Chapter 268

Chapter 268
Mia's POV

The masked leader returned an hour later, clearly expecting me to have changed my mind about cooperating. But I'd spent that time strengthening my resolve, not weakening it.

"Have you reconsidered?" he asked, his distorted voice carrying an edge of impatience.

"Show me proof first," I said coldly. "Then we'll talk about cooperation."

"I've already explained that transporting them would take time-"

"Then I guess we're at an impasse," I interrupted. "Because I'm not doing anything until I see them with my own eyes."

I could feel his frustration building, but I pressed my advantage. "You know what? Maybe you should just kill them. They've done nothing but cause me pain and heartbreak for years. Why should I risk myself to save them?"

The silence that followed was heavy with shock.

"You're bluffing," he said finally.

"Am I?" I laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Xavier, Nathan, Sean, and Rolex - they abandoned me when I was pregnant. They rejected me, humiliated me, made me feel worthless. And now you expect me to sacrifice myself to save them? Why would I do that?"

Please let him believe this act. Please let him think I'm serious.

"You care about them," he insisted. "I've seen the reports, watched the surveillance. You still have feelings for them."

"Feelings?" I scoffed. "Sure, I have feelings. Anger, resentment, the desire for revenge. If you're going to kill them anyway, at least let me watch."

The masked figure studied me for a long moment. "You're either an excellent actress, or you're far more ruthless than I gave you credit for."

"Maybe I'm both."

After another tense silence, he made his decision. "Fine. If you want to see them so badly, I'll take you to them. But this better not be some kind of trick."

"The only one playing tricks here is you," I replied.

He led me through a series of corridors, each more industrial and prison-like than the last. We descended several levels, the air getting colder and damper with each flight of stairs.

They're keeping them underground. Smart - harder to escape from, easier to contain.

Finally, we reached a heavy metal door. The leader punched in a code, and it swung open to reveal a large room that looked like it had been designed for torture.

And there they were.

Nathan, Sean, and Rolex were chained to the wall, their arms stretched above their heads, their bodies covered in bruises and cuts. They were unconscious, their heads hanging forward, and I had to fight to keep my expression neutral.

Oh God. What have they done to you?

"Wake them up," the leader ordered one of the guards.

A bucket of ice water was thrown over each of them. They jerked awake with gasps and groans, their eyes struggling to focus.

When they saw me, their reactions were immediate and visceral.

"Mia," Nathan croaked, his voice rough. "No. You shouldn't be here."

"Let her go, you bastard!" Sean snarled, pulling against his chains with what little strength he had left.

"Touch her and I'll rip your throat out," Rolex threatened, though he could barely lift his head.

I forced myself to look at them dispassionately, even though my heart was breaking. "What did you do to them?" I asked the leader. "Why aren't they healing?"

"Wolfsbane," he replied with satisfaction. "Injected directly into their bloodstream every few hours. It keeps them weak, prevents their wolf healing from kicking in. Eventually, with enough exposure, it will kill them."

"Mia, don't listen to him," Nathan said desperately. "Just get out of here. Escape while you can."

"We're already dead," Sean added, his eyes fierce despite his weakened state. "Don't let him use us against you."

"He's going to kill us anyway," Rolex said. "Don't give him what he wants."

Looking at them - broken, poisoned, dying - I felt something inside me shatter. These men had hurt me, yes. They'd made terrible mistakes and caused me immeasurable pain. But they were also the fathers of my children, and despite everything, I still cared about them.

Xavier is out there somewhere. He's free, and he's probably planning something. I just need to buy time until he can mount a rescue.

"What do you want from me?" I asked the leader quietly.

"I told you. Your cooperation. Your powers. Your blood."

"And if I give you these things, you'll let them live?"

"Mia, no!" Nathan shouted.

"Don't do it!" Sean pleaded.

"We're not worth it," Rolex said, tears streaming down his face.

But I ignored them, keeping my focus on the masked figure. "I want guarantees. You stop the wolfsbane injections immediately. You give them medical treatment. And you let me verify their condition regularly."

"Agreed," he said, clearly pleased with himself. "Though they'll remain in chains until I'm satisfied with your cooperation."

"Fine." I turned to look at the brothers one more time, trying to convey a message with my eyes. Hold on. Xavier is coming. Just hold on a little longer.

"Excellent," the leader said, clapping his hands together. "Now, let's discuss exactly how you're going to help me achieve world domination."

World domination. He actually said world domination with a straight face.

As he led me back toward the upper levels, he began outlining his vision - a unified werewolf empire with him at its head, using my healing abilities and blood to create an army of enhanced wolves that no one could stand against.

I listened, nodded in the right places, and pretended to be impressed by his grand plans. But inside, I was already calculating.

I need to find out the layout of this facility. I need to figure out how many guards there are and where they're stationed. I need to determine if there are any weaknesses in their security.

And most importantly, I need to stay alive and keep the brothers alive until Xavier arrives with reinforcements.

"You seem very quiet," the leader observed. "Having second thoughts?"

"Just processing everything," I replied smoothly. "It's a lot to take in."

"Indeed it is. But together, you and I are going to reshape the entire werewolf world. And those three fools chained in my basement will live just long enough to see their precious mate choose power over love."

I smiled, letting him think he'd won.

But he had no idea what was really coming for him.