Broken Alpha

CHAPTER SIX

Audrey's POV

The cold was biting. It crept into my bones as Luke carried me through the dark hallways. He held me tight. Each step echoed off the stone walls. My breathing sounded ragged in the stillness. I could smell him—fresh earth and rain. It should have felt safe, but it didn’t. It made me uneasy.

I couldn’t wrap my head around what he was doing. He had tossed me into the worst prison. Now, he was carrying me like I mattered to him. Like he actually cared. But I wasn’t fooling myself. I knew better.

“Please, put me down,” I managed to whisper. My voice felt rough and tired.

But Luke didn’t listen. His jaw was tense. He had a blank look on his face. Still, I could sense something bubbling beneath it. Frustration? Guilt? Maybe both. I really couldn’t tell.

My body ached all over, but that pain was nothing compared to what I felt inside. There was a strange bond between us. It was like an invisible string connecting us, despite the hate I saw in his eyes. Part of me wanted to break that bond apart. Tear it to shreds. But deep down, I knew I was still tied to him. No matter how much I hated that feeling.

He suddenly opened a door and stepped into a room that was dimly lit. In the middle stood a bed piled with thick furs. A small fire crackled away in the corner, creating cozy shadows on the stone walls.

“This isn’t the dungeon,” I whispered, squinting at him.

He gently laid me down on the bed. “You need to heal.” His voice was calm and steady.

I couldn’t help but laugh, though it was bitter. “You put me in the worst cell and now you want to play nurse? What’s going on, Luke?”

His eyes darkened, and I noticed a hint of anger. “I don’t play games.”

“Then why are you—”

“Because you’re my mate.” His words hit like a stone, heavy and raw.

I gasped, my heart racing. I knew it deep down, but hearing him say it made everything real. I wasn’t ready for that.

His fists were clenched, and his shoulders were tight. “I don’t want this bond either. But it’s there, and I can’t just ignore it.”

I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to look him in the eye. “Then reject me.”

The silence between us hung thick. The fire crackled, filling the quiet where his answer should have been.

His gaze shifted away for a moment. Something flickered in his eyes. “No.”

Frustration mixed with a trace of hope bubbled up inside me. “Then what do you want from me?”

Luke sighed deeply, raking a hand through his dark hair. “Right now? I want you to stay alive.”

His words sent a shiver down my spine. There was a hidden meaning behind them. Something he wasn’t telling me.

“Is that why you sent a ransom letter to my father?” I accused, my voice sharp. “Because you care about my well-being?”

His expression tightened. “Your father owes me more than just a book about wars, Audrey. He owes me blood.”

I flinched at the venom in his tone. The hatred he felt was intense—a burning fire. And suddenly, it dawned on me just how dangerous that was. Luke wasn’t just after revenge. He planned to tear down everything my father built.

And I was the tool he intended to use.

Luke's POV

I stepped out of the room. I needed space before I changed my mind.

This bond felt like a curse. It was an itch I couldn’t scratch. I should have just turned her away. I should've left her in that dungeon and walked away. But her pain twisted something inside me. Something I wasn’t ready to face.

Aiden was waiting outside, arms crossed over his chest. “So, we’re caring for her now?” He sounded amused, but his eyes could slice.

“She needs to heal.” I brushed past him, not wanting to deal with his questions.

Aiden followed me, his boots echoing on the stone floor. “And what happens after? You think Alpha Connor will just hand over his precious book because you have his daughter?”

I stayed silent because I already knew the answer. Connor wouldn’t trade something like that for his daughter. Not unless I offered something bigger.

Aiden chuckled softly. “You really should have just sent her away.”

I felt my muscles tense. “Don’t push your luck, Aiden.”

He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I’m just saying. You’re walking a fine line, Alpha.”

That much I understood.

Audrey's POV

Time passed. Hours? Maybe more. The fire crackled less frequently, casting long shadows on the walls. My body was starting to feel better, my strength slowly returning. But I knew I wasn’t out of the woods yet.

Luke was dangerous—strong and completely unpredictable. One moment he treated me like I was nothing. The next, I just didn’t know.

The door creaked open.

Someone stepped inside.

Not Luke.

A woman walked in.

She was tall, with golden hair flowing down her back. Her green eyes were sharp, and when they met mine, I felt a chill run down my back.

“You don’t belong here,” she said softly, but her eyes held a warning.

I propped myself up, muscles stiff. “Who are you?”

She smiled slowly. “Someone who doesn’t want you to die.”

My heart raced. “Then help me escape.”

She tilted her head, studying me closely. “Escape? That’s not your biggest worry.”

“What do you mean?” I frowned, confused.

The woman stepped closer. Her eyes were steady and serious. “Luke isn’t the only one who wants you. If you think being his prisoner is tough, just wait until the others show up.”

A cold dread washed over me.

Before I could say anything else, she turned and melted away into the shadows, leaving me with more questions than answers.

And a deeper sense of fear than I had before.