BENJAMIN’S P. O. V.
Peter is visiting with the she-wolves, I thought I would head over too. I know it seems redundant, but there is a lot to go through. When I get there I start by asking where Peter is. I don’t want to be in the same area he is. That would be redundant.
He is in the main hall with those that don’t seem as traumatized. I decided to go to the area where the traumatized were. An assessment of their stability is needed. We also need to know what help they are going to need. I enter a hall where rooms of she-wolves have claimed rooms to themselves. I look in a few rooms and see them cowering in the dark. I find the first guard I come across. “Why are they in the dark?”
“That is the way they want it. They are scared shitless. I try to turn on the lights every hour or so, but they turn them back off. I think they want to make it seem like they are not here. They don’t want to be seen.” The guard looks concerned.
This I can’t fathom, they are rescued. Why wouldn’t they want to be seen? Then a faint smell of cherries and cream hits me. I have to follow it. I leave the guard without another word and head down the hall to the last room. The room on the right is just as dark as the other rooms, but the scent is stronger. I try to peek in the window to see what is in there, but this room seems even darker than the others. It would seem that she even blocked the windows so that light couldn’t get in.
What the hell happened to these girls? I can’t turn away from that scent. It is like it is pulling me in. I open the door and step in. “Hello.” I am enveloped in darkness. I look at the door window and it is blocked too. No wonder I couldn’t see in here. “I am not going to hurt you. Can you hear me? I don’t have to turn on any lights if that is what you want. I don’t even have to see you, can you just talk to me?”
I wait in silence for what seems like an eternity. Then, “I don’t want to be seen. It is better that way.”
“Do you know who I am?” I try to feel around for somewhere to sit. I don’t want to seem intimidating to her. With my wolf sight I can see a bit, but it is still a bit difficult.
“You… You… are my mate.” She sounded even more scared of the prospect. Her voice, as sweet as it did sound to my ears, was heartbreaking. I didn’t want her to be scared of me.
“Yes. I am not going to hurt you. I just want to see what I can do to help you.” I finally found some soft surface that seems solid enough to sit on. I think it is a desk chair. I sit down and hear her sigh.
“How can I be sure you aren’t going to hurt me? They said they weren’t going to hurt me either. As long as I did what they said.”
“I am not asking you to do anything. I only want to help.” I try to keep my voice calm and even. It is really difficult since all I want to do is kill the bastards that did this to her.
“Can you give me some time?” She sounds desperate this time, like she is scared that I will reject her if she doesn’t fall for me right now.
I am hurt, but I understand where she is coming from. “Alright, can I come back in a few hours? I can bring you anything that you would like.”
“I would like some food. I am pretty hungry. They had some in here earlier, but I am still hungry.”
“What would you like to eat?”
“I like just about anything. I guess my favorite is burgers, am I asking too much. I am being too needy aren’t I?” She seems like a reserved person.
“No, no, not at all. I will get you anything. Can I ask you something?”
“OK.” She said it really slowly like she was afraid of what I would ask.
“Well, two things actually. One, what is your name? And two, why does everyone want the lights off?” Both questions I desperately wanted to know.
“My name is Kara. We like the lights off, because that is one of the ways they would break us. They would put us in rooms with the brightest lights possible, and leave us for days. We couldn’t rest. All we could do was cringe and wait for dark.”
“Thank you Kara. Would you like me to bring the food right back or would you like me to wait for a while?”
“I am really hungry, I know it is asking a lot to have you bring it right back, but I would really like it if you did.”
“You could never ask too much. I will be right back.” I smiled at her, even though I know she can’t see me. I know it is going to be a long road, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to make her happy.