Broken Chains

Chapter 18

I looked up hopefully as the door of my room swung opened. I lifted my noise and sniffed I was a little disappointed but not at all surprised when it was confirmed to be Carl.

“Hey.” I said thickly waving to indicate my bond which much to my annoyance I hadn’t been able to remove my wrist from. I had only succeeded in giving myself a deep raw welt there. Carl gave me a consolidatory sort of smile.

“Comfy down their Darling.” I shrugged

“It’s not so bad. Where the f**k were you? You look like shit.”

“I love you too.” He said crouching down swiftly drawing a small key out of his pocket,

“What happened to your hand?” I asked seeing his skinned bleeding knuckles. He smiled,

“I broke it on Derek’s face.” I smiled,

“Does he look as beautiful as you?” I asked rubbing his bruised cheek; he also had a split lip and a rapidly forming black eye,

“Nah that’s not in my power to inflict.”

“So do the two of you feel better now?” Carl nodded moving away from my fingers,

“Yeah there was a lot of frustration there I think it needed venting.”

“So what happened with him?” I asked as Carl freed both my wrists from their bonds. Carl smiled,

“Well he made a very convincing case my love so we’re going home.” I felt my heart break,

“We’re giving up.”

“No we did what we set do. You convinced him that he doesn’t belong with them as if he didn’t know that already. He’s leaving.”

“You believe him?”

“Yeah I do.”

“You think they’ll let him out.”

“I don’t think it’s like that, it’s not the pack.”

“This doesn’t seem better.” I mumbled, Carl shook his head.

“I know.” He said softly,

“Shouldn’t I feel different?” Carl shook his head,

“no because the two of us didn’t deal with loosing Derek we just ran off and started chasing him, now that’s done we actually have to deal with him being gone. Because he may have embraced life as a nice little rogue now but that doesn’t mean he’s back he’s still a rogue and were still in the pack. So were still going home and we won't see him again. He’ll still be eternally out of reach.”

“But alive.”

“Dead to us.” I nodded glad that I wasn’t crying but Carl still reached out and wrapped his arms around me pulling me in close to him and I was enveloped in his warm comforting body. “Shhhh” he whispered rubbing my hair gently and kissing the top of my head. I snuggled into Carl’s warm body, allowing tears to slide down my cheeks and into Carl’s shirt which under my fingertips was crusted with dried blood. His blood? Derek’s blood? I didn’t know, but did it really matter.

“Derek s just planning on getting himself a car and getting fine enough away from them. so I figure we will contact Bryce and let him know where they are and whats going on as soon as I figure out if our skip will make it back to the den.”

“Okay,” I said gently easing myself out of Carl’s strong arms, “but you need a shower first.” I said gently “you look like crap.”

“And you look beautiful.” He said running a hand through my loose hair. He jumped up and held a hand out to me I reached up and took his hand and he yanked me up with such force that I was pulled up off my feet. He looked at me expectantly but I didn’t understand so I just smiled at him.

“Are you going to go or do you want to scrub my back.” Carl asked placidly. I instantly giggled,

“Sorry.” I said “I’ll just.” I said with a vague sort of gesture.

“Yep you do that.” he said nodding “I’ll be with you in like ten minutes.” I nodded and went back into the bedroom and began gathering up our few possessions which Carl had given to me to keep and shoving them roughly into the backpack all accept for Carls alternative set of clothes which I flung into the bathroom with a vague call of ‘here you go’ to Carl but I shocked myself by how I wimpishly leapt back out of the room averting my gaze as though something about the simple fact of being in the same room as a naked Carl scared me. I don’t know why as after all nudity was never a big issue within the pack I guess it was simply the fact that we had s*x that alone seemed to be enough. So that now I was scared of what could happen? Or just of him? I pushed this thought away that was way too deep and complex for right now. I instead contented myself with just dressing myself and combing my fingers roughly through my tousled hair. If I was going home I should look like the princess I was to my pack.

“Its pointless sweetheart you already look breathtaking.” Carl said playfully from across the room which made me flinch though I couldn’t say why. I smiled at him but couldn’t help but feel very awkward even as I did this. f**k! I hope this wasn’t going to be a long term sort of awkwardness, though it seemed to be one sided as Carl in contrast didn’t seem in anyway awkward or maybe he was underneath all those bruises or of course he was an enforcer maybe he was just as awkward and better at covering it up.Carl was now wearing a T.shirt that showed off his large biceps, but it also exposed more of his skin showing me the bruises also on his arms and neck and as he bent over to retrieve his shoes the shirt lifted showing off his waist that was almost covered by a vivid purple bruise.

“Are you hungry?” Carl asked, I shook my head. “Well that’s a yes.” He said gently “because I know you didn’t order from room service which means you haven’t eaten in a very long time and I’m more than a little worried that your going to pass out on me.” I smiled at him. “So your going to stay here while I go and get our car. You order room service clear out the mini bar,”

“Have you seen the price of the mini bar?” I said plainly, Carl smiled

“We have enough money and were going home so it doesn’t matter if Darius finds us. Call Bryce hell Calling Darius might be a good idea to you know smooth things over.” Carl’s eyes flashed gold at that idea; he was scared of what awaited him at home.

“It’ll be alright.” I said reaching out and gripping his fingers “I promise I’ll make sure nothing will happen to you.”

“Easy for you to say you were facing expulsion from the pack anyway, and after all expulsion from the pack means you can disappear into the sunset hand in hand with Derek so do you even care.” He snapped, I snarled back at him my eyes narrowed, “sorry.” Carl said dropping his eyes “I don’t know why I said that.”

“I know why you said it.” I said before I could stop myself and instantly dropped my eyes down to the carpet shifting my feet around awkwardly.

“Well you um… like do whatever it is you want to um just make sure you eat something and um… I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

“A couple of hours?” I asked lifting my eyes honestly curious, he smiled

“Yeah.” He said lightly I allowed my eyes to flick to his for just a second. Carl smiled and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly for a second. “eat.” he said gently before turning and leaving the room, I ended up stood there alone and more than a little confused. I flopped down onto my bed nuzzling myself down into the duvet which was still thick with the scent of Derek. I purred and wrapped the Duvet around me wrapping myself in his scent. I allowed myself a few seconds to just immerse myself in this smell and wallow in it, before I growled and reached out pulling a room service menu over to me, Carl was right it had been a long time since I’d eaten. After ordering three quarters of the menu I pulled my mobile out and dialled up Bryce’s number I frowned as I rang and rang, Bryce always answered. Eventually a click and his answer phone kicked in, I frantically wracked my brains to desperately try and formulate a message that summed up everything but instead I just went for:

“err Hi Bryce um can you call me its Jess I um need to talk to you um basically I’m going home me and Carl um we found Derek sort of but um well um just call me ok as soon as you get this its um Jessie I um said that didn’t I. err yeah so that it. Um yeah err have a nice day.” I hung up “have a nice day?” I muttered to myself hitting myself on the forehead. I sighed and scowled through the phone down to a number I knew off by heart anyway the den, Darius I paused my thumb hovering over the green call button. “Come on come on honey you’re a wolf not a kitten.” I said to myself, but I couldn’t do it I couldn’t force myself to make that call as badly as I missed the pack, as much as I wanted to go home I couldn’t bare to make that call. I flinched at the hard rapping on the door. “Who is it?” I called,

“Room service.” An unfamiliar voice called and I beamed in relief a perfect excuse to put off that call from just a moment. I struggled out from the bundle of Duvet and ran over to the door my beam becoming an intense grin as I opened the door to be enveloped by the wonderful combination of smells wafting from the tray.

Derek

I sighed as I walked back through the bright sunlight and forced my eyes to again see that gutted hotel I had left my little merry band in nearly twenty four hours ago, I hadn't intended to come back at all but I got a text from Dan basically pleading me for help. it honestly just said,

for the love of God Derek I need your help. please.

I was going to leave them but Daniel I guess I cared about him he was the closest thing to a brother I had since I left the pack.

I walked around the overgrown path to the concealed side patio door through which we had found entry and shuffled through. My nose curled up in distaste as the intense smell of blood. That was a lot worse than when I had left. I heard a sound of scuffling followed by an intense growl. I hurried across what had once been a grand entrance hall to the small tiled room that was formerly a kitchen and had now been adopted as our sort of torture room. There was another growl more intense this time, and I knew that this growl was from Daniel. A growl was as distinct as a voice and for some reason he was growling and this growl was a threat. I pushed the door open and gasped at the sight before me. A young girl was laid out on the table naked bound and clearly terrified crying her eyes wide, she was clearly a wolf as her eyes were golden in terror. In the corner bound bloody and clearly near death was the rouge from the previous morning, who was trying to keep his head lifted and snarling. But the real threat was from Daniel he was crouched down in a threatening posture snarling his teeth bared and his intense golden eyes locked on Nathan who was across the table from him smiling at Daniel as if not detecting the threat from him. But clearly they had already come to blows as Daniels face was mottled with bruises, he was only resting weight on one ankle and the smell of his blood was thick in the air. His shirt was sticking to his back the black fabric shinny with his blood. Yet he didn’t seem to be paying this any attention as one of his hands was entwined in the captive girl’s hair and she despite her terror had his face turned just slightly towards him. The absurdity of this situation hit me Christian suddenly appeared and punched Daniel hard he collapsed to the floor that was one too many blows and he slipped into unconsciousness.

“Well Hello Derek we had missed you.” Bethany purred from across the room her voice like honey, sickly and too sweet.

“What the f**k is going on here?” I snapped Bethany slowly moved over to me clearly walking in what she considered to be a seductive way as she walked close way too close to me. I wanted to back away but I looked into Bethany’s beautiful golden eyes so intense and I knew I couldn’t, she pressed herself into me and leaned over just a little to breath in the scent wafting off my neck.

“hmm.” She said thoughtfully “did you think you could take a shower and I wouldn’t notice her.” My heart started to beat double the honest answer was yes. I couldn’t believe that enough of Jessie’s scent did linger on me that she could tell.

“I’m touched that you care.”I purred,

“So were you ever going to tell me they were looking for us?” she said moving back to look at me her eyes intent.

“What the f**k happened to Daniel?” I snapped, tearing my eyes from Bethany’s intense gaze.

“Are you trying to change the subject?” Bethany purred,

“What the hell did you do to him?”

“What him?” she said innocently jerking her thumb at her unconscious brother, “that was honestly not my fault.”

“Take you hands off her and touch her again I’ll break your arms off.” I growled at Nathan who lifted his eyes in a quizzical sort of glance as his hands continued to run his hands across the young girls naked back as she struggled tearing her arms frantically trying to pull her hands free. I might have changed a lot since I was ejected from the pack but respect for female shape shifters was so deeply ingrained that this was not going to happen I was not going to just stand there and watch Nathan grope her.

“Hey she’s the spoils of war bro.” Nathan said trying to slide his hands sown over her breasts as she struggled crying heavily. I crossed the space and was next to the table in a single stride. My hands shot out and I grabbed his elbow with one hand and his wrist with the other and in a single gesture I pushed his elbow down as I yanked up his wrist smiling as I heard the satisfying snap that told me I had successfully broken his arm. Nathan screamed in pain and rage and pulled his arm back out of my grasp sharply.

“You f*****g cunt.” He screamed falling back sliding down the wall as he grabbed his arm clutching it to his chest. “I’m going to f*****g Kill you.” he snarled, I shrugged at him. That threat didn’t really didn’t bother me even if he did mean it.

“You broke my new toy.” Bethany said petulantly from behind me.

“I did warn him.” I said mildly, “are you alright?” I asked the girl gently placing a hand on her shoulder, she squealed and flinched as if I had beaten her, “sorry.” I said removing my hand “Look I’m not going to hurt you alright.”

“Wow you do have an effect on the boys don’t you.” Bethany purred walking around the table until she was stood at the head of it and she stroked the girls face and gripping her chin she encouraged her to look up at her.” that’s what happened to Daniel.” She said lightly “he tried to stop us from taking her. “She smiled at the young girl “I think he quite likes you. “

“He went quite nuts and really he didn’t want us to take her and Nathan stripped her and f**k he went insane.” Christian said lightly from behind me.

“So we answered your question.” Bethany said brightly,

“No you didn’t who the f**k is she?” I snapped.

“Okay I’ll answer that but you first. How’s Jessica?” she asked I snarled and her threateningly. “Don’t even bother.” Bethany said her voice like silk. “Okay I’ll even answer first, this one is Lizzie. She “Bethany said pointing sharply at the cowering girl, “is his.” she jabbed her thumb at the bound and near dying man in the background, “sister. Oh and this one. “she sighed “ he is a f*****g royal wolf how the hell is that for f*****g freaky we just picked him up because he was convenient and he’s f*****g royalty. His name is Bryce.”

“The Alpha’s f*****g son.” I snarled.

“Yep, it seems in his pack the Alpha’s kids actually do something rather than just sit around on their pretty little asses, so he was out and about looking for us. Well anyway we brought him here and of course you know what happened but he didn’t talk he’s a tough old wolf. But then after you left.” She smiled and flicked her hair gesturing at Lizzie with a vague jerk of her thumb “she. Came looking for her brother. God knows how she found us, well she got close enough anyway and then She caught Nathan’s attention he knew she was a wolf see so he brought her back here and we instantly realised that they were related and that would be helpful.” She purred as I found my teeth grinding, “Nathan just wanted to f**k her of course and by that point.” She sighed shaking her head, “well Dan was already going a little crazy.”

“He’s going crazy.” I snarled through gritted teeth “because she’s his mate.” Bethany snorted as if the very notion of mates was ludicrous to her; she didn’t seem to believe what the rest of us knew was real. Even on the floor in clearly an immense amount of pain Nathan chuckled. Bryce crumpled on the floor seemed to regain enough consciousness to just snarl at everyone and no one. The only real movement in the room was from Lizzie who was still struggling intensely against her bonds.

“That’s just ridiculous.” Beth snarled,

“I was four years old the day I met Jessie and even then I instantly knew. He doesn’t know what it is yet, but you saw that he kept his fingers twisted in her hair even when he was trying to force Nathan to stop being a f*****g cunt. They haven’t bonded obviously but that intensity.” I said gesturing vaguely at the still unconscious body of Daniel “that’s something we only feel for our mates.” Bethany snorted again,

”f*****g fairytales, that’s all it is.” Bethany snarled,

“It’s not a lie just because you’ve never had it.” I said simply, Bethany frowned as if considering what I had said.

“possibly.” She said slowly “but she doesn’t seem to agree.” Bethany said nodding vaguely at the bound girl who was now sagging against her bonds crying silently her entire battered bruised body was shaking gently with her sobs.

“You tired her up and battered her she’s so scared her libido probably is not the main thing on her mind. But anyway despite that when he had his fingers in her hair she wasn’t scared by that which was really something because I touched her on the shoulder and she acted like I had beaten her. But she twisted her head to look to him just a little. In this situation that is really something.”

“Anyway we’re wondering off topic a little here how’s my sister.” I growled again “like I was saying we acquired Bryce’s sister and she’s…. Well shall we say she’s a little less…. Resilient than her brother. She told us a lot. Turns out her brother talked to her. So I know that Jessica is here chasing us working with him.” she said vaguely gesturing at Bryce. Her voice was growing louder with every word, “so…do…not …fuck…with… me.”

“Perish the thought.” I said gently walking over to the table and removed my leather jacket gently draping it over the young girls naked body. She winced and tried to curl up more discretely.

“I won't be ignored Derek.” Bethany snarled, I slowly turned to face her.

“You know where Jess is?” she glowered, “I’ll take that as a no Hon, so yeah you will be ignored.” I said turning away from her again and began running my hands across Lizzies’s bonds wincing at the deep cuts in her wrists, “and I’ll tell you something else darling I am f*****g letting her go.”

I saw the floor coming up to meet me, and then I blinked and I saw the tiled floor against my cheek, blood pooling across it, slow moving thick scarlet red blood. I tried to move but found my hands pinned beneath me an instant intense pain throbbing through my head, nausea overwhelmed me. I collapsed down to the tiled floor darkness enveloping me as I heard Bethany’s voice as if from a long way off.

“no.” she said gently “you aren’t going to do either.” As I felt a crippling pain crush through my legs. I understood in that moment what had happened someone had begun working on my knees with the hammer, they knew exactly what to do to because I’d showed them. I twisted with a great deal of difficulty as nausea washed through me I ignored this to bite down on the hard muscles in my arm to stop myself from screaming. As I breathed slowly and deeply desperate not to cry out I gently inhaled a whiff of Jessica’s scent, less than a whiff it was the faint scent the memory of a memory of a dream.

“Jess “I muttered inside my head ’I won't tell they can tear me apart piece by piece and I’ll never tell them.”

“Oh yes you will.” Bethany breathed in my ear, making me realise that I had in fact said this out loud “because I’ll tell you something I think I find the world more appealing when your in it, but that doesn’t mean that I’m completely against killing you.” I screamed again as they began working on my elbows which was more sickening to me as this time I could see what they were doing. I heard Nathan’s arrogant chuckle as I struggled pointlessly against my bonds.

“This is pointless it’s his mate he’s not going to f*****g talk.” Christian snarled, Bethany sighed,

“Maybe not but this is amusing.” She said lightly. “Just go secure the girl.” She said running her hand across my cheek, “then we’ll have all the time in the world together. But anyway it doesn’t matter. You hear that Derek we will get her because she will come to us. Because she told me everything we're twins after all and I know her every weak spot. You’re the biggest one.” She purred as I screamed feeling the silver knife cutting into my neck. “But not the only one.”

“You will not f*****g touch her.” I spat out, “or I swear to god that I will f*****g end you.”

“Now see it hurts me that you’d say such hateful things.” Bethany said flirtatiously “don’t you remember all the wonderful times that we had together all those blissful hours you spent with your body locked up in mine. All that stuff that I did for you. All those times that you made me pretend that I was her for you. And I did it. I allowed you to be as pathetic as you wanted to be all sweet and cuddly or the times I let you pretend that I was her so you could beat me, All of that I let you do and yet you still say such horrible things to me.” I snarled as I felt Bethany or maybe one of the others slide the knife along the backs of my thighs the silver knife causing my skin to burn and sting.

“I won’t tell you s**t Bethany and f*****g you was an even worse mistake than killing Jamie.”

“Your words hurt.” She mocked,