Redwynne

Smoke & Mirrors

Redwynne

It's been three days. Three days since they dragged me from that cave and a hundred plus miles to lock me in this room. At least I'm not chained anymore. Subconsciously I rubbed where my chains had left my wrist raw.

Gazing absently out the window at the snow covered peaks, I felt, not for the first time since seeing them, a little more at ease. No amount of time away could make me forget those mountains. Home. Or what was left of it.

Knock, knock! The door opens and in comes Ian wheeling my evening meal. Ian, "All right you know the drill. Back against the wall hands where I can see them. "

Doing as he says I feign hurt as I reply, " What no pet names today? Yesterday I was sweet cheeks. Today I'm no body. I'm hurt. "

"Ian here has been warned against niceties. You are a prisoner. Or do you need reminding," Cindy asked as she entered my room. Unlike her usual hot attire she looks composed with her slicked back ponytail, designer khakis, and white turtle neck. It seems Cindy was putting up a bigger front then I'd thought.

However, her eyes, they tell a different story. In them a fire burns so intense, it threatens to consume me every time her gaze settles on me. Much to her dismay it hasn't. "How can I forget , Cindy, when you remind me daily with your presence." My accompanying smile does nothing to soften my words but only drives them home. "Usually Ian brings my meal alone. What do I owe the pleasure of your company to?"

Her eyes travel up and down my body as she replies, "Tonight is a very important night for Tyler. His pack will be here to dine with us. Rupert, the packs Alpha will be here as well. Tyler plans to show you off to Rupert and the rest of the pack. I'm here to make you look presentable." Her face said she'd been given, what she perceived to be, an impossible task.

I had to admit the idea of being presented to a pack of werewolves was less then exciting. Dread settled into my stomach making me feel slightly dizzy. However, I refused to let Cindy see my discomfort. Choosing to distract her, while I regained my composer, I asked, "I thought I was being taken to your father?"

"You still are; though, not until tomorrow. Tonight Tyler will show you off to his Alpha. A prize catch like you should put him back in his uncle's good graces,” Grabbing what appeared to be a garment bag from underneath the cart that Ian was pushing, Cindy laid it out on the bed, "Now once you've finished eating scrub yourself then slip into this. I'll be back in an hour to fetch you." With a flip of her hair Cindy was gone and Ian followed suite.

Redwynne sat and picked at the grayish blob on her plate while she thought about what was to come. Terror snuck in to join the dread filling her stomach. Try as she might she couldn't shake it. Just thinking about the multitude of werewolves she would be surrounded by brought unpleasant memories to the fore front of her mind.

Images of her parents lifeless bodies flooded her mind. Only to be replaced by the images of weres lying in pools of their own blood, while Redwynne bathed in it.

She wanted every last were on the face of the planet dead more then anything. However, becoming a monster to accomplish her dreams was not something she wanted to repeat. One on one, maybe two on one, she could pick them off easily and with out the aid of her other half. Taking on a whole pack was a different story.

Last time she'd been around a large group of weres she'd unwillingly unleashed her other half on them. Only one had still been breathing by the time she'd reigned her beastly side in.