Chapter 7 Self-Imposed Punishment

His anger receded when he saw her. Flushed cheeks and disheveled hair. He questioned why she was in such a state, worried that Liam hurt her, but knew he had no right. He caused her pain over the years, and his deeds last night were unforgivable.

Her honey-glazed orbs stared at him in fear and… something else. Something she kept hidden since that day, a promise, but he could never bring himself to ask her.

He saw his reflection in her eyes – a monster. There was a time when he wanted to see in those eyes the Alpha, he secretly promised he’d be, for her. He missed how she looked at him with adoration and love. Now all he could see was the kind of person he swore he’d never be and he blamed it on her. She did this to him.

He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t jealous that she was in that bastard’s bed instead of his. But it would never happen – they have rejected each other. It was what he wanted, didn’t he?

He raised a brow and she held her breath. Using his abilities, he was instantly on her face with a devilish smirk playing on his lips, and dark thoughts on his mind. She caused him trouble and she will sort it out herself, even if he had to force her.

Forcing herself to speak, the words came out as a stutter. “A-Alpha…I-I..,”

“You’re coming with me,” he said then smacked the back of her head, hard, rendering her unconscious.

He carried her in his arms, close to his chest, and examined her face. She was always a queen in his eyes, even if his actions proved otherwise. He walked out of the room, checked if there was anybody around and within minutes, he was walking through the woods.

From the other side of the woods, the mating rituals were being held. Although far from his location, he could hear the cheers and howling. A great bonfire lit the sky, and the joyous sounds only grew louder.

He slowed down, savoring every second of their intimate position, for he knew it would be the last. With what he planned to do to her, forgiveness was impossible.

His wolf whimpered, but he paid him no attention. Farrell hadn’t spoken to him since last night, feeling betrayed that he rejected their mate.

He looked down at her and frowned. “If I didn’t, we’d be on that side by now,” he said sadly.

Then a private link tried to connect, interrupting his thoughts. In an annoyed tone, he answered, “What, Carson?”

“Alpha, the Red Claw pack is up to something. They’ve been tailing our men and asking questions from the Omegas. And…” Carson trailed, annoying him more.

“And? Speak up, Carson!”

“We still haven’t found Anna. And Alpha Liam’s men are secretly looking for her,” he reported.

Alpha Flynn grinned at the Red Claw pack’s futile attempts. He was taking her to a place they wouldn’t find and given her predicament, it was more than easy to lie to the other Alpha about her whereabouts.

“Instruct everyone to act their part. As for Anna, stop the search,” he said. The other line didn’t respond for a few seconds.

“Forgive me for asking, Alpha but… is she with you?” Carson said with a worried tone.

“Leave it, Carson,” Flynn warned then cut the link. He glanced at the unconscious woman and smiled. It’s been years since he last held her.

Farrell snarled at him and fought to be released but he blocked him out. He would betray his heart many times more, as payback for how she had betrayed his trust and affection.

He soon reached a small shack, hidden deep in the woods, and it was near impossible for werewolves to find because it was surrounded by pretty aconite.

Only a few from his pack knew about its existence, and only those with high offense or enemy spies were brought there – for torture, interrogation, and in the end, death. The door had no lock and there were no windows, such weren’t needed.

He kicked it open and laid her on a dusty wooden table in the center of the room. To his left was a wooden cabinet, to which he retrieved from a drawer, candles, and a box of matches. He lit every candle and placed them around the room for illumination. Then he peeked outside, observed the surroundings, and closed the door.

The pale-yellow light cast shadows on the molded plywood walls, where blood and spit and sweat had once been splattered. Beside the cabinet was a smaller table, a wide array of dusty torture tools laid neatly atop, its drawers undoubtedly containing more. Chains, ropes, and shackles hung on the wall, and the unconscious woman remained oblivious to the horrors around her.

He opted for the rope and proceeded to tie her spread-eagled to the table, around her wrists and ankles, the excess bound to the hooks on each of the table’s edges. Then he brushed the stray strands of hair from her pretty face. His thumb pressed on her lower lip as he bit his – how he wanted to taste the plump flesh. He leaned to close the distance between them, his sight transfixed on his target when she stirred and her eyes shot open.

She immediately froze and he smirked to hide his surprise. Her first thought was to push him away but her arms wouldn’t let her. Her eyes widened when she saw that her wrists were tied. And panic surged through her when she realized her ankles were tied as well. She struggled to free herself, the ropes rubbing against her skin that it reddened, but it was a useless attempt.

“Keep still. You’ll hurt yourself the more you struggle,” he said.

“Why are doing this? Where am I?” She craned her head to scan the small expanse and audibly gulped. Everything screamed of a painful death.

“Let’s just say you’re in a place where you can scream all you want and no one will hear you,” he said casually, giving her goosebumps.

“Wh-What do… p- plan to… plan to do?”

“Depends,” he said, putting a hand under his chin to make it seem like he was thinking. Then he gestured to the displayed torture tools and said, “If you cooperate, I won’t have to use any of these.”

He expected her to cry and scream. To scream at him and beg to let her go. But she didn’t. She didn’t turn her head to the other side, she didn’t move, and she didn’t make a sound.

Thinking she was too afraid to react, he taunted, “What happened? Need help with your tongue? I know- “

“Hahahahaha!” she interrupted, laughing like a maniac with her eyes shut tight and he froze.

She never laughed the way she did tonight. It was always happy and carefree – it was how he remembered it – but tonight her laughter pierced through the silence, laced with mockery.

Then just as abruptly as it started, it ended. And with a smile, she looked up at the ceiling and said, “This… This is the Alpha you wanted to be?”