Lace

27.

Erebus

It's been torture, the 42 hours. I'd spent every waking moment in fury and unexplainable panic as I restlessly searched for her.

"It had to be planned! Why, why on bloody earth did you insist on taking her?" Soren demanded.

His words brought out unstable anger within me but I tried to ignore it and focus on every frame of the camera surveillance before me.

I wanted to punch him. To mount him on the floor and remind him who I am. The beast. But now's not the time. And besides, I deserve it. To be ridiculed and brought to shame.

I failed her. She gave me her trust and respect and I let them drug her like some worthless animal.

They took her from me, and I allowed it. I let it happen.

"It's been over a day Erebus! You call yourself a beast yet look at you! What good is a beast when he can't even find his prey?"

The rest happened in a blur, Soren was pushed the wall by two of my men. His arms were held in a fierce grip on either side, rendered useless to the struggling man.

"Let me go!" He demanded. But my men didn't listen. They waited sternly for my command. It never came.

"Erebus, this is not you! " I watched the tape again, and he kept screaming. His voice becoming louder and louder, competing with my conscience thoughts in my head until it became too much.

I rose from the chair with a sound of thunder and marched to my second i command who was mearly a statue mounted onto my wall.

"I-" I began but was cited off my the irritating ring from my phone. The work phone.

Dominating anger was present in my every word when I picked up the call, only for it to morph into utter shock within seconds. I bolted out of my office without a second to think, ignoring the worried called from around me.

Nothing felt real. It was like I was no longer in charge. To hear that she was safe brought out an unexplainable feeling if warmth within me.
I drove recklessly fast, and felt as if I couldn't get to that bloody station sooner. Then finally I did.

There was no need for formalities as I marched in, demanding answers immediately. "In the chief's office." One of them said, and I was savaging for her immediately.

And soon I found her. Wrapped in a thin cotton blanket, that surely didn't do much for her.

She was a mess. Her hair was a knot on her head, and hands clearly brushed and bandaged.

The chief noticed me right away and became lost in a pool of fear, drawing worry from my little Lace. I wouldn't help but feel a need to be close to her. To hold her and never let go. But instead I settled for a simple hand on her shoulder. She tensed slightly, probably not even noticing it turned her hair back.

"Erebus! " her voice broke when she noticed me behind her. Her cheeks were swollen and her eyes, black and blue. She looked tired. So warn out.

How could I have let this happen?!

Lace guided me around her and I instantly kneeled down before her. The beast kneeling before a little girl.
I felt drawn to reach my hand to caress her face and my heart ached when she leaned into my embrace.

I examined her bruised, felling her pain for every one. How could I let this happen?!

I almost didn't recognize my voice whe  I asked her what had happened. A hidden part of me wanted to just forget everything. To just embrace Lace and never let her go. But the other, darker part of me demanded revenge. It demanded I the spine of whomever did this to her and use it as chopstick while feeding them their own mystery. That darker side was louder.

I was lost for a moment until I heard her say a name. "Riley." She said, and only then did I notice the other man in the room.

**
Okay, so this is really short. But I just wanted to give you'll a bit of insight into Erebus. Probably not the best decision, but it is what it is.

If you'll liked this, then the next chapter would probably be in his POV as well. Or else we'll pick off where Lace left off.

What do you'll wanna see?

I haven't been updating for a while because I've been busy with school. It sucks.
And I decided to do some writing today, considering I have a programming and maths assignment tomorrow.

That's my life.

Welp, till next time.

Make good choices,
~Virgo.