Forever Mine

THIRTY FOUR

Roxy gripped the metal handle of the bucket she carried tightly, warm water and gauze sloshing about with each step she took. Tobias and Isaac flanked each of her sides, making her feel teeny tiny between the two mountains of muscle as they walked through the underground cells. Although Tobias was more of a bodybuilder and could easily deck his opponent with a single punch, she found herself sidling against Isaac's tall but strong figure. Zaps of electricity sparked where their arms brushed against each other.

Roxy looked up at his face, trying to decipher what he was feeling. But Isaac had plenty of practice masquerading his expressions, and his neutral face was giving nothing away. Roxy knew she was grasping at straws – desperate – to win his heart over, but she could sense a shift in Isaac. There were the forehead kisses, the way he played with her hair with a raw fear in her eyes. He wanted to cave to his wolf's desires, to the invisible ropes that tied their hearts together for eternity. But his crippling fear of hurting her was stopping him. Cautiously optimistic was how she would approach things, although that was easier said than done when her mind conjured up all sorts of fantastical daydreams.

'Are you sure you want to do this?' Tobias asked cautiously, his grey eyes looking down at her.

Roxy could only nod, not trusting herself to speak. On the rollercoaster of emotions, suggesting showing the rogue care rather than abuse, seemed like the honourable route to take. Isaac had been furious that she suggested such a thing, but he hadn't been able to argue with the fact much longer that his fists of fury were getting answers from their prisoner. But now as the rogue's cell grew closer, she couldn't stop the doubt seeping into her system. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. Even in fear, she had to stay true to herself. The rogue, like all of them, had once been a normal wolf from a respectable pack until something had sent them tripping to the dark side. It was a disease, and he needed help.

Besides, if the rogue did try anything, she had no doubt in her bodyguards' abilities.

The stench was even stronger after brewing underground overnight, making her stomach do an uneasy rumble. The rogue was still hunched in the chair, resting against the ropes which bound him. Roxy faltered when she went to take a step towards the cell. She didn't want to admit she was scared, but she was downright petrified. Right in front of her was a creature which tore lives of decent packs apart. They killed innocent wolves. They wanted her and her sister.

They were all decent wolves once.

'You don't have to do this, Roxy.' Isaac was eyeing the rogue distastefully through the bars. It hadn't even moved to acknowledge their presence. Roxy would've assumed it was dead if it wasn't for the laboured breathing rattling the broken ribs in its chest.

Inhaling a deep breath, she moved towards the cell door, clinging to the bucket in her hands tightly. 'No, I do.'

Isaac sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It was then Roxy noticed how tired he looked and she wondered when the last time he slept was. 'I don't like this.'

Roxy reached down to give his hand a squeeze, hoping he wouldn't notice her own trembling. 'I know that he won't hurt me as long as you're around.'

There was the sound of a throat clearing.

'And Tobias, of course.'

'Tobias knows that if he lets you get hurt I'll feed him to the rogue,' growled Isaac, sending his Beta a warning look.

Tobias rolled his eyes. 'It's always an honour to serve you, Alpha.'

Isaac gave a grunt. 'Well come on then, let's get this over with.'

With a curt nod, Tobias brought a long key from his pocket before ripping the door open with a loud groan. It was slightly humorous that rope and a simple key was keeping their hostage from escaping. Once they lost control, they were almost unstoppable, ignorant of pain and killing themselves. It proved how much the silver had weakened it. Roxy timidly stepped into the cell with Isaac in front and Tobias behind, forcing her eyes away from the droplets of blood splattering the walls which were carved with long claw marks. It reminded her of Miss Octavia's story of when the original werewolves locked themselves up during nights of the full moon. She looked around the cells, noticing they all had chains hammered into their walls and the same claw marks. Is this what the Moonlight Ridge ancestors had used this place for? To lock themselves away before werewolves had developed the ability to shift on their own command rather than be a slave to the moon?