Chapter 006

Lucian’s POV

Mercy?

I couldn't believe this woman had mistaken my orders for mercy. My rule was ruthless, why does she regard the punishment I gave her as me being merciful?

I had never seen a prisoner like her, one who was ready to give up her life without struggle. I sensed something must have happened to make her unwilling to live. It's not like I cared about her or whatever she might have passed through, I was more interested in knowing why she was here and who sent her. For being able to evoke such emotions no one has been able to in years, I knew that her presence in my territory screamed danger and I couldn't wait to do away with her after getting the information I desire to hear.

"Get her out of here," I sneered dangerously and she was finally dragged out of the room.

"Call Kade into my office," I told the guard beside me as I made my way out of the room.

Kade was the second in command in the pack, my closest friend and advisor. When I was sentenced to death by the council for killing my father and was on the run for my life, Kade was the only one who believed and saved me from the pack I came from.

My step-brother and stepmother for reasons best known to them have been on my neck, seeking ways to exterminate me. They were almost successful in their quest when they framed me for killing my father.

I was wanted everywhere and it was impossible for me to escape death at that time, but Kade came through for me and helped me throughout my travails until I was able to stand on my feet again.

Through his help, I could boast of being one of the richest men across lands. We built the pack and a company together from scratch and they have been prosperous ever since. He has also been helping me plan my revenge against my stepbrother and his vain mother despite how slow it has been.

Kade arrived in a few minutes, with a huge grin on his face as he closed the distance between us.

"What's up Kil?" He greeted in his usual bubbly self, a knowing smirk on his face.

A scowl appeared on my face. "Call me that one more time and..."

"Woah chill out Kil, who got you so worked out?" He cut me off with a dramatic eye roll and made himself comfortable on the couch in my office, "Why am I here?"

"What do you know about the woman that trespassed into the pack?" I went straight to the point, not interested in pleasantries.

"You mean the one that was found unconscious?"

I stared at him silently and he shrugged lightly, knowing it was the lady I was talking about. "I don't know, I'm more interested in the male guard that was captured a few days ago.”

I nodded briefly at his reply, I remember the spy that was found lurking around the pack's borders a few days ago and was captured by the guards. He has been in captivity since that day, going through rounds of torture but he remained adamant about revealing his source.

I wanted to inquire more about the spy but thought against it. Kade was handling it and I trust he was doing a good job. What I was more interested in was knowing about the lady who was unwilling to live.

"About that woman, she was brought in today for questioning," I began and Kade's ears shot up.

"And?"

"She's strange," I answered curtly and Kade's eyebrows creased in confusion.

"How so?"

"She’s begging for death," I answered and went ahead to relay everything that happened between us to him.

A worried look crossed Kade's face. "Something seems off, we need to get more information from her. No one is more deadly than someone who doesn't have the will to live or nothing to lose.”

I nodded in agreement, "I know what to do," I said in determination and stood up. "it's either she speaks up willingly or I discard her in the most painful way ever.”

I called on one of the guards outside and instructed him to bring her out of her cell to the torture room. After a few more discussions, I and Kade headed to the dimly lit torture room to drill information from her.

The woman was brought out from her cell looking pale and exhausted. A light cough escaped her lips as she was pushed to her knees.

My eyes roamed her features intently before turning to Kade whose eyes were fixed on her.

“Why…” Kade began but before he could complete his sentence, the woman slumped to the floor.

Without thinking, I rushed to where she slumped, and lightly tapped her cheek, trying to wake her up but got no response. Instinctively, I immediately picked her from the floor, a sense of panic rising to my chest for reasons I couldn’t explain.

"Call the doctor now!" I roared as I rushed out of the torture room with Kade hurrying behind me. I couldn't let this woman die, I had promised her an agonizing life on earth, she couldn't possibly escape her punishments that easily.

Allen; the doctor arrived in no time and after checking her vitals, he sighed heavily. "She's pregnant, Your Highness, but she and her child are in danger."

“Pregnant?” Kade asked.

Allen nodded slowly, before raising the woman's hand. He pointed to some dark wavy marks that appeared on her upper arm. "This is a sign that she was poisoned."

"Poisoned?" I repeated and the doctor nodded. "Didn't I instruct the guards not to let her harm herself?"

"I don't think she did this to herself, Your Highness, but that aside, some of the poison has been expelled from her system, that is why she's still alive but there is quite a substantial amount remaining in her system which could still cause damages to her if not expelled in a few minutes.”

"How long has this poison been in her body?" I asked the doctor.

"It's over twenty-four hours, Your Highness, that was the reason she passed out but if the rest of the poison isn't taken out soon, she and the baby will end up dying."

"Don't let that happen," I uttered and the doctor glanced at me in confusion. "Get all the poison out of her system, I need her alive at all costs," I told him and he nodded immediately.

I could feel Kade's confused eyes on me as he glanced between me and the sickly lady on the bed. "Is it not better to just let her die since she's unwilling to cooperate?"

I shook my head in disagreement. "A baby is involved now, her own flesh and blood. I want to see how she will react. I want to see the decisions she will make now."

Kade glanced at her. "What if she doesn't care about the child?"

"Then she will wish she never crossed paths with me or the pack," I answered immediately and turned to Kade with a sinister smile on my lips. "I am still not going to let her die easily."