members of the pack fell to their knees as the Alpha's undulating waves of authority hit forcing them into submission.  The pair walked up to the striking column.  Disgust at Paul's betrayal contorted their features.  

"Forty." The Luna snarled.  

The Alpha did not need to speak words for the Luna spoke for him.  Their mind of one accord. The Luna speaking and doing  the commands of the Alpha.  The Alpha separated himself from his mate.

"Alec, pull back the chains." The Luna commanded.

The Breeder's Enforcer pulled back the chains as Paul grunted as the cuffs bit into his wrists.  The Alpha walked around Paul, facing his back.  In one swipe, the Alpha ripped open the back of Paul's shirt.  The material not giving any resistance.  Paul clenched his teeth and his body trembled waiting.  The Alpha and the Luna's eyes met.  The Alpha pulled back his arm and with one claw swiped his claws through the back of Paul's flesh.  The claws slicing through the tender muscles like knives sliding through tender silk.  Paul's scream ripping through the air making the members of the pack cringe, but not one covered their ears.

"One." The Luna spoke.  

The Alpha's claw ripped through the flesh again.  Paul's screams tightening the muscles, his back burning in agony.

"Two."

Again. And again. And again.

The torture continued.  Paul screamed until his throat could no longer utter any noise, but the torture continued stretching one long minute into another.  An hour passed.  

"Thirty-nine."  

The skin on his back torn into pieces of his former self.  Everything burned. 

"Forty." One last clawing and it was over, but the agony continued.  He buckled trying to ease his fresh wounds away from the hand that ground in coarse salt.  Blinding pains shot like lightning through his nerves.  No longer able to scream, Paul emitted an animal-like cry.  Death beckoned him.  His vision wavered and faded.

The Alpha clenched his chin in a tight, clawed grip.  The tips of his fingers dipped in his blood, sinking into the skin around his chin.  Rivulets of his blood ran down his neck. A deep gravely voice commanded, "Where is the breeder?"

A shiver of fear ran through his weak body.  He looked his Alpha in the eyes.

"I shall never tell." He whispered.

Then with one last strike, Ben's head rolled off his shoulders his eyes closed and a satisfied smile on his face.  His last thoughts protecting the she-wolf. 

Alec stood back as the Alpha roared a gut-clenching howl.  

The Alpha gripped his shoulder, "You will find her Enforcer or your head will roll."

Alec bowed his head and shoulders in submission, "Yes, Alpha.  I shall obey your command."