With a forceful shove from behind, Gretchen propels me forward, breaking the hold of Caius' magic. I stumble into the open area, my senses assaulted by the chilling ambience. Chains dangle ominously from the ceiling, bearing skeleton remnants. The faint sound of trickling water and the incessant squeaking of rats adds to the unease that fills the air. In one corner stands an iron chair, its presence sending a horrid chill down my spine. With an unyielding grip, Thaddeus forces me into the seat while Amos removes the magic that had bound my arms. Caius secures my wrists with iron clasps, ensuring my confinement.
The wizards step back, their menacing gazes fixed upon me, while Gretchen steps forward, her grip tightening as she grabs my chin, her nails digging into my flesh. 'Which pack do you belong to?' she demands, her voice dripping with curiosity and malice.
My breaths grow ragged, a weighty silence filling the air as Gretchen's demand hangs heavily between us. I strain my gaze, attempting to catch Warrick's eye, but the imposing figures of the wizards shield him from view. The threat in Gretchen's voice lingers, and I brace myself for the consequences of my defiance. ‘Answer my question, or I’ll make you talk,’ she warns.
Still, I remain silent. Gretchen yanks her hand away from my chin and places her hand against my chest. Magic emits from her hand and sinks through my chest. A horrible pain consumes me. I cry out in pain. When she finally withdraws her hand, my breaths come in ragged gasps, my body trembling from the residual ache.
‘Now tell me your pack’s name,’ she says.
I slowly raise my head and stare defiantly at her, but she steps forward again to use her magic.
'I-I'm not from a pack,' I manage to blurt out, my voice strained with the remnants of pain.
Her eyebrows furrow in surprise. 'You're a rogue, then?' she asks, her curiosity piqued.
Finding my voice again, I struggle to explain the intricacies of my situation. 'It's difficult to explain. My friends, though not werewolves themselves, apart from Warrick, are my pack,' I reveal.
Gretchen's laughter rings through the air, filled with mocking derision. 'You expect me to believe that you've formed your own pack—a motley crew that consists of non-werewolves?' she scoffs, her tone dripping with contempt.
Undeterred, I meet her gaze head-on, refusing to back down. 'Yes,' I assert, my chin held high in defiance.
The wizards join in her laughter, their amusement echoing alongside Gretchen's incredulity. Caius chimes in, his smirk never faltering. 'Have you ever heard of such a thing?' he remarks, his tone condescending.
Gretchen’s laughter dissipates, and her eyes lock onto mine with an evilness I can’t describe. 'What's her name? Imogen? Xander admitted to allowing her through the portal. Why? Why did he bring her here?' she demands, her focus zeroing in on me.
I break eye contact, and as I’m about to stare at the ground, Gretchen places her hand on my chest again. This time the pain is twice as painful, and she keeps her hand there for twice as long. Warrick shouts my name, and I hear his flesh searing as he grips the silver bars trying to fight through the pain to bend them.
I gasp for breath, my chest heaving as Gretchen finally releases her iron grip. The searing pain throbs through me, inside and out, but even amidst the agony, I feel the primal energy within me, the essence of the wolf, surges forth, mending the physical wounds that marred my skin.
Struggling to catch my breath, I recount the events to Gretchen, my words tumbling out in fragments. ‘Imogen and Janie came with me through the portal. They came to help me find an ingredient. We got the flower we needed, and we were on our way back to Gravehaven to go back through the portal,’ I tell her.
Gretchen's gaze darts toward the wizards, mirroring her astonishment. 'They all come from the other world?' she exclaims, surprised. ‘It explains why I’ve never come across that little witch before,’ she sneers, but then something flickers through her eyes. ‘That doesn’t explain how you, a wolf, came to be in that world in the first place. It’s punishment by death for even trying to get through the portal without the Mystic Councils approval first. It also doesn’t explain what any of this has to do with Warrick. How he was able to shift, and why Xander and Janie freed him from being magically bound?’ she says, her voice dripping with curiosity, demanding answers. She steps closer.
‘I don’t know anything else,’ I breathe, my voice strained.
'Lies!' Gretchen spits, her sharp nails slashing across my cheek, carving a deep gash that threatens to rend through to the other side. The searing pain erupts from my wounded flesh and a cry of anguish tears from my throat. Blood trickles down my cheek, but as swiftly as it flows, my wolf's regenerative power seals the wound together, accelerating the healing process.
Within the confines of his cell, Warrick growls ferociously, his wolf instincts raging against the restraints. Frustration pulses through him as he fights against the silver bars, desperate to save me—the scent of his burning flesh permeating the air. Undeterred by his ruckus, Gretchen presses the sharp tip of her nail against my trembling neck, puncturing the delicate skin. 'Tell me what Xander has to do with you and the other two and what Warrick has to do with all this. How did Xander break the curse? Why he was freed?’ she warns, threatening to slit my throat.
'Perhaps we should employ the silver whip to extract the truth,' Amos suggests with a sadistic smirk, revelling in the torment that looms before me.
Hot tears well in my eyes, yet I refuse to let them fall. As Gretchen plunges her nail deeper into my flesh, an anguished scream erupts deep within me, echoing through the air. Blood dribbles down my neck, but the wounds seal shut from my regenerative power in mere seconds.
Rage engulfs Warrick, his voice thundering through the chamber. 'I will make you regret ever breathing if you kill my mate!' His words carry a fury that causes the wizards to pause, their expressions betraying a wariness they usually don't display.