"Arcelia?" Someone called my name from behind and I quickly turned around and saw Geno behind me.
"Are you okay? You've been standing at the door"
"I... Nothing. I'll be going to be my desk" I quickly walked past him and went to my desk. I focused on my work and managed to do quite a lot before my lunch break.
My phone rang and I picked.
"I'm going there now"
"I'll see you soon" I hung up and grabbed my bag. I was about leaving the building when the receptionist stopped me.
"This was delivered to you" it was a small parcel that could fit into my bag.
"Is there a senders name?" I looked around the parcel.
"No. A little boy just dropped it off" I examined it.
"Okay. Thank you" I wanted to open it and see the content but my phone rang again. I dropped the parcel in my bag and hurried out. It must be Imogen who was calling.
I arrived at the restaurant and found her. I smiled and walked over to her.
"You look so much better today" she kissed my cheeks.
"Do I?" I didn't get any sleep and I was sure as hell I had bags under my eyes. She was only saying that to make me feel better.
"How are you feeling though?"
"A lot better"
"So have you ended things with him?"
I shook my head.
"Celia. Honey you're only hurting yourself by holding on"
"I'm not.... In my heart things have ended. I just don't want to face him now"
She sighed deeply and kept quiet. I was glad she didn't say another thing. We ordered for our lunch.
I was eating slowly, not bothering to check how much time I have until my lunch break ended.
"That man has been staring at us for a long time" my head snapped up and I looked around.
"What man?"I asked in panic. Was it the same man from the morning? I had totally forgotten I was being followed this morning.
"The one outside" she nodded towards the glass and i looked outside. I saw another man dressed in a black suit leaning casually against the wall and staring directly at us.
"Fuck" I muttered under my breath. How could I have forgotten?
"Are you okay? Do you know him?"
"No" I bent my head.
"We have to leave here" I said grabbing my things but she stopped me.
"You're scaring me. Is he bothering you? I can go out there and set him straight"
"No. It could be dangerous" I said quickly and her frown deepened.
"What the hell Arcelia? Speak now"
"Okay. Okay. I'll tell you"
I didn't want to mention what happened to her last night or this morning. I didn't want to worry her but with the way she was looking at me now, I had to spill.
"There was an incident yesterday at night. The emergency team came and there was some blood in my front yard"
"Blood? Did someone get hurt?"
"I honestly don't know. Nobody does. There was a puddle of blood at my front door and a trail of blood that ended somewhere but there was no body. The man in charge seems to think that it may be someone trying to scare me?"
"Scare you? I don't understand. When did you find the blood?"
"I ordered pizza and as I was eating, I heard a noise on my door. At first I thought it was Blaed who had come to find out why I wasn't answering his calls so I didn't move but then I heard another sound. Like someone was slammed into my door and then I heard a wail. I called the team and after waiting for a while, I heard a car out front. I thought it was the emergency team but it was only an unidentified car driving away. I was going back into the house when I stepped into the blood"
"What the fuck? What did the head say?"
"That maybe someone was trying to scare me. He gave me his number to call if anything happened and that.... I shouldn't spend the night alone"
"Arcelia" she scolded me.
"Why didn't you call me. You slept alone in your house after you were advised not to?"
"I didn't want to bother you"
"You make me upset every fucking time you say that. When have I ever said you bother me. You know I'll drop everything and come to you"
"I didn't sleep if that helps" she rolled her eyes and I giggled. Her mood lightened a bit.
"So you think the man is responsible for what happened last night?"
I nodded. "It can't be a coincidence. A man in a black suit bumped into me today and I've seen so many today. One was standing directly outside the office building and now this one. I think they are following me but I don't know why. Maybe I'm just paranoid but I think they have something to do with what happened. Why did they suddenly show up out of no where right after it happened"
"Do you think this has anything to do with Blaed?"
"Why would Blaed send men to follow me or dump blood in my front yard?"
"Not Blaed. His wife"
"His wife?"
"She probably feels threatened about your relationship with her husband. Maybe she's trying to scare you off"
"There's no need for that. I'm not going to be seeing him anymore"
"She doesn't know that and you haven't officially ended things with Blaed. I think you should do that and leave town for a while"
"I can't leave my job"
"You won't have a job if you die"
"I'm not dying"
"Yes. That woman could be a crazy murderer for all we know. Just end things with him quickly and we can leave town. You and I. Maybe we can go to your mothers place or somewhere else. Take that vacation you always wanted until all this dies down"
"Okay. I'll just call him and set up a meeting to..."
"Are you insane?" She cut me off.
"What?"
"You want to meet up with him? When it's obvious that you're being followed. Do you know what she could interpret it as? What if she murders you on your way home"
"Imogen" I shouted. Why was she trying to scare me.
"Okay. None of that will happen. Maybe. But it's best you call that motherfucker and end thighs with him over the phone. It's unwise to do that"
"Okay" I mumbled and went back to eating my food. When I looked outside the window again, the man was gone. I finished eating ten minutes past my lunch break and Imogen escorted me back to the office.
At the end of the day, I had already typed my application for a leave and had it approved. Geno was more than pleased to approve it. I have never taken any leave since I started working.
Imogen had somewhere to be but she would be at my home by ten. I had until then to end things officially with Blaed and make him know that I know of his wife.
It was way past eight and my phone was in my hand. Blaed's name was on the front screen but I kept debating if I should call or not.The best option would be to move on and just leave town. Cut of all ties with him. But I needed to make it clear that we were done so he would know to never come after me again. I took a deep breath. I was going to call him. Then just do it and get over it.I unblocked him and I dialed his number and he picked on the first ring."Babe. I've been trying to call you. What's wrong? Did I do anything?"I scoffed. He was a perfect actor pretending like he didn't do anything."My love talk to me""I am breaking up with you""What? Babe no. What did I do? Whatever it is, we can get over it. Communication always works. Tell me, what did I do?""Don't fucking ask me that. You lied to me for two years and you were married all along"He didn't say anything."Babe... it's not like that. I can explain. I..." "I don't care for your explanation" I hung up the phone.
I groaned and tried to get comfortable in my bed. My elbows scraped something rough. I winced and I opened my eyes. I wasn't in my bedroom, I was in a cage. A smelly one. I jerked awake and looked around. Silver bars surrounded me while I heard the sound of water dripping. The memories started coming in and I cussed under my breath. I remembered the light going out in the club and a prick at the back of my neck. I had been drugged. The man that caught me before I passed out. Have I been kidnapped? Did the men get to me or perhaps it was Blaed's wife? What was going to happen to me? I knew I shouldn't have gone to the club. I should have listened to Imogen."Let me out" I tried to shake the bars but they were sturdy. "Don't bother. They won't hear you"I turned and saw a girl huddled in the corner, her entire focus on her nails."And even if they do, they won't be releasing you. This is for the damned" she said in an eerie voice. "The damned? I didn't do anything to be a damned" S
"You... what... How?" I couldn't form any questions. He jerked me up roughly by my arms, locked my wrists with cuffs, and dragged me away.This definitely has something to do with that night. He was there. A part of the investigations. Were the other men part of this? My feet scraped the rough floor as he pulled me through the dark paths. The only thing visible to me was the silver bars. They were also holding people captive.We climbed up a rickety stairs and he pushed the small gate above us open and carried me outside. We came out into a beautiful ultra-modern house. The interior is a sight to behold. Golden curtains and fixtures. He pulled me up another flight of stairs and pushed a door open.I heard voices inside and I became scared. He pushed me forward and I fell on my hands and knees. The room became silent suddenly. I could feel their presence here and their piercing gazes but I didn't dare look up."Look at me" a hard voice commanded. I felt the weight of his command and
I dashed for the door but he caught me before I could get out. He bunched my clothes in his fists and drags me to the center of the room. "You made her suffer" There was a loud noise and a long chain fell from the roof. I struggled against him but he slapped me on my cheeks knocking me to the floor. A bruise should be forming from the impact.He jerked me up again and attached the chains to my wrist cuffs. I was elevated until I was hanging fat above the floor."I'm giving you a chance to speak. Tell me where her body is and we don't have to do this""I don't know" I cried. Tears spilled freely from my eyes. I didn't kill anyone. I knew nothing about a murder. I didn't know him. Why was this happening to me?"You won't enjoy this. But I will" I felt the first sting of a whip on my back. The excruciating pain traveled through my body. I screamed bloody murder.The whip came down for the second time. The pain was as intense as the first strike of the whip. The whipping continued until
TEIGEN's POVI brushed the stray hair away from her face. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever set my eyes on. Her scent. Fuck her scent was driving me crazy. It rattled my wolf to the point where I was fighting not to shift. She was making me lose control and I never lost control.The door opened and I pulled away from her. Alfio didn't say a word as he crossed the room and examined her. I was thankful for that. I didn't want him whining or asking me stupid questions I had no intention of answering. "Her pulse is weak and she looks pale"I growled at him. "Then do something about it""There isn't much that I can do. The injuries are too much. She may not survive the night"I snarled at him. How dare he say that. But when I looked beyond my anger, I could see his stoic face and I relaxed slightly. He was only trying to push my buttons. "Do something Alfio""There isn't much I can do. She's injured. Has lost a lot of blood. Slipping in and out of consciousness. It should tell
I groaned and stretched my limbs, turning over in my bed. No. Not a bed. I was on a rough floor. I opened my eyes. I was back in my cell.The girl in the corner was singing a soothing song. Her voice was nice. I remembered everything that happened before I passed out for the last time.I must have imagined the soft bed. I craved for my own bed so my mind was probably just playing tricks on me. I wondered how many days I spent here. Two? It felt like forever. What was Imogen doing and would she find me? Were they even searching for me?I groaned and sat up. The bandages around my chest and back were gone and I was dressed in a soft cotton gown. I no longer felt pain as I moved too. Did I imagine all of that? The whipping, the men, and the bed? It all felt so real.I flexed my shoulders and tried to touch my back. I winced from the pain caused by stretching my muscles. I stood up and walked around. I was perfectly fine. I frowned. Something was definitely wrong somewhere. Did I imagine
My body was shaking in fright just from looking at him. The hate and glare in his eyes. If I could disappear, I'll do it in a snap. But I couldn't so I had to endure his gaze, squirming at the intensity."Are you ready to talk now?" he asked in his usual cold voice."I...." I stuttered helplessly. I wanted to defend myself again but I couldn't find the words. Not when he was staring at me like he wanted to tear my limbs apart. He stood up and instinctively, I took a step back, bumping into the guard who www closely standing behind me. My arm was grabbed roughly and the scary alpha growled. At me or the man behind me, I wasn't sure. His growl was terrifying and I figured out it was for me because why would he growl at the man?He growled lowly again and the tight grip on my upper arm instantly disappeared and I was left to stand on my own again.The alpha took a step towards me and I shuddered."Maybe you should remain calm," the elderly man beside him said but he ignored him."The mo
I didn't know what time It was when I finally finished cleaning the small room. But I felt so exhausted and it was a struggle to remain standing and awake. I had to do away with the mattress because it was soaked and it smelled so terribly. When I was finished, I lay on the hard ground. I would feel pains all over my body by tomorrow and this wasn't ideal but It was the only option I had. I couldn't sleep sitting up and she had made it clear that I had to sleep inside the room. My body gave into exhaustion and I closed my eyes to sleep. It felt like I had barely closed my eyes for five minutes when chilled water was dumped on me. I woke up startled looking around to see where I was. "You" a voice thundered and I sat up. A new woman was glaring down at me with so much contempt, holding an empty bucket by her side. "What are you doing still sleeping? It's time to get a move on" "But I just went to bed" I complained. She grabbed my hair in her fists, pulling at the roots unt