Riley POV
I'm cleaner than I've ever been. The nurses have given me fresh clothing and I even had the accessories to wash my hair in the small bathroom adjoining my hospital room. They've performed all their tests and now I sit here waiting for somebody to pick me up and take me to the pack house. I'm not naive enough to believe that my mate is going to bother to come and get me. Some instinct tells me that he's going to be keeping his distance and it hurts, so bad, but I keep my face expressionless, not surprised in the slightest when none other than the Beta Callum walks into the room with an apologetic expression on his face.
"Riley," he said quietly, a smile spreading across his face as I coolly observed him "are you ready to go? I've been tasked with taking you back to the pack house and" he paused, anger flashing in his eyes "taking you to your room for further rest."
Why had that made him so angry? I nodded slowly and hopped off the bed, stumbling slightly and Callum quickly grabbed my arm, steadying me. He let me go as soon as I was balanced.
"She's fine to go, but I will want to be informed if she suddenly gains a fever or becomes sick" the doctor advised the Beta who nodded grimly.
"I'll let Alpha Jaxon know" he murmured.
I stood there and expectantly waited. The beta hesitated and then turned with a sigh, leading me out of the hospital. I saw curious glances from the various nurses, doctors and hospital personnel as I struggled to keep stride with him, the sunlight temporarily blinding me as we stepped outside and onto the grounds. I breathed in the fresh air, my eyes closing as I felt the warmth of the sun shining down on me.
"Sorry I didn't realize I was walking so fast" Callum apologized as he slowed down and allowed me to keep pace with him, both of us side by side.
"Are you glad to be out of the hospital?" he asked with interest.
I nodded and then fidgeted with my hands. It was difficult to have a conversation without being able to speak. He sighed.
"Can you fight? In human form I mean?" he asked.
I shook my head. I had never been allowed to train, not properly so my fighting skills would be dismal at best. A child could probably kick my ass and that was putting it mildly.
"I suspected as much" he murmured regretfully.
Several pack members were outside and I noticed some from my old pack, my shoulders hunching instinctively out of reflex as I waited for the insults and degradation to start. Callum noticed my change in stance instantly, glowering at the pack members staring at me, who immediately began to scurry off.
"Don't worry, nobody here is allowed to harm you" he said reassuringly, putting his hand on my shoulder as I looked up at him wide-eyed.
Not allowed to harm me? Who had given them that order? It had never stopped them before unless Alpha Jaxon had cared enough to intervene and order the pack to leave me alone.
I smiled at Callum as we began walking again. He put his hands in his pockets and walked with an easygoing air. He was not arrogant, or rude. I wanted to know about my father and brother but didn't know how to ask since I didn't have a pencil or paper to write on. I tugged on his arm impatiently and he turned, raising a questioning brow.
I tapped on my chest and then gestured. He frowned. I did it again, a little more emphasis on the gesture.
"Are you asking about your father and brother?" he asked confused.
I nodded, dreading the answer.
He glanced away. He rubbed the back of his head and debated how to answer. I waited expectantly. "They were in the dungeon," he said quietly "and they still are. Our dungeon is composed of two areas or two dungeons if we're honest. I didn't want to have to tell you this," he said looking downcast "but the Alpha has requested that you be put in the dungeon as well."
My eyes widened and I began to breathe shallowly, panicked. I hadn't done anything wrong. How could they put me with my father and brother?
"Not in the same area as your brother and father" he was quick to say as I relaxed slightly, "but the other smaller part of the dungeon. Alpha Jaxon has ordered that we make your room down there" he growled sounding displeased "and as much as I'm loathed to take you down there, I have no choice" he explained as I stared at him blankly.
My room was in the dungeon? Or at least part of it? Why? Was this a form of punishment? I knew that my mate might not want me but to go to this extreme? Tears of frustration filled my eyes.
"I'm sorry Riley, but I can't disobey my Alpha, no matter how much I disagree with his actions" Callum apologized.
I knew he couldn't. I wouldn't want him to. He would be punished and I didn't want him punished on my behalf. I swallowed hard, feeling sick. He looked hesitant as he took my arm, his touch gentle, despite the tugging I felt as he began to lead me back to the pack house.
"I tried to make it as nice as I could considering the circumstances, Cody too," he said gruffly.
Like that would make a difference in a room that was prominently bars and steel I thought forlornly. I appreciated he'd made the effort to do it, but it would still look like a dungeon.
We reached the pack house. I barely looked at it. What was the point when I would not be allowed to enter it and exit it at will? Nothing had changed, I thought bitterly, I was still to be treated as an omega who was worthless, only this time it was in Alpha Jaxon's pack. Callum gently led me inside and then down a long corridor, opening a door and down some long stairs. Naturally, the dungeon was in the basement.
As my feet reached the base of the stairs, I saw what Callum had meant by the dungeon being split in two. There was a large divider wall and another reinforced door, down what was arguably the middle of the dungeon, leading into more cells from the appearance of it. Callum pointed at it "Your father and brother are in there" he explained gruffly "those are" a hesitation "the torture cells."
My stomach revolted. I looked away from the door, not wishing to see inside of it.
"The door is soundproof, you won't hear anything from behind it" Callum sought to reassure me, but it didn't make me feel any better.
I still knew they were there. I still knew what was being done to them.
He quietly took me to the back far right corner of the dungeon. There was a large cell but the door was open. They had placed a shaggy rug on the floor to make it warmer. There was a single bed with a mattress, neatly made up with blankets piled at the end. A dresser was opposite it and I walked slowly in, opening the drawers to find that there were all manner of clothes inside it. A hamper beside it for dirty clothes. A small bookshelf with books. Fairy lights on the top of the cell twinkled brightly which made me smile to myself.
"We didn't want you feeling like you were alone in the dark" Callum whispered.
I looked at him. He turned and pointed to another door, a basic one. "Bathroom and toilet through there. We won't lock you in your cell because the door to the basement will be locked. You will sleep in a guest room if there are prisoners down here with you, that aren't being tortured and using this part of the dungeon. Unfortunatley, the Alpha feels that having prisoners in the torture cells doesn't warrant having you in the pack house. I'm sorry Riley" he said apologetically.
I began to gesture, making the motion of writing and he paused. "You need some writing materials" he said wide eyed "of course" he groaned.
I nodded eagerly. It was difficult to have a conversation or ask any questions without it.
He grimaced "I'm an idiot. Of course you need things to write on. I'll organize that straight away and have an omega bring that down to you. You'll also have food brought down on a tray three times a day" he explained "eventually the Alpha wants you to work with the omegas during the day and sleep here at night but for the first few days you are to be down here alone."
I glanced around sighing and then sat obediently on the bed. Callum looked remorseful as he began to make his way towards the stairs. "An omega will be along shortly. Try and get some rest" he called out over his shoulder "the best thing you can possibly do down here to pass the time is sleep" he added.
Sleep, I thought with a bitterness. The same thing I had already been doing in the hospital. I glanced uneasily towards the large door in the centre of the room with the wall separating each side, fearful it wasn't as reinforced as I believed and then lay down. There wasn't anything I could do but hope that my father and brother could not escape and as I closed my eyes, my body tensed, my ears continuing to listen for the merest sound that didn't belong in the dungeon with me.