Well Beyond

The darkness of the basement consumed me, my senses heightened by my lack of vision. Each drip of water echoed through the empty space, causing me to squirm uncomfortably. The longer I waited for something to happen, the louder the slaps of water sounded. The house had been eerily quiet for a while. 

I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath. The first chance I get, I'm running. After being attacked, I'll do anything to get out of this situation. Things will only get worse the longer I stay.

After what seemed like hours, the sound of a garage door rang out. My eyes snapped open as I frantically stumbled to my feet. The sound of a car motor purred loudly against the concrete of the house. Soon, all the sounds paused for a second until I heard a door open.

I strained to hear anything. The voices were muffled beyond the basement door.

"Alpha, we are sorry," one of the guards paused. "There was a situation while you were away."

"Situation?" Erik inquired, an edge of threat lingering in his tone. "Where is Cordelia?"

The mention of my name caused me to frown. I folded my hands across my chest.

"She's downstairs, sir," the guard rushed out.

"And why the fuck is she down there and not in the room," Erik grounds out.

"We didn't know where else to put her," the guard tried to explain frantically.

"Just get out of my way," Erik seethed. "You are both dismissed." 

I heard the hurried shuffling of feet. The door to the basement swung open, light streaming in and contrasting harshly with the dark environment I had grown used to. Erik's silhouette filled the doorway, casting an imposing shadow. Instinctively, I shielded my eyes with my hand, desperate to filter some of the blinding light.

The door closed soon after, and the light faded. Erik found a light switch at the top of the stairs, flipping it on. His footsteps echoed as he made his way down, each creak of the steps making my heart sink. His leather shoes came into view before the rest of him appeared.

He halted when he caught my gaze. Our eyes locked for a fleeting second. His eyes scanned me quickly, searching for any sign of injury or distress.

"Are you alright?" he asked quickly.

I felt my expression harden, my hands still folded across my chest. Was he being serious?

"Is that some kind of joke?" I asked.

"Answer the question," he demanded, his darkened eyes fixated on mine.

"Your prisoner is okay, if that's what you're asking," I sarcastically bit out.

Erik's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing. "You are not a prisoner here, Cordelia."

"Are you serious, right now? What would you call this then," I muttered, glancing around the cold, bare basement. He took a step closer, his frustration palpable. 

"I came down here to check on you, to make sure you're safe."

"Safe?" I laughed bitterly. "In the basement, surrounded by your guards? Really reassuring."

"What happened," he pressed, stepping up to me. 

"Your Beta attacked me," I snapped. "And you expect me to believe you didn't have a hand in that?"

He growled instantly, "I didn't know." 

"Yeah, sure," I muttered doubtfully. Whatever game Erik was playing had finally gotten old. If he wanted to play, I'd play, too. Erik's gaze softened slightly, a hint of regret flickering in his eyes.