Chapter 104 VANCE, AGAIN
Vance, Again.
(Adam's POV)
I woke up slowly, like I was floating up through deep water.
The first thing I noticed was the softness under my body.
A mattress… I was lying on a mattress.
Not the cold metal table. Not the hard chair I remembered. Not the filthy floor of that awful place.
A mattress.
A soft, warm, and clean mattress. A bed.
My eyes opened wider.
The ceiling above me was white and smooth. A chandelier hung from it, dimly lit, casting soft yellow light across the room.
For a moment I didn’t move.
My mind felt foggy and heavy. Like pieces of memory were trying to float up but couldn't quite reach the surface.
Then something shifted in my stomach.
A dull ache.
My hand moved on instinct.
I pressed both palms against my lower abdomen.
And suddenly everything came back…
The room.
The chains.
The men.
The needle.
Sara.
My breath caught sharply in my throat.
I sat up too fast.
Pain bloomed in my stomach; not sharp, but deep and heavy, like a bruise inside my body.
My hands pressed harder against my abdomen.
My heart began to race.
The baby.
My baby.
The muffled voices from before echoed in my mind.
"We have to get rid of the pup."
My chest tightened.
“No…” I whispered hoarsely.
My throat still felt raw, like sand scraping through it.
I swallowed hard.
My hands slowly moved across my stomach again, almost afraid to touch it.
It still felt the same.
Maybe a little sore.
But still there.
Still full.
A strange wave of emotion rushed through me so suddenly it made my chest hurt.
I remembered all the times I cried because of this baby.
All the times I wished it would disappear.
All the nights I prayed to my ill fate to wake me up in a reality where I wasn’t pregnant.
But now—
Now the thought of it being gone made my stomach twist with fear.
I didn’t want them to take it.
I didn’t want them to hurt it.
My baby.
My hand stayed over my stomach protectively.
Only then did I start looking around the room properly.
This wasn’t the place from before.
Not even close.
The room was large. Almost as big as mine and Kael’s shared bedroom.
Dark wooden walls. Tall windows covered with thick grey curtains. A long rug stretched across the polished floor.
The bed alone was huge, easily large enough for four people.
The blankets were soft and heavy.
I looked down at myself.
My clothes were different too; loose cotton pants. A soft long sleeve shirt.
Clean and comfortable.
Someone had changed me.
A small chill ran through me.
Where am I?
My eyes scanned the room again.
There's a small couch. A low table with a glass pitcher of water.
Everything looked neat.
Organized.
Too clean.
It didn’t feel like a prison.
But that somehow made it worse.
Because if this wasn't a prison… then what was it?
The door opened.
The sound made my entire body stiffen instantly.
My eyes snapped toward it.
A man stepped inside.
Tall, broad shoulders, dark hair…
The moment I saw his face, my heart dropped into my stomach.
It's Vance.
My whole body locked up as fear crawled up my spine.
He closed the door quietly behind him.
His gaze settled on me.
Then he walked toward the bed.
Each step slow and terrifyingly calm.
Like he wasn't worried about me at all.
Like I couldn't possibly hurt him.
I watched him carefully.
My body tensed, ready to move if I had to.
But he just sat down on the edge of the bed.
Not too close, but also not too far.
His voice came out calm… “Feeling better?”
I stared at him.
My mouth felt dry again.
“Where… am I?” I asked.
My voice sounded rough.
Vance tilted his head slightly.
“Somewhere safe.”
Safe.
The word made my stomach twist.
“Where is Kael?” I asked quickly.
His eyes darkened slightly. “Where he should be.” He leaned back a little. “Away from you.”
My chest tightened.
“Why did you take me?” I asked.
The questions spilled out before I could stop them.
“What do you want from me? Why are you hurting me?”
Vance sighed softly. “So many questions.”
He rested his elbows on his knees. “But I do have answers.”
His eyes met mine again. “I didn’t take you.” He spoke slowly. “I rescued you.”
My eyebrows pulled together.
“From Kael.”
For a moment I couldn't even process the words. My brain refused to accept them.
“We’re not hurting you,” he continued calmly. “We’re helping you.”
My fingers tightened against the blanket.
“And we don’t want anything from you,” he added.
His voice softened slightly.
“Other than for you to come back where you belong.”
My throat felt tight.
Come back?
Where I belong?
A horrible thought flashed through my mind.
My hands dropped back to my stomach.
“Did you hurt my baby?” I asked quietly.
His gaze dropped to my stomach too.
Then he looked back at me. “You mean Kael’s pup?”
Something inside me snapped. Before I even thought about it, I lunged forward.
My hand grabbed the collar of his shirt.
“Answer me!” I yelled.
My voice cracked from the strain.
For a moment neither of us moved.
Vance looked down at my fist gripping his collar.
Then he slowly placed his hand over mine.
His touch was gentle.
Too gentle for a man like him.
“Do you know me?” he asked quietly.
His thumb brushed lightly over my knuckles.
“I would never hurt you.” His eyes softened. “Little Prince.”
The title made my stomach twist again.
“That arrogant bastard was hurting you.”
My breath caught.
“You were dying,” Vance continued. “Your body was failing.”
His voice was calm, and very certain.
“You would have died if I let you stay with him longer.”
My grip loosened. My mind felt dizzy again.
That couldn't be true.
Kael wouldn't—
He wouldn't hurt me.
Would he?
My mouth opened but no sound came out.
Vance gently removed my hand from his shirt.
Then he placed my hand back on the blanket.
“Don't you feel it?” he asked softly. “How much stronger you are now?”
I swallowed.
I did feel… different. No pain ripping through my body, no nosebleed, no urge to vomit, no weird tiredness…
Just the dull ache in my stomach.
But that didn’t mean—
“He was killing you,” Vance finished.
The room felt too quiet.
He stood up.
“Food will be brought in soon.”
His tone shifted back to calm authority.
“Be good and eat.”
He turned toward the door.
“I'll come back later.”
My chest felt tight.
But before he reached the door, he stopped.
Then he turned back.
Slowly, he walked back toward the bed.
My body tensed again.
He leaned down slightly, his hand lifted, his fingers gently held my chin…
My breath caught.
He tilted my head to the side.
My neck exposed.
His thumb brushed lightly over the mark on my neck.
My mate mark.
Kael’s mark.
Vance’s eyes darkened. “I’ll get rid of this,” he said quietly.
My heart started pounding again.
“That’s where my mark is supposed to sit.”
My stomach dropped even lower.
His fingers lingered against my skin.
“You can't have anyone else's mark on you.”
His voice was low, and clearly possessive.
“You’re mine.”
Then he let go.
He turned, and walked out of the room.
The door closed behind him.
Silence filled the room again.
My body slowly sank back against the pillows.
My mind felt like it was spinning.
Nothing made sense. Not his words, not this place, not the way my body felt.
And the worst part…
My stomach was starting to ache again.