Chapter 17 Trust me
RHENA'S POV
"Leave me alone", l screamed out as soon as the bodyguards held up my hands. "Take her to the whorehouse", I heard Jaden groan out. "Fuck you son of a bitch", l shouted as the guards dragged me towards the hallways. Just like a criminal, they dragged me mercilessly then threw me into a dark room.
The heavy door shut behind me with a resounding thud, and I was once again swallowed by the cold, sterile corridors of this hellish place. The walls made of dark stone that seemed to drink in every flicker of light reflected nothing but shadows, making the narrow hallways feel like endless tunnels stretching into darkness. The air smelled faintly metallic, tainted with the scent of old blood and something more ancient, a quiet reminder that I was the only human here fragile, warm-blooded, and utterly out of place.
The guards didn’t say a word as they led me back to my room. Their eyes glimmered faintly in the dim light, pupils glowing with that feral, animal gleam, their pale skin stretched taut over muscle and sinew. The silence between us was suffocating, thick with unspoken threats and the quiet hum of predatory patience. I tried not to meet their eyes, knowing full well that even a glance could invite trouble. Instead, I kept my gaze fixed ahead, my heart pounding beneath my thin shirt, my human pulse a rapid reminder of how vulnerable I was in this world of werewolves.
What did Jaden want from me? The offer of comfort and luxury was a trap, I knew that deep down. Werewolves didn’t deal in kindness, only control. His promise was a carefully spun web, designed to break me without a single violent move. But the way he had spoken calm, controlled, with that unsettling hint of curiosity buried beneath his words made me wonder if there was something more behind it. Something calculated. I couldn’t let my guard down, not even for a second. My human skin itched in the cool air, the faint warmth of life a stark contrast to the coldness surrounding me.
When we reached my room, the guards shoved me inside, their strength effortless and unnerving, like they were barely exerting themselves. I stumbled forward, barely catching myself against the doorframe, my fingers scraping the rough wood. They didn’t even lock it behind them. I was left alone again, and the silence in the room felt like a weight pressing down on me, thicker than the walls themselves. My breath echoed off the stone, uneven and shaky, a reminder of my fragility in a place where they were all immortal predators.
I paced the small space, the worn floorboards creaking beneath my bare feet. My mind raced, trying to process everything that had happened, trying to hold onto the pieces of myself that Jaden wanted to shred. He wasn’t just some powerful Alpha, commanding and controlling; he had an intensity to him that I hadn’t seen in anyone else here. His eyes, dark and endless like bottomless pools had an edge, an almost dangerous allure, like he was trying to draw me in with the promise of an easy life if I just gave in. But giving in was never an option. I was flesh and blood, beating and bleeding, while they were shadows and silence, hunger and eternity.
I walked over to the bed and sat down, pulling my knees to my chest. My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my skin as I bit back the tears that threatened to spill. This was my life now. But I wouldn’t let it define me. Not if I could help it. My warmth, my heartbeat, it was everything they lacked, everything Jaden both coveted and despised.
A sharp knock on the door broke my thoughts like a shard of glass. I stood up quickly, my heart pounding so loudly it felt like it would burst from my chest. I wasn’t ready for another encounter, but I knew I couldn’t avoid it.
“Who is it?” I called, my voice hoarse but steady, the dryness in my throat betraying my nerves.
“It’s me, Jane,” came the response from the other side. The voice was softer than the guards’, but still coated with that cold, distant edge only someone who had been here a long time could carry.
I hesitated for a moment before walking to the door. I hadn’t expected to hear from her again. With a slow breath, I opened the door, and there stood Jane, her hair a wild mess, strands falling across her pale face like dark tendrils. Her clothes hung loose and wrinkled, the color drained as if she’d been living in shadows for years. Her eyes were clouded with something I couldn’t quite place something heavier than exhaustion, more permanent than fear.
“Can I come in?” she asked softly, her gaze flickering nervously behind her, like she was afraid someone or something might be watching.
I stepped aside to let her in, my own wariness keeping me on edge. As soon as she entered, she closed the door behind her and locked it with a deliberate click that echoed in the small room.
“What’s going on?” I asked, eyeing her suspiciously, my fingers tightening around the doorframe.
Jane gave me a long, hard look before she spoke. “You’re not the first to try and escape, you know,” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper but laced with bitter knowledge. “I’ve seen it happen before. Every girl thinks they can outrun Alpha Jaden.” She paused, then added, “But no one ever does.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, the weight of her words sinking in. “I’m not giving up,” I said firmly, voice steady despite the tremor inside. “I’ll get out of here. I won’t stay in this nightmare.”
Jane’s eyes softened slightly, but there was still something unreadable in her gaze, an ancient weariness I couldn’t yet understand. She looked toward the window, her face shadowed in the pale moonlight filtering through the grime-covered glass. “I don’t blame you,” she muttered. “I didn’t think I’d give in either. But it’s hard, you know? So damn hard. You don’t get to make the rules here. Not anymore.”
Her voice broke slightly, and I saw the cracks in her facade, the weariness she tried so hard to hide. “But I’m not here to break you, not like Alpha Jaden will try to. I’ve been here longer than you. I know what he wants, and I know how to survive.”
I frowned, stepping closer to her, the warmth radiating from my skin almost alien in the chill of the room. “What do you mean?”
Jane hesitated, her eyes darting toward the door before she lowered her voice even further. “I’m offering you something, something that can help you.”
My pulse quickened, unsure whether I should trust her. I was flesh and blood among creatures that could snap my neck without effort, and that made every decision a gamble. “What’s the catch?” I asked cautiously.
She looked back at me, her face hardening slightly, eyes glinting like sharpened knives in the half-light. “No catch. Just... just trust me. Alpha Jaden isn’t the only one in charge here. There are others. People who can help you. But you have to play their game, at least for a while.”
I shook my head, the anger rising in me like fire. “I’m not playing anyone’s game,” I snapped. “I’ll make my own way out. I don’t need anyone’s help.”
Jane's expression softened with pity. “I know. I thought the same thing. But you’re going to need allies. You can’t do this on your own. Not here.” She stepped closer, lowering her voice to almost a whisper. “Trust me. There are people who want to see Alpha Jaden fall. They’re not all loyal to him. And since you're his mate, his weakness, if you play your cards right, you can turn it all around. He won't be able to rule without a Luna.”
I stared at her, trying to read her. Her desperation was palpable, but there was something else, something that made me want to believe her, despite every instinct screaming to stay far away from anything that smelled like a trap.
“I’ll think about it,” I said after a long pause, voice barely more than a breath.
Jane nodded, her eyes holding a mixture of relief and sadness. “That’s all I ask. But time is running out. Don’t wait too long to decide.” She turned toward the door, then glanced back at me. “One last thing. Don’t trust Jaden. He’ll break you. And when he does, there’s no coming back.”
"Where is the bathroom? I want to shower," I changed the topic, the human need for cleanliness a small comfort in this nightmare.
"You will tomorrow," she replied simply.
With that, she left, her footsteps fading down the hall, the echo a hollow reminder that I was still utterly alone.
I stood there, frozen in the silence that followed, the weight of her words pressing heavily on my chest. My pulse thrummed in my ears, raw and alive, the fragile beat of a human heart surrounded by cold immortals. I didn’t want to trust anyone, but Jane had been here longer than me. She knew the ins and outs of this place. And despite my better judgment, a part of me knew she was right surviving here might take more than just sheer will. It might take more than I was capable of on my own.
I had to decide trust Jane, or keep pushing forward alone. Either way, one thing was certain: I couldn’t keep running forever.