MADELINE’S POVThe entire room was so quiet that Madeline was confident that if a pin dropped right now, the sound would echo around indefinitely. Lady Delilah, who had only arrived a few minutes before, was already being bombarded with Lord Darius's waning questions, and Madeline watched as the mistress looked both amused and horrified. Lord Darius's feet tapped restlessly on the marble floor while Lady Delilah shook her head, flipping a lock of red hair over her face, trying not to look too scared, but fear was written all over her face. "Are you freaking deaf? Would you answer me?” With a growl, Lord Darius broke the unruly silence, and Madeline, along with the servants and guards gathered around her, looked directly at Lady Delilah, waiting for her to say something. "Lord Darius... We can discuss this better elsewhere and not in the presence of the...""Fucking respond to me right now." Lord Darius growled, and Madeline shuddered as she saw the expression on his face. This wa
DARIUS POV"No one dares to touch what is mine!" Darius growled and lunged at Delilah. She was on her knees pleading with him, saying she could explain, but there was nothing he wanted to hear again. Darius didn't need her validation, and with his wolf flair rising, all he could think about was how to snap her neck and wipe her off the face of the earth. His thoughts returned to the words of the submissive as he walked towards her. 'Brielle was blindfolded and kidnapped by hulking slave traders. She was even hit in the head, which meant she had no idea where she was. Lady Delilah had approached me later, threatening to kill me if I said anything to the maids in the mansion or even you, Lord Darius. She warned me harshly and even gave me a bag of money...' Brielle had been blindfolded; she'd been hit on and sold! The thought of such treachery being committed against his beloved made his blood boil. “Fuck!” Darius growled, his teeth clenched and muscles tensed, he stretched his h
BRIELLE’S POVThe journey from the cell to wherever they were going had been pointless. Brielle found it difficult to relax her closed eyes due to the endless bumps the vehicle encountered along the roof, but after a while, the ride became smooth, and she fell asleep. However, her sleepy state was soon disrupted by a heavy bump, and she dragged her body upright, trying her hardest to sit up. “Arghhh…” She screamed as they hit another bump, this time with the vehicle moving slowly until it finally stopped moving, much to her dismay. Even though she wasn't enjoying the journey, she didn't want it to end because that would mean they'd arrived at their destination. It would imply that they had arrived at her fate, and this she despised. The car burped and then moved slightly before stopping again; this time, the ignition sounded dead as Brielle realized they had reached the end of their journey. What did they have in store for her here? Brielle pondered as she attempted to regain h
DARIUS POVDarius couldn't relax as he paced around his room, his hands on his hair, trying to think of something. He couldn't get his head around the surly details the submissive from earlier had given him when he'd asked the young lady to follow him. Leading her up to his room, he had then asked her to give him a detailed description of the location Lady Delilah had taken Brielle to, as she had followed them as well. He'd also made sure that her story was accurate and didn't contain any false information, and he'd done so by threatening her. Trembling, the submissive had told him everything, how it had all happened, how Brielle had been dragged from the vehicle, and Darius’s chest tightened as he listened to her confession.Darius then asked the submissive if she remembered the exact place they'd gone to after her brief detailed explanation. She'd given him a positive response, saying she knew a little but that the driver who'd driven them there was also in the mansion and migh
MADELINE’S POVMadeline's heart raced as she sat motionless in the car, staring out the window as it drove past buildings and trees. Lord Darius sat beside her, and she couldn't bear looking at him, given how angry he had been since the day began. He had asked her to follow him to his bed chambers after ripping out Lady Delilah's heart in front of everyone and asking his men to clean up the dead body. He’d asked her some questions, and she’d diligently answered, albeit with fright. Then a few hours later, he’d stormed into her room, demanding she follow him, and she did as she was told, mindlessly obeying him without saying anything. Damn! That was all she had to say. What kind of power did Brielle have over this man that he was willing to kill people without feeling even the slightest remorse? He'd killed the men who had talked about Brielle back then at the auction house, and if Madeline counted correctly, there were more than 50 of them. He'd slaughtered them in cold blood
BRIELLE’S POV"You lot, get up..." Brielle arose from where she had been lying all day, shivering slightly, and looked up at the man whose voice she had heard. It had been hours since she had arrived at this location, and after falling asleep for a few minutes, she had awoken and decided to survey the area. Thankfully, her vision had improved, and the room was better-lit this time. Various women were in the room, each with different skin colors, appearance, and weight, among other physical characteristics she couldn't quite identify. Some were chained, while others were not, and some were fully dressed while others were not. However, Brielle was relieved that the location did not resemble Blacko Shawn's Warldof's underground house. But then, this place was no different from the purpose it served, as well as Mr. Blacko's. She shuddered at the thought of being brought to a women's trafficking ring again. Brielle also began to consider how her life would change now that she'd ar
DARIUS POVThe car came to an abrupt halt after a long and exhausting journey. Darius looked out the tinted car windows and blinked, surprised to see they had come to a halt in the middle of a large field. The field was not empty, and from what Darius could tell, there were cars lined up and men walking around with guns, which added to his confusion. He noticed that Madeline, the submissive beside him, was attempting to unhook her seat belts. He would have helped her because he could see she was struggling with the handle, but he didn't care about seat belts. All he wanted to know was why they were here, so he asked her, clearing his throat slowly as he did so."Can you tell me where we are?" She came to a sudden halt, turning around and opening her lips. "Um, I also have no idea, but this was where Lady Delilah brought us to that day. This is probably where slave traders congregate in this part of town." Darius looked outside once more, amazed by the busy scene before him, an
BRIELLE’S POVBrielle and the other ladies walked in a single file as the guards led them out of the dressing room and into a room full of men. Looking around, Brielle noticed that the men appeared to be having a good time, and if she hadn't known that this was a slave trade ring, she would have mistaken it for a bar. Brielle could see strippers dancing naked on top of some men who appeared to enjoy such vices, and she admired how daring and free the ladies were, shuddering at the thought of doing something like this. But who was she to pass judgment? For all she knew, they could also be enslaved, forced to dance with these slimy-looking men to earn money or their freedom."Will you move forward?" One of the men leading them said to her, yelling, and she turned to face him, this time with a determined expression on her face. She was sick of acting like a baby, and it was past time she learned to use her mouth and confront anyone who tried to molest her in any way. Besides, she'd
BRIELLE'S POVHer heart fluttered like a flower picked from a peaceful garden. Brielle searched for words to convey how she felt as Darius hoisted her up the floor. Euphoria. Joy. Thrill. Delight. Excitement. Surprise. Yes. These words clearly defined the situation, but there was more going on. Something deeper. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Perhaps she didn't know what word to use, but it wasn't happiness. It was more than that. "My love. Mine, all mine..." Darius repeated in her ears as he twirled her around. After a few minutes, he dropped her back onto her feet.Brielle remained still for a moment, attempting to regain her breath. Her mind buzzed with so many different thoughts, and she felt dizzy and possibly lightheaded from all the dancing, but that didn't stop her from stretching her toes and kissing Darius on the cheek."How are you feeling?" Darius asked, and she replied. “I feel on top of the world. Or maybe I'm already flying through it; I have no idea
A MONTH LATERDARIUS' POVThe banquet went better than Darius had anticipated.He had hoped for a low-key and personal ceremony in which he could deliver the glad news to his people and seal the everlasting union with his partner, but the event planners had other ideas. They'd gone over and aboard, and he surprisingly approved. Every area of the castle was artistically ornamented with gold and scarlet decorations. Everything was stunning, from the beautiful wall tapestries to the intricate floral arrangements, and the crystal chandelier glowed like a light in the hall's center. It was ethereal. Just like the woman for whom this entire charade was intended. Darius smiled as he continued to glance around. His gaze swept through the guests in the room, mingling, drinking, and speaking in groups. He also watched the servants rushing around carrying platters, refilling drinks, and doing almost anything to keep the party going. Finally, his wandering attention was interrupted by the mo
BRIELLE’S POVThere wasn’t a force more powerful in the universe than love. At least, that was what Brielle was thinking as she watched Darius dress in front of the mirror.Her lips watered as he flexed his muscles to remove the white shirt that hugged his body's curves.They had both healed, and all that remained were the scars. Though as memories converged in her head, she nearly let out a whimper. She’d gone through a lot, and damn! Anytime she remembered the whippings, electric shocks, cold water dousing, and even days she went without food, tears streamed down her cheeks. It wasn't easy to forget what had happened, but with Darius, it was becoming easier than she had expected. He was at her side throughout the recovery process, and she couldn't have asked for anything more. "Like what you see?" Darius smirked, interrupting Brielle's thoughts.He was looking at her through the mirror, and when their eyes met, her cheeks flushed. She looked away."Umm." She murmured and said n
DARIUS POV Darius walked carefully down the corridor with his guards in tow. He’d woke up a few hours earlier, and all he could think about was seeing Brielle. The dream from the day before continued to torment him, keeping him half-awake all night. Now, all he wanted was to see and hug her tightly. Then he’d apologize for how he had neglected her—the anguish he'd caused her by not being present when she needed him most. And maybe she'd forgive him. But would she? The inexplicable torture she went through in Draken Havix's hands, as well as his irresponsible choice to send her out into the wild, was nothing short of horrific. It was unforgivable, and Brielle deserved much better. She deserved more than to be with a man like that. He was a coward and an idiot who couldn’t even admit that she had transformed him from who he used to be to a better person. But then, he was also a selfish fool, so he wouldn’t let her go. Not in this lifetime or the next. Regardless of these thought
SOME DAYS LATERBRIELLE'S POV Her eyelids fluttered slowly, and Brielle groaned softly as a dull pain throbbed through her temples. It took a few more attempts before she could open them properly, and eventually, they slid wide enough for her to see where she was.Brielle had to squint a little until her eyes adjusted to the light, which was in stark contrast to what she was used to - dim lighting, quiet, and empty space. 'Where was she?' She frowned and pondered, 'How did she get here?'.She tried to push herself up into a sitting position but froze when a sharp pain shot through her skull again."Damn it." She muttered quietly, lifting a hand to her forehead, only to discover that it was attached to something, and she could not move it. "Fuck! Where am I?" She cursed aloud and, with her eyes roaming, began taking inventory of the room. And that's when she noticed it. The familiar curtains dangling from the windows. The dark red couches facing one another, and gold-plated side ta
BRIELLE'S POVBrielle's eyes opened and shut as she slipped into and out of consciousness.Her entire body hurt; her head ached, and her chest was on fire. Her eyes were open, but she couldn't see anything, and her eyesight was fuzzy.She could only hear noises, low whispering voices that appeared to come from all directions simultaneously. She could also feel soft wisps of cool breeze on her skin, confirming that she was outside.She wasn't in that terrible cell anymore, being tortured by those evil men.But if she wasn't present, where was she? She remembered sprinting through the palace hallways, looking for a way out, but then...She slowly began to recollect what happened after that. Her memories were returning slowly. Brielle had planned to flee once the guards left, with the cell door open and the key having fallen out of their pocket by accident. She remembered scanning left and right to ensure she didn't knock into anyone. It seemed strange how empty the hallways were.She
DARIUS POVDarius fought with all of his strength. He hit and punched, channeling his inner strength until Draken was a bloody mess.Earlier, when Draken had transformed into a wolf and leaped at him, Darius had been prepared for it. His fangs and claws had sharpened, and he’d transformed into his lycanthrope wolf form. He rarely shifted, but when he did, he wasted no time. As a Lycan, he would always be faster than his opponent and better equipped to catch his prey. So when the man attacked, Darius didn't even think about what he could do. His beast form had switched to autopilot, and its instincts took over. He'd scarcely noticed anything when he attacked. He only felt the pain of the punches and strikes, which weren't too severe because he wasn't on the receiving end of them. Draken, on the other hand, was severely beaten. His hairy face was matted with blood, and there were several large gashes all over his body. At this point, he wasn't even fighting back, just squirming and
BRIELLE'S POV"What is happening?" Brielle overheard the question, as many guards entered the cell with troubled expressions."There is a very big problem." One of them spoke, and despite her weakness, Brielle managed to stretch her ears enough to hear what they were saying. "Which is? Can someone fucking talk to me?" Another guard inquired, and the whip in his hand tumbled to the floor. It fell with a resounding thud, and the sound echoed off the cell walls.The air seemed to cool even more. The room was silent for a long time until one of the guards spoke up again. "Master Draken and Lord Darius are…"Brielle's heart sank when she heard Darius's name."Goodness gracious please, let nothing happen to him…" The words came out of her mouth unexpectedly, almost in prayer, and a stray tear streamed down her left cheek. The guards resumed discussing, but this time in quiet tones, as if frightened Brielle would hear them. It irritated her, and she wanted to yell. She wanted to question t
BRIELLE'S POV "Please…" Brielle begged and screamed at the top of her lungs, but the guards did not stop. The more she pleaded, the more the torture increased, and they continued to whip her body with their batons.But she understood why this was happening. Darius was here again. He'd arrived yesterday, and while she hadn't seen him, the rate at which her torture had risen was clear evidence of this. Her agonizing yells were intended to convey a message to Darius. Draken was using it as a tactic to demonstrate that he still had the upper hand and leverage. Brielle's heart wrenched painfully as she thought of the wicked older man who held her captive. A shiver ran down Brielle's spine as she remembered their talk from last night.He'd informed her that Darius still loved her, and despite her misery, she couldn't deny that his words had given her hope. Even when he made insulting jokes about her and Darius's deaths, a small part of her brain ignored the unpleasant words and focused