Chapter 19

The thing inside the cell was barely recognizable. The only reason I knew it was a person was because it had moaned. The, what I guessed was a man, was covered completely in his own blood. I took a step forward and saw the horribly deep claw marks that marred his whole body; especially the long ones that stretched from his wrist all the way to his shoulder on both of his arms.

The puss dripping disfiguration of his body was on full display as both his arms and legs were chained to the far wall of the cell; stretching him out and keeping him flat against it. He looked up at me and I could see that one of his eyeballs looked like it was about to fall out; his eyelids looking like they’d been torn off. The rest of his wounds were also dripping as well; some of them looking severely infected. Some were so deep I could see white which I guessed was bone.

This was one of the downsides to being a shifter; our bodies and wolves are programmed to last for as long as possible, being able to survive way longer without food, water and medical treatment than the average human. The combination of our body’s high endurance and our wolves' will to live made it excruciating for us to be tortured as it could go on for more than a month before we would actually be wounded enough to finally die.

My heart ached as I eyed this man in front of me. A part of me knew that he probably did something bad to end up here but I would never have though that anyone deserved this kind of pain. Based on the infection of his injuries; he could’ve been here for more than two weeks in this state, that thought alone made me sick to my stomach.

His lips which were dry and cracked from lack of water; pulled back to reveal teeth that looked like it had been punched out. Bits and pieces of what I assumed used to be perfect teeth were poking out of his gums here and there. I came to the horrifying conclusion that what I had smelt all this time had been blood, puss and god knows what else. The only way I could describe it was that it was the stench of death and suffering; and if I didn’t have a choice I would have already bolted out of here just to get away from the disgusting smell. An image of Jen flashed into my mind and that was enough to steel my resolve.

“Help, me.” He pleaded; his voice raspy.

I held back my tears as I worked to figure out how I could do just that. “Who did this to you?” I whispered; taking a step closer to his cell.

“Alpha Logan.” I could see the pain that he felt by just gasping out those two words, though the sympathy I felt for him was trampled by my shock as the news crashed on me.

My mate had inflicted the horrible injuries that now mutilated that shifters’ body. My mate’s claws were what left those horrible gaping wounds in that man’s flesh. My mate was the one who’d beaten the prisoner so hard that his teeth had splintered and fallen out. Logan was responsible for all of it and I smacked myself for not seeing this coming.

I remembered how all the other packs had always spread rumours about him around. I guess not all of them were lies; my mate truly was ruthless with his torture techniques. A small part of my wolf began to try and convince me that he hadn’t done all this himself when the images started flowing in. I began to get nauseous as images of him actually mutilating the prisoners filled my mind. The bond is a bitch sometimes. I mentally muttered as horrific scene after horrific scene filled my head.

I almost couldn’t believe it; my love for Logan clouding my judgement; even though he had proven to me that he was more than capable of what his memories were showing me. Since I had found out he was my mate, he’s shown me his ability to inflict pain more than once; too bad it had always been on me. Though when I compared how injured these prisoners were to me; I had to count myself lucky that a few bruises and heartache was all Logan had ever caused me.

I didn’t want to do it but despite what I’d seen, I needed confirmation; still unable to believe that my mate could do something this horrible repeatedly. I walked back to the cell I had crashed into earlier and in spite of my better judgement; peered in. The state of the prisoner in that one was even worst; making me regret my decision immediately. It was a woman. She lay on the floor with deep wound slashed across her whole body; some of them looking like they were a result of several swipes at one place. I couldn’t even see her face anymore; her blonde hair sticking to her blood soaked skin. When I saw her hair; I almost thought it was Jen but I sighed in relief when I realised that her scent didn’t match. Too bad that small victory was very short-lived.

When I looked down; I almost lost my lunch. Her intestines were spilling out of her abdomen; torn in some places. I noticed that it also seemed to be tied in some places; each tie looking like a masochistic version of a ribbon bow. I watched her chest for a moment and noticed its lack of movement. That was more than enough to prove that the images I had seen had been nothing but the bloody, violent truth.

The sight of the prisoners; covered in blood and grime had me in tears immediately. I don’t mean to sound like a horrible person, but I wasn’t crying for them but for my parents. Their sad states reminded me so much of the way my parents had looked on the day they had died that it had me breaking down immediately; the way they had looked so broken, just like all these people now were.

I couldn’t take relieving that memory, especially when the grief I felt for my parents was combining with the grief I felt for these people. My breathing got shallow as I began to retreat down the corridor, my eyes rushing around wildly as the walls seemed to close in on me. It was like I was choking on my emotions as I frantically tried to find a way to escape the horrible visions in my head and the god-awful scene displayed before my eyes.

I didn’t even care where I was going; I just needed to get away from them. “I need to go.” I choked out.

The man pulled against his chains making the blood streaming out of his bleeding arms gush out quicker. “Please wait!” He begged.

“I’m sorry, I can’t-” I said; turning away as the tears began to run uncontrollably down my face. I felt like I couldn’t see, hear or feel anything properly as my emotions began to cloud my mind. Even as I was stumbling away; I could still see the prisoner’s bloody, gruesome forms; adding to the messed up mini show playing in my head.

I frantically tried to gain some kind of control over myself but it was no use; it was gone and I doubted it was coming back to me any time soon. I faintly heard the prisoner I’d seen earlier pleading for me to help him; but I wouldn’t be surprised if I had imagined it. Even I; in my current state, could tell that I was on the borderline of hysterics.

I continued my retreat from the cells and my back bumped into something hard. The moment it did; the begging ceased as silence consumed the space again. Before I could say a word; I was in the embrace of a pair of strong arms. He held me close as I continued to sob quietly; letting me bury my face in his chest.

I didn’t even have to look up to know who it was; the tingling I felt and his distinct scent enough for me to know that it was my mate. Anger began to bubble up inside me as I remembered that he had been the cause of these people’s pain but I couldn’t bring myself to push him away; needing the comfort and security he provided.

I was disgusted with myself as I realised how weak I was being at the moment. I was depending on him to make me feel better, but I couldn’t help it. I needed him so badly; feeling so emotionally vulnerable that I was certain that he was the only thing that was keeping me sane at the moment. I clung to him as I continued to cry; not bothered that he was the monster that he was, the fact that he had tortured a woman to death or that he had hurt me. All that mattered to me at that moment was that he was there.

I felt him tighten his hold and then wetness as I felt something cut into the sides of my hips. My wolf was alert in an instant. Before I could control her; she forced me away from Logan; ripping my body out of his hold. I looked down as blood began to drip down my legs from the cuts on my waist. I looked up at him with accusing eyes; shocked that he would hurt me even in my current, vulnerable state. You didn’t seriously believe he cared, did you?! I spat at myself angrily.

He looked apologetic and shocked as his eyes followed the trail of crimson that looked way too bright against the light skin of my legs. I noticed that his claws were what had cut me; all of them already fully exposed. I couldn’t even think of anything to say to him as he continued to watch me. The shock from the pain had jolted me out of my meltdown and my mind immediately snapped back to the reason I had come down into that shit hole that was the Blood Moon prison in the first place; Jen.

I didn’t wait for him to say anything before I bristled past him; not at all interested in the vile thing; he was without a doubt, planning to say to hurt me even more than he already had. I tried to push the hurt I felt down but I had to admit that despite how much he had already marred me, both physically and mentally, him kicking me while I was down as he’d slashed my waist earlier still stung. I forced myself to forget about that for now and focused on finding Jen instead.

I could feel Logan’s eyes on me as I followed Jen’s scent deeper into the prison; keeping his distance as he trailed behind me. I felt my panic rise as images of my closest friend battered and bloody as she lay on the dirty floor, waiting for the suffering to end, filled my head. When her scent got stronger; I broke into a sprint; the ominous feeling in the pit of my stomach worsening with every step.

I found her in a cell with two other male shifters; her legs and arms chained to the far wall of the cell in a similar position to the prisoner’s I’d seen earlier. The two male shifters didn’t move from where they stood; a few feet in front of Jen’s body, as they watched me arrive in front of the cell.

I noted the cuts and bruises on Jen’s arms and face. Rage filled me as I noticed a puddle of her blood on the floor by her feet; the smell of the copper-smelling liquid mixed with the smell of vomit. I had no doubt that if I lifted her shirt; I would see bruises on her otherwise unblemished abdomen. “Release her immediately!” I ordered.

They looked at me as if I was crazy. One of them took a step closer to me as he spoke. “Miss, I don’t know who you are but you have no right to be making demands here! Now I suggest you leave immediately and keep your nose out of things that aren’t your fucking concern before we hand you over to the Alpha.” He threatened. Damn Logan for not telling them I’m the Luna! I mentally snapped.

“I said let. Here. Go.” I repeated in an Alpha tone; taking a defensive stance as I stared him down.

In a flash; the shifter that had spoken had a grip on my arm. I was about to punch him in the face for even touching me but I was ripped out of his grasp from behind. Logan’s growl resounded throughout the whole area as he gripped me against his chest hard. “Mine!” He snapped.

The shifter cringed as he realised his mistake; bending his head as he looked down so his eyes were no longer on me. I didn’t let the tingles I felt on my back from Logan distract me from the matter at hand; Jen’s condition. “I will not repeat myself again, release her.” The other shifter; who’d had a shocked expression plastered on his face throughout the whole ordeal didn’t dare do anything but comply with my demands; immediately unclasping the shackles that held Jen’s legs and arms. She fell to the floor in a heap. The blood dripping from the wound on my waist helped me resist him as I pried my body out of Logan’s arms so I could run to kneel in front of Jen. “Are you alright?!” I asked; my voice filled with panic.

She coughed. “I’m fine.” She whispered; gripping her stomach. I helped her to her feet and turned my glare on the shifter who had released her.

“I want you to get her medical attention and send her back home do you understand?” I demanded. He didn’t say anything as he continued to watch me with an impassive face. My anger spiked. “I said, do you fucking understand?!” I yelled; my eyes turning black.

As my Alpha command crashed onto him, he seemed to snap out of his tough act. He nodded quickly. “Yes Luna, I understand.” He said in a soft voice.

I passed Jen’s body to him. Before he began to leave, I grabbed him by the collar and yanked him towards me. “If she tells me you did anything to harm her, I will make sure you will never be able to do any fucking thing again, is that clear?”

He gave me a brisk nod. “Yes, Luna.” I nodded and let him go. Despite my anger, I thanked him before he left.

“Patrick, I suggest you get your fucking eyes off of my mate before I rip them out of your skull!” I heard Logan yell. I turned to find him glaring at the shifter that had grabbed me before; his fist rearing back to hit him.

I rushed to him immediately; my mind filled with enough images of Logan-inflicted injuries to last me a lifetime. I touched his elbow and it was like a switch clicked inside him. Through the bond, I could feel the anger he felt towards Patrick disappearing immediately as he released the cowering shifter and turned to me.

Before I could do anything, all the tiredness I’d felt earlier came flooding back to me; seizing my body. I felt my muscles tightening and my knees buckle as I collapsed from exhaustion; all my determination to keep moving gone now that I knew Jen was already safe. I felt Logan’s arms wrap around my body; the warmth his touch always provided calming me as I was sucked into the sweet, dark oblivion of sleep.

Hope all of you like this chapter...enjoy! :)