ANNA'S POV
My eyes fluttered open slowly, pain stabbing into my skull like a thousand needles. A dim, flickering light swung overhead, casting shadows that danced creepily on the cracked walls. As my vision cleared, the blurred figure in front of me sharpened into the devil himself.
Kosturos.
He was lounging lazily on a rickety chair, a smug smirk plastered across his ugly face.
A cigarette dangled between his fingers, the smoke curling around him like some wicked aura.
As soon as he noticed I was awake, his smile deepened in a way that sent a chill running down my spine.
I tried to move, to scoot away from him, but ropes dug into my skin, tying me tightly to the cold, dirty floor.
My wrists ached, and the more I struggled, the worse the burning became. Panic bubbled up inside me. I tried to scream, to call for help, but my mouth was sealed with thick, scratchy tape.
Kosturos rose from his chair and sauntered over to me, blowing a cloud of smoke into my face. I coughed against the gag, eyes watering.
“Well, look who’s finally awake,” he said, his voice low and mocking. He crouched beside me and with a cruel yank, he peeled the tape off my mouth. My lips cracked painfully, and I gasped for air.
"You want a cigarette?" he asked, waving the stick in front of my face.
I shook my head violently, glaring at him with all the defiance I could muster.
"Tsk, tsk," he clicked his tongue and leaned closer, his breath reeking of smoke and cheap whiskey. "You should’ve taken it. It might be your last."
I refused to look away. He hated that. I could see it flicker across his expression before he covered it with another smug grin.
"You think you’re so smart, don’t you?" he sneered. "Running off to your precious Damien. Leaving me high and dry. Do you have any idea what you cost me, Anna?"
I frowned, confusion clouding my brain through the haze of pain.
"You ruined everything!" he roared suddenly, standing up and kicking the chair aside. It clattered across the room noisily. "I lost the deal because of you! Damien destroyed my company! I'm bankrupt! Do you even care?"
"I... I didn’t know..." I whispered hoarsely.
He stopped pacing and stared at me, laughing bitterly. "Oh, don’t give me that innocent act. You think I’m stupid? You and Damien planned this. You plotted to take me down, to humiliate me, to leave me with nothing!"
I blinked at him in pure disbelief. "No... Kosturos, I swear, I didn’t..."
"Shut up!" he snapped, cutting me off. His face twisted with rage. "You were always his little pawn, weren’t you? Well, guess what, Anna? You’re his weakness now. And I’m going to crush him the same way he crushed me."
Before I could say another word, the door to the dingy room burst open and two men entered.
They were huge, both with arms like tree trunks and faces that looked like they had been carved from stone.
Kosturos turned to them and barked, "Teach her a lesson."
Fear froze me in place as they advanced toward me. I tried to crawl away, tried to scream, but one of them grabbed me by the hair and yanked me up roughly.
"No! Please!" I begged, but it was useless.
The first punch landed hard against my stomach, knocking the breath out of me. Another blow struck my ribs, and I heard something crack.
Pain exploded through my body. I screamed until my voice broke, but they didn’t stop. They kicked, punched, and slapped until I could no longer even cry out.
I collapsed in a heap, blood pooling around me, my body screaming in agony. My mind started slipping into darkness, but I fought it weakly.
I couldn’t die here. I couldn’t leave Damien without even saying goodbye.
I lay there, broken and bleeding, my vision dimming. Somewhere far away, I heard loud gunshots echoing through the building. My heart skipped a beat.
Maybe death was finally coming for me.
I closed my eyes, letting the darkness pull me in.
But then I felt hands grabbing me, lifting me up gently.
"Anna... Anna, can you hear me?"
The voice was familiar, so familiar, yet my brain struggled to place it. I forced my eyes open.
Nathan.
Damien’s Beta and best friend.
He was crouched beside me, holding a gun in one hand, his other hand carefully brushing hair out of my bloodied face.
"Luna, are you okay?" he asked urgently, his voice tight with concern.
Luna.
That word.
It warmed something inside me, even through the unbearable pain. I managed a tiny smile and nodded weakly.
Nathan cursed under his breath and waved two more men into the room. They rushed over and helped lift me carefully.
As they carried me, I caught a glimpse around the room. Kosturos was gone. The two hulking men who had beaten me lay motionless on the floor, blood spreading out beneath them.
Nathan kept close, his sharp eyes scanning every shadow as we moved down the dirty, narrow corridor.
Outside, a car was waiting, engine running. They eased me into the back seat, laying me down gently.
Nathan bent down, tucking a blanket around me.
I grabbed his shirt weakly, desperate, my fingers clutching the fabric like a lifeline.
My voice cracked as I whispered, "Where is Damien?"
Nathan’s jaw tightened. He looked away, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.
"I’m sorry," he said, his voice barely audible. "He... he didn’t come."
My heart shattered.
Before the darkness took me again, a single tear slid down my cheek.