Chapter 79: Burn It For Me

MAEVE

My heart hammered against my chest as I stepped down the stairs, going to the lower ground floor. At the very bottom, five guards stood, covering the only door in with red paint.

Instinctively, two of them approached me. I observed their appearance and aura. They don't look like they were strong enough to put me down.

As I pulled out the card, I couldn't help but wonder why the guards in this district were weaker than I anticipated. Sir Knox had warned me about the tight security of each building, yet when I stole the relic, it was just like taking a stroll in the garden.

Was everything supposed to be like this?

"Welcome, Sir," the guards opened the door, leading to another set of stairs, before giving the card back. "Enjoy your stay."

The door closed the moment I stepped on the stairs. White light brightened up the whole area, and there was nothing I could hear but the sound of my footsteps. I followed the stairs, circling down the building.

"Filthy," my wolf growled as we descended. An unpleasant smell filled my lungs, almost making me vomit. The lower I went, the stronger the scent became, and the louder the noises were.

A door greeted me again at the bottom of the stairs. Muffled noises came from the inside, making my heart beat faster. I could hear my heart against my ears, and my hand hesitated as I touched the door.

I didn't want to see what was inside, but I made a promise. I need to look for that woman, and hopefully, she was inside of thos wretched place.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open. And Moon Goddess knew how much I regretted doing that.

Women lay on the tables, naked and sweating, as men pumped them endlessly. Some writhe in pain, some with pleasure, while some were unresponsive. Some women didn't just have one man with them; some had two, and even a group.

The stench of sex and sweat filled the air, so unpleasant that it almost made me dizzy. Their groans and moans echoed in my ears repeatedly, forcing me to look at the horrendous scene.

A scream erupted in the whole area, making my head snap to the side. A woman, small and thin, sank into a huge man's manhood. Blood dripped down from her private part, yet the man didn't even stop. He didn't give her time to breathe. He pounded her like a mindless piece of meat, not caring about the woman's pain.

I stumbled backward, my eyes fixed on how he violated her. I couldn't move. I couldn't take my eyes off of it even if my body screamed at me to run and leave.

Suddenly, a hand yanked me away from my position, pulling me into one of the rooms. Instinctively, I fought back, punching whoever tried to hurt me. I couldn't end up in that position. I couldn't imagine myself under a man, screaming in pain like that woman.

"Maxwell," a familiar voice spoke, soothing my panicking body. I opened my eyes, staring at the hazel eyes looking at me with worry.

"Draven..." my voice came out weak. My knees wobbled, almost sending me down if he didn't catch me. A drop of salty tear fell from my eyes, yet he immediately wiped it away, forcing me to look at him.

"I told you not to go deeper," he whispered, pulling my face closer to him. Our bodies brushed against each other inside this cramped room, yet I didn't care.

My body found the comfort I needed in his embrace. I hate it, but I couldn't stop it. My wolf instinctively clung to him, inhaling his scent. It was like an antidote, something that would calm the chaos inside me.

Draven wrapped me in his arms, pulling me closer to him. At that moment, I didn't care if I looked like a man; it looked so taboo for a commander and knight to be in this position. Every guard I have in myself has disappeared.

"It's okay," he caressed my back, placing soft kisses on my forehead. I didn't care if a commander shouldn't do that. I didn't question why he was acting like that. "I'm here. No one will hurt you."

Draven's whispers calmed my heart down. We stayed like that for minutes, just embracing each other. Just me, looking for comfort in his arms when it shouldn't be happening in the first place.

"Do you feel better now?" his hand caresses my jaw, making me look up at him. I nodded, my mind still clouded with everything I just saw. "Good. You got the relic, right?"

I tapped the relic hidden beneath the clothes. Draven stared at me, looking deep into my soul. A faint smile formed on his face as he inhaled deeply, closing his eyes.

"You should leave now," he said. "You got the relic. There's no reason to stay here."

I shook my head immediately. My mind clicked in an instant, pushing him away from me. What was I doing? I shouldn't be staying here. I should be looking for that rebel woman.

"Why are you here?" I asked, composing myself. "You're supposed to be at the palace."

"I told you I'll be here when you need me," he answered, closing the distance between us. He looked at me so intently that I felt conscious.

"Who said I need you?" I turned my head away. "You should leave now. What would the realm think if they found out that their prince is in a sex dungeon?"

He didn't listen. Instead, he grabbed my hand. "Leave with me, Maxwell," he whispered. "Let's go back to the palace."

"No," I pulled my hand away. "I still have something to do. Besides, the Grand Knight still needs to catch those rebels. We won't leave until we finish our tasks here."

"Then let the Grand Knight do his part," he urged. "You got the relic. The Alpha King and the High Council would be satisfied with that alone. I can tell them that you have done your part, and no one will dare to question that."

I let out a heavy sigh. "I told you, I still have something to do," I spoke, final as I headed to the door, pushing it to leave.

"Thirty minutes," Draven suddenly spoke. "We will leave in thirty minutes, whether what you have to do is finished or not."

"You know what, High Commander?" I turned to face him. "Now that I saw how ugly this place is, I'm thinking of burning it down to ashes," a smile played on my face. "Will you still stand by my side if I do that?"

Our eyes stilled on each other, the tension hung in the air, silence much louder than spoken words. Draven took a step closer, caging me in his arms once again.

"Don't," he answered, much to my disappointment.

I opened my lips to speak, yet he covered them with a finger. He leaned closer, his breath hitting my face as he touched the back of my head.

"Let me burn it for you.”