~Third Person~
Alpha Kade sat behind his desk with his hands cupped in front of him. His head hung and his hair fell in front of his eyes.
The halls were getting dark from the light being turned off when everyone went into their rooms to sleep. The chatter was closed out as the doors to the house closed, and one after one, all the doors to the rooms were shut.
Daneille saw her former love sitting alone in the lowly lit office and graced her hand over the stairs railing as she studied him.
Her pink floral dress was stained red from the blood of the man she’d just killed, and her heart weighed heavily knowing she kept him in the dark.
It was never her intention to hurt him, never her intention to close the blinds on him, but she had to, for his own good; or at least so she thought, and so that’s what she did.
She contemplated walking over there, knocking on the door, and sitting down with him, but she already knew the outcome. Her heart didn’t have an armor around it; she hurt too every time she saw him and knew that he would never choose her again. Danielle had her chance, and she knew what she had given up when she left. Some part of her just thought that maybe it would still be there when she returned.
She walked up the stairs and disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind the Alpha who was questioning many things that roamed around in his head. Alpha Kade got up from desk and walked over to the last one of the lamps that shed some light into his darkness. He fumbled with the switch and looked at the bronze-covered stand and the veins that snaked their way up around the bulb with thorns poking out on its way. He released a heavy breath, one that felt heavier than the last, and then he turned the switch, and the office went dark.
He walked to his room with heavy steps but a strong hold because an Alpha could never falter, not once, even when every peck of hope slipped from his fingertips.
Alpha Kade didn’t do his usual night routine; he hadn’t for a long time because the most important part of it was gone. watching Layla tie her hair in a braid, her delicate hands moving the sheet and crawling down under the covers with a content smile and fluttering eyes. He could only see what wasn’t there because it weighed heavier than what was. He climbed into bed, and his head, heavy with thoughts and worry, could finally rest though sleep was much too far away for him to grasp. His eyes began to grow heavy as the hours passed, and he knew that he was about to get that one hour of rest he had grown used to in the past months. The only thing that worked to calm his mind was the memory of his last night with Layla in the woods, and though it was weeks ago, the memory played freshly in his mind.
Oblivious to how things were moving about in his house, he finally could rest his eyes, and his mind would, for one hour, tune out and shut off.
Down in the dungeons, another hand was being played. As the house stood still, with quiet halls and heavy breathes filled the rooms, they knew it was time.
Dimitri stood in his cell; he looked around to see that Justin was sleeping and after hearing the loud, heavy breaths and occasional snoring, he knew it was safe. He looked over to the young man sitting with his knees pulled up to his chest, staring still at his dead father.
“Psst,” Sebastian didn’t move; he was frozen in a state of grief and devastation. Darian hadn’t been the best father, but he was Sebastian’s father. The man who taught him how to fight, how to lead, and how to be a good, strong man.
“Child, look at me,” Dimitri hissed.
Sebastian slowly turned his head and met Dimitri’s gaze with one that spoke of his emptiness.
“Get up.” Dimitri said and stared at him.
He pulled out a piece of metal from the wound in his ankle that hadn’t healed. Sebastian stared with disgust as the metal was pulled from the open wound and ripped out from his flesh, covered in blood and tissue.
“Get up!” He hissed once more. Sebastian grabbed onto the wall and pulled himself up. His jaw dropped to the floor when he saw the man who had been like an uncle to him start picking the lock. His fingers shook around the metal string, and sweat dripped down his head as he hurried to get it open. The lock clicked, the small vial broke, and the acid ran out. Dimitri didn’t know what was in it, but whatever it was ate at the metal on the bar, and the cellar door swung open. He grabbed it and tried to make as little sound as possible.
“How am I getting out?” Dimitri looked at Sebastian’s worried face and then apologized to the man he loved as a brother as he bent down and rolled him over on the floor. He pried the last key from Darians chest and then dragged his hand over his eyes, closing them for his last sleep.
“Why was the other one in his mouth if whatever is in them can melt metal?” Sebastian asked in shock; his face was turning green, and he clutched his stomach as he saw the open wound in his fathers chest.
“In case they were going to torture him or do worse, he said he wanted to die with dignity,” Darian said and gestured Sebastian away from the bars as pressed in the key.
The door swung open with its creaking sound, but they made sure to keep it as quiet as possible. Sebastian stepped out; he kneeled next to his father and positioned his hands across his chest. He placed his hand on top and closed his eyes.
“I love you, Dad.” Dmitri grabbed ahold of Sebastian’s shoulders. They heard something moving in the cell further down and saw Justin’s body starting to move. He was waking up, he crawled over to the bars and stood up. His head was groggy from sleep, and he rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the darkness in the dungeon.
“Let’s go,” Dimitri said and pulled Sebastian up on his feet. They hurried to the door, as quietly as possible. Dimitri turned on the controller he saw Kade using and the mist flowed heavily through the ventilation and wolfsbane filled the dungeon.
“No, wait!” Just as Justin saw what was happening, the door shut, and no noise would break through.
“No, Guards! KADE!”
The echoes of his screams were bouncing against the walls, his hands grew tired and couldn’t grip the bars; his legs gave out underneath him, and he shook his head, screaming for help until the poison filled his lungs.
