Chapter 129 Chapter 129
Chapter 129 Chapter 129
The shock didn’t fade or soften. It didn’t make sense to me. It just sat inside my chest like shattered glass, cutting deeper every time I breathed.
Damian.
Of all people. Damian stood in front of me not as the playful warrior who teased me in the gardens. Not as the friend who made me laugh when the pack still felt foreign. Not as the man who once looked at me like I was something worth protecting but as my captor. I knew this last few weeks, we’ve not been the best of friends but I never expected him to do this.
My throat tightened. My heartbeat grew erratic. The betrayal wrapped around my ribs so tightly it hurt to breathe.
Elara watched us with quiet amusement before turning toward Damian. She stepped close and tapped his shoulder like they were allies sharing a private joke.
“I’ll leave both of you to talk and catch up” she said lightly.
Her voice carried mock kindness that made my stomach churn. She turned toward the door laughing. Damian’s voice followed her immediately.
“Elara”
The sound of her name on his lips felt like another betrayal. She paused but didn’t turn fully, only glancing over her shoulder. A silent exchange passed between them. It was something I couldn’t understand and that made dread settle deeper into my bones.
Then she left. The door shut behind her with a soft click that sounded far louder than it should have. Suddenly it was just the two of us. Damian and I.
Silence stretched, heavy and uncomfortable. It was just as if we were both waiting for each other to talk first. Damian took a step closer.
“Ailsa” he said softly, breaking the silence.
I stared at him. My mind refused to reconcile the image before me with the person I thought I knew.
“Damian”
His name left my lips like a wound reopening. It caused an ache in my chest that someone I called a friend could do this. He crouched slightly, studying my face.
“You look fine” that was the most sarcastic thing I had heard. A laugh escaped me. A broken and bitter laugh. How could I look good in this situation.
“Are you joking right now?” I snapped and I saw him flinch slightly.
“I’m just trying to make the mood lighter” I scoffed.
“Forgive me if I’m not in the mood for your jokes. I’m bound after all”
“It’s not what you are thinking” he said quickly and I flared up.
“And what am I thinking? Since you’re an expert in feelings” my voice trembled, but fury pushed through the fear.
“I wake up tied in some unknown place and the first person I see is Elara and then I find out you are working with her. What am I supposed to think? I thought we were friends” my chest tightened.
He said nothing and only clenched his jaw.
“I did this to save you”
The words felt absurd.
“Save me?” I repeated. “Save me from what?”
“From everything” he said. My gaze hardened.
“The only person I need saving from is you and your partner. Who even told you that I need saving?”
Pain flickered in his eyes and I thought he sympathized with me but it didn’t last. His expression changed to something I couldn’t recognize.
“Are you doing this because I rejected you?” I asked.
The question hung in the air but he offered no answer. .
“Is that why you did this?” I pressed and he still didn’t answer but his silence said everything.
I had wounded his pride and that was why he did this. My wolf stirred inside me.
‘Careful. Don’t anger him’ she warned.
But anger was all I had left. When I looked him I had nothing else to give but the fury in my blood.
“It’s not what you’re thinking” Damian said again, his voice strained.
“I had to do this so you wouldn’t be killed” A hollow laugh escaped me.
“You tied me up to save me? How does that even make sense to you?”he came closer again.
“We’ll run away from here together. We’ll start a new life somewhere else” he said.
I stared at him trying to understand how someone could be this detached from reality. How he could be this delusional.
“You’ve lost your mind, Damian” I whispered.
“I would rather die than go anywhere with you”
The words hit him hard because his expression shifted instantly. All trace of gentleness on his face vanished and his expression turned cold. He grabbed my arms roughly. Pain shot through my shoulders as the ropes tightened against my skin.
“You are at my mercy. You should be pleading for me to save you rather than speaking like you are the goddess” he growled.
My fear spiked coupled with the pain from his grasp but my pride burned stronger.
“I could kill you” he continued, his grip tightening.
“And nothing would happen. No one would ever find out” I swallowed. My heart pounded violently but I forced my voice to stay steady.
“You can’t kill me. Elara wouldn’t be too happy about that right? After all she’s your superior” I said quietly. His grip faltered. I knew I had gotten o him.
“How would she achieve her aim without me? If you kill me all her dreams would die”
For a brief second, I saw uncertainty flicker in his eyes.
“She is not my superior!!” He growled.
“You make me sick” I continued. The words slipped out before I could stop them.
‘You’re threading on a dangerous line’ my wolf warned again
“I wish I had never met you. I curse the day I met you”
I didn’t expect the slap on my face, it came fast and sharp. It made my head snap to the side. Pain exploded across my cheek. A metallic taste filled my mouth as my teeth cut into my lip.
Blood.
The room spun and my ears rang. Tears blurred my vision. I had never been hit like this in my life.
But even through the pain, I refused to give him the satisfaction of silence.
“You think hitting me changes anything?” I whispered, my voice trembling.
“It doesn’t change the fact that you’re worthless and I would never follow you” His hand grabbed my chin roughly, forcing me to face him. Pain shot through my jaw.
“You’ll regret this. I promise you” he said darkly.
“I’ve been pitying you but you don’t deserve my pity”His voice hardened.
Fear gripped me because the softness he entered here with was gone. What remained was far more dangerous. I feared for my life and what he might do to me.
“Make up your mind, Ailsa” he continued.
“Are you coming with me or are you willing to risk dying?”
I stayed silent, still nursing the pain in my jaw. I thought of what to say but there was nothing to say. Damian stared at me for a long moment, waiting and searching my face.
“I’ll be back soon to get my answer. So think carefully. I’ll bring something for you to eat then”
Something cold settled in his eyes and without another word, he straightened and walked out.
The door shut, the sound echoed like finality.
Suddenly, the strength I had been clinging to collapsed. My tears spilled freely. Sobs tore from my chest. They were uncontrolled and broken. I couldn’t hold back because the betrayal hurts more than captivity. I was also scared of being alone.
“I don’t deserve this” I whispered. My voice cracked.
“I don’t deserve any of this”
My wolf stirred again.
‘We are stronger than this’ she said softly.
But even she sounded tired. I was scared to believe that we were stronger than this. How could we be strong when we couldn’t even get this ropes out?
Tears soaked my cheeks and my lip throbbed. My wrists burned from trying so hard. My heart was shattered and I didn’t even know what to do.
All I could think about was Lucian. I wondered if he was he looking for me? Has he realized that I was gone? Would he think I ran away? Did he feel my pain through the bond? Was he still angry at me?
I asked myself all these questions but I couldn’t get an answer but I knew Lucian would not allow me to get hurt.
“I don’t want to die” I whispered.
The admission was raw. I didn’t want my story to end in a dark room tied to a chair. I didn’t want my last memories to be betrayal and fear. I didn’t want to die without telling Lucian how sorry I was and how much I loved him.
A sob escaped and I closed my eyes. I prayed. I prayed for rescue and hope.
“I hoped Lucian would come for me” I whispered.
My voice barely audible.
“I hope Lucian is looking for me”
I felt a throb in the bond and my hope refused to die because I knew Lucian was coming for me.