175- Fever in the Cage
POV Elowen Grimwald:
I was completely naked. Exposed to whoever might walk in.
Without a doubt, the most humiliating moment of my short existence.
Satisfied? What do you think is going to happen now?
“I want those assholes to come back, so they get what they deserve.”
Have you lost your mind? Look at our size!
“Shut up and stop getting in my way.”
I’m getting in your way? Are you sure? We were ready to die. The only thing you did was prolong our suffering!
“The reason I’m here is your fault. Your weakness gave me room. You want to kill us, and I refuse to die before eating a lot of deer meat, manifesting my beast, and running through every forest I can.”
How did you do this? How did you take my body?
“I didn’t take it—I was invited. Surrender to death again and I’ll do worse than break everything!” she shouted the promise.
There was a crash. Then the sound of heavy, hurried footsteps outside. Even the insolent creature fell silent and stayed where she was.
Beyond my fear, I felt hers. Maybe she wasn’t as fierce as she tried to seem.
Cover our body!
“I’m not covering anything.”
Wicked! Wicked!
Each thud against the ground announced the beginning of my end. As I felt the vibrations of the steps drawing nearer, fear dropped over me like a sudden eclipse, snuffing out the little light of courage still burning.
I didn’t want to see. I wanted the power to pretend I was dead. No, no, no…
My chest felt ready to explode when I saw the old doorknob move.
My air turned scarce the moment the imposing being entered the room, like someone powerful—the sovereign figure of his kingdom. For an instant, the pain was forgotten and only the burn in my lungs could be felt.
The male’s energy stole the air from the room.
If I’d been outdoors in that moment, a storm would have formed on the horizon.
It was a presence capable of dragging a crowd of gazes. Before he even pulled the door shut, his pair of piercing eyes—deep green—measured my naked body, leaving a trail of heat wherever they traveled.
Dressed in a simplicity that deceived, in a beige tunic that marked the muscles of his chest and broad shoulders, tight dark jeans, and leather boots, he smiled at the corner of his mouth when he took in all that mess.
I was lost. Dizzy. Staring at that face carved by a well-groomed, close-cropped beard.
Where I came from, no being came close to having that magnetism. A power that radiated into my pores. A strength that didn’t ask permission—it claimed.
It was as if that energy caressed me.
My she-wolf fell silent, retreating into our insignificance, and our body warmed. The cold room turned stifling, until I felt exposed to the midday summer sun, to the point that beads of sweat ran down my back.
Fever.
“When they told me my prisoner was breaking everything in a fit of rage, I’ll admit I doubted it, but—well—this really is total destruction.”
The voice was unmistakable. I was face-to-face with the alpha who wanted my neck.
Unbothered, he leaned against the stone wall and kept that corner-of-the-mouth smile, fixing his hypnotizing eyes on mine.
“Well, I’d applaud your courage right now, but you’ve just interfered with my role—and I hate it when people meddle with my things.”
“Role…?” the creature whispered, hoarse. I could feel confusion coming from her, as if, somehow, she desired him as much as she feared him.
Don’t argue with him!
“My role is to torture you, but you’ve just done that to yourself. Now you’ll have to deal with the consequences of your lack of control, sleeping in your own mess, clever little pup.”
My creature leaned forward and grabbed the bars, which were now positioned horizontally. Along with the fever in my body came a tachycardia I could feel in my fingertips.
Hate beat attraction, but I didn’t know if I could celebrate that.
“What are you going to do to me, huh? Are you the type who rapes and beats females? What do you want from me?” The crude tone made his ironic smile slowly unravel.
The situation was desperate. My creature was acting like a madwoman. If the mere presence of that male could wreck our senses, I imagined what else he might do to us.
“I don’t fuck without permission, but without anyone’s permission I rip heads off and use them as decoration. It’s a shame yours isn’t well-presented—it’ll only be good for feeding pigs,” he revealed, unshaken, as if he were talking about a routine habit of his.
The coldness in his voice dropped a weight onto my chest, and a terrifying truth shook my awareness: there wasn’t the slightest doubt he had not only the will, but the drive, to carry out every word he said.
“Who are you? What do you want from me?” my out-of-control creature kept shouting.
Oh, no…
“I’m the one asking you, Elowen. Who are you, and what were you doing on my territory exactly nine days ago?” He stayed expressionless, untouched by my creature’s aggression.
“Is the forest yours or something, handsome?”
Stop giving those stupid answers! Just stop!
“Everything is mine.” He clicked his tongue. “Now, even you.”
Here, you idiotic creature!
“Oh, sure…” She shook the cage brutally, enraged.
“You want to kill me? Go ahead,” he muttered, accompanied by a growl.
“You will beg for death, spy. I’m the guardian of your hell now, and I don’t grant wishes easily. Hurry up and reveal your plans and pray you sound convincing—because if I can’t believe your words, I’ll keep you alive, suffering the consequences of your audacity.”
“I’m not a spy for anything, you damned wolf!”
“Are you?” He gave a faint nod. “Fine—enjoy your stay.” Without another word or a change in expression, he pushed off the wall and walked calmly toward the door.
“I need a bath!” You didn’t say that—you didn’t…
At that, he stopped with one hand on the doorknob and bowed majestically into a wicked laugh, before turning his head to look at her with scorn one last time.
“As far as I’m concerned, you’ll rot in the cage you destroyed. A fate crueler than death itself could offer you.”