Chapter Fourteen
1551 Words
Adrian's pov
The scent of sweat, rubber mats, and disinfectant hung in the air, creating the unmistakable atmosphere of a place built on discipline and hard work.
My jaw tightened and I struck harder. The chain creaked overhead. Sweat dripped from my temple, stinging my eyes. My arms burned but I didn't stop.
Whenever I closed my eyes I pictured her pale face, the way she looked at me with wide fearful eyes. She was afraid of me. Good. She should be after all I'm her worst nightmare.
I struck again, harder this time, until the bag swung on its chain and came back toward me like it wanted to fight.
The familiar sound of a cane tapping against the floor reached my ears.
My father.
"I knew you'd be in here," he said as he entered the gym.
I didn't stop I continued striking the bag.
"Taking out your frustration out on that bag," he added with a smirk.
"Why are you here?" I asked flatly.
He stood infront of me giving me a pointed look.
Once upon a time my father was as ruthless and savage as me but now age had taken away some of his strength but not his presence. Even with the cane supporting him, he still carried himself like the former Alpha he once was but a little less ruthless.
"Can I not visit my son?" he asked, leaning against his cane.
"Visit or lecture me again?" I asked, stepping away from the punching bag.
"I'm your father Adrian I'm worried about you."
"No need to worry about me father. I'm doing fine," I replied, grabbing a towel.
"Are you?" he asked, studying me carefully.
"I am," I said firmly.
“I heard what happened.”
Of course he did my beta must've told him everything. He always does. I sometimes think Luca is more loyal to him than to me.
"You finally got your revenge. You killed Michael along with his family which was unnecessary."
My eyes narrowed. " Unnecessary?" I asked, my voice rising.
If anything I think he's family deserved to die along with that piece of filth.
My father exhaled quietly, taking a seat on the bench. "You shouldn't have killed his family Adrian. They weren't involved in Marrisa's death."
"I don't care," I snapped, my jaw ticking.
"He took something important from me and I wanted him to feel the same pain I felt when he killed her."
"Now that he's dead, you should focus on moving on and finding yourself a Luna."
I clenched my fists, glaring down at him.
"I already had a Luna and she's dead!"
No one's ever going to take Marrisa's place. No one not even Michael's daughter. I don't care what my wolf wants or thinks. I'm never going to accept her not now and not ever.
"And that's the reason you need to find yourself a new luna," he said, his voice low but firm.
"You might not need one but the pack does."
Moon goddess when is he ever going to quit hounding me? Eversince Marisa's death he's been up my ass, forcing
me to take on a chosen mate. My father wasn't too fond of Marisa, they both never got along and I couldn't understand why.
Marisa wasn't just anyone. She was the daughter of our previous gamma.
She was beautiful, intelligent and a remarkable luna. Everyone in the pack adored her well except for my father and whenever I asked him why he never approved of her, he always came up with a silly excuse.
He'd say she was too entitled and had an attitude. Which wasn't true. She was nothing like that.
"Why is Michael's daughter in your dungeon?" my father asked, cutting through my thoughts.
I froze for a moment. My wolf let out a painful howl in the back of my mind.
"Why haven't you killed her as yet?" he asked, his eyes narrowed.
"Why did you bring her here instead?"
Silence stretched between us. I exhaled through my nose.
"She's here to pay for what her father did. I want her to suffer," I said my voice cold.
A faint crease formed between his brows.
“You can’t punish an innocent person for the sins of someone else Adrian.”
“Innocent?” I scoffed. “She’s Michael’s blood. That’s enough.”
My father rose from the bench and stepped closer.
“For someone who prides himself on justice,” he said quietly, “you’re starting to sound like a man driven by revenge alone.”
“Tell me again,” he said. “Why did you bring her here instead of ending it?”
“She’s my mate.”
The words hung in the air.
My father’s expression changed immediately. Surprise flickered across his face and then something softer.
Almost approval.
“Well,” he said slowly, "Isn't this wonderful news."
"This Changes nothing," I muttered. "And don't get ahead of yourself nothings going to happen between us. This bond is nothing but a bloody curse."
He studied me for a second and then spoke. "You should be glad the moon goddess blessed you with another mate. Not everyone's fortunate as you are my son."
I let out a humorless laugh.
“Fortunate?”
My eyes hardened. "Like I said it's a damn curse to be mated to her of all people," I spat, my voice cracked with revulsion.
" I want absolutely nothing to do with this bond. I plan on rejecting her soon.”
My father’s expression dropped. His grip tightened around his cane.
"Have you completely lost your mind?" he said, his voice ripped through the room like a gunshot.
Anger flared inside me. "I don't need a mate," I growled, my voice edged with warning.
The moment the words left my mouth, the room felt colder. My wolf snarled at me, clawing at my insides.
You will not reject our mate!
My father exhaled, shaking his head.
"Don't," he murmured, his voice suddenly sounding pained. "Reject this bond. She's a gift from the moon goddess. There's a reason the moon goddess had paired you both. You've got what you wanted, you killed Michael, it's over. Move on with your life Adrian."
I shook my head. "I won't," I said looking away. "I will never accept her."
"Fine!" he shouted, banging his cane against the floor. "Do it, reject the bond and see what happens to you."
My brows knitted.
“What are you talking about?”
"You were lucky enough to have survived Marrisa's death but if you reject the new bond I doubt you'd be able to survive. So stop being so damn stubborn and stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about the pack."
_____________________________________________________
Claire's pov
I curled into myself on the cold stone floor and wrapped my arms tightly around my knees.
The cell was silent except for the occasional drip of water somewhere in the darkness.
Two days ago, I had been planning my escape with Kimberly.
Now everything felt like a distant dream I couldn’t reach anymore.
Tears slipped down my cheeks before I could stop them.
I should’ve left when I had the chance to. I shouldn't have waited.
What I didn't understand was why Adrian had brought me here? He got his revenge. He killed Michael but what did he want from me?
A sudden sound made me flinch.
I heard the sound of heavy footsteps. It sounded close. It's probably one of the guards coming to check if I was still alive.
"You don't look too comfortable in there," a gravely voice spoke.
My head instantly lifted, my heart jumping as a older man stood outside the iron bars.
Fear shot through me instantly. I pushed myself back against the wall. The man resembled Adrian, the same sharp features, same nose, same eyes and everything else.
“Who are you?” I whispered.
His gaze held mine for a moment then
he spoke. "I'm Victor, Adrian's father."
My stomach dropped.
“You came to finish what he started?” I asked quietly, my voice shaking despite my effort to stay calm.
He let out a low chuckle.
“No,” he said simply.
I frowned, confused.
“No?” I whispered.
He stepped closer to the bars.
“I didn’t come here to kill you,” he continued. “I came to take you out of here.”
My mind refused to process the words.
“…What?”
He came here to get me out but why?
He glanced over his shoulder and called one of the guards.
“Open it,” he said, gesturing to the cell gate.
The guard hesitated shaking his head. "I'm afraid I can't do that Mr Black. Alpha Adrian had given me strict instructions not to let her out."
The older man's face hardened.
"I don't care what Adrian says or does," he shouted. "Open the damn gate!"
The guard exhaled then drew out a bunch of keys from his pocket.
He unlocked the cell gate. I didn’t move at first. My body wouldn’t obey me.
“Why?” I murmured, still unsure if this was real. “Why would you do this?”
He looked at me steadily, his voice softening.
"You don't belong here."
- Writer
