Taken and Trained ✔️

Chapter 11

I wasn't supposed to post this chapter right now, right after I've finished it, but @Z_musix is pressuring me because she likes this story so much! 

I'll take that as a compliment. :)

<><><><>

Another week passed before he was able to transition two legs at the same time.

The shift still only lasted a few seconds but it was the best few seconds of Lilia's life. His legs were very muscular and very...hairy, but they were legs nonetheless. Roman almost caught them a few times but slowly Lev was shifting quicker and quicker.

Lev would do anything to see that look on her face again. He couldn't tell what the look meant but his wolf howled when her lips stretched across her face. At first, it looked like she was snarling, gnashing her teeth at him, but then she used her voice and it wasn't threatening at all.

He didn't know what it meant but his wolf liked when she did it so he kept shifting. It confused him a lot....shifting. Two long, pale things stuck out of his body instead of his large furry legs and Lev didn't think he liked it.

Lilia and Lev had slowly formed a routine, and it was driving Lilia nuts. She never left Lev's den to eat, use the bathroom...anything. She knew it kept her safe but staring at the same spot on the wall was going to make her go insane.

Lev would leave very early every morning and Lilia wouldn't see him again until late. When Lev had shifted both legs, Lilia warned him and stressed that he cannot do it anywhere except with Lilia.

Surprisingly, Roman had left them alone. Lilia believed he finally believed she was more powerful than him. Even if he sent his entire army after them, Lev would destroy them and not even blink.

Though they were both more powerful than Roman, Lilia couldn't figure out a way to leave the compound. It had been weeks, maybe months since they had arrived and Lilia knew it was time to go. She missed her family, missed the outside, and missed freedom. She didn't have that here.

No one had that here.

It was late at night and Lev was due back any minute—in face, he entered the cave just as Lilia was wondering when he was going to be back. When the low lights hit him Lilia gasped and shot out from underneath the cloth.

Lev was beaten, bloody, and limping on one of his hind legs. When she went to grab onto him, she was surprised as he took a step back and lifted his lips at her. Lilia's hand dropped to her lap and tears filled her eyes.

He snarled at her again when tried to reach out but this time, she didn't let her hand stop. His voice got louder and louder in his snarl and she tried not to flinch until her hand reached his fur and Lev whimpered instead of snarling.

"What did they do to you?" Lilia murmured quietly. She was shivering trying to hold back the tears in her eyes as Lev continued to whisper while he laid down. She saw the extent of his injuries on his stomach and swallowed the sob that threatened to overtake her body.

Lev's fur was almost completely gone on his stomach. What was left was singed as if he was held over a fire like a pig being roasted. When she tried to move it with her fingers to look at any injuries underneath Lev moved back a little.

The paw that he had been limping on looked broken. There was almost no way to break his leg that way naturally and Lilia couldn't imagine how painful it must have been for someone to just...snap it like that.

Her mate bared his teeth at her when she tried to touch his leg, so she left it alone. The fact that Lev was more like a dog while injured was scaring her. Just how much of his wolf had taken over?

Instead of seeking help or want his mate's touch he was ready to bite her because he still felt like he was in danger. That was no human instinct.

She held Lev's head in her hands and looked at one of his ears that dropped—it never drooped. The top edge of his ear also looked singed and as her eyes moved to meet his, they filled with tears again.

"I can't do this," Lilia admitted aloud for the first time. She couldn't survive here—they couldn't survive here. She couldn't do this. Lev whined, eyes tired, hurt, and longing for this weak, simple human that cared for him so much.

She didn't really mean it, right? Lilia couldn't leave even if she tried because of Roman but Lev doesn't want her to go at all. He's still unsure about what exactly she is, but she can't leave.

His whining continued, growing louder and louder, and a few seconds later it turned into loud howls.

"Hush!" Lilia whispered. His cries immediately quieted.

Lilia started to cry as soon as Lev stopped. She missed her aunt, her mother...she didn't know what month it was more or less what day it was, and it was killing Lilia inside not being able to see her mother.

Lev was being too loud. Roman would come if Lev was being too loud. She shook her head and tried to gather her thoughts.

"Is there a way that we can leave and they won't come after us?" Lilia was begging to whatever Goddess was out there for him to say yes.

Lev shook his head no.

Lilia didn't want to believe him, but as the strongest warrior to ever exist he probably knew this compound inside and out. There had to be a way out of here. She turned to Lev and grabbed his fur, making him whimper a little bit.

"We need to go, Lev," Lilia said, wiping the tears from her eyes, "or I will try to leave by myself."

Lev quickly growled at her to stop her from continuing that thought. If she even tried to leave by herself she would get killed so quickly. He couldn't handle that, but he also couldn't leave.

"I'm going," she demanded. She stood on wobbly legs and took a step forward only for Lev to grip the cloth she was using as a shirt and pull her back to plop down on the pile. She bared her human teeth at him and tried to stand up again, and again, and again with the same result.

Finally, after many attempts, she was able to take a few steps across the room. Lilia's legs ached but she was taking it step by step. She started to falter and trip slightly when she realized Lev wasn't following her.

When she reached the door, a strange noise came from the den. Fear caused her heart to churn and her stomach to roll...but she didn't want to turn around because she knew the look in his eyes would make her stay.

A loud, throaty wail came from deep within the cave. Lilia stopped so fast she tripped over her legs and fell flat on the ground. It wasn't because she was scared, it was because...

the voice was human.

<><><><>

Hope you enjoyed :)