Kamrynn’s POV
The hours dragged on, each second stretching endlessly as if the universe itself was mocking me. My body ached from being bound, my wrists raw from the ropes that had become all too familiar. The gag stifled my voice, turning even the smallest cry for help into a muffled hum that no one would hear.
Through the thick, soundproof walls, faint noises seeped in. Laughter. Footsteps. The clinking of dishes. I couldn’t make out words, but I knew what it meant. The palace was alive, buzzing with anticipation for the mating ceremony. The thought made my stomach twist into knots. They were celebrating, completely oblivious to the danger that lurked within these very walls. Oblivious to me, bound and helpless in Draven’s private hell.
The first time I’d screamed for help, I had dared to hope. I’d waited until Draven untied me for one of his twisted mealtime routines. The moment the gag was gone, I’d sucked in a deep breath and screamed with everything I had.
“HELP! PLEASE, SOMEONE! I’M IN HERE!”
I’d screamed until my throat burned, tears streaming down my face as I prayed someone would hear me. But Draven had only leaned back in his chair, his lips curving into a slow, mocking smile.
“Done?” he’d asked when my voice broke, his tone as casual as if we were discussing the weather.
I’d stared at him in disbelief, my chest heaving.
“The room’s soundproof, little bird,” he’d said, his voice laced with amusement. “You can scream all you want. No one’s coming.”
The realization had hit me like a slap, leaving me breathless and humiliated. I’d been such a fool.
Since then, I hadn’t wasted my breath.
Draven had established a routine, one that only served to highlight his control over me. He’d untie me three times a day to feed me, always something lavish and carefully prepared. The meals might have been enjoyable under different circumstances, but here, they were just another form of torture.
“You should eat,” he’d say, pressing a spoonful of food to my lips. “I need you strong for when you become my Luna.”
His gloating was endless, each word dripping with arrogance. “Every hour that passes brings me closer to victory,” he’d remind me, his hand lingering too long on my arm or brushing my hair away from my face.
At night, he’d check on me. I could hear his footsteps even in my sleep, they were slow and deliberate. He would crouch down to where I slept on the floor, bound and I’d keep my eyes shut, heart pounding in my ears. He let me sleep on the bedroom floor and though it was cold, I couldn’t complain- it was far better than the bathroom.
Even without a wolf, I could always sense his presence, he was my captor after all and his dominance always pressed down like a suffocating weight. The typical Alpha pheromone.
He might have been charming, even attractive, if not for the cruelty that oozed from him. But I knew better. Beneath the polished exterior was a monster.
When I woke up this morning, a chill ran down my spine. Today was the day. The mating ceremony would happen in just a few hours. If Draven succeeded, the Blue Bell Pack would fall into chaos, and the people I cared about-Rmonica, her unborn child, even Kyven-would suffer for it.
I couldn’t let that happen.
I had to act. I’d noticed Draven growing more complacent over the past few days, his arrogance blinding him to any possibility of resistance. He thought he’d broken me, and I intended to use that to my advantage.
When he entered the room, I kept my head bowed, my expression carefully blank. He untied me with his usual efficiency, his fingers brushing against my skin just enough to make me shiver in revulsion.
“Good morning, little bird,” he said, his tone infuriatingly cheerful. “Ready for breakfast?”
I nodded silently, my heart pounding as he carried me easily, muscles flexing.
He placed me on his lap, the gesture both intimate and degrading. A plate of food sat on the bedside table, the aroma tantalizing despite my nerves.
“Eat,” he commanded, spearing a piece of fruit with the fork and holding it to my lips.
I opened my mouth, letting him feed me as I silently rehearsed my plan.
“Alpha,” I said after a few bites, keeping my voice soft.
He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Yes?”
I hesitated, as if unsure whether to speak. “If I… if I became your Luna, would you treat me well? Or would I just be another pawn to you?”
His reaction was exactly what I’d hoped for-surprise. I felt proud, it was the first time I’d been able to draw that kind of reaction from him. His hand paused mid-air, the fork hovering just inches from my mouth.
“Finally accepting your fate, are we?” he asked, a slow smile spreading across his face.
I forced myself to nod. “The ceremony’s in an hour. Fighting seems… pointless now.”
His smile widened, his sharp features softening just enough to be unnervingly intimate. He leaned closer, his breath brushing against my ear, and his voice dipped into a sultry murmur. “Smart girl. And to answer your question-of course, I’d treat you well. I’d give you everything you could ever want. Power. Wealth. Safety. But more than that…”
His hand brushed a lock of hair away from my face, and he tilted his head slightly, his gray eyes boring into mine. “I’d make sure you never wanted for anything. Not attention, not affection. I’d worship every inch of you, night after night. You wouldn’t just be my Luna-you’d be my queen, Kamrynn.”
My stomach churned as he continued, his words laced with blatant insinuation.
“I’d teach you how to submit to me, to crave my touch as much as I crave yours. I’d-”
Before he could finish, I surged forward, pressing my lips against his in an impulsive kiss.