Loving The Beast Within (Sequel to Shifting Love)

Chapter 18: Pain And Hope Don't Go Together

*Ari*

Pain was all my mind could register at this point; white-hot blistering pain. Shane pressed the blazing hot poker deeper into my left hand when I answered his last question the wrong way. Agony radiated through my entire body and my mind went blank at the pain.

Dante’s anger rose up inside me and I knew he felt it through the bond. But there was another emotion flowing through him. I forced myself to focus on him instead of the pain. His wolf was surging up inside of him. He would lose control soon.

“Are you paying attention Arianna? You seem a little distracted. Perhaps I should switch my tactics to bring your mind back,” Shane snarled. He was angry that I was strong enough to withstand his pain.

He ripped the poker out of my hand and threw it to the side like a discarded piece of trash. He wouldn’t return to that weapon any time soon.

I breathed a sigh of relief through my nostrils and looked over at Bobby. He was sitting on the floor of his cage but he was fully alert and watching Shane’s every move. He made sure not to touch any part of the silver.

Shane stood up and walked over to a wooden chest that sat the foot of the bed. I stared in awe when he opened it. Every weapon I’ve ever known, and even some I didn’t, lay inside of it. I tried to swallow back the lump in my throat but my mouth was suddenly dry.

His hands lightly grazed over the handle of each blade. My stomach churned when he picked up the machete first. But he shook his head and quickly put it back down. He replaced it with a crossbow. He weighed it in his hands and thoughtfully looked it over.

I looked away. I didn’t want to know what weapon he would choose to use on me next. But I didn’t even have to try to distract myself again. Dante’s wolf overpowered all of my emotions within a moment.

I could almost see his wolf grinning in satisfaction and the anger inside him subsided for the time being. He killed Theo. That was the only explanation for the sudden surge of emotion. I couldn’t believe he actually killed someone from our pack. There should have been a trial with all the Alphas to pass down judgment. But I understood his rash decision. Theo had to pay for ruining our lives.

“Arianna, your mind is drifting again. Am I not important enough to hold your attention? Maybe I should shift my focus over to little Bobby here?”

“No!” I shouted almost instantly.

“I don’t know. He seems to be more focused than you.”

“Leave him alone. I’m here.”

His lips curled into a cruel smile, “Indeed you are here with me.”

My eyes dropped down from his face to his hands. He was holding a small hunting knife firmly in his right hand. I looked at him curiously. Why would he replace his Bowie knives for such a small weapon?

He shifted his weight and tilted his head while he slowly leered up and down my body. A deep shiver of disgust ran down my spine. Fear as I had never felt it before rushed through my veins. I didn’t like the way he looked at me; like he would devour me at any moment.

His eyes hardened with resolve and he lunged forward at me. I cowered back, trying to pull my hands free from the chains. But it was useless. I would never get out of the restraints without the key.

Shane’s body hovered over mine. I shrank back into the floor, wishing it would open up and swallow me; anything to get away from this lunatic. His left hand shot forward and enclosed around my throat. He firmly held me against the ground while his right hand, that was still holding the knife, reached up to the collar of my shirt.