Chapter 8

CAPTURED

LEXI’S POV

The gates slammed shut behind me as the guards pushed me in.

I looked around, taking it all in. 

I was really back here, I realized, remembering how the pack used to look back then. 

“Walk faster!” one of the guards shouted, shoving me forward with the hilt of his sword.

Dexter shifted uncomfortably and my defensive instincts kicked in immediately. “Don’t touch me!” I snapped at the guard.

He only scoffed. “I don’t think you know how much things have changed around here. You are a traitor to this pack, you are lucky that Alpha Manny wants to kill you himself!”

I smirked coldly, refusing to be intimidated. “And you are lucky that I am holding my child right now, unless your sword would not protect you.”

The guard’s eyes widened in anger and he raised his sword, like he was going to strike me down when the other guard stopped him.

“Control yourself,” the guard cautioned him in a whisper.

Around us, other wolves started to gather through the pack grounds. I could feel their eyes on me, wide with surprise and confusion.

“Is that really her…?”

“I can’t believe it’s her—”

“Isn’t she supposed to be dead?” 

“She should have never come back!” 

Their words felt like daggers to my chest, but regardless of it all, I stayed silent, keeping my head held high, as I cradled Dexter in my arms.

I wasn’t ashamed that I survived, I wasn’t ashamed that Manny had broken our mate bond and left me, the only thing I was ashamed of was the fact that I left my other son behind.

As the guards led me up the stone steps leading to the pack house, memories came flooding in. I remembered the first day Manny had brought me here as his mate, how I had jumped off a cliff to escape him and now I was being escorted back, like a common prisoner.

“By the time Alpha Manny is done with you, you will wish you were dead,” the annoying guard from earlier whispered as I was led into Manny’s chambers. 

I held my breath, trying not to look as terrified as I felt as the guards shoved me in.

I lowered my head, keeping my eyes locked on the ground, refusing to look up and find the man who had destroyed me.

“So you are back,” Manny asked, his voice as cold and commanding as I remembered. “How dare you come back here after what you did!”

“I had no choice…” I whispered, still looking at the ground.

Suddenly I heard heavy footsteps rushing towards me, as I raised my head Manny was right in front of me, his expression filled with anger and hatred.

“You had no choice?” he repeated, with a glare. “You drugged me and ran away with my child, going as far as jumping off a cliff and now you dare return and tell me that you had no choice?!”

My mind raced with words. I wanted to spit in his face and scream at him, but I stayed silent.

He was the one who broke our mate bond. He was the one who betrayed me.

“What did you think would happen when you returned?” he asked, his voice was calm but the look in his eyes was cold.

“I did not come back for you—-”

“Did you think I would accept you back? Make you my luna? Did you bring our son back thinking that it would soften my heart for you?”

Tears ached to fall from my eyes, but I refused to cry. I refused to show him that his words were hurting me.

“I came back here because I have to see my son…” I started to explain and Manny scoffed.

“You are even more delusional than I thought,” he said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “You think you can just waltz in here and reunite with the son you left behind?”

“No Manny I—”

“It’s Alpha Manny to you,” he cut me off again.

“I didn’t come here because I wanted some kind of reunion, Dexter is—”

“Guards!!!” Manny yelled suddenly and two guards rushed forward. “Take my child away from her and send her to the dungeons!!” 

“What?!” I spluttered incredulously as the guards came to my side, untying the wrap on my shoulder and ripping my son away from my hands.

“You can’t do this!!” I screamed angrily, trying to push past the guards, but they held me down tight.

Manny smiled cruelly, “Yes I can and I have,” he said as the other guard carried Dexter to him. 

“The first thing I am going to do is parade you around the entire pack, then I will have you whipped for daring to make a fool out of me.”

Tears fell down my cheeks helplessly. “I don’t care what you do to me but Dexter he…” 

My words trailed off as Manny took him in his arms, cradling him softly. 

“Now that my children are back with me, I swear I am going to make a living example of you,” Manny promised, his eyes darkened with rage.

“I don’t care about that Manny!!!” I shouted, desperate to let him hear me. “You have to save Dexter, he has been—” 

“Shut up Lexi!” Manny snapped at me. “It is clear you can’t wait for your punishment to begin. Guards, drag her to the dungeon!!”

I struggled against the guard with frustrated tears in my eyes, trying to free myself.

Coming here had been a mistake, I should have figured out a way to sneak in and see my other child.

“If you don’t let me go, Dexter is going to die!!!” I screamed and Manny froze immediately.

His eyes darted from my face to Dexter’s unmoving body. “What do you mean by that?”

I glared at Manny furiously as the guards stopped dragging me. “Dexter is under a hex and to survive he needs to meet his twin brother immediately.”