Ties that Bind

Nora’s POV. 

“I will be back for you, mate” a green-eyed wolf whispered to me, dashing towards me with full force, as if it was ready to devour me.  

My heart raced; a wave of fear circulated through my veins and with a sudden gasp, I jolted awake.  

My eyes snapped open, meeting with the dimly lit chandelier above me. I felt a slight headache, holding onto my forehead. The wolf’s presence was so overpowering that its whispers rang in my head despite me being fully awake – as if it never left.  

I dragged my weak self-up and rested my head on the headboard with my eyes closed, my body aching for a reason I had no idea of. At first, I wasn’t aware of the surroundings I was in – my memory was hazy due to exhaustion.  

But when I finally opened my eyes and became fully aware of where I was, the memory of the night before rushed to me and the realization of the fact that I had fucked up, landed on me.  

“Fuck!!!” I yelled as I stormed out of the bed and grabbed my phone. Only to realize it was morning already. The time ‘8:32 am’ was staring back at my widened eyes.  

“11 missed calls? What the fuck have I done?” I cursed myself, my heart beating fast in my chest upon discovering Dad had called me 11 times.  

“Gosh!!” I hit my formed fist on the wall in anger. “How could I have failed my mission? Why did I allow myself to be controlled by my lust? If I hadn’t been lustful, I would have taken him down before he even tried to turn the table around. What the hell am I going to do now?” I ruminated, throwing my phone on the bed in annoyance. 

I stood there for a moment, my chest heaving. Defeat was gnawing at me, its claws mocking me.  

My heart was a jungle of regret, anger and fear. I was scared of the repercussions of my action.  

I glanced back at my phone, the 11 missed calls lingering in my head like an unwanted tenant.  

“Is Dad aware of my failed mission? Is that why he called? How the hell am I going to handle his wrath and disappointment?  

His words- “There’s no room for failure and the penalty for it is death” struck me like lightning, making me swallow hard. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead. 

“Is he going to kill me? No, he can’t. I am his only child. Yes, he can. Someone who killed his wife without blinking an eye wouldn’t hesitate to kill me” my mind went back and forth, trying to fathom my father’s possible reaction.  

Just then, my phone chimed, and it was a message from HIM.  

With a trembling hand, I grabbed my phone, and his message read: “Show up here in twenty-five minutes, or you won’t make it to twenty-six”. Knowing my father was always true to his words, I grabbed my clothes and put them on, dashing out of the hotel.  

Not minding the hotel receptionist who was calling onto me to check out before leaving, I zoomed off in my car with one motive- to get home before but not later than 25 minutes.  

As I sped off on the highway, I kept staring at my watch, with my heart reeling with fear of what awaited me at home.  

Luckily for me, I got home in time.  

My father was seated in the living room, smoking his hemp as usual. His underlings surrounded him, heavily armed. I stood in front of him, my eyes glued to the floor with my trembling hands hidden behind me.  

“Why did you change the plan and where have you been?” his commanding voice, which was laced with authority, asked.  

“Change the plan? What does he mean?” My face was a mask of fear and confusion. I didn’t understand what he meant by changing the plan, but I couldn’t dare to ask.  

“Should I answer, or should I just keep quiet? What if I answer and give the wrong response and if I decide to keep shut, won’t that infuriate him?” I pondered, shutting my eyes in frustration. 

I was sitting on the fence – torn between giving him a response or keeping shut. Just when I was contemplating on what to do, luck found its way to my side.  

“Why did you swerve from the method of eliminating him that I instructed you to use? Or did you inject him and make it look like he died in an auto crash?” his deep, yet firm voice sliced through my thoughts.  

His questions made my eyes widened in shock and my breath hitched.  

“What? He is dead? How come? I watched him walk away right in front of me- alive!! So, how the hell is he dead?” I almost blurted out, pressing for answers. But being aware of the person I was standing before forced me to restrain myself.  

I composed myself, standing straight with a firm expression on my face.  

“So, that’s what he thought happened?’ I reflected.  

“Since my father believes I killed him but in a different way, then let’s just flow with the moment. At least, I will be able to save my head from falling off my neck” I decided, resolving to walk the path my father had paved for me.  

“Yes, Father. I used the auto-crash as a cover-up. I thought that would be the perfect way to clean up any evidence that could lead to me” I explained, keeping my gaze low and ensuring that my voice was steady enough.  

I was expecting him to say something, but he didn’t. Silence enveloped the room, and the air was thick with tension. The only sound that echoed in the room was the rhythm of his ring, which he was tapping against the glass.  

“Has he caught on anything? Why is he silent? Did he see through my lies?” I scrutinized, finally lifting up my gaze and looking at his face. I tried seeing through him – to figure out what was going on in his head, but I wasn’t able to.  

After minutes of silence, he eventually leaned forward and exhaled, puffing the smoke of his cigar in the air.  

“I am going to overlook this because you successfully eliminated our target despite you wobbling from the original plan. Next time you try such with me, it will be your head, leaving your neck. Is that understood?” he warned, pointing his cigar at me.  

“Yes, sir” I replied, nodding my head in compliance.  

“Alaric, the file” Dad called out his right-hand man, stretching his hand forth. Alaric handed a file to him and even before Dad said it, I knew that another mission was waiting for me.  

“You have a new mission. It must be taken care of tonight” Dad commanded, throwing the file my way.  

“Noted, sir” I responded, picking up the file.  

“Also, where you will be taking down the target is an open space. No witness must be left alive” he further instructed, now resting his back on the chair.  

“Yes, sir” I confirmed.  

“You may leave” he dismissed, flinging his fingers.  

With the file clutched to my hand, I turned around, ready to make my way to my room. But his voice made me halt in my steps.  

“Also, don’t forget rule No. 3. I won’t forgive you if you break it. Go” he warned.  

I nodded, my mind racing as I swallowed hard. 

As I walked down the hallway towards the stairs, rule No. 3 kept on repeating itself in my head.  

“Never fall in love” that was the rule. But little did my father know that I had long broken the rule and the fear of what he might do once he found out, gripped me.  

I got to my room and made my way to my desk, ready to go through the file of my next target. But what I saw upon opening the file, left my mouth agape.  

“Opulence Lounge?” I muttered out of fear, realizing the game was about getting more dangerous.