SLEEPING MY WAY INTO YOUR HEART

Chapter 5:

I quickly turned away, trying to avoid that gaze. My heart pounded wildly, each beat like an alarm bell ringing inside my head. I had no idea why they were keeping him here, why he was standing guard with these men, but one thing was certain: Zephyr was not someone I could afford to underestimate.

"Zephyr," another man said, his voice raspy with excitement. "Why don’t you tell us how you did it? How could you kill all of them in just one night? I heard some of them didn’t even have time to draw their guns."

Zephyr turned his head, his smoky gray eyes sweeping over the group like a cold gust of wind. He didn’t reply, only smirked—a faint, lifeless smile, like a breeze passing through. His silence only made them more afraid.

I sat still, trying to shrink into the shadows of the cell. Zephyr’s presence was like a silent storm, ominous and full of threat. I knew very well that if he wanted to, a single flicker of his eyes would be enough to make me disappear from this world.

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Fear surged like a cold wave, swelling in my chest. I could feel my heart beating erratically, each thump echoing like a drum in the suffocating silence. The dim light from the hanging lamp above only made the room seem gloomier, as if I had been trapped in a deep pit with no escape.

I always thought I would die from my heart condition—that was a thought I had long been accustomed to. A frail heart, too weak to withstand any stress; even a bit too much exertion could cause me to collapse. But today was different. Death wasn’t coming from the weakness of my body but from an unknown force, from the people who had kidn*pped me. The ropes cut tightly into my wrists and ankles, the red marks a constant reminder that freedom was now far out of reach.

I gasped for breath, trying to stifle my panic. Who did this to me? Who wanted me dead? I didn’t have many enemies—or at least, that’s what I had always believed. My family, my clan, all were under the powerful rule of my father, Alpha Lucian. No one would dare touch me, unless...

A name flashed through my mind, sending a shiver down my spine: Luna Isabelle. My stepmother always feigned affection, but I knew that look in her eyes, the way she watched me when she thought I wasn’t paying attention. It was the look of a jealous predator, eager to remove any obstacles in her path. Elisia, her biological daughter, was her pride. If I disappeared, if I died... Elisia would become the sole heir, the only one to claim the attention and power from my father.

I bit my lip, tasting the sharp tang of blood. My head spun with chaotic thoughts. Could it be that Isabelle orchestrated this? Did she want to eliminate me to pave the way for Elisia? But if that was true, would she really have the nerve to go this far? And what about my father? Did he know I was in danger? Would he come to find me, or was I just another pawn in a political game I had no control over?

Panic rose, my breathing becoming more rapid, as if the air was being sucked out of my lungs. I tried to take deep breaths, but my chest felt tight and heavy, aching with pain. My heart began pounding harder, like it was trying to break free from my ribs. The sensation of breathlessness, the sharp, familiar pain—these were signs of an impending heart attack. I had experienced it before, but this time, trapped in this cold, dark cell, I wasn’t sure I would survive.

I closed my eyes, forcing myself to calm down. No, I couldn’t pass out now. I had to stay conscious. I had to survive, at least until I found some answers. But just as I was spiraling into my own despair, a sudden knock echoed against the iron bars, pulling me out of my chaotic thoughts.

I opened my eyes, still struggling to breathe. Standing before me was the blond-haired man—Zephyr. He stood there, one hand in his pocket, the other tapping lightly on the bars with a mocking air, as if this were all just a joke.

"Good afternoon, princess," Zephyr said, his voice low and smooth, tinged with a hint of mockery. "Would you care for some cake? I even have tea, complete with sugar and milk, just the way you like it."

I frowned, unable to believe what I was hearing. Was he seriously offering me tea and cake? Right now, while I was tied up and held captive, when my life could be taken at any moment?

"Are you mocking me?" I asked, my voice hoarse from fear and anger. "Do you really think I’m in the mood to eat or drink?"

Zephyr merely shrugged, his gray eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, I just thought that before someone dies, they should enjoy one last pleasure. And I wouldn’t want to be considered a poor host."

His words sent a chill down my spine. Zephyr said it so casually, as if he didn’t care whether I lived or died. There was no sympathy or empathy in his eyes—only a cold, detached curiosity, like he was watching a lab rat in his own twisted experiment.

"Who are you?" I forced myself to ask, trying to keep my voice steady. "Why are you here? And why did you help them kidnap me?"

Zephyr’s smile was faint, like the weak sunlight filtering through gray clouds. "Who I am doesn’t matter. But you seem to enjoy deducing things, don’t you? So go ahead, make a guess, princess. Maybe I’m your father’s enemy, maybe I’m an ally of your stepmother, or maybe I’m just someone who likes interesting games."

I fell silent, trying not to let him see the fear in my eyes. Zephyr crouched down in front of the bars, extending his hand through the gap with a small cookie, smiling as if he were offering candy to a child.

"Matcha cookie," he said, his tone light but dripping with sarcasm. "I heard you’re quite fond of these."

I took a step back, my heart pounding wildly—not just from fear, but from confusion. How did he know? How did Zephyr know my favorite treat? He wasn’t a stranger; he clearly knew a lot about me, and that only made my fear grow stronger.

"Don’t want it?" Zephyr tilted his head slightly, his gray eyes sharp but laced with a hint of playful curiosity. "What a pity. I thought it would be your last chance to enjoy something nice."

I turned away, not wanting Zephyr to see the trembling in my eyes. My stomach twisted, not from hunger but from the sheer terror gripping me. If my father didn’t arrive in time, I knew I would never leave this place.

And Zephyr just stood there, calmly watching me, as if he already knew the outcome.

I fought to keep calm despite the fear churning inside me. My thoughts were a whirlwind, spinning out of control. If I wanted to survive, if I wanted to escape this place, I needed to act now. And the only person I could rely on in this moment was Zephyr—the strange blond man standing right in front of me.