Let Me Live

Chapter 16: Titan's POV

Titan’s POV

“Titan, you know you can’t legally touch them until sentencing!” Ryker said and continued to follow me from the elevators. 

“I am simply interrogating a witness. Is it my fault if he became uncooperative and combative during the session?” I retorted and threw open the back door of the main house that led out into the expansive main garden. I continued past the tree line and back into the forest. 

“This is very shaky ground you are treading on!” He warned. 

“You insult and mock the council and court at nearly every opportunity and you want to talk to me about shaky ground?” I shot back. It was nightfall but I knew exactly where we were going and it soon came into view, a large metal door made into a hill. What would look like a storm shelter to anyone passing by. I dismissed the guard out front who bowed his head but looked back at Ryker for confirmation, as he is head of security and defense. Ryker nodded and the guard walked away. I began unlocking the lock and was turning the door knob when Ryker’s hand grabbed mine. 

“This isn’t you, Titan. Yes, I’ve seen you interrogate and torture thousands of prisoners but never before you were given clearance to do so. You’re angry now and reacting in emotion and that is not you.” He said, and I had enough. I grabbed him by his shirt and pushed him into the door!

“Yes, this is me! This is the me, who, after years of searching for my mate, finds her a bloodied, broken pile of skin and bones! This is the me who realized my mate doesn’t even understand who I am and  can’t bear my touch because she doesn’t know what a gentle touch is and it scares her! This is the me, who doesn’t even understand how I am supposed to be intimate with my mate because she’s too f*****g small! THIS IS THE ME WHO IS GOING TO HAVE TO FORCE MY MATE AND SHE WON’T UNDERSTAND!!!” I yelled in Ryker’s face! His eyes were wide and I could tell he thought I had snapped. Maybe I have. He was right, reacting with emotion wasn’t me, but I have been doing a lot of ‘not like me’ things since I found Ariah. He shoved me backwards and I let go of him. He stared at me another moment and then opened the door. 

“30 minutes and I am going down with you to make sure you don’t kill them!” He said, stepping aside. I stormed past him down the massive concrete stairwell that ended in a long concrete room with 4 cells lined on each side and a small office room at the back. 2 guards greeted us. Ryker told them to take a 30 minute break. They looked confused but left. The alpha was in the cell at the very end, closest to the guard office. The beta was on the opposite side in the 3rd cell. I went straight to Alpha Drake’s cell. It was made of reinforced silver and he had been receiving regular wolfsbane injections that would suppress his wolf and his abilities. His face had healed from our original encounter in his dungeons. He was dressed in our standard neon yellow jumpsuit for weres. He smirked at me. 

“Well, a visit from the King himself. Please forgive me for not pulling out the expensive china.” He said. I removed my phone from my pocket and took off my smart watch and handed them to Ryker. I kept my rings on. I unlocked the cell door and stepped inside which took up most of the room in the cell. 

“I know my rights, my trial is in two days and you can’t touch me until then.” He said, trying to sound arrogant, but his voice was shaking. 

“This is a simple interrogation. As long as you cooperate, I won’t need to use physical force.” I said coldly, staring him down. 

“You found the bunker thanks to my spineless b***h of a mate. You have all the evidence you need for a conviction.” He spat. I slammed my fist into his face and felt the satisfying crunch of his cheek bone! I didn’t hit him as hard as I could because I couldn’t kill him yet.

“I saw you going for the door! Prince Ryker, didn't you see him going for the door? Saw it right about the time you insulted your mate.” I said, theatrically. Letting him know real quick that this was my game. Ryker simply nodded and crossed his arms over his torso. Drake glared up at me. The injections had slowed down his healing rate considerably, but in a few days he would be as right as rain and that pissed me off! I couldn’t wait to begin his starvation after his conviction. 

“Now if you’ll kindly settle down, Alpha Drake, I want names of who you have been selling to.” I said.

“I honestly don’t have any. Everything was done online through anonymous usernames and the products were shipped to public addresses and then transferred by the buyer from there.” He spat and stood up. I waited for him to get to his feet, then I shot a left jab into his abdomen, doubling him over! 

“Stop going for the door, Drake! Just as you referred to people as products, you tried for the door again!” He was on his knees gasping for breath and I was enjoying the show! I tsked at him and then grabbed him by his hair and forced him to his feet. I let go, shoving him into the wall!

“Now I find it hard to believe that in all these years that you and your father have been doing this, you never once met anyone? The addresses are on the shipment statements and I fully intend to look further into those but I am going to need something else.” I said, staring down at him. He looked back at me with a smug look. 

“Why not cut the bullshit, ask me about what you really want to know.” He said with an evil glint in his eye. I kept my face stone. I would not let him turn this. 

“And what do I really want to know?” I asked him.

“About the creature. The one you’re mated with.” He said with a wicked smile. I fought every urge to snap his neck. I had to keep the tension on my side. 

“Fine. Tell me about her.” I replied, emotionlessly. 

“Well, I honestly had no idea she was alpha blood. Had I known that starting out, I would’ve adjusted my approach.” He grinned looking for a reaction from me. When he didn’t get one, he went on.

“I honestly thought she was just some rogue child that my father had thrown in the dungeons and forgotten about. Then, when I was fifteen, he gave her to me as a present to start my practice of training methods. I tried everything. Hell I even started getting creative and using her to test new methods! Nothing worked. I think by the time I got to her she had already gone wild from being locked up so long and was too f*****g stupid to understand that if she would just submit and behave she wouldn’t get hurt. Damn alpha b***h!” I was losing my grip! I backhanded him with my fist and sent two of his teeth flying out and blood splattering across the wall! 

“Titan!” Ryker barkes. I breathed deeply and tried to get my anger under control but my wolf was chomping at the surface! Alpha Drake looked up at me with a bloody smile. 

“Just ask the question you really want to know. Did I ever pop that little cherry? Sad to say I didn’t. I made sure no one did because I was going to get a premium on that!” He laughed maniacally and I grabbed him by his neck and slammed him into the cell bars! My claws elongated and began piercing his flesh! 

“TITAN, ENOUGH!!” Ryker yelled from behind me and was pulling against my arms! 

“Did you a favor, your Highness, you’ll get to be the first to rip that b***h! Please come back and tell me how loudly she screams!” He choked out! I saw red and tightened my grip till I was sure his head was going to pop off! I felt his windpipe beginning to give under my grip and I had no intention of stopping until I felt it collapse! Then all at once my arms went numb and I dropped him! Then I felt Ryker’s bulging arms around my neck in a choke hold and dragging me backwards out of the cell! He threw me on the ground and slammed the cell door! Then he turned and pinned me on the ground with his knees to my chest!

“CONTROL!!” He yelled in my face! I could hear the alpha gasping for air while laughing at the same time! I pushed Ryker off of me and jumped to my feet! Ryker stood in a defensive stance between me and Drake’s cell! I knew I had gone too far! I spun around and bolted up the stairs! I need to run!