Light of the Unexpected Adventure

Chapter 36 Caged

Leoric's POV

We get pulled for a moment before they tie our hands behind our backs, then setting us on the ground in a couple of cages that are across from each other. "I thought you said we weren't prisoners, then why are you treating us as such? It is one thing to keep us tied up, but keeping us in cages as well. That is overdone and ridiculous. At least for her, come on, she hates violence and is kind to all others, if anything let her out and keep me in here, but she is not in need of your cages, she is not like you, she is no beast." I declare furiously as I look around at the werewolves surrounding the cages, taking in my words but not doing anything to help her which is infuriating. "Come on you mutts, help her, untie her right now!" I spat another time as one punches me in the face for saying anything to them.

I shake my head as I look at her just to see a look in her eyes that I would imagine to be admiration, and it is directed at me. I cannot imagine why, but either way, it is a look that makes me feel as if I am doing something right. What am I doing right? I am not sure but just happy she looks calmer right now. I look over to see that the man who imprisoned us has a wide smirk upon his face. "You can't just keep us here like this and I swear wolf, if you hurt her I will rip you from limb to limb when I get out of this cage and believe me I am getting out one way or another." I threaten him as he smirks even bigger at me before saying to her, "Thank you for making this so much easier. I couldn't have caught you this easily otherwise." he states before prancing away just satisfied with himself.

I feel my jaw clenching because I figured this was a trap, and he just confirmed it. I should have tried to fight our way out, but of course, I listened to her, the one who somehow has control over my entire being and by connection, that also means my heart. "Thank you for trying to help me. It was appreciated." She says softly to me as I nod at her, trying to not let the anger and frustration run rampant through me. But that is easier said than done. After a long silent moment of being in these cages, I groan out leaning back as I stare up into the open sky while I hear her huff out.

I glanced over at her, and she looks defeated, but doesn't say anything to me as I stare over at her curiously, wondering what she is thinking and if she is ok. "Are you alright?" I asked her, feeling bad for her as she shook her head before glaring over at me, "Don't pity me for my stupidity, I get it.. You were right, I was wrong, I just wanted to help keep us safe." She snaps this at me as I shake my head wanting to make her feel better, but she is right, in this moment. She is just too trusting, and it may be what kills us. "I'm sorry Gabby, I wanted to keep us safe too.. but you should have just kept your thoughts to yourself and I would have gotten us out of this, one way or another." I state without even thinking, feeling bad for even saying that.

Her scoff is all that can be heard, "I know you are a strong and determined man, Leo, but there is no way you would have gotten us out of that alive. There were far too many of them. I did what I thought was best so both of us would be able to see the morning light." she snaps this back at me, but I know she is right. I shake my head as I huff out. "I know why you did it, but does it matter if we see the morning light, if we are caged up during it? Why argue about it? No need. This is Prudence's fault, she meant to do this.. She knew where she was sending us.. Conniving witch." I snapped this out, thinking of her as I shook my head.

"Yeah about that.. Are you going to explain why she thinks you are using me as live bait?" She declares to me from across the way as I shake my head. "It's not what you think.. You know what.. Nevermind, you don't need to know, because the more you know, the more that the information can hurt you." I state out of straight concern for her well-being, but I don't think she sees it that way as I watch her features shift into anger filled ones. "If it involves me than I deserve to know." She declares as I shake my head. "No you don't understand." she kicks some dirt in frustration before saying, "Then help me understand. I am not an imbicile, you know. I can understand things that your big manly brain can too."

I shake my head more leaning forward. "Gabby stop, I don't want you involved more than you have to be." I state trying to start explaining, but she just interrupts me to say, "whoops too late, Leo." as we hear footsteps headed our way, we both look to see that the sounds are coming from the leader of the wolves that brought us in. "Oh no is the happily betrothed fighting?" he asks as I scoff at that, which is the same reaction as her. That is before we start declaring at the same time how much we are not together in that way.

This gets the wolf laughing as he pulls out a bowl from behind him while he kneels down in front of Gabriella. I watch as he opens the cage and unties her hands before sitting beside her. "Here, you look like you need something to eat." he says as she instantly takes it before I am yelling in defiance. "No don't take that.. You can't trust them Gabby." I spat as the man glares over at me. "It's more like we can't trust your kind." he snaps back as he nicely says to her. "It's ok.. If you don't believe me, then I can prove it." He says as he takes a sip and giving it back to her by placing it on the ground at her side.

"What about Leo? I don't want to eat if he is not going to be treated the same." She says with concern for me even though I know she is mad at me. "He will be getting some soon enough, I just wanted to be the one to bring this over to you.. Gabby." he says to her as she glances from me to the soup. I am sure that she is hungry, so it is probably too hard to resist. I give her a nod to eat as I keep my eyes on him. I know there is not much I can do at the moment, but I still want to keep an eye on the situation just in case.

"See nothing bad has happened to me after eating some, so take a sip.. But I am not going to lie to you, it's not the best tasting, but it is something for your weary body that has probably been through so much.. Speaking of just that subject, what you have been through, that is. So, can you tell me some of it.. If it is not too hard for you, of course." he asks scooting closer to her as Gabriella takes a sip of the soup and hums out as she says softly. "This is much better than you made it sound." he chuckles at that comment while staring at her. "So what are you running from?" he asks again as she clears her throat before looking at me. I am not sure if she is weary of him and wanting my opinion or silently saying that I am the one she is running from.

I watch him look over at me as he smirks. "So he is threatening you?" He asks her as she shakes her head nervously looking over at me. "No.. He has helped me, a lot.. But.. He wants to take me back to my old village where they want to torture me or possibly kill me." she says plainly as his eyes widen while he thinks about this. "Tell me, Why are you and your pack out here?" she asks instantly as he looks surprised by this but nods as he says. "We are just traveling to our pack, bringing back what we have found." she nods at that as he looks to me, as if he is trying to see within my eyes if she is lying or not.

I don't say anything nor try to look a certain way to confirm or deny, but just the fact that I am not saying anything is silently confirming I would suppose. I need to figure out some other way to reply besides letting the silence speak for me, especially since that hasn't worked out in my favor as of late. "Now tell me little maiden, why would a King want to kill you? I don't know what a sweet beauty like you could have done to make someone that mad." he states before reaching over and touching her cheek, which instantly infuriates me.

I see her leaning back from his touch, which makes me feel better that she let me be that close to her in a vulnerable moment shared between us, but worse that he is doing something she doesn't like. Or at least something she is not comfortable with, but he doesn't care as he tries to do it again, making me furious at that sight. "Don't touch her. I will rip every finger off of that hand if you touch her face again." I state with so much anger threaded through my tone that it gets the werewolf smiling big, knowing he is getting to me without even touching me.

Gabriella's attention is also grabbed. I notice that she is staring over at me, but not with anger or annoyance. She looks as if she wants something from me. Maybe my help and believe me, I wish I could give her that. I clench my jaw, staring over into her eyes as I watch them soften. 'I'm alright' she silently mouths as she stares at me, I think trying to help calm me down, seeing my protectiveness over her. But she doesn't look offended by it, luckily. I nod but keep my eyes on them, not trusting that wolf enough to relax at all.

Gabriella looks nervous as she looks from me and back to the werewolf. "I.. I have some powers that are new.. And powers are not allowed within the walls of our village. It has been punishable by death before this." She keeps being completely honest with this man, just giving in to his nice treatment when she should probably be weary of anyone new doing this because he could be conniving and tricking her again, but she has no idea because she has no experience in this harsh world.

"New powers? How are they new? You just developed them as you got older? That happens to some of the wolves in our pack.. Just late bloomers before they get their full powers of shifting into the wolves they are meant to be." he declares sincerely as she smirks but shakes her head. "How many do you have in your pack?" she asks as he hums out before saying, "about 146.. but I don't know if you want to include the pregnant females as one or two." he declares as Gabriella giggles and then starts to think about it as he chuckles with her at her genuine reaction.

"I am not sure what you would count that as." she agrees with him while she keeps thinking about it before he interrupts her thoughts by asking, "So are you a late bloomer? If so, then there is nothing wrong with that." he says, sounding nervous, as if he is trying not to offend her with this possibly personal information. She shyly shakes her head as her cheeks blush before taking another big sip of the soup.