Callan’s darkened eyes turned to the warrior. “Get him to the dungeon.” he said referring to the man on the bed next to her.
Briefly, his eyes wandered around the room in search of what she must have been wearing, and when nothing was in sight, Callan removed his shirt and approached her. She made no move, even when he put her in his shirt and began to drape the cover cloth on the bed around her lower half, she remained still in his hands, the only indication she was still alive was the regular heaving of her chest.
The man on the other hand slowly rose, rubbing the back of his palm on his eyes.
Callan held on steady control of himself, using all of the willpower he had to not do anything to him, not yet.
Anger ran through him, filling his chest and threatening to burst it open with its intensity. He had never felt rage like this and he didn't think any more seconds in this place and he would be able to control it.
He picked Sophia up, balancing her in his arms, and got up.
“Callan,” Amelia called, her eyes wide open. “What are you doing? You can't possibly be doing this now, she is here with…”
She must have seen the look in his eyes because she kept quiet, swallowing her words and stepping aside for him to walk past.
He met Radley in front of the manor, a bewildered look in his eyes.
“Callan, what is going on? Everyone is—”
“Get the physician!” he barked before moving upstairs and finally, in his room, he settled her on the bed.
His hands cupped her cheeks, “Sophia,” he called quietly, tapping her but still, no sound came from her.
Terror settled at the pit of his stomach. If anything happened to her, Callan knew he had himself to blame. He was meant to be responsible for her, he should have had her protected at all times but he hadn't, he’d been too busy dealing with other things, he hadn't considered that anything of this sort would occur, he’d thought her safe in the manor.
The recent attacks on the Black Tide Pack were inhibiting his nights, two nights ago, six of their warriors guarding the pack’s border had been killed and only a few managed to escape. He couldn't tell how many intruders managed to steal into the pack during the time it was left unguarded, they've been trying to keep it quiet while working hard to catch any intruder in the pack.
He couldn'trememebr the last time he’d actually slept but still, this was his fault. He had been overshadowed by everything that was happening, he hadn't thought of Sophia’s safety or in this case, the lack of it.
His arm gripped her waist as he forced her into a sitting position and continued to try to awaken her.
“Sophia, love, can you hear me?”
But the only reaction he elicited was a mumble of incoherent words before she fell into his arms, her head on his chest.
He stiffened at the contact, his heart pounding. Slowly, his hand went up to part her hair that had curtained her face, tucking stray strands behind her ears. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, looking down at her with a hurtful expression.
There was a small knock on the door and at his invitation, the door opened, and Radley entered, the pack’s physician behind him. Radley’s eyes settled on Callan and Sophia’s physical intimacy, a fleeting look of contempt flashed through his eyes.
The physician settled his small box on the bedside. “What happened?” he inquired, opening the box to bring out gloves from it which he immediately began to fix in his hands.
Callan stared at Sophia when he spoke. “I have no idea,” those words came out heavily laced with guilt.
He should know, he should know every fucking thing that happens with her!
The physician stepped forward. “May I?” he asked stretching out his hand.
Callan swallowed and nodded before settling her back on the bed. The physician bent over her and commenced physical observation, his thumb underneath one of her lids, drawing it down to force open her eye.
Callan’s breath remained hitched in his throat as he watched the man’s movements with sharp eyes and after a few minutes, the physician stood up and sighed, running his hand through his eyes.
“Wolfsbane,” he announced. “And from her state, I suspect she was giving an unnatural dose of it.”
Callan could feel tears choking him. She didn't deserve this - she didn't deserve him and all of the troubles he was causing her.
He was meant to be her protector, he was meant to provide her everything Alexander had deprived her of but here they were, no different.
It was glaring that someone had given her this.
“Wolfsbane?” Radley’s bellowing tone sliced through Callan’s thoughts. “Don't be ridiculous, Mathias. Why would anyone willingly consume that?”
Mathias’s brows furrowed, lines etched on his forehead as he assimilated Radley’s words. “Perhaps she didn't do it of her own will, I'm considering she was made to take it in order to get her in this state and the reason for that I fear exceeds me.”
“Are you suggesting she was drugged?” and Radley let out an unamused laugh. “Who would do such a thing? And what would they gain from it?”
Callan looked away from Sophia to Radley, a cool look in his eyes as they ran over his closest friend. He knew Radley well enough to know something was off about him tonight, something has been lately.
His tone was high-pitched and defensive, it unnerved Callan but he chose to keep that to himself.
“Will she be fine?” he asked Mathias in a quiet voice that went unrecognizable to even him.
Mathias gave him a look of sympathy before nodding and moving to his box. He brought out a small, transparent bottle containing a bluish-colored liquid. “If you’d help hold her mouth open, this would neutralize the effect of the wolfsbane and she should regain complete consciousness by daylight.”
Callan’s hands went to open her mouth and Mathias poured the potion into it, holding up her nose slightly until she swallowed some of the liquid in her mouth.
“Someone should watch over her the rest of the night, the tonic’s effects can cause irregular body temperature.”
“Thank you, Mathias.” Callan exhaled, slight relief flooding him.
Mathias's eyes moved from Sophia’s figure on the bed to Callan's. “Don’t worry, Alpha,” he said with an encouraging smile. “Your mate will be fine.”
And with that, he departed the room.
Radley didn't hesitate. “Surely Callan, you do not believe Mathias’s words about her being drugged. Who would do that? Of what use is she to anyone in this state?”
His cold eyes met Radley. “That I shall find out, get Isla at once.”
The doors shut behind Radley as he left the room without another word.
Wolfsbane.
There was a room filled with medicines in the manor and in it was a cabinet with the mild mix of wolfsbane, the type that Sophia must have consumed. The severe wolfsbane mix was the one capable of killing Alphas, it was extinct.
The cabinet containing the mild wolfsbane was locked in the medicine room and the key to it was in his bedchambers, the only people who had access to where it was were Amelia, Isla, and Radley.
And considering who had brought to his attention to Sophia’s location, Callan had an idea who was behind this.
****
A tortured, ear-splitting cry reverberated through the underground dungeon, the rawness of the pain depicted in the voice.
Bile trailed down the corners of his mouth down to his chest. He was shirtless, the skin covering his torso reddened and torn from the whip that had viciously come down on him numerous times. He was being held up by the cuffs that held his arms wide, locked on each of his wrists, forcing him to be in a kneeling position.
Kai breathed out heavily, his eyes swollen.
Disgust ran through Callan at the sight of him, and with every cry that escaped the man, his fury surged and those were the emotions controlling him. He swung his hand holding the whip and let it land on Kai’s face this time, barely missing his eye by an inch.
Kai’s scream tore out from a deep place of both horror and pain, filling Callan with elation. He needed the man to pay for what he’d done in every way cruelly possible.
He took a step back from him and fiddled with the whip, a small smile on his face as he watched Kai, the man’s face glistening with a mix of sweat and tears.
“I beg for your mercy, Alpha, please.” Kai pleaded.
“On whose orders were your actions?” Callan asked coolly.
Kai’s eyes twitched, his Adam’s apple bobbling as he swallowed in obvious nervousness. “I received a note.”
Callan nodded understandingly. “More lies, I see…”
And swiftly, he grabbed Kai by the neck, claws erupting from his fingers to bury themselves into the side of his neck, the metallic smell of blood immediately reaching his nose.
Callan tightened his hold, his claws digging further until Kai began to gasp for air, his eyes rolling back and the whole of his form twitching violently. He let go.
Kai coughed, gulping as much air as he could.
Callan moved to grab his blade that rested in the corner of the room unseen and as soon as Kai’s eyes met the sharp edge of the sword, his cries intensified.
“I didn't touch her, I promise.” he began in a frenzied tone. “It was all Claire, she had offered… She had offered me money and instructed me… She told me I had to take Sophia to a room.”
Tears poured down his eyes as he spoke, his words coming out hurriedly now, desperate to be let out. “She said I was to get the both of us undressed so it would look as though we had sex and I swear on the Goddess that was what happened, nothing more.”
Claire, the servant girl who had been with Amelia.
Callan didn't feel in any way relieved that Kai hadn't raped her; still, he had violated her, sexually assaulted her, and taken advantage of an inebriated woman, and not just any woman — Sophia.
“You should never have taken the job,” Callan said shaking his head at him, and in a fleeting motion, he swung the blade and struck Kai, severing his head from his neck. Blood splattered all over him, staining his face and shirt. Callan’s eyes hardened and without a backward glance at the mangled figure behind him, he strolled out of the cell room.