18. Tayla

Chapter eighteen

Tayla

As I traversed the dim hallways, a whisper of my name caught my attention. I pivoted, spotting a room at the corridor's end. Drawing nearer, I cautiously pushed open the wooden door, revealing a somber sight: a black coffin positioned in the middle of the sparsely furnished room.

Approaching the coffin, I attempted to pry it open, only to be startled by a faint female voice. I wheeled around to find a pregnant woman standing before me, blood trickling down heavily between her legs.

My brow furrowed. "You're going to pay the price for him," she declared.

Before I could open my mouth to speak, I saw myself being pulled inside the coffin.

I abruptly woke up to the sunlight filtering through the single window in the tower room. I felt goose bumps form on my skin as a cold chill ran through my back.

I thought about the dream I just had. What kind of horrible dream was that? A black coffin? And the pregnant woman? Was she getting her revenge on our people? Did that include me now?

Feeling an excruciating headache, I brought my hand up to rub my forehead. A light sweat prickled across my skin.

The events of the previous night flooded into my head piece by piece, and I felt my heart sink into my stomach.

As I sat on the edge of the bed, I scanned the room, now in daylight, to see it was actually a spacious one. A king's size bed and large wardrobe were off to one side of the room. There was also a single upholstered chair and a writing desk. I noticed a small group of birds perched at the edge of the window, cheerfully chirping.

My eyes widened in surprise as I saw that they, the birds, had brought flowers—delicate blooms nestled in their beaks as they fluttered about.

Despite the sadness I was feeling deep down, I couldn't help but smile at the sight of the little blue flowers. I stood up from the bed and reached out to touch them. The birds flew off the windowsill and I smiled at the small feathers they left behind.

I looked down outside the window, and my eyes widened upon seeing how tall the tower was. I was probably a hundred feet up with no chance of escaping that route for sure. When the tower bell rang, I snapped my head around to see two young maids unlock the door and walk inside the room.

They carried things into the bathroom and came back after a while.

“Ms. Tayla, your bath has been drawn,” they bowed their heads.

I slowly removed the silver gown I was wearing and let it fall down before walking inside the bathroom. As I stepped into the bathtub, the scent of fresh petals drifted into my nostrils. I closed my eyes as the water consumed my body.

Reflecting on yesterday's events, my brow furrowed with unease. The desire to flee surged within me, but the tower's confines offered little hope of escape. The locked door and dizzying height made evasion seem futile.

Why had he confined me here of all places? Resigned, I acknowledged the futility of any attempt to break free. Plus, my affection for the pack, particularly the vulnerable children and women in the orphanage, anchored me to this place. If helping the children meant I had to stay here, then stay here, I would. I had made a promise to those grieving mothers. I would keep that promise.

Exiting the bathtub, I draped a robe over my damp skin and stepped out into the room, only to find Asher seated in the chair, his presence a disconcerting reminder of my captivity.

I stared at him for a moment before taking my eyes off him and sitting down at the mirrored vanity. Hearing the sound of footsteps approaching, I turned around to see Asher standing behind me.

I ignored his presence and gazed at my reflection in the mirror instead. He was smiling at me. I frowned.

"You must have enjoyed your solitary slumber in the tower," he remarked with a smirk, addressing me before dismissing the maids with a wave of his hand. Their departing footsteps echoed, leaving an unsettling silence in their wake. I exhaled heavily, the towel slipping from my wet hair.

"Isn't imprisoning me in this tower punishment enough?" I questioned, my frown deepening with frustration. Wetting my parched lips, I added, "You don't own me, Asher."

His narrowed gaze bore into mine before softening. "I know I don’t own you, but you cannot leave."

My own frown deepened. "But you kidnapped me and manipulated me into believing we were married. Only a bastard would do that."

"Never use such a tone with me," he warned, his voice stern.

"Then release me," I implored.

"No," he retorted, shaking his head. "We belong together, Tayla. I know you feel that too."

He pressed a small kiss on my skin that sent shivers down my spine.

When he pulled back, I ran my tongue across my lips.

"You're staying here; I won't let you leave," he declared. "But what if I assist you in locating the individual responsible for taking the children? You could stay here with me then and help."

Turning to meet his gaze, I regarded him skeptical. "Why should I trust anything you say? You've been deceiving me about everything since I woke up from that accident."

His expression hardened, advancing a step closer. "Then don't," he replied indifferently.

I sighed in frustration. "How can I be certain that you'll actually help these people? Our people, Asher."

"I will locate the witch and ensure justice for the deceased children," he proposed, tilting his head slightly. Heat emanated from his gaze as he locked eyes with me.

"And you expect me to believe that you'll allow me to leave after we find the witch? If we find the witch? Children have been disappearing for years…why would you suddenly decide to help me find this evil man now?" I inquired with suspicion.

"You don't have a choice," he asserted firmly. "Believe me or don’t. If you do, then you'll stay with me while we search because I command it."

I scoffed at his arrogance. "And what if I refuse?"

His response was chillingly simple. "Then you'll face the consequences."

Before I could continue with my hair, he pulled my chair closer before leaning toward me. I could feel his warm breath falling on my face.

“Don't play with flames, Tayla, or you will get burned,” he warned.

One day, I will run away, and you will never see me again, I thought. Soon, when all of this has ended, I will plan my escape from this pack.

He chuckled before pulling himself back.

"So, how do you propose we find the witch?" I inquired.

"By following wherever the leads take us," he replied cryptically.

Nodding in understanding, I voiced my condition. "But I insist on being involved every step of the way, even if I have to remain in this tower…or in your bed."

"Under the watch of the guards and myself," he stipulated.

"Agreed," I confirmed. "Also, I require the release of my maid."

"Which maid?" he inquired.

"The one you imprisoned in the dungeon, Nora," I stated.

If someone had told me just a week ago that all of this was a fabrication spun by Asher, I wouldn't have entertained the notion. It was inconceivable that I had spent a night sexually entwined with the man who had abducted me.

Despite my growing disdain for him, I couldn't deny the conflicted feelings that lingered. As much as I loathed him now, there was an undeniable allure to our encounter. A part of me begrudgingly admitted to missing his touch on my skin. And the way he moved inside me…

Watching him turn away, I rose from the chair and shed the robe from my body. Grasping the amber-colored gown from the bed, I draped it over myself with deliberate slowness. Turning toward the mirror, I caught sight of Asher approaching from behind.

He halted just inches away from me, his hand reaching for the soft fabric of my dress, skillfully adjusting the corset with practiced ease. As his fingers trailed up to the nape of my neck, a flurry of sensations erupted within me, my heart racing at his touch, sending shivers down my spine and making my toes curl involuntarily.

A rush of heat flooded my cheeks as his proximity electrified me. The scent of his cologne enveloped me, teasing my senses, and I couldn't help but lick my lips in anticipation.

But before anything further could transpire between us, a sharp knock echoed through the room, jolting me back to reality. Turning around, I saw a guard standing at the door, disrupting the charged atmosphere between Asher and me.

“Alpha Asher,” the guard bowed his head.

Asher growled in disappointment at having to stop before turning around and following the guard out the door. It slammed shut and locked behind him. I sighed and sat down on the cushioned chair.

My mind drifted to my life before meeting Asher. I had a loving father by my side even though my mother had died years ago. I wondered how he felt not having seen me for months now. He would think I had abandoned him.

Even though I wanted to leave, I felt bad for the people here…their losses. They had been going through so much, with their families being torn apart by despair.

My mind raced to the dream I had about the coffin. What could be inside it? And why did the woman tell me I was going to pay the price?

Asher really needed to devise a plan to permanently halt the witch from taking more children. I also need to uncover who or what is inside that coffin. For a coffin to be ensnared with magic, it must hold something significant to the witch. But what could it be? I would help the grieving families seek justice and play the loving wife until the right time came when I could make my escape and never come back.