Chapter 34
My neck throbbed painfully, and my head felt like it was splitting open from the inside. It was as if a thousand drums were pounding all at once, confined to the small space inside my skull. Every time I attempted to open my eyes, they stung so fiercely that I kept them shut, surrendering to the dark. The soft surface beneath me suggested I was lying on something relatively comfortable—a bed, maybe—but that did little to ease the ache radiating through my entire body. I shouldn't have trusted her. I knew it. Rebecca had betrayed me, Jake, and the entire pack. Why? What was driving her to commit such a treacherous act?
"So, what are you planning to do with her?" I heard Rebecca’s voice. She was close, her words pulling me out of my disoriented state. I couldn't see her, but her tone was sharp, insistent.
"That’s none of your business. Your role in this is done." A deep male voice responded, his tone dismissive and laced with authority. I could feel his presence looming over me like a dark, oppressive shadow, his energy making the air feel thick and suffocating.
Rebecca huffed in frustration. "I have the right to know. What happens to her affects my plans too. I think you should just kill her and get it over with."
Her blunt suggestion sent a cold shiver down my spine. My heart hammered against my ribs, panic surging through me. The silence that followed was thick, and then I heard a sound—choking. Despite the searing pain in my eyes, I forced them open, blinking rapidly until the blurry shapes around me became clearer. Rebecca was being held by her throat, her feet dangling off the ground, struggling for air. The man, whoever he was, towered over her, holding her effortlessly.
"I said what I do with her is none of your concern," the man growled, his voice low and dangerous. "If you value your life, you’ll stop questioning me. Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to snap your pretty little neck and feed you to my hounds." He threw her across the room with little effort, and she crashed into the wall with a gasp of pain.
I squeezed my eyes shut again, hoping he wouldn’t notice that I’d been watching. Footsteps approached, the sound heavy and deliberate, until he was standing directly over me. My heart raced so fast I thought it might explode. I felt the weight of his presence as he sat on the edge of the bed, brushing strands of hair away from my face with surprising tenderness.
"I know you’re awake," he said softly, almost coaxingly. "You can stop pretending."
Reluctantly, I opened my eyes and locked onto his face. Fear shot through me, but I couldn’t even move. My entire body felt like it was weighed down by an unseen force. He was...handsome, in a twisted way. His hazel eyes glinted with a dangerous mix of charm and cruelty, his golden hair framing his chiseled features in a way that reminded me of some Hollywood surfer boy. But beneath that appealing exterior was a darkness so palpable it made me shudder.
"What did you do to me?" I croaked, my voice hoarse and strained. The effort of speaking alone sent waves of pain coursing through my body.
He smiled, a sinister curve to his lips. "I gave you something to block your magic and suppress your wolf. You’ll feel weak, but don’t worry, love. It’s only temporary. I have no intention of hurting you." His tone was oddly gentle, but it did nothing to soothe the terror bubbling within me. He lay down beside me as if it were the most natural thing in the world and let out a long sigh. "I have so many plans for us, my queen. But first, we need to eliminate all the threats."
I blinked back tears, my body trembling. He was insane. Completely unhinged. "What do you mean?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"You’ll see soon enough. Tonight is going to be magical," he said, his voice dripping with excitement as he turned to face me. He started to run his fingers through my hair like I was some precious treasure he was proud of. I wanted to scream, to push him away, but I couldn’t. My body refused to cooperate.
I whimpered involuntarily, tears spilling down my cheeks. "Please," I begged, "just let me go."
"Shh, don’t cry, my love. You need to stay strong—for our children." His voice was so calm, so matter-of-fact, as if what he’d just said was perfectly reasonable.
My blood ran cold. **Children?** I stared at him in horror. "What children?" I shouted, fear rising to a fever pitch. "What are you talking about?!"
He rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed by my reaction. "I said stop crying. It’s not about what I’ve done. It’s about what I’m going to do. Tonight, you will carry my seed." His hand moved to my stomach, rubbing it softly as if he could already see the future he was planning for us.
Panic overwhelmed me. This man was beyond psychotic. And what was worse, I was helpless. Jake didn’t even know I was missing yet, and even if he did, what were the chances he could find me before...before this maniac enacted whatever twisted plan he had? I swallowed hard, feeling utterly defeated. There was no way out.
---
JAKE'S POV
"What do you mean she’s missing?!" I roared, my hand tightening around Bryan’s throat. My fingers dug into his flesh as I lifted him off the ground, his feet kicking helplessly beneath him. "I told you not to take your eyes off her for even a second! Are you deaf, or are you just plain stupid?"
Bryan choked, his face turning red as he struggled for air. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he croaked, "I’m...sorry. I thought Rebecca...I thought she was safe with her. I only left for a moment to recover Jenner’s body." His fingers scratched at my hand, desperately trying to free himself, but I wasn’t ready to let go.
Deep down, I knew it wasn’t entirely his fault, but something darker, something more primal, was controlling me. My beast raged inside, its fury boiling over. I could feel it, clawing its way to the surface, blurring the line between my humanity and the raw animal instinct that demanded vengeance.
"Jake, let him go!" Chris, my beta, shouted, trying to pull me away. "You’re killing him!"
His words barely registered, but I glanced at him, and in that brief moment, I saw the fear in his eyes. "Shit," he muttered, stepping back. "Your eyes, man."
I released Bryan, letting him collapse to the floor in a coughing fit. He gasped for air, clutching at his throat, but I was already turning away from him, fighting to regain control of myself. I had to keep it together. For her. For my mate. I couldn’t afford to lose myself to this rage. Not yet. There was no way I’d find her in this state.
"Bring Rebecca here," I snarled, my voice low and dangerous. "I don’t care how you get her. Drag her by her head or her tail for all I care, but I want her here in five minutes."
Chris looked at me, confused. "What does Rebecca have to do with this?"
I growled, the sound shaking the walls. My patience was hanging by a thread, and his questions weren’t helping. "Do as I say, or I’ll rip your throat out myself," I snapped, my beast taking over once more.
Both men hurried out of the room, Bryan still coughing up blood as he limped after Chris. I clenched my fists, trying to keep the anger in check. But it was useless. She was gone. My mate was in the hands of that bastard, and I had no idea where to start looking. The thought of what he might be doing to her—what he might *plan* to do—sent a wave of murderous rage coursing through me.
When I got my hands on him, there would be no mercy. None.
Minutes later, Chris dragged a kicking and screaming Rebecca into the room. "We found her near the borders," he explained, struggling to keep her under control. "She won’t tell us where she’s been."
I didn’t need to hear any more. I strode forward, my claws extending as I grabbed her by the throat, lifting her off the ground with ease. "Tell me where she is," I growled, my voice low and deadly. "Or I’ll make your death slow and painful."
We both knew her fate was sealed, but whether she talked or not would determine how much she would suffer before the end.
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