LEINDRA'S P.O.V.
Seeing Grandma there shook me to my core. She looked so frail and helpless that I tried to reach out for her but I was quickly reminded that I was tied back. The young lady smiled widely and I could tell that she was enjoying it. She was the only person who was showing any form of emotion at all. I had come to realize that the others did it out of duty but she did it because she enjoyed it.
"You forced our hand, Leindra," it was Brandon who spoke. "Tell us what we need to know and no harm will come to your grandmother. She is young, do you think she can endure what you are going through? Her systems will shut down and she will die. It will be because you wouldn't give up Darius."
"Just leave her out of this," I begged. "This is between you and me. She is innocent. I thought you wanted peace and unity. What part of this screams peace and unity."
"In a war, there is always collateral damage," Brandon spoke in an almost patronizing tone. "This is your choice, Leindra. Who is more important to you, Darius or your grandmother?"
I couldn't speak. I couldn't choose between them. I would be condemning one of them to death and I could never forgive myself if I did that. I shook my head trying to plead with them to let this go but I knew it was aimless. I fought against my restraints but all they did was bite into my skin more.
"I see that your choice is clear."
I screamed as they pulled Grandma into the bed next to me. I was forced to watch as they strapped her in. She began to stir from her sleep because of the noise that I was making and as her eyes opened, they settled on me. She still looked unfocused but I knew she could hear and understand me.
"I'm sorry," I said to her and she gave me a small smile. I turned to the hunters. "Is Darius' death really worth this? How do you even expect me to know how to kill him?"
"We don't expect you to tell us how, we expect you to tell us the weak chinks in his armor. We need to know how to get close enough to him. We can deliver the finishing blow."
It was Brandon who answered me and he stared at me expectantly as if hoping that I would answer but before I could, I heard Grandma speak in a soft voice.
Dorit "Her voice was uroRetrator'an'noschiracione: I'wilure scorrer or pater," L'enironta Do not give it to them."
Brandon scowled and to my shock, he reared his hand back and slapped her hard across the cheek. I screamed at him but he said paid no attention to me and his eyes promised punishment as he spoke. "I will make sure you suffer for that."
He and the other hunters left and as soon as the door shut, the real torture began. I tried not to look but I didn't want her to go through it alone so I forced myself to keep my eyes on her as they shocked her over and over again. Each time they did so, they would pause and ask me the same question and although she stopped speaking after the second shock, she would look at me with those all-intelligent eyes and I would be forced to stay quiet.
They didn't stop until she passed out and for a second, I feared she was dead. If it wasn't for the steady rising and falling of her chest, I would have thought she died. I whispered her name, terrified for the moment when she wouldn't answer and I let out a sigh of relief when she stirred a little. I allowed my gaze to turn to the ceiling where the single large bulb was hanging. They left it on presumably to torture me with the sight of her lying there like that.
"Darius will come for us," I whispered not knowing if she could hear me or not. "It might take a few days so I need you to stay strong."
Tears were streaming down my cheeks because I knew that all of this was my fault. If I had never run from Lunarius then I would have never met Brandon and he would have lived his life thinking that I was dead. My pride had cost me everything and it was going to cost me some more.
My eyelids started to feel heavy and they began to droop. I had not slept properly in what felt like days and the tiredness was beginning to wear on me. I was beginning to fall asleep when I heard a loud crash. I tried to sit up almost immediately to see if I could identify the source of the noise but there was nothing. I could hear commotion and some yelling and I couldn't help but wonder if Darius had come for me. When I began to panic was when the smell of smoke filled my nose and I knew that if I wasn't quick then I could be lost so I did what I could and I screamed as loud as I could. My voice was hoarse from the screaming I already did but I pushed it to its limit. I was willing to risk tearing my voice box over not being found.
I could hear footsteps outside and I screamed until my voice finally cracked and I couldn't anymore. By this time, smoke had already filtered into the room and I was coughing. I could see the bright orange flames outside the door and I knew that I was going to perish in the building. My only prayer was that the hunters perished with me. I rested my head back against the bed ready to accept my fate when I heard a loud bang as the door gave way.
The flames roared brighter and stepping out of it like an avenging angel was Darius. He rushed over to my side and I saw him flinch as he took in my state. He was quick to work on the bindings and he pulled me into his arms. He was about to leave when I stopped him.
"Darius, Grandma," I told him and he looked over at her and the flames. "We can't leave her here."
"I can't take you both," he looked like the words pained him.
"Go," the voice was soft and I turned to see Grandma. She had turned to us with a soft smile. "Take her."
I knew what was going to happen before it did and I tried to fight it with all my strength but I was weak and Darius pulled me out of the room. He shielded me with his body as much as possible and ran through the flames. Due to the way he was holding me, I was able to look back into the room and I watched as the flames began to eat into everything. My vision blurred as tears filled them and I buried my head into his shoulder and sobbed.
"I'm sorry," I heard him repeating the words over and over again but they felt like white noise to me. "Please forgive me."
I didn't even pay attention to where he was taking me. The next thing I knew, bright light filtered through and I had to blink repeatedly to adjust my eyes to it. When I did, I saw Ian standing there along with a few other guards but I didn't pay attention to them. My eyes immediately went to the five hunter elders who were standing surrounded by guards.
"Please put me down," I told Darius and he shook his head. "There is something I need to do."
"Tell me what it is and I will do it for you."
I pointed at the young woman who coincidentally was kneeling next to Brandon. "I want her to die slowly and painfully."
The words were barely out when a man rushed over to her. I had never seen him before but he exuded a level of power and respect and I immediately knew he was either an Alpha or a Beta. The girl looked at him with recognition and annoyance as he spoke to her and I heard him mention the name Elle over again. I assumed that was her name and I turned to Darius who was looking at the scene with frustration.
The man sighted us and rushed over. "We haven't met before, my name is Keene. I am the Alpha of this land. I am glad to see that you are well. I am sorry for whatever you had to go through."
"Who is she?" I didn't care about his words, I cared about her. "You called her Elle." "She is my sister. I know she is a hunter but I assure you, she is not a bad person."
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I scoffed. "You have no idea what she did to me in there. She is the worst of them all."
He turned to Darius. "Please, she is all that I have left."
"I have a lot of respect for you Keene, but this is something that I cannot budge on," Keene opened his mouth to speak but Darius cut her off. "If someone hurt Ophelia, would you care who they were? Would you not destroy them first and ask questions later?"
"She is my family. You have a sister, surely you-"
"I killed my sister for my mate. I will not make an exception with yours." Keene seemed to realize that nothing he said would fix anything so he nodded. "I understand but I hope you understand that this is where our alliance ends." "So be it."
Keene nodded and he walked away. He bent down to speak to Elle and for the first time, I saw fear fill her eyes, she glanced over at me and I felt a sick sense of pride knowing that she was going to suffer. I turned back to Darius and it was like all the energy I had was expelled from my body. The adrenaline had worn off and I just wanted to sleep.
"Take me home," I whispered and he pressed a kiss to my forehead.
"Of course."