45. The monster inside.

Lauren Two weeks. That’s how long it’s been since I was arrested and brought here. Two weeks of hell. Two damn weeks of nothing but torture and pain.

Who knew there were so many ways of torturing a person? So many ways of bringing pain. So many ways to break them.

I have been electrified, stabbed, clawed, drowned, hit, whipped. Anything you can think of has been done to me.

My limbs are numb from being chained. My body is full of scars. It’s black and blue from the beatings I receive each day.

Each day I wake up wishing they would just kill me already. But I know mercy is not in their blood. Just like Sebastian told me, they wanted to see me suffer before they could finally execute me.

“Ren?” Blue calls tiredly She is so weak that she’s barely holding her head up. I hate that she is going through this. That there’s nothing I can do to stop what is happening.

“Yeah” I reply slowly.

I stopped fighting after the first week. I knew there was no way they would let me go. That my fate was sealed.

The only thing I asked them was to let me see Krystal. If they were going to kill me they should at least let me say goodbye to my daughter.

Sebastian refused. Saying that Krystal didn’t need to see the likes of me.

“I don’t think I can hold on much longer and neither can you” she says, each word taking a toll on her.

I sigh. The action made me wince at the pain in my ribs.

“It’s okay Blue, I know. When the time comes we will let go. I’d rather die on our own accord than die at the hands of those bastards. Sebastian included.” I respond in a growl, but it comes out more of a whimper.

She nods her head before going back to sleep. Sleep doesn’t come as easily for me. Whenever I close my eyes I am tormented by the images of my torture and impending death. Worry also keeps me from sleeping.

Who was going to take care of Krystal when I die? Darren was barely sober these days and I’d rather be stabbed a million times than have Sebastian as her guardian.

My only hope was that Darren’s parents would take her in. She was their granddaughter after all, and they were good people. They would do anything for her.

The thought of dying and leaving Krystal breaks my heart all over again. I promised her that I would never leave her, but this time the choice has been taken from me.

I sob when I think of missing out on her growing up. That I’ll never get to see ascend into her powers.

Or become the woman I’ve always prayed she will be.

“Lauren?”

The voice cuts short my sobs and pity party.

Standing at the door was someone I’d never thought would ever come to see me.

“Have you come to gloat? Or are you here to watch me get beaten up?” I accuse Darren.

Maybe he is here to tell me he told me so. To mock me for not listening to him when he told me not to get involved with Sebastian.

But even if I hadn’t married Sebastian would it have changed anything? Wouldn’t I still be in the same situation?

“No!” He quickly shouts. “I didn’t come to mock you, just came to see how you’re doing. I may not be able to get you out but that doesn’t mean that I can’t be here for you”

I stare at him through swollen eyes.

“Why are you allowed to see me when they refused Claire? I heard her shouting for them to let her see me” I ask him suspiciously.

“Because technically I am still an alpha.” he replies with a shrug. “I still have some hold even though I am inactive”

My head falls down. I no longer have the strength to keep it up just so I can stare at him.

“Tell me what you want and leave, as you can see I am not in the mood for company” I whisper tiredly.

“Is it true what they’re saying? That you’re the serial killer” he mumbles.

I sigh at his question. Was this a ploy to get me to talk? I look at where they positioned the CCTV camera. I give them the middle finger even though the action strips me of energy.

I don’t answer the question. What was I supposed to say?

I no longer doubt what Krystal said. I remembered how she looked at me strangely when she came out of her trance. Like she knew something about me that I didn’t. Something big and scary.

I don’t doubt her but I also don’t remember killing anyone. I have tried racking my brain for clues or anything concerning the murders but I had nothing.

Blue also doesn’t remember shit. So basically, I was going to be executed for something that I probably did but don’t remember doing.

“Apparently so” I give him the only answer I can.

“I was told Krystal was the next Oracle. That she’s the one that outed you. Why didn’t you tell me she has been blessed by the goddess?” He enquires.

His voice is so gentle that I started to doubt if I was talking to Darren or a clone.

“When was I supposed to tell you that? You’ve been AWOL since Miranda’s deception came to light” I say breathing through the pain.

Fuck. Blue was right. I don’t think we could take any more of the torture. Our body was shutting down on itself.

I probably had multiple internal bleedings and fractures. Since I was still in silver chains, and it was poisoning us. It meant that we couldn’t heal.

Darren doesn’t say anything for a while. His face cast down “It all makes sense now” he looks up then begins explaining. “When you left, Krystal started having night terrors. She told me that in each one, you were always covered in blood so naturally she would assume you’re covered in blood because you were killed. But what if she saw you killing. Covered in the blood of your victims?”

I look at him both from shock and fury. Thanks to him Sebastian and his cronies now had more evidence against me.

“Would you stop calling them my victims?” I ask in irritation instead of replying to his question.

What he said made sense and once again it proved that I was indeed the killer, but there was no way I was going to voice that out. No way was I going to give them that satisfaction.

I was shocked that Krystal saw this months before the murders began. This just showed how powerful she was even though she’s still a child.

“Sorry” he replies sheepishly.

I hear one of the guards shout that time is up. I guess it was time for Darren to leave. Even though I didn’t want to, I had to admit that it felt great having someone who doesn’t look at me in either hate or disgust.

Don’t get me wrong, I still hated his guts but it was nice having someone who saw me for the person I have always been instead of a heartless killer.

“Listen Ren, I want you to know that I believe you. I don’t care what the truth is but I know you would never knowingly hurt or kill an innocent person. There’s gotta be another explanation and I’ll try and find it”

I stare at him. Searching his eyes before finally replying.

“Thank you” I tell him softly. He starts to leave but I stop him. “If I do get executed, please get your life back on track Darren. Krystal will need her father, her real father. Not the drunk man you’ve become.

Tell her I’ll always love and I’ll be watching over her”

I blink back the tears. I don’t want to cry. I have done enough of that already.

“I will. Don’t give up yet. There’s still hope” he pleaded before leaving.

That was the thing though. I don’t think there is any hope left. The moon goddess abandoned me a long time ago. This latest situation was just one of the many where she turned her back on me when I needed her.

It was probably hours later when an enforcer came to my cell. He was new and he was alone. Usually it was just Sebastian and Alec who came.

I look at him and if looks could kill then I would be dead and gone. The energy I sensed from him was sinister. I had a feeling this guy wanted more than answers. He wanted me dead.

“Do you know that among the people you killed, one of them was my twin brother?” he began while turning on the security system of the cell door.

He starts approaching me menacingly.

I shake my head, unable to answer as his angry energy suffocates me.

“Do you know how it feels to find out that your brother was torn apart by some psychopath?” he growls hitting me.

“Have you ever had to bury a loved one in bits and pieces?”

He lands another hit making me groan in pain.

“So many have suffered because of you. Because you’re a cold heartless bitch” he snarls.

Fuck! Why won’t they stop? Why are they still hurting me?

“I don’t remember, please” I beg.

I don’t know how many times I’ve said this. How many times I have begged them to stop. Can’t they hear the truth in my words?

“You expect me to believe that? You expect me to believe that you killed but now you don’t remember a fucking thing? Bitch do I look stupid to you?”

I don’t say anything as he hits me again. I just slump over crying. I don’t know if my body can handle any more.

“I don’t even know why they’re still keeping you alive. After everything you’ve done you should be rotting” he says angrily.

He then stops and looks at me. I see it in his eyes when the idea pops up. It’s like his entire eyes glows with malice.

“I can fix that though. Sure they’ll be angry but you’ll already be fucking dead” he says with a sinister smile.

I start backing away but the chains prevented me from going further.

He comes close, wrapping his hands around my throat. His claws are out and his wolf shines through his eyes.

“I will end you and then you know what I am going to do next? I’ll find your daughter and end her too. I won’t allow the spawn of the devil to live on this earth. She might turn out just like you, a heartless killer. After all, the apple doesn’t fall too far from its tree” he finishes. Smirking at me evilly.

I feel the familiar darkness start to rise up. The fear for Krystal’s life pushes it forward.

I want to push it down but why should I? They already thought me a monster.

Finally I let go and give in to the darkness. For the first time since everything started, I become one with it.

The roar that rips from my throat is terrifying even to my own ears. I yank the chains and they easily break off.

I see the moment he realizes that he had fucked up. No one was going to hurt me or my daughter. He was a threat and just like with the rest, I will get rid of him.

“Shit!” he screams.

He starts to turn. About to run but I punch my hand through his back before ripping his spine completely out. He stills before his body falls down.

I jump on his body and maul it. Tearing it into pieces. I had to make sure he never rises. That he will never hurt my pup.

I smell a familiar scent and turn to the door baring my teeth at the newcomer. I don’t recognize the face but I know whoever he is, is an enemy. He is a threat and my job is eliminating threats.

“So you’ve finally revealed the monster you've been hiding” he says “ This is going to make my work so much easier”