Chapter 32 Chapter 32
Leah's POV
Kayden’s dark gaze flickered as he watched me struggle to sit up, my wrists bound to the bedpost. His jaw clenched tightly, and his eyes narrowed with cold determination. I stared back at him, confusion and anger swirling inside me. The memory of being in the temple, the ritual, and then the sharp sting of the needle flashed through my mind. And now I was here, trapped in Kayden’s domain once more.
“You made a grave mistake, Leah,” he said, his voice low but laced with menace. “Running away from the cellar, from me… You’ll be punished for your crimes.”
My heart pounded as I glared up at him. “Crimes?”
My voice cracked from the dryness in my throat, but I pushed through, meeting his cold stare. “I haven’t committed any crime, Kayden. I am innocent in all of this. You’re the one who rejected me.” My voice wavered, the memory cutting through me like a knife. “And when I defended myself against Selena, you threw me into the cellar. You said I tried to hurt your precious Luna.”
At the mention of Selena, his expression darkened further, but I noticed something. A flicker of doubt. His brows furrowed, like my words were tugging at something buried deep inside him.
"You had no right to hurt another pack member," Kayden responded sharply, though his tone had softened slightly. "I would have done the same if it were anyone else in Selena’s place."
For a moment, silence filled the room. My pulse raced as I studied his face, wondering if my words were breaking through. Then, something shifted in his gaze; an uncertainty I hadn’t seen before. His thoughts were clearly elsewhere, his mind working through my accusation.
Could I be telling the truth? I saw him tense, and something inside me dared to hope. But then, he shook his head sharply.
“Regardless,” he said finally, his tone hardening again, “you’ll stay here until I decide what to do with you.”
Frustration boiled over inside me, and I glared at him with all the defiance I could muster. “Why don’t you just kill me, Kayden?” I spat, my voice shaking but filled with bitter resolve. “It would be a relief. I could finally have some peace.”
His expression froze at my words, and I thought I saw a crack in his mask. A low growl echoed in the room, but it wasn’t mine, it was his wolf Leo.
She wants to die… and it’s because of us. His wolf’s mournful voice seemed to reach him, and Kayden’s face shifted slightly, his features tightening with guilt.
He took a step closer to me, his movements slower, more hesitant. Then his hand reached out, and before I could pull away, his fingers brushed my chin, tilting my face up to meet his gaze. His touch was unexpectedly gentle, and for a moment, I froze.
“Don’t talk like that,” he murmured, his voice low but firm. His eyes searched mine, and for the first time, I thought I saw regret, maybe even concern, flicker in their depths. “Don’t you dare talk about wanting to die.”
A lump rose in my throat, but I refused to let him see me cry. “What does it matter to you if I live or die?” I whispered, my voice trembling. “I am nothing to you, remember? I am just a pathetic omega who wasn’t worthy of being your Luna.”
My words hit him harder than I expected. For a moment, his face was unreadable, but his chest rose and fell as if he were struggling to breathe. Then, like a switch flipping, he stepped back, straightening and putting distance between us.
He began pacing the room, his hands clenched into fists. “There is something different about you, Leah,” he said sharply, changing the subject. “Your wolf… I can sense her strength. She has grown stronger. What did you do to yourself?”
I pressed my lips together, refusing to answer. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction, not after everything he had done to me.
“What were you doing in that temple that night?” he demanded, his voice rising. “What kind of ritual was that?”
“It’s none of your business,” I shot back, my tone hard. My wolf stirred inside me, restless, but I held her back. I couldn’t fight him like this, not when I was tied up and weakened by wolfsbane.
Kayden’s patience snapped. He slammed his fist into the wooden coffee table beside him, splintering it into pieces. The loud crack echoed through the room, but I didn’t flinch. I only watched him with cold resolve, refusing to let him intimidate me.
“I don’t have time for your games, Leah,” he growled, stepping closer. His chest heaved with the effort to control his anger, but his eyes burned with frustration. “I’ll find out what you were doing, one way or another.”
I glared at him, my jaw tightening, but I didn’t say a word. My wolf growled softly, but I held my ground. He could throw tantrums all he wanted, I wouldn’t break.
“I’ll be back later,” he said finally, his voice low and dangerous. “And when I come back, you would better be ready to talk.”
He stormed out, slamming the door behind him. I let out a shaky breath, the sound echoing in the sudden silence. My wrists throbbed where the ropes bit into my skin, but that pain was nothing compared to the ache in my chest.
I closed my eyes, the weight of everything pressing down on me. Trapped again. Just like before.
But this time, I wasn’t the same weak omega I had been. My wolf had grown stronger. I had grown stronger and I wouldn’t let Kayden control me anymore.
As the silence deepened, my thoughts turned to the ritual, to the surge of power I had felt in that moment. I didn’t fully understand it yet, but one thing was certain, whatever I had tapped into, it was only the beginning.
And Kayden? Kayden would soon learn I wasn’t as helpless as he thought.