Chapter 3
1260 Words
Catherine’s Point of View:
The car door slammed shut, trapping me in silence. My chest heaved, lungs screaming for air, but no sound escaped me.
I sat pressed against the leather seat, my whole body trembling.
My wrists burned from the ropes earlier, my back ached from the whip marks, and my mind wouldn’t stop replaying Caleb’s words!
“Because I want you to escape this prison. Because I want you to feel what is hell.”
I didn’t understand.
Not one bit.
I finally broke the silence, my voice raw.
“Why did you do that? Why… why would you pay for me?” I asked.
Caleb sat straight, his hands resting calmly on his knees. His expression didn’t change.
His jaw was tight, his eyes forward, as if I wasn’t even in the car.
I hated it. That silence. That control.
“Answer me!” I snapped, my voice cracking from fear and anger.
“You just you bought me like I’m some kind of property!”
At that, his eyes flicked toward me.
Those dark, sharp eyes that made me freeze even though I wanted to scream.
“You’d rather I left you with Molly?” His tone was flat but dangerous.
I blinked, my throat tightening.
I had no answer.
“Tell me, Catherine,” Caleb leaned slightly closer, his voice lowering.
“Would you prefer the whip? The knife? To be buried in that orphanage’s backyard like the trash he believes you are?” he asked me.
A shiver ran down my spine.
“No!” I immediately answered.
“I just… I just wanted freedom. Not… not this.” I continued.
Caleb studied me.
His gaze softened for only a second before it hardened again, as if he refused to show weakness.
“You don’t understand yet,” he said quietly.
“But you will.” H
he told me, which made me puzzled.
I turned my head away, tears spilling down my cheeks.
My chest ached, not just from pain but from confusion.
I wanted to scream at him.
I wanted to claw at the door and run.
But deep inside, a tiny voice whispered that maybe, just maybe, he was right. If he hadn’t taken me, Mr. Molly would’ve killed me.
Still, why would an Alpha King spend thousands of dollars on me?
The car rolled through the forest road, headlights slicing the darkness.
My thoughts churned until finally, I couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“What do you want from me?” I whispered, asking his intentions.
No answer.
“Why me?” I asked again, but he did not answer.
Still silence.
I slammed my fist weakly against the seat.
“Say something! You can’t just, just drag me into your world without telling me what’s going on!”
Caleb’s head turned slowly, his eyes locking on mine again.
My throat closed instantly, but I forced myself not to look away.
“You’re bold,” he said finally.
“Good.”
“Good?” I scoffed, my voice breaking.
“I’m terrified out of my mind, and you call that good?”
“You should be terrified,” he replied coldly.
“Fear keeps people alive.”
I laughed bitterly, shaking my head.
“I’ve been living in fear my whole life. Do you know what that feels like? Waking up every day not knowing if you’ll get food or a beating? Do you have any ideas?” I asked him.
“Yes.” he shortly answered.
That one word shut me up.
Caleb leaned back, his eyes drifting toward the window.
“I know exactly what it feels like," he said.
I frowned, staring at him.
His voice had changed, not soft, but not as cold. It almost sounded… haunted.
“What do you mean?” I asked carefully.
He didn’t answer.
I wanted to push, but something in his expression told me not to.
Like poking a sleeping wolf, you never know when it’ll bite.
So I sat back, hugging myself, tears rolling silently.
Minutes passed, though it felt like hours.
Finally, the car slowed and then stopped.
I wiped my face quickly, bracing myself.
The door opened, and Alpha Caleb stepped out.
The driver opened mine. I hesitated, staring at the dark silhouette of a massive Mansion beyond the iron gates.
“Out,” Caleb ordered.
My legs wobbled as I climbed out.
The night air was cold, brushing against my torn clothes and stinging my wounds.
We walked up the long driveway in silence.
His stride was strong, confident, while mine was weak, stumbling every few steps.
When we reached the front doors, they opened on their own.
Guards bowed their heads as Caleb passed. Their eyes flicked to me, filled with confusion.
Some even smirked, probably wondering why their Alpha King brought a broken, dirty girl home.
Shame burned inside me.
The hall was grand, marble floors, tall ceilings, golden chandeliers.
I’d never seen anything like it. My reflection in the polished stone floors reminded me how out of place I was.
“This way,” Caleb said.
I followed him down a long hallway until he pushed open a door.
Inside was a bedroom bigger than the entire kitchen at the orphanage.
A massive bed, soft rugs, even shelves of books.
My breath caught.
“Stay here,” he ordered.
I spun toward him.
“Wait, what does this mean? Are you keeping me here like… like some pet?”
Caleb’s jaw tightened. His eyes narrowed as he stepped closer.
“You’re not a pet. Don’t ever say that again.”
“Then what am I to you?” I demanded, my voice breaking.
“You paid thousands of dollars for me! Tell me why!”
He stared at me for a long time. The silence pressed heavy on my chest.
Finally, he spoke.
“You have something that belongs to me.”
My heart skipped. My fingers twitched toward my pocket, where the ring was hidden.
My mouth went dry.
“I..I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
His eyes darkened.
“Don’t lie to me, Catherine. You’re terrible at it.”
Fear spiked in me. Did he already know?
Did he see it?
“I…” My voice cracked. “Even if I had something, why wouldn’t Molly just give it to you instead of trying to kill me?”
“Because Molly is a fool,” Caleb said sharply.
“And because that ring isn’t just gold and stone. It’s power. It’s blood. It’s history.”
My eyes widened. Power? Blood? History?
He leaned close, his voice lowering to a whisper. “And you’re holding it, aren’t you?”
I froze. My breath hitched.
I tried to back away, but he grabbed my wrist—not hard, but enough to stop me.
His eyes pierced mine, so close I could see the storm inside them.
“Give it to me, Catherine,” he said softly, dangerously.
“Before it destroys you.”
My entire body trembled. I wanted to deny it again, but deep down, I knew… he was right.
The ring in my pocket felt heavier than ever. Almost alive.
I swallowed hard, staring back at him, my lips trembling.
“What happens if I don’t?” I asked him nervously.
Caleb’s gaze darkened even more.
For a moment, I thought he might hurt me.
Instead, he let go of my wrist and straightened.
“Then,” he said coldly, “you’ll learn what hell really is.”
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- Writer
