The Alpha's Guardian

I gasp in shock as cold water trickles down my face. My wrists are sore and my cheek throbs with a menacing ache. I glare over at Samuel, who inspects the cup that once had water in it. He tosses it to the ground and saunters over, reaching out and turning my face as he looks over my mangled face. "You broke your oath, Ali." He tuts, pushing my face away, and steps back.

He runs a hand through his salt and peppered blond hair and heaves a heavy sigh. When I don't respond. He moves to the cell door. "Serge. Bring it here."novelbin

The warrior from earlier walks in, looking rough. His nose has a white strip over it and both eyes are bruised. Though he is already healing, I take pleasure in knowing I did a thorough job. He scowls at me as he produces a brown wooden box, my box, and I freeze. The warrior named Serge smiles, knowing that it means something to me.

Samuel takes it and reaches into his pocket with his other hand, producing a lighter. He looks at me and clicks the lighter on and off, teasing me. He searches for fear in my eyes, but I know he doesn't find it. I knew this would happen, I had hoped it wouldn't but only a fool goes on a mission like this without resigning to all outcomes.

He brings the box to his nose and sniffs deeply. I focus on the smells surrounding me, and the scent of fuel hits my nose. The as*sholes drenched it in gasoline. Samuel crouches down and places the box in front of me. He glances up, giving me a wicked smile, and clicks the lighter on again, this time bringing it to the box that holds my guardian oath. A whoosh sounds as the whole of it is engulfed in flames.

"You know they say when the oath breaks, you lose all your special powers at once. Your healing hand, your emotional connection that links you, even your mind link. Sure it doesn't break your guardian bond with your alpha completely. But every person who has been released from their oath with dishonor has screamed in excruciating pain."

I stare at the box as it flashes orange, and a tear runs down my cheek. The only remaining thing I have of my parents is that box. My old life holds within it the key to my current life. Both of which are now going up in flames. Ironic how that works sometimes. "And what will you do with me after you strip me of my guardian title, Samuel? Hmm?"

"I haven't thought much about that yet. There are lots of things I could do. I could withhold you from your mate, knowing how much that bond means to you. But I'm learning that you aren't really a big fan of your former fling Liam anymore, are you? I think probably you will spend awhile down here at the whim of the warriors you gave a beating to."

"Have you always been this much of an a-ss or is this new?" I ask, smiling through a split lip.

"Oh, this is nothing new. You just were always just a good girl obedient and so willing to do what I asked. You never had to know me like this. I have to admit, I hate how you choose him over me. I raised you after all."

"Why do you hate Corbin so much?" I ask, tilting my head.

I can feel a tingling in my chest as if the embers of the fire are within me and immediately I know that the paper holding my oath has finally caught flame. My body searing in pain as the heat spreads through my veins, burning through each ventricle and view with a fury.

It takes immense effort to keep my mouth shut. To not give him the pleasure of hearing my scream, but when it hits my eyes, the burning is too strong. I scream in agonizing pain, sobbing and panting for air.

The similar feeling of something being ripped from me trickles through my limbs as my special guardian abilities one by one leave me as a soul leaves a deceased body. The sound of an audible rip echoes through the cells, followed by another scream so foreign to my own ears that I hardly could claim it as my own.

"Hmm. I have to admit, you have handled that better than any other wolf. It was hardly satisfying," Samuel frowns.

"Serge!" He hollers, keeping his eyes trained on me.

"Sir?" he says, emerging in the doorway yet again.

"I am not satisfied with her punishment." Samuel looks over his shoulder with a sly smile. "Work her over for me, will you? I have to go play guardian to Alpha Wade."

My heart sinks at the thought of Wade falling into the hands of Samuel, and I fight feebly against my restraints. Serge steps forward and wraps his hand around my throat, squeezing enough to labor my breathing. He looks me up and down and then peeks over his shoulder.

"I take no pleasure in hurting someone who is chained up," he whispers. "But orders are orders."

His knee finds my stomach and I lurch forward in a mad search for air. My eyes bulge at the pain, and I can't help but cough. I straighten myself up and stand, readying for the next blow. He backhands me and my cheek stings from the contact. "You backhand like a bitch, Serge." I smile, my bloody teeth on display.

He throws a punch that lands square on my mouth and I can feel my skin rip at my lips. Warmblood trickles into my mouth and I spit the blood in his face, cackling like I have gone mad. He grabs the collar of my coat and pulls me close, sneering at me. "That was better, much more masculine." I jest

"You have a lot to say for someone who is going to lose their wolf."

I burst into laughter.

"Can't take what I don't have."

"What do you mean?" he asks, taken aback.

"I don't have a wolf. You got your a-ss kicked by a female omega." I smirk, or at least I think I do.

My face is so swollen that I'm probably about as emotionless as a woman leaving the Botox facility. He smiles happily and I swallow hard. That wasn't the reaction I was expecting. He stalks over to the coals that remain from my box and gingerly picks up the largest one, glowing red. His skin sizzles loudly as smoke and the smell of his burned flesh fills the cell.

"We were trained the same, you and I," he says, looking down at his hand curiously. "Pain is the construct of the mind. Well, until it is too much for the mind to hide. I am going to take so much pleasure in breaking that for you." "Oh, joy," I say mockingly.

"The best part is, since you're an omega, you will be in pain much longer than I will be just by holding this coal."

He takes a step closer and looks me over. I swallow hard trying to prepare myself for this torture. Then he reaches forward, unzips my jacket, and moves it to the side. Bringing the coal to my collarbone it slowly sizzles as he runs it along my skin. He watches as I struggle for control over my pain. All of me already hurts. An ache here, a stabbing there, but this continual burning, so close to my nostrils that I can smell my flesh cooking. It's too much to bear as I gag and dry heave, making the pain of it all much worse.