by Genna Rulon
I had prepared myself for many possible outcomes when persuading Hunter to let me return to To Ieró, but not this—permanent disfigurement I had not anticipated. Even the pain surpassed my expectations, a foolish mistake given my history with the purification process. Time had dulled my recollections of the severity and creativity of The Alpha’s punishments.
Sucking in a deep breath, I exhaled slowly, visualizing the panic and pain exiting my body. I focused on my purpose, the reasons I subjected myself to this living hell—justice, protection, and redemption.
Justice for Jay, who had sacrificed his life by protecting me—trying to take down the same man I now sought to imprison.
Protection for my new family in New York—surrendering myself to prevent their interference when To Ieró came for me.
Redemption for all my mistakes—an act of bravery and sacrifice that would wash away the guilt and shame I’d carried for so long.
Guilt and shame, the two emotions that had ruled my life for so long. Every choice I’d made since childhood was shaped by the two. They stifled my growth like large trees blocking the sun from a fledgling plant.
Returning to the compound yielded new perspective I may never have obtained otherwise. Now the blinders were removed and I saw the truth. To Ieró was not real…it was a bubble, isolated from the rest of the world in which one man—one bad man—controlled the thoughts and actions of everyone. The backward ideology that had served as the foundation of the community for nearly a century was further polluted under the unchallenged rule of a corrupt leader.
Guilt was a powerful tool, wielded expertly to ensure my compliance. If I defied The Alpha, misfortune would strike, be it dying crops or sick animals—the blame would rest solely on me. In retrospect, I could see that these adversities were purposeful, intended to induce the remorse that prevented me from repeating undesirable behaviors. With my newfound objectivity, I could see how my compassion for others was used against me.
The Sacred were not permitted to challenge The Alpha, yet they needed a target to direct their disappointments and frustrations. As The Omega, I was the perfect scapegoat for the community to pile their blame upon. I’d learned to take responsibility for any and all hardships To Ieró faced, accepting the community’s condemnation as penance for my supposed shortcomings. I was Pavlov’s dog—my reactions were not natural or an intrinsic part of me. I had been trained to respond in a specific way to the benefit of The Alpha.
Holy Shit! I was born and raised to serve The Alpha, trained to be what he needed, and when I finally ran, I continued to live as he’d taught me. Despite my efforts and years of progress, I’d never truly escaped, allowing him to control my life from 2,200 miles away.
Enough! I would not give him another second of my hard-won freedom. He would never dictate my emotional responses again.
I felt like Sleeping Beauty waking up after years of slumber, completely unaware of the life and happiness she had missed. Not anymore—this Aurora was ready to start living. Hmm…Aurora—Rory, for short. If memory served, Aurora meant dawn, the beginning of a new day, or in my case, a new life…a new me. Jay introduced me to Sleeping Beauty all those years ago while trying to teach me about life and myself through stories. The name was a perfect tribute to his friendship.
In that moment, I became Aurora—Sleeping Beauty awakened, the dawn of a new life, the princess finally freed. The irony was not lost on me that weeks spent searching for a name to claim myself and symbolically move on from my past was finally fruitful in the same place it all began.
Giving up was not an option. I would endure until Hunter arrived with the FBI to rescue me. I would accomplish my mission and see The Alpha behind bars, finding justice for Jay and myself. And when all was said and done, I would return home and win back the heart of my prince.
"Those things which are precious are saved only by sacrifice.” -David Kenyon Webster
Westly
“We have to move,” Hunter ordered urgently to the agents in the room.
Whatever he heard through the headphones from the recently established audio connection inspired a reaction that caused my blood to run cold.
“What’s going on?” I asked, anxious for an explanation.
“Not now, Wes. Stay here with Special Agent Welch—I’ll have her update you as the situation progresses.”
“What fucking situation?” I snapped, unwilling to be dismissed like a petulant child.
Hunter ignored my profanity along with my request for details, “Someone find Thia—Dr. Cynthia Veritus—she just arrived in the building¸ escort her to the trucks…she rides with me.”
I moved to intercept Hunter as he exited the room but was obstructed by a ‘by-the-book’ redhead in FBI standard attire.
“Sorry, Mr. Black, you’ll have to remain with me per Special Agent Charles’ instructions,” she said in a no-nonsense tone.
“Look, Agent Welch, I appreciate that you’re trying to do your job, but right now you are standing between me and my girl. If you don’t extract yourself from that precarious position, I will steamroll you to get to her.”
“You’re so intimidating, Mr. Black,” she replied sarcastically. “There is nothing you can do out there but get in the way. Sit down, try to relax, and I’ll let you know when there is news.”
She reached out to grab a chair, dragging it loudly if front of the door before sitting down gracefully.
“That’s your big plan to deter me—sit in front of the door? Lady, I don’t think you appreciate the lengths I’m willing to go to be by my woman’s side at the first possible second. You have no clue what she’s survived in the past, and none of us know what she’s endured over the past few days. There is no way in hell I’m sitting this one out and waiting ‘til you all bring her to me. I will be the first face she sees when she is free. If you think a hundred-and-thirty-pound FBI agent in a cheap plastic chair can stop me, you’re in for a rude awakening.”
“One-thirty, really? I may not own a scale, but I have been working out and trying to eat right. You know how hard it is when you’re trapped in an office all day or stuck in a car on stakeouts to stick with a balanced diet? Impossible!” Although her smirk told me she was being deliberately obtuse, this woman was tap dancing on my last nerve.
“I don’t give a shit about your dietary regimen! Move!” I snapped.
“Black, you want to know my plan? I’m going to sit here—maybe grab my laptop once you settle down a bit so I can be productive while I babysit—and I’m not moving until I receive the all-clear. If you lay one finger on me in an effort to break free, I’ll arrest you for assaulting an officer and throw your butt in jail. Once Miss Adeio is secured, I may remember to drop the charges and let you out.”
“What’s with you agents and threatening to throw me in jail?” I grumbled before assessing whether or not she would carry through with her promise.
Based on her body language and unyielding stare, the answer was yes—she’d throw me in prison in a heartbeat and take her sweet time letting me out for the inconvenience. Time to change tactics.
“Special Agent Welch,” I began respectfully, “may I ask your first name?”
“Delilah,” she finally answered after considering my request.
“Delilah,” I continued, “have you ever been in love—not trivial lust or comfortable familiarity but penetratingly deep, can’t live without the other person love? That is what I feel for my beautiful girl. She softens my jagged edges, forces me to expose my heart, and inspires me to be a better man. Because of her I have a family, and in her I found my home.
“Now you have your assignment to keep me out of trouble, but I have a job to do too—I have to take care of the woman I love. If I can’t be the one breaking down doors and pulling her out of that hell on earth, fine—but I have to be the one there to greet her when she’s free because I can give her the care and support none of you can, the love and acceptance she will only allow me to give. Please—I’m not
a man who begs, but I’m begging you—let me be what she needs me to be…what I need to be for her.”
It was the most exposed I had ever been in front of anyone other than my love, yet I wouldn’t regret my raw honesty given to a stranger. I would stand naked and profess my need for her in front of the world if it kept me by her side.
“I hate you for making me feel guilty, Black,” she said before sighing dramatically. “Fine. I will drive you near the compound, but we will not approach until I receive word the premises is secured. Then—and only then—will you be permitted to go to Miss Adeio. Agreed?”
“Absolutely,” I answered quickly before she changed her mind and rescinded the offer. I would agree to anything that brought me closer to my girl.
“You just lied to me, didn’t you?” she asked, skeptical of an agreement so easily acquired.
“I promise to follow your orders to the letter,” I said convincingly before mumbling under my breath, “until we get there.”
“I know I’m going to regret this,” she grumbled to herself.
Yep, she probably would.
An hour later, we parked outside the entrance to To Ieró amongst a fleet of black SUVs. The FBI’s overt presence was not a good sign.
“I thought Hunter was planning a stealth infiltration?” I asked Agent Welch, concerned.
“Stay in the car,” she commanded without addressing my question.
I watched anxiously as she approached another agent, listening carefully before glancing back at the vehicle where I sat. The look on her face said it all. Whatever plans had been laid were extraneous—circumstances had changed.
Quietly slipping from the car, I circumvented several agents before Welch noticed my absence and scanned the area looking for me. I ducked behind the nearest SUV in the hopes of escaping detection. I heard Welch calling out to me, asking other agents if they’d seen me, but my cover held. After a few minutes passed, I circled around the back of the vehicle and slipped into the surrounding forest.
There had to be another way into the compound. I remembered the story of Jay’s secret return after banishment to leave a phone number for my girl in case she escaped. Walking deeper into the woods, I began to circle the perimeter of the fenced complex, studying the chain link for any signs of weakness.
My pace remained slow and deliberate as to prevent the FBI or The Sacred from finding me. The only plan I’d formulated thus far was to get to my girl and protect her—by any means necessary—until I could find a route to freedom. While my strategy left much to be desired in the way of details, I would improvise as I went. There was no question that infiltrating and engaging To Ieró on my own—an unarmed civilian with no combat experience—was less than brilliant. The place was surrounded by trained law enforcement officers far more qualified than I to launch a rescue mission.
However, I had one advantage over all the professionals inundating the area—I would give my life for hers. No questions, no hesitation…if it came down to it, I would die to save her.
After walking for almost an hour, I finally found a break in the fence near the extensive planting fields she had described—now lifeless in the midst of winter. Quickly making my way to an outcropping of buildings, I hid from view while assessing the area. In the distance, I spotted a large metal barn isolated from the rest of the buildings. I cautiously crept closer, my gut urging me to inspect the barn before moving to the meeting hall. Ducking into the woods, I approached the back of the structure, surprised to find a small group of men in a heated debate near the rear door.
Although less than one hundred feet away, the wind stole most of their words. From the snippets heard, I deduced The Sacred were divided about the proper response to the FBI’s demand for entry. Most of the community remained in the meeting hall, apparently debating the best course of action, while The Alpha, unused to being challenged, had retreated to the barn.
“He’s gonna do it again,” the fat man said to the others.
Realizing the monster responsible for my love’s lifetime of torment was so near, I couldn’t leave. In fact, I snuck closer, stopping less than twenty feet from the men, enabling me to hear them more clearly.
“…and how much more can she survive? Did you get a good look when we moved her here?” the bald man asked the others. “I know we aren’t to doubt his divine guidance, but—”
“Shh, don’t even finish that sentence,” the thin man interrupted. “She has brought this upon herself with her disobedience. Had she remained steadfast, our livestock and crops would not have faltered and our children would not be ill. If we wish to regain the favor of the spirit, there is no other way—he must purify the vessel to safeguard Theós.”
“I know,” the fat man added wearily, “but I wish there were another way. I can’t bear to look at her.”
What the fuck had they done to her?
My stomach lurched angrily at the prospect of my girl being harmed. There was no time to wait. Sliding my phone from my pocket, I texted Hunter my location with confirmation that my love was inside. I didn’t bother to wait for his reply, which would have forced me to disregard his order to hold off until he arrived. It was plausible deniability, pure and simple—if I didn’t read his command, I couldn’t technically defy him.
There was no chance I could overtake three men on my own without a weapon, so I continued around the building in search of another entry point. On the north side, I found a set of windows—two of the few the building possessed—slightly ajar. Approaching surreptitiously, I peered in, surprised to find an industrial-looking kitchen. The pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. This ‘barn’ must be the meth lab she’d described.
Easing one window open, I levered myself up and slid inside, climbing into an empty metal trough. I canvassed the room in search of a weapon, finding a small chef’s knife as well as a hammer—they were better than nothing. I tucked the hammer into the waistband of my jeans but carried the knife.
Slipping from the kitchen, I followed the only discernible voices to the southwest corner of the building. I remained outside the door, listening without seeing to plot my entry.
“Alpha, you must listen to reason. The odds of loading and transporting all the crank out of To Ieró without detection are infinitesimal. Even if the FBI isn’t guarding the back road, they will have aerial surveillance that will locate the box trucks with ease. Our best chance is to destroy the evidence along with the girl. If we stall them for a day, we have a chance to avoid felony prosecution.”
“I will not sacrifice fifty pounds of street-ready crystal! Would you destroy one million dollars so easily if it sat in the room with us now? What you’re suggesting is no different. A million dollars worth of product is not easily replaceable, Malachi. I tire of this conversation. After the media coverage during the Waco standoff, the FBI won’t be eager to call attention to our present impasse. Send one of The Sacred to let them I know I’m in meditative contemplation of their request to enter our sacred ground and will go speak with them when I’m finished. In the meantime, I need to purify my errant wife. Bring me the brush, then you may leave.”
I quickly ducked into the neighboring room, seething with rage but lucid enough to protect my advantage of surprise. With Malachi departing, the playing field was level—me against The Alpha—and a primal beast within me reveled in the prospect. I heard Malachi shuffle down the hall but remained hidden to ensure the coast was clear.
“No,” the voice I loved shrieked in horror.
Instinctively, I ran from my hiding spot and charged into the room. The Alpha’s back was to me and without hesitation, I plunged the knife into the center, causing him to jerk in pain as something clattered to the floor. He stumbled away, yelling for help, but I was too consumed with my first glimpse of her to follow him.
“Help me. Please, Wes. It hurts…it hurts…” she whimpered.
My mind refused to process the sight before me. My beautiful, strong girl was nearly unrecognizable. Her entire bod
y was an unnatural shade of fire-engine red and scaly patches of mustard-yellow skin were liberally scattered everywhere the eye could see, oozing and beyond painful looking. Tears poured from her eyes like they too were trying to escape her agony.
“Tell me, baby, how do I help? Tell me what to do,” I pleaded for guidance, at a loss for how to proceed.
“Water. Water will stop it,” she said weakly, on the verge of blacking out.
I scanned the room, locating a slop sink and bucket at the ready. The container appeared to be filled, but I didn’t trust the contents. I sniffed the liquid but detected no scent before proceeding to dip my pinky finger below the surface. After several seconds without reaction, I scooped a palmful to my mouth and slurped—water. Thank God. Hoisting the prefilled bucket over my head, I carefully dumped the water over my beautiful girl’s brutalized body, attempting to drench as much skin as possible without waste.
Her agonizing screams of pain and relief tore at my heart until tears threatened. I rushed back to the sink, twisting the handle for the cold water on as far as it would go while placing the bucket beneath the stream.
It would take a few minutes to fill even halfway, and all I could think was she needed to be cut down from the contraption that held her on display. I hurried to the corner where a wheezing Alpha lay, alive but in pain—good. Having no sympathy for his suffering, I forcefully rolled him to his side, jerking the knife from his back. He looked as if he were going to thank me for my effort, which would have incited me to stab him again, but I needed the knife to free my girl. Instead, I sucker-punched him—a perfect strike to the chin—knocking the sadistic bastard out cold.
I rushed back to her side to free her when her voice, barely above a whisper, stopped me in my tracks. “No, don’t touch me. It hurts too much. Just water, more water…”
