Chapter 25 - That's... true.
Lucy's POV
A loud ringing in my ears brings me back to the land of the living as I slowly regain consciousness. Pain shoots up my arms and legs, my head throbbing with a steady rhythm as I try to rid my mouth of its horrible taste.
What the hell happened?
Opening my eyes with a squint, I carefully take note of my surroundings, trying to push down my rising panic as I remember how I ended up here.
I'm alone in a room, a room I recognise all too well. The walls are a lilac purple, the carpet cream, with a single bed pressed against the far corner of the room covered by a light pink duvet and pillow. The blue curtains are drawn across the only window in the room, just off to the left of the chair I seem to be tied down in, which explains why my arms and legs are hurting so much. The ropes around my wrists and ankles have been tied so tight that I can't even move an inch.
Glancing over at the small chest of drawers at the end of the bed, then moving my gaze to look at the mirror on the back of the door, I scan the room four or five times to make sure I'm not just imagining this.
Maybe this is all just a dream? A scary, horrible dream that I never want to experience again...
However, the pain in my head and restrained limbs feels all too real to me for this to just be a dream.
This isn't a dream, this is really happening. I'm currently being held hostage in my old room in my old house that I used to live in with my parents... and I have no idea who brought me here or why.
Oh, God. What do I do? I can't move! What the hell is going on?! Does anybody know I'm here? Do they even know I'm missing?! What time is it? What even day is it?! Why am I here?!
As my panic breaks through, I fight hard against the ropes tying me down, the one at my wrists forcing my hands behind the chair and the ones at my ankles tying me to the chair legs.
Crap! Crap, crap, crap, crap!
When I realise that the rope clearly isn't going to snap anytime soon, I try slipping my hands out one at a time instead. I attempt to pull my right hand free first, wanting nothing more in this moment than to just get these ropes off me, but I soon give up when I realise that I'll probably end up dislocating my shoulder before getting either of my hands free.
"Please, please, please," I whisper as I look around the room, desperately trying to think of a plan before whoever brought me here returns. Tears fill my eyes as I slowly come to the conclusion that it's useless, there's nothing in this room that is even remotely helpful. I'm going to die in the one house in this entire town that I never really wanted to come back to. The one house in this entire town that has enough memories, good and bad, to bring me to my knees in grief of my parent's death...
As I look over at my bed again, I can't help but let a hysterical little laugh escape as I notice none other than Mr Snuggles squished right into the far corner, watching me as I struggle. Justin was right. Right at this second, there does seem to be something oddly creepy about the bear, although that's probably just due to the circumstances that I seem to be in.
Thinking back to Justin, I wonder if he's back home yet. Is it even the same day as when we kissed at the lake cabin? What if he came back and tried looking for me? Would that mean he knows I'm missing? Does he know where I am? What about Amy and Jess? They must know something's wrong.
A slight flutter of hope builds inside me at the thought of my friends out there looking for me, but it only lasts for a brief moment of time as, not five seconds later, I hear the footsteps approaching from down the hall.
That's when the blind panic sets in, causing me to be able to do nothing more than sit frozen still as I watch the door with wide eyes. This is it, time's up.
The distinct sound of two people talking in the hallway drifts through the door and I desperately try to catch what they're saying, but all I can catch are the occasional words such as "girl" and "room", which isn't very helpful in telling me a who or a why. I can, however, tell that the two voices are male.
Suddenly, the door handle to the room begins to turn, and I hold my breath and keep my eyes glued to the door as it slowly begins to open. A guy walks in.
"You're awake," he says in surprise when he sees me, apparently still expecting me to be unconscious.
I don't reply.
My heart is pounding in my chest as I watch him, and I do my best to force down the frozen fear that is slowly crawling its way up my throat in a sudden attempt to let out a scream. I can't scream, I won't scream, the only thing it'll accomplish is alerting the other guy and any other people in the house that I've regained consciousness.
Looking unsure of what to do now, the guy looks behind him back out into the hallway before closing the door completely and walking further into the room.
"It's Lucy, right?" he asks, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.
Again, I don't reply.
I take in his appearance, starting with his mop of black hair and pale green eyes that seem to be studying me in the same way that I am him. He's wearing a black T-shirt and some worn blue jeans along with a pair of black trainers that look as though they've seen better days. Another thing that I take note of are his muscles, which aren't exactly lacking. This guy is strong, that much I can tell, and I come to the only conclusion I can think of. He's a rogue. And I can safely say that I have never seen him before in my life. Or have I?
As my eyes return to his face, I catch sight of a small detail that I apparently overlooked before. The light pink trail of a scar, almost invisible in the dim lighting of the room, trails down from behind his ear and under the neckline of his T-shirt.
I've seen that scar before...
"Devlin?" I ask before I can stop myself, my voice hoarse and crackling. Is this really Devlin? Devlin, as in, Jess's predestined mate?
He raises his eyebrows slightly in surprise. "She told you I came to visit her?"
"Um..." I clear my throat, "Kind of?"
I quickly try to gain some idea of what's going on right now, but come up completely blank. Devlin, the guy who is apparently Jess's predestined mate, kidnapped me? What the hell is going on?!
He sighs and shakes his head, running his hand through his hair quickly before looking back up at me.
"How is she?"
"Um..." I say again, not quite sure how to answer. Here I am tied to a chair after being kidnapped, and he's asking me how my friend is... how am I supposed to answer that?
I decide to go for a more cold and defensive approach. After all, I still have no idea why he brought me here.
"I couldn't tell you, you know, what with me being tied up here and all."
"Right, right," he replies, glancing over at the door.
"What's going on?" I ask, deciding to try and get some answers when I realise that he's not going to say anything else about this situation.
"I can't tell you," he replies, looking back over at me. Helpful.
"Well can you at least loosen up these ropes a little?" I try, hoping that he'll free me up just enough for me to get my hands free. "I'm dying here."
"Sorry," he replies with a sigh, shaking his head. "No can do."
"You know, for someone who's supposedly meant to be winning over the heart of my best friend, you're doing a pretty crappy job by kidnapping me."
He frowns. "I didn't kidnap you."
Now it's my turn to frown. "Then who the hell did?"
"I can't tell you."
"Why are you here then?"
"I volunteered to be."
"What does that mean?"
"I can't tell you."
"Ugh!" I groan in annoyance, deciding to just go back to fighting against the ropes when I realise that he's going to be of no use whatsoever.
"You're just going to hurt yourself more," he informs me as he watches me struggle, which only angers me further, but that's good. Anger is good. It keeps the fear at bay.
"Good," I snap at him, my voice growing stronger with more use. "Maybe it'll add even more fuel to Jess's fire."
"Don't think that's possible," he replies, watching me as I struggle.
I'm not completely sure what that statement was aimed at, my comment about Jess or me trying to get my hands free from behind my back. In all honesty, I don't really care, all I care about is getting these damn ropes off of me.
And then what? That little defeated voice inside of me asks, causing me to stop my struggle as I know I'm only succeeding in wasting my energy. Devlin is sat right there, if you escape all that's going to happen is he's going to stop you.
"Shit!" I hiss, slumping back in my seat and closing my eyes.
I don't understand this, Devlin doesn't even seem like a bad guy, so why the hell is he here?
"I have a proposal," he says suddenly, and I open my eyes to look at him.
"What sort of proposal?" I eventually ask, glancing at the door before returning my gaze back to him.
Right now, it doesn't look like I have any other choice but to try and sweet-talk my way into getting him to loosen the ropes.
"I'll try and help you escape..." that has my immediate attention. "If you try and talk Jess into giving me at least half a chance."
"You make it sound as if that's something I can actually do," I reply.
"I think it is. Either you or that other girl, what was her name... Amy? Yeah, that's it. You three seemed pretty close, so you and Amy seem like my best shots, and since I have access to you and not her..."
"If you hadn't already noticed, Jess isn't exactly fond of you. As in, at all."
"Which is why I'm asking you to help."
"And if it doesn't work?" I ask, wanting to know what consequences I'll have to face if I don't succeed.
He shrugs. "Then at least it was worth a shot."
"That's it?" I ask, frowning in confusion. "No threat, no blackmail?"
"What's the point? If it doesn't work it doesn't work. I'm not an asshole."
"But you're a rogue!"
"So? You can't choose who your parents are."
That's... true.
I study him for a few seconds, searching for any sign that he's lying. I can't find one.
"So if you help me escape, I'll try and change Jess's mind about you. If it doesn't work... then that's it?"
"Yeah."
"Deal."
"Good," he says with a small smile.
"This is what you meant by you volunteering to be here, isn't it?" I guess with narrowed eyes. "You volunteered to be one of my watchers so we could make this deal."
"Yes," he admits. "I'm not an asshole but I do have some rogue traits. Craftiness tops the list."
I sigh. "Fine, well, just make sure you hold up your end of the deal, yeah?"
"I will, but I'll need a little time," he replies, standing up and heading for the door. "I have a plan."
"How much exactly is 'a little time'?" I ask, a smidge of doubt slowly creeping in.
"I'm not sure," he admits, turning to look at me. "But I will be back, I promise."
"And you really can't tell me why I'm here?" I ask hopefully.
"Sorry," he says, shaking his head and looking at the door. "I've got to go or they'll wonder what's taking me so long. Just... sit tight."
"Funny," I tell him sarcastically. "Just hurry up and get me out of here."
"I will," he says again before opening the door and exiting the room.
The sound of his footsteps drifts back down the hallway outside and, as I listen to them, I can't help but wonder whether I've just made a terrible mistake.
***
I've been sat in this chair for what feels like almost an hour and, still, Devlin has not returned. Now, not only is there pain in my arms and legs, but my butt is beginning to ache as well. Great. On the upside, the pounding in my head has calmed down to no more than a dull ache.
"Come on, Devlin..." I whisper to myself.
God, I sure hope he's keeping to his end of the deal. What's taking him so long? What if someone else arrives before he gets back? What if he's not even helping me at all?
A few minutes later, the sound of footsteps slowly make their way towards my room, and I can't help the slight hope and relief that begins to surface.
It's Devlin, it has to be! He's been ages. In no more than an hour I'll be back home with-
My thoughts cut off the second the door opens to reveal a man who is definitely not Devlin.
Oh... my... God...
The guy is huge! I think he has muscles on his muscles, and it's safe to say he terrifies me already. He looks quite a bit older than me, maybe in his late forties? His black hair has greyed a little and his blue eyes pierce straight into me with such a hostile intensity that I can't help but cower back in my seat.
For the first time in a long time... I'm verging on petrified, and I want nothing more than for both my parents to be with me. Now.
Never in my life have I met a wolf so dark and powerful as the one currently stood in front of me.
It's too late. Devlin's too late. I'm going to die, right here, right now.
Even if I weren't tied to the chair, there's no way I'm strong enough to win a fight against this guy.
"Ah, Lucy," the guy says in a rough, commanding voice that gives off nothing but power. It's not the right kind of power, though, not like David's or Justin's, this kind of power is so wrong it causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end and a shiver to run down my spine. There's no point in even trying to hide my fear from him, I'm pretty sure he can smell it. "How nice of you to drop by..."
I don't reply. I can't find my voice to.
He's covered in scars. I notice them running up his arms, neck, and there are even a couple on his face. Battle scars. This guy is strong.
"Have you guessed who I am yet? I know who you are..."
An involuntary shudder wracks through me at the predatory tone to his voice. Of course I know who he is. There really is only one person I can think of who he can be...
"Answer me, girl!" he barks, causing me to jump in surprise at his extremely short temper.
"K-Kailen..." I reply, my voice shaking.
"Good..." he replies. "And do you know why you're here?"
Silently, I shake my head.
Another guy enters the room but I only glance at him long enough to notice he's carrying another chair. I don't dare take my eyes off Kailen for too long.
The guy places the chair near Kailen before moving to stand guard at the door.
"Did you know I used to know your parents?" Kailen asks, grabbing the chair and turning it so, when he sits down on it, he's sitting on it backwards as he faces me. "Briefly," he then adds on with a smirk, and it doesn't take a genius to guess what he means.
"You killed them," I say, finding enough courage to send a glare his way.
"That I did," he agrees, looking all too proud of himself.
"Monster," I mutter, my glare intensifying with each passing second.
How can someone so foul exist? Does he have no conscience? Here he sits, telling me that he was the one who destroyed my family and life, and he has the balls to look proud!
"Ah, ah, ah..." he replies, shaking his head and looking somewhat disappointed. "You haven't earned the right to judge me. Do you even know why I killed them?"
What?
I frown in confusion.
"No," he answers for me, reading my expression all too clearly. "Of course not, you're nothing but a pathetic little girl!" his voice hardens at the end, but I refuse to cower back. This man killed my parents. He doesn't deserve my fear.
"Let me tell you a little secret," he says, lowering his voice as he leans forward in his chair, resting his chin on top of his arms that lay folded on top of the back of the chair. "It was your dad who started the whole thing."
Bullshit. He's just a sick liar!
"Don't believe me?" he asks before shrugging. "Fine."
"What do you want with me?" I ask, hoping that if I can buy a little time by keeping him talking then it'll give Devlin enough time to get his ass back here.
"I had a family once," he says, ignoring my question completely. "A son, a beautiful mate, what more could a guy ask for?"
"What happened?" I ask, my voice dark. "You kill them too?"
Before I can see what's happening he moves his arm and slaps me hard across my cheek. I gasp in shock at the sudden stinging in the right side of my face, and my eyes fill with tears at the pain.
"No," he replies, his voice threatening as he regains his composure. "Your father killed my mate."
... what?!
That's not true... he's lying.
"No he didn't," I deny, shaking my head.
"Yes, he did. He killed her when she and a few other members of my group went on a scavenging trip. There she was, just minding her own business when BAM!" he claps his hands in front of my face, causing me to flinch. "Out of nowhere jumps your father."
I stare at him, and he stares right back, his expression solid and steady.
He's lying. He has to be. My dad only killed rogues who he thought were a threat to his group or his pack. He killed fighters not scavengers! He would never...
"You're lying," I say, trying to keep my gaze as unwavering as his. "My father would never have done something like that. He was a good man-"
"Your father was a killer!" Kailen shouts, causing me to jump in my seat. "He killed her, and so I killed them. And do you want to know how I killed them?"
I shake my head so fast it nearly cricks my neck. No. He's wrong. This isn't true...
"Well that's too bad... I'm going to tell you anyway."
"No, please don't..." I whisper. I don't want to hear this. I can't hear this!
"I wanted payback, you see, so I killed her first."
"Stop," I whisper, my eyes quickly filling up again and, this time, the tears fall.
"Your father was completely helpless, too busy fending off another rogue, and so he could only watch as I tore his mate's throat out. There was absolutely nothing he could do. I wanted him to suffer, just as I had. I wanted his family to suffer, just as mine had."
"No," I sob, shaking my head. "Stop!"
"And then," he continues, "I turned on him. He was much better at combat than your mother, I do admit. She wasn't a hunter was she? She was something else... a tracker, maybe? But he, he was a hunter. It was obvious, although he was no match for me. I snapped his neck before he even knew what hit him."
"No..." I whisper, closing my eyes and turning my face away from him.
"Look at me," he orders, but I don't.
"Look at me!" he bellows, and I slowly do as he says.
"I wanted him to suffer, just as I had, and I thought I'd done all I could to make it happen. I thought it was over, but no," he glares at me as if it's my fault all this happened. "I heard a rumour a few weeks later, a rumour that gave me another idea for revenge. I heard that there was a little girl, an orphan in the Detroit pack."
Oh... God.
I shake my head slowly.
"Her parents had died from a rogue attack not long ago, and I decided that it might not just be a coincidence. After all, your parents were married. It wasn't that far of a stretch to assume that they might have had a daughter also, so I sent some people to go and check it out. They came back with her name... Lucy Jacobs."
"Why didn't you just kill me then?" I blurt out in panic. "I was five years old, completely defenceless!"
"I had no way of getting you when you were five years old," he replies as if it's that simple.
"So, what, you just left me alone until you decided you had easy access?"
"No," he replies, giving me a look as if to say 'isn't it obvious?' "I decided to let you suffer. Your life in the Pack has been miserable and we both know it. I thought that giving you a few more years to live it out wouldn't make much of a difference to my plan for you.I've never left you alone, Lucy. I've always had people following you, keeping tabs on you and then reporting their findings back to me."
Another shudder creeps its way up my spine. He's had people watching me, for the past eleven years of my life, and I've never noticed?
"And would you imagine my surprise and delight when I found out that you are none other than Justin Detroit's mate!" he exclaims, causing even more dread to seep into my stomach. "This now also means that not only does your father suffer but your entire Pack and mate will as well. You know, when I eventually get round to killing you."
"H-how will this make my dad suffer?" I ask, trying to find a way to change his mind about this whole plan. "He's dead. He won't even know."
"No," he agrees. "He won't, but I will."
He says it so calmly and with so much determination that I know one thing...
I will never be able to change his mind.
"A-are you going to kill me now, then?" I ask, knowing that our conversation is swiftly coming to an end.
"Well, you see, there's the thing. I've decided to be generous." He stands up and walks over to the chest of drawers, opening the top drawer and taking something out. From what I can see, it looks like a clock.
What the...?
"I've decided to give you a little more time. You have twenty four hours to sit there and think about everything I've just told you. Then, you can decide who the real monster is in this little story Lucy, and who the real victim is."
"You're crazy," I tell him, watching as he presses a button on the top of the digital timer and the number starts to count down from 24:00:00.
"Enjoy the next twenty four hours, Lucy," he replies, ignoring my statement. "It's the last day I'm allowing you to have before your miserable life is finally over." With that, he leaves the room, taking the other guy with him.
As I sit watching the seconds count down on the small silver digital timer, only one thought passes through my mind.
I'm going to die.
(Hey guys!!! So... Chapter 25, what do you think? I'm fairly happy with it, although I did struggle at a few bits and I think it might show a little. What do you make of the Kailen situation? I've had it planned for quite a while now but I want to know whether you think it was a good enough twist or not? I don't want the story to get boring or anything so I'm trying to put a few things like this in to keep it flowing :) Also, what do you all make of Devlin? Can he be trusted or not?
Merry Christmas! I know it's a few days late, haha. I was trying to get this update ready for Christmas day but by Christmas eve I only had 4 pages written so I knew that it was never going to happen, sorry about that. I hope everyone had a good day, anyways. Maybe I'll try and make the next update on new years day or something? Next chapter will be a Justin POV and I'm looking forward to it because I haven't written one of those in a while :) Anyone have any ideas on what will happen next?
Sorry for any major mistakes in the chapter, it will be proofread once the story's completed. Erm... right, so I think that's pretty much all I needed to say for now. I hope you liked the chapter and if you did, don't forget to Vote/Comment/Add, it would be much appreciated ;) So... yeah, thanks for reading, byee!)