Kael’s POV
I climbed onto the bed and pinned both of her hands above her head, one hand still pressed firmly over her mouth. Her legs kicked out wildly, but I trapped them between my thighs, locking her in place.
"Keep quiet," I warned her.
But the madwoman didn’t seem to understand. She kept struggling, eyes wide with panic, until her strength finally gave out. Her body went limp as she slipped back into unconsciousness.
Annoyed, I released her and got off the bed. But before leaving, I made sure to secure one of her wrists with a cuff attached to the headboard. I wasn’t about to let her run off screaming like a lunatic again.
She’s quiet now. No need to call Liam, I thought and walked out of the room without looking back.
----
In the evening, one of the security in-charges, Carl—who worked under Lucian—came to update me on the situation.
"Alpha," he began, standing tall, "Alpha, there’s indeed some movement from the Dreadwyn pack, and their Alpha’s frequent visits to our pack under the guise of business seem suspicious..."
Carl continued to explain. "Alpha Lucian had told me to keep watch on them the previous day, and our spies are always keeping an eye on them. We even have some internal news about them. Alpha Kaizan met the Alpha of the SilverFang pack as well. The exact reason—we are yet to find out..."
The conclusion of all that talk was that he needed to discuss more with Lucian, his commanding superior.
By that time, Rafe had returned home from the work given to him.
"You can free them," I told him curtly.
Rafe glanced at the ancient looking watch on his wrist and scoffed. "Tsk. It’s barely been twelve hours. Not even a full day."
"Just do as I say," I replied, my voice cold and final.
Twelve hours were more than enough. I needed them back—Lucian and Jason were the pillars of our security operations. Every hour without them risked exposure we couldn’t afford.
Rafe left without protest, though the grin on his face said it all. He would drag it out, maybe torment them a little longer before unlocking those chains. That bastard never missed a chance to play his twisted games.
Whatever!
-----
Lucian’s POV
The bastard had returned, and it felt like an eternity since he had locked us here.
Jason and I were lying flat on our bellies on the floor, our bodies exhausted from the hellish pain coursing through us. The relief would only come once we shifted back to our human forms. Every single muscle and bone in our bodies hurt from being unable to shift back.
The heavy door creaked open, and in stepped the grinning bastard.
"Kael asked me to free you two half an hour ago, but I thought to take a stroll around the estate so I am late," he announced casually, "That felt so refreshing."
Then should we thank you for that, you fucker? I cursed silently. Just get these damn chains off already
He took his sweet time, dragging out the process like some used-up, smug bitch, unlocking one cuff at a time, slow and deliberate.
Once we were finally free, Jason and I shifted back to our human forms. The transition itself was agony—our bodies aching from the prolonged shift lock, muscles torn from tension, bones aching from compression. By the time we were done, we lay on the floor in a pool of sweat, our naked forms trembling from the pain.
The bastard knelt beside me, resting one knee on the floor, his smirk taunting me.
"So," he said mockingly, "which one hurt more—her torment or yours?"
Through clenched teeth, I hissed, "You’ll find out when I lock you in the chains I’ve made just for you. Just wait. I’ll fuck the shit out of you."
He chuckled and patted my cheek. "Be a good pup and get up. Save your fantasies for when you’re not half-dead."
I grabbed his wrist in a flash, yanked him close, and wrapped my other hand around his throat. My icy grip burned against his smugness.
"Even weak like this," I growled, "I can still make good on my promise. Want to test that?"
"Only if you let me drain every drop of your blood before I bury you," he whispered back, leaning in even closer, his voice thick with provocation. "What do you say?"
I narrowed my eyes and snarled, "I’ll be the one burying you after I’m done fucking you like the whore I turn you into."
Rafe laughed darkly and nodded toward my body.
"Calling me a whore?" he mocked. "Those marks on your wrists, ankles—even that lovely one around your neck—say otherwise. You were the one chained like a bitch, just missing someone to finish the job. Should have I come early and given you what was missing?"
"Let me get out of the room so you two can either fuck each other or kill each other," came Jason’s impatient voice.
He stood, still unsteady on his feet, and grabbed his clothes. His movements were sluggish, but determined. "You two can continue. I’m leaving."
I shoved Rafe aside and forced myself upright. "Wait for me. If I stay here with him any longer, I’m not sure this bastard would make it out alive."
"Daydreaming," Rafe muttered with a scoff as he returned the chains and cuffs to their proper places by the time we wore our clothes.
We all exited the chamber together. Outside, a car was already waiting.
Rafe slid into the driver’s seat and said, "I have no intention of dragging myself back at your slow-ass pace."
Jason and I got in silently.
I looked at the dark burn marks on my wrists, raw and seared into my skin. They hurt, but that wasn’t the concern. These marks weren’t going to heal quickly.
When we reached home, Liam arrived at the same time. He was here to check on the bitch.
Kael was seated in his usual chair, speaking to him. He looked composed as he explained something that had happened earlier in the day—something she had done when he went to check on her.
Once Kael finished, Liam turned his gaze to me and Jason as we collapsed onto the sofa, worn out.
Looking at the burn marks on our necks and wrists, he must have understood we were returning from our punishment. But the old man’s gaze said otherwise—as if it wasn’t enough in his opinion, and we should’ve received the death penalty instead.
I wasn’t even the one to torture her, but as an accomplice to Jason’s actions, I was punished. But I didn’t mind. I wouldn’t leave Jason alone in anything—not in good or even bad times. He was my brother—I grew up with him. And I felt the same toward the other three now, as we were bonded to each other.
Liam stood, his tone flat but firm. "I’m going to check on her. And I want all of you to come with me."
Jason and I didn’t move. We sat like stone. Rafe had already turned away, heading toward his room with that usual disgusted expression on his face, nose wrinkled as if the air itself offended him.
Liam frowned.
Kael stood. "I’ll come."
Just then, Roman finally returned home—his expression not pleasant, but unsettlingly calm.
Was he still angry with us? His anger had never lasted this long before. That bitch—her arrival was already tearing us apart.
Kael turned to Liam. "You go ahead. I need to talk to Roman."Liam nodded and left.
"Where have you been?" Kael asked him, his hands folded before his muscular chest, covered in the rich fabric of his brown shirt.
His voice, expression, and gaze were as if he wasn’t going to let go unless he got the answer.
"To the prison where she was locked in six years ago," Roman replied, meeting Kael’s authoritative stare without the slightest hesitation.
Kael’s expressions changed to serious ones as if he didn’t expect this answer from Roman.
Kael was a leader of the pack and once or a twice a year at least he would inspect the prisons and other security related places in the pack.
But he always left out that particular prison for some reason. Maybe she was locked up there and he didn’t want see her again. Not just him, but none of us ever went there for the past six years.
But who would have thought she was not there since long, since when we didn’t know.
Kael just opened his mouth to question Roman, but...
A loud, piercing scream echoed through the house.
It came from her room.
That bitch.
We all turned toward the sound, and then to her room.