Dark Moon

Chapter_10

Inara had taken a shower, a long, hot shower. After, she found clothing in the closet that all were the right size. The style wasn't quite hers, though. There were a lot of dresses and more adult-looking outfits. Inara was a bit of a gothy-punk-style girl. With a sigh, she grabbed a pair of black leggings and a comfortable oversized gray sweater. Her eyes looked over the room and its medieval feel. It felt like home despite how strange and unfamiliar it was.

She then walked over to the window and looked over the ledge. She was hundreds of feet up, easily 10 floors. She leaned back in as the fear of heights caused her heart to go into her throat. The chill that rushed through her, causing goosebumps, made her rub her arms in haste to rid herself of the feeling. Once composed, she grabbed the delicate glass doors and shut the window, latching the metal locking mechanism. "Yeah..this can stay closed..." She murmured to herself.

The wooden door behind her opened, and Cheryline came in and Inara narrowed her eyes. "You know...I didn't care for you much, and now, after all this, I really don't care for you..." She blurted out.

Cheryline merely looked at her with a stone face, "Sorry to hear that...maybe you'd be pleased to know that Isaac is a great detective, and so he too is here as a result of his meddling."

Inara bristled, and just as she was about to explode with anger, Isaac walked in, melting her anger. She ran up to him and hugged him so tight she was sure she'd break his bones if he were human.

Isaac chuckled before wrapping his arms around her. His head rested on hers.

Cheryline's voice broke the moment, "We will have food delivered shortly." The clank of the door closing echoed in the room.

After a moment, they broke from one another, "Think we can escape?" Inara asked urgently.

"No," Isaac said. "You're safer here, for now."

Inara's head dropped, but a finger lifted her chin, and Isaac moved his head to catch her eyes.

"Hey, I don't like it either, but there is a lot going on...a lot more than I even understand right now."

Inara pulled away from him and went to the bed. She sat on the edge, and for the first time since she came here, she felt tears welling up in her eyes and her heart heavy with despair. Isaac closed the distance and knelt down, grasping her hands. Just as he was about to speak, he noticed the redness and broken flesh around her wrists. She felt the tension rising from him, but before she could explain, Isaac was at the door, yanking it open with such swiftness that you'd think the door was made of hollow wood.

"Cheryline!" He growled.

No response (or, at least, not fast enough) for Isaac disappeared, and Inara could hear his stomping going down the hall.

She looked down at her wrists. If she hadn't been fighting so much, they wouldn't have been damaged...but she wanted free. It really wasn't their fault. She looked up as she heard faint arguing. Inara was tired. Very tired. Her eyes looked behind her to the pillows. The mattress was very comfortable. It was soft but firm. She leaned back and twisted to crawl up to the pillows. Her arms grabbed at the pillows and shoved her face into them.

Today couldn't be over fast enough. Slowly, she drifted to sleep.

Isaac POV

When the hood came off, they were inside a large grand entryway. Stairs at the center split at the back wall to lead to two different wings. His brows lowered as it reminded him of a picture book that his mother used to read to him. Was that book about this place? He kept silent as he took in his surroundings.

Cheryline excused herself. "Stay here, I will be back in a few minutes."

Isaac looked at her with impatience but did as she asked, finding an antique bench to sit at. His mind was still heavy with all the new information he had learned from his father. He wanted to question it all, but he knew it all to be true. Everything made so much more sense. But why didn't his father tell him sooner? He knew why, though; his father didn't know if he was a true sigma. It was definitely not information for normal werewolves. Not even Alphas. Did the council know? He didn't ask his dad many questions. His father said there was a lot more to learn, but Isaac at least got to know what power he possessed and that he needed to be careful with how he used it if he decided to use it.

Cheryline came back down the stairs apologizing. She then waved him into a dining room with a long table that surely could fit 50 people. He was baffled at the size of this place. This had to be a castle of some sort.

"So..you have yet to tell me why you took Inara. None of this makes any--"

Cheryline cut him off, "She's the Queen of Wolfs. All. Wolfs."

Isaac stared at her. Disbelief, confusion, uncertainty, and yet, he saw that she believed her own words.

"I was ordered to move her. And it had to be quick. We cannot risk losing our second chance." she added.

"Okay, let's say this is true. Why doesn't the Alpha know about her?" He sat down at the head of the table, and for a moment, he realized he looked just like his father as he crossed his legs and put his hands together at the fingertips.

"Well, simply put, a good 90 percent of the werewolf and lycan population have completely forgotten about the Moon Goddesses daughter...almost like she decided to wipe those minds slowly. While a select few of us, namely those and the lineage that founded SSCW." She said matter of factly.

"SSCW?" Isaac asked.

"The Secret Society Council of Werewolves," Cheryline said, then looked at her watch. "Well, I told you all you need to know. I have to be back around 10:30..so you have only a few hours with Inara."

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Isaac wasn't comfortable with leaving her here, but he knew that with the tracking ware that his father gave him and the listening devices, his father had all the information they needed to get her out of this place. They would just have to come up with a strategy. Also, if she was in danger, it was probably for the best. Inara didn't like hearing him agree with Cheryline and those who took her, but he had to. It was for the best at this time.

It wasn't until he saw her wrists that all that changed. Voodoo was clawing to come out and take on everyone; it took all that Isaac had to keep himself under control.

Cheryline finally came to his calls, and they were a few doors down from her room as he and her began to have a heated discussion.

"Have you seen her wrists!?" He snarled, his dark eyes blazing a rich orange color.

"Yes, I have spoken to my crew about it. She was fighting against the restraints for hours. I am sorry." Her eyes were down on the ground.

"Look at me when I talk to you!" He snarled.

"I-I can't...you should know that.." she whimpered, her voice small.

He felt himself go hot and cold with surprise. This was what his father was talking about. This was what it was like. "...I..I am sorry."

"I promise you, we never wanted any harm to come to her. We tried to keep her calm, but we had to do it the way we did. We couldn't risk her shifting, commanding, or knowing where she was going. It was all for her safety. She..she is very strong willed. Unsurprisingly."

"Fine...but make sure nothing more happens to her. If I ever see any wounds on her from this point on..." He growled and snorted. He didn't need to elaborate. He didn't want to have to, either.

Cheryline nodded and finally found she was able to look up. His eyes were no longer blazing orange. They were dimming back to their brown color.

"I will take that." He said as he saw the tray of food coming toward them.