C8 Punishment

My body shivered uncontrollably at the sound of the heavy iron door clanging shut, echoing through the dark cell. My wrists ached from the cold metal shackles that bit into my skin, chafing with every tiny movement. I am reminded of my isolation. Left alone in utter darkness, the screams around me are oppressive and I try to focus on the rhythmic drip of water somewhere in the distance.

At first, I tried focusing my breathing, taking deep, measured breaths to keep myself grounded. But the darkness seeped slowly into my mind, shrouding my senses bringing with it memories that I try so hard to bury.

The scent of stale beer and cigarette smoke filled my nose. John's voice echoed through the walls, growing louder as he approached my room.

My heart raced as the memories unfolded. I could see myself, a scared six-year-old at the time thinking I was a bad girl because I knew only bad people get punished. And I thought the only reason John punished me was because I was simply bad even when I did nothing. I thought I was born a bad child. Because no matter how much I avoided trouble, no matter how much I struggled to be a good girl. Trouble always found me. I was always punished regardless.

The heavy footsteps of John reverberated through the air. I cowered and peeked from my hiding spot as he pushed the door. There he stood, towering over me with a wicked grin plastered across his face.

“No hiding from me." he sneers, breath reeking of alcohol. He has a drinking habit and with time, it catches up to someone by weakening their wolf but he doesn't seem to mind.

He drags me out and tosses me aside like a rag doll. My cries of mercy fall on deaf ears as he grabs my arm, dragging me to the center of the room.

“Please, no I didn’t do anything. I'm sorry Dad” I whimper, tears streaming down my face. “I will try to be good."

“When will you learn huh, I am not your father you worthless piece of shit”. Pain shot through my body as he struck me, each blow stronger than the last.

He drags me out of the room by my hair, the pain vibrates over my scalp. “You're worthless, you can’t do anything right”. He tosses me into the cold, scary dark room.

I remember screaming my lungs out, the door locked and my stomach grumbling with hunger. I peed on myself and I earned slaps while Emily taunted me for years by calling me “pissy-pissy” I was just a child and I couldn't fathom anything, I always blamed myself for not being a good girl enough.

I was scared of the monsters lurking in the dark. But the more I grew, I realized the ONLY monster I should be scared of is John.

The flashbacks came in waves, each one more vivid and painful than the last. I saw John's face, heard his voice, and felt the sting of his hand against my cheeks. I relived the nights of hiding, the days of walking on eggshells, never knowing what would set him off next.

My breathing grew ragged. My throat was parched, my stomach a hallow ache. I couldn't tell how many hours I'd been here or if it was the next day even, the isolation was maddening. But it isn't just my memory that torments me.

The thin walls of my cell do nothing to muffle the agonizing cries of tortured wolves from the cells over. Their howls of pain and despair sent shivers down my spine. The cries are a reminder to me of the Alpha's ruthlessness and his reputation for being mercilessly cruel in his punishments.

I could hear every brutal detail, from the snap of bones to the whimpers of broken spirits. I didn't know these wolves personally, but I understood their pain and it tore my already uneasy nerves. I covered my ears with my hands and screamed. I screamed as loud as I could so that the only thing I would hear was my cracked voice.

My thoughts drifted to why he was called ruthless, and now I fully comprehended. His punishments were not just physical, they were designed to reach into the deepest parts of the soul, to shatter hope and instill a fear so deep that it leaves lasting scars.

Desperation gnawed at my sanity. I began to mumble to myself in an attempt to distract myself. I tried to remember the books I had read, naming each of my favorite characters but all that seemed futile. The darkness was unrelenting and my voice grew weaker with each passing moment. I am trapped, at the mercy of a man who doesn't have one.

My eyes felt heavy and I don't know if I slipped into unconsciousness or a slumber. Nightmares took on a life of their own.

I see the Alpha, his eyes glowing with a malevolent light as he watches me struggle. He transforms into a beast, his features twisting into something monstrous and inhuman. I screamed as loud as I could and he chased me through endless corridors, his laughter echoed in my ears as I ran as fast as I could, looking for safety. Everything turned black…

I can hear things, soft whispers to be precise telling me I could never escape, that I belonged to the Alpha now, body and soul.

I didn't know if what I heard was real or a figment of my imagination. Maybe I was hallucinating things but the voice felt so real, so familiar yet that of a stranger. The familiarity was like I knew who that voice belonged to, like I have known it all my life. I felt a presence, it was mine but another version of me. Was it really me? Or was I going insane?

Just when I thought I couldn't endure another second, the sound of approaching footsteps reached my ears. At first, I thought it was another cruel trick of my mind, but the sound grew louder, more distinct. The iron door creaked open, and a sliver of light pierced the darkness indicating it was daytime.

I squinted, my eyes adjusting to the little light. The silhouette of the Alpha filled the doorway, full of intimidation and power. On instinct, I recoiled expecting more pain and suffering. My weak body trembling. “Have you learned your lesson?” he asked me maliciously.

I felt rage, I wanted to scream at him and claw his eyes off but I had no strength left and lest be honest even if I had, I wouldn't have been able to. "Have I or have I not been lenient with you”.

“Yes,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “you have”.

He nodded, a small satisfied smile playing at the corners of his lips. “Good. Perhaps now you'll think twice before defying me again”.

He reached down and unshackled my wrists.