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Without hesitation, they stripped off and shifted. Their black wolf form might have been impressive except for the whole being-a-pack-of-assholes thing.
Ben's hands tightened on my arms, but Dagen picked up the bowl and sniffed the contents. He turned to flash me a smile, then scooped out what was inside and tossed a bit to each of the wolves.
They snatched it up and swallowed it down without bothering to chew.
I turned and retched.
"I thought you would have thicker skin, Elodie," Dagen said.
I looked back and met his gaze unwaveringly. "My biggest regret in life to date is not having you killed when you were younger, Alistair," I said coldly. "That's not a mistake I'll make again."
He laughed. "How cute you pretend you have any power left. You can make all the threats you want, but you can't do anything to me. On the other hand…" He waved the bowl at me. "I can do whatever I want to you. Get some rest. You're going to need it." He turned away, only to turn back a moment later. "And practice breathing through your nose. You're going to need that too." He smiled like he got a participation trophy and strode out of the room.
"He is a motherfucking piece of shit," I growled. I started to take a step in the direction he'd gone, but I was so wobbly on my feet I almost fell. Ben caught me and swept me up into his arms. Under any other circumstances, I would have growled at him for picking me up like I was a helpless child. The only good reason for carrying me anywhere was to take me to bed and fuck my brains out. Otherwise, I could walk, even on wobbly legs.
Today though, I didn't think my legs would hold me, and better he carry me than one of asshole's motherfuckers. Still, I hated the feeling that I was this vulnerable.
I was Ivory, the big bad she wolf, but right now I felt like little more than a tepid puddle of water than an ice queen. I wasn’t even the kind people slip on and break their necks. I was the kind they wiped up with a towel with barely a second thought.
"I've got her," Ben said firmly. "I'm not going to argue, or try anything. She needs to rest."
I hoped hewouldtry anything if an opportunity arose, but that was going to be a lot harder when he was carrying me. But I was selfish and didn't insist he put me down. The warmth of his body and the anticipation of revenge were the only things keeping me going right now. I couldn't decide which one was more compelling than the other. They might be equal.
With what felt like no effort at all, Ben carried me up the stairs and back into the pretty cell where we'd spent the night.
Someone had left a fresh tray of food on the table, but I had no appetite. The smell of it made my stomach turn. At least I knew I wouldn't be eating anything from myself. Yeah, okay I recognised how sick that thought was. But I wouldn't have put it past Dagen to try that. I didn't think there was anything he wouldn't do to fuck with me.
The door closed and locked behind us and we were alone. For now.
Ben lowered me down to the bed and sat beside me. "I won't ask if you're okay. Not even you would be okay after that, and you are the most badass woman I've ever met."
"You need to get out more," I said dryly.
He laughed softly. "I'm working on it, believe me. Sooner or later he and his assholes are going to make a mistake. When they do, we'll be out of here." After a moment he added, "Of course, their first mistake was messing with you to begin with."
It sounded like he had more faith in me than I had in myself.
I couldn't help it. I started to cry. Just softly, and with tears that rolled down my cheeks so slowly they were cold before they dripped off my chin, but crying nonetheless.
Ben put his arms around me and drew me to him, so my face was pressed against his chest. He rubbed my back and whispered words I couldn't make out. The tone was soothing.
My body shook with silent sobs for a good five to ten minutes before I started to wear myself out. I lay against him for a good while longer.
"I wish you were somewhere away from here and safe," I said. "But, selfishly, I'm glad I'm not alone."
He kissed the top of my head. "I wish we were both somewhere else, but I'm glad I'm here for you. We will get out of here. I promise. Whatever it takes."
Whatever it takes. His words echoed through my mind. That was what worried me.
What might it take?
6
We were left alonefor three days. Someone delivered food three times a day, always much more than we could eat.
I didn't have much of an appetite. I ate because I had to. And because Ben gave me long, worried looks if I didn't. I was pretty sure he was trying to channel Jake, except he didn't say a word when for dinner I ate a slice of cake left over from the lunch tray. It wasn't very good cake, and by the time I ate it, it was stale.
Whatever, it was sugar.
