\[Denali’s POV\]
I keep my expression blank as Rosco’s essence begins to disappear, leaving me completely alone with Alexander and Elise. And even though I know that he will be coming for me soon, I still can’t stop the fear that I’ll never see him again.
“I’ll give you one more chance,” Alexander murmurs, beginning to pull his claw along the fabric of my shirt. “Use the alpha command against me, or I’ll make you do it.”
Clamping my mouth shut, I narrow my gaze in defiance as my shirt falls open, giving Alexander and Elise full view of my stomach and bra. Instantly, a hiss of excitement escapes Alexander as his disgusting eyes take me in and his fingers move forward to begin to pull at the fabric of my bra.
“Isn’t that enough?” Elise announces, making it clear she wasn’t pleased. “It looks like she doesn’t know anything about that command.”
For a moment, Alexander continues staring at me before turning his angry gaze to Elise and growling.
“Did I ask you for your opinion?” He snaps, causing a look of hurt to flash in Elise’s eyes. “You’re only to do as you’re told.”
“Don’t talk to her like that!” I snap, earning myself another smack.
“Isn’t this cute?" Alexander chuckles, getting up and making his way over to Elise. “I think I may know a better way to get you to do what I want.”
As he speaks, he reaches out and grabs Elise by the throat and then lifts, causing Elise’s eyes to bulge in shock from what he is doing. Was he really using her against me right now when Elise was my enemy? He truly was out of his mind.
Continuing to take him in, I try to find a hint of the man I loved in the past, but he’s gone, and in his place is a monster that I don’t recognize.
“W-what are you doing?” Elise hisses, clawing at Alexander’s skin, tearing it to ribbons that quickly heal.
“What will you do?” Alexander says instead, turning his manic gaze to me. “Will you sit here and watch your dear sister die, or will you use the command to stop me?”
“Are you crazy?” I growl, attempting to get up but immediately falling as my legs fail me. “Does it look like I care whether or not she dies?”
For the first time in my life, I felt zero sympathy for the one being hurt in front of me. She put me through so much, along with Nadia and Alexander, that I truly wouldn’t care if she died.
Yes, you would. The small voice in the back of my head counters, causing my heart to squeeze painfully. If you let him kill her, then you all but killed her yourself.
No. I whisper inwardly. I didn’t. She brought this on herself after everything she did, and she…
No. The voice repeats more sternly. To kill a child of the goddess is wrong, no matter for what reason it happened.
Eyes widening, I realize for the first time that the voice I’m hearing isn’t my own voice of wrong and right. Instead, it is clearly a separate voice that could only belong to... No. I couldn’t get my hopes up like this, not in this situation.
‘You have to stop him,’ the voice continues. ‘Before he kills her.’
Cursing my bleeding heart, I push myself up and begin to dig deep until I feel something, but was this the command that Alexander was referring to? I wasn’t sure, but with each passing minute, Elise’s eyes bulged more and her face reddened.
“Stop it,” I hiss, feeling the stirring of power. “THAT’S ENOUGH!”
As the words leave my lips, I feel the same energy from before explode from me, and when it slams into Alexander, his hand loosens and then releases entirely, allowing Elise to fall to the ground.
“That’s it!” Alexander cackles, whirling around and taking me in. “You do possess it, and you will help me get what I want.”
“I won’t,” I counter, preparing to use it again but stopping as blood rushes up my throat and out of my mouth.
Gagging, I slump forward as intense pain hits me.
“Hahahaha,” laughing like a madman, Alexander makes his way toward me and then drops down beside me, and once he is in place, he wraps his hand in my hair. “If you don’t want to be obedient, then I will simply make you.”
“Make me?” I rasp, lifting my gaze to his. “You can’t…”
“Oh?” He chuckles, opening his mouth so I can see his canines extending before his mouth comes to rest on my neck. “Once you’re bound to me, you’ll be more willing.”
Eyes widening, I attempt to fight against him as he holds me close while his teeth sink into my skin, and I can feel his mark beginning to form.
“NO!” I growl, feeling the command emerge again. “Let…”
I don’t get the chance to finish speaking before my head is slammed against the ground and spots dance in front of my eyes.
“That’s a good girl,” Alexander murmurs, releasing me while the world spins. “I think this is enough for today.”
“Elise!” He calls, snapping his fingers. “Escort your sister back to the cells.”
Blinking a few times, I look toward my sister, who is still gasping for air on the ground while bruises form on the soft flesh of her throat.
“Did you not hear me?” Alexander growls when she doesn’t move. “I said to take Denali back to the cells!”
Letting out a snarl of annoyance, he gets up and moves to Elise, then grabs the back of her shirt and lifts. Once she is on her feet, he shoves her toward me.
“Have you forgotten your promise to me already after everything I’ve done for you?”
"I..." she begins, looking from Alexander to me and then back. “I haven’t.”
Smiling in satisfaction, Alexander watches as Elise bends over and lifts me, then begins to move.
“Once you’re finished with her, be sure to pack our things,” he calls at us. “We will be leaving in a few days, and I don’t want any signs of our presence left behind.”
“I understand,” Elise responds, before giving me a harsh tug and then making her way back toward the cells.
She doesn’t speak the entire way, but from the anger I feel radiating from her, I know that she isn’t happy with Alexander’s antics.
“Why do you work for him?” I ask when we reach the dungeon. “He treats you so badly, so why..."
“He doesn’t,” Elise snaps, unlocking the door to my cage and then throwing me inside. “Don’t speak as if you understand everything," she continues, slamming the door shut.
Remaining silent, I take Elise in while coming up with a plan. From what I just witnessed, it was clear that Alexander was the mastermind behind everything and that his relationship with Elise wasn’t as stable as it might seem. If I could somehow convince Elise that she was better off, then maybe she would be willing to help me.
“Whatever you’re thinking, just stop,” Elise huffs, turning on her heel. “It won’t work anyway.”
"What do you see in him?" I push, hoping to get her to realize how horrible he is being toward her. "Especially when he treats you like that."
"Shut up!" She hisses.
"I won't," I counter, taking my chances. "Not until you see reason. He almost killed you! Are you really going to just..."
"SHUT UP!" She screams, sending a wave of power into me that causes shock to roll through me. "You're more powerful than him," I whisper, realizing that even if I didn't get the abilities or strength of an alpha, it didn't mean that my sister didn't. "So why let him command you?"
"Because he saved me," she whispers, shooting me a glare. "And because of that, I will follow him to hell if that is what he wants."
"Even if he is the one to send you there?" I counter.
"Even then," she confirms. "Now, just give up on whatever ridiculous thing you think you're doing. It won't work, and soon enough, you'll be dead."
"And if I'm not?" I challenge. "Wouldn't he keep me beside him because I'm the one that he needs?"
"He doesn't need you!" She snarls, clenching my bars. "He needs and loves me; you're just a fucking tool!"
"That's where you're wrong, dear sister," I sigh, giving her a look of pity. "You're the tool, and you always have been."
It's almost as though I'm talking to myself while I speak to her. All my life, I was nothing more than a tool, and because we were so similar, I wanted to save her.