Chapter 83
Chapter 83
Rayan POV
I tried to open my eyes, and I could hear a voice talking to me, listening to the people in the room as I tried to remember what had happened. Forcing my eyes open, Josie hovered above me. She seemed frantic when it all came back to me. What Beryl had done and my arm burned. I blinked slowly. My entire body felt heavy, and I could hear crying, making my eyes look down when I felt movement on my chest. I tried to move my arm, but Josie held it in the air.
"You bloody bitch! He could have bled to death," Josie snarled.
"Shame he didn't. Would save me having to deal with this mate bond drama," Beryl said somewhere around me. My hand moved, and I tried to feel for my brother. Josie gripped my other hand, placing it on my chest, and I felt Ryden wiggle under my hand and let out a shaky breath.
"He is right there. He is safe," Josie whispered, and I turned my head. My vision blurred when suddenly the door opened.
"Finally, what took you so long?" Beryl snapped. A girl younger than me with her hair in pigtails walked in, holding a man's hand. She looked around the room before looking up at the man.
"Daddy, why are we here? You said I could see mommy," she said.
"Not now, Emily. Soon. We have things to do first. Go sit over there," he said, pointing to a crate off to the side.
He led the girl over to the crate, and as he stepped closer, I got a better look at him and realized it was Alpha Jamie. The girl must be his daughter, the one Beryl was talking about.
"No, bring her here, hurry, hurry," Beryl said while waving the girl forward. Alpha Jamie waved the girl to come to him, and she glanced at her father before hesitating.
"Emily, now!" he snapped at her making her feet move faster. She chewed on her thumb, a rabbit teddy bear tucked under her arm. Beryl moved toward her, and she took a step back, only for her father to grip her shoulders.
"Give me your hand, child," Beryl said, reaching for her hand, but she clutched it to her chest. Beryl sneered at the girl before grabbing her toy rabbit and tossing it toward where I lay.
"You won't be needing that," she snapped, reaching for the girl's hand, her dagger clutched in her other. She started to struggle, and her father gripped her elbow.
"Daddy, no!" she screamed, and I looked away, unable to watch, but her scream and crying told me all I needed to know. Looking up, Josie was also looking away, her face pale.
"It's just a scratch. Quit your crying!" Alpha Jamie snapped at his daughter, and I bit back a growl that threatened to tear out me. My arm was suddenly healing, and Josie gasped before letting my arm go. I clutched my brother, shocked at my ability to heal. I had no wolf; it shouldn't be possible yet.
Sitting up, Josie helped me, and I clutched my brother to my chest, leaning against the wall. I felt woozy, and my vision still blurred. Turning my head, the girl was watching me, clutching her hand that was dripping blood. Her teddy was next to my leg. I reached for it, wanting her to stop crying. Meanwhile, Jamie and Beryl spoke above the cauldron, looking into its contents.
"You did good, Josie," Alpha Jamie acknowledged before nodding to her. "Now, bring the boy here." He waved to her. I shook off her reaching hands, and Alpha Jamie growled.
"Willingly, Rayan, or I kill your brother," he said, and his eyes dropped to Ryden in my arms. I clutched him tighter and let Josie pull me up while one of Jamie's men brought a chair into the room.
He placed it in the center, and Alpha Jamie looked at his daughter before nodding to her.
"Emily, come," he said, waving her forward. She hesitantly got up, a sob escaping her. I moved toward them, and Josie held her hands out for Ryden, and I looked at her.
"I won't let them hurt him," she whispered, and I glanced at Alpha Jamie, who was glaring at his daughter. I passed Ryden to Josie before bending down and picking up the girl's bear. I glared at Beryl as I walked to the center of the room and stopped by the chair. Jamie dragged his daughter as she thrashed, not wanting to come closer.
He forced her to stand in front of me, and Beryl grabbed a goblet, dipping it in the cauldron before grabbing a ribbon and tugging it from her long unruly hair. She immersed the ribbon in the bubbling brew before handing it to Alpha Jamie. He pinched it between two fingers, holding it away from himself.
"That's it?" he asked her.
"No, you idiot," Beryl snapped at him, and he growled at her, but she ignored him before walking toward us. I held the teddy out to Emily, who snatched it with wide eyes and clutched it. Tears trekked down her face, and she looked no older than four or five.
Suddenly the goblet was thrust toward her, and she jumped.
"Drink," Beryl said, and Emily shook her head. The smell was vile.
"Drink," Beryl repeated, and the girl sobbed, so I reached over and snatched the goblet from her hand while glaring at Beryl while I gulped some down. I nearly spewed the moment it touched my tongue but held it back, not wanting to scare the girl. It burned as it ran down my throat, the liquid steaming hot.
I choked but forced it to remain down. Beryl went to snatch it from me, but I pulled my hand back before blowing on it, trying to cool the scalding liquid down before giving it to Emily. Beryl tapped her foot impatiently, and when it felt tolerable, I let her take it.
She thrust the cup toward her, and she sniffed it before screwing up her face. Josie watched from the sidelines, and Ryden started fussing in her arms, and I saw her go to the baby bag she had and start rummaging through it.
Emily drank the liquid down and spewed it on the ground. Beryl slapped her up the back of the head, and I growled at her. So did Alpha Jamie.
"The rest of it, now, or it won't work," she scolded Emily. She sobbed, clutching her bear tighter before emptying the goblet, and Beryl took it off her before tossing the goblet on the ground. She held her hand out for the ribbon, and Alpha Jamie gave it to her.
"Hands now," Beryl snapped, and I held my hand out, and so did Emily. Beryl placed my hand on top of Emily, and I rubbed my thumb on her hand, trying to stop her from crying. I felt bad for her. I kind of knew what was going on. Emily, however, looked clueless about what her father was doing.
"When can I see mommy? You said I could see her. I can't remember her much."
“After, darling. Soon, really soon," Alpha Jamie said, and she nodded sadly, holding her bear still and looking at me. Beryl wrapped the ribbons around our hands in intricate knots while chanting, the ribbon heating up and melting into my skin. I tried to jerk my hand back, and so did Emily as it burned our flesh.
I gritted my teeth, and Emily screamed. The ribbon melted our flesh away the more she chanted in a foreign tongue when I jerked away, falling on my butt on the floor, and so did Emily. Alpha Jamie caught her and set her on the ground gently. I tried to remove the ribbon to find it dissolved onto my skin like some weird tattoo. My skin burned, and Beryl laughed while clapping her hands.
"That's it?" Alpha Jamie asked.
"Yes, for now. Next, we awake his wolf. Bring me that baby," Beryl snarled, and Josie froze, shielding Ryden away.
"No! Don't touch him!" I snarled.
"No? Do you have any idea how to awaken a wolf, boy?" Beryl laughed. I shook my head, and Jamie looked away from her.
"Pain, or strong emotion. I bet your brother would bring your wolf out."
"Pain, I choose pain," I yelled at her, glancing at my brother in panic. Josie looked at Alpha Jamie.
"He is a baby," Josie said, outraged. Jamie looked conflicted.
"You touch him, and my father will leave nothing of you for your daughter to bury. Not even your carcass for the worms to eat, you pig," I snarled at him.
"He won't have a choice. You forget you are tied to my daughter now. Once you mark her, the only way for you to live is if you have your mate by your side. She is underage, and I have control over whether she sees you or not. I have control, and your father will either lose his other son or obey my commands and stand down as the Alpha King," Jamie said.
"You think that will stop him? Avery will break this spell. Avery will put you down like the dog you are, or my uncles will. Leave my brother alone, or you will be planning your own funeral."
"You may regret choosing that, boy. Your brother's death would be quick. Your pain will be slow."
"I don't care, don't fucking touch him!" My mom would have washed my mouth out for using that word. I suddenly wished for Amanda back. She would eat him alive and enjoy his screams for mercy.
"Very well then, let's see how long you last," Beryl said, and Alpha Jamie whistled loudly. Two men came in and gripped my arms before tying me to the chair. Wolfsbane burned my arms, and I barely had time to catch my breath when I suddenly couldn't breathe.
My head felt like it was exploding as immense pressure filled my skull. I screamed, the sound deafening as I thrashed. My head felt on the verge of exploding, and Beryl laughed with her hand outstretched toward me. She twisted her wrist, and the pain got worse. And I screamed through the link hoping someone could hear me, praying someone would save me or at least save Ryden and Emily.