I rolled out of bed and yawned. I quickly showered, trying to get the smell off me. His smell was everywhere. I'd never noticed my sense of smell so potently before. He was never there when I woke up, but he always showed up at night and cuddled against me. I'd scoot away, but he'd just pull me closer. His scent was all over his side of the bed. I glared at my reflection. "My bed. All of it. He doesn't belong there. He doesn't have a side. The bed is mine."
I glanced at my upper arm. Bending close, I sniffed. Growling, I grabbed more soap and went back into the tub. I was not going to be cooped up in this stupid room smelling like that bastard. They wouldn't let me out. Why? Scared I was going to run to the authorities? Every day, that elder came in and explained that over the next year, I'd be going through a change; that, eventually, I was going to be a werewolf like them. I was going to ask that elder if I could just get out of the room. I'd accept an escort to make sure I didn't do anything, as long as the escort wasn't Donovan.
I stopped and punched the water in the tub. I wasn't going to call him by his name. I didn't know much about Stockholm syndrome, but if I held onto the anger and the facts that he'd stolen my life, I could get by. I continued scrubbing until I was red from the friction.
After getting dressed, I grabbed a brass candlestick and started one of my favorite activities. I walked to the door. It was a thick oak door with carvings of wolves howling to the moon and running through a forest. It'd been beautiful... until I found my favorite hobby.
Twenty minutes later, there were fresh dents over a wolf's face, bit of splinter scattered across the floor. I was raising my arm for another strike when someone hit the other side of the door, yelling me to stop whatever I was doing. Glaring, I gave an especially vicious wack, before I picked up a vase and threw it at the door.
"Maybe if someone would let me out of this room, I could do something more productive!" I picked up the candlestick and started hammering the door again. My arms were burning by the time I put the candlestick back and plopped down on the bed. I kicked the bedding off, wrenched open a window and tossed it out. I heard someone yell "hey" from somewhere below. I just yanked the window back down and paced the room. I considered punching whoever came through the door first.
"Katherine, may I come in?" I paused and looked at the door. I wasn't sure I wanted to punch the elder in the face. He'd been pretty decent, except for the whole keeping me in this room. Grabbing a vase of flowers I hurled it across the room, satisfied when the glass shattered, water and petals spilling everywhere.
"You can come in now." The elder unlocked the door and stepped inside. He frowned at the door, tracing his hands over the ruined carving. He moved further in, surveying the room. After a moment he sighed and settled onto the sitting area.
"I believe you're upset."
"Yes, and the sky is blue. How come he is allowed into my room? How come I have to deal with him trapping me in his arms when I sleep? I wake up and have to scrub the smell of him off me." Pausing, I sniffed my hair and threw it over my shoulder. "And I still smell him Am I going crazy?"
The elder paused and shook his head. "You're sense of smell is developing faster than expected. Yes, I can smell him off of you, even across from the room. He's the pack leader and declared that he will sleep beside you, swearing not to assault you." I started pacing back and forth angrily.
"This is my room. I don't want him in it!"
"Child, you do not have to raise your voice. This is your room, but this is his pack and this is his house. Perhaps, you should ask him to leave you alone, until the meeting." I paused and glanced at him. He watched me for a moment and motioned to the seat opposite of him. Sighing, I fell into the seat and leaned forward.
"The other elders have declared that we will have a meeting with you and the pack to discuss you're rejection of Donovan. It's going to be in three days, on the new moon. Everyone understands why you would reject him, but they want you to understand what may happen. I've been asked to leave everything until the meeting."
Twitching, I got to my feet and began pacing. "I want out of this room."
"Yes, I believe your constant attacks on the door, are an indication. But, you must understand that everyone is concerned."
"You can stick me with an escort. A whole cadre of them if you want. As long as none of them are that bastard that got me into this whole mess."
"That is a concern that is keeping you here."
