Chapter 36: Shackled
Seraphine's POV
The door slammed behind me.
I stumbled. Caught myself on the wall. Pain exploding through my shoulder.
Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck—
Footsteps retreated down the hallway. Heavy. Deliberate.
Then the lock clicked.
I stood there. Panting. Naked. Blood running hot down my chest.
My left shoulder was on fire. Every heartbeat sending fresh waves of agony radiating down my arm.
You petty bastard. You actually bit me back.
Blood dripped onto the floor. Steady. Dark.
Too much. Way too much.
Need to— clothes. Need to stop the bleeding—
I stumbled to the closet. Yanked it open with my good hand.
Grabbed the first thing I found. An oversized shirt. Someone's. Didn't matter whose.
I pulled it on. Hissed as fabric dragged across the wound.
Fresh blood immediately soaking through the left side.
Bathroom. Now.
I made it to the sink. Flipped on the light.
My reflection stared back. Wrecked.
Blood everywhere. Matted in my hair. Streaked across my face. The shirt already ruined.
The bite mark was brutal. Deep. Ragged.
Not like the mark on my neck. That had been precise. Almost surgical.
This? This was pure violence.
He wanted it to hurt. Wanted me to remember.
I grabbed a towel. Pressed it against the wound.
Hissed as pain shot through me.
Fuck you, Kaelen. Fuck you and your petty revenge.
The towel turned red almost instantly.
I replaced it. Pressed harder. Gritting my teeth against the pain.
My vision swam. Edges going dark.
Don't pass out. Don't you fucking dare—
Deep breaths. In. Out. In.
The bleeding slowed. Finally.
I found bandages in the cabinet. Medical tape. Antiseptic.
My hands shook as I worked. Cleaning the wound. Wrapping it.
Not good. Not even close to professional.
But it would have to do.
---
I collapsed on the bed. Staring at the ceiling.
Waiting for the fear to hit.
The terror of being locked in. Trapped. At his mercy.
But it didn't come.
What came instead was rage.
Pure. White-hot. Consuming.
How dare he. How fucking DARE he.
Lock me up like some prisoner. Like I'm his property.
Bite me. Hurt me. Leave me bleeding and naked.
I'm not staying here. I'm not playing his fucked-up dominance games.
I sat up. Ignoring the fresh spike of pain.
I need to leave. Tonight.
Before he comes back. Before this gets worse.
Before I do something I really can't take back.
I went to the door. Tested the handle.
Locked.
Of course it was locked.
I pressed my ear against it. Listening.
Footsteps outside. Steady. Regular.
Guards. He posted fucking guards.
My jaw clenched.
Fine. The door's out. But there's still—
I turned. Looked at the window.
---
I waited until the house went quiet.
Hours. Sitting in the dark. Watching the shadows lengthen.
My shoulder throbbed. A constant, pulsing reminder.
You owe me for this, Kaelen. You owe me blood.
But revenge could wait.
Right now, I needed to move.
I gathered what little I had. Food I'd hidden from earlier meals. A water bottle. Nothing else.
Stuffed them in a pillowcase. Tied it shut.
Not much. But it'll have to do.
The hallway outside was silent. No footsteps. No voices.
Now or never.
I crossed to the window. Tested the latch.
It opened easily. Too easily.
He didn't think I'd try. Arrogant bastard.
Cold air rushed in. Sharp. Biting.
I leaned out. Looked down.
Two stories. Maybe fifteen feet to the ground.
Guards patrolling below. But their routes were predictable. Lazy.
I can do this. Drop. Roll. Run.
I threw the pillowcase out first. It landed in the snow with a soft thump.
Then I climbed onto the windowsill. Bare feet gripping the cold wood.
Just jump. Don't think. Just—
The door burst open.
Light flooded the room.
I froze. One foot on the sill. One hand gripping the frame.
Fuck.
---
Cordelia stood in the doorway.
Medical kit in one hand. Lamp in the other.
She was tall. Taller than me by at least four inches. Built like a fighter—all lean muscle and controlled strength.
Deep brown skin. Black hair pulled back in intricate braids that caught the lamplight.
And those eyes.
Amber. Sharp. Intelligent.
Right now? Burning with anger.
Her expression cycled through emotions. Worry. Shock. Fury.
My stomach twisted.
Shit. Of all people—
"Get back inside."
Her voice was quiet. Deadly.
I didn't move. Couldn't move.
Run. You should run. Jump NOW—
But my body wouldn't listen. Frozen in place.
Cordelia set down the lamp. The medical kit.
Her movements were deliberate. Controlled.
Like she was physically restraining herself from something worse.
"Now, Seraphine."
The use of my full name made something cold settle in my gut.
She's pissed. Really, really pissed.
Slowly—so fucking slowly—I climbed back inside.
My feet hit the floor. The window still open behind me.
Cold air swirling through the room.
We stared at each other.
Her amber eyes pinned me in place. Not with dominance. Not with power.
With disappointment.
That hurt worse than anything Kaelen had done.
---
Cordelia's gaze dropped to my makeshift bag outside in the snow.
Then back to my face.
Something in her expression broke.
"I can't believe it. Even after everything that just happened, you're still trying to run?" Her voice was ice. "To keep doing this... it's a slap in the face to all of us."
"Cordelia, I—"
"I thought you were different." She crossed her arms. Shoulders tight. "I thought you actually like our pack."
The accusation hit like a physical blow.
I do like. But I can't stay here. At least for now.
"I know you want to save your sister," she continued. Voice shaking now. "But this? This is betrayal."
The word hit like a slap.
Guilt twisted in my chest. Sharp. Painful.
She trusted you. Defended you. And you—
"I have to—"
"You don't have to do anything!" Her voice cracked.
Her hands clenched into fists. The fighter in her barely restrained.
"We risked everything for you. Lied to humans. Hid you from human hunters."
She took a step closer.
Her amber eyes were bright. Almost glowing with emotion.
"And you repay us by running?"
My throat tightened.
Say something. Defend yourself—
But what could I say?
"If I leave," I managed, "it solves the problem with Old John—"
"The mark binds you." Cordelia's jaw clenched. "If you die, he dies too."
My stomach dropped.
"So you're not protecting anyone. You're just running."
"My sister is out there—"
"And you think you can find her alone?" She laughed. Cold. Bitter. "You'll be dead in a week."
"I'll figure it out—"
"You're not brave, Seraphine." She shook her head.
Her braids swayed with the movement. Catching the lamplight.
"You're stupid. And selfish."
The words stung more than they should have.
I'm not selfish. I'm trying to save her—
But looking at Cordelia's face—at the hurt and anger written there—I wasn't so sure anymore.
Maybe she's right. Maybe I am just running.
"As your Gamma," Cordelia said quietly, "I can't— I won't forgive this."
---
Silence fell between us.
Heavy. Suffocating.
I wanted to argue. To defend myself.
But the words died in my throat.
Cordelia's disappointment was crushing.
Worse than Kaelen's rage. Worse than the bite on my shoulder.
She believed in you. And you threw it back in her face.
"From now on," Cordelia said slowly, "this window will be nailed shut."
My heart sank.
"Guards will watch this room. 24/7."
"You can't keep me locked up forever—"
"Watch me."