The Alpha's Ballerina (#Wattys2016)

Come Morning Light

One year latter..........

A year came and went. My days were filled with endless torture. When they weren't torturing me I was a slave. Apparently they got the idea from what my father said before he died. The smell of his blood never left the basement where my cage was. In fact, that small cage had become my home.

As November set in last year the weather shifted and got colder. During that time I was granted a thin blanket. Can't torture someone if they are dead. My back was covered in whip scars and my arms covered in scars from knives. This whole time I was here they injected me with wolfsbane.

The winter months brought freezing temperatures and me almost dying of hypothermia. Christmas's was one of the worst days ever. Not only was I tortured by Professor Morgan, who's name I learned was Eric, I was tortured by anyone who had lost people in the attack by Theo's pack. Most of them were drunk. It was that day I found out that Theo's pack attacked on Christmas.

Theo. His voice was just a fading memory to me. His touch was as well. During those winter months I was only able to survive by remembering how his warmth made me feel. I missed him more than I could say. He probably moved on by now. Most likely with what's her name? Louise, that's it.

Spring brought melting snow and lots of rain. The constant water leaking made me wet all the time. The funny thing is they said I smelt like a wet dog. By the time I pealed myself off the floor after my torture sessions I was covered in water and blood. Still I stayed silent about Theo.

Summer came and man did it suck. It was the hottest summer I could remember. Most days it was in the high eighties or low nineties. Flies hung around my open wounds at night. Dogs would smell the blood and come to the window to check it out. Twice a wolf came. Twice I was disappointed that it wasn't one of us. It was just a normal wolf.

As the year went on I got worse punishments as I stayed silent. I went from knife cuts to daily whippings. Buckets of wolfsbane dumped on me to having nearly pure, undiluted wolfsbane injected into me. Even though I stayed silent my lungs got a good work out. There were days when all I did was scream my lungs out. It was a wonder that they worked anymore.

My birthday was the one day nothing happened to me. That was only because everybody was out of the cabin. I don't know if it was because Eric felt pity for me or if it was just coincidence. Despite all of this, the only thing of my life before this I had left was my innocence. The only reason that was though is because, and I quote, no one would stoop so low as to lay with a mutt.

Here I am back at the middle of fall with nothing to show for it. "Hurry up with the food mutt or we won't leave you any scraps to eat." Scraps were the only thing I was allowed to eat. Even then I couldn't. The first meal I got after I got here was at Thanksgiving. I only ate every few weeks because if I ate any more I threw it up. Even then it was only a piece or two of bread. The only thing I was allowed at anytime I want was water. That water was always tainted by wolfsbane and burned my throat, but it was better than dehydrating.

I pulled the chicken off the Gorge Foreman grill and put it on the plate. Out of the oven I pulled out the baked mac and cheese and set it on the table. There was also stuffing and salad on the table. Once everything was set Eric dismissed me and I went down to my cell. The sun was just starting to set. It painted the sky a beautiful combination of oranges and reds.

What I guess to be two hours later Eric came down and I turned to face him. "Look Abbie, I don't like this. A year of torturing you and all it has gotten us is spilt blood." His hand reached through the bars and caressed my cheek. "Just tell me what I want to know Abbie. It can all be over." He whispered in my ear the way a lover would talk to one. I shuddered at his touch and words.

He pushed something through a small opening. It was a plate of chicken, stuffing, and the mac and cheese. Dinner. "Eat Abbie." I refused though. I had eaten yesterday. "I'm done playing games with you Abigail!" The keys unlocked the cage and he wrapped his hand around my throat. The air was being cut off from my lungs.

Clawing at his hands he finally let me go. As I rolled over I coughed trying to get air back into my lungs. "The night is just starting." He aimed a kick at my ribs and it hit them. I'm pretty sure one of them cracked. "WHERE IS HE?!" Eric yelled at me. This past year silence has been my best friend. Now it was my enemy.

He rolled me over and just pounded on my face. I am just to tired to fight back. Everyone recognized a lost cause when there was one. This time I was that lost cause. If I died no one would care. No one would miss me. Blood fell down my face as a loud bang was heard upstairs. One of the hunters came down. "Sir! There are wolves here!" Everything got fuzzy so I could make out the rest. I did feel a needle prick me though. "Can't have those bastards know you're here darling." As he pressed the plunger the worst sensation went through me.

All of my nerves were on fire. They came alive and attacked my body. "One hundred percent wolfsbane darling." Father. That was my only thought because now I realized how he felt in his final moments. A cut was made on both of my legs and both of my arms. "Goodbye Abigail." Eric left to join the fray upstairs.

I could smell the blood. Both upstairs and my own. Every so often a thud would happen signaling the death or knock out of someone. A cold settled into my veins as I watched the blood puddle grow larger and larger. Maybe if I just close my eyes it will all be over. I would like that. Mom and dad would be waiting for me.

I imagined it would be by a waterfall. Mom loved them. Dad would be happy now he was with her. Flowers surrounding them as us three watched over James. It would be perfect. For a moment I saw dad come down the steps and I smiled as I closed my eyes.

I was finally done here. A pair of strong arms picked me up off the floor. How fitting it was that my father would be the one to welcome me into death's embrace. We both died in the same place. We died protecting my mate. What a shame that I only got a few days with him. A brisk breeze rushed across my skin as my father walked. Soon I would wake up and see my parents.

"I've got her." My father spoke. In a way though it wasn't him. The voice was too high to be my father. Maybe in the afterlife it was him before mom had died.

The strangest thing happened though.

I heard a rustling of leaves as someone ran to us. Sweet honey and spice with a touch of rose and coffee filled my senses as I was passed to another pair of arms. These ones were stronger and yet softer then the last ones. "Let's get out of here James." James? My brother found me? Wind rushed by me as whoever was carrying me ran.

It sounded like a car door opened and the man holding me got in. The car started rumbling then moving. The heartbeat sounded so familiar. My face hurt from the beating but I managed to open my eyes just enough. Chocolate brown eyes greeted me. "Don't worry Abbie. You're safe now."

Theo reassured me as he held me close.