Epsilon [Werewolf]

Chapter 63

Azriel took me into the main room and led me to a chamber off to the right. I tried not to look too long at the wall opposite the marble altar, the wall where I'd taken the souls of humans and replaced them with new ones. I could've sworn I glimpsed a few drops of dried blood along the floor.

Wordlessly, Azriel pushed open the chamber's door. I blinked. The room within was very much unlike anywhere else in this crappy dungeon. The cobblestone walls had been smoothed out, the floor itself replaced with white marble. Along the sides of the room stood many metal stalls, their showerheads peeping from just over the lips. In the middle sat a long, wooden bench. 

I blinked. Of course, this place wasn't just built to keep prisoners. It was also built to endure attacks, and so a communal bathing chamber wasn't surprising.

Azriel's hand glided to the small of my back, and it took every fibre of my being not to flinch. "The maids will see to you," was all he said, before turning on his heel to walk away. He stopped after several paces, as though debating if he should say more, before resuming his exit of the room, shutting the door loudly behind him. 

I blinked again. In my first scan of the room, I'd missed the green-cloaked figures lurking in the background. Maid, Azriel had called them, but I knew what that forest-green colour meant. Omegas. Still, the Peltas were embroidered with purple rather than the usual gold. Strange, I thought to myself as they approached. 

I debated asking them for help before I glimpsed their stone-set faces. Their eyes were cold and unfeeling, and that was when I knew why they had different Peltas. These were Azriel's underlings, answering directly to him, carrying out whatever tasks that were needed down in this hell hole. They'd probably never stepped foot out of these catacombs, and judging by their pale skin, I didn't doubt it, either. 

Roughly, two of the maids grabbed my rags and pulled them off despite my protest, whilst a third started a shower. I tried to ignore the cold air that kissed my bare skin, along with the embarrassment of being naked in front of strangers. If they cared, they didn't let on. Instead, they grabbed my wrists and dragged me towards the shower. I didn't bother struggling. I was sure the iron door behind me was locked, and something told me these Omegas were much more powerful than their figures let on. And with my suppressed magic and weakened state already, I wasn't planning on finding out if that were true.

I had no time to prepare before I was thrust under the shower. I gasped. This water was cold, icy-cold, as though it had been held underground for years. I tried to suppress my shivers as the maids silently scrubbed along my body -- one working on my hair whilst the other scrubbed what could only have been weeks worth off grime my skin. When they reached my intimate areas, I gave a little hiss, implying I could take care of it myself, and fortunately they seemed to respect my wishes.

Once I was cleaner than I had been in weeks, the water shut off and I was handed a towel. Meekly, I towelled myself off, relishing the warmth it provided as one of the maids gathered a bundle of white cloth sitting on the bench. 

I paused mid-stroke, swallowing. A dress. A day dress. I really was going out there, back out into a world I hadn't seen for what felt like an eternity. I would be seeing all those people again, people like Raina, and they'd be praising and worshiping me, just as they'd always done. And I'd be forced to plaster a smile on my face and pretend everything was fantastic, that I wasn't being held captive by the man they called their leader.

I scanned the maids' faces as they pulled the dress over me. They held no indication of remorse, or sympathy. In a way, they looked broken, mindless. I shuddered to think what had happened to them, and if I would bear the same face once this was over, once I'd ruined as many lives as I could with my own mortal stupidity.