Claimed and Caged

I hoped it was just a nightmare, but it wasn’t.

Standing in front of me as my mate was none other than Silas, the Alpha King. The same man who made my childhood unbearable, who pushed me through pain after pain leading me straight to fall for Jace in my past life.

Jace's stepbrother.

He was the reason why everything started in the first place.

“Mara!” Jace's voice echoed as he appeared, moving through the crowd. His eyes darted between us before moving down to my waist.

“What's going on? Where is your rope, Mara?” he asked staring at me.

I refused to answer. I didn't want to.

“I asked you a—”

“Mara already found her mate,” Silas said from beside me, calm as ever. “So of course it’s gone.” He paused, then added, “I’m her fated mate.”

Jace burst out in laughter.

“Nice joke,” he said. “You are Mara's fated mate? Impossible. I am her—”

Silas raised his hand.

The golden thread showed again brightly around our wrists. Jace laughter died as his eyes fixed on the rope.

“How is this even possible?” Jake whispered, his voice barely steady.

Silas let out a slow, knowing smile. “Yesterday, you showed up at my house pretending you wanted to fix things. But that wasn’t the truth. You came for my scent. You took it, planning to trick Mara into believing you’re her mate, right?"

A wave of shock spread through the room. People exchanged confused looks before all eyes shifted to Jace.

Panic flashed across Jace’s face, his expression tightening as he clenched his hand into a fist.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Jace said, trying to sound steady but I had seen through it all.

Now everything made sense.

In my past life, I believed he was my mate because he stole Silas's scent.

"Mara, you know I love you. I would never.....do what Silas is accusing me of. You know how he is. He is nothing but a bully." Jace whispered. "You have to reject the bond."

Not a request.

A demand.

"Love? Did you just say you love me?" I scoffed, reaching into my bag, I brought out the recorder I had and played it.

Jace and Kendall's voice echoed in the room. Everything they said about me earlier, everything about their grand scheme was exposed.

Jace took a step trying to grab it but I dodged quickly.

“The only reason you stayed with me was because you wanted to turn me into a pup bearing machine. You wanted to use me to win over the elders and overthrow your brother. Too bad…that's never going to happen.”

“Mara, that's not—” Jace stammered as he reached for my hand. “Let me explain.”

Silas stepped in front to block him. “Stay away from her.”

For a second, the room went silent. All eyes turned to Jace, the murmuring growing louder and louder. Now, everyone had turned against him and Kendall.

This was only the beginning.

“Now that everything’s settled,” Silas said, crouching to scoop me up in a single, fluid motion, “you’ll have to excuse us. My mate and I have… important matters to discuss.”

As we left the room, I tried to push him off.

“Let me down, you psycho,” I hissed. “I can walk.”

Silas glanced at me, eyes dark. “Call me a psycho one more time and walking will be the least of your problems.”

*****************************************

My body hit the seat hard as Silas shoved me into the car, the impact knocking the air out of my lungs.

“Are you insane?” I snapped, forcing myself to sit upright. He didn’t even look at me. He simply walked around the car and got in, like I hadn’t said a word.

“Let me go,” I said quietly, trying to keep control. “I have an important test tomorrow. You can’t just—”

Silas leaned in, cutting me off. “Can’t just what? You’re my fated mate. That means you belong to me now.”

My breath caught. For a second, I couldn’t move.

I couldn't stop staring at his eyes.

“I’ll take your silence as agreement, Mara Bennett.”

I turned my head sharply when I saw my grandmother’s car stop in front of the house. She stepped out with Kendall, and my chest tightened. I already knew this wouldn’t end well.

I shoved Silas back. “I only did that to get rid of Jace,” I said, steadying my voice. “I will never let you mark me.”

I grabbed the handle and pushed the door open. Just as I stepped out, his voice rang out.

“We’ll see about that.”

A few minutes later, I walked toward the house, careful not to make a sound as I slipped inside. My grandmother’s room was right beside the living room, and even at her age, nothing escaped her hearing.

“Where do you think you’re going?” her voice rang out just as I reached the stairs.

I stopped immediately.

Turning around, I was just about to speak when my grandmother slapped me hard across the face.

The force sent me crashing to the ground.

“Grand…mother…” I gasped.

She stood over me, her eyes cold, like she was looking at a stranger.

“Don’t you dare call me that,” she snapped. “How dare you come back after disgracing Kendall? You evil child!”

Her words hurt more than the slap.

“I…” My voice shook, but I pushed through it. “I didn’t disgrace her. I only revealed the truth.”

“Truth?” she barked, anger twisting her face. “You call that shameful act the truth? In front of elders? In front of Alphas?”

“Yes,” I said, lifting my head to face her. “It was the truth. Everything in that recording was real.”

Her hand came down on my face again.

“Liar!” she shouted. “All you ever do is lie and bring trouble into this house!”

“I’m not lying!” I shot back, my voice breaking. “Ask Kendall! She was there. She said those things—”

“Stop!” she snapped.

My voice died instantly.

Behind her, Kendall let out a soft sob and stepped forward, looking weak and shaken.

“Grandmother… please…” she said, her voice trembling. “Don’t be too angry. Maybe Mara didn’t mean it. Maybe she’s just jealous and said those things to hurt me…”

Jealous?

A hollow laugh slipped out of me.

“Jealous of you?” I said, staring straight at her. “You really think I’d be jealous of someone who—”

“I said enough!” my grandmother roared.

Before I could react, she grabbed my arm and dragged me to my feet.

“You cursed wolf,” she said, gripping me tightly. “How dare you refuse to admit your mistake?”

“I didn’t make any mistake,” I said through clenched teeth.

“Since you won’t admit it, you’ll stay locked up until I say otherwise,” she said coldly.

Suddenly, two men appeared.

Wrapping their arms around me, they slipped on silver cuffs on my wrists. Punishment that my grandmother used on me often.

Panic flooded through me as I struggled.

“No. I have an important test tomorrow. It's important. I can't afford to—”

“That’s your problem,” she sneered. “You should have thought about that before humiliating Kendall. Take her away.”

I fought against them, the chains clinking as they dragged me down the hallway.

“Please… no…” I begged, but no one listened.

As they forced me back into my room, my eyes found Kendall again.

She was smiling.