47 hours before...
"Breathe, Harry. I need you to breathe. If you don't you'll pass out, then you'll sleep, and probably die."
"Not helping you twat!" I groaned in between my clenched teeth. The pain shooting through my entire arm was spreading fast, and no amount of water could compose the horrid aches. I screamed one again when John's hand covered the green symbol, as if it would halt any further designs. It didn't.
"In through your nose, out through your mouth."
"John... step... back."
Suddenly my head began to feel lightheaded, everything around me blurred except John who widened his eyes and slowly began to back away. I growled, bringing forth my arms with all the strength I could muster and shouted at the ceiling. I felt like I was on fire, and the only thing fuelling the inferno was the urge to hurt; to kill.
"Harry this isn't you!"
I laughed but then shouted as my arm flung in the opposite direction, popping a few of my bones from their sockets, but the fire within me masked the pain from my arm. My spine hinged and hung in odd positions, casting a tremendous amount of pain to shoot through my body and have me absorb every single bit of it. The chain was locked tight and stable, and foolishly John was yet to add another few to guarantee his safety.
"You're a fool John Marshall," the words rolled off my tongue before my mind could comprehend. "And you're going to die for it."
I lunged forward with a growl, snapping one of the chains on my right leg. My actions halted as I stared at my freed leg, and then tilted my head to stare at John with a smile. His expression was of fury, anger, and fear. My smile widened as I watched him back away from me, quickly exiting the chamber and locking the steel doors behind him. Again, foolish.
"Can you feel the pain, Harry? How much does it hurt?"
I shook my head with a short chuckle. "The pain is merely there." My head hung to the side where I licked the corner of my lips. "Your stupidity is amusing. Your fear is unnecessary... I wouldn't hurt my friend," I lied. He knew I was lying.
"This isn't you... the-the mark can do evil things when you can't control it Harry. You'll turn out like-"
"Like what, John?!" I boomed, furious at his accusations. "Like my father? No! I will never kill without a purpose!"
"Then what is your intention now?" His voice lowered dramatically, and I began to become angrier at his soft tone. I needed to scream, because all these emotions and feelings that I've absorbed are consuming me and I can't handle it anymore. I have to let it all out.
"To kill you," I lied. "So then I'll make up some sob story that the pack will believe, and then your father will have no choice but to keep me by him like a second son. Your irrelevancy isn't needed John. You're a piece of shit with no use in this world!"
I gasped, catching my breath as I watched his reaction. His eyes only dropped, otherwise, that was it? It made me angrier. I wanted a reaction. I wanted him to slam these cell doors open and fight me, and I wanted to break his bones until he's pleading or holding on by a thread. I needed his pain to replenish mine.
"I know," he whispered. "You think I don't know? I -- this isn't you! At this moment you don't have a conscience, and no matter what I say you'll wake up with no absolute memory of what's happening right now between us." He paused, and then wickedly smiled at me. "You know who Cassandra is, right?"
I flinched which he seemed to notice because his smile only widened. I wanted to rip it off his face then stitch his lips back on upside down. At the thought my hands unconsciously tugged at the chains, but not with enough power to actually break. He unlocked the bar doors and walked into the chamber until he was only centimetres away from me.
"I fucked your pretty little girl," he whispered.
Red.
Everything around me was red.
I growled which increased to a scream as I tugged on the chains behind me. Another snapped which caused me to lurch forward, but I was too slow to see the fist that came forward and collided with my jaw.
Black.
Everything around me was black.
-
"He's up, he's coming around... I told him I slept with his girlfriend... She's not? Then what are they? That makes no sense... So they haven't fucked.... All right man, I'll get back to you."
I groaned and licked my parched lips. As I sat up everything shook until I profusely blinked to regain my proper eye sight. The first thing I noticed was John leaning against the bars, the second thing was that my mark no longer began to hurt, and the third thing was that my jaw freaking hurt.
"Good morning, Sunshine."
I scowled at him. "How long was I out?"
"Three minutes."
I spread my legs out in front of me and raised my hands to the side of my head. "You're a dumb shit motherfucking arsehole. Why'd you wind me up like that?"
His smirk was present which only deepened my scowl. "To have a valid reason to knock you out. I'm surprised you remembered what you said, because you owe me an apology."
"I only remember bits and pieces." I began to rub my temples as if I would be able to recollect my forgotten memories. "Some things were blurry. I remember the punch, what you said before you bloody knocked me to my arse, and the pain from my mark."
"You act like a whiny bitch when you're not yourself."
"What did I say to you?"
He exaggerated his sigh with an additional eye roll. "You wanted to kill me so you would be able to replace me so my father would treat you like, and I quote, 'a second son'. Sometimes... when the mark 'possesses' your thoughts it speaks your mind. Like you won't do or say something stupid unless you're really drunk. Sometimes the mark speaks the true thought of the person. Which gets to my question, do you really want to kill me?"
I wanted to answer him, to tell him that I didn't want to kill him, but for some reason I was hesitant. The pause was interpreted as answer enough for John, but his assumption was way off.
"I don't want to kill you. I think... I just like the idea of -- for once -- having some kind of father figure. I wouldn't kill you John," I shook my head. "I'll never kill you."
You're a piece of shit with no use in this world.
I inaudibly gasped at the realisation. "John... I-I'm sorry-"
He raised his hand to cut me off. "S'okay. I've kinda learnt not to take things to heart. So, how are you feeling?"
"I want to suffocate myself in my bed sheets and cradle myself until I'm literally back to a foetus. Or in simple terms, I feel like fly infested horse shit."
"You have a way with words."
"Who were you on the phone with? I thought you said we were miles from civilisation, which means no signal."
John turned away from me and shrugged his shoulders. "We are away from civilisation, but we're not in the middle of nowhere. And I called Louis, he and the boys will be coming down here to... assist me."
I rolled my eyes. "Somehow this boosts my ego."
"You'll be slashing around and won't be able to control yourself, there's no ego booster about that. It'll be like having an exorcism, except wolf version. And you'll probably be naked in a few hours. According to Louis he'll be videoing the entire thing."
My eyes widened at the mention of a video, especially during my most vulnerable state. "That's a breach of privacy-"
"He won't post it on YouTube or anything. It's vital information. It's not exactly easy to handle an Alpha, and the evidence in the video will hopefully encourage other wolves when they're assisting an alpha, or new breed."
"New breed? Like Talon?" I asked, remembering that the youngest in our pack wasn't born a wolf. He's an energetic kid whom I've encountered numerous times whenever I've visited the pack. Especially after the disappearances and death of Dave's associates.
"Yeah. He's growing up fast. His height has reached a new record, just below my chest."
"His wolf is maturing," I muttered.
"And once you're an alpha he can control his wolf, and his father would be able to train him." John went on and began explaining about the troubles Talon has been going through. He suffers from mild symptoms, nowhere near as bad as mine but close enough. He turned twelve and the entire pack celebrated at the Nemora. That was during my time I chose to inhabit myself in my apartment for weeks.
When Talon was seven he was diagnosed with Bacterial Meningitis. Because of such a late diagnosis his symptoms became highly severe with constant headaches, seizures, rashes, and fatigue. He was lethargic for months and too far off to be cured. We knew as soon as his skin began to tint into a creamy yellow. Talon was dying, although his father wouldn't accept that fate for his only son and resorted to the last option he had to keep him alive. He bit him.
Only few people have ever survived a bite. Through millenniums and generations there have been a total of fourteen people who have survived a bite and successfully managed to shift into a wolf. Talon's father is on edge because there is still that chance that he may not live once he shifts. It keeps everyone anxious and dreading that moment.
"-and he couldn't shut the hell up, I threatened to tape his mouth and made some excuse that it's mandatory and the naïve bastard went along with it. Twenty minutes of pure silence, and I enjoyed every last bit of it."
"What?" I asked him, completely oblivious as to what he was going on.
John scowled at me and exhaled deeply. I was bored, and hungry. My last meal was maybe six hours ago.
"Could you go over and grab some food?" I asked him.
"I could go fishing-"
"I'm not in the mood for fish. Just grab a burger or something."
"There's fish-"
"I don't want fish, dammit!" I slammed my foot to the ground and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. I'm just hungry."
"I think there's some burger joint about twenty minutes away. Just wait a few until the other boys come. I need to secure your chains anyway."
"Go on then, before I rip your throat out."
"Too right," John chuckled to himself and began to lock in and bolt the buckle of the chain. From the wall he connected it to my cuff, adding a few other handcuffs; except these were much thicker and a lot heavier. "Stand up."
He knelt down and tightened an even thicker chain to my ankle. I tried lifting my leg as he instructed me to, but proved difficulty and only managed to lift my foot a few inches off the ground.
"Does it hurt?" He asked.
"It's only a little tight. Add a few more; I don't want to be able to lift my feet off the ground."
"I don't think that's wise..." John said slowly and backed away from my standing figure. There was an entire pile of rusty chains, and another with thick silver ones.
"Grab some more. Use your surroundings, wrap them around the chamber bars and on the handles bolted to the floor. The last thing I want to do is hurt any of you guys, so just do it."
"I thought I was your boss," he joked as he collected the heavy metal and began to wrap them around the thick steel bars, grunting as he tightened them. The chain was long, so he repeated the process multiple times, even snaking the tip through the rusty handle on the ground until he attached it to my cuff. He tightened the screws and grunted as he stood up. "I'm literally going to have to feed you myself."
"If I wasn't a wolf, I swear I would've mistaken this place for a sex chamber. Is Harry being a little submissive?" John and I turned our heads as four familiar people walked towards my cell. The other boys laughed at Liam's not-so-funny joke. "Just messing with your balls, man."
"Leave my balls out of this," I muttered and twitched my nose as a sudden itch began to occur. I tried to reach over with my arm but the chains were tightened and much shorter than before, disabling any chance for me to make contact with any part of my body. The restricted chains only allowed me to stand and sit; otherwise I wouldn't be able to move forward nor backwards. It would be better this way.
"We brought you some burgers from Burger King," Zayn tossed John a large burger and reached into the brown paper bag for what I assumed was my own. "No onions." He threw it to John as well who only stood up and undid the wrapper.
"This is ridiculous," I whispered and rolled my eyes as he brought the burger to my mouth.
"This is necessary. It's to ensure our safety. Five wolves against a newbie isn't a challenge-in fact nowhere near, but five wolves against an alpha... that's an issue."
I swallowed my food. "But like you said, I'm a newbie. I'll have to be able to walk before I can attack."
"I'm sure you'll learn quickly. Now shut up and eat, I'm hungry too."
The other boys laughed as John continued to feed me. I turned my head away from them, embarrassed how dependant I was on John to do something as simple as feed me. But their mocking laughter is better than their fearful screams if I happened to be let loose and attack them.
A sudden throb appeared on my right ankle. I moaned in pain, tugging John away from me as I gasped, dropping my gaze to my leg that began to quiver. "John-" The bone snapped in an odd direction, causing me to scream out in pain, the heavy cuff began to dig into the tender skin which only caused me to wheeze.
"Take it-take it off," I pleaded.
"I can't," John replied simply. "It's what the mark wants. Then you'll escape. Just fight it, Harry."
My ankle snapped in the other direction, earning another wailing cry from my lips. I tilted my head to the ceiling and shut my eyes only focusing on my breathing. The mark suddenly began to burn, gradually increasing. At first it was tolerable, and I thought before the pain was horrendous but right now I feel as though somebody dunked me into a pit of lava. The cuff pressed further into my injured ankle, but I refused to look down.
"Get the bucket! Now!" Zayn's voice shouted but I payed no mind to it.
I laughed loudly, my head still tilted back. A single wire fell from the ceiling which I assumed used to belong to a light bulb. "You're going to di-ie" I sang, then began laughing once again.
"Shit, not this again," John snapped. "Zayn!"
"I'm here!" I shut my eyes with a smile and felt the coolness of the water that pelted all around my body.
"Mm, the contrast is nice."
Droplets ran from my forehead and down my jaw. Once the drop broke and hit the floor I was able to hear the splash. My senses suddenly became more sensitive than they were before. The smell of sweat, blood, and food was tickling my nose. I stared down at the five boys that stood in front of me, all in stances that would mark their departure. When the shuffling of feet was heard I snapped my head to Niall who was startled at my sudden stare.
"There's no point in running, friend."
"Wasn't going to," he mumbled.
I tilted my head to the side, keeping my eyes on his and began to hear the increasing thumps of his heart and pulse. I smiled at him. "Liar." My eyes snapped shut as I growled, using all my might to lift my leg that was heavily chained. It was hard at first and the pain in my ankle only decreased my attempt but I tried even harder.
My left foot lifted from the ground until I was able to bend my knee, and with a snap I stepped forward; breaking the chain.
"You think some weak metal and chains will stop me?" I laughed, but then frowned as they didn't react. "It only fuels my anger! It only makes me thrive off the image of your heads torn from your bodies! It aggravates me, hungers me. I want to kill you all!" I almost fell as a sharp sting was sent throughout my entire arm from the mark. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to fight off the pain, and the words that are spilling out of my mouth that don't belong to me. "Help me," I weakly attempted to whisper, but my back only arched as another bone shattered.
"We need to do something-We... Oh God, call someone! We need to do something!" Liam shouted. A chuckle escaped from my parted lips before I could stop myself.
"What are you going to do?" I croaked, throat rough from my tilted position. "Knock me out? How well did that work before, Johnny?"
"I have other plans," his voice said, and before I could react a fist clenched around my singlet and I was brought face-to-face to a fuming John. His hand disappeared into his pocket before he produced something unrecognisable. My body seemed to cower away before I even knew what the item was. A small light tanned rock lay on his palm with specks of different colours. My body flinched away, especially once he brought the Vein closer to me. "Don't tempt me, Styles."
"How-How did you get one?" I cracked my neck on one side and licked away my chapped lips. I tasted the perspiration that had formed on my upper lip, cringing away when John held the rock even closer to my mark. "Don't-" I gasped and tried to back away from him.
There were loud murmurs that I payed no mind to. My only focus was to the Opal Vein that was inches away from my mark. I can literally feel the power it has, the pain it's causing me and it isn't even on my skin.
"John... It could kill him," Louis muttered, grabbing his shoulder but he only shrugged Louis' touch away.
"It won't. It'll fear the mark. If I don't do this then he could end up breaking every bone in his body, and he won't even feel or know it."
I gasped loudly and spat on the floor. "Do it. Do it, please," I pleaded then tensed once he neared the stone to my mark. The moment the roughness of the Vein made contact with my forming mark I cried out in pain. My arm began to seize and quiver on its own, turning a bright red and purple. "Fuuuuck!" I shouted and clenched my teeth together, shutting my eyes as tight as I possibly could in the process.
I've never been stabbed before. But I swear it feels like I've fallen from a building right on top hundreds of sharp knives, all slicing through my skin and breaking any barrier until they're inside me. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't see, I couldn't process anything except the way I feel like I'm dying. From my arm beginning to seize, it spread to my chest and to my other arm. The chains behind me were surely rattling at the quake. Soon it happened to my legs until I was having an actual seizure.
It wasn't like the last time I seized. No this time I was aware of what was happening to me. All my senses but feel seemed to shut down. The rock was removed from my mark and immediately everything was back to normal. I regained my hearing, sight, smell, everything. My breathing was now regular and considered normal.
The five of them were staring at me in bewilderment. The next thing I saw was black.
Everything.
Just... black.