23

ELEANOR
I had now spent days and even more nights in this cold, smelly dungeon without food or even water, but that didn’t stop Zane from constantly visiting, making it a point to be around most of the time, wanting to engrave the fact that he owned me, body and soul, into my head and that without him, I would be dead.
Unsurprisingly, most of his visits ended with vile words being thrown around and even more vile actions towards my body. I’d lost count of the number of times he’d get so maddened by either my silence or continued retorts that he’d wrap his fingers around my neck, his grip growing tighter with a crazed look in his eyes the more I struggled and sometimes until I pass out and woke up to his absence and pain in my lower region which could only mean he’d had his way with me while unconscious.
Zane wasn’t just a monster. He was a psychopathic beast that no punishment on earth would be enough for him. He needed to be burnt alive and then continue to burn in hell, where he belongs, for all of eternity. And if I wasn’t aware of it before, I got even more cognizant of the reason why Zane had made sure to make my life a living hell and torment me unendingly. He was a control freak, the thought of even a single person deviating from the ass-kissing and groveling he was used to, pushes him to impossible edges and he would go to any lengths to correct that, which was what he made very clear he was going to do with me because I continued to refuse to bend to his whims and quiver at his feet.
He wanted me docile and pliant like the rest of his pack members and slaves, but I was not going to. More than anything else, one would think he would be aware of the fact that Alpha wolves would never be conditioned into becoming foot mats. If everyone else couldn’t stand up to him, I would in the way that I could and I do not plan on stopping until I walk away with my pack members while the wild animals feast on his corpse.
I have endured every punishment he sent my way so far, even going as far as threatening me with a blade after he’d forbade his guards from flogging me anymore because, for some reason, the scars no longer sat right with the sick bastard, but I handled even that pretty well, with the happy thoughts of finally getting my revenge kept me going.
‘Soon, very soon I will be out of this hellhole,’ I said to myself as I stared at the markings on the wall. It was the eleventh day today. Now, well, over a week and still unsure of how long he intended to keep me locked up because I refused to be one of those kissing up to him.
All through my stay here, I wondered if Clara and Jasmine were fairing well. I knew – and genuinely hoped that, by now, Jasmine would be all healed and on her feet again.
I had a lot of time to do some thinking and came to the conclusion that I couldn’t let any harm come to Jasmine and Clara anymore. I had to start doing everything and anything I could to protect them, especially after Zane’s threats.
The sound of the cell bars rattling had me hurriedly lifting my head, almost sighing in relief when Daniel, the gamma wolf in charge of guarding my cell, walked in. He was well the only sensible one out of all of Zane’s guards and it is safe to say we became friends during my unfortunate time here, but he couldn’t be caught breaking Zane’s rules, so he had to be extremely careful to not be seen being too friendly with me, but we made it work, thankfully.
“You look a mess Eleanor, how have you been coping?” He asks conversationally as he walks in closer to me.
“I’ve been worse, and you know that, Dan,” I chuckled unamusedly, and he shook his head. “I see you around an awful lot these days. Don’t you have any friends?” I ask, and he makes a small ‘tch’ sound.
“Of course I do.” He answers, and I hum.
“Then why are you always here standing and keeping watch over a locked cell? It’s not like I can walk through bars, you know? You should go do something fun, hang out with your friends more,” I suggested, and he smiled.
“You’re trying to kick me out of your cell and here I was thinking you might need some company so you don’t go out of your mind staring at these four walls all day” he joked, shaking his head and a weak smile crept unto my face.
“Thank you, thank you, kind Sir, for sparing some time from your busy day for me” I replied while smiling, and he did too, shifting on his feet and that was when I noticed something different, a bottle of some sort hanging from his belt.
“What’s that?” I asked, curious.
“Oh, water and it’s for you,” he replies, hurriedly taking it out as if just coming to the realization that he had it before stretching it toward me and my mouth hangs open before I whisper.
“Are you crazy!!! I know you are really thoughtful but you didn’t have to do this! What if Alpha Zane’s minions were to see you, you would be punished for bringing anything to me or worse, sentenced to death? I don’t want an innocent person d-”
“Dying because of me,” he completes in a high-pitched tone, and my hand flies to my chest in a mock offence before I scoff, exaggeratingly loudly.
“Don’t make fun of me, Daniel,” I retorted, and his nose scrunched cutely before he started to uncork the bottle.
“I wouldn’t dare. It’s just that you seem to say that particular sentence during every conversation ever since we started to talk, ” he stated matter of factly, and I sighed.
“And I mean it! You have a whole life ahead of you. Why waste it on someone like me?” I asked, and he shook his head before grabbing my hand and forcefully making me hold the bottle.
“First things first, I wouldn’t do things that I know would cost me my life because my life is precious, also Alpha Zane said you atleast need a drink so you don’t really die, and-”
“Is this poisoned?” I immediately interjected, frowning at the bottle.
“No, I got the water myself, and I do believe I have no reason to want to kill you,” he states.
“No, of course not. It’s just strange… he had instructed everyone not to give me even a drop of water and now, all of a sudden, he’s going back on his words and even his threats of wanting me to really die if I continue to disobey. That leaves room for suspicion,” I thought loudly, leaning back when Daniel suddenly leaned in with a wide grin.
“That’s because you are free, Eleanor. You’ve been so brave, and I’m so proud of you,” Daniel informed me, and I felt my brain short circuit as I stared blankly, struggling to process his words.
I was free from the dungeon? All of a sudden? Even after not complying, no matter what Zane said or did. This could be a sign of even greater impending danger, and I wasn’t sure how to take it.
“Huh. I thought you would be happy to hear the news and get to see the sunlight again, but it would seem I was wrong and you have gotten used to this dark room,” Daniel spoke once again, forcing me out of my thoughts.
“I- I”
“I understand the hesitation, but, we need to get moving, you have visitors waiting for you outside and you need to drink some water first” he informed me, nodding towards the bottle in my hand, and without a second thought, I immediately took a long swig from the bottle. It was expected for my stomach to hurt really badly since I’d been starving for over a week now, but I took it like a champ, my dry throat making sure we took everything the bottle had to offer.
When I was done, I immediately tried to get on my feet, stumbling right after and almost landing on the ground if it weren’t for Daniel who was quick to grab my arm and try to stabilize me before giving up on my wobbly frame and sweeping me into his arms to carry me bridal style.
“Put me down! You really do have a death wish, don’t you? Someone is going to see this, and you’re going to get reported!” I voiced, already looking around in panic and weakly trying to wriggle out of his surprisingly strong hold.
“You are weak Eleanor, you haven’t eaten in days and you weigh even lesser than a leaf would, so instead of complaining, how about you just say thank you and let someone help you out for once,” Daniel said, sounding resigned. And I bit my lips, feeling like a scolded child since Daniel was indeed right. I felt weaker than I actually ever had and his presence has really been the one thing keeping me sane these last few days, his warm words of encouragement, ever listening ears and continuous cheers for me despite never knowing what my real motives were served as a source of comfort and I really do owe him more than he probably knows.
Someday, I hope he will forgive me when he sees who my sword was targeted at.
When we got to the entrance, he helped me back to my feet and held me till it didn’t feel like I had jelly for feet and the loud screams from Clara and Jasmine had me acknowledging their presence, bringing a wide smile to my face.
“Thank you, Daniel. I really am thankful for all your help and hope I am able to repay you someday. I will be on my way now. ” I smiled, bowing in gratitude.
“Stay strong Eleanor and I hope I see you soon in better shape,” he replies, waving me off, and I wave back as I make my way to the open arms of Clara and Jasmine.
I felt the relief wash over me as I scrubbed the stomach-turning stench of the dungeon off my body, after which I was forced to eat and get my stomach filled by the girls which I was thankful for, regardless of my protesting stomach.
While conversing with the girls, I was handed an envelope, which I blinked before receiving. Sharing confused looks with Jasmine and Clara, I opened it and pulled out a note.
Take care of your wounds, and be sure to eat well. You need it.
Your friend, Dan.
It read, and I couldn’t help but smile as I read the note before peering back into the envelope to find some drugs and an ointment in it.
I was glad that I now had a new friend, and I hoped one day we wouldn’t have a reason to point our swords at each other.