Taken By A Werewolf

XVIII

Indy was numb. That was simply the best way to describe it. She was past being afraid, sad and angry. She just... was. Standing chained against the wall for who knows how long, her muscles started aching, but after a while, she didn't even feel it anymore. She felt nothing. She had no idea of the time, because it was always dark in the cellar they kept her. Every so many hours, a boy a few years younger than Indy came to bring her food and water. She didn't eat or drink any of it. He didn't speak and would leave after a few minutes. At first, she was hungry, but that was also a fleeting feeling. She just didn't care anymore. Sometimes, she thought of Coop and wondered if he had noticed her absence, or maybe even missed her. Probably not. Indy had no one, so no one would notice she was gone. No one was going to look for her, come save her and take her home. Because Indy had no home. So there she was, in a dark room somewhere that probably wasn't California, waiting for her time to end. At least she made it out of the Valley, she thought bitterly.

Indy heard the creak of the stairs, followed by the key unlocking the heavy cellar door. She expected the boy to walk in with a plate and a bottle, but to her surprise it was Ares. She hadn't seen him since their last encounter. The one that caused a pit in her stomach every time she thought about it. He looked her up and down from a distance with a frown creasing his otherwise perfect forehead. Indy noticed he wasn't wearing his usual, hostile glare, but he looked more or less... worried. He let out a sigh and approached her.

"You have to eat, Indiana," he said softly, almost in a tender way. She was probably hallucinating.

"No," she groaned. She could barely make any sound, her throat too dry to speak properly.

"It's been three days. Come on," he insisted.

She slightly shook her head. There was no point, he had to know that. He was the one who had taken her, after all. He and his stupid wannabe boyband.

"Please," he whispered, and Indy wondered if she heard him correctly.

When he looked at her with pleading eyes, something inside her stirred. Traitor body.

"Why?" she was barely audible, but she could tell that he heard her. He looked at her, searched her face for something, before casting his eyes down, causing his rich, dark hair to fall in his face.

"You need to appear before the Council and have a fair trial. You can't just starve yourself before that happens. It's not honorable, you know that."

Indy had no idea what he was talking about and wondered why he'd care about her honor.

"You call this fair?"

Speaking hurt her throat a lot, but she couldn't help herself.

"It's the best we can--"

"You won't even let me explain myself," Indy said with a sob. Tears formed in her eyes and she hated herself for it. She wished she could go back to her previous state of indifference.

"I know, I just..."

Ares raked his hand through his hair.

"I don't want to hear it," he admitted, his eyes still looking at the floor.

"And I don't want to eat," Indy stated simply.

"What if," Ares started, but he stopped. He looked around the room, searching for something. Or maybe he simply could no longer look at her. He paced back and forth, seemingly internally debating with himself.

Then he came to a halt in front of her.

"What if you tell me what you want to say, and for every sentence you take a sip or a bite?"

He could be such a good father some day.

Indy thought it over. This could be the only chance to tell her truth, and that was sadly the one last thing she wanted to do. She could keep it short. She nodded, and Ares looked relieved.

He lifted the bottle to her lips and Indy took a small sip. It tasted so good. Those are just instincts, ignore them.

"I overheard your conversation through the open window and I had no idea that it was serious."

Ares gave her another drink.

"After a while, I figured it was, but you were talking so cryptically that I didn't understand and I just wanted to know if I was in danger."

Ares held a sandwich in front of her face, but she shook her head. He gave her another sip from the bottle.

"So I told you I would be in the library when I knew you had another meeting and I stayed home and listened intentionally."

Another sip. Ares' face was blank.

"So, okay, I did sort of eavesdrop on you and your friends, but by the time I realized you were investigating something I wasn't supposed to know about, I just had to make sure you weren't dangerous or something."

Indy took a final sip, casting her eyes down.

"I'm really sorry, Ares, because I honestly didn't mean to get in the way of anything."

Ares looked at her and Indy thought she saw doubt in his beautiful eyes.

"How did it come to this?" she whispered, no longer trusting her voice.

Ares swallowed. His features hardened.

"Aren't you going to tell me about the rest?"

"What rest?" she asked, confused.

"How you made the plans and hid them in the pendant," he said, sounding impatient now.

"Are you talking about my mom's necklace?"

He nodded.

"I swear, it's just a necklace, Ares. It's the last thing I have that belonged to her. That's why I was so glad you found it."

He narrowed his eyes.

"When will you finally drop the act, Indiana?" he asked in a disapproving tone, shaking his head.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she tried to defend herself, but she knew it was in vain. Ares had made up his mind about her a long time ago and he wouldn't listen to her.

"You," he started, but he didn't seem to quite know what to say.

"You're just," he sighed, and Indy thought he looked hurt.

"You're nothing," he concluded. He stood in front of her, waiting for a reaction. Indy didn't know what to tell him. His words left her heart thudding numbly in her chest. Never had she imagined that this was what it would come to.

"I know," she said finally.

"So maybe you should let me go."

"I already have."