Hidden in the Shadows ✔︎

10

⚠︎︎Jen's POV⚠︎︎

Every day, for the past few weeks, months, he would walk in, his eyes dark and his human out of control.

I was stuck in this flipping room that had no windows or anything that could help me escape. Nikki never came, not that she could, anyways.

Wonder why I was stuck here? Lemme think, I think it was because I tried to escape right after Xavier kidnapped me, I refused to acknowledge him as my mate, and all that other stuff Xavier hates. Now, every day, I see Xavier's eyes dark and angry. Oops?

Not that it was my fault or anything...

"Yeah, totally," Allie scoffed. "You almost rejected him! And tried to get away from him a million times! You think you can escape from such a sadistic man?"

"Well, I did once..."

"Shut up! Your energy is already dimming and you are half depressed! Although I still love him, I think he is trying to find any way to break us down and submit! Did you hear of his public whipping pole? Did you hear how he is merciless to anyone, even his family and closest friends? So stop being so know-it-all and get the fact that we are never getting out of here, and we are mated to a monster!" Allie shouted and shut me out.

Eek, she never yelled at me like that. I guess she really has given up. Should I? Should I give in to Xavier?

Speaking of the devil, Xavier walked in, eyes pitch black and his hands clenched. "Are you going to submit or not? Because I have a million ways to make you submit."

I spat in his face. "Fuck off, sir," I said mockingly. "In your fucking dreams."

He growled, and he finally lost it. In slow motion, I saw his fist deliver a blow to me stomach.

I never knew how much I could be hurt, both physically and mentally.

Never in my dreams I would have thought that someone could do that to their own mate.

"I AM YOUR MATE! YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME!" He roared.

"Never!" I snarled.

I saw his hand slap me, hard.

I backed up to the corner. "G-go away!" I stuttered. Who wouldn't be afraid of someone like him?

He growled and smiled maliciously, and grabbed my hair. I yelped, trying to push him off.

"You will pay," he seethed, slamming me onto the wall and storming out.

"Told you," Allie whispered.

Nikki's POV

Argh!!! Why does everything have to go wrong? Xavier told me that Jen was sick and couldn't come out, but a small part of me doesn't believe him.

So that is why I am leaving.

Why?

I am looking for a potion. Either a potion that could make Xavier tell the truth or a potion that could make Xavier's personality switch.

If that doesn't work, I'll get Riley to kill him.

Just kidding. Maybeeeeeeeee.

I didn't have any more visions, so I am not entirely sure what I should do.

I just hope Jen is okay and intact after I get back from my quest.

Jen's POV

Fuck life, fuck this pack, fuck depression, fuck silver and wolfsbane, fuck this place, and especially fuck Xavier.

Xavier has been torturing and abusing me, trying to make me submit.

I stayed strong after all this time. Allie, how many days or months had passed?

"One month," she whispered.

Hell, one month already? Will Xavier come back and start hitting me? Every day is the same now. It's kind of exhausting.

Xavier stormed in, and grabbed me by my hair. Guess that is a bit different. He dragged me out, and a crowd soon formed around us. He stopped at a specific place, and when I saw it, my stomach churned.

The public whipping pole.

Xavier grinned wickedly, his canines extended. "You are going to be whipped so badly."

He used a rope to tie my wrists together tightly, and jerked me off of the ground and onto my feet facing the crowd.

Packmates cringed, and looked scared.

"Let us begin the punishment. Bring me the whip." He commanded, and a shaking male handed him the long wiry whip.

I smirked at the measly weapon, positive that this punishment would not be quite as effective as he may have hoped, and would be the same I had endured for the past month.

I spoke too soon.

They were whips with fire.

I widened my stance as he walked behind me. My bound wrists hung in front of me.

"The sooner you submit and let yourself pass out, the less painful this will feel tomorrow. Just submit and we don't have to do this." He whispered softly in my ear, and I shivered a bit. I knew he cared about me a little.

But never. I scoffed at him. "I will never submit to you."

His eyes hardened and he grinned sadistically. "Fine."

Since I was faced away from him, I didn't hear him raise the whip, all I felt was a sudden lick of pain and fire along a sliver of my back, accompanied by a harsh cracking sound.

"One," he yelled out, his voice unmarred by emotion.

I felt the whip again, the fire burning my flesh where the whip made contact. The feeling was indescribably painful. I hope I could keep strong.

He continued whipping. We were at 10. I wasn't on the verge of passing out, even though I was in an indescribable amount of pain. The whippings were so painful because the whip would break the skin, and the fire would burn it, making the flesh incredibly raw. My nose was overwhelmed by the smell of my own blood.

I tried not to wince for the next five lashes, and the crowd stood back at me in utter shock. They didn't think I would have been able to last that long. Well, Xavier abusing and torturing me for so long kinda helped.

The whippings had been so severe, my body pushed at me to give in to the impending darkness, but I resisted, determined not to give that bastard of a mate the satisfaction.

By lash 18, my eyes glazed over and I could see stars. I wobbled, struggling to maintain my balance as my back was continuously assaulted by the pain. The air smelt of burning flesh.

I received the 19th whip, shaking on my feet. I had received many lashes from him, but not to this extreme. I cringed thinking of how painful the healing process would be. Now my entire back was not only bloody and missing flesh, but burnt as well.

I took the last whipping, still on my feet, though barely. I could feel my blood dripping down my back. I dully noted the pool of blood at my feet and the charred smell. All I could feel was the pain in my back that threatened to overtake me at any minute. I felt close to death.

Despite my watering eyes, I could see the shocked expressions of the crowd. It was silent as he called out the last number, signaling the end of the punishment.

My vision went hazy as my body swayed side to side.

Knowing it was finally time, I turned around, making eye contact with him.

Fuck it.

I dropped to my knees and showed him my neck, finally submitting.

After I submitted to him, I succumbed to the darkness that had been begging to overtake me ten lashes ago.

This time, I didn't know if I would ever wake up again.

***

Eek, vote and comment! Oh and p.s, if you're wondering why she didn't fight back and materialize a weapon, it's because her power doesn't work if she's afraid.