Logan’s POV
An entire day had dragged by with nothing but silence. My frustration grew with each passing hour, and now, standing by the window of my throne room, I was growing more scared than angry.
I clenched the parchment in my hands as I stared out the window. The Council of Alphas had issued their ultimatum: find Aria or lose my throne. The words stared back at me, like a tightening noose around my neck.
How had they found out about Aria’s disappearance in the space of twenty-four hours? And how could she have slipped through my fingers so easily?
The power I’d worked so hard to secure was slipping away, all because of one single woman!
My thoughts were interrupted by the creak of the throne room door. I turned as the guard I’d sent to find Aria entered, dragging a young slave girl behind him. The girl’s head was bowed, her small frame trembling under the harsh grip of the guard.
I didn’t bother hiding my irritation. “Why are you disturbing my peace?” I demanded.
The guard straightened, still holding onto the girl’s arm. “Alpha, I have news about Lady Aria’s whereabouts.”
My heart rate quickened, though I kept my expression stern. Finally, some progress. But my gaze shifted to the girl, and I stared at her in suspicion.
“And what’s this slave doing here?” I asked.
“She was boasting to the other slaves,” the guard replied, his grip tightening on the girl’s arm, “saying she knows where Lady Aria is.”
I studied the girl carefully. She was young, with white-blonde hair that fell in limp strands around her face. Her blonde eyebrows were almost invisible against her pale skin, and her pale gray eyes darted around the room like a trapped animal’s. Her frame was small, almost fragile, and she was visibly trembling under my scrutiny. But there was something in her eyes-something that told me she knew more than she let on.
She had information. I could sense it.
But could I trust her? Or was this another plan to delay me, to keep me away from my goal?
“Leave us,” I ordered, still watching the girl. The guard hesitated, but after a moment, he bowed and exited the room, leaving me alone with the slave.
The room fell silent, the heavy doors closing with a dull thud behind the guard. I took a step closer to the girl, who visibly flinched. I could sense her fear, but I needed answers. And I needed them now.
“Look at me!” I commanded.
She hesitated before slowly raising her eyes to meet mine. They were filled with terror, but there was something else there too-knowledge. She knew something valuable, and I intended to extract it from her.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“My name is Erinne.”
“Where is Aria, Erinne?” I asked. “Tell me, and I might spare you.”
Her lips trembled as she tried to speak, but no sound came out. I could see the war waging in her mind-fear of me battling with whatever loyalty she might hold to Aria.
“Speak!” I barked, causing her to flinch again.
Erinne mumbled something under her breath, but I didn’t quite catch it. I leaned in closer, positioning my ear to her lips.
“I didn’t quite hear what you said,” I whispered. “Can you say that again?”
The silence in the room was heavy, as I waited for her to answer my question. The audacity of her hesitation grated on my nerves, and I could feel my patience wearing dangerously thin.
“Well?” I demanded, my voice like ice. “Where is Aria?”
Erinne’s eyes flickered with something I hadn’t expected-defiance. She lifted her chin slightly, though her small frame was still trembling under my gaze.
“What’s in it for me?” she asked, her voice quiet but steady.
For a moment, I could only stare at her, disbelief coursing through me. Then, a laugh bubbled up from my chest, dark and humorless.
“What’s in it for you?” I repeated. “How dare you ask me such? Do you realize who you’re speaking to, girl?”
She didn’t flinch. She stood a little straighter, those pale gray eyes of hers locking onto mine with a boldness that almost made me admire her-almost.
“I know exactly who you are, Alpha,” she said, her voice firmer now. “And that’s why I’m asking. If you want information from me, I deserve something in return.”
I felt a surge of anger rises within me, my hand itching to put this insolent girl in her place with a quick slap. “Your freedom is in it for you,” I spat, taking a menacing step closer to her. “Now, speak before I decide to rip your tongue out.”
To my astonishment, she didn’t cower. Instead, she met my gaze, her expression resolute. “I don’t trust you,” she said bluntly. “You could kill me the moment I tell you what I know, or you could throw me back into the gutter with nothing. I want something real, something that guarantees my safety.”
Her words struck a chord of frustration deep within me. How dare this mere slave, a girl who should be groveling at my feet, demand terms from me? I fisted my hands, struggling to rein in my temper.
“What kind of benefit could you possibly want?” I growled, barely keeping my voice under control. “You’re a slave. You have nothing to bargain with.”
Erinne hesitated as if weighing her options. “I want a guarantee,” she finally said, her voice surprisingly steady for someone in her position. “If I tell you where Lady Aria is, I want my freedom in writing. I want to walk out of this packed house as a free woman, with no one coming after me.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This girl had the nerve to negotiate with me? I felt my jaw clench, the muscles in my neck tightening as I fought the urge to lash out.
“I’m pushing for survival,” Erinne spoke. “And you’re desperate, Alpha. Desperate enough to listen to me. So let’s not waste time. Give me what I need, and I’ll give you what you want.”
That was it. My temper snapped. “Enough!” I roared, then turned to the guards at the door.
“Take her to the dungeons immediately. Let her sit there and think about her place until she’s ready to speak!”
The guards moved quickly, grabbing her by the arms. She didn’t fight them, but as they dragged her away, she looked back at me, her eyes filled with that same defiant calm.
“You’ll call me back! I promise you, you will come running for my help!”