All Chapters of Ruin Me, Alpha: Breaking The Enemy's Daughter: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

The torch burned lower as Luciana's footsteps faded down the corridor, leaving me alone with the suffocating darkness and the dying bond in my chest.Each pulse came weaker than the last. Slower. Like a heart giving up.Don't you dare, I thought desperately at Ares. Don't you fucking dare leave me feeling this for the rest of my life.But the bond didn't answer. It just continued its steady, agonizing decline toward that living death Luciana had promised.I pressed my forehead against the cold iron bars, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. The burgundy dress clung to my skin, stiff with dried blood. His blood. The smell of it filled my nostrils—copper and earth and something wild that made my wolf whine in distress."This isn't real," I whispered. "This can't be real."But it was. The bond confirmed it with every faltering pulse.Time stretched. The torch finally guttered out, plunging the dungeon into absolute darkness. I couldn't see my own hands in front of my face, couldn't se

The wait was agonizing.I paced the small cell, my father watching silently from across the corridor. Every few minutes, I'd catch his eye, and he'd give me an encouraging nod.You can do this, his expression seemed to say. Be strong.But I didn't feel strong. I felt terrified.What if they didn't believe me? What if they thought it was another trick? What if—goddess forbid—what if my blood didn't work and Ares died anyway? Then I'd be blamed for that too.Finally, footsteps echoed down the corridor. Multiple sets.The cell door burst open, and guards surrounded me. Rough hands grabbed my arms, hauling me out."Wait—" I started."Shut up," one of them growled, and they dragged me through the dungeon.We climbed stairs, moved through corridors. I tried to memorize the path, but everything blurred together in my panic. Finally, they stopped in front of an ornate door.One of the guards knocked."Enter," came Luciana's voice, tight with strain.They shoved me into the room, and I stumble

Three days passed before Ares summoned me again.Three days of restless pacing in my new quarters, feeling the bond pulse with his growing strength. Three days of Luciana's cold stares whenever we crossed paths in the corridors—stares that promised violence if I stepped out of line. Three days of my father's voice echoing in my mind: *Earn his trust. Strike when the time is right.*But the bond made everything complicated.I could feel Ares now—really feel him. His moods, his pain as he healed, the frustration of being bedridden. And underneath it all, something else. Something that made heat coil low in my stomach whenever I let myself acknowledge it.Desire.The memory of his fangs at my throat, his hands gripping me, the way the bond had blazed between us—it haunted me. Made me dream things I shouldn't dream about the man who'd destroyed my kingdom. The man who was married to someone else.Luciana. His wife. The woman who'd threatened to make me suffer if he died.When the guard fi

Ares moved to the window, his back to me. "I should. It would be the smart thing. The safe thing.""But?"He turned, and the look in his eyes made my breath catch. Raw. Hungry. Conflicted."But I'm not going to," he said roughly. "Because she's right—I am blinded by the bond. And I don't care anymore."He crossed the room in three strides, hauling me against him. His mouth found mine in a bruising kiss that tasted like desperation and defiance."This is insane," I gasped when we broke apart."Completely insane," he agreed. "If Luciana finds out—""She'll kill me.""She'll try." His hands tightened on my waist. "But I won't let her. You saved my life, Leah. That means something. More than marriage vows I never wanted. More than political alliances.""She's your wife.""And you're my mate." He rested his forehead against mine. "Fate's cruel joke. But I'm done fighting it."The bond pulsed between us, stronger than ever. I could feel his desire, his conflict, his determination.And under

LeahThe dungeon was exactly as I remembered it—cold, dark, and reeking of despair.But walking into it now felt different. Wrong.Because for the first time since my capture, I'd woken up happy.And the guilt of that happiness sat like a stone in my chest."Princess." Julius materialized from the shadows, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "Thank you for coming so quickly.""You said it was about my father?" I looked past him to where the cells lined the walls. "Is he hurt?""See for yourself."He led me deeper into the dungeons, past prisoners who didn't look up, past guards who pretended not to see me. Finally, we reached the farthest cell.My father sat in the corner, chains around his wrists, his head bowed."Father!" I rushed to the bars, reaching through them. "Are you—"He looked up, and my words died.Fresh bruises mottled his face. Blood crusted at the corner of his mouth. His left eye was swollen nearly shut."Leah." His voice cracked. "My precious girl.""What happened