All Chapters of Enslaved to The Alpha: Torn Between Love and Hate: Chapter 21 - Chapter 27

Avery’s POVHours had passed, each minute stretching endlessly as I paced back and forth across the dimly lit room. My muscles were knots of tension, cramping painfully from the relentless motion and the iron grip I maintained on the copper candlestick I had snatched from Liam's nightstand. It felt cold and heavy in my hands, a makeshift weapon against an unknown threat.I was on edge, every nerve alight with the anticipation of danger. I half-expected the door to burst open at any moment, the bearer of that ominous note finally coming to fulfill their grim promise.The silver cuffs around my wrists were a constant torment. They dug cruelly into my skin, drawing blood that trickled down my arms now. Each movement sent fresh waves of stinging pain shooting through me. The wolfsbane in my system was a cruel tormentor, its poison seeping into my veins like acid, making my head swim and my stomach churn. Tears streaked down my face, the culmination of stress and fear finally breaking thro

Avery’s POVSeveral quiet days drifted by, marked by a surprising absence of incidents, pain, or punishment. The oppressive presence of Wolfsbane had finally vacated my system. Clarity returned to my mind, the constant ache in my body subsided, and my wounds—those visible reminders of past torments—had fully healed.Each day unfolded with the same monotonous rhythm. I worked tirelessly in the kitchen from the early morning light until the shadows of evening stretched long and dark. Night after night, Liam himself would escort me from the clatter of pots and the warm kitchen smells back to the solitude of his bedroom after his familial dinners. Thankfully, I managed to avoid running into his father or brother during these transitions. Their absence was a small mercy, for each encounter with them was like brushing against a dark cloud of malevolence.Liam and I existed in a strange bubble of mutual disinterest. Since the night he handed me a bag of M&Ms—a token laden with bitter memorie

Avery’s POV"So let's say, just for argument's sake, that I believe you. What exactly were you rescuing me from?" I asked, my voice low and steady, attempting to mask the uncertainty that fluttered like a caged bird within my chest."If I told you... I'd have to kill you," he replied, the sarcasm in his voice thick enough to cut through the chilled air between us."Touché," I retorted sharply. "And what's stopping me from mindlinking your brother?" My challenge hung heavy, a tangible force in the growing tension.His expression shifted, a flicker of intrigue crossing his features as he stepped closer, closing the distance between us with a single, deliberate movement. I fought every instinct telling me to retreat, to maintain distance, as he leaned in, his breath faintly sweet with the scent of vanilla, whispering intensely, "Am I hurting you, Avery?"His proximity was overwhelming, his scent enveloping me, so fierce it invaded all my senses. For a moment, I was rendered speechless, m

Avery’s POVI hadn't known what to expect from this impulsive leap, but the last thing I imagined was enjoying our kiss so much, or getting utterly lost in the sudden, intense surge of emotions it sparked within me.I melted into him, my body quivering slightly with pleasure from the delicious sensation of his lips pressed against mine. Just when I thought it couldn't get any more intense, he deepened the kiss with a bold stroke of his tongue, and from that moment, I was utterly and irrevocably lost in him.Unexpected, too, was how much he seemed to enjoy the kiss. His hands were gentle yet deliberate as they cradled my face, tilting my head to better explore the depths of our kiss.We only broke apart when the need for air overcame us, but even then, he kept his forehead pressed against mine. We stared into each other's eyes, silent and wide-eyed, our mutual surprise at this unforeseen intimacy hanging palpably between us.Want to know what else I wasn’t expecting?A very not expecte