#ENDURING PAIN#

ALEX'S POV

I was lying in a fetal position while holding onto my now bruised side. A lady had come in earlier and had given me ice as well as some water. She also hung my arms above my head making me half dangle. I was still in need of food since yesterday. The hallway was dark and cold when I hear footsteps approach. It was him.

"Don't you have other important things to do?" I say to him while catching his cold expression.

"Oh, I'm just getting started" He sates as he walks slowly towards me.

"Tell me. Why did you do it?"

"I told you, the men who came had done it. I found her on the floor bleeding to death and thought you were someone else so I held the riffle-"I say weakly.

"Why should I believe you? For all I know you could be working with them."

"Because it's the truth." I say softly as I try to find something from his blank expression. I knew he was hurting and nothing I would say would stop him from doing something worse.

"When people are threatened, they speak the truth whereas you are simply a liar...."

"Listen to me-"I get cut off when I get a right hook from him which gave me a busted lip. I spit the blood from my mouth and struggle with the chains that held me by my weight.

"You have no proof. My men will take care of you... soon enough" He states as he starts walking away from me with the slightest eerie smirk.

"Please, I swear I am telling you the truth!"

"Then answer this, who helped you escape?" He asks with narrowed eyes.

I stutter and bite my bleeding lips feeling anxious by the minute.

"I thought so..." With that he leaves me exposed for what was to come next.

Mr Hale's POV

Many have different ways of grieving. I had lost too many to even remember the feeling of losing a loved one. I had buried my feelings so deep for all these years only to have them resurfacing.

Was this my turning point? Just when everything was going as planned, fate happened.

I hold onto the riffle that my grandmother had used to survive. She would go hunting in the forest and was the one who taught me how to aim and shoot. I trace the carved pattern of a tribal sign at the end of the riffle. The tribal sign looked familiar but obviously my grandmother was one of us.

Everyone in my family was part of our mafia gang and so we had a tribal sign as well. It was of an anchor symbolizing steadfastness, strength and power on its own.

All my men had the significant symbol on their arms whereas my one was printed on the back of my neck. The one by my collar bone was of a ship inside the outline of a bigger anchor. Amongst us all I was known as the Deathly Anchor.

I take a deep breath and in an instant I stare at my bloody knuckles from repeatedly punching the wall of my office.

I had to let it out one way or another. So I make my way pass the basement sub-cells and straight to the open fighting ring.

There was a crowd of my men surrounding a bulky man who had knocked out a much smaller guy. I walk in to hear the immediate silence as I take my stance in front of the bulky and apparently bald man. I raise my now bandaged hands to jaw level and dare him to take the first shot.

He did exactly as I thought and so I let him take me.

THIRD PERSON'S POV

The basement doors opened and two men entered. There stood Alex limp and hopeless as she prays for the better. The blonde man who introduced himself to Alex as Oliver walked to her and kissed her forcefully. She didn't give in and instead head bumped him real hard.

"Feisty are we?" He snickers while the other man walks out before informing them that he'll be back.

Oliver yanks aside her shorts and sticks a finger inside her. Her cheeks were stained with tears and more were yet to fall. She felt helpless screaming for help when she knew very well there was no one coming for her. After all, she was declared worthless.

She could still fill the pain from the bruises with Oliver's hands roaming over her breasts and torso. She hisses in pain as Oliver unhooks her from the chains and pushes her down on her knees. The cracked cement digs deep into her knees as Oliver grabs a handful of her hair and unzips his pants.

In a matter of seconds his length was in her mouth pacing in and out. The chains were tight around her wrists which was slowly turning purple. She was weak and couldn't help but let him take advantage.

On the other side of the cells Mythias had taken the first 5 punches which now filled him with rage. He ducks at the bald man's punch and takes him down to the floor. He throws more than a few punches while the man tries to block his face. With the man wheezing out blood Mythias stands and places his foot on the man's neck.

He pushes with enough pressure as the man slowly passes out but at the last moment a crack echoes against the thick walls of the dimly lit surrounding.

The man was gone.

Alex had lost all hope when she hears someone storming their way into the cell. Just then she bites his length hard. Oliver lets out a string of curses just before he falls limp to the ground due to a gun setting off. Alex spits at him and falls backwards as someone stops her from losing balance.

Confusion was present on Alex's face as she whispers his name...

"Luke...?"

"It's me. I heard you kept your word and didn't give my name to him. For that I owe you" He says sincerely.

"But I was the rea-"

"Let bygones be bygones. Still, no one would have done what you did."

"Okay. Just- let me explain myself to Xavious. Please." Alex could only hope Luke was on her side for a promise is one thing and loyalty is another.

"Come with me-"Luke replies when a man barges in with Mythias looking to murder someone.

"Hear her out boss. A leader judges based on what is the truth...not what is easier."

"Don't. You have two minutes to explain why Oliver is dead and why you are here or I will finish you off myself." He growls furiously when Alex catches them off guard and passes out in Luke's arms.