noun ~ hopefulness and confidence about the future or outcome of something

POLLUX

I came to rather begrudgingly, but this time, something was different. As I blinked past the headache in my temple, my eyes started to sting. Taking some deep breaths, I struggled through the absurdity, and when I opened my eyes, it was definitely different.

Locked in a dark room, I couldn't be certain.

But the tingling of my senses wasn't... normal.

That or the hit to the most recent head has really fucked me over. Perhaps I was actually blind now, and not cursed to be.

Groaning softly, I rolled into a more comfortable position. The movement made my head pulsate, and I knew I wouldn't get any medication because they didn't want to 'taint my blood'. I'd just have to manage it, and hope that food and water would come soon to help.

I sought the nearest wall, pressing my back into it. I really needed to piss, thanks to them forcing me to drink water. Apparently, my most recent blood work wasn't up to standard.

They weren't taking it as often anymore, either. I assumed it was because of whatever tests they were doing told them so. If you deprive a plant of basic needs, it was going to wilt, after all.

Goddess, I sound like my sister.

I wonder if they were even looking for me.

I haven't been in touch in a long time.

I sighed, scratching my nails across my knees. My skin was dry, my fingers dragging over the few littered scabs on my skin. It was something to pass the time; something to concentrate my thoughts on whilst stuck here in solitude.

But then the door opened, and I blinked in surprise.

Not because of the door, or the entrance of whoever it was. But because the room shifted.

I rubbed my eyes clear, double-checking that what I was seeing was real.

It was.

It had to be.

I could see a light. The entire room flooded with a shade of brightness, and then a shadow came and hovered before me, before hands curled around my elbows. My head moved with their movement as they pulled me to my feet, but I was too stunned to speak.

My vision was coming back.

I could see light and shadows.

How?

Why?

Perhaps the hit to my head last time I was out shook some of the spell loose.

Perhaps the witch wasn't very strong.

Either way, I needed to play it cool. If a wolf, fang, witch or whatever the heck they have here finds out I have some kind of vision, I'll lose it.

"Pollux!"

I internally groaned, rolling my eyes at the excited voice of the man in charge. I saw a shadow move to my right, approaching us as we entered the room. He took me from my retriever, before dragging me to a seat.

I was tired of being dragged around, but I just let it happen. I have been in and out of that room so many times now I lost track. What day was it? No clue.

What hour? You're funny if you think I knew that either.

"What do you want now?" I sighed.

"What makes you think I want something?"

"You're joking, right? All you ever do with me is take." I huffed.

"You are feeling brave today, Pollux." He hummed. "Perhaps these two days of rest are not as good as we thought they'd be."

Two days.

Didn't seem that long.

The darkness of the room soon becomes you, and your empty, depressed mind gives into the loneliness. Time and space blur, and I find myself stuck in constant numbness.

"Can we just get this over with?" I muttered.

The only time I encounter the leader is when he needs information or wants to exert his power. Usually, nurses take my blood and handle my feeding regime.

I watched his shadow as he hovered before me, unable to stay in one spot.

"You assume there is a something in the first place." He laughed. "What if there wasn't?"

"You are hardly the type for a friendly chat."

That earned me a hard hit in my ribs. I saw it coming too late, his shadow growing near just before the pain hit. I choked on a cough, clutching my side with a wince.

"No, it seems not." He clicked his tongue. "I have had eyes on that little friend of yours."

I frowned. Friend?

"Harriet?"

"Yes, that one." He clapped his hands. "It seems she has had a visitor."

I paused. "Okay."

"Her sister reported her missing, and her home broken into."

"And that's to do with me... How? I am being held hostage in a hellhole."

"My home is not a hellhole." He growled. "You are just unappreciative."

"Big home." I commented.

"I prefer manor. Or estate."

Of course he does.

I have never met a man with such an ego. He rivalled Charlie when he was in one of his annoying moods.

"Harriet had been staying in her sister's hotel free of charge, isn't that nice?" He taunted. "But it seems she did not meet her for dinner. When her sister entered her room, she found it a mess and the fire escape open."

"Sounds like she ran."

"Yes, it would seem so. Clothes were everywhere, bags opened, and half the contents tipped out..." He mused. "But why would she run?"

"I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" I muttered.

He was going to, anyway.

"She didn't." He clapped his hands, and I flinched. "When questioning her sister, she claims she saw four strange figures enter the building she has never seen before. They approached the elevator and were granted employee access. Tell me, why is that odd?"

I grunted. "If she hasn't seen them, they don't work there, so they wouldn't have employee access."

"Clever, aren't you?"

I rolled my eyes, glaring holes into the shoes of his shadow.

"The person in charge of the lifts is a rogue wolf." He continued. "Which means whoever entered the building had power."

I tensed, knowing instantly where he was going with this.

"A wolf of power can easily command a rogue wolf, but reports stated he appeared physically distressed after their arrival."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Why not just check the CCTV?"

"I would if I had access." He scoffed. "Only those with money or ridiculous status can request that. And the sister nor us have that."

Another fact; this person wasn't a man of power, wealth or status.

"So, what has this got to do with me?" I wondered.

I knew, of course.

I would be stupid to not know.

"Those four people, whoever they were, turned out to be wolves who took the last person you were physically seen with," he explained. "Rather coincidental, isn't it, Pollux?"

"Isn't it?" I muttered.

"Now, I'd love to know how they even knew about your disappearance." He stated. "As far as I am aware, they think you are travelling."

I shrugged. "I don't know what you mean."

I saw his shadow move and tensed as he curled his hand around my shoulder. He tightened his grip, leaning in close enough I could smell the staleness of his breath.

It must be morning... Geez.

I could only imagine what my breath stank like. When was the last time I brushed my teeth? How many days or weeks it's been since I've been fucking kidnapped.

"How do they know to find Harriet?"

I grimaced. "I don't know! Even I didn't know where she was. How am I supposed to communicate with anyone? You took my fucking wolf away."

I felt claws sink into my shirt and hissed as they drew blood.

He soon retracted them with a frustrated growl. "That is true."

I almost sighed in relief when he moved away, obviously realising I had nothing to do with it.

"The ties are cut off; the witch has made sure of it. And we removed all your belongings." He muttered. "It must be something else..."

Remaining quiet was an easy task. I kept my lips closed, my mind empty and face void of emotion. I knew he was facing me, and would no doubt study my every reaction as he thought out loud.

"Your credit cards." He clicked his fingers. "You bought dinner, didn't you?"

I shrugged. "And a hotel room."

"Yes... But how would that lead someone to Harriet?"

"I bought a hat." I stated. "From her shop.."

"It could be so. Whoever it is, is smart enough to look into that." He stated. "But they will never find you, will they, Pollux?"

I pursed my lips, staying quiet again. He laughed darkly before pulling me to my feet.

"I give you clothes, food, water and a roof over your head and all you can do is hate, Pollux."

"I hardly call this a hotel." I muttered.

His grip tightened, but he released it again.

He was going gentle.

The scientists or whatever really have cracked down on all of this.

"My estate is not a hotel." He seethed.

"You can't keep me here forever."

"I will keep you until I have what I need."

"And what's that?"

Despite not seeing his face, I could tell he was grinning as he spoke.

"To have all the power in the palm of my hand."

***

Being placed back in that dark room came at a slight relief. I was glad to be away from the psychopath that held me here, and even happier that there was some hot food and cool water delivered as soon as I arrived.

Once it disappeared, I found myself alone again. In my thoughts. In my cold, dark room.

Just me.

My mind wandered, a tense anxiety riddling my body.

It had to be Phoenix.

Who else would know to go there? They could track my cards and see who I was with. Phoenix was a man of status and wealth, no doubt he searched the CCTV to watch my steps after arriving to then watch me being whipped away.

I'd like to see that, actually. I'd love to know what happened to me whilst I was unconscious.

But then, would Phoenix go through all of that for me?

My wolf was gone. Nova couldn't contact me, so she wouldn't even know something was wrong. Her gift was muted because she was pregnant, so how did they know something changed? How soon did they find out?

Either way, it gave me hope.

If they found Harriet, they could find out why the fuck she drugged me. Was she working with them the entire time? From all those months ago?

It was impossible. How would she even know who I was? She was a human, and summer was the first time we met.

It was getting colder in this room as the days passed by, and I dreaded to think that we were deep in winter already. Last thing I remember... was October. Not weather this cold. This room had nothing in here to keep me warm and I wondered if I was just in a literal closet. You didn't need heating for one of those.

Maybe it's because I'm getting sick and losing blood. Without my wolf, I was defenceless.

It was probably a cell, though.

A man so cunning and greedy no doubt had cells in his manor.

Snort. Pathetic.

He claims it is a manor and yet he doesn't have the power or wealth to get CCTV footage of a hotel?

Pathetic.

All of this was.

Everything.

You name it; it was pathetic.

Me. This. That. Blood. Him. Everything.

But I had a warmth in my chest. Something that was going to keep me on the edge of my toes.

And no, it wasn't the odd possibility that Phoenix and Nova were looking for me. That seemed implausible.

It was my vision.

It was clearing.

The haze was finally lifting.

And that would give me so many more answers.