Chapter 27 Lullabies

Serenity's POV

I moved my fingers and felt my body ache as I try to stir. I felt the cold and hard metal underneath me. I opened my eyes and raise my hand to shield from the bright light hanging over me.

I pushed myself up but slip and I hit the hard iron bars underneath me, causing more pain to rush through me. I groaned and pushed myself up again, this time, I was able to seat up and looked around. My eyes still half opened, I ran my hand through my aching arm as I look around.

I was inside a cage, a silver one at that.

The events of the last day with my family, I frowned and pulled myself into a ball. Then I heard chains clanging, and I looked at my ankle and saw that I was chained. I reached for it and jiggled it lose, but I knew better than to hope.

“They were right…”

I looked up and saw someone by the end of the room. I squinted my eyes to see better, I could see his feet walk to one part of the room and the light grew brighter. I raised both my arms to shield my eyes.

“You are quite a fighter.” He continued. I could barely open my eyes now. “You want water?”

“Y- yes please.” I stammered.

I could hear his footstep cross the room and then he was by the end of the cage, squatting. I hear a glass hit the metal bars.

“Come here.”

I slowly, and painfully moved toward him. When I reached the end, I reached for the glass of water but he let it go even before I can hold it, causing it to shatter into pieces. Some of the shards hit me and penetrating my skin.

I cringed away and felt my clothes and arms be wet.

The man laughed and stood up.

“Do you really think I’ll be so kind?” he says, I try to look up and follow his feet, which were the only part I can see.

“Are you scared of me so much that you can’t even show your face to me?”

He laughs again.

“Me? Scared of you? Should I be?” I glared at him. “You are nothing but a little girl to me, princess.”

“Then why can’t you show your face?”

I heard him give a low snarl, “You want to see me?”

“It’s the least you can do for making my life a living hell!” I pushed myself up to stand, holding on to the metal bars for support.

“Making your life a living hell?” he gives a sarcastic laugh.

“You killed my parents and my friends!” I shouted, “You have taken me away from my mate and brother! You took away a chance for me to live!”

“And your kind has imprisoned me to this life!” he walked up to me, slamming his fist on the cage walls.

I gasped and moved back to see his face. There were three scars from his left temple down across his face reaching his right cheek. One was stitched close.

“This is what I have to look at every day, I walk down the street and people whisper.” He sneered, “My men criticized me after your father did this and I had to kill them to ensure my position!”

I pulled the remaining courage I had and stepped up, “That wasn’t our choice!”

“He slashed my face on purpose!”

“To save himself!”

“To save my son!” he shouted. “It was my father who was the hunter, not me! I didn’t want to be one of them, I didn’t want to be barbaric-“

“Then why are you doing this?!”

“Revenge!” he says, “I protected my son and succeeded, unfortunately, he didn’t.”

I shook my head and walked up at him, facing him leaving only an inch between us. “Let me out, you have had your revenge.”

“No.” he says through his teeth, “My revenge will be to see every last one of your kind dead.”

“Then you will be dying a disappointed man,” I said smugly, “I promised to give up in exchange for their safety.”

He laughs, “You think I would listen to you little girl?”

“You should.” I said, crossing my arms over my chest, “To hurt me is to hurt what they believe in, that would mean your death.”

Then he smirked, “Who said anything about hurting you?” he reached into the cage and roughly cupped my face with his hand, “You are our little bait, princess.”

I stopped and stared at him.

“Yes, that’s right.” He says, pushing me back, making me fall back on the cold iron bar floor of the cage. I hissed in pain, hitting my back and elbows to break my fall.

“You little princess will be my bait,” he says. “I’m sure, by now, everyone is looking for you, and just imagine with the reward your brother and mate will give, I’m sure many will be tempted to look for you.”

I squinted my eyes again, as the bright light hovered over me.

“Rogue, mated, alpha or whatnot, I don’t care.” He says, “You are one and the same. I will have you killed.”

“I will not help you-“

“It's not like you have a choice princess.” He says, “It’s not like you have a choice.”

I frowned, “What do you mean?”

He squatted again, “You still have your brother out there, and your mate, then there are your friends…”

My eyes widened realizing what he meant.

“I think I’d like to start with your brother and his new mate.” He says.

Anna, I thought.

“Word is they have mated already,” he says, “celebrating after just a week of your abduction and your parents’ death. Seem you’re not that important after all.”

“A week?”

He chuckles, “Yeah, sorry about that, I almost forgot.” He says, “You’ve been out for a week and a half now. I needed to sedate you or you would never stop crying like your first night.”

My first night?

“I know you probably don’t remember it, but don’t worry, that’s just side effects.” He stood up with a sigh. “So if I were you, move on. Your family had obviously had, it’s just a matter of time before your mate does the same.”

“No.” I said firmly, “He will never do that.”

He gave a snort, “He wouldn’t do it freely, but then, if he feels that you have betrayed him…”

Shiver ran through my spine, this time I feared for myself.

“That’s right, be scared, I have your life in my hands.”

“I will not let you control me.”

“I don’t need to. You will do it freely. In exchange for your family’s safety…” he paused, “and your innocence.”

I didn’t move from where I was, trying to hold the remaining sanity I had.

“You wouldn’t’ want me to take it do you?” he asks playfully, “Wouldn’t want the remaining bond to your mate to be gone.”

A lump built in my throat and I pushed it down, no longer caring if he sees the pain and fear in my eyes.

“I’d take your silence as you agreeing with me.” I hear him walking toward the door, “Do what I say and your family and mate or even you would have no problem. I can’t say the same for the others though.”

He stifled a laugh before stepping out of the room closing the lights behind him and slammed the door shut.

I leaned on the iron bars and hit the back of my head with it.

It can’t get any worse right?

That’s what I thought until the door burst open again and three men step inside. One held keys to the cage and stepped inside.

“What are you doing?” I asked, moving away from him.

He grunts and grabbed me by the arm. I struggled against his hold and kicked him away.

“Bitch…” I hear him say and he grabbed me again, this time, by the arm and a fistful of hair. Then he shoved me up the metal bars and pressed me there.

I felt another hand grab my arm, I looked down and saw that he was holding something shiny.

“What- what are you doing?” I struggle out of his hold. “What the h*ll are you doing?!”

“Just a little downer sweetheart, to shut you up.” he says and inserted the needle in my arm. “It’ll help with the pain.”

I bit my lip fighting off the pain of the needle, he didn’t’ actually have a doctor’s hand, and the cold liquid he was forcing into my system.

By the time that he emptied the syringe, my sight was blurry and everything went black.

I woke up screaming and soaked wet, my body was aching more than ever.

With blurry sight I looked around, I was still inside the cage.

“You ass hole.” I hear a guy say, “You’ll get her sicker than she already is.”

I’m sick? I thought.

The gates open and a man holding a tray and a cloth hanging over his arms walked over to me.

“Dim the light.” My eyes adjust to the light and saw a man stand in front of me. “You ok?”

Noticing how close he was I tried to move away, but I was too weak.

“Shit, your freezing.” He said under his breath, he set down the tray and wrapped me with a blanket. “Get her some clothes and two more blankets.”

“But-“

“Now!”

I kept my eyes on him, seeing how the guard hurriedly follow his orders, he must be someone important.

“Sorry about that.” he said, “My dad’s men are stupid.”

“D-dad?”

He forced another smile, “The guards said you met him, the one with a scar?”

I remembered his face and his voice in an instant, but seeing the boy in front of me, it was hard to believe that he was a son of such a monster. He helps me up and set me against the wall.

“I’m sorry…” I whispered.

He gave me a surprised look, “For what?”

“H- he said…” I took a deep breath, calming myself down. “Y-your fa-ther s-said that i-it w-was m-my d-dad tha-at pu-put you in d-this sit-sit-sit-a-tion.”

“Calm down princess…”

“S-serenity…”

“Huh?”

“M-my name i-is S-Serenity.” I repeated.

“Oh, well, Serenity.” He smiles, “Thank you, but I don’t think that your apology will make my father change his mind.”

“I know…” I said, “I… I J-just th-thought its p-proper…”

“Its ok, Serenity…” he says, the door burst open again this time two men entered, one was the scarred man.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“She’s sick.” The man in front of me stood up, “It's one thing that you keep someone hostage, but it's another to let her sleep on cold metal bars and don’t feed her. From the looks of it, she might have hypothermia, then again, it’s a surprise she hasn’t starved to death being stuck here with no food for three weeks.”

“Th-three weeks?” I repeated, surprised.

“Yes three weeks.” the younger man glared at his father with disapproval, “They’ve been drugging you since you got here, stuck dextrose on you so you won’t starve, but that can only do so much.”

“She’s a shifter, she’ll survive.” His father says.

“She’s also half-human, and seeing that you have stopped her from shifting with all these silver around her, I doubt that she can heal herself.”

His father groans, “Would you also want to give out our location so she can tell her wolf friends where to find us?”

He glanced at me, this time giving me a genuine smile. “I don’t think she’s stupid enough to do that, dad.” He says, “She made a deal with us, and a princess keeps her word, am I right Serenity?”

I was so enticed with his eyes that I nodded. He gave a weak nod, and picked up the tray and sat Indian style in front of me.

“You are being stupid Rham-“

“I’m not the one with a girl in a cage.” He says as he picked up the tray and set it on his lap.

“Fine!” his father shouts, “Be friends with the enemy! Like I care!”

“You never did.” I hear the man in front of me said in almost a whisper.

The man with a scar stormed out of the room while the guard with him stepped into the cage and dropped the clothes and blanket beside me.

“Thank you.” I said.

The guard glared at me and grunted.

“You can go.” Rham says to the guard. The guard gave me one last look and left the room.

Rham gave a sigh of relief and smiled at me, as he hand me a bowl of soup.

“You must be hungry.” He said.

I gave a weak nod and reached for the bowl. Instantly I drank the steaming soup and felt warmer in an instant. I heard him chuckle and I peeked over the bowl.

“I’m sorry, that was rude of me, would you like some?” I asked.

“Its good, these is for you, actually.” He said, lifting the tray a bit to show me the food he brought. “I’m sorry for the lame accommodation.”

I grinned, “Well, the attention is enough, I’m not one to complain.”

He laughs again, “By the way, I’m Rhamseey.”

“Like the Egyptian pharaoh?” I asked.

He chuckled again and nodded, “Yes, like the Egyptian pharaoh.”

I nodded and continued to drink the soup.

“Aren’t you doubtful that your food is drugged or poisoned?” he asked.

I stared at him, then at the food, then back at him and shook my head. He raised a brow not voicing out his curiosity. So I set down the bowl on my lap as I leaned back on the cold bars.

“My best friend once told me that if in need of help, never doubt the person who helps you.” I smiled remembering Liam’s words after I pushed away a boy who wanted to help me out of the puddle that some boy pushed me into. “That I should let trust take over, even just for a minute, and when fear over comes doubt, bail.”

Well, he was right, cause when I did finally accept the boy’s help he dropped me back on the puddle, and laughed at me again. Liam took care of him of course.

Rham laughed, “For someone who has been captured, you are very calm.”

“You sound like you’ve had your fair share of abduction.” I teased, yes, I was fooling around with the son of my kidnapper.

“I try not to, but if I don’t, there’ll be more deaths in my hand than living.” He said, I gave him a questioned look, “I’m a pre- med student.”

“Oh…”

He grinned, “Oh is right, that was why I was surprised to find out that my father kidnapped a girl and hid her in the basement and in a cage. Like you can hurt a fly.”

I stifled a laugh and shook my head, “I wasn’t kidnapped, you can say I am here against my will, but I didn’t really put up a fight when they took me. I came willingly.”

He frowned, “Why?”

I gave him a forced smile, “You know who I am Rham.” I said. “I’m the supposed Daughter of the Moon, the one who will protect my kind from all forms of danger to avoid extinction.”

He sat up, “You mean you really are…” I nodded, “I thought they got the wrong girls again.”

“Again?”

He shrugged and looked away, “You said it yourself, I’ve had a lot of experience with kidnapping, but I can’t believe they got the right one now.”

“You better believe it.” I said as I drank the last drop of soup.

“Why?” he asked, “Why come in your free will?”

I set down the bowl beside me, and stared at my lap. “Cause I had more to lose.” Memories of the last night with my family and Eric ran through my mind- the corpse, the smell of blood and death, the quick view of my parents’ body, lifeless. I closed my eyes shaking away the memories. “They killed my parents, my friends… I can’t let them kill my brother and mate too… and Liam…”

I remember his last touch, when he took that bullet for me. I felt my eyes water and tears that had been fighting to pour out were freed.

“They’re all dead because of me…” I sobbed.

“Serenity, I’m sorry…”

I shook my head and wiped away the tears. “Maybe your dad was right, if my dad didn’t attack him-“

To my surprise Rham snorted. “It was far from attacking.”

“What?”

He sighed and looked around, as if checking if someone can eavesdrop.

“We were out in the woods, camping.” He said, “I was only six that time, it was just me, my mom, dad and grandfather. As usual, grandpa and dad were fighting because dad still refuses to take over as the hunter’s leader. I was bored, so I went and wander off.” He grinned, “I was acting out like I was an explorer, when I realized that it was getting dark, I looked around and our camp was no where to be found. So I walked some more, finally I gave up and cried. That’s when I saw him, the big silver wolf with your eyes.”

He smiled, as if he was fond of the memory, “He knelt down and nudge me with his nose, he scared me for a second, until he rolled on the ground like a little dog.” I chuckled and imagined my dad’s huge wolf doing just that. “So I began to play with him, a few minutes later he gestured for me to ride him, I did and he run through the forest as if there were tracks telling him where to go, finally, we reached the camp sight, and there was my mom, hysterical. My grandpa and dad were loading the guns, I called out to them.” I frowned, the story would not end good, I knew it. I saw it on Rham’s father’s face.

“He walked into the clearing, and helped me down, showing that he was harmless.” He said, “But then my stupid grandfather had to go crazy and raise his gun and shoot. Your father, saved my life so many times that night, he pulled me out of the bullet’s way and pushed me toward my mother’s arms.” He frowned, “My dad misunderstood and thought that he was going after me and my mom, so he shot him again. I ran out of my mom’s hold and run to the wolf, the same moment my father made a shot, my mother reached me in time and shielded me from the bullet, it killed her instantly. From that point on, it was chaos, my father was in rage, shooting at the wolf, he pulled out a knife and attacked him, along with my grandpa…” he paused and I looked up at him, “your dad was just protecting himself. That scar was caused by my grandpa’s stupidity.”

“Well, if that’s the case, then why didn’t you tell them?” I asked.

“I did,” he groaned, “many times. But they wouldn’t listen. My grandfather died making my dad swear to get revenge for my mother’s death and that scar he had gotten.”

I looked away, not knowing what to say anymore.

“I wouldn’t be surprise if you are angry with me Serenity,” he says, “this misunderstanding is all my fault and-“

“It isn’t Rham.” I said, “It isn’t, and I’m not blaming you for anything either. It was your father’s belief that caused all these, you didn’t do anything.” I forced a smile, “For all we know, you might have actually saved me from an untimely death with your blanket and food.”

He chuckled and nodded, “Thank you.”

“Thank you for telling me the truth.” I said.

“You deserve it.” he looks around the cage, “Especially after three weeks of jail time, prisoners have better accommodations.”

I grinned, “Again, I’m not one to complain.” He grinned and nodded, “So, is that why you are helping me out? Cause you think it’s your fault?”

“Something like that.” he said.

“Well, I doubt that you’ll be helping me escape,” I said, “so let’s call it a truce from here.” I lent out my hand. He stared at it for a second, “I won’t shift on you, like you said, there’s too much silver here.”

He nods and shook my hand, “I thought that silver weakens you.”

“Only when used correctly.”

“SO this is incorrect?”

I raised a brow, “You fishing there, doc? Or are you planning to weaken me if I answer back?”

He laughs, “What can I say? Your kind fascinates me.”

“Hope I can say the same for your kind.” I said picking up a plate of food from the tray and continued to eat, while Rham stayed and kept me company.

I knew better than to be friends with him, but it was what I needed right now.

After about an hour the door slammed open and we both looked up and saw two guards enter the room.

“What do you want now?” Rham asked.

“The boss wants to see her.”

“What for?”

“None of your damn business brat.” One guard says and push him aside, then grabbed me roughly on the arm.

“Hey, let go!” I snapped hitting him on the head.

But he just shook me roughly, making me dizzy. Then I felt a strong tug on my ankle making me scream in pain. The idiot seemed to have forgotten the shackles on my ankle, idiot.

“Hey, stop that!” Rham says, hitting the guard on the nape and taking me out of his hold. “You may not think highly of me as the heir around here, but I still am, you got that?”

The guard grunted and glared at him then walked ahead.

Rham shook his head, and told the guard to remove the shackles.

“We can’t Rham.” The other guard says, “Your dad’s orders is to always keep a silver on her.”

Rham turned to me apologizing with his eyes. I nodded, and I lent out my hand and locked it together with silver shackles that was tied with a chain to the ones on my ankles.

“God, I feel like Anne Frank.” I murmured.

“This would be a bit better than that.” Rham says with a reassuring smile.

I nodded then he helped me out of the cage and up the stairs. The guards lead us to a room on the second floor where Rham’s father sat in front of a TV, waiting.

He turned to us with a smirk.

“Ah, there is our special guest.” He says, sarcasm oozing from every word. “I hope my son showed you enough hospitality to last you a lifetime princess.”

“He did, thank you.”I said.

“Hm, maybe I should feed you often, takes away that angry look…” he tips his head, “you look prettier.”

I frowned and stepped back, and felt Rham behind me.

“Stop scaring her dad.” Rham says.

“Well, what’s the point of being her kidnappers if I’d be soft?” he snorted, “I’m not running a charity house here Rham.”

“Just give the girl a break, ok?” Rham shrugged and lead me to the love seat and away from his dad. “Why did you call for her here anyway?”

“Well, I have news for her.” he says simply. “You don’t think I’m so heartless that I won’t update you of your brother, the new king, and his business.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

He grimaced and switched on the television. I turned to it and my eyes widened. I was watching a big party in the Montgomery house. They were all drinking and laughing.

“At first I thought they were planning to call war, when a lot of alphas arrived, but then, I found out that…” he fast forward the video tape and mouth dropped open.

“With this ring, I take thee as my wife, the mother of my children and my heir, my console and my home, to provide for and keep safe. I promise these, with Mother Moon as my witness.” I caught him glance behind Anna and frowned.

But Anna reached for his face, and gave him a reassuring smile.

“With this ring, I accept thee as my husband, the father of my children, my strength and my home, my provider and my only love. I promise these, with the Mother Moon as my witness.”

I caught Siam smile and beam with pride. I caught myself laughing with happiness, the first time that I’ve felt since I woke up.

I stared at the video as it continues to the celebration, they were laughing and then I saw the boys and Eric.

Eric. My heart gave a strong thug, and a shiver ran up to my spine.

“So that’s him?”

I turned to the scarred man with wide eyes.

“That’s your mate isn’t it?”

I turned to look at Eric who was looking melancholy as he watch Anna and Siam dance. I wanted to shout to the world that he is mine, my mate, the love of my life, but I knew better.

“No.” I said, closing my eyes, closing my fist, and fighting the pain that came along with the lie. “No he isn’t.”

“No? Are you sure?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Well, maybe you can check-“

“I’m sure.” I snapped. “The one you shot, he was my mate!”

I covered my mouth with my hands, shocked of what I have done.

“Oh, well…” he says, “that’s a bummer… but shouldn’t you be in pain or something?”

I turned to him with a glare that I wish would haunt him in his sleep, “Who said I wasn’t?”

“Feisty,” he says, “I like it.”

“Serenity…” I hear Rham call, but I just looked away, sending some silent message to Eric that he was still the one my heart longs for.

“I would like to go back to my cage now.” I said.

“Would you now?” Rham’s father asked. “Are you sure, cause the party had just began…”

He played again and I turned to the television and had to look away again. It was dark but the sound of the pleading and moaning was more than enough for me to know what this video was.

“Anna…” my eyes widened realizing who the people on the video were.

“Siam, do it again…” I heard Anna say.

“Stop it.” I said, shaking. “Please…”

“Why?” he laughs, “This is the best porn I’ve seen…”

“Stop it!” I shouted, and the television busted.

“What the f-“

I dropped on my knees, blocking away the memory and the sound. But nothing can help. It wasn’t the deed that was bothering me, well, ok, it bothered me a bit, I mean, that’s my brother and my best friend! C’mon! a girl has boundaries.

“Serenity, calm down…” I hear Rham kneel beside me.

“Stop it…” I said again, “Stop it…”

“You little piece of sh*t!” I heard a man growl, “You broke my television!”

I felt a hand grabbed my arm and forced me to my feet.

“Let her go, dad.” Rham snaps. But the guards with us held him down.

“That just proves that you are the Daughter of the Moon.” He sneered, “And you do have some kind of powers don’t you?” I didn’t answer, “Don’t you?!” he made me face him but I didn’t answer. “When you held them down wasn’t just alpha tone, that was your deity side speaking, wasn’t it?”

Deep down I feared what he would do if he finds out that I can control the shifters with just a command, but it never reflected on my face. I will die to keep my secret if I have to.

“Answer me!” he shouted on my face, but I just stared at him. “If that is how you want it, then be it. from now on you will follow every order that I give you, if you don’t I assure you that I will kill your love ones one by one.”

“You were able to come near to my family, why not ask them yourself?” I said, non-chalant.

“You think I wouldn’t?” he snaps. “With one word I can kill them all, your brother, his mate, your friends… your mate.” I frowned. “Hm, I see I’ve triggered an emotion.”

“Leave my family out of this.” I said.

“Then do as I bid.”

“No.”

He smirked and ran a hand down my arm, then my body, making me shiver, “You seem to be forgetting what we spoke about earlier…” he whispered, “You wouldn’t want me to cut that connection with your mate, would you?”

I struggled away from him and when I had enough space, I kicked him where the sun don’t shine.

“You b*tch!” he raised his hand and back slapped me. I felt my cheek heat up, the impact of his hit was strong enough to make me fall back and trip on my chains causing me to fall, I felt my shoulder hit the side of the table, smashing the glass on it, and the impact with the floor, worsen the pain.

I hear my self scream in pain as I roll over my good arm, lifting off the weight on my broken shoulder.

“That’s enough!” Rham shouted from across the room.

And as if his father not hearing anything he said, he pushed me with his feet and let me lay on my back, then he put a foot on my broken shoulder and slowly added pressure on it, making me scream in pain again.

“Tell me what I need to know!” he sneered.

“Just kill me, cause I won’t tell you anything!” I shouted at him, fighting off the pain.

He then raised his foot and dropped it on my stomach. I balled up in pain, my eye sight was now black and white.

“That’s enough!” Rham shouts again.

Then I felt his father grab my collar and pulled me up as if I weighed nothing. He left me hanging on air, like a rag doll.

“You wish for death, I can give you that.”

“Then do it.” I mumbled.

“Thank your creator that I need you more than you need me, cause I wouldn’t have hesitated on that offer.” With that, gave me another slap and dropped me on the floor. I rolled not knowing where the pain started and where it ended.

“Serenity!” I hear Rham say hovering over me, I flinched at his touch. “Shit, we need to get her to the hospital.”

“No!” his father hissed, “Let her die if that’s the only way she’ll learn her lesson.

“Are you crazy-“ I reached for his hand with my good arm and shook my head. He sighed and picked me up slowly, “She’ll stay in my bed room from now on, even after I leave, she will stay there-“

“You are in no-“

“And no one is allowed in there except the maid!” Rham snarled. “I swear father, I will no longer hide anymore deaths that you’ve committed if you harm her again.”

“Princess.” I hear his father call for me, “Remember, it’s your brother and his sister’s life if you don’t do as I say.”