002

∆∆∆

Lala

I scoff, “Tch, such a disappointment… but what did I expect from the coldest man in all the territory? He didn’t even blink before wiping out his maternal pack…”

The words are barely out when he slams the file down so hard the air leaves my lungs. The sound cracks through the room, sharp, loud, like a damn gunshot. The walls tremble a little. My smirk freezes halfway. His hand stays flat on the table, fingers splayed, veins pulsing against his skin. His jaw ticks, that cold rage settling behind his eyes.

Well… fuck. I might’ve pushed too far this time.

The door bursts open almost immediately, and I jerk my head toward it. “What the fuck, Kael?” a man in a gray suit blurts out, his eyes darting between us. “Are you okay? What the hell did you do, you little—”

He cuts off when he notices me sitting there, chained and smiling.

“Woah! Are you freaking serious?” I snap, tilting my head with mock disbelief. “I should be the one you’re asking if I’m okay. Look at me, then look at him. Do I look like I can hurt someone like that?”

“You’re a dangerous person,” he says, his tone hard, judgmental. “A notorious criminal.”

I roll my eyes. “Appreciate the hype, but that’s way too high. He’s a Gamma.”

The man glares at me but doesn’t respond. Kael, though… he doesn’t even bother looking at me. He rounds the table like a predator that doesn’t waste words, opens the door wider, and gestures without a word.

“Bring her, Stephen,” he orders, his tone low, final.

The man in gray grabs me roughly by the arm, yanking me up. The chains clink loud against the floor as I stumble forward.

“Careful,” I hiss under my breath, trying to regain my balance. “You break me, and I’ll haunt your sorry ass.”

He tightens his grip in response, dragging me out. I glance over my shoulder just in time to catch Kael walking ahead, long strides, broad back, and not a single trace of emotion. He doesn’t even glance behind him to see if I’m keeping up.

The hallway we enter feels colder than the room. The fluorescent lights flicker, casting pale shadows on the concrete walls. The air smells of rust, blood, and something sour—fear, maybe.

“This way,” Kael says, his voice echoing off the walls.

We descend a narrow staircase, deeper into the prison’s underbelly. My chains scrape with each step, and I swear the sound grates more than Stephen’s grip on my arm. There’s a buzzing noise somewhere distant, followed by a low growl that makes my skin crawl.

“What are we doing here?” I mutter.

Kael doesn’t answer. Of course he doesn’t.

The air grows heavier the further we go down. The temperature drops, and I can see faint magic seals glowing red along the walls. I stop staring when one sparks near my hand.

Stephen shoves me forward. “Keep moving.”

“I’m walking, damn it,” I snap, jerking my arm free just to feel some control.

Kael stops in front of a heavy steel door covered in glowing magic seals. He places his palm on it. The seals flare brighter for a moment before the locks unseal with a hiss. The sound sends a shiver down my spine.

Inside, the air reeks of death and madness. The noise hits me first—low, animalistic growls mixed with screams that don’t sound entirely human. Then I see them.

Rogues.

Dozens of them, each locked inside separate containment pods, shaking violently, their eyes clouded white and veins bulging black under their skin.

This is where rogues who lost their reasoning are kept. They don’t kill them… I learned they’re mostly used during wars. That’s why they call them sacrificial wolves.

Kael steps inside without hesitation. “You wanted to know why no one escapes Blackridge,” he says coldly, motioning toward the cells. “This is your first lesson.”

Stephen drags me after him, my feet scraping against the concrete floor.

“Lesson?” I scoff, trying to sound braver than I feel. “You’re going to lecture me now?”

Kael ignores me. He grabs a lever on the wall and pulls it down.

The nearest cell lights up, seals pulsing, and the rogue inside lets out a guttural scream. Sparks dance across his skin like his veins are catching fire. The sight makes my stomach twist. I stumble back, hitting Stephen’s chest.

“What the hell—”

“Magic containment fields,” Kael says evenly. “They drain strength, suppress magic, and fry anyone who touches them. Even you.”

The rogue collapses, smoke rising from his body, twitching on the ground.

I can’t look away. My fingers tremble against the cold metal of my chains.

“That’s sick,” I whisper, voice barely audible.

Kael turns his head slightly, meeting my eyes. “Yes. The only way to learn.”

He walks forward, motioning for Stephen to follow. My legs move without permission, though every instinct screams to stop.

He points to the walls next, tapping his knuckles against them. “Layered steel. Soundproof. Nothing gets in or out except the vibrations from those seals.”

He gestures to the ceiling where faint, moving lights flicker. “No sunlight. No consistent map. The walls change. Illusions built into the structure. Even guards can get lost without a seal key.”

I blink slowly, trying to process. “So, basically, it’s hell.”

He doesn’t reply, just keeps walking, his boots clicking against the damp floor.

I follow reluctantly, swallowing the tightness in my throat. “You really have a flair for presentation, don’t you?”

Kael stops suddenly, his eyes glinting under the dull light. “You think this is a show?”

I shake my head quickly. “No. Just… impressive, I guess.”

He stares at me for a moment that feels too long. Then he turns away and gestures to another corridor, darker than the rest. “Come.”

The air feels heavier here. My wolf stirs restlessly inside me, sensing danger. I can’t shift, though—I can’t even feel my power properly. It’s like the very air is choking it out of me.

Kael stops in front of another reinforced gate. Inside, a rogue is chained to the floor, thrashing wildly. His claws scrape against the steel, sending a harsh screech through the air.

Kael steps closer to the control panel and flips a switch. Instantly, the rogue convulses, a bright glow flashing across the chains.

“This,” he says, watching the creature writhe, “is what happens when you try to tamper with the containment field.”

I bite my lip hard, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth. My whole body shakes before I can stop it.

“Alright, I get it,” I say quickly. “You made your point. Loud and clear.”

He doesn’t respond. He just stands there, watching the rogue scream like he’s immune to the sound. I can’t tell if he feels nothing… or if he feels too much and learned to bury it.

“Teleportation wards prevent shifting,” he continues calmly. “The air vents are sealed by magic seals. You try crawling through, you die. The only entrance is guarded by my men—and marked with my scent lock. If you somehow survive all that…” He looks back at me. “You still won’t get past me.”

The way he says it—quiet, certain—makes the hair on my neck stand.

For once, I can’t come up with a smartass remark. My throat feels tight, my hands cold.

He finally turns to Stephen. “Take her back.”

“What? No—wait, that’s it?” I ask, stepping forward. “You bring me down here to show me your horror show and that’s all?”

Kael’s gaze cuts through me like a blade. “You needed a reminder of where you are, Lala Robinson.”

He turns his back, walking away.

I open my mouth, ready to say something stupid, but Stephen grips my arm hard. “Don’t,” he warns under his breath.

He drags me back through the hallway, and for once, I don’t fight him. My legs feel heavy, my chest tight. The screams echo behind us until they fade into silence.

When we finally reach my cell, Stephen throws me inside like garbage. I stumble to the floor, my chains clattering. The cell door slams shut with a metallic thud that rings in my skull.

I sit there for a long while, breathing hard, the stench of metal and rot filling my nose. My hands shake as I run them through my hair.

Cold bastard. Ruthless bastard.

And yet… something about the way he looked at me back there still burns behind my eyes.

For the first time since my arrest, the thought hits me hard—

"Damn it! I obviously can’t escape Blackridge."