Once Love, Now Destruction

And slowly coming into the moonlight a very dark shadow appeared. It's blue eyes were narrowed and no white was shone. Its lips were pulled back in a snarl exposing a row of dagger-like teeth – sharp to the point and highly terrifying. There was a thick metal collar hooked around its neck and a heavy chain attached to the collar. It stood tall, making it look more like a bear than a wolf, and it would be taller than me, probably by a couple of feet. He stood on his hind legs making himself look more menacing. It had mangled onyx fur, and it looked wet, as it shone in the pale moonlight. It stood tall, even when he wasn’t only his back legs he would be taller than me, probably by a couple of feet.

But there was something else about the animal, I could see pain in his eyes, but it was masked with hunger and rage. And I somehow recognized him from somewhere, and it made my head hurt when I thought about it. He leaned down so that he was on all fours. He was right next to my face, his head was inclined down and I could feel his hot breath brush over my skin.

I placed my hands calmly out in front of me, trying to show him I meant no harm.

But when his blue eyes located the ring that Nicole gave me, and a snarl ripped through his teeth. His hackles rose blocking part of the light and it glared at me with cold eyes, stalking back to corner of the small cell.

***

I did not sleep that night. I don’t even think that I blinked as I stared at the wolf. I was not afraid. I was not appalled. I was not defensive. But I was concerned.

The aroma of blood was thick in the air, and I knew it wasn’t from outside, the walls were tightly bolted and door was closed tight. So, it had to be coming from him. I wanted to help him, but I don’t think he wanted me anywhere near him.

But something told me, a gut reaction I guess, to take off the silver ring when I heard footsteps walking down the hallway, getting louder and louder with each footfall. I dug a small hole in the ground and placed the ring inside and covered it back up with dirt. The wolf backed up in the far corner, like he was afraid.

The steel door ripped open, squealing in the process and there stood Alistair with a lifeless, but expectant look set in his stone cold face.

But as his eyes landed on me, his blue eyes were clouded with shock and fury. He unlocked my shackles, but when they were off, they were immediately replaced with cold hard hands. It felt like he was trying to break my wrists, he probably was.

I was jerked up, pain radiated from where he was holding. He dragged me out of the small room, and into the dimly lit hallway. There were shocked gasps as he dragged me down the terrifying corridor.

The people in the cages were staring at me, shocked. There were scattered murmurs echoing around us.

But when Alistair growled mincingly, that silenced everyone and they slinked to the back of their cells. I bit my lip, trying to stifle the whimper that worked up my throat. When we got to the top of the stairs, he jerked me through the entry way.

“NICOLE!” he shouted, making my ears ring.

Nicole appeared with an innocent look on her face, “Yes, Alistair?” she asked.

“Explain this,” he threw a sharp glance towards me.

“What?” she questioned, tilting her head.

“It’s still here,” he clarified, seething, “It should have been dead by now.”

“’It’ has a name, and I would love it if you would stop trying to break her whole hand,” Nicole’s eyes trailed over to Alistair’s hand that still had a death grip on my wrist.

He growled at her and pushed me roughly toward her, “Just get it out of my sight, and out of my way my way or there will be consequences.”

Nicole steadied me and threw a glare at Alistair’s retreating figure, “Let’s go, Elizabeth.”

I followed her weakly, trying to suppress my growling stomach, “Why were all those people down there?” I asked her quietly.

She gave me a sad smile, “Multiple reasons. Most of them are slaves, some are there because they disobeyed, or try to harm one of us, but all of them are… food.”

I winced, “Do you…?”

“No, only Alistair. We’ve tried stopping him, but… we can’t,” she told me sorrowfully.

“But it’s wrong to keep them down there, it’s so cold, and lonely, and… death is everywhere,” I bit my lip, bowing my head.

“I know,” she breathed, leading me into what I thought was a kitchen, “What would you like to eat?”

“I’m not hungry,” I lied looking down towards my bloodied feet, “What about the… wolf?”

Her jaw clenched angrily.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized automatically, ashamed, “I shouldn’t have.”

“No, it’s okay. You should know,” she took a deep breath her tiny hands clenching into fists, “What you spent the night with was a werewolf.”

I frowned, “A… werewolf?”

“That’s right,” she nodded, looking through the cabinets.

“What… did he do, to get down there?”

“He did something to someone Alistair was very close to. And we have to keep him down there until we figure out what happened to her,” she explained.

“And what happens when you find her?” I asked hesitantly.

“He dies,” she stated emotionlessly but gave me a small smile, “You’ll have to forgive me. I’ve never made food for a human before.”

“I’m not hungry,” I reminded her.

“Don’t try pulling that on me,” she raised her eyebrows at me.

“But I’m really not,” but my stomach growled in protest.

“Uh-huh,” she laughed, “You’re a vegetarian right?”

I nodded, frowning slightly, “How did you know that?”

“I’ve been watching you,” she smiled pouring something into a small bowl.

“To see if I was… the girl?” I guessed.

She stayed silent, and Christian entered the room.

“I thought I smelled you,” he greeted me, looking at my wounded feet.

“Go get the first-aid kit,” Nicole ordered her older brother.

“Where is it?” he asked leaning against the counter.

“Same place it’s always been,” Nicole waved him off.

“Well we haven’t used in seven years,” he shot back.

“In the cabinet above your head, moron,” she rolled her eyes at him.

Christian glared at him for a second, but got the first-aid kit nonetheless and set it on floor and sat next to.

“Aren’t you going to sit down?” he asked looking up at me.

I sat immediately as he looked through the small yellow box.

“Now get that glass out of your foot,” Christian stated.

“I can do it,” I told him.

“No you can’t,” he smirked at me, holding my right foot gently, “we really need to clean up down there.”

“You think?” Nicole said sarcastically.

Christian rolled his eyes, and pulled a large piece of glass out of the bottom of my heel. I felt my mouth bleed as my teeth dug into the bottom of my lip.

“There that wasn’t so bad was it?” he smiled spraying the antiseptic onto the wounds. He wrapped a white bandage around the bottoms of my feet.

“Here you go,” Nicole handed me the small bowl.

I looked down and saw lightly tan lumps collected in the bowl. Oatmeal.

“Thank you,” I told her, shoving the spoon in my mouth, not caring that it burned my mouth.

“It’s not a problem,” she smiled.

“Now,” Christian sighed, standing up, “let’s talk about, what you’re responsibilities are.”