Chapter 3

"You are one stupid bitch if you think you can make a move without me knowing about it," Sabin whispered with his nose pressed to my cheek. 

I was chained to the wall of the basement in my nightgown. I had gone home to my little apartment and cried myself to sleep. Sabin had been letting me live there for the last three months as long as I laid low and wasn't seen by anyone, but I had been spotted by one of his minions when I went to Declan, so I was drug out of bed by my hair and brought here not long after falling asleep. It was a chance I had taken, and I had been caught. I can usually sense when someone is watching me, but I had been so upset and in my head.

My sister sat in a chair, whimpering and crying in the corner. That was Sabin's thing; not only would I be beaten or whipped, but my sister would have to watch. This is how he could keep us both under his thumb. At least I didn't have to worry that he would beat Eve. Sabin wouldn't beat his mate as long as I was here to take the beatings, that was the deal, but he would emotionally torture her. 

I laid my forehead against the brick and tried to find that place in my mind, my haven, but it didn't work this time. That place was truly gone now. In its place was the knowledge that another woman had my mate now. He had moved on. So trying to fall into sweet memories of the past didn't work.

I started sobbing, and Sabin laughed. "What's this?... You found out about the new little woman, didn't you, and that's what finally breaks the iron will?" he paused and laughed, "I was waiting for the perfect time to tell you about it, but this is so much more fun." His gloating voice trailed off then he wiped a tear off my cheek. "Now comes the entertaining part," and he stepped back. 

The whip came down on my back, and I felt the shock of numb then the agonizing pain. I usually tried not to give him the satisfaction of screaming, but I broke this time. The whip came again and again, and it didn't stop until I passed out. 

I spent a month in the basement that time. My werewolf healing would heal me, and then Sabin would bring Eve back in to watch it happen all over again. I don't know how many whippings it was within that month, but it was too many. After that, I didn't have any fight left anymore, but I was still scared for Dec. I wondered what the hell Sabin was up to and hoped he had not been successful in his endeavors.  I might still be in that basement if Sabin had not noticed that my healing was taking longer each time. 

Eve had slipped in to visit me, but she said that Sabin was extra careful, and she had not learned anything about the book or his plans. 

Sabin, of course, wasn't letting me go back to my apartment. So I was moved back to my room in the packhouse, and I was getting dressed when a soft knock came at my door, and Eve slipped inside. She winced at the marks on my back as I dropped a shirt over my head. 

"Let's just run. You and me, we can make a run for it," she whispered.

I laughed bitterly, "You know we wouldn't make it out of town before we were brought right back."

She started pacing. "I'm going to go to Declan and tell him what's going on."

I grabbed her arm and turned her to face me, "You will not. Dec will get himself killed," I whispered urgently, "that or he'll get me out, but we can't force Sabin to let you go. Then you will be here at his mercy, alone."

I shook my head, "Get it out of your head, Dec has moved on, and I have no right to mess that up for him. Besides that, I'll never leave you here with Sabin, and I'll be punished for trying to interfere with mates if I try to take you,"  I let out a long sigh, "we just keep going for now. I'll figure something out."

Eve took my face in her hands, "I know you blame yourself, but it's not your fault! You don't have to stay here and protect me. I'll be just fine. I'm stronger than you think, and I want you to run. Go to Declan and never look back! I cannot watch you go through this anymore!" her voice shook with emotion.

I crossed my arms and looked at her, "How would you feel if it was the other way around? How would you feel if you carried not only your wolf but mine inside you also, laying dormant? How would it feel to know that because of that, I was human, robbed of healing power and longer lifespan?" I broke down a minute, "How would it feel to know you robbed me of growing up with our parents always around, and I was instead sent to boarding schools with humans?" I paused a minute, looking her in the eye. " How would you feel about learning that a monster sensed his mate in that dormant wolf, and you led him straight to me, a human that can't survive his wrath? It is my fault, Eve. No, I didn't take your wolf, but somehow it was given to me instead."

"That's utter bullshit, Ava! We were in the womb. It was a genetic anomaly or something. You are not at fault!" she grabbed my chin and made me look in her eyes, "I have never blamed you. How could I when you have always blamed yourself and put me ahead of yourself? It's time for that to change! Stop punishing yourself for something that was never in your control! I should have seen Sabin for what he was. He fooled me, but that is on me. Not you!

She took my hand in hers, "I can't watch Sabin hurt you anymore. I love you, my twin sister, just as much as you love me. So yes, I know what it would feel like. I know what it feels like that you are in this position because I'm the one that trusted the monster. Me Ava!"

"I love you, Eve, but this is pointless. I'm not going anywhere. I'll never leave you here with him no matter who's to blame for anything."

I walked to the boxes of clothes that had been brought from the apartment to start putting them away. "Has Sabin been parading you around so that Declan can be assured that I was just playing with him?" I knew how Sabin worked and Eve's face answered my question. He was sure never to let my twin get within scenting distance of Dec, though, because she smells human, and Declan would know she wasn't me.

"Did he have this Bethany with him?" 

She gave me an apologetic look.

I bit my lip and nodded, then turned away and took a deep breath. "We have to make sure Sabin doesn't fuck it up for him. I need your help." 

Eve nodded, "You have it, but I urge you not to let Declan just slip away to another woman. You'll regret it. 

My eyes teared up, "I've already lost him. He's gone."