At first I woke up slowly, but when everything started coming back to me my eyes shoot open. I gasp when I see my breath forming in the cold air, my body instantly erupting in shivers as the coldness cloaks my body. It only takes me a second to realize that I've been stripped down to my underwear and bra, causing my core temperature to drop faster.

The brittleness in my body, making it so much harder to move.

Bars surround me, letting me know I'm in a sort of cell. Maybe a cage?

As much as I try to make sense of the situation I am in, I can't wrap my head around it. Any of it. From beginning to end, just none of it adds up.

I push off the ground slowly as I continue to shiver, It feels like my body is frozen to the bone.

I need to find a way to get out of here. I'm going to find a way out of here.

Cringing I tug on different bars surrounding me. I try to see if there are any loose ones that I can possibly pry open. Though every time I move pain tingles all the way down to my toes and radiates back up to my skull.

Taking a deep breath I push on a different bar, and to my luck it starts twisting beneath my fingers.

If I were able to jump for joy right now, that's exactly what I would be doing.

The metal creaks as it slides from underneath, my smile growing in size as it slowly comes out of place.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a voice mumbles behind me.

I flinch away from the bar, feeling my heart instantly erupt. I guess I was too focused on the bar that I didn't hear the footsteps coming towards me.

My head peers behind my shoulder timidly. My gaze growing cold and disgusted as I finally make eye contact with the man that I used to call my friend. "What do you want with me, Koda?" I mumble, hearing my voice come out in a rasp.

"Bahee-"

I cut him off with a chuckle, "Of course this has to deal with him. So you've been working for him all this time?" I finally turn my whole body towards Koda, watching as he crosses his arms. His eyes looking to the ground quickly.

"Willa, just let me explain-"

"Don't say my name," I whisper hugging my arms around me to try and recollect warmth.

"Let me explain," he rephrases his words before taking a big breath. I bite my tongue so I don't cut him off again with the anger radiating through me. "Earlier Silas and I went to the training building off territory to get time to ourselves. We were just sitting and talking when Isaac came through the doors, though when he saw Silas and I, he froze. He told us that we had to leave quickly, and before we knew what was happening Bahee stormed through the doors."

I take a couple steps closer to Koda, as he watches me through the bars.

"Bahee and his guards took Silas while they held me down, and he told me that I would be able to see Silas again if I did this for him." He sighs as his mouth forms into a frown. "If I took you."

I shake my head, rubbing a stressful hand over my eyes. "Wait-" I pause as the gears in my head spin rapidly. "Isaac was from Bahee's pack, and so was Silas. So why didn't Silas recognized him before and warn us?"

Koda shakes his head. "He was threatened to not say anything, back when we first met. Isaac was their plan B for a while now."

I blow out a breath before my teeth start chattering wildly. "Willa," Koda sighs as I look back up to him. "Take this," he tells me while handing me his coat. I snatch it quickly from his hands before wrapping it around my body. "L-Listen, I'm going to get Greyson so we can work this out. I'm not going to let them hurt you, okay? I just didn't know what else to do."

I eye him carefully as I ball the fabric in my hands. But then all of the anger that was originally pent up against Koda for doing this, diminishes.

He was only doing what he could, to save Silas.

Sure, there were different ways to handle this, but that's besides the point. Koda had no sinister motive behind this, any of it. He truly just wanted to make sure his mate stayed alive.

No, I'm not mad at Koda. I just pity him.

I slump my body, leaning my back against the bars. Slowly my body slides down, as I tremble too much to stay standing. I glance to the side when I hear Koda following my lead, putting his back against mine on the other side.

His hand touches my own though the bars. I close my eyes, slipping it into his feeling the warmth surround my skin. "I can't link Greyson," I whisper.

He hums squeezing my hand slightly. "When you got here they injected you with different serums, I think one of them disabled linking."

"Fantastic."

Koda squeezes my hand once again, sighing. "I'm so sorry, god I'm so sorry." He repeats.

I shake my head, "As much as I want to be mad, I'm not. You once told me that you would do anything to protect Silas," I look over my shoulder to see him already looking at me. "Of course, there were alternate choices. But this is the first thing you were offered, and in your panicked state, you took it. And that's okay Koda."

I give him a small smile, giving him reassurance. He opens his mouth to respond, though loud footsteps echoing down the dark hall stops him.

"Look at this, how sweet." Quickly my smile drops, as I glare up to the devil himself. I give Koda's hand one more squeeze before forcing myself to stand. I won't be looking weak sitting down in front of Bahee.

Bahee smirks as he watches me rise from the floor. "Ah ah. Now Koda-" he clicks his tongue. "I don't remember telling you to give her a jacket."

Koda stands looking at me with sympathy, and guilt. Though I only shake off the jacket, handing it to Koda with no hesitation. Like I said, I'm not looking weak in front of Bahee.

"What a good girl," he purrs pulling his hands behind his back. "Now," he pauses looking me up and down. I shiver, not because of the temperature but because of the disgust I felt. "I'm sure Koda can give you company as we wait a little longer. Until then, you'll be needing these."

Both Koda and I quirk an eyebrow when Bahee gives him gloves.

"Gloves?" Koda asks what I've been thinking. Why does he need these?

Bahee smiles an evil grin, as his cold eyes shift between Koda and I. "Ah, we don't want our friend Koda to get calluses. He's going to be gripping the the leather on the whip after all."

Instantly my expression goes blank as he indeed hands Koda a whip.

He intends to whip me? No, he intends for Koda to whip me.

Koda holds it loosely in his hands as his eyebrows draw together angrily. "Bahee, this wasn't part of the deal. I'm not going to hurt her."

My mouth goes dry as I start to take instinctive steps back. My body now shaking, not from the cold but because of fear.

Bahee laughs, "Of course you're going to hurt her, either that or you can say goodbye to your mate. Don't forget that we have him too."

My fear is nothing compared to the fear that I see flashing through Koda's eyes. The conflict he's feeling right now. The worry that is punching in his chest, is something that I hope to never experience. The fear of your other half, not being there.

I shake my head looking down to the floor of my cell. There's no other way.

"But-" Koda tries to continue, but I just take a deep breath continuing to shake my head.

"Do it Koda," I whisper then glancing up to him.

His eyes are as wide as saucers as he looks to me, panic evident in his eyes.

"Willa-"

"Just do it!" I exclaim feeling tears prick my eyes. "Silas will die if you don't. I can take it, I'd rather be the one getting hurt, than others that I care about."

I flinch when Bahee chuckles a loud laugh. "There she is! There's the selfless pathetic Luna, that everyone depends on. You heard her Koda, do what she asks."

Bahee opens my cell door as I clench my fists tightly, watching as Koda enters slowly.

"She better have twenty lashes on her back, before I return. It's either that, or Silas suffers." He slams the door behind Koda, walking away quickly without another word.

Once he's out of sight, I walk straight up to Koda. Once I'm close enough, I wrap my arms around him tightly. He's shaking as much as I am as he puts his arms around me as well.

"Willa, I-" his voice cracks making me cling onto him tighter.

"I understand, I'll be okay. I'll heal, I promise." I repeat to him. Taking a shaky breath out, stepping back slowly. "Now, let's get this over with."

Giving him one last reassuring smile, I turn around, dropping down to my knees.

I try to control my erratic breaths so I don't get sent into a panic.

It doesn't help that Amara refuses to speak, she must know how doomed we are.

I bite my lip harshly knowing that as soon as the first lash is made, Greyson is going to know. He's going to sense my pain for each one. All twenty of them.

I flinch hearing the end of the whip, touch the ground as Koda grips it in his hand firmly. "Willa, I-I can't do this. I don't want to hurt you."

"Koda you have to." I tell him again.

"We can find another way, I can find another way to get Silas out." His voice shakes with each word.

"And if that fails?" My voice raises steadily. I can't take the anticipation. I just want to get over with it already. "If it fails, Silas will be dead."

"N-No-"

"Yes, Koda. Dead. I told you that I can take it, if this is going to save someone that I care about, someone that you care about." He still makes no effort to do anything, which then prompts me to raise my voice. "What are you waiting for?" I yell feeling my voice scratch the back of my throat pathetically. My emotion showing through my words. "Just do it Koda! Do it! Stop waiting and just do it!"

It's silent for a split second, and then a crack echos and chills my bones.

It takes me a second to realize the scream exiting my mouth, and the searing pain ripping through the tender skin on my back.

Warm blood starts to blanket my body as my muscles tense at the new pain. I fall forward on my knees, my forehead hitting the ground in front of me.

"Willa? I'm-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Tears drip from my eyes, "Keep going!" I scream, there's no time to take breaks.

I hear a growl of rejection faintly, followed by silence. Until there's another crack.