YOU CHAINED HIM UP?

**Freda’s POV

“There’s no point,” Damien replied curtly. “He’s fine and no harm has been done to him. You don’t need to see him.”
“He is my father for heaven’s sake. Of course, I need to see him.” I gritted my teeth and swallowed the profanities that had almost escaped my throat. Turns out a pretty boy could be very annoying.
“Look, Damien.” I started while rubbing my temples. “I need to see him with my own eyes. No offense but I just met you and your action’s lately haven’t exactly been ....gentle. So please, take me to my father.”
Silence stretched between us as Damien studied me for a long time with an unreadable gaze. Finally, he sighed and nodded slowly.
“Very well.” He conceded. “You will see your father, but it will be a brief visit. Make it quick.”
I heaved a sigh of relief and this momentarily erased the bitterness of my situation. Now what was left was to make sure my old man was still…alive.
“Thank you.” I responded with gratitude and Damien responded with a curt nod.
“Follow me.” Damian left the room and I quickly followed him in a tense silence. Damian led me down the opulent corridors with a regal swagger. I was amazed at how effortless he adopted a kingly persona. When I first laid my eyes on him, he gave off a nonchalant, bad boy kinda vibe. You. Know?
But now that he was king, it was as if his entire persona and aura underwent a massive shift. From his walking step, to his aura. Everything was screaming royalty.
Every vampire we passed bowed down to him with a chorus of “Your majesty” and “King Damien” filling the air. He acknowledged them with a curt nod or he ignored them completely. The perfect picture of a king in control.
The vampires fawning and loyal gazes swiftly changed into one of disgust and hatred when their gazes landed on me, especially the female vampires. I was pretty sure if Damien wasn’t here then I would have been vampire dinner in an instant. ‘Note to self. Never go anywhere without Damian.’
I quickly closed the distance between me and Damien as his presence was the only thing that was keeping me safe right now. We continued our walk until we finally arrived at a huge metal door guarded by two burly vampires.
“Prince Damian.” The vampires saluted as they bowed. They obviously weren’t given the news update and I glanced at Damien to see his reaction.
“I am your king now and you will address me as your king.” Damien said coolly which left the vampire guards with confused expressions on their faces.
“Open the dungeon doors.” Damian commanded and one of the guards quickly opened the doors. He walked in and I quickly followed behind him as the guards stared curiously at me.
We continued to walk and I shivered as the air grew noticeably colder as we progressed.
Damien glanced at me and he removed his outer coat, draping it over my shoulders in an act of chivalry. I looked up at him in surprise but his gaze was still fixed ahead. Despite all that coldness, he really did have a soft side. For me at least.
“Thank you.” I mumbled as I took a whiff of his intoxicating scent that clung to the coat. It was like a combination of cedar and citrus, plus it took everything in me not to shamelessly bring his coat to my nose and take a big whiff.
We reached a second heavy iron door and this one was left unguarded. I watched as Damien walked to the door and after a series of clicks and groans, the door groaned open.
My eye’s widened as I gasped at the scene before me. It looked like something ripped straight from a nightmare. Dim lighting barely illuminated the squalor within but the lighting was just enough for me to see gaunt and filthy bodies in various cells. Damien nudged me, snapping me back to reality.
“Let’s go.” He said and walked into the dungeon. I gulped and quickly followed him while my eyes wandered around the cells. The moans and groans of the prisoners sent shivers down my spine as we passed the cells. Some were chained up while others lay crumpled on the cold floor but they all had one thing in common, the hopelessness and emptiness in their eyes.
My stomach lurched as bile rose in my throat. I tore my eyes away from the barbaric scene and focused on Damian’s broad back. I wondered whether Damien, who just did unbelievable things to save me, had a hand in the barbaric treatment of these people.
I wanted to question him, to ask what on earth did these people do to deserve this treatment but...I thought better about it and quickly shut my mouth up.
We pressed on until finally, we reached a cell at the far end of the corridor. Unlike the others, this one held a single occupant – my father.
He was chained up to the wall and his head was slumped in defeat. Apart from that, he looked perfectly fine. No signs of torture, he just looked…fatigued.
“Father!” I cried out as I rushed towards the cell door. My father looked up, his face was etched with surprise before a slow smile spread across his face.
“Freda? What are you doing here?” He asked softly with his voice hoarse from disuse.
“Seeing if you’re still in one piece, apparently,” I mumbled as I turned towards Damien with narrowed eyes. “Why did you chain my father?” I asked him with a pointed stare.
“Your father was very…aggressive.” Damien raised an eyebrow as he met my father’s gaze with an annoyed look. “He shifted into his wolf and killed some of my men. He still attempted to shift multiple times since his capture and this was the only way I could think of to put him under control. Without hurting him, too much. If he wasn’t your father, I would have killed him.”
“Yeah thanks, I’m super grateful.” I rolled my eyes and turned to talk to my old man.