CHAPTER 6: Metal Institution

I wasn't naturally a crazy person, but if I'm going to stay in this hell pit for another four hours, I doubt my sanity will still be intact.

Atlas and I sat on the cold cemented ground, caged by silver bars that look like metal. It was the brilliant idea of Alpha Ares to make it look as if the bars meant no harm, hence the metal resemblance. But it's actually silver when the prisoners touch it. Since they keep werewolves down here, the stupidest ones get hurt by touching the bars, thinking it is just a harmless metal.

Harmless, my foot! It burned my palm!

Okay, it was my fault. I know what those bars really are. I was just too emotional to think straight. I mean, I've been rejected twice, the last one being in front of the whole pack! Not to mention that Alpha Ares called us as 'disappointments'. What was I supposed to do? Jump in happiness? Congratulate them? Wish them a happy life?

Besides, I was fighting for what was mine. The moon goddess blessed me to be with Kratos, not that Eris! If fighting for what you love is such a disappointment, then what's the essence of soul mates?

Another loud thud was heard, echoing around the dungeon. It was only Atlas and I, so I already knew what made that sound. I didn't even need to turn to him to see the ugly wound Atlas has on both his knuckles. He spent our four hours in this hell hole punching the stone walls. As if that could save us.

I guess that's his way of punishing himself. I looked down at my palm, red and raw from the sting the silver gave me. It didn't feel this painful moments ago. Maybe because my heart was hurting more, numbing all other pains. Is this how love works? It inflicts pain and suffering?

I turned my head towards Atlas, who had his back on me as he faces the wall that he repeatedly punches for four consecutive hours. "I'm sorry," I whispered, my eyes trained on his broad back.

He stilled, but didn't say anything.

I sighed, my eyes starting to heat up with fresh tears threatening to escape, "We shouldn't have done this in the first place," I muttered, looking back down on my hands while I played with my fingers, "I'm sorry I wasted your time for nothing."

I heard ruffling just as he slowly turned to look at me. I kept my eyes down, not wanting to meet his intense gaze. He didn't say anything, silence enveloping us. I bit my lower lip, preventing it from trembling. I'm so close at bawling my eyes out, and I don't want him to see me in my most vulnerable state. I sound like a dying hyena when I sneeze.

His gaze never left me, I was sure of it. I could feel it everywhere, and it was making me feel things. Things that I can't point out. Things I'm too scared to acknowledge.

"Sorry," I muttered once again, before I started to turn away from him.

But before I could, he grabbed my wrist, his hold firm but gentle. My eyes immediately darted to his, and I was consumed by how mesmerizing his eyes were. He gave me a dead look, "I gave my fair share in whatever happened," He said, just as sparks ignited by his touch, "What are you apologizing for?"

In other situations, I would have pointed out how he talked to me with more words than usual. But I was too tired to be a smartass. I'm just an ass, without the smart when stung by silver. I shrugged my shoulders, "For giving us false hope that they'll finally accept us," I huffed, "I knew they wouldn't. I mean, they rejected us for a reason."

"A reason," Atlas muttered under his breath, looking through the silver bars with a look of longing in his eyes, "I hope I know the reason why she would reject me."

I gave him a look as if he's gone mad, "Really?" I huffed sarcastically, and he looked at me, "We're omegas. We're bound to be rejected by our mates. That has always been our fate since we were born. Especially if your mate is of a higher rank."

"I never knew loving someone should have a reason," he tells me, staring deep into my eyes, "I never knew love is reason."

I blinked before I looked away, "Funny how we never knew a lot. Funny how we always hurt a lot." I said, before taking my wrist from his grasp. The sparks from his touch unsettled me. It makes me feel like a hormonal teenager.

We were silent for a couple of seconds, both of us lost in thought. I was thinking of a way to get out of here when he whispered, "Did he tell you the reason why he rejected you?"

I shrugged my shoulders, massaging my palm that is now hurting a lot. Silver is a pain in the ass. Or in the hand, in this case. "Yeah. Eris is an Alpha's daughter. I'm an omega. There really isn't a competition. I was already a loser before he said the words."

"What... what did you tell him?" He says, shocking me how he's making an effort to actually make a conversation.

I gave him a small smile, "Nothing. I ran away from him, blinking back the tears. I didn't have to say anything, really. He already made up his mind, sounding final. As if nothing I would say could change it. Besides, maybe I kind of thought he was doing the right thing."

He frowned at me.

I looked down at my red palm, or anything but his eyes, "If he accepted me, I would be Luna. The pack would be in ruins if an omega becomes a Luna. I'm unworthy of the position."

He took my hand and looked at the bruise that's starting to form. He gently lifted it near his mouth before he left a feathery kiss on top of it, and my eyes widened in horror. I immediately took my hand back, "Atlas!" I exclaimed, "What are you doing?!"

I knew staying here for so long will affect our mental health! Atlas is becoming crazy!

He gave me a dead look, "Mates can heal any form of pains through physical contact," he said, grabbing my hand back a little forcefully, "Now give it to me before I decided to push you to that silver bar."

I struggled to take it back, "Atlas, no. That is not appropriate!"

He sighed in frustration, his brow furrowed, "The fastest way to heal it is through my saliva. I don't think you want me to lick this, do you?" I shook my head immediately, "So I'm doing the faster way. Kissing it."

I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat, "Can you just do the fast way? You know, holding it?" I said, a little embarrassed.

There are three ways mates can heal their partners, all of them involving physical contact.

First is through touching, and it may take a couple of minutes or so before it completely heals. Second is through kissing, and its results are faster than the first one. Lastly is through licking, the most awkward of them all, but the fastest. Since we're half wolves, our saliva helps quicken the healing process, like how a dog's would with his wound.

I say I'd rather feel the raw pain of the silver while he held my hand, than go through the torture of him kissing my palm. I knew he had a point, and he only meant well. He only wanted to take the pain away. He's my second chance mate, and his primal instinct is to take care of me whether he likes it or not. So I completely understand.

But I really don't feel like him literally kissing the pain away would be a good idea.

He might've sensed the hesitation in my eyes, because he sighed before he took my hand in his. "Whatever," he mutters just as he intertwined our hands together, my heart doing a somersault.

I tried to even my breathing, which is suddenly hard to do. I could see how our situation affects him, too. His breathing seemed to be laboured, and I was glad it wasn't just me who feels as tortured. I looked down our hands and noticed how the blood dried in his knuckles.

He must've noticed the wince in my face as I was looking at his wound because his grip tightened, "Don't mind it."

I gave him a soft smile, "You know, I've noticed how dungeons can make you talk a lot," I teased him before I poked his cheek with my free hand.

His head snapped at me, "Quit it."

I poked his cheek repeatedly with my index finger as I let out a laugh. I continued what I was doing, earning a frustrated sigh from him. He looked so adorable when he's mad. Especially when I know I'm the reason why he's mad. I was so lost in my own bubble of happiness teasing him, that I didn't notice that he turned his head and playfully bit my finger.

My eyes widened as I looked at him in shock, "Did you just bite my finger?" He didn't answer. I laughed, not expecting that kind of behavior from him, "Atlas, you bit my finger!"

His eyes seemed to soften as he watched me laugh my guts out. But I was too busy laughing and having a tremendous time in the dungeons, that I didn't notice how his eyes turned hard once more. He didn't look like the Atlas who would playfully bite my finger, or who would volunteer in kissing my palm.

He looked like the Atlas who wanted to challenge the Alpha.

I stopped laughing, following his line of eyesight. There stood our saviour, Athena. "Dione, Atlas," she says, "Thank the goddess you're both safe!"

I smiled at her just as she gave me one back. "Thank the goddess you came for us!" But my smile faltered when I realized how Atlas' grip on my hand went tight. That single movement caught my attention, snapping my head towards him as he glared at Athena. "Atlas?" I muttered, "What's wrong?"

He looked at me, his eyes holding such intensity it almost threw me backwards, "I don't want to go back to that pack hospital. I'm not going back," he hissed, his words pierced through like a knife.

Athena interjected, "But Atlas, you need to"

"No!" Atlas growled, and I flinched at how he sounded as if he's an Alpha. He almost made me bow my head in submission.

I blinked at him just as my hand suddenly felt numb due to his really tight grip. I gave him a small smile, patting his shoulders reassuringly, "You're not going back."

He seemed to relax a little at my touch. Athena cleared her throat, and our eyes snapped at her, "Dione, he has to come back. He's still unstable. Besides, where will he stay?" She says, earning a loud growl from Atlas. She took a step back in fright.

I soothed his back so he could slowly gain his composure. I smiled at Athena, "He's staying with me."