Arella’s POV
It was easy to find the door out of there. It was the only door that looked like it was made of solid steel and took ten men to open. Still, I pushed down the lock and sent a still prayer of thanks to the Lord above, when I found it unlocked. With a grunt, I pushed it open and was hit by the cool, fresh air of the darkening forest. The scent of pine and earth was a welcomed change to the musty, suffocating atmosphere of the dungeon...
Silence!
I didn’t trust it! Perhaps I truly had watched one too many horror movies because I didn’t like how quiet everything felt. Before I let the kids out, I took a quick look around. The trees stretched high and thick, their branches creating a maze of shifting shapes as the wind rustled through them. The shadows felt alive, like silent sentinels watching
Zane’s POVThe air didn’t move and for a split second, I was back. Back that day when everything had changed. When my life had been shattered into a million pieces…My mind went back to that day. Time had slowed as I felt her pain through our mate bond. I’d spun to find her--- my heart dropping at the sight that awaited me.The black wolf…His jaws around her throat. And just as his eyes locked with mine – an evil smirk forming on his wolf’s features – he closed it. Crimson blood stained the air. Her gasp shattered me, and then her eyes dulled, the light of my world extinguished.The mate bond snapped like a taut string cut by a sharp blade. The pain was more excruciating than anything I’d ever known. It was like losing half of my soul. Like having my still-beating heart ripped out of my chest. Hollowing out into a void of anguish and guilt in its stead...I sc
Arella’s POVThe blood trickled down my arm and shoulder, the pain a burning sensation making my arm numb. Bali’s wolf growled victoriously, the ripple sending a new wave of agony up my neck and chest. Fear had paralyzed my body, a gurgling sound of air being trapped in my throat, catching my own terrified scream. I felt blood, thick and hot, trailing down my neck. His own hot saliva dripped onto my skin, sending shivers of disgust throughout my entire body.Shit!One wrong move, and he could rip a good chunk of my flesh right off. Hell, being so close to my neck, I could easily bleed to death, since I had no idea what part of my neck and shoulder he'd bitten down on.Double shit!Bali growled low, a deep victorious sound, as if he was mighty satisfied with himself. The sound vibrated through my body, sending shocks of pain and fear piercing through my mind.Was this the end?Were the
Earlier at the Castle...Zane's POV“What’s the matter?” My mom pressed, the desperation in her voice twisting the knife in my chest. But I forced my mind to focus, dissecting every angle. Shame and anger burned hot in my chest as the pieces fell into place – each one heavier than the last.Arella had been right!I didn’t have the luxury of excluding my pack just because I trusted them. Hell, I couldn’t even exclude my own brother – or sister!“Who created the software we use for security?” I thought out loud, feeling the puzzles slowly fall into place, and turned to my brother. “Who has the knowledge to get into it undetected and even make it look like they were never there? Who uses YOUR security code every time they need to do updates?” My voice turned to a low, dangerous growl. My wolf howled inside me, clawing for rele
Earlier at the Castle...Zane’s POVI pushed off the wall and stalked back to the office, wanting to get to the bottom of this. Dust and webs clung to my body as I stalked through the tunnels and the castle halls. My boots echoed on the polished stone floors, since everyone was outside looking for Arella and the pups. The tension in my chest was unbearable and coiled like a spring that wouldn’t release. My mind raced, circling back to my pups.What had they seen?Was it something that had put them in danger? Or maybe it was something that scared them to the point that they figured they were safest hiding somewhere? A part of me wanted and didn’t want that to be the case. Because while that meant that my pups were safe---What did that mean for Arella?I pushed the door to my office open with more force than necessary, the hinges groaning in protest. My fists clenched at my
Arella’s POVIt was easy to find the door out of there. It was the only door that looked like it was made of solid steel and took ten men to open. Still, I pushed down the lock and sent a still prayer of thanks to the Lord above, when I found it unlocked. With a grunt, I pushed it open and was hit by the cool, fresh air of the darkening forest. The scent of pine and earth was a welcomed change to the musty, suffocating atmosphere of the dungeon...Silence!I didn’t trust it! Perhaps I truly had watched one too many horror movies because I didn’t like how quiet everything felt. Before I let the kids out, I took a quick look around. The trees stretched high and thick, their branches creating a maze of shifting shapes as the wind rustled through them. The shadows felt alive, like silent sentinels watching
Zane's POVSelena’s voice broke through the chaos, and I snapped my head around. She and Bali came over and while I wondered where the hell they’d been, I also didn’t honestly care much to know. Mated wolves be mated wolves and all that…“What’s going on?” She asked, her tone tinged with concern.“Have you seen Arella?” I asked, my voice coming out harsher than I intended.“No,” Selena replied quickly, her eyes darting between Noah and I. Worry laced her voice, but there was something else too. Something--- odd. “I haven’t seen her all day.”“I’ve been with your sister,” Bali confirmed her alibi, despite me picking up something weird with the way she spoke. But perhaps that was just me being on edge. Maybe it was the panic twisting my perception. Why in the world would my sister lie to me about something like tha