Trenton
"What is this crap?" I scowled down on my naked chest, seeing the number thirty imprinted on my skin in an intricate design. "30? What the fuck did you do to me? And where the hell is Ariel? And for that matter, where the fuck am I?"
Scar-man just watched me calmly as I fired question after question at the bastard. It was strange really. After spending so long in this hell hole, I still didn't know the name of Lucius' father, the man with the ugly scar etched on his face.
"One question at a time boy," Scar-man quipped easily before leaning against the wall in the...honestly I didn't even know what this place was anyways. "Which question would you like me to answer first?"
"Where's Ariel?" I gritted out, worry and confusion twisting inside of me. The last thing I remembered was David trying to hack my arm off with that deadly sword of his. By the time I was coherent of my thoughts, I found myself here in this tomb like death trap, which smelt like someone died in here.
It looked like a cave. A long, dark cave that looked like it had no ending to it. The only source of light was a torch placed on the other side of the wall. It was so dark in here that it was hard to see and this is considering the fact that I was a damn werewolf.
"She's with my son for now," he responded, flickering imaginary dust off his dress pants. "From my understanding, you'll be seeing her shortly."
"What does he want from her?" Anger and worry for my mate collided within me. "Is she hurt?"
"Probably by the time my son is done with her," he said softly. "It was foolish of her to bargain with the book. I don't know how she knew about it but that book will not help her. It won't open to just anyone."
I remained silent because what he was saying was wrong. That book did open. I don't know how though but it did open during our fight with the Sherman brothers.
"What's this number on my chest for?" I asked, changing the subject instead. If they don't know about the book opening on its own, then I'm not going to volunteer any information to him of all people. "You do know I'm still under-aged. I think I need a few more years until I can legally get a tattoo."
Scar man snorted, rolling his eyes upward. "Kidnapping is illegal last time I checked. But yet you're still here, boy."
"Touché," I muttered back, scowling down at the numbers again. "What the hell does this number even mean? The number of girls that broke up with your ugly ass?"
"It's called a Eno," he answered, dismissing my words. "It's a spell that you'll understand soon enough."
"A what?" I narrowed my eyes at him.
"It's a spell, dumb-ass," a new voice came from the opposite of the room we were in. I stiffened hearing the arrogant tone of the voice that belonged to the pompous jackass. "A spell that'll lead to your demise."
My eyes widened, not because of his words but because of my mate nestled dangerously in his arms.
Jealousy, a new unwarranted feeling, burned within me but I kept it at bay.
His scent was all over her but it wasn't just the mixed scent that was off. Her whole body was marred with red bruises and her eyes...
"What did you do?" I breathed out, staring in her different colored eyes, willing her to look at me. Her beautiful eyes were open but they were vacant. It was like she wasn't even there anymore.
I felt my wolf stir, wanting to be let out. That fucking bastard. He'll pay for what he did to our mate.
"Well, this is a wonderful surprise," Lucius' father said, walking towards my mate. He brushed her hair back gently before placing a kiss on her forehead. My stomach churned. "The poor girl, Lucius. You could've at least been gentle with her."
I watched in horror, not believing what I was seeing. "You're sick. How can you do this to her? What the fuck is wrong with you? What the hell is wrong with the both of you?"
"I needed to break her," Lucius responded, gazing softly at Ariel, making my skin crawl. "And I did. But unfortunately for her, her punishment is not quite over yet."
"Stop it," I whispered, staring at my mate in his arms. "You did enough."
Look at me. Just please, look at me. Blink. Cry. Do something.
Anything.
"Take her," Lucius said, throwing her in my arms in a harsh motion. I scrambled to catch her, desperate to not cause her any more pain than what she already was in."She'll pay her punishment in here with you."
"What do you mean?" I yelled, tapping Ariel's face for a reaction. "What the hell are you talking about? Stop talking in riddles, dammit!"
"Until the Eno is complete, she'll remain in the catacombs with you," Lucius said, nodding at his father to leave. "It'll be her punishment to see you wither away. In the meantime, I have an army to build and a royal family to destroy."
"Hey," I muttered, watching him leave the cave as well. "Where are you going? You're not going to leave us in here, are you? It smells like a graveyard in here. And what about Ariel? What about the profound love you have for her? Huh? Answer me!"
My shout resonated against the dark walls, making it an echo in the space we were in.
"I'll see her soon," Lucius replied, his footsteps fading away. "But as for you, I bid you a farewell. It was nice knowing you, but then again, maybe not."
"Lucius!" I shouted, my arms firmly gripping my mate in my arms. "You fucking bastard! Come back here."
A loud thud was the only sound I heard and I knew instantly, we were alone again.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I slowly looked down at Ariel in my arms and I shuddered, thinking of the last time a girl was in my arms. Only that time, the girl had straight brown hair and grey eyes. The situation was too painstakingly similar though.
Fuck that. My hands curled into fist, squeezing her impossibly closer to my body. I'm not going to let that happen again.
"Ariel?" I asked, shaking her body slightly, tears welling up in my eyes. "I know you're frightened but I need you with me right now, Angel." I felt tears slowly sliding down my cheeks and saw it land it on her soft, pale cheeks.
When was the last time I cried, damn it.
Even with my pleas, I knew it fell on deaf ears. Her body was so chilled and I knew that whatever that sick bastard did to her affected her so much that she went into a withdrawn state.
I hugged her close, using my body to warm her. It was all I can do at the point. I was never good with words. Especially when it came to her.
That was Arlo and Orion's job.
"I'll protect you though," I whispered to her, checking her pulse to make sure it was still beating. So much anger and disgust were boiling within me but I had to push it away. Ariel needed me. "I failed Charlene but I won't fail you. Especially after everything you did for me when I deserved none of it."
***
It was some time later did I learn what the Eno spell even meant. In hindsight, I shouldn't have expected anything else from a Shard.
Two days later, Ariel became coherent again and by that time, the 30 number on my chest changed to 28.
A day later it became 27.
Eno spelled backwards was "one". And if I was correct, based on the number, the spell represented one month. I chuckled without humor when I figured out that piece of the dumb puzzle.
The bastard intended to keep us in this cave for a month. And though someone slid some food into the cave every once in a while, it certainly was not enough to keep us strong and fit. We were barely surviving.
But that was the point, for me anyways. My death has been sealed because I knew that the spell meant even more for me though. One month left to live.
Well now 27 days, if I wanted to be precise.
I looked down and saw my mate curled up beside me, her fingers slowly stroking my arm in random patterns. My arms curled around her more tightly and I sighed, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead.
Ariel became a different person in the tomb. Vulnerable and fragile like a doll, even more so than before. I knew what Lucius done to her caused irrevocable damage within her and I knew I had to change for her. After all, I was her mate.
As the days went by, together in this tomb, we became closer than we ever were before.
Shocking really, due to the fact that during the time I spent with her in the basement, I had nothing to say to her. Nothing in common with her to talk about.
But now, all we did was talk and more.
I was her comfort, her protector...the one she cried to in her sleep and the one she used so that she could take out her pain. I learnt more about her than I ever knew possible.
And she learnt the same about me.
From our packs to our loved ones, there were no more secrets between us, well all except one that is.
When she questioned me about the numbers on my chest, I told her it was a countdown to how long we had to spend together in the cave.
She didn't know that I had less than a month left to live and I promised myself that she'll never come to know about that part of me.
And it was not only to spare her from the guilt and pain that she'll be bound to feel, but also because I finally learnt the truth about the book meshed in chains.
It took some time for me to coax the truth out of her. She was stubborn and went mute every time I mentioned the black book, but in the end she'd broken down and told me, before grabbing my leg and begging for forgiveness.
I forgave her of course. How could I not?
But it was at that moment, I made up my mind. If what she said was true and the book can be used to destroy Lucius, then I was one hundred percent on board with it. Even if it meant my death.
It was my way for atoning for my past mistakes; for Charlene's death.
Because if what she said is true, then one month from now when someone opens the tomb door again, my Ariel will be ready for battle.
I taught her a lot about the packs, their history and the wars that took place in the past. I gave her information about battle tactics, military strategies, and hidden secrets of the Supernatural world.
I might never have shown it, but Arlo was not the only nerd in the group. My dicktorian father drilled my brother and I with everything he knew to ensure that his successors will be mini versions of him. That asshole.
Ariel listened to my words without missing a beat, taking great interests in everything I had to say.
I fell in love with her and I knew she felt the same. It was bound to happen. We were fated mates after all. The bond was too sacred to ignore and deny, especially when locked up together in a cave.
I started to wonder how it would've played out if Ariel and I met outside in the real world, under regular circumstances.
Would our mate bond have flourished or would it have crashed and burned? At this point, it didn't matter anymore.
Halfway into the month, I gifted her with my chain around my neck, something I swore I would never do. But times have changed and the chain that I once wore, that was given to me by late mother, was now worn by Ariel.
It was the last gift my mother gave me on her deathbed, before succumbing to the injuries caused by a Rogue attack.
It was a parting gift, one she did not know the meaning of just yet. It was a simple chain with the letter "T" as the pendant.
She doesn't know it yet but the chain also gave another meaning.
It signified that she was mine. And even after my death, it's my way of showing her that I'll be there for her every step of the way in defeating Lucius and whatever sick plan he has for the Supernatural world.
"I love you, Trenton," Ariel whispered to me from beside me. She cuddled closer to my body and I pressed a hard kiss on her lips.
"I love you too," I whispered back, giving her a tight squeeze. I watched her breaths even out and I knew she was fast asleep."You'll get through this, Ariel. I'll see to it."
***
Time went by fast or maybe it went slow.
Hard to tell.
During the time, Ariel bloomed from a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly that flew so high that made me want to fly too.
But I knew I couldn't because before I knew it, the number on my chest decreased to a measly 3.
Three more days until the spell is complete. And I knew it was coming. My body was becoming sluggish and my mind disorientated with my surrounding sometimes. It felt like my body was being eaten alive from the inside.
Ariel was suspicious about my deteriorating health but I always distracted her with other things to keep her mind off it.
However now that my time is almost over, it was time to tell her everything. It pained me that the truth was going to hurt her but I had to get her to see the bigger picture.
It was now time for the real battle to start but before that, there was something I wanted to do.
Something personal and intimate and completely natural between two fated mates.
Or that's what my mother used to say when she talked about her love for my douche bag of a father. But that's besides the point as I do love Ariel, more than I ever thought possible.
But still...I have an ego.
And that ego is demanding that I don't die a virgin.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHPLafNAPV
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