Chapter 151
Drake's POV
The silver cuffs burned. My wrists felt like they were on fire. I tried to pull against them but the pain shot up my arms. My wolf was gone. Ragnar was silent. Empty.
I couldn't feel him anymore.
The room smelled like blood and fear. My blood. My fear. Everything hurt. My shoulder throbbed where that bastard stabbed me. My face felt swollen. One eye wouldn't open all the way.
Alaric had done that. Punched me so hard I saw stars.
I could barely see through the swelling. Everything was blurry. Shapes moving around me. Voices echoing.
Then I heard it.
That voice.
Deep. Wrong. Like nails on a chalkboard mixed with honey.
"Hello, little wolves."
The temperature dropped. I felt it in my bones. Cold. So cold.
Everyone froze.
I tried to warn them. My lips were split and swollen but I forced the words out. "Don't... listen... to him."
My voice came out garbled. Broken.
"How did you get in here?" That was Alaric. Cold. Controlled.
The voice laughed. It felt like spiders crawling on my skin.
Then he appeared.
One second the corner was empty. The next, he was there.
A man. No. Not a man. Something else wearing a man's face.
Brown hair. Gray eyes. Average looking. The kind of face you'd forget.
But those eyes. They shifted. Red to gray. Gray to red.
"Fuck," I thought. "We're dead."
I couldn't see him clearly through my swollen eyes. But I could smell him.
Metal. Incense. Blood.
Death.
My other senses kicked into overdrive. Without my sight, everything else got sharper. Stronger.
I smelled the rot coming off him. The decay. Like something ancient and wrong.
"I can help," the voice said. Amused. Like this was all a game.
"You've helped enough!" Cassian's voice. Sharp. Angry.
I heard footsteps. Someone moving closer.
"Now, now," the voice purred. "If I wanted your brother dead, he'd be dead already."
Silence.
Then Cassian spoke again. Different tone. Careful. "What do you want?"
"Let's skip the posturing, shall we?" The voice moved. Circling. "The Moon Goddess made a deal. Tied it to bloodlines. Very specific bloodlines."
"What deal?" I thought. "What the fuck is he talking about?"
"The twins' father and Elowen's... cousin." He laughed. "Well. That's what you thought, wasn't it?"
My mind raced. "Is Alpha Austin alive? What does he mean?"
The voice whispered in my head. Just mine. Private.
"Scared, little pup?"
I wanted to scream. Wanted to run. But I couldn't move.
"What did you do, Cassian?" Alaric demanded.
"The sacrifice needs Cassian's blood," the demon explained. "Or Elowen's blood. But here's the fun part."
He paused. Dramatic.
"Jessica isn't Elowen's real mother. And Drake here?" Another laugh. "No royal blood. Can't substitute for the bond, idiots."
A smile tugged at my lips despite the pain. "Good. Let them suffer."
"How do you know this?" Kade's voice. Calm. Too calm.
"I can smell the magic woven into her," the demon said. "Attached to her skin like perfume."
"Is there a loophole?" Kade pressed.
"Oh, you haven't figured it out yet?" The demon sounded delighted.
Then he was in my head again. Private conversation.
"I can give you back your wolf. You'll heal. Be strong again."
Hope flared in my chest. "Yes. With Ragnar back, I can fight. I can take those Alphas when they're without their wolves."
"What's the price?" I thought.
"Over the next few months, I'll need favors. Whatever I ask, you do it."
"Done."
"Good boy."
His laugh echoed in my skull. Cold. Cruel.
Then I felt it.
Warmth spreading through my body. Starting in my chest. Moving outward.
Ragnar.
"Drake?"
His voice. Weak but there.
"You're back," I thought. Relief flooded me.
I wanted to shout. To let everyone know. But something stopped me.
"Wait. Don't show them. Not yet."
I kept my face slack. Broken. Beaten.
Ragnar worked slowly. Healing me from the inside. The swelling in my face went down. My ribs popped back into place without a sound.
I could breathe properly again.
"Impossible!" Cassian's voice cut through my thoughts.
"You have your wolf," Kade said. Calm. Calculating. "Let us make our own choices."
"Wait. He offered them the same deal?"
The demon laughed. "Did you think you were special, princess?"
"Fuck. Of course not."
"What do you want?" Kade asked again.
"They know what I want." The demon's voice went cold. "Her. Or a piece of her heart."
He pointed.
I couldn't see who. But I heard the movement. Fast. Violent.
Casper and Cassian attacking.
"Fools!" The demon's voice boomed. "You cannot fight fate!"
Then silence.
He was gone.
Just... gone.
The room felt empty. Wrong.
My heart pounded. Fear crawled up my spine.
"Drake."
Ragnar's voice in my head. Stronger now.
"You loved her once, didn't you?"
The corner of my mouth lifted. The cut split open again. Fresh blood.
"Something like that," I thought.
I kept my eyes half-closed. Playing dead. Playing weak.
But inside, I smiled.
I had my wolf back.
And Elowen?
She was going to need protection.
Whether she wanted it or not.