Alpha Benji

♕Chapter Eight♕

For the next week, my life followed the same mundane routine.

Wakeup. Stare at the wall. Eat breakfast. Stare at the wall. Pace around the room. Eat dinner. Stare at the wall. Go to bed. Repeat.

It was a form of torture to be in this room. Maybe that was my mate's plan this whole time? Drive me mad before rejecting me? Anything is plausible at this point.

I curled my fingernails into the baseboard of the wall, scratching a pattern into the weathered wood. The bed in my room has remained unused, instead opting to sleeping on the floor. It started out as fear, not wanting to ruin the sheets when I was dirty. But, by now, it's just what I'm more accustom to.

Plus, I feel guilty knowing that somewhere underground Gwen is still sleeping in a moldy, concrete cell eating soggy bread. I can't bare to snuggle up in a bed thinking of her conditions.

There's no clock in the room but if I must guess it's some wee hour into the night. I never had a regular sleeping schedule to begin with, but since coming here it hasn't helped. I usually stare at the wall until my eyes are dry and heavy from exhaustion. Eventually, my subconscious takes pity on me and lets me drift into a sleepless slumber.

Right now, however, wasn't one of those nights.

I was restless. A complete ball of nerves – and I hadn't a fucking clue why. I let out a frustrated sigh, sitting up from the floor to look around the room. It was still as barren as it was when I first got here. My eyes landed on the door, eyeing it suspiciously. Belinda usually kept it unlocked during the day so I could use the bathroom without her escorting me, but at night it was locked. She said she locked it for my own safety – that the night guards are much more aggressive and not fond of strangers on pack lands.

I don't know why, but I had the overwhelming urge to try the doorknob. I pulled myself up from my makeshift bed on the floor, smoothing my night shirt down. After my second night here, Belinda had provided me with a few spare sets of clothing. I was currently wearing the same oversized sweater they gave me when I first got here with a pair of soft shorts.

I padded across the room, letting my eyes survey my surroundings as if some predator was going to jump out from under my bed and yell at me for my actions. I wasn't doing anything wrong. I just want to go to the bathroom – splash some water on my face to help calm the nerves. They never specifically told me not to leave my room.

As if it was fate, when my fingers grazed the doorknob it twisted without resistance. It was unlocked. Surely, that must be a sign.

The hallway was dark, only lit up by the moonlight coming in from the occasional window. I realized after my first couple days here that my room was on either the second or third level of the guest house. There was no point in trying to throw myself out the window and make a run for it, because I'd seriously injure myself and get caught without a doubt. My wolf was weak and barely came to the surface unless I was fully shifted, so agility is not one of my strong suits.

I carefully shut my door, not wanting to alert anyone of my absence. I had committed the journey to the bathroom to memory. I counted in my head the floorboards as I passed them, making sure to turn at number fifteen. I got to the bathroom untouched, safely locking myself behind the door.

A shallow breath escaped me as soon as the door closed. I hadn't realized I was holding it until I was safely at my destination. I quickly went to work splashing cold water on my face. It wasn't the magical answer I was searching for, but it helped do the trick. Looking up from the sink, I peaked at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, grimacing as I did so. 

During my stay in the cells, I didn't acquire much damage. Thanks to Gwen's advice, I was always silent and kept towards the back of the cell. Since I didn't challenge any of the guards, I never got punished. The only scratch I received during my time in the cells was my Cleaning Day scar. It was fully closed, but the new skin was raised and a slightly pinker color than my normal complexion. The  curved line was situated at the bottom of my left cheek, nearing the edge of my chin.