Chapter 17

There were many gasps of shock as Corbin revealed his plans for Elliot, but there was also just as many hushed murmurs as the other wolves here questioned what a Blood Eagle was and just what that entailed. The sounds of shuffling as wolves twisted and turned to each other gossiping reached my twitching ears from my position at the front of the confused and terrified group.

There was one noise that differed from the typical gasps and whispers of the group that stood out to me, as if it had been highlighted and the volume turned up. A random whimper of understanding and fear had my stomach reaching with sympathy and grabbing my attention. It had been mum letting the involuntary sound slip from her lips as Corbin had finally informed us all his plans for our youngest Alpha Heir, my brother, her son. Her wolf’s need to protect its pup was most likely in full force, eager to attack Elliot’s captors and free him before anyone attempted this barbaric torture, the Blood Eagle, whatever it is.

“Quieten down my pets and I will continue.” Corbin stopped all his movements, freezing with the point of the knife still in Elliot’s back. His eyes were still focused in front of him on what he was doing as he spoke to the mortified wolves around him.

The grass clearing instantly stilled, waiting for the dictator to continue speaking, but also dreading what his next actions were going to be.

“As I was saying, there were several versions of theories on what The Blood Eagle means due to a lack of recorded information on it. Some think that it was when a picture of an eagle was carved onto the back of a person, as there are a handful of instances recorded in history of that being done. Others theorised that The Blood Eagle was something very different to that and has three main stages to it, but there is nothing in any of the history books saying that it was in fact done and that it was nothing more than a lot of embellishment.” He twisted the knife from left to right, watching closely as each time he moved it, a new drop of blood escaped and trickled down Elliot’s goosebump-covered skin, as the cool fresh air soothed him.

Once the insane Alpha started to describe some of the atrocious doings of a Blood Eagle, my stomach fell into my feet, all my blood had run cold before dissipating and my brain stalled, unable to hear or focus on anything else apart from the graphic torture yet to befall Elliot.

As I was so close, I could see Corbin increasing the pressure of the knife on Elliot’s back, forcing it in deeper before dragging it agonisingly slow down the centre of his spine. Blood began to pour faster from the newly inflicted wound as it was being opened by the blade that was bound to be bringing his death. I could see Elliot’s efforts in trying not to react to the intensely painful slicing of his skin; his eyes were screwed tightly shut as his head hung forward, his jaw was clenched so hard that I thought that I would hear his teeth shatter any second, the muscles all over his body were tensed to the point that they looked like they would tear apart and veins were bulging everywhere, all as Elliot’s life drained from the now gaping wound on his back.

Elliot’s body began trembling as he held in any reactions from the pain, trying to not give Corbin any satisfaction from the torture that he was inflicting. There was only so much that he could take though, before he threw his head back, howling out in agony to the moon as she watched on and just continued to bathe everyone in her light.

At the sight of the warm, deep red blood cascading down Elliot’s back, constant weak cries had erupted from mum. I managed to tear my gaze away from the knife, blood and pain after recognising her agony. There she was, at the very front of the agitated crowd, desperately refraining herself from running to her son and on the verge of collapsing. My heart crumbled at the sight of her tears.

Nothing can be stronger than a mother's love for her child, or her pain at seeing that child hurt.

Knowing that her son faced an inevitable, painful death in front of her very eyes was incomprehensible, slowly edging my soul into a sympathetic despair. Our Luna was crying and there was nothing that any of us could do to help, each of us were feeling just a shadow of her emotions at seeing our Alpha heir on the leading stage.

The grouping of wolves that were forced to watch stayed stock-still in silence; fear and disgust holding them in place as their brother slowly withered away from the brutal disfiguration that was making their stomachs roll.

Using the deadly sharp knife, Corbin cut a wound down to the waistband of Elliot’s trousers that was now large enough for a small person to climb in through and hideaway amongst the gore. He then brought the knife up to the very top of his shoulder blades and drew the knife left to right, forming a ‘T’ shape in the muscle, before letting the knife clatter to the floor as he stood up and back a couple of steps to admire his handiwork so far, ignoring the sticky blood that was covering his hands like a pair of red winter gloves.

The warrior that had previously stepped forward and handed the knife to Corbin, once again advanced to him, but this time to pass a short, wooden handled axe to his waiting hands, before running back to the shadows and disappearing once more.

“Those of you that didn’t know before, have probably been told by now through the gossips and whispers what The Blood Eagle is. But I will continue with my little commentary, just in case some of you are still unaware. Besides, I would like to describe it as I go, it’s a passion of mine you could say.”

Corbin had turned around to face the muted crowd, frozen in place in anticipation as he divulged his gruesome fantasies to them. A shameless smile was glued to his face as he addressed the nauseated many, waiting for the next of his repulsive and savage actions.

“So, that was stage one; opening up his back and drawing back the skin to reveal the rear of the ribcage.” The perverse man stood there with a dark shadow on his face as he observed the reactions on the revolted and frightful faces, one by one, enjoying each one more than the last, like this was his intention all along. Like this was his vulgar fantasy and not the awful mangling of my brother.

Once Corbin was satisfied with seeing the grim reactions that he had caused, he pivoted on the spot and audibly sighed outwardly in satisfaction as he viewed Elliot’s panting form hanging limply from the posts. He stalked the few steps closer to Elliot, appreciating his view of him as he went and halting just before he literally stepped onto him. As he moved, he held the handle of the axe in his left hand and tapped it threateningly on his stained right palm.

Corbin paused very briefly, the glinting head of the axe held in his left hand, before he reached down with his right and gripped one edge of the several cuts that he had made with the knife and pulled. Elliot let out a blood-curdling scream from the sudden separation of the skin from the muscle and vessels, as Corbin opened him up like a letter and left the giant flap of skin hanging over his side, then did the same to the other side.

From where I stood, I could see every single little detail of what the monster was doing, but I was too repulsed and mortified to react or try to help Elliot. I could see every single trickle of blood that escaped from him as his heart still pumped it out at a throbbing pace, see each torn bit of muscle and fat that usually lay hidden under the surface as bile burned its way up my throat. I could see each bead of sweat rolling down his paling, clammy skin that was fast becoming the colour of greying death.

Unexpected protective growls and snarls disrupted the silence that previously covered the sorrowful field. Wolves started fidgeting with their own desperation to protect their leaders; the Alpha family, our family.

Warriors surrounding the field stepped forward in an instant with their claws drawn. Their mammoth bodies surged with adrenaline and were itching for more bloodshed. The compressed prisoners knew a loss would be imminent should a fight breakout when their wolves were still suppressed by wolfsbane, so they quietened down, for now. It came as second nature to protect the Alpha, his and their own families. A fire buzzing in their veins simmered down temporarily but a need to get to Elliot sat ready to roar to life.

Without speaking or any notice at all, the loathsome so-called Alpha clutched the formidable weapon in his right hand and swung it with intense focus and pure savagery, hacking wildly at Elliot’s rib bones as he shuddered and jerked beneath him. Spittle and blood were flying from his mouth with each flinch and blow. With every swing that landed on his bones and made sickening crunches, my stomach heaved. My mind reeled at the thought of Elliot being killed every time Corbin brought the menacing axe down fiercely. I became blind to everything else in my focus on the beastly sight in front of me.

Corbin eventually stopped chopping away at a dying Elliot, flung the axe from his dripping scarlet hands, then reached inside him and started pulling out parts of rib bone and casting them aside.

It seemed to take an eternity for Corbin to finish mutilating Elliot, pulling hundreds of pieces of bone from his convulsing body, when it was only a couple of minutes and just a few ribs, each in just as many pieces. It was alarming that the severed rib bones were able to be seen and then pulled through all the deep, red blood that had pooled in the open wound.

Previously silent, hyper-focused on the work that he was doing, Corbin began speaking yet again. "This is history in the making. This is something that should be able to go in the history books but can’t thanks to our ways being a secret. If Elliot here were a simple human, he would have been dead by now, but those secrets are what’s keeping him alive.”

Corbin had this evil glint in his eyes as he lost perception of all his surroundings, totally mesmerized as he stared at Elliot’s back and into his open chest cavity that was vulnerable to the nights biting chills. He lowered himself to a crouching position, just so that he could view his work closer-up. His eyes were fixed wide in awe and a deep sense of satisfaction was etched onto his twisted, wrinkled face as he watched the fragile movements of the lungs. They expanded minutely and shuddered before instantly retracting with every laboured breath that Elliot forced himself to take, barely holding onto life. Each breath in that he tried to take expelled more warm blood out from the mangled hole that Corbin had left him with. It oozed down his back, creating more sickly red pathways downwards each time. Elliot clung onto the thin, taut thread of hope; the hope of somehow miraculously making it through all the agony that was being inflicted upon him. Blood seeped into his already blood-soaked trousers and the wooden stage beneath him, permanently changing the natural colours of the fabrics and grains.

“My dear friends, fellow wolves, this right here is a work of art almost at its finest and completion.” He had not looked away from the gruesome sight whilst he spoke, his eyes remaining out of focus from the world, as if the only thing of total importance or in existence was Elliot’s suffering for his pleasure. His hands were hovering just a short distance from his so-called work, suddenly fearful of damaging the priceless destruction. The blood was shimmering on his deadly hands as they reflected the low light from the dancing flames of the torches nearby.

“What I did just now was step two. Basically, all that was, was just removing the rib bones so that we can get to Elliot’s lungs. But I must admit that I did get carried away a bit.” He gave a dark chuckle and looked to the nauseated audience before continuing, “I should have just broken them from the spine and opened them outwards from his body like a spring flower opening in the morning. I suppose my excitement got the better of me after having to wait for so long to give it a try. Oh well, onto stage three now then.” He huffed out, as if exasperated by own mistake.

“Stage three is probably the best part of them all. You are all in for a real treat.” All that my eyes could zero in on whilst Corbin spoke was the blood on his hands as he held them up in front of him, as if specifically, for us to notice. Until he moved that is.

Corbin’s focus turned back to an extremely weak and dying Elliot as he rose from the floor and closed any remaining distance that was between them. He stood there like he was contemplating something, probably debating with himself about destroying any of his so-called artwork.

Out of the blue, Corbin plunged his hands into Elliot, making him roar loudly in protest to the sudden intrusion that was causing him an insurmountable pain.

As Elliot sagged after using the last of any energy that he will ever have again, I wanted to draw my claws out and run at Corbin, and with everything that I had, slash away at his ugly face. That roar of misery will forever be etched into my heart, suffocating me each time that I think back to this moment. All the other wolves around me seemed to be fighting the same urges as me, as I could hear low growls of warning.

The growls were not enough to block out the sound of squelching as Corbin looked to be rummaging around inside of Elliot, until he pulled out what looked like large blood-covered lumps of fat. I quickly concluded that the twitching blob of fat was Elliot’s lung as Corbin lay it gently to the left side of the wound he had made, before plunging his hands back in and pulling out the other and laying it to the right.

Corbin stood back and glared at Elliot’s weak, limply hanging frame, only held upright by the ropes still bound to his wrists as silence once again fell on the huddled congregation that was gathered on the now unfamiliar, gloomy territory.

We all waited, watching wide-eyed and afraid to take a breath when our brother struggled to do such a basic need for survival.

The tiny movements of Elliot’s lungs became less and less frequent, each one getting further apart from the last.

Barely a few seconds passed when Elliot took a small breath, rapidly let it out as if it fell from him and we waited silently, praying for him to take another. Only he didn’t.

Time seemed to stand still, unable to move forward until our brother moved with us.

And then, I felt it.

The bond of our future Alpha broke, making me feel as if something was missing from inside of me the instant that his heart was no longer beating with ours. As if some part of me deep inside left with Elliot to take him home to the Moon Goddess. My chest felt tight and hollow as the first of many tears for him fell down my cold cheeks.

Haunting, mournful howls filled the crisp heavy air.

I joined in with them, and as one big pack united in bereavement, we all looked to the moon standing lonely in the night’s sky, not a star in sight, and called to our fallen wolf brother and guided him home with our song.