Chapter 18

I kept my face buried in my knees as I continued to cry, the sobs wracking my whole body. I could feel him move closer despite my protests and my wolf immediately cringed. She surprised me as she began to tuck into herself; trying to sink as far into my mind as possible. I did the same physically; pulling my knees so close to my body that it began to hurt.

He took his shirt off and draped it around my shoulders. I wanted to shake it off; but it was the only thing I could use at the moment to hide my naked body from my mate. I held the two ends together at my chest and began to stand up; ignoring Logan's presence as I moved. When I took one step forward, I accidentally stepped on a glass shard; the result of something I'd broken during the fight.

Before I could do anything; the shard imbedded itself deep into my foot, not helping me keep upright on my already shaky legs. I didn't even have time to reach out to brace myself for impact before I fell to the ground; or I would've if Logan hadn't grabbed me. I wanted to hit him for even touching me; but I was too weak, the fight and the emotional purge I'd just gone through weighing down on me at once.

I was fucking irritated with my own weakness but I couldn't even muster enough energy to stand anymore; let alone hit someone with enough force for it to be satisfying. And seeing as that person was Logan; it would have to be a lot of force.

In one swift motion; I was in his arms, one side of my body pressed to his firm chest. He easily carried me into the kitchen; gently placing me on the island counter before he disappeared to go and get something. I lifted my foot and saw part of the shard sticking out of it. I gritted my teeth and began to pull it out; the damn thing bigger than I'd expected it to be. I screamed when I'd gotten half of it out; my blood beginning to drip to the floor.

Logan was by my side in a moment; his expression filled with worry as he took me in. He grabbed my hand and pried my fingers away from the glass; letting me notice that the glass had also cut me in the fingers when I'd been pulling it out. "Fuck." I muttered.

Logan assessed my injuries for a moment before his grey eyes came up to meet mine. "This will hurt." He explained bluntly; motioning to his hand as he prepared to pull the glass sticking out of my foot, out. He tentatively held his other hand out to me to hold.

If only I was stronger! I yelled to my wolf; seriously wanting to attack Logan again. She didn't respond; just stayed tucked away from reality in the recesses of my mind. I weighed my options and decided to take that little bit of comfort he was offering me; considering it was one of those rare times he seemed to care when he was sober. He seemed surprised when I took his hand; his beautiful grey eyes widening slightly. I grasped it in one of mine as my other hand kept Logan's shirt around my body.

I had to admit that the contact helped to calm my nerves a little; the little shocks I always felt when we touched soothing some of my pain; despite what my mate had done to me; both physically and mentally. I gave him a brisk nod before he began to pull the piece of glass out of my flesh. I did my best to keep the screams in; biting down on my bottom lip so hard it began to bleed.

I grasped Logan's hand as hard as I could, the action also helping me cope with the pain. I felt my body beginning to accustom itself to the horrible feeling; making me realise that I couldn't even remember the last time I wasn't aching; my life since I met Logan feeling like it was filled with nothing but agony.

I felt the pulling and tugging on my skin stop so I exhaled in relief; letting out a breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding. I looked up at him; my elevated position on the kitchen island not changing the fact that I was shorter than him, and found my mate looking sympathetically down at me. He reached out to me slowly; as if I was a frightened wild animal that was about to run away. I guess in some ways; I was. When I didn't pull away; he used his thumb to pull my lower lip out from beneath my teeth. "Did it hurt that bad?" He asked quietly.

I didn't do anything but nod as I kept my gaze away from him; nodding for more than just the glass shard. He didn't comment about it before he began to treat my foot. When he was done; he moved on to the other wounds I had. He cleaned the cuts on my fingers, arms and legs; being so gentle that I doubted the man in front of me was my mate. I kept expecting him to hit me or say something awful but it never came; much to my relief. When he was done; he lifted me into his arms again, carrying me upstairs.

I'm sorry if it sounded ridiculous, but for a moment; I thought that he was going to throw me from one of the first floor windows. I didn't resist when he placed me on his large bed; my tired body appreciating the softness of the mattress, making me finally noticed how sore I was. Logan disappeared into the hallway; the sound of his feet on the stairs telling me that he was going to the lower floor. I waited there for what felt like an eternity before he returned; a pair of my panties in his hand.

If I wasn't so badly hurt at the moment; I would've blushed or laughed at how funny the situation was. He didn't say anything before handing it to me; I managed to stand up and slip it on while he walked into his closet. I didn't react when he came to stand in front of me a few minutes later with some more clothes. I kept my eyes on the ground as he crouched in front of me.

"I can't get you into this without your help." He said quietly; holding the shirt he had, out to me.

All I did was look up at him so he knew I'd heard him; not bothering to do anything else. He carefully pulled it onto me; helping me get my arms in through the proper holes. I didn't even need to look down to know that the shirt was his; my mate's scent sticking to the fabric, surrounding me as the cloth did. He didn't bother getting me any bottoms; the shirt so long it reached halfway down my thighs.

After a few moments of awkward silence; I finally looked up at Logan; who hadn't moved from his crouching position in front of me since he'd helped me get his shirt on. My mate seemed to be in a daze as he watched me; his eyes never leaving my body. I did nothing but stare back; wondering how somebody who looked so perfect could hurt me as much as he had.

How somebody who seemed so complete could be so broken. We were still watching each other when he began to lean towards me; his eyes fully trained on my lips. I couldn't move as he came closer; not even breathing because I was worried it would shatter the moment and he would go back to the way he usually acted around me; cold and uncaring.

When his lips were an inch away; my common sense finally snapped back into place. My mind immediately shocked me with one of the earlier images I'd seen; making me turn away from him. I could feel the pain he felt from my rejection almost immediately; hating myself for feeling guilty for causing him pain.

I almost couldn't believe my own emotions; how I could still have this weakness for him when my mate had done nothing but hurt me all this time. We love them. My wolf whispered. I don't, not anymore. I responded heatedly. I could feel her anger flare. Don't deny it! I know you do. She snapped; her first real response since she'd hidden herself away. I hated how right she was; the brave front I'd put on not even lasting longer than five minutes before it crumbled. I know. I admitted; defeated with the fact that she was the one person I would never be able to lie to. You can't lie to yourself; not really, no matter how hard you try.

A knock at the front door had me snapping out of my debate with my wolf. When I did; I found myself still staring into Logan's eyes; my mate refusing to move despite my earlier reaction. I opened my mouth when more knocking ensued from downstairs; intending to tell him to go and see who was at the door. Before I could get a word out; he picked me up again.

I wrapped my arms around his neck when he adjusted me so he was only carrying me with one arm; seriously worried he would drop me. He didn't even seem bothered by my weight; making me realise how strong my mate really was. He pulled the covers of his bed back and laid me down, pulling them over me once he did. "Rest." He ordered; his voice sounding different from all the other times he'd bossed me around. It sounded ludicrous but he almost sounded pleading.

I didn't protest before nodding; deciding that was the best thing to do at the moment anyway. I could feel something nagging at me from the back of my mind but I couldn't seem to grasp it in my current state. Once he was satisfied that was what I was really going to do; he rushed downstairs to get the door.

I could hear my wolf whimper as he did; pained with having her mate move away from her despite the hell he'd put us through. I heard him walk out to speak to whoever was downstairs. When I heard the door click as it closed, it was as if something clicked in my mind as well. Jen! I opened up my mind, only now remembering that I hadn't checked on her since we'd gotten back from the mall; too absorbed in my own issues.

I felt her fear before I could even penetrate her mind. She was trying to keep it closed off from everyone, but I managed to get in anyway. Jen, are you alright? I whispered; hiding our conversation from the rest of the pack. Chelsea? She responded. Yeah, how are you? Did Logan do anything to you? I asked, worriedly. No, I'm fine. I'm just waiting in a cell at the pack prison for now while the Alpha decides my punishment, came her response. What?! I demanded, all tiredness leaving my body.

It's nothing, she said. Jen; that is not my definition of fine! I'm coming to get you out! I snapped. No Luna, its fine! How are you? What has the Alpha done to you?! Ethan has told me nothing. She said; genuine worry in her voice. I knew that if she was using my title she really meant what she was saying; for some reason, she really didn't want me to get her out of the pack prison. It didn't matter what she said; I was coming down there no matter what, not at all comfortable with letting her stay down there for another minute.

The pack prison was a place where the Alphas kept any of their prisoners; those who break pack law, wolves who breach their territory or anyone else they deemed deserved to be imprisoned. Every pack had one; even my old pack though ours had always been empty; Jake never coming face to face with any problems from any shifters. I didn't even want to think about what type of people were locked up in the prison of such a large pack like Logan's.

I had only ever been down to the Delaney pack prison once, about a year ago; and I never wanted to step foot into it again. It had been horrible. The prison was underground; as most pack prisons are and was like a dungeon. All the cells in ours had been what we called 'crusher cells'. They were built so small that it would barely hold any shifter in wolf form. That would keep anyone inside from shifting because every single cell was made of solid metal so strong that not even our wolves could break them.

One of the worst fates for a shifter would be to be kept away from their wolf. The pain would become so unbearable that they would have no choice but to shift and when they did, according to Jake; their bones would be forced to break. The worst part was that he said that it wouldn't kill them; just make the experience of having to stay in the cell as excruciatingly painful as possible. I couldn't stand to see those cells again; never wanting to see another prison for the rest of my life. I guess I had to suck it up now; not being able to bear the thought of Jen locked up in a crusher cell, or based on my knowledge of Logan; something worst.

Jen, where is the prison? I demanded. Luna, that's not a-, she began. Save it, Jen. Just tell me where it is! I growled. After a few minutes of deliberation, she mentally sighed. B-, I heard her gasp. I need to go Chels, the Alpha is here! She continued; her voice filled with panic. Wait, Jen! I yelled in vain; our connection already broken.

I got out of bed as quickly as I could; wincing when I got up, my foot not fully healed despite my ability to heal rapidly. When I was sure I could take the pain, I jogged downstairs and got my softest pair of boots. I didn't have any time to change into another outfit so I just quickly slipped them on before jumping out of my bedroom window, deciding it was faster than the front door. I ran to the Beta house; guessing that it was probably where the prison would be located based on my memory of where my old pack's prison had been.

***

When I got there; I noticed Logan's scent, convincing me that this was where Jen was. I began to look around on the ground; deciding that what I was looking for was probably underground. As I was nearing the edge of the forest that surrounded the house; I noticed a pair of metal doors hidden under a thick layer of leaves. I thanked Jake for his indirect help; despite how horrible the experience had been, I was sure that without his tour of the prison a year ago, I wouldn't be able to find Jen now.

I pulled the doors open and the horrible smell that rushed out had me clamping a hand over my mouth to keep from gagging. What the hell is that?! I did my best to ignore it as I began my descent down the stone staircase that led into the darkness of the Blood Moon pack prison. When I got to the bottom, my heightened eyesight had already gotten used to the darkness; my eyes able to see everything clearly. I looked around and studied my surroundings.

The prison was much bigger than the Delaney pack's had been; many cells lining the large corridor in front of me; the two passageways at the end that bent to the right and the left indicating that there were more cells hidden deeper into the horrific looking subterranean space. I was glad that I at least couldn't see any crusher cells around; not inclined to see those horrific things in action.

I inhaled; despite the stench that I knew filled the area, and managed to notice Jen's faint scent. I walked as quickly as I could; averting my gaze from any of the cells; which were all surprisingly quiet, as I tried to find her.

***

After a few minutes of searching, I took a quick break; leaning against a wall to catch my breath. The reeking air seemed to choke me as I breathed; making my desire to leave even greater.

When I began to move on; I heard a moan come from one of the nearby cells. Despite my earlier decision to avert my gaze, I couldn't help but take a look. Before I could stop myself, what I saw in the cell forced a shrill scream from my lips as I fell back and crashed into the cell accross the corridor; the cold metal still managing to bite into my back through Logan's thin shirt.

Author's Note:

So, I know this chappie is a little different from the others but I hope all you lovelies like it! This one is dedicated to LunaDelancy cause I know you're going through a little bit of a mid-life crisis right now XD so enjoy!

-Roxy