21. Zara

21

ZARA

I cower in the corner of the hunting room, my heart pounding relentlessly against my ribs. The silence is deafening, each passing second amplifying the dread coiling in my stomach. Where is Aksel? What's happening out there? A thousand terrifying scenarios race through my mind, each more unsettling than the last.

Suddenly, a thunderous crash shatters the stillness, causing me to scream in terror. The door leading outside explodes inward, shards of wood scattering across the floor. Through the haze of debris, a menacing figure emerges—Tor clad in hunting gear, his face contorted into a sinister smirk.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" He drawls.

I feel utterly exposed, like helpless prey trapped in the sights of a skilled hunter. But it's completely different from how Aksel looks at me. It's filled with pure malice. And I know in that moment that Aksel was telling the truth, ever since we met he never intended to hurt me, even if it was his initial motivation for inviting me here. "Aksel's little plaything," he sneers, stepping closer. "I must admit, I didn't expect him to grow so attached."

My heart thunders in my ears as Tor advances, his movements calculated. I press myself further into the corner, desperate to distance myself as much as possible.

"You see, Zara," Tor continues, his tone dripping with condescension, "Aksel and I have a complicated history. We're more than just cousins—we're brothers, bound by blood and a legacy darker than you could ever imagine."

A shiver runs down my spine at his words, and I can't help but wonder what secrets lie beneath the surface of Aksel's mysterious past. How can Tor be his brother and cousin?

Tor pauses, his eyes glinting with malice. "And now, it seems my dear brother has developed a fondness for you." He chuckles. "But don't worry. I'll take good care of you, just like Aksel would."

I cower against the wall, Tor's imposing frame towering over me. His words chill me to the bone.

"You see, Zara," he drawls, his voice dripping with menace, "Aksel and I were raised to believe there could only be one alpha male in the family. The strongest and most dominant survives." His lips curl into a sinister smirk as he rakes his gaze over my trembling form. "And now that he's claimed you as his mate, it seems I have no choice but to take you for myself."

My heart drops into my stomach as the full weight of his words sinks in. He wants to mate with me? A wave of nausea washes over me.

Tor's smirk widens, his eyes glinting with a predatory gleam. "Don't look so frightened, little bird," he purrs, using Aksel's nickname for me in a mocking tone. "I promise I'll be gentle at first."

Before I can react, he lunges forward, his powerful hands clamping around my wrists like vises. A strangled cry tears from my throat, and I thrash in his grip as he pins me against the wall. His body presses against mine, trapping me, suffocating me with his overwhelming presence.

"Get off me!" I scream, panic clawing at my throat. "Aksel! Help!"

Tor merely chuckles, his hot breath fanning across my face. "Your precious Aksel can't save you now," he sneers. "You're mine."

His free hand snakes around my waist, pulling me flush against him. I can feel the hard planes of his body through the layers of clothing separating us, and bile rises in my throat. This can't be happening. This has to be a nightmare.

"Please," I sob, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Please, don't do this."

But Tor is relentless, his grip tightening as he leans in closer, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear. "Struggle all you want," he growls. "It'll only make this more fun for me."

My heart races, terror gripping me in its icy clutches. A thunderous roar echoes through the room when I'm convinced all hope is lost.

Aksel storms in, his eyes wild and feral, like a beast unleashed from its cage. In an instant, he takes in the scene before him. Tor trapping me, his hands roaming my body. A guttural snarl rips from Aksel's throat, raw and primal, sending chills down my spine.

"Get your filthy hands off her!" he growls.

Tor merely smirks, his grip on me tightening. "Or what, brother? You'll have to kill me to stop me from claiming what's rightfully mine."

In a blur of motion, Aksel lunges forward, his powerful frame slamming into Tor with the force of a raging bull. They crash to the ground, a tangle of limbs and fury, snarling and grunting like feral animals locked in a battle for dominance.

I shrink back against the wall, my body trembling as I watch the brutal scene unfold before me. Fists fly, connecting with sickening thuds as the two men grapple and claw at each other. It's a primal display of raw power and violence, a side of Aksel I've briefly witnessed when he came up against the wolf.

Tor gains the upper hand, pinning Aksel to the floor and raining down a flurry of blows. But Aksel is relentless, his rage fueling his strength. With a surge of adrenaline, he bucks Tor off, reversing their positions and unleashing a barrage of punches.

The air is thick with the metallic scent of blood, the grunts and snarls of the two men echoing off the walls. I can't look away from the savage display, my heart pounding in my throat as I watch the man I thought I knew transform into a beast.

Aksel's movements are fluid and lethal, each strike precise. He's a force of nature, a whirlwind of fury driven by an instinct so primal that it borders on terrifying. And yet, even as I witness this raw, untamed side of him, I can't help but feel a twisted sense of awe.

Tor struggles beneath Aksel's onslaught, his defiance slowly waning as blow after blow rains down upon him. Finally, with one last devastating punch, Aksel punches Tor to the floor in a bloody heap. And I'm sure, as I look for any signs of breathing, that Aksel has killed him.