CHAPTER FOUR

Liana’s POV

I turn my attention back to the alpha, observing his kilt crafted from vibrant red tartan. My eyes unintentionally drift down to his calves, which resemble thick tree trunks. I gulp nervously.

“They’re the same, aren’t they?” he remarks.

“So?”

“So! You ravage our lands, rob us, conduct your experiments on us, murder us, imprison us, and yet you still know nothing about us.” He shakes his head and exhales deeply. “We belong to the same clan. He’s one of my own. The little rascal’s name is John.” He shoots a glare at the boy. “And if he doesn’t get his backside over here, he won’t be joining me when I leave.”

“I... Why would he...” I frown. “What do you mean, when you leave?” I cross my arms and direct a pointed look at the cell he’s trapped in. “I seriously doubt you’re going anywhere anytime soon.”

He shifts, intertwining his muscular forearms through the bars. “No?”

“No.”

“Why do you think I’m here, Princess?” He gestures around his grimy cell. “For the hospitality?”

“You’re here because you’re an adversary of the kingdom. You’re a captive. And a wolf. And,” I add, somewhat sharply, unsure why he’s getting under my skin so much, “because you killed three men and nearly took this poor boy’s life.”

He casually shrugs a broad shoulder. “Be that as it may, I don’t intend to stay for long.”

I clench my jaw, my breathing quickening more than it should. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me. I’ve always been in control of my emotions. I’ve suppressed them so deeply that most of the time, I forget they even exist.

Why is this prisoner—this wolf—stirring this wildness within me? “So, what? You genuinely believe you’re going to escape?”

“Aye.”

“If you’re so sure, why on earth would you share that with me? That’s not very clever, is it?”

“What are you planning to do, Princess? Inform your betrothed?” He shakes his head. “I don’t think so. Because that would mean admitting you came down here. And I doubt you want him to find out about that, do you?”

My blood runs cold, and the alpha grins maliciously.

“Now you have a choice, Princess. Bring the lad to me so I can mend his arm, then you can fashion him a sling. Or leave him here to endure pain.”

“That’s... that’s why you want him to come to you?”

“His shoulder is dislocated.” He gestures toward the whimpering figure on the ground. His hand is close enough that I feel a breeze from the movement. “Look at how his arm is protruding at that angle. If I don’t pop it back into the joint, he’ll lose function until he can see a healer up north. And that’ll delay me. Bring him to me so I can fix it. And do it quickly.”

He talks like a man accustomed to having others obey his commands. Yet he is in no position to be issuing orders to me.

“You were going to kill him,” I state.

“And you prevented me. Now I’m going to save him. But only if you comply with my request.”

I furrow my brow. “If this is a ruse to... to try and obtain the key from me or something, you should be aware that it’s silver, and there are armed guards outside anyway.”

“Aye, I suspected as much. It’s no trick. And I don’t require you to help me escape the kennels.” He utters the word with the same disdain I expressed earlier.

I gaze into his eyes, which seem almost evergreen in the shadows. Once more, I feel that peculiar pull on my spirit. And for some inexplicable reason, I trust him.

I exhale deeply, and sensing my acquiescence to his authority, he nods slightly. “Bring the boy to me.”

I inhale again, then crouch down. “John,” I whisper gently. “You need to rise so we can assist you.”

He groans in response. “I don’t want to.”

“You have a choice,” I inform him. “But if you decide not to stand, you may very well perish.”

“I wish I’d never come here.” He scowls over my shoulder.

“Aye, I wish you hadn’t either,” the alpha replies grimly. “But you are here now. So stop behaving like a defiant pup and follow orders.”

John’s jaw tightens, and he appears ready to throw a fit. Yet, he eventually sits, and I realize the alpha is correct. His shoulder is swollen, and his arm is dislocated. It must be painful.

I assist him to his feet, and he shuffles his feet across the filthy floor as I guide him through the cell.

“Good girl,” the alpha remarks.

A fire ignites within me. Who does he think he is, addressing me in such a manner? He is a captive, a member of the wolf clans no less, while I am the king’s daughter. I shoot him a glare, but he has already shifted his focus back to John.

He turns the boy around and then yanks him backward into the bars, securing a large arm across his chest. He grips his uninjured shoulder to keep him steady.

John whimpers, his breath quickening, as the alpha seizes his other forearm and glides his hand down it.

The alpha’s gaze flicks to mine. “What do the guards believe you’re doing here?”

“I...” I force myself to look him in the eye, even though a sudden warmth washes over me. “I told them I was from the brothel.”

He smirks, and my cheeks burn. “That should work.” He makes a quick movement.

“Fuck!” John yells.

The dreadful wolf in the adjacent cell laughs. The alpha grins as well.

“Ah, be quiet, you big wuss.” He ruffles John’s hair while the boy mutters curses under his breath. He gently nudges him toward me. “You’ll need to create a sling for—”

“I know,” I retort.

I guide John to the wall and help him sit down, pulling out the fabric from my satchel and crouching in front of him. His face is flushed, and his breathing is shaky as I slide the bandage under his forearm, then wrap the top end around the back of his neck.

“You don’t like being told what to do,” the alpha notes.

“No one enjoys being ordered around.”

“Some people do.” I can sense the smirk in his voice, and I glance up at him, puzzled. He shakes his head. “Forget it.”

He observes me quietly as I tie the two ends of the bandage above John’s collarbone.

I’m just about done when the main iron door screeches open. I freeze, panic churning in my stomach as I picture what Marius might do to me if he finds me here.

A woman’s sultry laughter filters through the darkness, and I exhale a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

“Who’s been a good boy?” she purrs, as if addressing a dog, and I tense up. “Who’s a good boy that deserves his treat?”

The awful wolf who whistled at me chuckles. “I’ve been a good boy,” he leers. “You can come in here, sweetheart.”

"Oh, really?" Her delightful rose-scented fragrance fills the musty air as her footsteps draw nearer. "And what about you? They claim you’re an alpha. Is that accurate? I’ve always wanted to be with an alpha."

I glance back over my shoulder.

A beautiful woman with flowing blonde hair leans against the bars of the alpha’s cell. Her lips are a vivid red, and her cheeks are flushed. A dark cloak drapes over one shoulder, exposing the fact that she’s not wearing anything beneath it.

She bats her eyelashes, yet the alpha keeps his back turned to her.

"No?" she purrs. "Are you certain? What about now?"

She lets her cloak fall, showcasing her bare body. I tense up, my eyes widening. I’ve never seen anyone naked before. A muscle twitches in the alpha’s jaw, and his gaze stays fixed on me.

"Very well, darling." She sulks. "I guess you’ll just have to watch."

She unlocks the door to the adjacent cell and strolls inside, her hips swaying.

"That’s it, sweetheart," the vile wolf leers, eyeing her up and down. "Come here. I’ve got something for you."

He forces her to her knees, and my heart begins to race too quickly, too intensely, as she beams up at him. What is she doing? Why is she...?

The alpha in front of me shifts slightly, partially obscuring them from my view. "It’s time to go, Princess."

His deep voice fails to mask the wet sucking sound that follows moments later, along with the horrific things the wolf is growling under his breath in the next cell. All the warmth drains from my body, leaving me paralyzed.

Is she...? With her mouth?

"Princess." The alpha's tone carries an unmistakable command.

I find myself distracted by the swift movement in the shadows of the cell beyond, as the wolf flips the woman onto her hands and knees, mounting her from behind.

If you desire to be treated like a mere mutt, arrangements can be made for tomorrow night after the ceremony. Marius’s threat invades my thoughts, and my heart races like a trapped bird unable to break free from its cage.

The man grunts, thrusting with increasing force, his face contorted and grotesque. The woman's hair swings in front of her face as her entire body jolts. Her hands dig into the dirt, and her knees scrape against the unforgiving ground. She must be suffering. And the sounds she emits.

Dots flicker before my eyes.

Tomorrow night. Tomorrow night, this fate awaits me.

The shadows constrict around me, binding me. I am immobilized. I cannot breathe. I am ensnared. A captive. I am perpetually a captive. There is no escape from this.

Who knows, perhaps I will toss you into the kennels afterward.

The woman's cries grow louder, reaching a high pitch.

"That's it," the wolf snarls. "Embrace it, you filthy little bitch."

"Yes," she responds, her voice filled with desperation. "Yes."

Perhaps I will even allow this alpha a turn with you, considering you have denied him his prey.

My throat constricts. I cannot swallow. I cannot breathe. I clutch my chest. The darkness swirls around me. The air feels thick, and I am suffocating in it.

"Princess," the alpha barks. "Look at me." His harsh voice slices through the chaotic whirlpool that threatens to pull me under—strong and demanding submission.

Gradually, I turn my head.

"That’s it. Keep your eyes on me." He crouches down, bringing himself almost to my height, his large hands gripping the bars that separate us. I’m not sure when he shifted. "Take deep breaths."

I follow his instructions, and the tightness in my chest begins to ease.

"That’s it. Inhale. Exhale." The tumultuous waters transform into gentle waves as his voice envelops me. "Inhale. Exhale."

Everything around me feels distant. Terrible sounds reverberate through the cells, yet I maintain my focus on the face before me. I continue to breathe. His expression remains inscrutable.

"That’s it. Just relax now." His tone is unexpectedly soft. "Good lass." I snap back to reality. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," I reply, my voice sharp and raspy. Because I’m not fine, and he knows it, and now I feel vulnerable. I look away, but something draws my gaze back. "I’m fine."

He examines my face, and I scrutinize his. He appears younger than I initially assumed. Beneath the warrior's build, the layers of dirt, and the messy hair, there’s a spark in his eyes and a youthful radiance to his skin. I suspect he’s in his mid-twenties at the most.

The sounds behind him grow louder and more frantic. "You should probably take your leave now, Princess. The lad’s alright. You did something brave by coming here."

I glance at John, who is observing me with an odd look.

The dreadful wolf howls.

John grimaces. "I wish I’d never fucking come here," he mutters again.

I inhale deeply, then pack the extra bandages and the water flask back into my satchel. I put on my cloak, pulling the hood over my head. It takes me two tries to fasten it due to my shaking fingers.

I rush out of the cell and secure it behind me.

The alpha paces in his cell as I walk by, his eyes dark. I’m just a few steps away when he speaks up.

I stop. "What?"

For a brief moment, all I can hear is the dreadful panting from the adjacent cell.

"He won’t harm you," the alpha says—his voice barely rising above a whisper.

"Who?"

"Marius. He won’t harm you." His tone is so grave, so assured.

I turn to face him—lifting my chin to meet his stare. “He is to be my husband," I reply softly.

Once more, I am reminded of the rugged mountains when I gaze at him. His posture is commanding, powerful, and his features seem chiseled from stone. Yet his eyes... those eyes... something akin to remorse or regret flickers across them.

"No," he replies, his voice equally soft. "No, he isn’t."

Does his escape plan involve killing Marius? A part of me insists I should feel something about that. Sadness. Joy. Anything. But I feel nothing.

I ponder if my body, this vessel that confines my soul, is gradually turning to stone. A statue for men like Marius to gaze upon, devoid of purpose, desire, or emotion. And yet... as the alpha looks at me, something awakens.

I swallow hard. Then I avert my gaze—turning away from the terrifying wolf and the exposed woman—and rush towards the main iron doors. I sense the alpha’s gaze on my back as I’m released from the kennels.