40. Elisabed

40

Elisabed

The journey felt endless, the days slipping by like a never-ending blur of motion, cold winds, and aching limbs. My hands were bound behind me, the ropes biting into my skin with every movement, a constant reminder of how powerless I was.

Every time I was asleep, I dreamed of August.

That was one of the hardest parts. He was always so sweet and tender and apologetic in my dreams. I woke up every time feeling simultaneously painfully turned on and desperate for the same intimacy we shared in my subconscious. I could feel the weight of his regret like a living thing, and I just wanted to tell him that I understood, that I didn’t blame him, and that we were going to get out of this together and alive.

I didn’t know if I believed it, but I wanted to tell him that. I couldn’t stand the idea of him being so afraid and so sad for my sake. The connection between us—the one that had been building since the very first day I saw them—was tense and strained, and god, I just wanted to fix it.

There was nothing I could do, though.

Raol’s betas took us to a house in neutral territory. I recognized it from the time of my trial. I could feel the weight of my sister’s presence beside me, her soft sobs muffled. Raol’s betas had their eyes on us, ensuring we were kept under their watchful gaze while he led the way with that insufferable smirk on his face.

Once inside, the betas led us to a dimly lit room, shackled like prisoners. Mily was beside me, her face pale and tear-streaked, her eyes wide with fear. I could feel her trembling, but I kept my voice steady, trying to reassure her. The bindings on my wrists were tight, but I didn’t let it show—no, I wasn’t going to give Raol the satisfaction of seeing me weak.

“What will he do to us?” Milly whispered, her voice cracking with despair.

I couldn’t think of anything comforting to say. Raol was a monster, and we were at his mercy...and he was here now.

I always felt his presence before I saw him.

I heard footsteps, which stopped directly behind me. I froze, every muscle in my body locking up, my breath shallow and quick. His fingers brushed against the back of my neck, just the faintest touch, but it sent a jolt of revulsion through me. I clenched my teeth, determined not to let him see how his touch affected me.

“You’re both still so young,” he said, his voice dripping with malice. “But you’re learning quickly. Perhaps not quickly enough, though.”

I bit back the retort that rose in my throat. I knew better than to provoke him, but the words were always on the tip of my tongue.

He turned away, pacing for a moment before stopping just out of reach, his eyes settling on me like a predator sizing up its prey.

“You think you can fight me? That you can escape?” he asked, his voice low and mocking.

Without warning, his hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of my hair and yanking me roughly to my feet. My body collided with his chest, and the pain in my scalp made my vision blur. He chuckled darkly, savoring my discomfort.

I glared at him, even as the pain radiated through me.

“You should’ve known better than to cross me, you stupid cunt,” he sneered, and I felt his hands begin to work on the laces of my bodice, tugging them loose.

I jerked back, trying to break free from his grasp, but he was relentless, overpowering me with ease. My breath caught in my throat as he began to strip the layers of my clothing from me. I struggled, but it was futile. I fought with every ounce of strength left in me. I wasn’t going to let him break me—not completely.

“You won’t get away with this,” I said, the words bitter on my tongue.

Raol only laughed, a cruel, hollow sound. “Get away with it? You don’t understand. This is all part of the plan. You’re mine now. And so is your precious little sister.”

The idea of him touching Mily, of what he might do to her, was enough to make my stomach turn. But I couldn’t show it—not yet.

His eyes narrowed as he ran his hands along my skin without mercy or hesitation. His fingers trailed over the exposed skin of my arms and chest, lingering in places they shouldn’t. Raol’s grip tightened on my arm, and I flinched as he dug his fingers into the flesh, drawing a sharp gasp from me. He seemed to enjoy the power he held over me, the way I trembled beneath his touch.

Then, suddenly, his fingers brushed against something hidden beneath the fabric of my skirt.

“What’s this?” he muttered, tugging at it.

My heart skipped in my chest as his hand revealed the holster I wore to keep Marshall’s dagger on me. But, as Raol quickly noticed with a satisfied sneer, it was empty.

“Well, what do we have here?” he taunted, pinching the freed skin around the holster. “This is where you hid that little dagger you used on my men. You really thought you could fight back. How...quaint.”

I didn’t answer. I kept my gaze steady and my expression hard.

Raol scoffed, mocking me with his laughter. “What, you think you could stop me?”

I didn’t respond, but I was already working through my options. I couldn’t let him see my fear. I couldn’t let him know how desperate I was.

“Tell you what,” I said, my voice steady despite the fear choking my throat. “If you’re going to kill me, why not untie my hands? Let’s see how well you fare against me.”

Raol raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his eyes. “You really think I’m stupid enough to fall for that? You don’t stand a chance, little omega. You never did.”

I was bluffing, but it was the only idea I had. Raol was stronger than I was—far stronger. The first time I had managed to get the better of him had been pure luck. He hadn’t seen the dagger coming and hadn’t expected me to have any fight left in me after years of abuse. I wasn’t foolish enough to think I could win again, but I had to try.

Raol grinned at me. “You’re lucky I don’t need to kill you just yet,” he said, his voice low with contempt. “But you’ll wish I had by the time I’m done with you.”

He stepped closer, and I braced myself, my heart pounding against my ribs. I couldn’t stop what was coming. I knew that now. I had been fighting for so long, but this wasn’t something I could escape. Not this time. Not without help. But my alphas were dead, and my only weapon was long gone.

He leaned in close, his breath hot against my ear. “You’re going to suffer. I’ll make sure of it.”

Then came the first cut.

Raol’s knife flashed in the dim light, too quick for me to react. He pressed it into my skin just above my elbow, and I cried out as the blade sliced through flesh. He didn’t go deep, just enough to draw blood and make sure I felt every second of it. I could feel the warm trickle of blood running down my arm, the sting of the cut sharp against the cold air.

“Such a beautiful little thing,” he said, his voice mocking as he watched the blood drip slowly from my arm. “But so fragile. So easy to break.”

I wanted to scream, to fight back, but I didn’t. I couldn’t, not with Mily in the room and my baby growing inside me. I had to be strong for all of us—but it wasn’t easy. It never was with Raol.

His fingers pressed deeper into the wound, making me gasp. He pulled away and inspected the blood on his hand with a look of disgust.

“You’re worthless,” he sneered, wiping the blood on the front of my dress. “Just like your alphas. Worthless.”

I didn’t answer. My mind was spiraling, filled with a hundred dark thoughts, and the last thing I needed was to show Raol any more of my weakness.

He started to speak, his voice cold and steady, as if savoring every word. “Do you want to know exactly how it happened—how your alphas died? How your precious August, Marshall, and Finn met their end? I didn’t even wait for a trial, you see.”

The words struck me like a blow to the stomach. The thought of them—my alphas—suffering...the idea of them in pain...it brought a rush of bile to my throat.

I could feel the tears gathering in my eyes, but I wouldn’t let them fall. I had to stay strong. For Mily. For the baby.

Raol didn’t wait for a response. “August begged me to finish him,” he mocked, his voice cruel and cold. “He couldn’t stand the pain. He begged for death. But I wasn’t finished with him. I made him watch as I took Finn apart, piece by piece. And Marshall...he tried to fight back. But that only made it more fun for me.”

Every word hit me like a physical blow.

“Marshall fought back, but I made him watch as I broke August. The look in his eyes when I took him apart... he couldn’t handle it. I saved him for last. He begged me for mercy, too.”

I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. The images of my alphas, of August, of Marshall, of Finn—dying slowly, begging for mercy, helpless in Raol’s grip—tore through me like a razor blade. I felt like I was suffocating. The world spun around me, and I thought I might faint.

The council was going to let him get away with this. There was nothing I could do.

Raol circled behind me, his movements deliberate. I could hear his heavy breathing, the sick satisfaction in his voice as he spoke. “You think your alphas were brave, don’t you? That they died fighting for you and their pack. But the truth is, they died like cowards. They begged for their lives, every single one of them.”

But then, through the haze of my fear, through the pain of the cuts and the sickness in my stomach, I saw Mily.

She wasn’t where she was supposed to be.

She was moving. Quietly, slowly, so carefully that Raol hadn’t noticed yet. She was making her way behind Raol, the dagger I gifted her years ago held tight in her little hand.