Agony fell short; she was shattered.
Charlotte, a werewolf, endured relentless abuse, leaving her utterly fractured. Austin, her supposed mate, subjected her to constant mistreatment and even infidelity.
In a daring escape, she fled, only to encount...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"What... did you just say?" I stammered, needing confirmation that I had heard him correctly.
All he offered was a mumbled apology before I felt a sharp prick in my neck, sending me spiraling into dizziness and unconsciousness.
I had no way of knowing how much time had passed when I finally regained consciousness. I found myself imprisoned in a dimly lit dungeon, silver chains tightly encircling my wrists.
I cautiously inched closer to the cell bars, trying to identify any signs of fellow prisoners. But as my skin grazed the silver, a searing burn shot through me, leaving me weakened and gasping for breath.
Leon hadn't lied when he said I would be in the dungeon, but the silver chains were an unexpected and agonizing addition to my predicament.
I waited for Leon to come for me, but he never did. Instead, it was John who appeared, delivering a tray of food with a hesitant look in his eyes, just like everyone else who refused to believe me.
"Wait, can you please ask Leon to come down here?" I pleaded with John.
"Sorry, Charlotte, he doesn't want to see anyone right now," John replied before retreating.
I glanced at the unappetizing meal before me – a plate of vegetables and rice, accompanied by a bottle of water. It seemed that even in my confinement, they treated me like a common prisoner.
I had no intention of eating. I had resolved to do the opposite of what they wanted until Leon came to see me. I would rather starve than accept this unjust treatment.
Curling my knees to my chest, my emotional defenses crumbled, and the tears flowed freely. They dripped down my chin, soaking my shirt. It felt like my tears might wash away the injustice. I trembled uncontrollably, unable to cease the sobs wracking my body.
The walls that had always stood firm, upholding my strength, began to crumble. Moment by moment, they fell away. Every tear shed seemed to wash away the pain and betrayal, leaving me feeling raw and exposed. I couldn't stop crying, couldn't halt the trembling that shook my body.
Days passed without nourishment or interaction. The only visitor was the dungeon keeper, delivering meals I never touched. I refused to eat until Leon visited me, even as I grew weaker, my heart's rhythm slowing.
The silver chains around my wrists had burned my skin raw, and blood oozed from the wounds, pooling beneath me.
Did Leon truly want to subject me to this torment?
I hadn't committed the crime, and I was prepared to endure this suffering until he recognized my innocence. I would persist until he realized I had been framed.
"Why won't you eat, Charlotte?" John inquired.
"I won't eat until he sees me," I replied weakly.
"You'll fall ill if you continue like this. Please, just eat something," he implored.
"No," I declared, ignoring his pleas.
My numb arms throbbed, offering no respite no matter how I adjusted them. They had become so numb that they could be severed, and I wouldn't feel a thing. Exhaustion overwhelmed me.
Sleep was impossible in this upright position. It had been days without food or water. My arms, while an irritant, were the least of my worries.
My eyelids drooped, my body aching to rest. I could barely move, my limbs so heavy, my energy sapped.
All I could manage was to sit there, staring at the ceiling while the silver chains continued to scorch my flesh.
Leon still hadn't come. He was probably occupied with Kenzie or other matters.
My worst fears had come to fruition. History was repeating itself.
He had promised he would never subject me to this again.
He had lied.
This emotional and physical agony exceeded anything Austin had inflicted upon me. I was once more plunged into a dark abyss of pain, both physical and emotional.
As my eyelids grew heavy, my heartbeat slowed. The acrid scent of my blood mixed with the dungeon's mustiness filled the air. Nausea churned in my empty stomach, and regret gnawed at my conscience. My heart seemed to be mired in tar, struggling to maintain a steady beat.
Despair hung over me like a pall, darkening even the brightest of days. Birds chirped, but their songs grated on my nerves like the discordant clang of a child's glockenspiel.
Unable to fight it any longer, my eyes fluttered shut, and darkness enveloped me, offering respite from the torment of reality.
I'm really bad at describing emotions and things so this chapter was hella bad.
