A Sin of Her Own

Chapter 42

The steady drip of water made its way from the snow-covered surface to the cellar below, slowly creeping along the ivy clung walls.

Within the cells lay Athdara and Nathan, the only solitary wolves within its confines. Titania did not care to keep wolves that breached pack rules, condemning them instead to a life pushing daisies – it certainly kept the expenses down low.

A gust of icy winter air crept between the stones and the pair couldn't help but shiver. Athdara had resorted to her wolf form to conserve heat and to curl up away from the male in the cells beside her.

"This is some bullshit," Nathan cursed. His hands fumbled over the cracks in the rocks, trying to find one loose.

Letting him speak to herself, Athdara turned further away and instead took a drink from the melting snow above.

Despite his fruitless efforts, he continued, even though he'd already scrutinised every rock over the past two days. But it didn't matter to him; anything to keep his mind from focusing on the next drop of the amber liquid his tongue so desperately craved.

His recent conquest, Lorelle, had managed to smuggle some small whiskey bottles into the cells on her visits but it was not enough for him: he needed more.

His mind was scattered as he scrambled over the cell. His body pushed him to do something – anything.

Anything was better than lying there like a piece of shit, he thought.

Minutes turned to hours and once preened nails turned to bloody stubs as he scraped and dug. "There must be a loose rock in here somewhere! Goddammit, I don't deserve to be trapped like an animal in here!"

Athdara regarded the male with a humph sound from her throat, signalling her distaste for his chosen words. In her mind, he had deserved the cells immediately after the night he rejected Titania.

His hazel eyes gleamed as they landed on her wolf, "And who do you think you are, eh? Sitting there all high and mighty when you're not so innocent yourself." His Spanish accent lilted his words as the anger poured through, "You're a traitor! All I did was reject my mate. I didn't hurt her or do anything like what you did. There's a massive difference."

His back slumped against the wall as his claws dug into his palms. His shouts of outcry wasted. "And that's why I don't deserve to be in here!"

Athdara's heart plummeted at his words, for she had committed a crime that she never thought she'd have executed. Now she'd be the one with her head for the chop. The word traitor rang bitter through the air as her wolf cried its regret. She was now a disgraced Duskfall wolf; one that deserved the highest punishment.

Nathan circled his cell as he punched the bars with his hands. "Not so vocal now traidora."

With tears in her eyes, Athdara shuffled into the corner of her cell. Nothing but disgust and disappointment seeping from her pores. But she knew she couldn't complain - she'd made this choice herself.

Her mind flittered to her adoptive parents who she hadn't seen in years. Quinn had been a family friend of hers and so had his family, which was why she took Alpha Jared's threats seriously. She still had no information regarding her family's well-being, but she hoped her sacrifice meant their safety, as hard as that sacrifice had been.

The time spent in the cells blurred with the daylight peeping from a solitary window – barred, of course.

It came and went, signalling the start and end of the day, the monotony broken up by a wolf occasionally bringing them sustenance in the form of bread, dried meat, and human substitutes which tasted like cardboard.