“In all my years of existence, I have never hated someone as much as I hate you,” Ember declares, pulling me from my thoughts as she takes off her jacket and hands it to the man who dragged me.
“You don’t even love Nickolas,” I say, pulling at the restraints on my hands. I didn’t succeed in freeing myself yesterday, but that doesn’t mean I won’t today. I also plan to stall her by talking while I try to figure out something.
“That’s true, but I don’t have to love him to see you as a threat,” she responds, taking off her heels and slipping into sneakers with the man’s assistance. I tug on the ropes around my legs hard, not caring as my skin burns from the action.
“But I’m not a threat to you, Ember. Nickolas doesn’t love me, and neither do I love him. I am not a threat to you.” I continue to pull at the restraints on my hands, hoping for a miracle.
“That’s where you are wrong, Amelia,” Ember retorts, collecting a bat from the man. My eyes widen as I see the silver spikes on the bat. Oh, Heavens! More sweat fills my forehead. My eyes dart around the room, desperately searching for an escape route. As Ember prepares to strike, I steal a glance at the man holding me captive, searching for a hint of mercy. But his expression remains cold and impassive.
“He doesn’t need to love you to fuck you,” she sneers, swinging the spiked bat and sending my head flying back. My jaw cracks, and blood pours from the puncture wounds on my face. I close my eyes, cringing in pain as tears fill my eyes.
“Or to get you pregnant,” she hits my chest, puncturing the flesh where Adam had carved. I grit my teeth, choking on the pain as fresh blood spills from my chest all the way to my stomach.
With a swift and brutal strike, she targets my knees, shattering them. I clench the chair’s arm tightly, the wood cutting into my nails. My teeth grind together so hard I fear they might break any moment. I’m determined not to let Ember revel in the satisfaction of completely breaking me. Yet, with each blow, the lines between strength and vulnerability blur. My breaths become labored sweat beads on my forehead as I fight not to scream in pain.
When I think it can’t get any worse, I watch in horrified disbelief as she casually drops the bat, puts on gloves, and collects a cup filled with melted silver. Dread tightens its grip on me, and I begin to thrash violently in the chair, the ropes around my hands and legs cutting into my skin, leaving a searing trail of pain. Each desperate movement burns my skin, and I can feel the last reserves of energy draining from my battered body. My heart pounds in a wild rhythm, the acrid scent of silver growing stronger with every breath as Ember draws nearer. I lose my resolve and begin to beg her for mercy.
“Please, please, Ember. Please, Ember. There are other ways to kill me,” I plead, the words escaping between labored breaths. My voice trembles with terror. Yet, she remains unyielding, her sadistic smile widening with each step.
Suddenly, my name echoes through the room just as Ember is about to pour the liquid on me. I scan urgently for the person calling me but fail to find them. As I return my sights to Ember, I notice something odd. My brows furrow in confusion. Ember is frozen in place. What’s happening?
“Amelia,” the voice calls again. I look around the room, searching for the owner of the voices, but I can’t see them.
“Wake up,” the person says. I blink again, and suddenly, Ember and everything in the room disappear. I am no longer tied to a chair.
“Wake up, Amelia, wake up,” a voice I now recognize as Nickolas says.
I slowly close my eyes and gently open them back.
“Nickolas,” I breathe, gasping as I say his name. He pulls me into a tight hug.
“I got you; she can’t hurt you anymore,” he says, tightening his arms around me. It’s then it hits me that I had a dream of what happened, and I wasn’t actually there anymore. I take a deep breath and wrap my arms around Nickolas’s neck, squeezing hard. His scent calms me down. Tears fill my eyes, remembering that it might have been a dream, but it happened. Ember beat me up with a silver spiked bat and almost splashed me with silver if Adam hadn’t come and stopped her. More tears spill from my eyes. He only stopped her because he wished to sell me once he was done with me and didn’t want me to be too damaged.
“It’s okay,” Nickolas softly coos, his voice a soothing balm, as he gently rubs his palm down my back. Seeking solace, I tighten my arms around his neck, inhaling his scent as it works its calming magic.
“She will never be able to hurt you again,” Nickolas says, his words whispered into my hair, surprising me with their reassurance. Ember is his mistress, and as much as he might not be happy, she almost tortured me to death. I can’t be sure he won’t allow her to continue making my life a living hell as she did before. Suddenly, I feel a sense of unease with his comforting words and pull away from him, but Nickolas doesn’t let go. His arm remains steadfastly around me.
“I’m okay now; you can let go,” I say, my voice betraying lingering distress as I sniffle and wipe away my tears.
“I don’t believe you,” he responds, his grip tightening as he pulls me even closer.
“Your majesty, I’m fine,” I insist, pushing at his shoulders in an attempt to free myself from his hold. Unexpectedly, Nickolas curses in pain and quickly releases me. Confusion clouds my expression. Why did he react as if I had hurt him?
“I think you’re right. I will let you rest,” he says, his strained voice filling the room as he climbs out of the bed. Shock registers on my face as I see the blood, his blood, staining his shoulders that are bleeding with pierced wound marks. And dripping onto the floor.
“What happened to you?” I exclaim, rushing to his side. Without thinking, I move to touch his shoulders, but Nickolas takes a step back before my fingers even brush his shirt. I hadn’t noticed the blood on my body when he held me or smelt it.
“Nothing,” he curtly replies.
“Nothing?” I arch a brow at him.
“Yes, nothing of your concern.”
“You’re bleeding through your shoulder and back,” I also notice the blood dripping on the floor from his back. He must also have an injury there. I try to go around him to see, but Nickolas makes sure I can’t by moving as I do.
“Amelia,” he grabs my arm, causing me to look up at him.
“Why are you hurt?” I ask, my concern genuine despite my reluctance to admit it. As my mate, seeing him injured tugs at my heart.
“I am fine,” he asserts, locking eyes with me in an attempt to reassure me.
“It doesn’t look like it,” I retort, my annoyance evident.
“I am telling you I am, so believe it.”
“Okay,” I concede, knowing he isn’t going to tell me how he got his injuries, so I should just drop it. He swiftly leaves my room with lycan speed, likely to conceal his back from my view.
Left alone, I run my hand across my growing hair, staring at my blood-stained sheets, lost in thought. What could have happened to Nickolas? Who would dare to attack the lycan king? My family can be ruled out, as the wounds weren’t consistent with a werewolf attack. The nature of his injuries, not healing immediately, puzzles me. Also, I can’t believe he comforted me while injured and in pain. I never thought I would see such happening. I wonder what changed for him to put my needs first. I know it’s not because we are mates, so I wonder what.
Closing my eyes, I sigh, deciding to leave the questions for later and shower. Some of Nickolas’s blood got on my body. Throughout the process, my thoughts are consumed by him. Even as I change my sheets and attempt to find sleep, he remains a constant presence in my mind. The night is restless, my thoughts intertwining with questions that linger in the dark until exhaustion finally pulls me into a fitful slumber.