Avyaane's POV
The moment Chad left, I took a deep breath.
My heart was pounding.
Not from fear.
From fury.
I wanted to tear him apart.
He thought he could break me? That I'd just give myself over to the bond, to them?
Never.
That fire in my belly blazed more brightly than ever.
But this time, it was contained."
I placed a palm against the cool stone wall, racing.
There had to be a way out.
Even if it killed me.
I had been exploited, I had been exploited all my life, I had been held hostage. First by my father, now by these four monsters.
I wasn't going to let this be my end.
I refused.
There was a sound from the corridor outside my cell, a soft, rhythmic dripping of water from the ceiling. It was repetitive, almost soothing.
I closed my eyes and focused on the connection between us.
I could feel them.
Chad. Logan. Killian. Blair.
They were somewhere up there, way on hold. Watching.
It annoyed me that I could feel them, that they were always there, in my mind and in body.
I had to shut them out.
I had to fight back.
I dragged myself up slowly, legs quaking but solid. Each time I moved, I heard the faint rattle of the chains on the wall, their rusted metal clanking against the stone.
They thought they can keep me here.
That I would just wait.
That was their mistake.
Because I wasn't waiting.
I was planning.
I rushed to the iron bars and grabbed on tight. They were solid, but old. If I could just
Then came a voice that shattered the silence.
"You're not getting out of here that easily, little wolf."
My blood ran cold.
I slowly turned to find Logan just outside my cell, his hazel eyes glimmering in the faint torchlight.
He was slumped behind the bars, arms folded, looking at me curiously.
How long had he stood there?
I narrowed my eyes. "Come to gloat?"
He smirked. [Just to make sure that you're waiting to be beg yet.]
I clenched my fists. "Keep dreaming."
He tsked, shaking his head. "You are only making this harder for yourself, Avyaane."
I lifted my chin. "Fine, then die before I claim you as mine."
Logan's smile faltered slightly. Then, in a flash, he moved.
As I tried to reply, he opened the cell door and walked in.
I stumbled back. "What the hell are you
He gripped my chin and forced me to look up at him. "You say you want to die," he said, his voice way too soft. "But I don't think that's what you mean."
His grip was firm but not painful. He was testing me, playing with me.
I met his gaze, breath ragged. "Go to
hell."
Logan grinned. "Already there, sweetheart."
His eyes darkened. "And now? So are you."
Avyaane's POV
His fingers gripped my chin hard enough to prevent me from turning away. His hazel eyes shone playfully, but beneath that was something deeper. Something darker.
"You say you'd prefer to die," he said, speaking slowly, the words heavy. "But that is not what I think you mean."
I clenched my teeth; I despised the way he looked at me — as if he could see every fear I wouldn't admit.
His thumb brushed my jaw, his touch gentle but possessive.
"But you're all fire, little wolf," he continued, tilting his head just so. "That is the thing that makes this so interesting."
I yanked my head back, breaking free from his grasp. "You think this is a game?" I hissed.
Logan chuckled, unfazed. "Everything is a game. The more you know the rules, the easier for you."
I fell back, even as the iron bars of my cell held me fast. My heart just sped up and thudded in my rib cage. I needed to get out.
"I don't give a fuck about your rules," I said, spitting. "I'll never play with them."
Logan sighed and rubbed the back of his neck like I was wearing him out. "You keep saying 'never' — but look at you. Locked away. At our mercy."
I swallowed the lump in my throat. I hated that he was right.
You hated that they seemed to have all the power.
I had to shift the balance. Somehow.
"You don't scare me," I said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me.
The smile widened, as though I had just told a joke. "Then, I guess we'll just have to work harder."
Bastard.
He turned to the cell door and opened it casually. "Chad's not going to keep you in here the whole time," he reasoned, coming out. "But you're going to leave when we tell you to leave. Not you."
I leaned forward, clutching the bars as he swung his back to me. "I'll never belong to you."
Logan paused in the doorway. He glanced back, his eyes glimmering with some unknown presage. "But you do, little wolf."
Then he disappeared, the heavy iron door crashing behind him.
I gripped the bars of the bed, white knuckled, breathing hard, standing there.
I had to get out of here.
And I had to do it soon.
Chad's POV
The second Logan returned, the smug look on his face told me that he enjoyed himself.
"She's still got fire," he said, propped up against the stone wall outside the dungeon. "She's not ready to break yet."
I gritted my teeth.
"She will."
No more than that, because the only one giggling now was Killian. "You're sounding pretty sure of that."
I shot him a glare. "Because I am."
Avyaane was stubborn. Reckless. But nobody—no one—got out of the mate bond. Not forever.
Slumped back in a wooden chair near the front of the corridor, Blair let out a low whistle. "What's the plan then? Well, you'll keep her so locked up now that she's willing to eat dirt to crawl in the door?
Logan smirked. "That could be fun."
I did not feel like playing any of their games.
I ran a hand through my hair, releasing a sharp breath. She needed to understand.
She needed to learn.
I have coming to the door of the dungeon. "I'll handle her."
Avyaane's POV
I was pacing the length of my cell, my mind swirling with escape plans when I heard the footsteps.
Different ones this t
ime.
Before I even laid eyes on him, I already knew to whom he belonged.
Chad.
He halted barely inches from the bars, his cerulean eyes boring into mine like some predator eyeing a meal.
A flash of annoyance passed across his face when he saw I wasn't cowering in the corner, as I'm sure he'd envisioned.
"Still defiant," he mused. "Good."
I crossed my arms. "Come to tell me how I'm supposed to be a good little mate and take my medicine?
His jaw tightened.
"No," he said smoothly. "I've come to give you a choice."
I scoffed. "You don't give me choices."
He smirked. "Then perhaps this will be the one you enjoy."
He pulled a key from his pocket and held it up by two fingers. It was clear to me with my own eyes right away; I lost my breath.
"I can release you from this cell, Avyaane," he said gently. "Right now."
I narrowed my eyes. What was the catch?
"And what? Let me walk free?"
His smirk deepened. "So you can leave the cell. The castle? Not so much."
I snorted. "So instead of a dungeon, I get locked in a gilded cage? How generous."
He shrugged. "If you want, you can rot in here."
I bit my lip.
I hated this. Was controlling me but gave me the illusion of freedom.
But if I were going to escape then I had to get going.
And I hadn't gotten a shot of that in a dungeon."
I strained my face into one of boredom. "Fine. Unlock it."
Chad was silent for a long moment, and the blue of his eyes was inscrutable.
Then the key clicked in the lock.
The door swung open.
I didn't move. Not yet.
"Go ahead," he said softly. "Step out."
I knew he was testing me.
I walked in, past the threshold on shaky legs and a pounding heart.
Chad didn't stop me.
He just saw me walk past him.
But, just as I was about to get out the hallway
He grabbed my wrist.
His handshake was firm, but not crushing. Possessive.
"Might be out of the dungeon," he breathed against my ear, the heat of his breath. "But I can reach you."
I withdrew my arm and stepped back. "I'll find a way out."
His lips curled in amusement. "You can try."
The way he said it gave me chills.
Because he Xi did not doubt I would try.
But of course he knew knew that I wouldn't pass.
Not yet.
Not without paying the price.
The Castle
Logan, Killian, and Blair were already there when I entered the ballroom.
Blair whistled lowly. "Back from the dungeon, are we?"
Killian smirked. "Did you missed us, little wolf?
I clenched my jaw. "Not in the slightest."
Logan chuckled. "Shame. You're going to get so much of us."
I crossed my arms. "So what now? You put me in a nice room instead of a cell?"
Chad stepped forward. "You'll be living in the east wing for now." You'll have clothes, food. But don't confuse it with liberty."
I exhaled with a quick hiss, attempting to stay cool. I had to be smart.
"I want a bath," I added suddenly.
Killian raised a brow. "Demanding, aren't we?"
I met Chad's gaze and did not break it. "You want me to be civil? So please treat me like a human, not an animal.
There was a pause.
Then—Chad smirked. "Fine."
He agreed quite readily, which was surprising.
Blair grinned. "Guess I'll prepare the bath. Unless one of us is joining?"
I glared at him. Touch me and I'll rip your throat out."
Blair just laughed.
Logan smirked. I think I'm going to love having you here.
I clenched my fists.
I had won this round.
But I wasn't safe.
Not yet.
And I needed t
o be careful.
Because while I was stalling
They were playing a different game altogether.
And I didn't know if I could win.