Adjusting - 13. Chapter 12 - Betrayed

When I awoke, I didn't react the same way I had the previous time I woke up in a strange location. I didn't dismiss my nightmare, nor did I snuggle down into my blankets in an attempt to fall back asleep. I didn't have a temporary case of amnesia upon coming out of my dreams.

No, when I awoke, it was in fear and an immediate remembrance of what had happened.

Cold metal cut into my naked wrists and ankles as I laid spread eagled on a large bed. The room was close to pitch black; I could hardly see my bare body. The room around me was a mystery. It was, of course, possible that my blindness of my location was due to the nerve wracking fear that was currently shooting through my body.

I tugged harshly on the cuffs that wrapped around me and heard the clinking of metal. When the sound of footsteps echoed through the room, I began yanking harder on all of my restraints in a desperate, yet futile, attempt to escape. My assailant's face flashed through my mind and I began frantically squirming on the bed, tears of absolute dread leaking from my eyes.

It was, of course, to no avail.

The footsteps had gotten louder and louder, increasing my struggles, when they abruptly stopped. Panic coursed through my veins as my limbs fell still. My eyes shot around the room, desperate to see where my kidnapper would come from so I could protect myself.

A door opened directly in front of me, flooding the room with light from what I assumed was the hallway. With my eyes adjusted to the darkness that had surrounded me, I hissed and shut my eyes tightly against the blinding bulbs. When I saw even more light flicker on from behind my eyelids, I knew the intruder had found the light switch. I kept my eyes shut, refusing to see who had entered.

A loud thud banged just then, making me flinch as the door in front of the bed slammed shut. He walked to the left side of the bed, causing my breathing to quicken and my eyes to squeeze together even tighter. I heard a familiar low chuckle emanate from the man to my side. He leaned over, breathing deeply above me. His scent swirled through my nostrils and my stomach clenched as I quickly matched scent to face.

"Come on, sweetheart," my kidnapper crooned. "Open up those pretty blue eyes for me."

I clenched my jaw and firmly shook my head.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I whispered. "What have I done to deserve this?"

The wolf above me just chuckled again.

"Oh, Adrian," he chuckled as he pet my face, making me cringe.

"It's simple, really. You're a rogue. And rogues either have to join me, work for me, or die."

My eyes flew open and I met his bright green eyes with a glare.

"Then kill me, Alexander," I spat out.

The vile man had the nerve to chuckle again, giving me a contemptuous look as he tsk-tsked.

"Now, now Adrian," he said with a smirk and a wave of his finger. "You know I can't let you and your pretty little body go to waste."

"You asshole!" I seethed. "I trusted you!"

"And you can trust me, Adrian," Alex said seriously. "Once I control the pack, we can be together."

"Why the hell would I want to be with you after you had to kidnap me to get me into your bed," I said with a sneer, looking up and down his body. "You're nothing but a spineless worm."

Then I gathered up my saliva and spit on his face.

Immediately, Alex drew back his hand before slapping me powerfully across the face. Pain erupted in my cheek and my head hit the pillow as blood filled my mouth. I spat it out quickly, staining his white sheets bright red.

"Don't you dare back talk me," he hissed. "I've done nothing but help you."

Apparently, I didn't know how to keep my mouth shut. "Do you call kidnapping me and chaining me to your bed helping me?’Cause I'd love to give you the number of an excellent shrink if you do."

Another slap, and more blood; this time it was on my other cheek. At least my face was now symmetrical.

"Why are you being such a brat, Adrian?" Alex asked with a frown. "You're usually so well-behaved."

"Well, usually I'm not kidnapped and chained to a psycho's bed."

This time, Alex punched me in the stomach. I curled in on myself as much as the steel chains would allow and wheezed, unable to catch my breath.

"Well," Alex sighed as he pet my hair, "I'll just have to train you to be better behaved. Don't worry, before long you'll mind your manners."

I was too busy trying to force air into my lungs to answer him. As I gasped for air, Alex simply continued to stroke the top of my head, sending shivers of fear down my spine. When I had just about recovered from his punch, Alex removed his hand from my head and started to walk toward the door.

"Unfortunately," he said, "I have some errands to run. But, luckily for you, I know just the person who can keep you company while I'm gone. I'll send him along in just a moment. For now, just sit tight."

With one final smile faced to me, Alex left me alone in the room, shutting and locking the door behind him. The doorknob had been flipped around; so instead of me being able to lock the world out, Alex could lock me in my prison cell.

My poor heart had now shattered into pieces. Agony was tearing apart my body as tears dripped down my cheeks. The one person I thought I could trust, who I was going to let myself fall for, ended up just the same as everyone else--only wanting to cause me pain.

Well, enough was enough. I was going to find a way out of this room and I was going to run as far as possible. I'd either continue with my rogue life or find some human town and settle down. Either way, I wasn't going to get close to anyone else, ever again. Trusting other people never worked out well.

Just as I began thinking up how I was going to escape my chains, I heard heavy footsteps echo down the hallway. They didn't sound like Alex's, so I assumed they belonged to whomever Alex had decided to send to 'keep me company.' When the footsteps stopped outside my door, I immediately tensed and tried to mentally prepare myself for whoever was behind the door.

Who else in my supposed pack had betrayed me?

Brian?

Alpha John?

Maria?

I heard the lock click and the door swung open, hitting the wall forcefully. When I saw the tall wolf in the doorway, my entire body locked up as intense fear flooded my veins.

"Hello, pet," Hades said with a smirk.

The man walked inside the room and walked over to me before sitting down on the bed. He raised his hand and I immediately flinched, causing him to chuckle. He began to stroke my hair, tugging at it every now and then to make a whimper fall from my throat.

"Let's have some fun, shall we?" he whispered as he leaned down to lay kisses on my throat. "I've missed you so much."

I just squeezed my eyes shut and tried my best to keep from hyperventilating. Hades continued his ministrations, trying to get a more dramatic reaction out of me. Unfortunately, he wasn't very patient.

Displeased by my lack of response, Hades grabbed my bare hips and dug his nails into them. I cried out in pain as blood began to drip from Hades's claws.

"That's more like it," he said with a grin against my skin. "I just love to hear your pretty voice, pet."

He then bit deep into my shoulder, tearing through the skin and making more blood pool into his mouth. Another cry of pain escaped from my mouth as I desperately struggled to get away from the man of my nightmares.

Hades moaned into my skin and lifted his head from my neck. Thick red blood dripped from the corners of his mouth as he stared me down with his crazed obsidian eyes.

"I'm going to make you scream, pet. I promise."

If I was going to make it out of here alive, I was going to have to escape soon. Because Hades always kept his promises.