Rourke
Aburlap sack was thrown over my head just as the knights shoved me out of the guest house, so I had no idea where I was or what was going on except for the harsh way I was being manhandled. Soon after the blindfold came the cuffs, a hardsnapof steel around my wrists.
A sort of angry acceptance came over me. Like the dog kennel, I knew there was no fighting my way out of this one. I was vastly outnumbered and outgunned.
But there was one major difference this time. Sebastian had been the one to throw me in the dog kennel the first time, but now, the King had forcibly ripped us apart.
And I was pissed.
I stoked that fire, low and hot, until I reached my destination. The knights ripped off my blindfold and threw me onto a cold, damp floor before slamming the cell door shut. They didn’t bother removing the cuffs.
“That’s where you belong, alpha,” one spat before leaving.
I sat up. My heart was still racing with adrenaline and fury. My muscles felt too big for my body. If I grabbed the cell bars, could I pry them apart?
No, I had to save my energy. I had a feeling that whatever the King was planning, this wasn’t the end of it. Letting me rot to death in a prison cell didn’t have any flair, and from my interactions with him, I’d come to learn that he had a distinct taste for it.
I growled and, for some reason, had the urge to gnaw at the cuffs. I did it in desperation but obviously it accomplished nothing.
“Stupid,” I muttered to myself.
I pressed myself to the bars and looked around. There was nothing except a single candle illuminating the dark hallway. The other cells were empty, but if I strained, I could hear the distant sound of a dog howling. It sounded large—I wondered if it was one of the royal guard dogs. Did that mean I was somewhere beneath the palace?
There was nothing in my cell. No bed, no sink, nothing. Just a stone-cold floor. I wrinkled my nose. At least I had basic amenities when I was for sale like an object at the alpha market, and when I was in the dog kennel, I had neighbors.
Here, I was alone.
I sank to the floor and sat down. The only warmth in this dungeon was my inner fire, burning hot and indignant. Ever since I’d been separated from Sebastian, it felt like my organs were screaming and pushing against my body, badly wanting to return to him. Was he okay? Had the knights hurt him in the altercation? Did his father hurt him?
I shivered.
My need to protect Sebastian almost felt… dangerous.
Footsteps echoed in the darkness. I stood up, frowning. A wishful part of me hoped it was Elian and Cecil—or even better, Sebastian coming to rescue me.
But it wasn’t any of the royal princes.
Melchom stood before me wearing a cold smile. His hands were folded behind his back. “Hello, alpha.”
The hair on the back of my neck bristled. “What do you want?”
“Nothing.” Melchom shrugged. “I’m simply here to do my job.”
“Which is?”
“None of your concern.”
The raw cruelty in his eyes honestly frightened me. “If you hurt me, Sebastian will—”
Melchom laughed and the sound echoed off the stone walls. “Oh, I report directly to King Lacehaven now. The slut prince can’t do anything to help—”
I lunged at the bars, snarling. It was so fast and violent that the bars rattled in place, creaking as if they might break under my brute strength. Melchom staggered back. I saw uncharacteristic panic flash over his expression before he realized the bars held firm.
“Do notevertalk about Sebastian like that again,” I snapped.
“I see your behavior has only gotten worse,” Melchom muttered.
My fingers tightened around the bars. If I could’ve pried them apart to throttle Melchom, I would. His smarmy grin only widened as he approached me again, his confidence crawling back to him.
