The Shackled Betrayal

Chapter 64

Lucia Lorenzo's POV

When I awoke, my arms were ensnared in chains. I can't smell anything, and my eyes and nose hurt. I saw two people in front of me, but my vision was a blurry mess. My skin feels sticky, and the place is damp. When I was knocked out, I must have transformed back into human form. I was given a big white shirt by whoever took me.

My legs aren't shackled to the wall like my legs are, but the floor's pebbles still hurt my feet. They've taken me to the deserted storage facility on Blood Moon Land if I had to guess. I took some small solace in the fact that I was still in my territory, even though the majority of the pack had already left.

They're not going to find me. But Blaine will.

My back continued to ache, and the stinging pain that I first felt had turned into a throbbing that made me queasy. My wolf is subdued by the wolf's bane, and when I don't feel her, I freak out.

Ava?

Are you alright, Ava?

Not a reply. The realization tightens my heart.

Lucia, I'm here.

I find some comfort in the brief exchange of thoughts I have with my wolf, even if it is feeble and hardly noticeable. I notice Clara standing next to the hunter I was pursuing as my vision clears. Except for one lightbulb above me, the room is completely dark, making it more difficult for me to see around me.

"Leave her alone," I croak.

I must be the next big comic since they both started laughing. I am aware of what has transpired. I know, but I'm not willing to acknowledge it. It would just hurt too much.

Clara spits out, "Silly girl."

No matter how minor or large the betrayal, it still burns. I simply never thought it would be this awful. I went to this woman for assistance, and she now helped me and my partner. She's prepared to kill me now. Her eyes show me the murder.

"Lucia, you are twenty years old. How in the hell do you know how to be a pack leader? I promise you that someone else would have gotten you if I hadn't."

"Why would you do this?"

"Why not?"

As I open my mouth to ask further questions, a door slams. I observe a glass partition separating one area from the next as I glance past Clara. It appears that these people have not been here for a very long because everything is set up like a makeshift torture chamber. Although I can see through the glass, I'm not sure if anyone else can see me. With the hunter's tattoo emblazoned on their biceps, two men approach. Blaine enters as they pull on the cord they brought. He has some minor bruises, but nothing serious. If he so desired, he could challenge the men.

How come he hasn't?

I can see the crimson from the wolf's poison in his eyes as they hurriedly scour the room. Wolf's poison reduces our senses to those of humans. I'll be unable to smell or hear him. I doubt his vision allows him to see much either, based on the reddening of his eyes.

"Where is she?"

After entering the room, two more men quietly shut the door.

"Sit down," said the biggest one.

"Where's my mate gone? I did as I was told; now show me where she is."

He spits out, "Of course, alpha," and then reaches into his pocket to get a huge needle. He throws it so hard into Blaine's neck that, for an instant, I'm positive it didn't happen.

"No!" I yell.

I pull and tug in vain, feeling my wrists ache against the metal. I feel sleepy and sluggish when I move. Nothing is more frustrating than being unable to control your own body. My body does not react to my brain, even though I can force my limbs to move more quickly, my eyes to look for an escape, and my ears to hear anything important.

"What was it?" I cringe, thinking of the shot they stuck in Blaine's neck.

Clara sneers at me, then returns her attention to Blaine.

"What is it?" I yelled. I expend the little energy that the wolf's bane hasn't completely sapped from me, and my chest heaves.

"The curse of wolves. Clara exclaims, "Goddess, you're acting like I would poison him."

"What do you want, Clara?"

"What I want is for you both to suffer."

Just as she finished speaking, I saw one of the men grab a whip and slit Blaine's exposed chest with it. I can see that the whip was dipped in the wolf's poison because his skin sizzled.

"Please no. Clara, don't hurt him."

She rejected my entreaties.

Clara said, "Take down the glass." Obediently, the man on my side of the glass does what she says. The moment the glass hits the ground, Blaine notices me, and his bloodshot lips part into a smile.

"Lucia," he said.

I yelled, "Blaine." Now that the glass is gone, he appears even worse. He clenches his jaw with each lash from the men who have moved to thrash his back.

"Don't worry, my dear Luna," he murmured. I can see how the agony is wearing him down. The wolf's bane steadily robs the wolf of life from the inside while preventing him from recovering on the exterior. It's both physical and mental pain.

Clara said, "Let's move this party outside."

As the men open the door and take Blaine with them, my eyebrows furrow. His legs are wobbly, and he is still bound by chains. He is on the verge of fainting. Clara chooses to leave me shackled to the wall as she leaves as well.

"What are you going to do?"

Clara continued, "I've heard the alpha enjoys a good swim," and her menacing smile makes me shudder.

"In that state, he can't swim? He's got to go! He has trouble staying awake."

"Precisely."

She turns to walk out but freezes at the door.

She continues, "I do hope you said your goodbyes," and then vanishes.

"No, hold on! Would you please?"

My cries went unanswered. I'm left feeling humiliated and wondering why I was blind to Clara's questionable behavior.

"Battle."

Ava's words reach my ears, but I'm exhausted.

Battle for our mate and I.

I pull on the shackles that bound me and discover that they are not securely fastened to the hook. I can't escape without the chains on my wrists, but if I can get them off the wall's hook, I think I can make it.

I gave it everything I had to get them out of the wall. The chains finally broke off, though it took longer than it should. When they hit the floor, they make a loud, rattling sound, and I cringe. The wolfsbane is still present even after I attempt to send Blaine a mind link.

I gave up on the concept and prayed that I could mind-link Blaine and the others if I could get far enough away from here. Sadly, when I got to the door, it was locked. I will not be able to force this door open and avoid hurting the man standing outside.