Broken and Still Alive

Chapter 6

** Ezekiel's POV**

The air in the infirmary was thick with the sterile scent of disinfectant, a stark contrast to the cloying stench of the dungeon I'd just left. But even this clean, medicinal smell couldn't mask the deeper, more pervasive aroma that clung to her. An aroma of fear, desperation, and something else...something broken.

I sat by her bedside, the uncomfortable plastic chair digging into my thighs, but I didn't notice. My gaze was locked on Angel's still form, a frail silhouette beneath the crisp white sheets. How could anyone inflict such pain? How could anyone look at this delicate creature and see anything but innocence?

She was a whisper of a girl. So thin, it was a macabre miracle she still breathed. Her skin, once likely vibrant, was now a pallid canvas stretched tight over bone. Deep, violet bruises bloomed like poisonous flowers on her arms and legs, remnants of a past I was only beginning to piece together. Her face, once undoubtedly beautiful, was gaunt. Sunken eyes, surrounded by dark circles, were shadowed with a pain that echoed in my own heart. Even in sleep, her brow was furrowed, a silent plea etched into her skin.

But it was her hair that truly struck me. A cascade of raven black, thicker than any I'd ever seen. It spilled over the edge of the bed, a tangled river that pooled on the floor, reaching beyond her feet by at least two feet. It was matted and snarled, evidence of neglect, of a life devoid of even the simplest comforts. Violet would have to help her with that. My sister had a way with taming even the wildest things.

A wave of possessive protectiveness crashed over me, so fierce it almost knocked the air from my lungs. I wanted to shield her from everything, to erase the horrors she'd endured, to fill the emptiness in her eyes with light. But I knew I couldn't. I could only offer her safety, comfort, and the unwavering promise that no one would ever hurt her again.

My thoughts were abruptly torn apart.

"Alpha, we have her and are on our way back," Crimson's voice boomed in my mind, cutting through the fragile peace of the infirmary.

My jaw clenched. Tabitha. The woman who had so sadistically tortured Angel. My wolf howled for her blood, demanded retribution.

"Good job, Crimson. Take her to the dungeon. I'll meet you down there," I responded, my voice tight with suppressed rage.

I hated leaving Angel. The thought of her waking up alone, terrified and disoriented, twisted my gut. But I couldn't delay justice, not for a moment longer than necessary. This had to be done.

I hesitated, my hand hovering over Angel's. I wanted to touch her, to reassure her somehow, even in her sleep. But I was afraid. Afraid I would break her, afraid I would contaminate her with the darkness that churned within me.

Instead, I reached out through the mind link, a silent summons. "Mother, can you come to the infirmary? I need you to stay with her. I have to go."

A few minutes later, the door opened and Jolivia and Violet swept in, a wave of warmth and competence washing over me.

"Crimson is bringing Tabitha in," I explained, my voice low. "I didn't want to leave her alone, so thank you both for coming. I won't be long."

My mother's hand cupped my cheek, her eyes filled with a compassion that had always been her hallmark. "It's no problem, son. She is, after all, my daughter, you know."

Jolivia had always seen the pack as her own children, nurturing them with a fierce, unwavering love. Her acceptance of Angel, despite her unknown origins, was a balm to my soul.

Violet, ever practical, clapped me on the shoulder. "Yeah, bub. Get out of here and go take care of that hag. We got this." Her gruffness was her way of showing support, of assuring me that everything was under control.

I gave them both a grateful nod, then turned and walked towards the door. Every step carried the weight of my responsibility, not only as Alpha, but as Angel's mate and protector.

The dungeon awaited. Justice demanded its due. But a part of me, the part that had already begun to claim Angel as its own, yearned to stay, to witness the moment she opened her eyes, to be the first thing she saw, the first voice she heard.

With a final glance back at the women tending to Angel, I descended into the darkness, the scent of blood and vengeance heavy in the air. My own personal burden was only beginning.

The cold stone of the dungeon floor seeped through my boots, a chilling reminder of the brutality that had occurred within these walls. The air was damp and stale, thick with the ghosts of past punishments. It was a place of despair, a place where hope went to die.

Crimson was already there, standing guard before a cell stripped bare of any comfort. Not even a blanket. Tabitha huddled in the corner, her eyes wide with a fear that was satisfying to witness.

"Alpha, she deserves much less than this," Crimson growled, disgust lacing his voice. He threw Tabitha roughly into the cell, the sound of her hitting the floor echoing in the confined space. He slammed the heavy iron door shut, the clang a final pronouncement of her imprisonment. "She kept her in a basement worse than this dungeon, with nothing – and I mean nothing – but a pail to use as a bathroom. There were chains hanging from a post in the center of the room, and the place smelled of mold and feces."

As Crimson recounted the horrors Tabitha had inflicted on Angel, a wave of rage threatened to consume me. My wolf snarled, demanding I tear the woman limb from limb. Only the thought of Angel, of her fragile state, kept me from succumbing to the primal urge.

Suddenly, a surge of anxiety, fear, and confusion flooded my mind. It wasn't mine. The emotions were chaotic, raw, and intensely painful. I recognized them instantly. They were Angel's.

Just as I was about to question Crimson, a bloodcurdling scream ripped through my mind, a sound so filled with terror that it sent a jolt of ice down my spine.

"Angel!" I roared, my voice echoing in the dungeon.

Without a second thought, I turned and sprinted towards the exit, the image of her terrified face burned into my mind. Something was terribly wrong, and I needed to get to her, fast.

As I burst from the dungeon entrance, Crimson was right behind me. "Alpha, I feel her too!"

I didn't have time to explain. "We need to get to her now!"

Crimson, understanding the urgency in my voice, grabbed me by the waist. His wings, normally hidden beneath his clothes, unfurled with a snap, their ebony feathers catching the light. He launched us into the air, the wind whipping past our faces as we soared towards the infirmary.

Landing at the hospital entrance, I didn't waste a breath. "I don't know! Let's just go!"

He nodded grimly, and we both ran inside, ignoring the startled looks of the nurses as we raced down the hall towards Angel's room. As we neared the door, the screams grew louder, more frantic.

I threw the door open, prepared for the worst. What I saw inside shattered the last vestiges of my composure.

Angel was thrashing on the bed, her body convulsing with terror. Tears streamed down her face, her eyes wide with a primal fear that mirrored the emotions I had felt in her mind. Jolivia and Violet stood in a corner, looking lost and helpless.

"She woke up like this," Jolivia said, her voice laced with worry. "I tried calming her, but it only makes it worse."

I took a step towards Angel, but Crimson's arm shot out, blocking my path.

"What are you doing? Let me go to my mate, Crimson!" I barked, my voice shaking with barely suppressed anger and fear for Angel. My wolf snarled, eager to comfort our mate.

"Alpha, she's having a nightmare. She doesn't understand where she is. Listen to her," Crimson said, his voice firm but respectful.

I hesitated, torn between my instinct to comfort her and Crimson's warning. I glanced at Crimson, then back at Angel, her screams a constant, agonizing reminder of her pain. I looked back at Crimson, desperation clawing at my throat. "What do we do?"

"Let me try something," Crimson said, his eyes firm and determined.

I nodded, trusting his judgment. I had no idea what he planned to do, but I was willing to try anything to ease Angel's suffering.

The nightmare continued its unrelenting assault, and I felt completely helpless. Crimson takes my hand and instructs me to close my eyes and open a mind link. I did as he instructed and he explained that we was going to enter her nightmare and that she would be partially awake but possibly still stuck between the nightmare and reality