Chapter 33: Poisoned

Aurora

It was hours before Klaus was fully satisfied, and left me alone.

Being a wolf, his stamina was higher than that of a human.

“Let’s see if you’re truly the luna of that alpha,” he said, laughing as he left the dungeon.

I curled up on the mattress on the floor where he’d left me and cried.

They were never going to come for me. Wolfgang wasn't going to save me.

I was nothing more than a maid with the misfortune to have been matched to Wolfgang by the Moon Goddess.

~“That’s not true, Aurora. Cronnos loves me. And Wolfgang loves you,” Rhea’s voice rang faintly through my mind.~

~“Rhea? Where have you been?”~ I asked her.

~“I’m sorry. I was weakened. Someone poisoned us with wolfsbane. Are you okay?”~

I could feel the weakness in her voice. She still hadn’t fully recovered.

But when had I been poisoned?

~“I’ve been better,”~ I answered her.

~“I’ve been trying to contact Wolfgang’s wolf, but I can’t seem to reach him. The dose of wolfsbane they gave us was very strong.”~

I could see her now. She was limp and worn down. Her fur seemed dingy, and had lost all its shine.

~“Don’t bother trying to reach them, Rhea. I’m sure Wolfgang is relieved that he got rid of me,” I answered. New tears threatened to break free.~

‘No, he is as worried about you as Cronnos is,” she said. “I can feel it.”

She inched closer to me trying to reassure me.

~“No!”~ I snapped at her. ~“He never cared, and he never will care. I have to rescue myself, Rhea. I need to escape.”~

Wolfgang

I opened my eyes to find myself lying on my bed.

“How did I…?” I murmured.

Then everything came back to me. All those horrible memories, everything I’d seen through the mating connection.

I gripped my head in agony, recalling the pain I’d felt my mate go through.

“Aurora…” I croaked.

The door opened and my gamma walked in.

“You’re finally up,” Remus commented.

“How long have I been unconscious?” I asked.

“About three hours.”

“What?!” I jumped out of bed, but lost my balance, feeling nauseous. Remus grabbed me in time, and led me back to the bed.

“Woah there, sir, take it easy,” he said. “We’ve already sent the troops out. Beta Max is leading them.”

“Max went with them?” I asked.

“Yes. He thought that Aurora should see a familiar face, after all she’s been through.”

I tried to stand again. “I should go, too. She is my mate.”

But Remus held me back.

“You’re in no condition, sir. You’d only hinder the rescue effort. Whatever torture they put the luna through was strong, considering how much pain you were in.”

“Aurora needs me, Remus, get out of my way!” I ordered him, but he didn’t move.

“Max and the rest of the troops will bring the luna back safely,” he said. “Also, I had her medical report sent over. It seems that the luna had been poisoned with wolfsbane.”

He handed me the files he held in his hands.

“Wolfsbane? But how?” I asked.

“We aren’t sure, sir. Beta Max took her to the hospital after he found her unconscious, with a high fever, in the cellar. Her whip lashes were still intact.”

“Who made the accusation against her?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“Tallulah Wilhelm, sir.”

I crumpled the papers into a ball and threw it. Aurora had gone through all of this because of me.

“This is all my fault. If I had accepted her the moment we’d met, this wouldn’t have happened. She’d be safe, here with me.”

“Forgive me for intruding, sir, but…why didn’t you reject her when you found out she was your mate, if you didn't want her?” Remus asked.

That was the question I’d been dreading.

“I just…couldn’t. I tried to tell myself to do it, but every time I saw her, or inhaled her scent…” I shook my head. “I couldn’t let her go.”

Remus fell silent, then said, “Let’s hope Max and the troop can save her, sir.”

I hoped they would bring her home, but would she recover emotionally, after what she’d been through?

I prayed to the Moon Goddess for the chance to help her heal.

As her mate, I would stand at her side, and help her recover from all the pain and suffering I’d put her through.

Aurora

I sat on the damp and filthy mattress, thinking of a way to escape.

It had been another day, and there had been no sign of the pack.

There was no other choice. I had to escape.

I couldn’t sit here and wait for that bastard Klaus to touch me again.

If only I had a weapon.

A rogue walked in with a tray of food and threw it on the floor in front of me.

“Here you go, luna. You need to replenish your strength after all the work Master Klaus put you through.”

He snickered. “I’d recommend you eat up. He’ll be visiting you again soon.”

Then he locked me in once again.

I looked down at the tray and saw that they served me mashed potatoes and steak.

I grabbed the meat, eagerly ripping chunks of flesh from around the bone.

A while later the door swung open again, revealing Klaus, who wore that disgusting smirk of his.

“I’m growing impatient with your pack, little one. They haven’t sent a messenger to negotiate. Looks like that alpha doesn’t give a damn about you, huh?”

He cocked his head to one side. He had his dagger in his hand. I didn’t answer back.

“But don’t worry. I’ve grown to like you, so I won’t kill you.” He approached me.

“I’m sure my guys will be pleased to put that sweet body of yours to use. After all, they are all mateless rogues. They need to let off some steam.”

He grabbed me by the chin as he brought his face to mine, our noses inches away from each other.

“How ’bout it? Want to become our personal plaything?” He watched me with lust in his eyes. His disgusting breath fanning my face.

He traced the dagger along the side of my cheek, and I felt the silver burn my skin.

“I’d rather be thrown into a pit of burning lava than to be touched by you again,” I growled.

I took the steak bone I’d hidden behind my back and plunged it into his throat.

Blood splattered from his veins, over my hands and face.