5. Kali

5

KALI

I lie awake in the cell, unable to sleep. It's hard to believe my friends can sleep after the day we've had. Matias's cryptic words replay in my mind like a broken record.

You think you're so strong, don't you? But I see right through you. I see the weakness, the fear. And I'm going to use it to destroy you.

The most concerning thing of all is that I think he sees right through me in a way no one has ever done.

A door creaking open pulls me from my thoughts. Matias stands there again, his dark eyes fixed on me. My heart races, unsure of what he has in store. Stepping forward, he grabs my arm and yanks me to my feet, dragging me from the cell.

This time, he doesn't take me to the room. Instead, he leads me down an unfamiliar corridor, the air growing colder and the walls closing in. I shiver, both from the chill and the dread.

Where is he taking me?

Matias stops before a heavy metal door, slides a key in, and unlocks it before pulling it open to reveal a long, dark tunnel. My breath catches in my throat. "Where are you taking me?" I ask.

"I'm setting you free," he says coldly.

I stare at him, dumbfounded. "Free?" I echo, glancing back down the corridor toward the cell. I don't want to leave my friends." This has to be a trick. Why would he set me free?

"Walk," Matias commands, giving me a firm shove toward the opening.

I dig my heels into the concrete, refusing to move. "No! I won't leave them."

His eyes narrow, and he laces his fingers into my hair in a flash, wrenching my head back violently. I cry out in pain as he brings his face within an inch of mine. "You'll do as I say, little rabbit, or I'll make you wish you had."

Tears sting my eyes, but I hold his gaze. Matias smirks, enjoying my resistance. He trails his fingers along my jaw, then down my neck with his free hand.

"You can't resist forever," he murmurs. "I'll break you, and then you'll obey me without question."

My stomach twists with fear and an utterly confusing spark of desire. I hate him for the effect he has on me, for the way my body betrays my mind.

Matias gives my hair another vicious yank and then pushes me forward. "Now walk," he snarls. "Or this will be much harder for you."

Tears stream down my face as I take a few shaky steps into the dark maw of the tunnel. The chill envelops me immediately, raising goosebumps on my skin. My eyes strain to see more than a few feet ahead, the inky blackness stretching endlessly.

With Matias's firm grip fisted in my hair, I've got no choice but to keep walking blindly into the abyss, my friends growing distant with every step.

The tunnel opens up to the night sky. I blink against the moonlight as we emerge into a small clearing surrounded by dense woods. The trees loom over us, their bare branches reaching out like gnarled claws.

Matias releases his grip on my hair, and I stumble forward, gulping in the crisp night air. I spin around to face him. "Why have you brought me here?"

He says nothing, watching me with those intense, dark eyes. I shiver under his penetrating gaze.

"Well?" I demand, struggling to keep my voice from wavering. "Are you going to kill me? Is that what you meant by setting me free?"

A slow smile spreads across his lips, and he shakes his head. "I'm not going to kill you."

He takes a step closer, and I instinctively back away, my back hitting the rough bark of a tree. Matias continues advancing until there's barely any space between us. He leans in, his lips brushing my ear.

"I'm setting you free," he murmurs, his voice a deep rumble that sends tremors through me. "This forest leads outside the compound walls. You can run, and if you can make it without being caught, you're free to leave. "

My breath catches in my throat as I process his words. He's shown me an escape route? But why?

As if reading my thoughts, Matias pulls back slightly to meet my eyes. "Do you think you can outrun the wolf?"

Dread coils in my stomach. This is all a game to him, another way to torment and break me. I won't play along.

"I'm not running anywhere," I say through gritted teeth. "My friends are still back there."

Matias tsks softly and reaches up to toy with a strand of my hair. "So loyal, so stupid. They'll only drag you down, make you weak."

His fingers trail down my cheek, making my skin prickle. "You're stronger than them. If you ran, maybe you could survive."

I knock his hand away, glaring defiantly. "I won't abandon them. Do whatever you want with me, but I'm not leaving them behind."

I stare defiantly into Matias's eyes, refusing to play his twisted game. His jaw tightens with anger.

"Run, little rabbit," he growls, his voice low and menacing. "Or I'll make you."

Before I can react, he whips out a wicked-looking knife from his belt. The blade glints in the moonlight as he presses the razor-sharp edge against my throat. I suck in a sharp breath, my heart pounding.

"I said run!" Matias bellows, increasing the pressure of the blade until I feel a sting as it breaks the skin. A small amount of blood trickles down my neck .

My survival instincts kick in, and I take a stumbling step away, then another. Matias advances, the knife pointed at me. He's not bluffing—he'll use it if I don't obey.

"That's it," he taunts. "Run like the scared little bunny you are. Let's see how far you get before I catch you."

With a feral snarl, he lunges at me, the blade slicing through the air. I cry out and spin around, bolting into the darkness of the trees.

I can hear Matias rushing through the forest behind me, his footfalls growing closer. My heart thunders in my ears as I run mindlessly, roots and rocks threatening to trip me. The woods are alive with eerie sounds.

Branches whip at my face and snag my clothes. My heart thunders as Matias's footsteps grow louder. He's toying with me, letting me think I have a chance before he pounces.

Despite my fear, I find myself exhilarated by this depraved game he's forcing me to play. I know his intent was never to let me escape—he wants to hunt me down and claim me as his prize.

My legs with exertion. I glance over my shoulder and see him, a mere shadow flitting between the trees, closing in on me with each stride of his powerful legs.

I whip my head back around, searching for any place to hide or take cover. But the forest is an endless tangle of twisted branches and impenetrable darkness. There's nowhere for a frightened rabbit to run from the wolf's jaws .

A gnarled root catches my foot, and I pitch forward, crying as I hit the ground hard. I scramble to push myself up, but Matias is on me instantly. His weight slams into me, knocking the wind from my lungs as he pins me to the damp earth.

"Caught you," he growls in my ear, his body caging me beneath him. I can feel the power coiled in his muscles, the feral hunger radiating from him.

I thrash wildly, trying to buck him off, but he's immovable. Chuckling darkly, he grabs my wrists and slams them down above my head, rendering me helpless beneath him. Our ragged breaths mingle in the small space between us.

"You never had a chance, baby," he taunts, his lips grazing the sensitive skin below my ear. A tremor of fear and something darker courses through me at his touch.

Matias pushes away to look into my eyes, his glittering with a predatory light as he savors the sight of me trapped. Slowly, deliberately, he trails the sharp blade of his knife along my jaw, down my throat.

"You'll learn," he murmurs, the knife pressing into the soft hollow of my neck. "This is your place—beneath me, submitting to your hunter."

My chest heaves with a confusing mix of terror and inexplicable arousal as the blade dances lower, slicing through the thin fabric of my shirt. Matias's gaze burns into mine, daring me to fight.

I know with chilling certainty that he won't let me go, no matter what I do. So I lie trembling beneath him, my defiance momentarily broken, waiting to see how far he'll push me this time.

Pinned beneath him, I feel vulnerable and exposed, my breath coming in short gasps. Despite my resistance, my body responds to his touch, betraying my conflicted desires.

Matias's eyes burn into mine, daring me to look away. "Do you know what happens when the wolf catches the rabbit?" he asks, his voice a low, dangerous purr.

I refuse to answer, biting my lip as his fingers trail along my skin, sending shivers through me. I know what comes next—he eats me. The thought fills me with disgust and arousal that ignites a fire in my core.

He smirks, his white teeth gleaming in the moonlight. "That's right, baby. The wolf eats the rabbit up."

And then he moves. Lower, his lips and tongue mapping a path of fire from my neck to the sensitive valley between my breasts. My breath catches as he teases the edge of my cleavage, his tongue flicking out to taste my skin.

"So sweet," he murmurs. "I could feast on you forever."

I can't suppress a soft moan as his mouth continues its descent, kissing and nipping at my stomach. My fingers tangle in his hair, encouraging him to continue his exploration.

Matias chuckles, his eyes glinting with an evil light. "You like that, don't you? But you won't admit it. "

I swallow hard, my throat feeling suddenly dry. "I... I don't..."

He silences me with a growl, his fingers tightening on my hips. "Don't lie. Your body gives you away."

I bite my lip, wanting to deny him the satisfaction of hearing me admit it. But he's right. My body is on fire.

Matias chuckles again. Then, without warning, he yanks my dress up roughly, baring me to the cold night air. I gasp, my cheeks flaming with mortification, but he doesn't give me time to react.

His mouth is on me, his tongue deftly parting my sensitive folds, tasting and teasing me. I cry out, my head falling back as pleasure explodes through me. My hands grasp uselessly at his shoulders as he devours me, his fingers digging into my thighs to hold me in place.

"Matias—" I start to say, but my words dissolve into a moan as he finds the perfect spot, sending shockwaves of pleasure coursing through my veins.

He looks at me then, his eyes reflecting the moon's silvery glow. His tongue and fingers work in tandem to drive me wild. My hips buck, seeking more of the exquisite sensations he's stirring within me.

The forest melts away, the gritty reality of our situation fading to nothingness. It's just us, our bodies moving in rhythm and the overwhelming tide of pleasure threatening to pull me under.

Teetering between heaven and hell on the precipice, I whine when Matias pulls away, leaving me empty and gasping.

My eyes snap open to see him sit back on his haunches and wipe his mouth with his hand. A shiver runs through me, half from the cold night air and half from the unsatisfied need humming through my veins.

Matias grins, flashing sharp and white teeth at me. "You want more? Then beg for it."

I shake my head, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. There's no way I'm giving him the satisfaction of hearing me beg.

His eyes glitter with feral amusement as he crawls up my body, trapping me once again beneath his powerful frame. "You think you're so tough, don't you? But your body tells me everything I need to know." He leans down. "You can fight it all you want, but I'll make you scream my name."

I try to twist away, but he's too strong, his hands holding my wrists above my head. His breath mingles with mine, his mouth hovering tantalizingly close but kissing me.

"Please..." The word escapes my lips before I can stop it.

Matias's eyes narrow, lighting up with a dangerous mixture of triumph and lust. "Please, what?"

The victory in his eyes snaps me back to my senses. "Just let me go back," I say. "My friends... please, just let me return to them."

His chest vibrates against mine with a low chuckle. "You think I'd let you go back to them unchanged? Once I'm done with you, you'll never be the same again."

I shudder, half from the cold and half from the raw, animalistic desire he ignites. His free hand trails down my body, tracing patterns on my skin.

"Maybe I'll let you go back..." he muses, his lips brushing my ear. "Maybe I'll keep you here as my little plaything. What do you think? Will you be my pet?"

I swallow hard, my heart pounding as conflicting desires war within me. "I..." I start, my voice failing me.

His gaze searches mine. "What? You want to stay here with me?"

I bite my lip, unsure how to voice the turmoil inside me without exposing the growing weakness he's unleashed. "I?—"

Suddenly, the shrill call of an owl cuts through the night, jolting us both from our momentary trance. Matias curses and lifts his head, his body tensing.

"We need to get back before people notice you're gone," he snarls, pulling away from me and rising to his feet. He offers me a hand, and I take it reluctantly, allowing him to pull me up. He grumbles, "Time to return to your cage. But don't think this is over. We'll continue our game another time."

I straighten my clothes as he tucks his knife back into his belt. We begin the trek back through the forest, and I am imprinted with the memory of what happened.

We emerge from the trees, and the harsh fluorescent lights of the compound bathe us in an unforgiving glow. I blink, momentarily disoriented as we retreat into our harsh reality.

"Back to paradise," Matias mutters as we approach the metal door to the tunnel. "Next time, you won't be so lucky. But for now, you better keep our little secret."

I follow him back into the tunnel, my mind swirling with conflicting emotions as he returns me to captivity, back to my friends and the cold, hard reality of our situation.

But something has shifted inside me. My mind replays the intense moments we shared in the woods. I know he's not done with me, that he's just getting started. Part of me is terrified, but another part wants more.

Does Matias sense this shift within me? Can he smell my growing desire on me like a wolf scenting blood?

I shiver as he glances over his shoulder, his eyes flashing triumphantly. Whatever game he's playing, whatever twisted dance we're engaged in, the rules have changed, and the stakes have just increased.

As we reach the cell, Matias pauses, his hand on the door. He turns to me, his eyes intense. "Remember, little rabbit," he whispers. "This is just the beginning."