His Bride,Their Prey

Chapter 6

The moment my feet hit the cold stone pavement...

Pain exploded through my right ankle.

I stumbled forward, barely catching myself before crashing face-first into the ground.

A sharp gasp escaped my lips.

The rough gravel bit into the soles of my bare feet.

Warm blood immediately stained the stones beneath me.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Get up..."

I forced myself onto trembling legs.

"Get up, Elena."

Behind me...

The balcony loomed high above.

There was no going back.

I limped into the darkness.

The towering hedges swallowed me whole.

Branches clawed at my arms.

Thorns tore tiny cuts across my skin.

Every breath came harder than the last.

I had no idea where I was going.

I only knew one thing.

Away.

Away from Lucien.

Away from the Morettis.

Away from this nightmare.

A twig snapped behind me.

I froze.

Silence.

Then

"Who's there?"

A guard's voice.

Too close.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

"No..."

Flashlights cut through the darkness.

"Over there!"

"I saw movement!"

Footsteps thundered toward me.

Run.

RUN!

Ignoring the pain in my ankle, I bolted through the gardens.

Branches whipped across my face.

Leaves tangled in my hair.

The estate seemed endless.

Every path looked the same.

Every turn led to another hedge.

Another fountain.

Another wall.

It was like running through a maze.

A voice echoed behind me.

"She's heading east!"

"Cut her off!"

Panic surged through me.

They were everywhere.

How many guards did one man need?

I rounded a corner and slammed straight into someone.

A powerful arm caught me before I could fall.

For one brief second...

Hope flared inside me.

Maybe...

Someone who could help.

I looked up.

The hope died instantly.

Marco.

Lucien's right-hand man.

His expression remained calm.

"Miss Rossi."

"I'd advise you to stop running."

I ripped myself free.

"I'd advise you to go to hell!"

Without thinking, I swung the black stiletto in my hand.

Marco stepped aside effortlessly.

The heel sliced through empty air.

"You'll hurt yourself."

"Shut up!"

I swung again.

Again.

Again.

Each strike missed.

He wasn't even trying to fight me.

He was simply...

Avoiding me.

It made me even angrier.

"Leave me alone!"

My injured ankle suddenly gave out beneath me.

I crashed onto the grass with a cry.

The stiletto flew from my hand.

Marco looked down at me.

"You've had enough."

"I said..."

I pushed myself backward.

"...don't touch me."

He sighed.

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

Before he could move

A deep voice cut through the night.

"Marco."

Both of us turned.

My heart stopped.

Lucien.

He stood several feet away beneath the moonlight.

One hand tucked casually into the pocket of his black coat.

The other rested loosely at his side.

He wasn't breathing hard.

He wasn't angry.

He looked...

As though he'd merely taken a leisurely walk.

His icy blue eyes settled on me.

"So..."

His voice was calm.

"You chose the eastern gardens."

I stared at him.

How...

How had he found me so quickly?

Lucien took one slow step forward.

Then another.

"You proved me right."

I scrambled backward across the grass.

"Stay away from me."

He ignored the warning.

"You've made it exactly..." He glanced at his watch.

"...six minutes."

A chill raced through me.

He'd been timing me.

Lucien stopped a few feet away.

For a long moment...

Neither of us spoke.

Then, without a trace of emotion, he said

"Are you finished running..."

His gaze locked onto mine.

"...or do I need to give you another head start?"

I glared at him.

My chest rose and fell with every ragged breath.

The pain in my ankle was unbearable.

Blood stained the grass beneath my feet.

But I'd rather die...

Than let him see me surrender.

"You think this is funny?"

Lucien tilted his head ever so slightly.

"No."

"It isn't."

"Then stop looking at me like I'm some game!"

His expression didn't change.

"I don't play games."

I laughed bitterly.

"Really?"

"You bought me!"

"You locked me inside your mansion!"

"You chased me through your own damn gardens!"

"And now you're standing there acting like this is normal!"

Lucien took another step forward.

"It is."

The single word knocked the air from my lungs.

"You..."

I shook my head.

"...you're actually insane."

"So you've said."

I looked around desperately.

The guards had surrounded us.

Not close enough to touch me...

But close enough that I couldn't escape.

Every exit was blocked.

Every path.

Every opening.

I was trapped.

Again.

I looked back at Lucien.

"...What now?"

He didn't answer immediately.

Instead...

His eyes dropped to my injured foot.

Blood continued dripping onto the grass.

"You've hurt yourself."

I scoffed.

"You don't get to pretend you care."

"I don't."

His honesty caught me off guard.

"I care that you'll limp on our wedding day."

My jaw fell open.

"That's your concern?!"

"Our wedding?!"

"I can barely walk!"

"And all you care about is your stupid wedding?!"

Lucien calmly replied,

"You'll heal."

I couldn't believe him.

"No..."

I whispered.

"I actually hate you."

His gaze met mine.

"I know."

Without warning...

He walked toward me.

I immediately grabbed the fallen stiletto.

"Don't."

He didn't stop.

"I said DON'T!"

I swung the heel with everything I had.

Lucien caught my wrist midair.

Firm.

Effortless.

The stiletto slipped from my fingers and landed in the grass.

"You fight well."

His grip tightened just enough to stop me from pulling away.

"But your anger is wasting your strength."

I tried to jerk my hand free.

"Let go!"

"No."

"I'll scream!"

"Go ahead."

"I'll bite you!"

"I believe you."

I froze.

There was the faintest hint of amusement in his eyes.

Not laughter.

Not kindness.

Just...

Interest.

"You really are impossible."

I muttered.

"And yet..."

He looked directly into my eyes.

"...you haven't given up."

The words caught me off guard.

Before I could answer

He suddenly bent down.

"What are you doing?"

Without a word...

He slipped one arm beneath my knees.

The other around my back.

"No!"

I struggled instantly.

"I can walk!"

"You've already proven otherwise."

"I'm not letting you carry me again!"

"You don't have a choice."

Marco looked away politely.

The guards quickly lowered their eyes.

None of them dared watch.

Lucien adjusted me effortlessly in his arms.

I hit his shoulder.

Hard.

He didn't react.

I hit him again.

Nothing.

"You really enjoy making me angry!"

"I've noticed."

"You infuriating jerk!"

"I've noticed that too."

I groaned in frustration.

"You always have an answer!"

He looked down at me.

"For you..."

A pause.

"I'll have to."

I blinked.

Lucien carried me through the front doors of the mansion.

The servants immediately lowered their heads.

No one dared speak.

No one dared even look directly at us.

The silence was suffocating.

The moment he stepped into the grand foyer...

He finally set me back on my feet.

The instant my injured foot touched the marble floor

A sharp pain shot through my ankle.

I hissed.

"...Damn it."

Lucien watched me for a brief moment.

"You shouldn't have jumped."

I glared at him.

"And whose fault is that?"

"You."

I let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Right."

"Because forcing someone into marriage is completely normal."

His expression remained unreadable.

"You chose to jump."

"You gave me a reason to."

Silence.

For a second...

Neither of us spoke.

Then I folded my arms.

"If you think this changes anything..."

"It doesn't."

"I'll keep trying to escape."

Lucien met my gaze.

"I know."

"I'll run again."

"I know."

"I'll fight you every single day."

"I know."

His calm answers only irritated me more.

"Does anything get under your skin?"

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

"You'll have to try harder than that."

I rolled my eyes.

"You're unbelievable."

"And yet..."

He straightened his cuffs.

"...here you are."

Before I could fire back another insult

His voice echoed through the foyer.

"Sophia."

Within seconds...

Sophia hurried into the hall.

"Yes, Mr. Moretti?"

Her eyes landed on me.

Then...

On the blood trailing down my legs.

She gasped.

"Oh my goodness..."

"Miss Rossi!"

She rushed toward me.

"What happened?"

Lucien answered before I could.

"She attempted to escape."

Sophia looked between us.

Then back at my feet.

Her expression softened.

"Your legs..."

"They're bleeding."

Lucien's voice remained as calm as ever.

"Take care of her wounds."

"Make sure the doctor sees her first thing in the morning."

Sophia nodded immediately.

"Of course."

Lucien turned toward Marco.

"Let's go"

Marco nodded.

"Yes, sir."

Without another glance in my direction...

Lucien walked away.

His footsteps echoed down the long corridor.

Marco followed close behind.

Within moments...

Both men disappeared around the corner.

I stared after him.

"...Arrogant jerk."

Sophia chuckled softly.

"Come now."

She gently placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Let's get those wounds cleaned before they become infected."

Suddenly...

Every ounce of adrenaline left my body.

My legs felt weak.

My eyelids grew heavy.

I hadn't realized how exhausted I was.

Sophia immediately noticed.

She wrapped an arm around my waist to steady me.

"It's alright."

"I've got you."

I didn't argue.

I simply let her lead me upstairs.

Because I was too tired...

To fight anymore.