Epsilon [Werewolf]

Chapter 65

Kyra

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The walk back to the court was perhaps one of the longest walks of my life.

The Gammas had dragged Zion's body with no regard for his injuries, just like how they dragged the several human bodies along behind him. Ugly, egg-like protrusions were forming under blue-and-black bruises, his eyes completely swollen shut. I could hear his ragged, raspy breathing as his unconscious mind struggled for air, and part of me worried he wouldn't make it. 

Anger. All I felt was anger -- for how they treated Zion, for what they'd done. But more than that, it was the first time I'd really felt anything for a while, and Azriel knew that. For whatever reason, my concern for Zion only seemed to irritate Azriel. Maybe because I begged him to stop, or because I'd shown emotions for his Beta, but anger was certainly radiating off him in waves. 

I didn't care, though. Zion had risked so much for me. He'd stuck his neck out for me far more than I ever had for him, and I would never forgive myself if he died, especially in such condition -- with broken bones and limp limbs. 

Thankfully, most of the walk was quiet. It was almost midnight once we'd reached that damned wooden trap door, and of course, no one was in the courtyard aside from us. I never took my eyes off Zion's limp, red-headed form as we were herded underground, back towards our cells. I didn't check to see where they'd taken the humans -- to another cell block, I supposed, but I wasn't eager to know the details. If I was being honest with myself, I didn't want to know. 

My eyes remained on Zion even when they'd unlocked the barred doors, throwing us both into our chambers. Alia's eyes were wide with worry, but she thankfully kept her mouth shut as she stared between Azriel and several of the Gammas. The male had given me a long look before departing, one which I did not return. My eyes were on Zion, and Zion only. If I had it my way, I'd never look at Azriel again. 

Then, without another word, they'd left the chambers in a storm. That had been days ago now.  During that time, I had been escorted to that bathroom to be washed up and sent out as Luna. Of course, up there, it was a whole other reality. Up there, I had a smile plastered to my face, with 'freedom' to roam as I pleased. But I wasn't really free, and I wasn't sure I'd ever feel freedom again. 

Now, I was playing mindlessly with a few pebbles on the floor, thinking over the conversations I'd had with the court's inhabitants that day. I'd been forced to make an appearance -- from the breakfast feast to dinner. To say it was exhaustive would be an understatement, and in some ways, I preferred the dungeons as opposed to up there. At least down here, I wasn't under Azriel's constant control; forced to put on that false mask. 

I raised my eyes to the cell across from me, where Alia's form sat. We hadn't exchanged many words of late. Not that there was much to discuss, anyway. Talking about our doom wasn't very reassuring, so we both opted to stay quiet. 

My eyes drifted to the cell to her right, and my heart twisted. Zion. In the silence of the dungeon, I could still hear his rasped, laboured breathing. It was something I'd listened out for, something that had sent me into a panic when it periodically stopped. Fortunately, mercifully, no one had come by to give him a dose of wolfsbane. I knew just one more drop would be enough to kill him in his current state, a fact that terrified me as much as it hurt me.

A soft groan had me on my feet, wedging my face as far as I could past the bars towards of my cell. had I imaged it? I watched his slumbering form as it stirred, my heart accelerating. Alia gave me a quizzical look before standing herself, approaching the bars.