Aiden’s Pov
I was lost in thought of what I just witnessed and I couldn’t help but wonder what Skylar wanted from me. One thing I know for sure is that the pregnancy she claimed was mine wasn’t mine but I’ll pretend pending the time I break free from this shackles. What could be that shadow?
Just as I stood up from the edge of the bed, a sudden thought struck me like a lightning bolt. If Skylar was cunning enough to keep something hidden, where would she keep it? She would keep it somewhere I would never think to look, somewhere hidden, somewhere she knew I would never suspect. What if it’s in this room with room with me? I mean it’s an obvious and simple place. I would never think she would put something as powerful in the same room we shared.
I scanned the room with fresh eyes. I started my search from the most obvious places like the closet, the bathroom, the bookshelves, my personal library, I even checked through the drawers because it’s been a while I used the library. I couldn’t find anything and I beginning to get frustrated.
I threw the closet door open for the second time and searched through clothes, I tossed the clothes carelessly on the floor. I checked every nook and cranny of the closet but I found nothing.
“I have to find it find this. I can’t let Skylar Win again” I muttered to myself as frustration begin to consume me, “I can’t be trapped with this bitch forever.”
As I stood there, contemplating where else I could search, my gaze fell on the bed. I recalled the countless nights she had forcefully shared with me, using her power to make me submit. Smoke, ever submissive, had been more compliant on that same bed, and oddly enough, it was the one place I hadn’t thought to search.
It seemed almost childish to hide something under a bed, but perhaps that’s exactly what she wanted me to think. I laid down on the floor, trying to peer into the darkness beneath it. The space was too shadowed to see clearly, but as I strained my eyes, Skylar’s scent hit me like a wave, so strong it felt as though she was right beside me. I instinctively crawled further under the bed, my pulse quickening.
The door creaked open, and her scent flooded the room. She began pacing restlessly, her movements betraying a sense of unease. Within moments, another scent mingled with hers-familiar, yet out of place. Confusion swirled within me. I hadn’t heard the door open again, so how could someone else be in the room? I saw only Skylar’s feet from my vantage point beneath the bed. Was there someone else here, or was this another one of her tricks?
“What’s going on?” a deep voice, laced with suspicion, asked. “Why did you summon me here all of a sudden?”
“Aiden is getting stronger,” Skylar replied, her voice shaky yet determined. “I don’t know how, but he’s fighting back. I can’t reach Smoke like I used to.”
A cold realization washed over me. I’d known something was off, but now the pieces were starting to fall into place.
“I warned you this would happen,” the deep voice sneered. “Aiden is not just any Alpha; he’s one of the strongest in this region. You should have killed him when you had the chance. But no, you wanted to sleep with him, like the whore you are.”
The disdain in his voice was palpable. And yet, despite the way he spoke to her, she remained loyal. Unbelievable.
“I’m sorry, boss,” Skylar defended herself. “I thought if he died suddenly, I’d be the prime suspect. They could have killed me before I even had a chance to escape. I was just trying to play it safe.”
“Play it safe?” he snarled. “If you fail this mission, if they don’t kill you, I’ll be the one to rip out your throat myself.”
My heart pounded as I listened to their exchange. What was it about the pup? Why was that so important?
“What about the pup?” the deep voice continued, his tone now tinged with curiosity. “Does he suspect anything?”
“No,” Skylar replied quickly. “He’s suspicious, but he doesn’t know the truth. He believes it’s his pup. That will buy us some time.”
“Keep him under control,” the voice commanded. “He’s not stupid. If things go south, we’ll launch an attack on the pack.”
The mention of an attack sent a surge of fear through me. I had to break free from this control, from whatever hold they had over me. Without Smoke’s power, there was no way I’d survive an assault.
Silence fell over the room, and I assumed the other person had left. I remained still, needing to be certain. A moment later, I heard the door creak open again, and Skylar’s footsteps retreated. That was the confirmation I needed. As I began to crawl out from under the bed, my eyes caught sight of something small and nearly invisible, tucked away in the shadows.
It was a jar-cold and ominous in my hands. The glass was etched with strange symbols, and I knew instantly that this was what I had been searching for.
With trembling hands, I slowly unscrewed the lid. The moment I opened it, an acrid smell filled the room, thick and suffocating. But with it came a sense of relief, as if a heavy weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I felt the chains that had bound me loosening, and for the first time in months, my thoughts were clear.
Memories flooded back, overwhelming me with the realization of how I had been manipulated, controlled, and forced to abandon my child and my mate. The truth of my torment was now in my hands. I could hardly believe it-this was the breakthrough I needed. Now, it was time to reclaim my power.