A Luna's Flame

Chapter Forty-Nine

Slowly, I trudged through the heaviness of my subconscious, my eyelids heavy with longing. My limbs felt numb, my spine bare and wet, as I hung from the ceiling fixture. My body refused to move as my mind slowly caught up to the reality of my situation. After a few minutes, I was able to barely open my eyes, only to shut them once more as I heard the door behind me creak open. I slowed my breathing as I listened to the sound of two separate footfalls walking closer just behind me.

"Did you kill her, boy?" a familiar voice asked as a calloused hand roughly gripped my chin, my groggy mind struggling to connect the dots.

Disgust crept up my body as I felt the faint brush of his stale breath tickle my face as he assessed me.

"No, sir. Her brush with death was close but not permanent. She will be down for a while, just as you requested," a gruff voice answered.

The man hummed as he turned my head to the side. I felt something gently touch the side of my neck before hearing a deep inhale. The person grunted with annoyance before harshly dropping my chin, my head falling limply.

"Did she scream? Better yet, did she cry? Tell me of how she pleaded for her life," the man asked as I felt his eyes roaming along my body.

"She didn't make a sound, sir, nor did she cry. Despite how hard I whipped her, I couldn't make her react before she passed out," the gruff tone answered.

I heard a deep grumble, slicing through the rising tension.

"I gave you specific instructions, boy. I told you to make her suffer, to test her limits. I wanted to know what makes this pretty face cry! I need to know what breaks her!" the man reprimanded.

I tried to scent him subtly, but lucky for that bastard, my senses were dulled.

"My apologies, sir."

"Leave us. You've wasted enough of my time," the man ordered angrily.

There was a brief, tense moment before I heard retreating footsteps, the door slamming shut behind him. The other man in front of me tisked before I felt his presence circle me.

"It's so hard to find good help these days," he started as I heard the clang of metal.

"You promote a boy to a warrior's rank, hoping he would become a man. But what's a warrior who cannot listen to simple instructions? A waste," the man explained calmly.

Suddenly, something stabbed into my exposed tissue, sending intense ripples of pain down my body. The man was roughly probing into my open wounds, searching for something I knew he would not find. I remained neutral and unmoving, focusing on maintaining my slow heartbeat instead of the warm blood that tricked down my legs. After a few minutes, out of anger due to my lack of response, the man threw the sharp tool against the stone wall. The clank of the metal clattering to the floor filled the absence in the iron-tinged room. There was a brief pause in the room. Nothing but the man's rapid breathing could be heard. Then, I felt something warm graze my leg as the man walked to face me. I fought my reaction as his hand brushed my thigh before he roughly grabbed my neck.

"Everyone has a breaking point. Even a cocky bitch like you," he grunted as he tightened his grip before releasing me.

I felt the warmth of his body as he leaned close, his stale breath fanning across my cheek.

"I guess I could be patient. It won't be long now. As soon as that stubborn pup rejects that embarrassing bond of yours, I will be able to do whatever I please with his discarded trash. And I can't wait to have you all to myself," he softly spoke into my ear as he held my face with a bruising grip.

His free hand lowered to my waist, his fingers digging into my bone.

"You're the best candidate I've seen for my...experiments. I can barely contain my excitement," he said gruffly, his want coating each syllable.

Fuck this. I fought against my heavy limps, desperate to snap his neck, but to no avail.

"I can't wait to bathe in that elusive scent of yours. Even your blood is mute of your essence. What an interesting woman," he whispered in a husky voice.

My skin crawled as I thrashed internally, my blood lust peaking. Before I managed to move my fingers, there was a loud bang at the door.

"I am not to be disturbed!" the man reprimanded, refusing to step away.

Another knock shook the frame of the wooden door, eliciting curses from the creep in front of me.

"You belong to me," he said harshly before releasing his hold on me and walking to the door.

"I said I did not want to be disturbed," the man grumbled to whoever stood on the other side.

"My apologies, but the others have started to look for you. The Alpha has called for an emergency meeting," the warrior from before explained.

"Throwing a tantrum over your mistakes is hardly appropriate. That boy is thinning my patience."

"It's more than that, sir. A few border patrol wolves have gone missing from the Southern borders."

The creep spewed a string of vibrant curses before sighing loudly.

"Spray something in the air to conceal my scent. I was never here, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do not fail me again."

The door shut behind them, leaving me in the room alone. My blood rushed in my veins as rage pumped in my heart. I will find him, and when I do, I'll make Hades himself blush.