noun ~ a small room in which a prisoner is locked up in

Some time whilst I was being transported, I had fallen asleep. This time, when I came to my senses, I found I could see and breathed a sigh of relief. I blinked, taking in my surroundings to find myself looking at a tall metal roof. There was a cool draft brushing along my side and with a startled wail, I found that I was still naked. All that covered me was a ratted blanket, itchy and barely covering my body.

I raised my hands to pull it more over my body, only to find my movements restricted. I whimpered as I took sight of my hands bound in silver cuffs, a heavy metal chain linked through each cuff before trailing down to the ground. I sat up with a groan, my head rattling with the movement. My body ached and I felt exhausted.

Looking around, I found I was in a small room. Wait, scratch that; a cell. I was in a cell. The floors were dark cement and dirty. Bloodstains marred one wall opposite me, a heavy metal door beside it with a small window looking latch with a metal box on my side like a post box. I had watched plenty of movies and shows with Molly to guess that was where food came through. The cell wasn't your stereotypical jail cell, rather a contained unit. The four cement walls surrounding me did not provide any warmth, constricting my being to its confinement.

The room was bare apart from the skinny framed bed I sat upon, and a small, drafty window. I lifted my hands to find them secured to an anchor point hammered into the ground. The chains were heavy but I guessed if I stood they would be the right height for me to not have to bend down. I tugged on them anyway, but I felt drained and weak.

I shuddered, pulling the blanket around me as the cold draft came from the window of this room. The bed just so happened to be placed beneath it. I tried to tune my hearing in, to see who was on the other side of these walls but found that was dulled too.

Celimene? I called.

She didn't answer and I felt my nerves grow. So I had been taken here unwillingly by Raven, to be chained in a small room without my wolf or her senses.

Brilliant.

A small sigh escaped me and I forced myself to swallow the bile that wanted to escape. I felt sick to my stomach, nerves creeping up on me and taking hold of my throat. My head felt heavy and my limbs felt tired like they have just woken up from an hour of cramp.

I wondered if the others have found I am missing? How long have I been gone? Did they notice I wandered off? Now I think about it, I had not only managed to hunt and eat my animal alone, but I followed the dark figure to the clearing, and had a full vision. I had been alone a while, why had no one come for me?

My fear turned from my own to the safety of my friends. I hoped they were okay and uninjured. Whoever had me, whether it was Raven alone or not, had better not hurt them. I don't think my heart could cope if people I called family were injured.

I swallowed harshly, blinking furiously to clear the negative thoughts. I needed my wits about me, no matter how terrified I was. The sound of footsteps suddenly met my weak ears, heavy and calculated, almost teasing as they came to a stop behind my door.

They paused, silence overcoming the room once more. A shuffle of fabric and a hushed mumble sounded before the sound of a lock echoed around the room. I licked my lips nervously, pulling the fabric tighter around me as I awaited the cruel fate. The handle twisted and the door creaked open, all the while I held my breath, waiting for a face to appear.

I was shocked when it did, my breath hitching when two dark eyes met my own. I was sure my face revealed my emotions as when the two figures stepped into the room, the one in front had a cruel smirk on their face, but the upper part of their face was covered in a dark mask. Dressed in dark woollen robes and winter boots caked in mud, the two hovered above me, waiting.

I felt my lower lip tremble, looking between the two before I slowly shuffled further away from the edge of my bed.

"Sleep well, Nova?"

The dark once warming eyes of someone I thought to be a friend stared down at me. Raven smirked when I took in her dark appearance, her arms crossed in front of her.

My eyes flickered from the leader to stare into her dark, unblinking eyes. "Raven?"

She nodded. "Surprised?"

My mouth was dry with nerves but despite it all, I shook my head. She frowned at that, her usual features turning into something wicked. She scoffed, flicking her dark hair behind her shoulder, arms crossed as she glowered down at me.

I looked at the masked man warily when he moved. His arm reached into the side of his coat and I tensed when he began to pull something out. His hand was pale, fingers long and boney as he lifted dark fabric to my face. With a silent grunt, he threw them onto my lap and I stared down in confusion.

"Clothes." Raven huffed. "Get dressed, we have places to be."

I looked between the two of them once more but found they wouldn't budge. Raven had a permanent scowl it seemed and I sighed softly, realising they were not leaving the room. I stared at the chains on my hands with a frown before unravelling the fabric I was given. It was a long, dark dress, one that seemed it would reach mid-thigh. How was I supposed to put it on whilst I was chained?

Realising their mistake, Raven sighed again before flicking her fingers. "Don't do anything stupid."

Despite her warning, I wasn't going to anyway. I was clearly weaker here, outnumbered and in a place, I did not know. I kept the blanket covering my front as I pulled the dress over my head. It was slim-fitting but baggy around the neckline. Its sleeves fell to my mid-bicep and felt light against my skin. It protected me from that awful draft at least.

Looking back up at Raven, I let out a startled yelp as the sudden appearance of cuffs were slammed onto my wrists. I stared up at the masked man with horror as silver began to burn my skin. His face was empty of emotion, or rather, his mouth was. Lips set firm, I noticed a small scar resting upon his lower lip that ran down the crease of his grimace.

The silver cuffs I wore were attached by yet another chain and held in the pale hands of the man. Raven moved from the corner of my eye and stood by the door just as it opened from the outside. She held her head high as she walked through and I was forced to stand when the masked man moved, tugging my chain.

I stumbled on my feet, electricity burning my thighs and calves as I stood upright for the first time in who knows how long. He let out no sound as he dragged my shaky form behind him, following Raven much like a shadowed guard. She lead us through a hallway and I took in the face of the man who opened the door, finding him also masked.

What were the masks for? Concealing identity, obviously, but why? Why did Raven feel like she didn't have to? A heavy dread set in my stomach as I thought. Raven did not show her face, because she wasn't afraid of me telling others about her. She was going to keep me here or kill me, I just knew it.

I stumbled into the back of the masked man when he came to a stop, and he grumbled at me. I stepped away hastily, eyes darting around him to where we had come to. The burning in my wrists was becoming hard to ignore when I pulled at the chains, the smell of my flesh began to get noticeable.

"They are enchanted chains. When you are complacent, they do not harm you." A new voice met my ears.

It was deep and enchanting, a gentle husk with every word he spoke. I looked from the two that dragged me here to follow the source of the voice. A tall man sat upon a large chair, almost throne-like. One of his knees was hitched around the armrest, his body at an angle as the opposing arm supported his weight on the chair's arm. Much like Raven, he did not hide his face. I did not know this man, nor recognise nor remember him. His body oozed power, however, one that I was not familiar with.

He had bright grey eyes, startling white almost as they nearly blended into the whites of his eyes. His skin was dark, a beard covering his neck. Dark intricate tattoos crawled up the little part of his neck I could see, as well as over his hands and up the side of his temple. The rest of his body was clothed in dark fabric, covering every part other part of his body. His hair was dark and tightly braided down his head.

"Does she speak?" The man teased.

Raven turned to eye me with a glower, the masked man pulling me forward with the chains. I stumbled, throat restricting as my eyes became locked with the mysterious man before me. He cocked his head, his hands halting from playing something in his grip.

"Yes." I breathed, although my voice came out scratchy.

"Ah perfect." He grinned, his teeth were surprisingly jagged in places.

His wide grin disappeared as he jumped to his feet and jogged down a few steps that lead to his chair. I watched with tension as he sauntered closer to us and began to circle me. He took the chain from the masked man who gave no resistance and came to a stop in front of me. He hummed, holding the chain in his hands and staring down at it almost lovingly.

"Thank you for bringing her to me." His deep voice soothed and his bright eyes flickered to Raven.

Her jaw locked as she caught me looking at her, but she kept her dark eyes focused on the man before us. She bowed her head once before looking away out of respect. Just as she turned away with the masked man by her side, her dark eyes met mine and she gave me a firm glare. I wasn't sure what to make of it. I had thought Raven was good, finally washed of her sins from the enemy rogues. I was confused.

Once alone with this strange man, he sighed loudly. I jerked when his hand suddenly came into my vision and he growled at that, tugging on my chains painfully. I cried out a little, almost falling to my knees at the unexpected force. He grumbled lowly when his hand made contact with my cheek and I couldn't help but wince when his fingers dug into my jaw.

"You shall not react such a way. You are mine now." He snarled.

My jaw was aching with the force he gave, my mouth falling open with a pained pop. I felt my teeth ache with every passing second he held me there. I was irritated though, that he dared to claim me. I was not his, I was no one. Not even Phoenix held such possession over me, and he was my mate.

"Answer me. Do you understand?"

I whimpered, unable to prevent the sharp ache that shot down my neck and jaw when his thumb pushed into my upper cheek.

Despite the ache, I forced myself to speak. "No."

He growled, holding me still. His white eyes darted between my own before looking at the rest of my face. His lips raised in a sneer before his hand released me, pushing my face away dismissively. His head turned away as he began to walk, pulling me along behind him like a dog. I eyed his hands behind his back, wanting to make out the tattoos that covered them. He held the chain between his fingers, palms facing up. It seemed like he was taunting me, holding the chain so delicately.

"I suppose I deserve that answer when I have not even given you answers." He murmured.

He came to the steps that lead to his throne-like chair, stopping in front of it before sighing and turning to me. He studied me, the angered man from seconds ago replaced by a gentle mask of emotion. With another tug of my chain, he ascended the stairs and sat on his throne. He lazily sat there, waiting for me to react to something.

His eyes narrowed. "Sit."

My aching jaw tensed and I narrowed my own back at him. Just as I was about to reply, a wicked grin covered his face before he harshly tugged at the chain. I flew forwards, my cuffed hands hardly preventing my fall. If it had been a flat surface, I was sure my head would've hit the ground, but thankfully I fell upon the stairs. They dug into my torso, my knees and forearms aching painfully with the impact.

He inhaled deeply, before releasing his breath slowly. "Ah, your blood smells wonderful."

I rolled myself to a sitting position, taking the strain off of my injuries. I looked down at my knees with distaste as bloodied grazes met my eyes. I would sit, but not because he asked me to, but because I was already down here and quite frankly, I was tired.

I huffed slightly, rubbing the blood that dripped down my knee. "Why am I here?"

He hummed, and I could feel his eyes burning into the side of my head. He was enjoying this, having all the answers and the power of position. He shifted in his chair, the fabric creaking beneath him.

"You are here because you are mine." He stated.

•••
Oh oh
Nova in trouble

Question of the Day:
Do you have any fears?
Animal, Heights, water etc

wc: 2430

Finding Luna © 2021 XDeafening_SilenceX on W a t t p a d