002

"For I to be useful to you, you have to useful to me too. Which currently....." he gestured towards the chains. "You are not"

"If you can help me, then I will free you."

Freedom.

Kiran's grey eyes lit up with a spark. He had spent five years in here living like a forgotten prisoner. He felt like a shell of himself, and there was nothing he could do about it in these chains, behind these steel bars.

But if she were to free him...

"Tell me about this thing that has apparently forced your hand."

Niva nodded, mentally putting together everything she knew.

"One morning, we woke up to reports of casualties. Thirty three members of one of our pack sectors dead in one night, in the same way, without a trace or hint to who the perpetrator could be"

This narration sounded fairly familiar to Kiran, infact it looked like history was repeating itself.

"We sent warriors to the scene, and they returned to us in body bags. Wave after wave of men, women, children and livestock dead."

"Livestock. Your animals too?"

"Just the ones that belonged to people from my pack. Infact, about last week, some of the farmers from the pack were trying to auction off their mature cattles, along with other cattles from the outsiders in the main town."

"Let me guess" Kiran interrupted her, a broad smile reaching his lips. A hearty laughter escaping his throat.

"Only the livestock that belonged to your people were harmed?."

"I don't quite catch your amusement"

"Ha, it's iconic that something else has taken it upon themselves to hunt your pack. As I would do if I wasn't behind bars. I never thought I'd say this..." His lips perked up. "But this wraith has done right by me"

A wraith, so that was what the entity was.

It did seem like a shadow spectrum after all.

She inhaled deeply, she was right, he had knowledge about the entity on their hands. And with his help, she had a chance at stopping it.

All she needed to do, was get him to agree.

"As you would, but unfortunately you have been locked up in this cage like an animal. Thirsty and starved of revenge" she chuckled.

"And you, desperate enough to want to join forces with me. Becoming an enemy of your pack."

"What?" Niva narrowed her eyes. "I will never become an enemy to my pack, the safety of my pack is my number one priority."

"You are down here, against your father's wish, breaking pack rules, negotiating with a captive, an enemy. You don't need a seer to tell you that the moment you free me from the cage, you stand to collect the treatment I would."

"My father will understand, he dosen't now but this is what must be done. If it were you....what would you do?"

He threw his head backwards, slightly flipping the hair out of his face.

"I would offer your family to the wraith in caskets as a mere act, and then I would gut it where I stand, for my own amusement."

She hated him.

She really hated him.

"You need to stop acting like you are doing me a favour. You are the one defying all the rules to be down here. I don't care for what reason you are down here for. But if it gets me freed, I will disgrace my bloodline by making a temporary agreement with you"

He agreed.

Her eyes lit up for a moment.

She could hear the distant thuds of busy feets trying to break open the door to the dungeon's entrance.

"Fine. So Kiran Dravemont. You do whatever it takes to help me save my people and then, I free you."

She held the keys above her head, dangling it before him.

"Mm hmm."

"Don't hum, give me an answer. Swear it."

His lips twitched in amusement, his hands itching to get freed.

"I swear it. A Dravemont never forsakes their promise. And I plan on taking revenge on your pack myself, I can't do that if this wraith wipes you all out before I get the chance to."

She took a deep breath, locking eyes at with him. And then, she plunged the keys into the key hole. The feeling of standing close to him keeping her at high alert.

"Come on Niva, I do not bite. Oh wait, I actually do. Sometimes."

He wiggled his wrist in the chain, impatient to get unshackled. She bent in front of him, noticing how faded his complexion looked like due to his restricting environment.

"I'll take off the cuffs and chains" she narrowed her eyes tapping softly at the silver dagger on her belt strap "but keep in mind that you are currently weak. Do not try anything funny"

He nodded and laughed, his Adam's apple bubbling. She was releasing an enemy to save an even greater enemy. How gleeful.

She closed her eyes and thought things through one last time. But she desperately needed his help.

Click,

Click,

Click,

Bang.

One by one the chains, cuffs and restraints fell to the ground. Kieran rose up from the corner. A wicked smile plastered on his face, and his muscles, bathing in the warmth of freedom.

Niva stepped back, a hand firm on her blade.

Just Incase.

But that still didn't stop him from pressing her against the rods of the cage.

She was betrayed.

"Ah ah, don't bring out your blade now. I keep my promises."

She was confused, squirming and groaning in his hold. He relaxed his grip, irritated by the fact that it didn't feel as strong as before. But no worries, a remedy was right before him.

"I need one final thing to completely seal our deal."

He turned her around.

"As you can see, I am still weak. I can't do the job if I am this weak. I need you to restore my strength."

"What do you mean?" Niva growled, she hated being held in this position like a submissive omega. And she could hear the footsteps getting closer.

"Allow me to mark you."

Her eyes widened, she almost gagged. Infact her hands flew to cover the sides of her neck.

Kiran laughed,

"Then you might as well put the chains on and let me rest. Because without my strength restored, I cannot get us safely out of here."

This was messed up, she fought so hard to break the mate bond. And now she would have to let him mark her?.

Kiran looked up.

"The clock is ticking, there will be in here any second from now"

The doors were being pushed against. She could hear the angry curses of her father on the other side.

"Make your choice."

She remained silent, carefully contemplating.

"Three..."

She couldn't make up her mind

"Two.."

She couldn't believe she was about to do this.

"One."

"Mark me."