Chapter 82 Loyal Lover
Lyra landed hard on the floor.
The impact knocked the air clean out of her lungs, her body slamming against the stone so painfully she saw stars.
Before she could even gasp, a brutal kick connected with her ribs.
“Ah!” she groaned in horrifying pain as the kick exploded through her side.
She curled instinctively, rolling halfway onto her back, her hands scrambling uselessly against the floor as she struggled to stand.
Her vision was blurry, and the pain from the poisoned apple hadn’t subsided.
But her ears worked just fine, and she could hear the footsteps marching right in front of her.
“Are you going somewhere?!” the deep voice snapped.
Lyra gasped and slurred helplessly, unable to speak.
“I’ll make sure you regret ever letting vampire blood into your bloodstream!” a male voice snarled. “You abomination!”
She curled tighter on the floor, bracing herself for the next blow.
But it didn’t come.
Instead, fingers tangled painfully in her hair, and Lyra cried out as her scalp burned and she was yanked upward, her body screaming in protest.
Her knees scraped the floor as she was dragged up just enough to be forced to look at him.
A rough hand clamped around her chin, tilting her face up.
“You’ll be the last thing you see before you die,” he snarled.
Her eyes finally focused on him despite the pain and blurriness.
With his sand-brown hair and red beard, recognition hit her even through the haze of the poison.
“Samson,” she slurred.
The word barely left her mouth before her limbs went numb, her vision collapsing into darkness as she fell into his arms.
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When she woke up later, pain was all she felt.
Her ribs burned, her head pounded, and her limbs felt heavy and numb, like they weren’t still attached to her.
She groaned softly and tried to move.
Big mistake.
Agonizing pain shot through her as she attempted to sit up, and she cried out, only for the sound to come out muffled.
Her eyes fluttered open and she blinked slowly, groggily, looking down at where she was.
That’s when she froze.
Her wrists were bound.
A thick rope dug tightly into her skin, wrapped around her arms and the back of a chair. She was tied down completely, her body restrained and entirely immobile.
She tried to scream, but all that came out was a muted, garbled sound, accompanied by a bitter, stale taste flooding her mouth.
Her eyes widened.
Something was stuffed between her lips.
She could feel the rough cloth pressing against her tongue, soaked through with a bitter liquid that made her stomach churn.
Lyra felt intense dread and helplessness crawl up her spine as she lifted her head, blinking rapidly and looking around.
Her heart slammed painfully against her ribs.
Where was she?
She twisted, wriggling in the chair, making muffled grunts as she fought against the ropes. They didn’t budge.
Whoever had tied them knew exactly what they were doing.
“That’s useless,” a voice said calmly from the corner. “You’re tied up pretty tight. You can’t leave this place unless we set you free.”
It was a female voice.
Lyra turned her head sharply toward the sound, only to wince as the movement pulled painfully at her ribs. She strained to see because her vision was still fuzzy.
Soon, the woman stepped into view and folded her arms.
Lyra gasped.
It was the maid. The same woman who had brought her the food tray earlier.
“I had to poison everything, just to make sure,” the maid said casually. “But I heard you like apples very much.”
Lyra let out a furious, muffled sound, thrashing weakly against the chair.
The maid ignored it. She crouched slowly and placed a hand on Lyra’s side.
Lyra flinched violently, crying out into the gag.
“Are you still hurt?” the maid asked, almost gently.
Lyra couldn’t answer.
The woman stood again and walked to the corner, returning with a small glass of water and a plate of crushed herbs. She knelt in front of Lyra once more.
“Here,” she said. “This will help with the pain.”
She reached up and pulled the cloth from Lyra’s mouth.
Lyra sucked in air desperately, coughing hard, her throat burning.
“You betrayed your own pack for him?!” Lyra rasped hoarsely. “A prisoner?!”
The maid shrugged. “I can’t let them just kill him for nothing. He was hurt.”
“No one was going to kill him,” Lyra snapped, her voice shaking with anger and pain. “Ryker wanted him to feel remorse. He would have let him go. But now, after almost killing Rex and poisoning two guards, I don’t think he’s safe anymore. If Ryker doesn’t kill him, Dax certainly will.”
The maid’s lips pressed together. “Well, we can’t let that happen.”
“You’re part of this pack,” Lyra said desperately. “Don’t let Samson use you. He’s a foul man.”
“You can’t judge him when you don’t know him,” the maid shot back.
“I know he’s using you because he can’t do this himself!”
“Shut up!” the girl snapped. “You’re the cause of all this! You shouldn’t have returned after turning into a half-breed!”
Lyra recoiled at the words like she’d been slapped.
“I didn’t choose any of this,” she whispered.
For a moment, the maid looked at her sympathetically, then she snorted.
“It doesn’t matter now,” she said coldly. “You have to pay for it all.”
She lifted the glass again. “Drink this. It’ll help with the pain.”
Lyra shook her head violently. “No. You poisoned me once. I won’t let you do it again.”
“It’s not poisoned,” the maid insisted.
“I said no!”
“Fine!” she snapped, hurling the glass to the floor. It shattered loudly against the stone. “Have it your way!”
Lyra swallowed painfully. “What did he promise you?” she asked quietly. “What did he give you to betray your own pack?”
The maid opened her mouth, but before she could reply, loud footsteps echoed outside the cell.
The door creaked open and Samson entered.
“Well, hello, little whore,” Samson sneered as he stepped inside.
Lyra’s blood ran cold.
He crossed the room in long strides and shoved the gag back into her mouth before she could speak.
“You didn’t have to talk with this abomination,” he growled. “She doesn’t deserve any pity, Tracy.”
Tracy.
That was her name.
“She just needed water,” Tracy said defensively.
“She doesn’t deserve anything but pain, darling,” Samson grunted.
Then he smiled as he grabbed Tracy and kissed her roughly.
Lyra’s stomach twisted as realization hit her.
They were lovers.
That was why she was helping him. It was not about money.
Samson turned back to Lyra, smiling cruelly.
“You’re in the prison,” he said smugly. “No one will think to look for you here. They’re all searching outside the pack, thinking I abducted you. They’re even accusing a few guards of being accomplices.”
He laughed loudly.
Lyra struggled against the ropes as Samson crouched in front of her.
“Don’t worry,” he said softly. “When I’m done with you, I’ll keep your body where they can give you a befitting burial, Luna.”
He spat on the floor and turned away.