The Missing Luna

Chapter 3: Hope’s POV

Trigger warning! This chapter contains explicit torture and gore. Material that can be sensible for certain readers. Readers' discretion is advised. 

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I could have never imagined that my mate would be someone so cruel. He should have stopped this, but instead, he rejoiced with my suffering. I don’t know how I could tell he was my mate; I shouldn’t, I am still a kid, but Kira clearly recognized this asshole as my mate.

Why do I call him an asshole? Because he is one.

I saw the recognition of who I was in his eyes. I knew it, he knew it, and we both remained silent.

“Proceed,” he instructed the man.

He knew it would feel pain; I didn’t know how this bond worked, but wouldn’t that make him feel pain, too?

I wanted to scream at him and tell him we were mates. We looked so different. I was a child, and he looked way older than me. If I had to guess, he would have been eighteen.

That wouldn’t have mattered, though. If the Moon Goddess chose him for me, the age difference wouldn’t be a problem.

But this man, he didn’t want me. If he did, he wouldn’t have let the torture continue.

The man got closer again and pulled me back onto the surgical table. I closed my eyes to take deep breaths.

I wasn’t scared of the torture; I was heartbroken because my mate, the one I had been longing for, the one I thought would one day save me from this horrible place, was standing before me, and he wasn’t doing anything besides watching me.

The man moved my face to the side, and then I felt what he wanted to do.

No.

No.

NO!

This can’t be happening.

What the hell is wrong with my mate?

The man inserted a bug inside my ear. I tried to look at what it was but couldn't see it because of my position. I could feel its tiny legs moving as it inserted inside me, and I realized it was a centipede.

The pain… I can’t even describe it.

I destroyed my inner ear and made its way to my brain.

My f*****g brain.

Can you imagine a bug walking inside your brain? It is a horrible sensation. My vision started changing. That thing was eating my brain and damaging everything it could.

Are they going to take it out? What are they waiting for?

I begged for help and cried as the bug moved inside me. I wanted to insert my hand to take it out, but I couldn’t.

The man got closer again, meaning he would probably take it out, but again, my mate spoke.

I thought he had a deep and sexy voice, but just a few minutes after meeting my mate, I realized I already hated him.

“Put another one,” he instructed.

“Another one, prince?” The man asked in disbelief. “Are you sure? She is still a child, after all,” the man said.

Even he has more decency than my so-called mate.

Why? Why Moon Goddess? You paired me up with a beast, a demon who doesn’t care about me.

Why did I do to deserve such punishment?

I didn’t understand why this man was hurting me, but it didn’t matter anymore.

“Did I stutter?” My mate said angrily. He was furious at the man for questioning him. “Put another one inside her, now!” He ordered.

The man bowed, and I moved my head to the other side. Then he inserted the other bug.

I am in hell. Literally, I don’t think I will ever be the same, even if I one day leave this place; I am broken now.

My mate doesn’t want me; otherwise, he wouldn’t let me suffer.

I screamed for hours until I passed out from the pain; I could feel the bugs moving around, and unfortunately, my brain regenerated even though they were actively eating it. I realized at one point that my healing was becoming faster, which wasn't good for me; this would only prolong my torture.

Fortunately, at one point, darkness welcomed me, and I had a little escape from my torture session.

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"What do you think she did to anger the Prince?" One voice asked. "I heard he tortured her terribly."

"I don't know, but what can she do? She is only a child, right?" Another voice said.

Where am I? I couldn't move a muscle.

"Yeah, she is twelve, if I'm not wrong," The first voice said.

"Twelve?! She looks like she is ten," The second voice exclaimed.

"That has to do with her malnutrition; we don't give her much food," The first voice explained.

That was true; they don't feed me much. Finally, I must be back on my cell.

"Poor girl and I heard the Prince would do that to her again. She must have done something to anger him," the second voice mentioned.

I figured he was a sicko, a horrible sicko.

My mate was horrible, and I wished the Moon Goddess had given me another mate, but she decided he was the one. Why? I couldn't understand. Maybe it has to do with my bear side rather than my wolf side; that would explain it.

I wished I could speak with Kira and ask her, but she was gone.

I decided to close my eyes; I had to rest until he decided to torture me some more.

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"Wakey up, princess," I heard Cat say.

He threw a bucket of cold, icy water, which I welcomed happily. At least it wasn't Wolfsbane.

"Are you going soft?" I taunted Cat.

I don't know where I had the guts to keep talking back, but I had nothing to lose at this point. My body was broken, my mind teetering on the edge, and the hope I once clung to had all but vanished. Maybe it was easier to taunt them, pretend that their cruelty didn’t crush me, and act like I had some control over my fate.

Cat’s sneer was cold, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—amusement, perhaps? Or maybe it was just the thrill of having power over someone so helpless. “Soft? Me? You must be more delirious than I thought, princess.”

I forced a smirk, even though every muscle in my face screamed in protest. “If you really wanted to break me, you’d have used wolfsbane.”

Cat’s eyes darkened, and for a moment, I thought he might actually grant my twisted request. The idea of Wolfsbane searing through my veins, numbing the endless agony, almost felt like mercy. But instead, he just laughed—a sound that sent shivers down my spine.

“Don’t worry, princess. We’re saving that for later. The Prince has special plans for you, and I wouldn’t want to ruin the fun.”

You must stay strong.

I heard that voice again. Who the hell was it?

It wasn't Kira, it wasn't my inner voice, then who was it?

I must be going crazy; all the torture is finally breaking my mind. It wouldn't be a crazy thought. I had endured so much alone that I was amazed I hadn't gone crazy earlier.

Either way, I had to take deep breaths; he couldn't see how much his statement affected me. Cat would not see me beg; that was not going to happen again.

I hope that what happened that day happens now. I simply... disconnected from the situation; I didn't feel any pain, but that got my mate to think of another way to hurt me; he was a monster, and I was sure of that.

Cat’s voice cut through my thoughts, dragging me back to the present. “The Prince wants to see you. Better not keep him waiting.”

My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of dread and something else—a flicker of defiance, maybe? I couldn’t let them see my fear, even if it was the only thing I had left. So, I forced myself to stand, my legs trembling beneath me, and met Cat’s gaze head-on.

“Lead the way,” I said, my voice steady.

As we walked through the dark, damp corridors, I tried to prepare myself for whatever awaited me. I was sure he would use the centipede again; it was the only thing that made me scream at that point. But I was wrong, not entirely, but I underestimated my mate. He was far worse.

He used the centipede but also cut my fingers and made me fill buckets and buckets with my blood. I couldn't faint either because he made me count backward, making sure I stayed awake through his torture session.

"You sure can handle a lot, even though you are a simple and weak wolf," he said angrily and disgustedly.

Simple? I was anything but simple. My Mom was a bear Queen, and my father was an Alpha. They were very strong, and the King was their personal friend. I was anything but simple or weak, as he may suggest.

"You know what to do if you think I am weak," I growled at him.

His eyes changed; they became colder and more dangerous. Everyone in the room seemed to notice; they were all waiting for what their Prince had to say.

I would reject him if I could, but I had to keep strong if I wanted to escape one day. Waiting for my mate was not an option now, so I had to do it alone.

"Leave," he ordered.

The demons hadn't been told twice; they quickly scurried and left the room. I kept my gaze on him, not letting him see how scared I was.

"So, you know," he stated blankly.

"I would be stupid not to know," I huffed. "You are my mate."

He got closer and grabbed a piece of my hair; I almost whimpered when I saw it. I once had bright white hair, which reminded me of snow, but now it was grey from all the dirt.

Control yourself, Hope; you won't let him see how broken you are. You are strong.

I repeated as a mantra.

"Indeed, but... you are not what I want," he said while he gripped my chin.

I rolled my eyes and then looked straight at him.

"Neither are you, but I didn't decide to be paired with you." I countered. "Reject me," I growled.

His eyes shifted, becoming entirely black. He was furious, fuming, in fact, but I didn't care. What was he going to do? Burn me alive? He was probably going to do that next. It didn't matter if I angered him or not; he decided I was going to be his next torture toy, and the least I could do was fight.

He noticed, of course. His lips curled into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “You’ve got spirit, I’ll give you that,” he said, leaning forward slightly as if examining me like a piece of art he considered defacing. “But spirit can be broken.”

I met his gaze, refusing to look away. “Is that what you want? To break me?”

His smile widened, but there was no warmth, only a chilling amusement. “Oh, little one, you’ve already been broken. You just don’t realize it yet.”

I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to suppress the tremble in my hands.

I was not going to let him win. He was not going to see me break, even if that was all I felt on the inside.

"I, Hope Dymond, future Princess of Blue Lake Pack and daughter of the Queen on the North, reject you, Caelan-" But I couldn't finish because he slapped me hard.