She made her way back to her bedroom, bag thrown over her shoulder. Tai was showered and dressed, tying her shoelaces when Indianna knocked and opened the door. "Hey. How are you feeling?"
Tai tied her damp her up and shrugged her shoulders. "I've just got to get used to being responsible for the death of yet another person."
Indianna sighed but didn't try to say anything to comfort Tai. She was learning that Tai wasn't the sort of girl that needed comforting or coddling, not when she was being stubborn with her thoughts. Indianna had to let Tai deal with this in her own way. "Shall we go back down?"
The thought of Ace made Tai instinctively reach up to touch her mark, it was sensitive under her fingertips.
Indianna gasped, spotting the distinctive mark on Tai's collarbone. "Ace... Did he mark you? I assumed he'd want to wait-"
"It was the only way to calm me down," Tai sighed. "I don't get why it's so important to you guys. It's actually rather barbaric. The person you're meant to be soulmates with has to bite you? God, werewolves are fucked. This whole situation is fucked."
Indianna couldn't help but smile in amusement. She didn't argue with Tai. "You can say that again. Come on, let's go back."
"What's the bag for?" Tai asked as the two girls made their way downstairs.
Indianna raised her finger to her lips and shook her head. "Not here," she mouthed. They reached the basement door in silence but as soon as Indianna opened it they were met with loud screams.
"Inside!" Indianna ordered and hurried Tai into the basement and slammed the door behind them. Harry and Kal were holding down one of Rogue's men while Greyson was holding an iron rod to his skin, burning the brand of the pack into his skin.
Indianna couldn't help but cringe at the sound of Rogue's men yelling in pain. She knew what it felt like to have the hot iron scald your skin multiple times. She didn't know how Greyson stood there with a blank face since he had gone through the same torturous procedure more times than anyone in the pack put together.
"Ace, take him to the side and deal with him," Greyson ordered, grabbing the man who was now silent, eyes scanning the room in confusion. He pushed him towards Ace and moved on to the next man who was still unconscious on the floor, still being watched by Brandon. "Brandon, be useful for once in your life and move him over here."
Brandon narrowed his eyes at Greyson, but listened and pulled the man across the floor to Greyson.
"Hold him down."
Harry gripped the man's shoulders and Kal held down his legs. Once his hip was exposed Greyson wasted no time planting the branding iron firmly against his skin. Immediately, the man awoke, yelling profanities and fighting against Harry and Kal. It wasn't long before Greyson removed the rod and the man relaxed, a dazed expression taking over his features as he was freed from Rogue's compulsion.
Greyson sighed and looked over his shoulder at Indianna and Tai. "There's medical supplies in the corner," he said to Tai. "Go and help Ace. Try not to kill anyone in the process."
"Greyson," Indianna said warningly. He shrugged his shoulders innocently.
"That may be hard when it comes to you," Tai snapped, but she walked over to Ace who was now talking to both of the men, explaining the current circumstances.
Indianna spotted Brooklyn and Kimberly sitting beside each other. Neither were talking. Brooklyn was staring blankly off into the distance and Kimberly was watching the two men who had just been freed from Rogue's control, she made a face at the sight of their new brands. Indianna made her way over to the two girls, sitting down in between them. She dropped her bag at her feet.
"You okay?" Kimberly asked. "I see you packed a bag."
"Don't remind me," Indianna sighed.
"You know it's the right choice."
"But it feels so wrong to leave him."
"Your children are more important than Greyson."
"They're equally important to me."
Kimberly rolled her eyes. "When do we go?"
"I have no idea," Indianna said. "We need to figure out a safe route out of town and Brooke will need to get in touch with Harry's parents to get their location and to make sure they're okay with us staying with them."
"They will be." Brooklyn turned to Indianna and Kimberly. Her eyes looked empty, her face blank. Indianna missed her bubbly personality immensely. This wasn't Brooklyn. Rogue had broken her down to a shell of herself. "They'd do anything for Harry and by default for me. I'll call them later today."
Indianna reached for Brooklyn's hand but she flinched and pulled away. "I- I'm..." Brooklyn's eyes filled with tears and her eyes went wide. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to- I just-"
"No, no, Brooke, I'm sorry," Indianna whispered. "I shouldn't have done that."
"No, I know you're safe," Brooklyn whimpered. "I know you. I trust you. I... I shouldn't be bothered by you. I... Damn it, I hate this. I freaking hate myself. I hate him! I despise him! I hate what he's done to me. I just-" Brooklyn stopped talking suddenly, looking across the room at Harry who was now approaching them. They both had a slightly distant look in their eyes that Indianna had seen many times when they spoke through mind link.
Harry ignored Indianna and Kimberly when he reached them and he reached for Brooklyn, taking her hands gently and pulling her up from the floor. He pulled her close and Indianna saw Brooklyn visibly relax in his hold. "I've got you, babe" he murmured and kissed her forehead.
Indianna felt tears of her own forming as she watched Brooklyn. She covered her face with her hands and sighed, leaning to the side and resting her head on Kimberly's shoulder. "We have to stop him," Indianna murmured. "We can't let him get away with what he has done."
Kimberly, who was also watching Brooklyn, nodded. "Everyone here has a reason to kill Rogue, but Brooke definitely trumps most of us."
"Harry will make him suffer," Indianna said quietly and caught Harry's eye when she spoke. Indianna knew that whatever happened, whether they defeated Rogue or not, Harry would make him pay.
*
16 DAYS LATER
Indianna was screaming. She was crippled with fear, exhaustion and desperation. She didn't know what day it was or how long it had been. She had lost track of time and was starting to become delirious. Pain consumed her body, darkness was clouding her vision and she couldn't even hear Greyson's voice in her head over her screams.
This was worse than death. She would give her life ten times over if it would mean this nightmare could be over. She thought she had imagined the worst case scenario. She had never imagined this. She had never felt terror like this.
Tai's body was on the floor right beside Indianna, blood forming in a puddle beside her head. Kal, who had managed to climb out from beneath the rubble was scrambling to his feet, hurrying to follow Rogue who had fled the room. It had taken Rogue less than ten seconds to ruin Indianna and Greyson's life forever, a fate worse than death.
Greyson was on his knees beside Indianna, unable to follow Kal and kill Rogue for what he had done. Indianna was crying, her head flying frantically from side to side. She was looking at Greyson and then to where Rogue had disappeared. She wanted to get up. She wanted to help Greyson, she wanted to help Kal catch Rogue, but she yelled, her voice cracking, and reached out beside her, gripping a fistful of bedsheets as she felt the urge to push.
She had never wanted to die before, but she didn't know how they were going to fix this. She had never felt so helpless and broken. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, pushing as she felt a contraction form, and she prayed and wished...for death.