A Wolf's Touch

- Chapter Twenty Six -

- Chapter Twenty Six -

Alina woke up actually feeling a lot better than the previous nights she had spent in Damien's room. All because she has that bubbling feeling of hope blooming in her chest. She has yet to figure out a way to escape, but she does hope in achieving that goal before Damien returns from his trip.

The sound of keys rustling against the door made Alina anxious. She secretly hoped it was Kaeden, by himself, so she can convince him to help her and her new rouge friend escape. Alina knew Kaeden will refuse, but she won't lose hope, not when she finally remembered how that feels. Like no bad news can be worse than her current situation because she knew that she finally has an opening to flee. With or without help from Kaeden.

The door opened slowly, causing Alina's heart to pound erratically.

When the door finally opened, Alina's imaginary ballon deflated in realization.Reality had hit her. Guards were stationed at her door, Kaeden and a man carrying a tray of food walked in, followed by one of the stationed guards. None of what Alina was seeing was normal, on the contrary. It looks like Damien had enforced new strict rules before he left.

Alina looked down and waited for the man to set her tray of breakfast onto her usual table. Alina looked towards Kaeden after she settled herself into a chair. He stared back at her with guilt coating his eyes.

Alina cleared her throat. "There's extra security I see."

Kaeden looked towards the two men who watched both of their every moves, making sure neither of them attempted anything funny-like. "Well my brother likes to take precautions. I'm here to let you know that while Damien is out, you will be in here. Your meals will be brought to you. The person who brings your meals will wait as you finish and clean after you."

Alina slammed her utensils down and glared at all the men in the room. She's basically being quarantined. That one glimmering feeling of hope she woke up with, diminished as quickly as blowing a candle out.

Kaeden looked at Alina once more before turning away without a word. The other two men who walked in with him waited and stared at Alina, wondering what she'll do.

Alina pushed her tray away and stood up. She walked towards the bathroom and locked herself away. She couldn't fight two large men, but she couldn't have sat there as they watched her eat. She would have done something idiotic to cause herself more trouble, like throw a knife at them, hoping it'll pierce through one of their hearts. But of course, she has no training in such to actually succeed in her imagination.

Getting help from Kaeden wasn't going to happen, therefore she needed to come up with another solution.

~***~

Alina once again sat in the same chair she occupied earlier that morning. She ate her lunch in silence, forcefully cutting into the chicken as a guard watched her.

Soon the door was slammed opened and Kaeden rushes in. The guard jumped and became alert. "Alina come with me now."

Alina stood up slowly and asked why.

Kaeden roughly grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her forward. "That wolf you turned is acting all strange, tearing up his room in despair. I'm afraid he's going insane."

The guard watched Kaeden, making sure he wasn't lying. And he wasn't because Kaeden took Alina immediately to another floor of the pack house and into the room the Rouge wolf was occupying. Her lunch guard had followed as well, probably to make sure Alina didn't use this as a distraction and ran from Kaeden.

But Alina wasn't heartless, she would see the condition her friend was in and try her best to help him.

When Kaeden unlocked the door and opened it wide for Alina to step in, she was astonished at the scene before her. The entire room was wrecked as if a tornado blew in. The walls were scratched and paint tared away. The bed was flipped and broken with the duvets thrown on the floor. Yet where was the wolf?

Alina neared the closed, scratched up bathroom door and heard growling noises coming from inside. She tentatively knocked on the door and said, "I-It's me, Alina. I've come to help."

The growling noises halted and the door creaked opened. A hand shot out and pulled Alina inside the bathroom. The men that came with her shouted and began to bang against the door, threatening to kill the man if anything happens to her before they bust the door open.

Alina looked around the thrashed bathroom, noticing the sink leaking. She saw her friend sittoing on the floor with his hand circled around himself. He was shaking terribly in both anxiety and from his inner wolf.

Alina rushed towards him, kneeling in front of him, asking, "Are you alright? What's wrong? Can I do anything to help?"

The wolf looked up and smiled painfully. "I realized I never introduced myself to you alpha. M-my name is Bryce."

Alina was happy she can put a name to his face, but they had more pressing matters. "Bryce, what's going on?"

He frowned. "I-I don't know. All of a sudden my wolf wanted out. But I can't let him. I don't wanna go back to the darkness."

Alina watched the man before her in realization. She should have remembered this important step of every transition. Most of the Rouges turned back to normal hate the idea of going back so they refrain from shifting. Then his wolf goes through withdrawals. Although it usually happens weeks after Alina helps cure them. Bryce probably suffered it a lot more quickly because he was chained with silver, preventing him from turning to a wolf for who knows how long.

Alina tentatively put a hand on his shoulder and calmly said, "It's okay Bryce. Shift. Turn to your wolf, you won't be swallowed in the darkness. You'll be the one in charge. I've cleared your mind, remember? Tranquility was brought to you through my power. There's nothing to fear."

Bryce nodded slowly and shifted into his wolf. The pain of not doing it in so long brought a loud growl through his mouth.

Alina watched him shift just as the door broke open.

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A/N      Posted: 12/25/18

Merry Christmas!