Celeste's POV
Pain.
Pain pulsed through my entire body; it filled my veins like blood.
"Xavier?" I croaked. My first thought always reaches for him. Even in my moments of low awareness, I want for him.
I haven't heard Ancillary since they took me from the pack but I can feel her longing for him too. For my mate. It fills me almost as much as the pain.
No one responds.
My vision is blurred, something I'd grown used to. This time it felt different. Like a mist covering my eyes but not touching my skin. I blink several times, waiting for the dizziness that usually accompanies the action. It doesn't come. I hesitate before bringing a hand up to wipe at my eyes. The movement is sluggish; and my arm stings but it doesn't feel heavy. I'd grown used to the heaviness of my own body, I realize. An ache does form, greater than I've felt in awhile. It stretches across the muscles of my arm, accompanying the sting from my healing injury. My eyes hurt as I drag a fist over the lids but my vision clears. Clearer than I've felt in who knows how long.
White. I'm in a white room. "Lycer?" Confusion fills me as I take in a table full of vials and some sort of machine with a neck. There's another medical exam table, cold and calculating. And with straps. Straps where I'd imagine arms and legs would usually rest. Several shelves line the room, all of them with locks on them. Where am I?
The room is quiet and I realize that I've also grown used to the constant dripping of water that happens in the cell block. It's warmer here too. I close my eyes, basking in it. My toes and fingers don't ache with a chill. And I find myself grateful for it, beyond the worry of why I'm here.
I try to push myself up only to be pulled back at my right wrist. A hiss escapes me as my shoulder pulses with pain. I thought I had grown used to the pain inflicted on me on my first day here. The cuts along both arms had decently healed, a long trail of scar tissue still red and angry, but no longer open. The wound on my shoulder, however, regularly rips back open. It was getting better, Lycer had said. But it often bled in small amounts, and I was never able to raise my arm very high.
Looking down, my right wrist is held down by one of the straps; they're on this table too. There's a small lock on it. I turn it with my other hand; it would need a key.
"Hello?" My words come out practically clear, if not a little scratchy from my parched throat. My mind swims. The wolfsbane in my system must be fading. It's still there. I can feel it burning through my veins but the effects are low. How much longer until I can mind link? What will I say? I don't know where I am. I have no information we didn't already know back at the pack. The caves. . . We're in caves of some kind. Lycer said so. Maybe that will be enough to narrow down whatever Xavier has. Xavier. . .
The doorknob rattles. I hold my breath, waiting for whoever it is to make their entrance. I expect Malum, maybe one of his rogues. Instead, the person I hate most walks through the door.
Christopher is disheveled. Dirt mars his clothes, skin, and hair; though it looks like he tries to keep himself tidy. If I think hard about it, I don't think he's changed clothes many times. I can't decide if that means less time has passed than I guessed or if he just doesn't have many clothes to change between. He slams the door behind him, a kind of rushed jerk in his every move. His steps are quick and uncalculated. "You're awake." His words sound rushed too. I don't respond. I immediately let my form slump down onto the table, trying to make my eyes seem unfocused. If he can tell that I'm coming to, he'll drug me again.
He looks me up and down, my blood caked arms with several discolored spots of skin. I've lost weight, I know it. My camisole hangs looser on my shoulder than when I first arrived. His eyes land on my chest, no my necklace.
"Look," he starts, his voice in a panic. "I'm sorry." His eyes never leave my necklace as I eye him wearily. I don't respond. "I never meant for it to go this far. I never - I just wanted my mate back." I can't help the small glare that I shoot at him. "Lesa was - is," he's quick to correct. Too quick. "Lesa is my everything."
"Fuck you," I mumble. He steps closer to me. I flinch and he holds his hands up in a form of surrender.
"Listen, I just-" he eyes my necklace again before meeting my eyes. "I just need a favor from you." He eyes the necklace again. I'm quick to grab onto it.
"No," I genuinely croak. What I would do for a cup of ice water right now.
The necklace is warm in my hand. Every moment of consciousness, I've held on to it. I know it's just a gem from a shop but I bought it to remind me of Xavier. When the light shone on it through the window of the shop, it reminded me of the summer light reflecting through the treetops in the forests. Reminded me of how Xavier's eyes lit up every time we walked through the pack grounds together and he decided to show me a place I hadn't been to yet. Xavier. . . He's always been so steady, in my eyes. Even at his lowest moments, he always thought things through.
Think. Think, Celeste.
Why does he want it? What's his plan? My first thought is that he's going to sell it and buy his way out of here. It was expensive, sure, but I don't know how far it would get him. Or where he would run. Where would he run?
He said he wants Lesa back. Oh Goddess, he was going to try to get back to Lesa.
Maybe. . . If I let him take the necklace, he'll get it to Xavier somehow. Xavier would never take Christopher back into pack custody. But if Christopher sends the necklace back to him, however he does it, then Xavier can probably figure out where I am. I don't know how he'll track me down but I know he can. My Xavier can do anything.
"Listen," he hisses before clearing his throat. "Listen," he says calmer. "I can get us both out of here. You just need to give me your necklace."
I'll let him. But I can't make it seem that easy. I tighten my hold on the stone. I really don't want to let it go. It's brought me stability while I've been here. My lip wobbles. I shake my head.
"Just!" He staggers forward, putting his hand over mine. "Give it to me!"
"No!" He prys my fingers, putting a strain in my arms. I let out a genuine yelp, my shoulder beginning to burn. I lose my grasp on the stone. Pain briefly crosses my neck as he rips it from me. He stumbles back.
"Just, don't tell Malum." My hand lingers where the stone once sat. Somehow, some way, I feel cold without it. My shoulders slump and my eyes sting. He turns quickly and clumsily towards the door, hitting his hip on the table. The bump sends me for a jolt. I bite my lip as my shoulder slams back. The door slams before I can even look. And again, I'm alone in the sterile room.
I let my head fall back. And the tears begin.
'Xavier,' I try uselessly. 'I'm so sorry.' My shoulders shake with my cries. And every shake brings a burning sting to my right shoulder.
'Celeste!' I hiccup; looking up, confused.
"Xavier?" I didn't realize I'd gotten that bad. The wolfsbane must still be flowing through me. Either that or I fell asleep without realizing.
'Celeste, please tell me you're there.'
I pinch myself until it stings. 'Xavier?' I'm hesitant to link. I wait for the nausea. It doesn't come.
'Celeste,' he links with a slight laugh. 'Baby, it's really you.'
'Xavier.' I feel a wave of relief wash over me. 'Is this real?'
'Where are you?' There's a panic in his voice. 'I - I can't find you.' A grief fills his voice, a heaviness heavier than when Basil and Autumn died. Than when I accused him of not trusting me.
'I don't know,' I confess. Think, Celeste. Think. 'The caves!' Lycer had said. 'We're in a series of caves.' The door knob jiggles, like a key is put in a lock. 'Oh Goddess, Xavier. He's coming.' On instinct, I try to scoot away. Of course I can't. The restraint pulls at my arm.
'Celeste, it's okay!'
'Xavier,' I beg uselessly. 'Please.' I don't want to lose him.
The knob turns.
'I will find you.'
Malum comes through the door. "Oh good, you're alive." I say nothing. I've never really gotten to take him fully in. The wolfsbane has been constantly running through my blood since they took me. He's put together. More so than Christopher or the rogues I can somewhat recall. I wonder what their shower situation is here. "I apologise for Christopher's actions." He waits for me to speak before continuing. "You must understand that none of this is personal. Really, this is all just a means to an end."
A means to an end? He abducted me. Took me away from my Home. From my mate. His men hurt me. There's two long scars running up my arms and my shoulder is still screwed up. All of this, because of him.
"Fuck you," I spit. Literally; I take what little moisture that's in my mouth and I spit on his nice black shirt.
He looks down slowly, a coldness taking over his already dead eyes. His hand is quick to strike me down. I fall to the table. This time, when I spit, there's a tinge of red to it.
"Do not mistake my apologies for kindness. You are under my care here and will do well to remember so." I'm hesitant to look back at him. When I do, his mouth is twitched downward in a cold facade. "I see why the boy takes a liking to you," he switches his tone. "Runts have always been deemed precious." He steps closer and it hits me that I have nowhere to run. "It's thought that the Goddess blessed runts with an aura of innocence in order to have them be protected." His hand raises. I flinch even before his cold fingers find my cheek. He merely strokes a thumb over my cheek bone.
'Celeste,' Xavier's voice comes again. 'What's happening?'
The hand on my cheek quickly slips to my hair in a tight grip. "Too much wolfsbane has left your system. Who is linking you?" I still don't answer, merely letting out a hiss as he pulls my head up from where I had been cowering on the table.
'Xavier,' I plead. 'Help.' Malum is quick to slam my head downward. My ears begin to ring. He strides towards one of the locked cabinets, pulling out a set of keys from his pocket. Once open, he pulls out a small vial. The needle comes from a drawer below. I bite my lip, shaking my head as he fills the needle with wolfsbane.
'Stay with me, baby.'
Malum makes quick work of striding back over and grabbing my arm. He's methodical in the insertion of the needle, unlike Christopher who usually jams it painfully into my arm. 'Xavier,' I try just as that painful burn fills my entire self. There's no response. The tears begin to fall.
Fingers snap in front of me. Everything feels fuzzy, the edges of my vision blurring. "Look at me," Malum demands. It's hard to get my head to do what I want. He's impatient now, gripping my chin in a harsh pinch and forcing me to look. "I'm starting to lose my patience, understand?" I can't respond, even if I want to. Breaths shakily leave my lips. My skin is still tingling in a slightly burning sensation. "The thing that infuriates me most about you? You're nothing but a pathetic runt. Not built to be durable. Born to die earlier than most wolves. You're just a burden. And yet you seem to be more than a pawn on this chess board." His grip on my chin tightens. I try to swat at him with my free hand. He grabs that too, twisting it back until it's painful. I think I let out a wail of pain, even that's blurry to me. His words aren't though. A burden. "I'm tired of this game." He throws down my wrist, letting go of my chin as well. He unlocks my other wrist, grabbing that arm. That pain is not blurry. The blinding pain is fully present as my shoulder screams. I feel the wound reopen, blood trickling down my already blood caked arm. My feet fumble as they hit the ground. Malum doesn't care, he merely drags me out the door.