My stomach growls loudly as I smell something tantalising from down the hall. At first, I forget where I am and groggily try standing up. It isn’t until the chains yank me back down that I remember.
It’s been a few days now, and no one has come for me. It’s almost as though they’ve forgotten me here. Yet the smell is so good, that I wonder if they’re bringing me something to eat at last.
As I try leaning forward, the chains around my neck, wrists and ankles all pull me back, preventing me from getting anywhere near the bars of my cell. I bite my lower lip, which has begun to bleed. I might be a werewolf and can last longer than a human without food and water, but I’m not immortal. My body is showing signs of giving in.
At last, I hear someone’s feet tap, tapping on the floor. Though I make a bet with myself that they will not come this way, just like all the other false alarms.
To my surprise, a pair of leather bo
It feels like an eternity has passed me by in this Goddess-awful place with this bastard of a man. And yet, in reality, it has only been a few hours at most since the alpha showed up to visit me. I wish he would take the hint that I won’t give up any information that might put Cedric at risk.Slowly, the alpha walked around me. Each footstep was slow and deliberate. He had taken out a cigarette and lit the tip before inhaling. He kneeled in front of me again, blowing the smoke into my face, and causing me to cough.“Now,” he began. His voice was a gradual drawl. “Perhaps you’d like to answer an easier question?” As he spoke, he moved the hand with the cigarette towards me. I flinched, not knowing what he might do with it.A smile crossed the alpha’s lips, but he merely took the chain hanging from my collar and pulled me closer to his face. If I didn’t answer him, he would use that as an excuse to do something to me
I can’t believe it has taken us this long. My fear for Kai’s safety has only grown since we got that picture of him. Knowing he is at least alive gave me hope we could rescue him, yet there has been no progress in our attempts.I’ve been beside myself for hours. What could that man even want with Kai? He shouldn’t know who he is, or what he means to me. Though if he tortures Kai enough, he will probably learn the truth. When that happens, my enemy will do anything to make me surrender.“Alpha Cedric?”“Speak,” I say with a frown as I lift my gaze.The scout dips his head and says, “your beta said they have increased the guards around the known entrance into the prisons.” They pause and gaze down at the map before taking another pin and sticking it into a spot.I give him a puzzled look and utter, “explain.”“We got word from the enemy…” the scout says with some hesitation. “They’re willing to meet you here… the alpha, that is. He said you are to come alone… or with your beta, but no o
How long has it been since I have been here? A couple of days? Weeks? Whatever length of time it has been, the only thing I know is that I’ve barely had any treatment or time to recover. Not to mention a lack of food and water.They have been feeding me just enough to survive, but my body grows weaker by the day. I don’t know how much longer I’ll remain able enough to withstand the beatings from the alpha. I dare not try to remember the things he has done to me, but with each day that passes, I wish more and more that with this next beating comes the last of my body’s will to live.I’ve given up hope anyone will rescue me. Let alone even find me here. Even if they knew who had taken me, there was no chance they could break in and rescue me. My only release from this place would be death, yet I have no means to take my own life.The sound of footsteps causes me to flinch, though there is nowhere for me to hide or cower. If those are the sounds of the alpha coming to beat me again, then
I get dragged along to the meeting spot in the middle of the passway. The alpha has no plans to hand me over, but I know he will use me as a shield against the two. Several of his warriors come along with him, as well as a scout or two.The alpha pauses within five feet of Cedric and Dereck and nods to his scout. “Make sure they’re not hiding anyone nearby,” he orders with a low growl in his throat.Dereck and Cedric allow the scout to go past them, though they look tense. I wish I could convince them to forget me, but part of me knows they won’t listen to me. I still have to try though.With as much energy as I can muster, I ignore the feel of my dry mouth and throat and croak out, "leave me... here. Go back... Anita. This... trap."The alpha yanks on my chain and kicks my hands with his boot. "Silence!" He snarls at me and then smirks when he spots me whimpering. I force myself to look at my lovers. They're pissed off at the alpha's actions but have ignored my pleas for them to leav
I almost don’t believe my own eyes, ears and touch. I finally have my mate back. That is what I thought at first, but within seconds, Vukasin had caught up with us. He always had been swift-footed, even in his human form.As soon as I saw Kai thrashing out at him, I knew he had regained some will to free himself. I had been fearful at first, thinking Vukasin had broken his spirit. I couldn’t let Vukasin do anything more to my mate, and this time, I was determined to protect him.Eventually, Vukasin took this fight seriously. Tormenting a chained-up prisoner wasn’t exactly challenging, but defending himself from two foes almost as equal in strength as him was a much harder issue to deal with in his human form.As soon as he changed into his wolf form, I knew he wouldn’t bother with Kai now. He would focus everything on me so that he could win. I wasn’t about to let him. Allowing him to beat me was not an option. He would slaughter ev
With Cedric throwing threats around, I quickly notice the bodyguard and the alpha have become distracted. If I’m going to get out of this alive and stop being a liability for my loved ones, then I need to act now. Since I’m already on my side, I don’t have to move much to carry out my plan. That way, I won’t get noticed until I’ve hit the alpha in a spot that should slow him down just enough. I just hope these chains give me enough reach to pull it off. I bring in my knees, making it appear as though I’m just cowering. I don’t have the strength to fight, or the ability to move all that quickly, but I can still move enough that I’ll get just out of reach and provide the distraction my lovers need. When I’m sure no one is paying attention to me, I kick out both feet at once and hit the alpha right where it hurts - in his family jewels. He curses at me, but the pain is more than enough for him to curl up and let the chains go as he holds his precious cargo in pa
As we return home, I hold Kai close to my chest. He must have been through so much and I can’t help but notice how much lighter he has become. Did that bastard starve him on top of everything else? That my poor mate is full of wounds and burns tells me all that I need to know.I can hear him breathing softly. A sign that he is still alive, but exhausted enough to have fallen asleep. I’m just glad we had been victorious in at least this much. Had we not saved him, what would his fate have been?Finally, we make it back to our home and, although the pack is anxious and mournful from the loss of life, they still offer congratulations on the victory. I wish I could tell them the threat from Vukasin was over at last, but the truth of the matter was that as soon as he recovered, he would be even worse than before.As we entered the packhouse, Anita rushed over to us. “He needs medical attention!” She claimed and motioned for me to follow. &ldqu
The sound of songbirds fills my ears as my eyes flicker open. That I feel warm and safe is something I thought I would never experience again. Yet here I am, in the place I should have been all this time. I’m not sure how long I was unconscious, but I feel well enough to move around. My body is still sore, but it could have been much worse had Anita not helped look after my wounds. Now that I’m safe, my body now has the time to repair itself. Glancing beside me, I realise I’m alone and have been all night or however long it has been. Part of me is thankful for that, but the other, louder half of me is fearful that this is all just a dream and I’m still locked away. “C-Cedric?” I call out, “D-Dereck?” It doesn’t take long for me to hear the scrambling of two lots of feet rushing down the hall. As soon as they appear in the room with me, I know this isn’t a dream and I really am safe. I can’t help but weep. Not out of sadness, but out of pure relief. “Kai!? What’s wrong? Are you sti