Elias POV Finally holding my Chilli in my arms, somehow gives me strength. Rising to my feet I offer her a hand to help her up,"Let's get out of here." She smiles and accepts my help by taking my hand. As she gets to her feet they seem to give out from under her and I just manage to catch her by wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her close to me to steady her. She blushes at me, looking tired and suddenly weak, I can't help but growl ever so softly as I give her a look of concern, worry, and annoyance. I feared this, I feared she'd go too far and use up too much power and energy. My free hand instinctively rushes to her stomach again in a panic, but Chilli just holds my hand there and smiles weakly,"I'm okay, we are okay, promise," I grunt at her, unhappy she exhausted herself so much, but taking her word for it for now."Okay, but as soon as possible, we are going to the hospital to get you two checked out, just to be safe and sure," I tell her,
Chilli POV "Oh, fuck!" I murmur aloud, still in disbelief of where we are. I close my eyes and try opening a link with anyone from our pack, but I'm too weak and probably too far away from them, we must be deep into the other's territory. Glancing at Elias in the corner of my eye, I can tell by his facial expression he just tried and failed too.Fear begins to creep in as I recall the stories and bits of information I know about this place and it's people. I am now so glad Elias found these clothes for me and a cleaner set for himself, if anyone saw him in blooded clothes we'd be picked up and taken to one of their hospitals where they'd want to run tests and goddess knows what they'd discover, or he would be arrested, which isn't much better... Brrrr... a shiver runs down my spine at the mere thought of it. Even in our current state and appearance, we will attract too much unwanted attention. There are areas where our borders do blur and mix with the ot
Winter packhouseI kick against the bars, still unable to bear being down here in these cold, dank, ancient cells. To be honest, I forgot they were down here as we don't use them anymore, not for the last hundred-odd years anyway. Wrapping my hands around the black bars, gripping them with all the might I have left, still so angry, "Arrrrh!" I cry out kicking the metal again,"Oh, for goddess sake Erin! Will you stop!" "No!" I snap back."We've been down here for weeks now,""And for that reason, I should relax, take a nap and just wait around for something to happen?" "No, but it's better than pulling on those fucking bars every hour of every day! They are not going to BREAK!" "Sorry Luna," I bow my head as I let go and back away till I feel the stone wall behind my back, then slide down it till my ass hits the ground with a huff. "Better," my luna smiles, but only for a brief moment before the sorrow and heartache rushes back. I r
Erin POV (continued)I feel my emotions overflowing me, pushing me to and past my breaking point, but I will not cry, I refuse to let him make me cry. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath in and ... out, "What have you done?" I look at my luna in confusion as she guestures at my hand,"Oh," I croke, looking down at my bleeding nuckles with bits of dirt and gravel in beded in them."Give it here," my luna says, holding out her hands to take my bleeding one. I watch her pick out the fragments of stones from my swollen hand, if it wasn't for my luna I think I would have given in by now or lost it completely, she has helped me through this so much, been so supportive, I can't help but well up ever so slightly. "Thank you," I whisper, barely audible. She looks up at my face and smiles,"Of course, although if you didn't keep hitting the walls and now the floor, I wouldn't have to keep doing this," she jests, not realising what I'm actually thanking he
"What?" I look up to see Leroy's face beaming at me, as if his words have solved everything. "I'll mark you," he says, "then he can't, well, no, he still can but not as easily plus, you'll be stronger against him and the call of the mates bond." I stare at him as I fill with humiliation and hurt at his idea. There was a time I wanted nothing more than to hear those words from him, well, not those exact words but the offer to be with him as his mate, as his partner for life. I remember when he turned eighteen, I hoped so much that he'd look at me and feel the mate bond with me, but when we didn't, my heart broke and splintered. So for the rest of the night my glass was never empty for long, as I tried to drown my sorrow and wash away the heartache. I drank and drank until I felt numb, not that it lasted long as I woke up the next morning with a wicked hangover and a still broken heart.I'd love to be his mate, I'd love to say yes to him, but not like this, not a pity of
Leroy POV A faint whisper travels up the steps as if following me, and I hear her words once I am on the landing above. "I love you too, Leroy, yes."I am frozen in place for a split second, overcome with joy at her answer to my question. I want nothing more than to run down those steps and tell her I heard her, to ... kiss her. But I can hear the guards on their rounds. My head and my heart argue of the right course of action, I glance left and right down the hallway until my heart wins."Fuck it," I whisper to myself and turn around, giving into my desires. I silence glide down the steps once more to find Erin exactly where I left her sitting on the floor. She seems in a daze as she stares off into nothing with a smile on her face, I don't think she even heard me come back down the steps as she jumps when I reappear in front of her again,"Leroy?" She panics at seeing me again so soon, fear flashes across her eyes. Without thinking or
"My blessing? ... " her eyes well with joy as if now only just realising what I'm asking, as all the pieces finally come together, "do you mean ... you and Leroy ... together?" I nod excitedly then quickly gesture to her to keep her voice down. If anyone hears us, it could put Leroy in danger, not to mention us. "Awe, that's amazing," she whispers, "when?" "Tonight at midnight." "Good, okay. And are you marking each other tonight?" Her question drops a droplet of doubt into my heart, "I ... err, think so," suddenly feeling unsure, but Kay just nods and asks,"What phase was the moon in last night, do you know?" "It wasn't a full, so I'd say, gibbous," "Waxing or waning?" She probes,"Well, it didn't feel like a full moon the night before, so ... gibbous.""Good, this is good," she smiles at me, "What's good?" I ask back."Well, if tonight is a full moon, then it can strengthen the bond between you and is said to be lucky." "Really,
As I sit and wait in anticipation, I try not to let my mind wonder too much as time slowly ticks by. Having no clock or way of knowing the exact time, it's hard not to worry that midnight has come and gone. Fear creeps in as I worry he is not coming or something has gone wrong. That is until a smiling face appears at the bottom of the steps. I can't help but smile back profusely at his presence, he came, he actually came."Leroy!" I whisper excitedly, "you're here, you came," I run to the bars to embrace him as best I can with the obstacles in our way."Erin," he whispers back, "I promised I would." My heartbeat speeds up as our skin touches and sents mix. Kay clears her throat, causing us to let go of each other,"Luna," he bows his head to her, and she smiles. Turning back to look at me, still holding my hands, he asks, "Are you ready? Do you still want to do this?" "Yes." I beam at him, 'I am so ready,' I think to myself."Good," he rejoices with a