And then, faintly, from somewhere down the corridor…
A scream.
High, shrill, agonized. Feminine.
Anne.
My wolf goes absolutely berserk. I struggle against the chains, roaring, my entire body straining to break free. Blood streams down my arms where the metal cuts deeper, but it doesn’t stop me. I don’t even feel it.
All I hear is her screaming. The sound goes on and on, cutting off and then starting again. Over and over. It’s breaking me. Killing me.
Hours pass. The screams continue, each one driving me further into madness.
My wolf is clawing at the inside of my skull, desperate to get to her, to protect her, to stop them.
But I’m trapped. Helpless. Unable even to speak the words that might make it stop.
I don’t knowhow much time has passed. At some point, I remember cold water being thrown in my face to awaken me; I must have passed out. The screaming stops at times, and when it does, I am able to breathe. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t get out of these restraints. I can’t help my mate.
I did this to her.
She’s in these dungeons because of me. Because I was selfish and couldn’t keep my distance from her. The horror tortures me. The guilt is eating me alive. And my wolf is beginning to show signs of madness.
The poison is getting worse now. Without food or water or painkillers, my body is shutting down faster. I drift in and out of consciousness, Anne’s screams following me even into my nightmares.
The cell door opens. I flinch as the light pierces my eyes.
It’s Darius. After closing the door behind him, he leans against the wall and lights a cigarette. He smirks at me as he lets out a puff of smoke.
“I’m not allowed to smoke around my mate, so I have to make do where I can.” He takes another drag and considers me. “You look like hell.”
I spit at him. “Some alpha you are. Torturing a woman! If you had any balls, you’d be dealing with me. Leave Anne out of this.”
Darius raises a brow. “Why? She’s equally complicit. And getting her to talk should be easier. She’s not very cooperative just yet, but we’ll get her to open her mouth. I always get whatI want.” He smiles again, his eyes cold. “I’m very creative when there are no rules to follow.”
I snap. “She’s innocent! How dare you touch her! I’ll kill you!”
Darius looks almost amused. “Kill me? You can barely stand up.”
Rage floods through me like wildfire. My wolf surges forward with a strength born of pure desperation and fury. I pull harder, putting everything I have into it. All the pain, all the fear, and all the love I have for Anne are being channeled into raw strength.
The chains groan under the force.
The metal screams.
The anchors in the wall crack.
With a final roar, I tear the chains free from the concrete.
Darius’s eyes widen slightly, but he’s already moving toward the cell door. I lunge at him, swinging the heavy chains like weapons. They connect with his shoulder—once, twice—before he catches my arm and uses my momentum against me.
I hit the wall hard enough to crack my ribs, but I don’t stop. Can’t stop.
Guards rush in. They pile on top of me, wrestling me to the ground. I fight like an animal, landing blows wherever I can, but there are too many of them.
Someone gets a chain around my throat. Others pin my arms. Within seconds, I’m neutralized.
Darius straightens his jacket, brushing off his shoulder where I hit him. “Double the restraints,” he orders the guards. “I don’t want that happening again.”
