Walking toward Dave, who had begun to hyperventilate, Aiden enjoyed how desperately Dave struggled to crawl backward.
The sound of Dave’s erratic breathing, those shallow gaps punctuated by panicked whimpers, were all like music to Aiden’s ears. And it was time for him to dance to that music.
Dave’s wrists were useless in helping him move. Instead, he used his elbows to try to crawl, pushing himself weakly against the cold floor.
The cold floor bit his skin, sweat dripping down his forehead, as his eyes darted around the cell in a frenzy, searching for salvation.
“P-please Alpha Aiden… d-don’t,” he whimpered, his voice breaking as he still tried to push himself farther away from a deadly Alpha who kept walking toward him.
“P-please,” Dave whimpered, the sound of his body dragging across the floor pitiful.
But Aiden had gotten closer now, towering above him. His expression was cold, chilling, as he looked at Dave, savoring the fear radiating off him. And sincerely, with the whole crawling and trying to get away from Aiden, Dave did not seem to have moved that much. It was just Aiden letting him think he could find whatever salvation he sought.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Dave screamed, his elbows scraping raw against the stone as he tried to push himself faster, sobbing desperately as he begged. “Please… I’m sorry.”
Aiden titled his head slightly, his lips curling into a faint smirk, but he said nothing. He let Dave’s cries fill the room, exhaustion evident on Dave’s body as Dave finally collapsed, and looked up at Aiden with wide, tear-filled eyes.
Aiden reached down silently, his fingers curling around Dave’s left foot, and the knife in his hand ready to taste blood.
Dave tried kicking wildly, his other leg flailing in a desperate attempt to free himself, but Aiden’s grip was so much stronger.
“No, don’t! You can’t, please, DON’T!” Dave’s screams echoed off the stone walls, but Aiden didn’t flinch.
The only thing Aiden did was let the tip of the blade slice cleanly into the soft flesh near Dave’s ankle. A precise cut around the joint.
Blood oozed from the wound, staining the knife and pooling on the floor, and as expected, Dave’s screams came. His screams turned guttural, the sound ripping from the depths of his being. His head thrashed from side to side as Aiden twisted the ankle, the sickening pop of bone snapping filling the cell.
At this point, Dave was not sure of how to cry, what sounds to make. Everything happening to him right not caused him so much pain that his brain was not working anymore. And what worsened it, was how quiet Aiden was.
Ignoring Dave’s screams and thrashing, Aiden moved to the other foot, unfazed. His hand gripped the second ankle tightly as he repeated the same process. Cut through the flesh, twist sharply, and dislocate the joint.
“No more…I can’t take it. No more, please!” Dave screamed, although his screams grew hoarse. His throat was now too strained from the efforts he put into his screams.
Dave collapsed onto his stomach, unable to move his legs which now mirrored his wrists- laying at grotesque angles behind him.
Aiden gripped the back of Dave’s head again after he was done with his legs, but this time, he dragged Dave’s broken body across the floor, letting Dave’s stomach scrape against the cold, rough stone, leaving streaks of blood.
“Stop… please… stop…” Dave whimpered, his voice barely more than a whisper. “I regret… please…”
Still, with all that begging, Aiden said nothing.
Aiden’s face was impassive as he pulled Dave toward the far wall, then stopped abruptly and let go, allowing Dave’s battered body to slump against the wall. He propped Dave against the wall, adjusting his slumped body to sit upright, ensuring he would not collapse.
Dave’s head lolled weakly to the side, his chest rising and falling in shallow breaths as tears streamed down his face. His legs lay twisted unnaturally, the pain radiating from them evident on Dave’s face.
Getting him in that position, Dave’s teary eyes fluttered open, and how Aiden loved the terror he saw in those eyes.
Crouching down, Aiden brought himself to Dave’s level. He stared into Dave’s bloodshot eyes, his gaze cold and deadly. Slowly, he raised the knife, its blade slick with Dave’s blood, and used the flat side to lift Dave’s chin.
“You know,” Aiden finally spoke, his voice low and measured, “I wanted to know why.”
“Why did you do it?” Aiden asked, but there was a dark edge, maybe a promise of more pain to come.
Dave’s entire body trembled just by hearing Aiden speak. His swollen eyes were half-lidded, his lips quivered, with blood-streaked from where he had bitten down to muffle his cries.
“Speak,” Aiden commanded after giving him a moment, a dangerous calm that promised pain if his patience waned.
“I…I-” Dave’s cracked lips parted immediately as he struggled to form words, “I-”
But before another syllable escaped, Aiden moved. Quick as lightning, he swung the knife in a clean, precise slash across Dave’s upper arm.
Dave’s reaction was instant. A scream built in his throat but strangled halfway as if his voice had been stolen.
Dave’s mouth opened wide, but no sound came out.
“Now, that is for my mate, the rest…” Aiden said and then looked at Dave’s form, his legs, wrists, before continuing, “I’m sure you know where the rest are from.”
With that said, Aiden straightened, exuding authority and control. And, without sparing Dave another glance, he turned and strode toward the cell gate, but before he reached the cell gate, he picked up his gold statue which he had kept in a corner.
Reaching the cell gate, he gestured toward the guard from earlier who had returned to his post and ordered, “Bring him.”
“Yes, Alpha,” the guard replied, then stepped into the cell, before hoisting a battered Dave onto his shoulder.
Dave groaned weakly, his body limp and barely responsive. Blood dripped everywhere, although the guard didn’t mind as he followed Aiden out.
Aiden played with the knife in his other hand, holding the statue securely in the other, his posture relaxed as he walked.
“You,” Aiden said to another guard who was on duty in the dungeon. “Follow me.”
The guard immediately obeyed, falling into step behind Aiden. Together, the guards followed Aiden deeper into the dungeon.
As they went deeper, the air grew heavier- their path lit by dim torches. Soon, Aiden smiled.
Finally, they had arrived.