Chapter 40
“Oh Greta you are no fun, spoiling all my fun, though I guess I had already blown my cover before you arrived '' Samira's voice is so different to how she has spoken to me all day. She stands, dusting off her dress and pulling out a key from her pocket to remove the shackle on her ankle.
“Come on Todd, let me out of this disgusting cell, Little Roman over here has given me enough information for today” the boy, who I’m assuming is Todd rushes over, opening the heavy padlock keeping us inside. As soon as Samira exits our cell, Todd grabs Greta by the collar around her neck and shoves her in to join me, unable to hold her balance she skids on her knees with a hiss.
“Oh and Roman, I do hope you keep your promise to me” are the Luna’s parting words as she saunters up the stairs plunging us back into near darkness. I feel vomit stirring in my stomach, physically ill at the fact that I have been talking so freely to my enemy.
I promised Luna Samira I would help her get revenge against my very own pack, against my father. I remember the story he told of the day he defeated Dark Claw, both alpha’s were engaged in combat neither having shifted into their wolf forms. As fists were flying a flash of silver caught my fathers eye as it plummeted towards his heart.
Thankfully having noticed in time he grabbed his enemy by the wrist turning the blade onto the person wielding it. The silver knife found its home in the stomach of Alpha Edward. If Dark Claw surrendered and promised to leave us alone my father would shop mercy, and Edward agreed to the terms, pulling all his wolves back to return home without a victory.
If Alpha Edward had not brought out that knife he may very well still be alive, If he hadn't been greedy in trying to steal our packlands, if he hadn't tried to take what isn't his at the cost of so many lives. Alpha Edwards is guilty for his own death. My father showed mercy, even after all the horrible atrocities committed by Dark Claw, My father only ever defended his pack and still showed his enemy mercy.
Now though I have told our enemy that using me as a bargaining chip is all it will take to get my father to give up Silver Eclipse. Samira knows exactly how precious I am now, nothing but a very valuable gambling chip. The bile burns as it rises into my throat and sputters out of my mouth. I haven't had food in I don't know how long so the dirty water and stomach acid was all I could throw up.
No, I can’t give up. Not yet.
Ignoring the blisters on my hands I tug the chain restraining me as hard as I can, trying to loosen it from where it is secured to the concrete. I need to break free, I need to check on Greta who seems to have lost all the fight in her now that Samira has left the dungeon. Greta remains crumbled in a ball from where she was shoved by that rat Todd.
I scream in frustration though at the fact it won’t budge and the chain isn’t even long enough to check on my friend. If I had access to my wolf right now I might stand a chance at tearing away my restraints which is probably the very reason I have wolfsbane flowing through my veins right now. “Greta, I’m so sorry I wasn’t home to help you. Where have they been keeping you and James?”
“They killed him, because I wouldn't betray you or our pack.” her voice trembles with grief and my heart feels heavy. I never really spoke much with James, but he was always sweet, and always making Greta smile, I hope her smiles aren’t forever lost.
“I’m sorry-”
“They knew we were friends, they have someone in our pack helping them. They tortured me for hours but I didn’t say a word or even react. So they moved onto torturing James, they spent hours killing him slowly, destroying him but I still couldn't betray you. Then I come down here and you told Samira everything anyway” she uncurls from her ball on the floor as her words strike me like knives and I can’t help but hang my head in shame and guilt.
Limping over to me she grabs a tuft of my hair yanking my head up so my eyes meet hers, the flickering bulb illuminating flashes of an icy fire in her grey eyes. “They told me a couple days ago that Alpha Romeo announced you as the next Alpha, fucking pathetic, You are fucking pathetic. Silver Eclipse will fall with you at the helm”
I try to find the words to respond, I want to tell her that she is wrong, that Adam and I can be great leaders. Her words ring true though, since that very announcement I have allowed Todd’s escape, been kidnapped and gotten friendly with the enemy.
As I am searching for something to say the space is once again flooded with light as a child juggles a tray of food while descending the stairs. His hair is past his shoulder in a messy ponytail, and skin incredibly pale but the distinct and familiar birthmark on his wrist has my heartbeat quickening. It’s like seeing a ghost in the flesh, but he is no longer the nearly ten year old I remember.
He lifts his gaze from the bowls of what looks like porridge that he is balancing on the tray. He drops them both though as recognition flashes on his face.
“Qi”