Eternity - Kendric's POV

Eternity - Kendric's POV
As Ramsey takes Valeria away, my chains rattle as I strain against them.

If they hear it, neither look back. I almost wish she would have, but it’s probably for the best. The way I look now probably doesn’t remind her of who I’ve been and I don’t want her last memory of me to be me as this.

My heart thuds in my chest as I think about everything. I never thought I would be back in Ramsey’s possession. Though I had forgotten his name, as soon as it left his lips, I remembered it clearly.

Ramsey Callisto.

Under Micah’s guidance, Ramsey was the one who wanted me and had Micah come to my pack to save me from being destroyed. I was weak and vulnerable. My wolf was out of control and was a danger to everyone around. Micah, like an angel, came in and swooped me up. He rushed to get me away from the pack before anything could happen to me or a sentence was issued.

That was about twenty years ago. After that moment, they used me for their benefit. Of course, I never saw Ramsey. Only Micah.

And then he took over and made the council. All was history and I was able to disappear.

I thought it was over. Thought I was getting a second chance to where I could track my mate and have peace because I had taken care of all the issues. Now, I understand if I had all of my memories to begin with, then I would have realized sooner who was behind everything and the connections to the past.

Ramsey is conniving, but that is mostly because of how ancient he is. He knows the ins and outs of the wolf packs, thanks to our weak leadership the council provides and those who came before them.

Now, it’s going to be open season. I thought I escaped my past, but now it’s back to bite me in the tail.

We can’t let ourselves lose control of the feral side. He will just use us again.

A soft chuckle escapes me. Ramsey will direct me to kill and maim all over again. This time, it will be by his words and not through the puppets he used, like Micah.

I move across the arena as far as I can go, dragging the chains that hold me to the floor with me. They only allow me to move a few feet before I’m at the end of them. “I hate this more than anything.”

It reminds me of all the times I was held against my will, but of course, I was feral. After having to kill for Ramsey and allowing that side to take over, I was nothing but a beast. My mind didn’t work right, and I didn’t care who I attacked. At least, that’s how it worked in other lives.

That is why they put me in the cells.

Of course, that didn’t save all of them. There were a few of them I managed to get a hold of and nearly rip them apart, limb from limb.

A soft smile spreads across my face as I think about all the things Micah had to cover up just because they kept a feral wolf in cells just like this. It makes me wonder if it’s the same place they took me to as a boy, though it’s a little fuzzy.

Once my work was supposedly done, they released me, but I have always had someone watching me. They wanted to make sure I stayed under their thumb and wouldn’t spill all their secrets, even though I never noticed.

Being a feral, I know the penalty is death. So, obviously, I have kept my true nature hidden all these years. I didn’t want to die then, and I definitely don’t want to now. Now that I have Valeria as my mate, I want to make sure we can stay together until death.

The chains rattle again, pulling me from my thoughts, as I settle against the nearest wall.

I notice a vampire watching me in the corner. “What do you want? Did Ramsey send you?”

The vampire never moves, but continues to stare. He’s lean and about six feet tall. His eyes are boring holes through me as he watches me. Finally, they narrow as he studies me harder.

“So, you are the wolf they call the mad dog. To say I’m not impressed is an understatement. I expected a killer, someone completely lost to their wolf and lunging for the next kill. You are a disgrace.”

I laugh to myself as I think about how I am when I’m feral. It takes great strength to keep that at bay. “You don’t want to see me when I’m like that. Trust me when I say, it takes a monster to hold back a monster.”

“A monster, you say?” He pushes off the far wall and comes to take a closer look. “I don’t see a monster in front of me. I see a pathetic wolf who is on our arena floor in chains. There’s nothing impressive about you. You’re nothing.”

“Come a little closer,” I tease. “Find out why they call me a mad dog.”

He finally looks into my eyes and stops. “Ah, so there is the red eyed beast. I still don’t think you are who they say you are. Anyone can be feral, but not everyone can be the mad dog I’ve heard rumors about. I never got to meet him in his past life, but I heard he was fierce, gruesome, and bloody.”

“If you’ve heard the rumors, then you wouldn’t have crossed that line.”

The vampire looks down, noticing the line that shows where my chains allow me to move. Before he can escape, I lunge and land on his back, shifting midair. His screams die in his throat as I rip his head free of his shoulders. Blood gushes everywhere, splattering me in the face.

Though the chains still bind my legs, I feel free for that moment. I look down at his body, panting and licking my chops as the blood flows freely from his neck and down his body.

Stupid vampire. You shouldn’t have come into my domain.

I look around, noting how all the doors open and the vampires come flooding in. Of course, there won’t just be one watching me. They have cameras and as soon as I ripped this one’s head from his shoulders, everyone came running.

I take a step back from the body and allow the shift to take over. “You should have warned him not to step into my domain. It was stupid on his part.”

One vampire comes to the side of the line and looks at me. “I’m reaching into your pit, monster. Let me pull him out.”

“Go ahead. Pull him out, but watch your arms. I bite,” I say, a sinister smile spreading across my face.

Oh, it feels good to be free.

After they fetch the body from my small arena, I remain slumped against the cold, damp wall, watching silently as they drag the vampire away. The lifeless body leaves a trail of dark crimson streaks across the stone floor, smearing through the dirt and grime that never seems to wash clean. The iron door creaks as it swings open, then slams shut behind them with a finality that echoes through the chamber like a warning bell.

Their footsteps fade slowly into the distance, the sound bouncing off the stone walls before silence swallows everything whole.

I don't move.

The metallic tang of blood still lingers in the air, mixing with the musk of sweat and fear that clings to every surface of this cell. The scent coats my throat, making each breath feel thick, like I’m inhaling the weight of my choices. A faint drip of water from somewhere above provides the only sign that time still passes, but there’s no clock, no daylight, nothing to measure the hours slipping by.

For what feels like an eternity, I sit like that with my knees pulled tight to my chest, my arms wrapped around them, and my back pressed to the rough stone wall. Each heartbeat thumps loudly in my ears, counting time like a slow.