176

176


"Thalassa."

A cautious voice called my name, dragging me back to the surface of consciousness.

Waking up was agony. Pain struck before I even had the strength to open my eyes, flooding every nerve in my body like fire coursing through my veins. A silent scream twisted my lips, but no sound escaped. My senses were dulled, leaving me with nothing but the unbearable burn.

"Silver is still in your blood. Try not to move—it will hurt less that way," a low voice advised.

As my awareness sharpened, I realized I was lying on a bed. My wrists were bound in shackles, chains stretching from either side of the mattress, and a cold metallic collar encircled my neck. The voice had been right—remaining still kept the pain at bay. But I needed answers. Slowly, I turned my head toward the speaker and met Leif’s gaze.

My expression hardened instantly. "Traitor," I muttered.

He offered a wry smile. "I just decided I was meant for more than being a driver and a pushover."

"Where am I?" I hissed.

"Master's… guest room," he replied, amusement flickering in his tone.

I scanned my surroundings. The windowless room contained only a bed, a small table, and a single chair.

"Looks more like a dungeon," I remarked.

Leif smirked. "I can take the chains off—if you promise to behave."

I nodded, though my mind was already racing. I needed to understand my situation before plotting my escape, but that didn't mean I’d forgotten my desire to tear him apart. He leaned forward, reaching for the first chain, and I watched him with cold calculation, my fingers itching to claw into the pulse at his throat.

Each chain was anchored to an iron ring embedded in the floor, its other end connected to my shackles—crafted from silver. My wrists were raw and bleeding where the metal had seared my skin, and the collar bit into my flesh in the same way. Now that the silver in my bloodstream was weakening, the searing, itching agony of my restraints became almost unbearable.

As Leif unclasped the first shackle, I caught sight of the raw, torn flesh beneath it. I hissed through my teeth but refused to flinch. Leif chuckled, clearly enjoying my pain, but I kept my expression unreadable.

"Good girl," he taunted as he freed my other wrist.

I sat up slowly, flexing my fingers before fixing him with a hard stare. "And the collar?"

"This one stays," he said lightly. "I wouldn't try removing it if I were you. The moment you do, silver spikes will shoot inward and pierce that pretty neck of yours."

His casual tone made my blood boil. He was mocking me, reveling in my powerlessness. His gaze roved over me, lingering in places that made my stomach churn. Only then did I notice the state of my dress—its wine-red fabric had been torn, exposing most of my thigh, while another rip at the neckline bared my cleavage down to my bra. He licked his lips.

I smirked coldly. Now I could see him for what he truly was.

Gathering the shredded fabric to cover myself as best I could, I forced my mind to work. My strength was returning. The wounds on my wrists were already closing, the pain fading. But I couldn't let him see that. If they thought I was still weak, they'd drop their guard—and that would be my advantage. I just needed to wait for the right moment.

Escaping wouldn’t be easy. Two cameras in the corners of the ceiling monitored my every move, with speaker-like boxes beneath them. Someone was watching. My only exit was a reinforced steel door, likely locked from the outside, making things even more difficult. And then there was the collar—a death trap waiting to be triggered. With my strength fully restored, I might be able to rip it off in one swift move, but if I miscalculated… those spikes would be the end of me.

Leif smirked. "Don’t try anything reckless, Thalassa. My Master doesn’t want to hurt you—but push him, and he might change his mind."

"Who is your master?" I demanded. If I was stuck here for now, I might as well get some answers.

Leif dragged the chair closer and sat down. "He will soon be King."

I narrowed my eyes. "King of what?"

He smiled, slow and confident. "Of every race in the world."

A scoff left my lips. "Ambitious. Delusional, but ambitious."

Leif leaned forward, his grin widening. "Not at all. And it’s all because of you."

Something in his voice sent a chill through me. He was too sure of himself, too smug. A dark unease coiled in my stomach as my heartbeat quickened.

He leaned back leisurely, watching me. "Think about it, Thalassa. There’s no King of Wolves anymore, and that's because of you. You were the reason Alpha Kenzo and Hadrian Kessler fought. You made it clear to everyone: to rule all races, all you have to do is defeat the victor of that fight… King Hadrian."

My fists clenched. "And you think taking down Hadrian will be easy?"

Leif chuckled. "My Master is stronger than a mere vampire."

"Besides, he’ll be fighting the vampire on his own terms, in his own territory. There’s no way he can lose," Leif said with unwavering confidence.

"Hadrian would never be reckless enough to walk into your master’s hands. Why would he ever…" My words trailed off as a cold realization sent a shiver down my spine.

Leif watched my expression darken, then burst into laughter. "Ah, you finally get it, don’t you?"

"I'm the bait..." I murmured in horror.

"You are the reason Hadrian Kessler is going to accept my Master's conditions. He’ll come here alone, believing he can save you!" Leif's laughter grew uncontrollable, his amusement so raw he nearly toppled from his chair.

Rage simmered beneath my skin. I still didn’t know who EH truly was, but I knew he was ruthless—merciless even. Yet, he had called me his sister. He had warned me, almost as if he wanted me to escape. Could it really be that I was just a pawn in his game to lure Hadrian? If my instincts were right, then he had no intention of killing me… at least, not yet. It was a dangerous gamble, but one thing was certain: I despised the idea of Hadrian walking willingly into EH’s trap because of me.

"So, does it bother you at all, serving a monster?" I asked, my tone laced with contempt.

Leif smirked. "I’d rather serve a man capable of conquering the world than one too afraid to take what he wants while still pretending to be superior." He leaned back, scratching his head casually.

I clenched my jaw but forced myself to take a steady breath. "Do you really hate Kenzo that much? Even after he gave you a home and a purpose?"

Leif’s expression darkened. "I was stronger than Alistair and Ronan, but he never gave me the rank I deserved. He treated me like nothing more than a servant."

"Oh, poor you," I mocked, swinging my bare legs over the edge of the bed.

His gaze immediately snapped downward, locking onto my exposed thighs.

Just as I wanted.

Leif was so utterly fixated that he didn’t notice the tension coiling in my muscles, the calculated shift of my hips—a subtle move designed to hold his attention.

"For now, I’ve been enjoying working for this monster," he admitted, his eyes still drinking in every inch of my legs. I tilted my hips just enough to bait him further, and he took it.

"Even if it means killing your own friends?" I asked evenly.

He leaned forward, biting his lip. "I don’t regret putting down a few useless wolves. Or that pathetic little vampire spy who tried to follow me. Not if it means I get to see you like this—hot, helpless…"

Fury flared inside me, burning through my veins. The disgust was visceral, uncontrollable. My lips curled, and before I could stop myself, the words hissed from my mouth.

"You disgust me."

But he was too lost in his fantasy to notice my hands moving with purpose. My fingers wrapped around the silver collar, and with one swift, decisive motion, I ripped it from my neck and hurled it to the floor.

The moment it left my skin, the embedded spikes fired—but they were too slow. My enhanced speed had saved me. I exhaled sharply, feeling the rush of freedom settle into my bones.

The first step of my escape was complete. Now, only one obstacle remained.

Leif.

My claws extended in an instant—sharp, glistening like polished blades. I lashed out, slashing across his chest. He gasped in shock, stumbling backward as pain ripped through him. His scream barely left his lips before I lunged, slamming him to the floor with bone-crushing force.

"Who's powerless now?" I sneered, pinning him beneath me as he writhed in agony.

He roared, thrashing, but I overpowered him with ease. Even I was surprised by how little effort it took. He was utterly at my mercy, his throat exposed—ready for the final blow.

My fury urged me to end him. He deserved nothing less than a brutal death. My claws twitched, eager to carve through his flesh.

But I hesitated.

Killing him like this—helpless, defeated—felt too merciful. He didn't deserve a quick death. If he wanted to fight, then I would give him a real fight.

"Shift," I ordered, my voice low, dangerous.

Leif snarled, but he wasn’t stupid. He seized the opportunity I was offering. In the blink of an eye, a wolf stood where he had been, golden eyes gleaming with rage.

I smirked coldly and rushed forward. He never stood a chance.

I was faster—too fast. My movements blurred, striking with deadly precision. Every time he lunged, I was already gone. My claws tore through his fur, slicing deep into muscle, spilling blood with every strike. He howled, staggering, his attacks growing weaker with each passing second.

Less than a minute later, he collapsed. His broken body twisted back into human form, shaking, breathless. Blood pooled beneath him.

"Please…" he rasped.

I stepped closer, towering over him as his wounds oozed, beyond the point of healing. I had a choice—leave him to suffer a slow, agonizing death or end it quickly.

I looked into his eyes and made my decision.

One clean slash across his throat.

Silence.

"I'm impressed, little sister."

The deep, gravelly voice echoed through the speakers, cutting through the quiet.

"You’ve become quite the ruthless killer," EH snorted, amusement laced in his tone.

My fists clenched. "If you have something to say, come and face me, you bastard!" I roared.

"As you wish."

The microphone clicked off.

Before I could take another breath, the door to my cell burst open with a deafening slam.

I swallowed hard.