I lay in bed, my mind reeling with everything I’d heard that morning. Ryker, the man who had brought me here, who had torn my clothes and left me feeling vulnerable and scared, was a monster. A killer. The thought sent a shiver down my spine, and I felt a wave of nausea wash over me.“The same man who had saved you,” my subconscious tattled, but I dismissed the thought.I couldn't believe what I had gotten myself into. What my uncle had sold me into. I thought of my mother, of the horrors she must be going through in the hands of Derrick. I thought of staying for her sake, of enduring whatever Ryker had planned for me in order to keep her safe. But staying with Ryker was only digging my own grave. He was a monster, capable of doing unimaginable things. And I couldn't imagine staying here, trapped in this luxurious prison with no escape.I felt a sob rising up in my throat, and I couldn't hold it back. I cried, great racking sobs that shook my body and left me gasping for breath. I cri
I searched around the room frantically, my eyes scanning every inch of space for something, anything, that could help me down. I couldn't possibly jump, not from six stories up. I would be dead before I even hit the ground.My heart was racing, my mind reeling with fear and adrenaline. I had to think, had to come up with a plan. And then, it hit me. The blankets. I could tie them together, create a makeshift rope to climb down.I quickly got to work, my hands shaking as I tied the blankets together. I tested the strength of the rope, pulling on it with all my might. It seemed sturdy enough, but I couldn't be sure.I tied one end of the rope to the bed, testing its strength once more. Satisfied, I threw the other end out the window, watching as it unfurled, the end dangling in the air, close to the ground.I took a deep breath, my heart racing with fear. This was it. This was my chance to escape. I climbed out the window, my bare feet finding holds in the stone wall as I began to make
As we entered the house, Ryker's thunderous voice echoed through the halls, sending shivers down my spine. "Who was the guard in charge of her room?" he demanded, his eyes blazing with fury.The guards assembled before us, their faces pale and trembling with fear. One of them, a burly man with a thick beard, stepped forward, his eyes darting nervously between Ryker and me."I-I was, sir," he stuttered, his voice shaking like a leaf.I had never seen a man so big, so scared in my entire life.Ryker's gaze narrowed, his eyes boring into the guard's very soul. "You were in charge of her room, and yet she managed to escape," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "How do you explain that?"The guard swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. "I-I don't know, sir. I must have fallen asleep at my post."Ryker's expression turned glacial, his eyes flashing with anger, but it was only for a fleeting moment, and a sardonic smile spread across his lip. "You fell asleep at your post?
_Ryker’s POV_I entered my room and slammed the door with so much force it nearly came off its hinges.My wolf paced wildly in my mind, wanting to be freed, but I knew a run wouldn’t cut it.I couldn’t believe it. She tried to run away from me. She tried to leave me.The mere thoughts of it drove me to the brink of madness. I was so angry, and yet, her innocent eyes had a way of making me impossibly hard.It had taken every ounce of willpower in me not to tear her clothes and claim her tonight.Her scent, her taste, fuck, the scent of her arousal…I couldn’t.No woman had ever had such an effect on me, yet I found myself holding back from flipping her over and fucking her senseless.It was her innocence. It had to be. That innocence in her eyes that told me she had never known any man. That was the only thing giving her grace.But it wouldn’t be long before the thin thread of my patience snapped, and I would take. I would take and take till she had nothing else to give, and even then,
I entered my room and slammed the door shut, the sound echoing through the hallway. I was pacing angrily, my feet moving back and forth across the floor. I couldn't believe the nerve of Ryker, ordering me around like I was some kind of servant. My anger overpowered the fear I had for him, and I asked myself what kind of man he was. What kind of man treated a woman like this?I replayed the encounter in my mind, his authoritative voice and the way he addressed me like he owned me. I felt a surge of emotions at the memory, my anger boiling over. How dare he? How dare he treat me like this?As I paced back and forth, I ignored the voice in my head that told me that he actually did own me. He had paid the price for me, and my uncle had willingly sold me off to a monster. I pushed the thought aside, not wanting to think about it. Not wanting to think about the fact that I was trapped here, at the mercy of a man who seemed to take great pleasure in controlling me. A man who lived for the fe
I left the room with Claire, following her as she led me on a tour of the massive house. We walked down a long hallway, the walls adorned with expensive-looking artwork and the floors covered in plush carpets. Claire pointed out various rooms as we passed by, explaining their purpose and who used them."This is the living room," she said, gesturing to a large room filled with expensive yet uncomfortable-looking furniture. I held back a snort. "The Alpha likes to entertain guests here."I nodded, taking in the room's opulent decor. It was clear that Ryker spared no expense when it came to furnishing his home. Maybe the rumors about his wealth being as immeasurable as the sands of the earth was true after all, because boy, he was rich rich.We continued on, Claire showing me the dining room–which I’d already seen, the kitchen, and even a small movie theater. I was amazed by the sheer size and luxury of the house. It was like nothing I had ever seen before.As we walked, Claire chatted n
After finishing the tour of the house, I excitedly returned to the library. I had fallen in love with the room, and I couldn't wait to explore it further. As I entered the library, I was immediately enveloped in the musty scent of old books. I breathed deeply, feeling a sense of calm wash over me.I scanned the shelves, my eyes running over the countless books that seemed to stretch up to the ceiling. I knew I'd spend hours in here, getting lost in the stories and adventures that lay within the pages. I finally picked a book, my fingers trailing over the cover as I read the title."The Duke's Heart" was written on the cover in bold, golden letters. I smiled, as I read the short description at the back. I loved romance novels, and this one seemed like it would be right up my alley. I opened the book, feeling the worn pages crackle beneath my fingers. The book seemed old, like it had been read and reread countless times.I wondered vaguely if Ryker was into romance stories, but the thou
_Ryker’s POV_I stood by the door of the library, watching her as she sat cooped up in my reading nook with a book on her lap. She was completely absorbed in the book, her brow furrowed in concentration. I noticed the way her lips pouted when she read something she didn't like, the way her golden brown hair fell over her eyes. My fingers itched to move it out of her face, to see her clearly.I couldn't believe how beautiful she was. She was like a ray of sunshine in this dark, gloomy house. And she was mine. The thought sent a surge of possessiveness through me, and I felt my eyes narrow.But as I watched her, I knew I couldn't let myself get too close. She was pure, innocent, and I didn't want to stain her with all the dirt I had on me. I had done too many bad things, hurt too many people. I didn't deserve someone like her.Just then, she looked up, and our eyes met. For a moment, I forgot to breathe. I forgot to think. All I could do was stare at her, drink in the sight of her.But
_Ryker’s POV_Arianna had calmed down. Or so I thought.But I couldn’t have been more wrong.“Please,” her soft plea reached my ears like she was trying to nip at every crack in my composure.It was already so difficult having that conversation with her while we were both naked, but having her beg me like that took the thing to a whole new level.My arms were still wrapped around her, so she pushed her tits into my chest and I cursed loudly and pulled her back.But she was undeterred. Arianna kept begging me. Her voice was raw with desperation, her fingers trembling as she reached for me again. I caught her wrists, my grip firm but gentle as I shook my head.“Arianna, stop,” I murmured, my voice strained. My entire body was on fire, every nerve ending screaming at me to just give in, but I couldn’t. Not like this. Not now.She wasn’t thinking clearly. I knew that. She was still reeling from what had happened, from the violation she had barely escaped. Her body was seeking comfort, som
_Ryker’s POV_I couldn’t see anything but red.Even as their bodies lay in shreds at my feet, the rage still burned inside me, hot and insatiable. I could have torn them apart again, limb by limb, made them suffer longer, made them beg for mercy they didn’t deserve.But they were already dead. And it wasn’t enough.Nothing would ever be enough.The scent of blood was thick in the air, mixing with the sharp, pungent stench of piss—their last act of cowardice before I ripped them apart. I didn’t care what the town would think when they woke up to find the remains of these worthless bastards staining their streets. I didn’t care if they feared me, if they whispered about the monster lurking in the shadows.Let them.They had no idea what real monsters looked like.I turned, breath still heaving, my skin sticky with their blood. My gaze locked onto her.Arianna.She was curled against the wall, her body trembling so violently I could feel it in my bones. Her arms were wrapped around herse
_Arianna’s pov_I froze.The catcall had already sent a chill down my spine, but it was the voices that followed that truly made my stomach twist.“Well, well,” one of them drawled, his tone thick with amusement. “What’s a pretty thing like you doing all alone at this hour?”I turned slowly, my pulse hammering.Two men stood under the dim glow of a flickering streetlamp. Both were tall, broad-shouldered, in a way that made my heart drop. The one on the left had greasy, slicked-back hair and a twisted grin that revealed yellowed teeth. His eyes were sharp, predatory, drinking me in like I was already his. The other man was bulkier, his head shaved, a jagged scar cutting through his eyebrow. His arms were covered in ink, the designs crude and dark against his pale skin.They weren’t just looking at me. They were sizing me up.My fingers curled into fists at my sides as I forced myself to turn away.Just ignore them. Just walk away.“Hey, sweetheart.” The greasy-haired man took a step fo
_Ryker’s pov_Damn it.I ran a hand through my hair, gripping hard enough to hurt as I paced the length of my room. My chest was tight, breathing ragged, the walls pressing in on me like they wanted to crush me because of just how stupid I was.I had overreacted.I knew it the second I saw the look on Arianna’s face. The second she flinched. The second she stuttered out an apology she didn’t even owe me before rushing out of my room like she couldn’t get away fast enough.I had overreacted. And then I had made it worse by shutting her out after that.I should have said something. Should have gone after her instead of avoiding her like a goddamn coward. But the truth was, I didn’t trust myself not to make it worse. One wrong word, one sharp edge to my tone, and I could’ve snapped. I could’ve proven her right—that I was something to be afraid of.And I couldn’t handle that.But now she was gone.And it was a terrible fucking mistake.I pulled my phone out for the hundredth time and dial
Arianna’s POVThe house felt smaller than it had ever felt before.I sat at the kitchen table long after Ryker had walked away, my untouched plate in front of me, my fingers curled around the edge of the wooden surface like I needed something to hold me from falling down.The more I replayed everything that had happened, the worse I felt. It wasn’t that I was afraid of him—not really. Not anymore. Or at least… not all the time.I had come to understand Ryker in ways I never thought I would. Beneath all that anger, all that roughness, he was someone who paid attention to details. Who noticed the small things about people. Someone who, despite everything, had gone out of his way to make sure I had something I liked—just because I liked it.And I had hurt him.The look in his eyes when I dropped that plate—when I flinched—had been burned into my memory, and it made my chest feel like it was caving in.I couldn’t stay here.I pushed back my chair abruptly, the legs scraping against the fl
Arianna’s POVEven a day later, I still couldn’t stop thinking about it.The necklace.Ryker’s words.That look in your eyes—that’s why I bought it.I had replayed that moment so many times in my head that it had practically been burned into my memory. I had spent most of the night staring at the delicate silver chain, running my fingers over the diamond as if trying to memorize its every detail. I had never owned anything this beautiful before, but it wasn’t just the necklace itself that made it precious.It was the intention behind it.Ryker had seen me. He had noticed something as small as the way my eyes lit up over a piece of jewelry and had gone out of his way to get it for me. Because I liked it. Because that, to him, was reason enough.My heart softened all over again just thinking about it.I hadn’t seen much of him after that.He had been locked in his room all day, and every time I tried to check in on him, he brushed me off with a simple I’m busy.Then there was dinner.It
Arianna’s POVThe second I stepped out of the bathroom, my wet hair clinging to my skin, I was met with the last thing I expected—Ryker, standing there, staring at me like I had personally offended him just by existing.The sight of him startled me so much that a scream tore out of my throat before I could stop it. It wasn’t just a little yelp, either. It was a full-blown, blood-curdling scream—the kind people let out in horror movies right before they got murdered.Ryker winced, ears twitching as if the sound physically pained him. “Damn, Arianna,” he muttered, rubbing the side of his head. “Trying to make me deaf?”I clutched my towel tightly against my body, fearing it would slip, my heart hammering. “Trying to get yourself killed?” I shot back, glaring at him. “What the hell are you doing in my room?”His lips twitched like he was holding back a laugh. “I knocked.”“Knocking and then walking in defeats the whole purpose, Ryker.”“Technically, you didn’t answer.”I gaped at him. “I
Ryker’s POVThe cold air burned my lungs as I ran through the thick forest, my breath coming out in heavy puffs of white smoke in front of my eyes. The loud pound of my feet against the damp earth should have been enough to clear my mind. It was supposed to be. That was the entire reason I had come out here in the first place—to get away, to get some space, to let myself breathe without her scent clinging to every damn inch of me.But it wasn’t working.I had only been gone for an hour—maybe less—but already, I was restless. Already, my mind had circled back to her more times than I cared to admit.Had she woken up yet?Had she seen the note?Had she opened the damn box?Was she still in bed? Had she eaten? Was her ankle still hurting?Would she even want to see me when I got back?I gritted my teeth and pushed forward, running faster, harder. My muscles burned with the more I pushed myself, but it wasn’t enough. No matter how fast I ran, no matter how far I went, I couldn’t outrun he
Arianna’s POVI stared at the box, my fingers frozen against the lid, my breath catching in my throat.I had expected something practical—maybe another healing balm, or even something ridiculous, like more clothes he thought were appropriate for me to wear. Or even a dead rat just to spike my blood pressure.But this?This was the last thing I had imagined.The moment the light hit the diamonds, they shone so brilliantly that I had to blink, momentarily stunned.My heart lurched.No.No way.This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.I slowly placed the box back on the counter, staring at it like it was about to sprout wings and fly away.Then, as if suddenly remembering myself, I yanked my hands away from it entirely, turning them over in front of me.I quickly wiped my sweaty palms down the length of my pajamas pants, thinking I would ruin it otherwise. I had touched the note before this, smudging the edges and some of the ink probably got on my fingers. What if I got the jewelry dirty? What