Of Crows and Asphodel

Chapter 2

Cain's P.O.V.

My head is pounding and the first thing I notice is the overwhelming silence. I can no longer hear the voices of my pack members, a sign that something is wrong.

The last thing I remember is having gone to investigate a lead on the disappearance of one of my pack members only to be met with a dead end and the stench of humans clogging my nose before my skin was pricked and silver was pumped into me.

My Beta, Xavier, will have taken over by now and the pack is most likely lying in wait for my return. No search party will occur as they all know I am more than capable of escaping from whatever predicament I have currently found myself in.

A low groan escapes my lips.

My heightened senses are muted, as though I am underwater and my nose is flooded with the stench of blood. I can vaguely feel pain ricocheting through my body with every breath I take.

Unease prickles my skin, sweat beading its way down my forehead. My tired eyelids flutter open and I lick my dry lips, exhaustion and hunger gnawing at me.

My muscles are aching and I shift around only to hear the clanking of chains and the sting of silver kissing my skin. I stop my movements and scrutinize my surroundings. My head is foggy and I can feel fire burning in my veins, devouring my body in a trail of blazing heat as the silver pumped into my bloodstream flows through me.

Dried up blood clings to my skin, blurring my eyesight and I can faintly distinguish the outline of cell bars caging me in. A sigh escapes my lips before I can stop it and my ears perk up at the sound of light breathing in the darkness.

I glance towards the direction of the breathing and freeze.

Amber.

I can't bring myself to look away.

My air is trapped in my lungs.

And it consumes me.

Her amber eyes are locked on mine, clouded by a sorrow so deep I drown. My eyes trace her pale skin littered in so many freckles I doubt the stars could ever compare. Her brown hair is gathered in a neat ponytail and she is dressed in all black as she sits before me, looking as though she wants to hide in the darkness.

She looks tired as her eyes bore into me. Heat crawls its way down my spine and I wish I had enough energy to break out of these chains just so I could feel her skin against mine.

My mind is racing to figure out where I am and why someone like her would be in a cell room. My eyebrows furrow and my tongue feels heavy as I open my mouth to speak. "Who are you?"

A puzzle piece falls in place and I know the answer to my question, but the words refuse to fall from my lips and the disbelief of her being mine wraps its way around my throat, shrouding my vision in a haze of gray.

Her eyes widen and she stiffens. She moves with speed and grace as she stands and retreats away from me towards what I assume is the exit. My eyes are fixated on her and I almost want to beg her not to leave.

Her heels click against the cement floor, a steady drumming that matches my heartbeat. She opens the door and pauses. I still, foolish enough to hope that she'll stay.

"I'm sorry." The words fall from her lips, so soft I wonder if I was supposed to hear it and she walks away, the stars following after her leaving only the silence to accompany me.

I wonder what she is apologizing for as I lean back against the wall, my legs spread in front of me and I can't find it in me to stop thinking about her sad amber eyes long enough to muse an escape plan.