CHAPTER ELEVEN
1093 Words
The journey back to the pack was in deep, heavy silence.
Alpha Ryker sat beside River in the jeep, his expression unreadable, eyes fixed back on his ipad. He didn’t speak, nor did he glance her way, but his presence alone was enough to make her skin prickle with unease.
River sat firmly, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Every bump in the road jerked her, but nothing could shake the suffocating feelings of what had happened at Alpha Leister’s pack. The image of Hannah’s lifeless body was burned into her mind—the way her head had twisted at that unnatural angle, the sound of the c***k sounding in the dimly lit hallway.
She swallowed hard, pressing her lips together.
Ryker had killed her. Without hesitation. Without remorse.
And she had taken his hand and walked away.
She told herself she had no choice. That there was no other option.
But that didn’t change the truth.
She had let it happen.
The vehicle rolled to a slow stop in front of the pack house. The towering structure loomed before them, its windows glowing faintly in the night. It should have felt like home, but it didn’t. Not for River.
As she reached for the door handle, ready to step out, Ryker’s voice stopped her.
“Not so fast.”
His tone was calm, but there was an unusual firmness to it. She hesitated, her fingers curling away from the door as she turned to look at him. His piercing gaze met hers in the dim glow of the jeep’s dashboard.
“You’ll be moved to the servants’ quarters this evening.”
River blinked, startled by the sudden announcement.
For a moment, she considered asking why. But she already knew the answer.
She was being put back in her place.
A mere servant. That’s all she was. That’s all she would ever be.
She nodded mutely. There was no use arguing. No use questioning.
Ryker’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he gave a small, satisfied nod. “Good.”
She reached for the door again, and again, he stopped her, turning her towards him slowly.
He then kissed her gently on her forehead, cupping her jaw. He whispered, "I love you."
River froze.
He loved her? Why?
As she stepped out, the cold night air greeted her, a stark contrast to the suffocating tension inside the vehicle. A servant—a middle-aged man with sharp features and a stiff posture—was already waiting for her. Without a word, he gestured for her to follow.
She did.
She didn’t look back.
She didn’t need to.
She could feel Ryker’s gaze on her back as she walked away. And, the whisper of that "I love you" echoed in her head, stubbornly sticking there.
---
River was led straight back to her cell.
The moment she stepped inside, Aubrey perked up, her bright eyes filled with curiosity. “Where were you?” she asked eagerly, sitting cross-legged on the worn-out cot. “You were gone for so long. Did Alpha Ryker make you do something?”
River hesitated for a fraction of a second before forcing a small smile. “Just some menial work.”
Aubrey sighed, resting her chin on her hands. “You’re so lucky.”
Lucky?
River’s chest tightened.
She lowered herself onto her cot, her body sinking into the stiff mattress.
Aubrey continued, her voice laced with a dreamy sigh. “You get to be with Alpha Ryker from time to time. Do you know how many she-wolves would kill to be in your position?”
River’s fingers dug into the fabric of her dress.
If only Aubrey knew the truth.
If only she had seen what had happened tonight.
If only she had seen the way Ryker had wrapped his hand around Hannah’s throat, the way he had snapped her neck like it was nothing.
If only she had known how terrified she was that Ryker said he loved her.
The weight of it all pressed down on River’s chest like a burden.
Would people find out?
Would someone discover what happened?
What if Alpha Leister’s pack started asking questions?
Her mind raced with worst-case scenarios. If the truth came out, Ryker would be in trouble. And if Ryker was in trouble…
River squeezed her eyes shut.
She didn’t want to think about it.
Didn’t want to imagine what would happen if he decided she was a liability.
Eventually, exhaustion won.
Her thoughts blurred together, and sleep pulled her slowly.
---
A soft tapping pulled River from her deep slumber.
She blinked, groggy and disoriented. The cell was dimly lit by the weak glow of the moon filtering through the small window.
Aubrey was beside her, shaking her gently. “River, wake up,” she whispered. “Someone’s here for you.”
River sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
At the gate of the cell stood a woman dressed in a crisp maid’s uniform. Her dark hair was pulled into a tight bun, and her sharp eyes held no warmth. She looked strict—stern, even.
“Alpha Ryker has ordered me to take you to the servants’ quarters,” the woman said briskly. “Get up.”
River swung her legs over the cot, her bare feet touching the cold floor. She stood hesitantly, glancing at Aubrey.
“What about Aubrey?” she asked.
The maid’s expression remained impassive. “Alpha Ryker only asked for you.”
Aubrey’s face fell slightly, but she quickly covered it with a smile. “It’s okay,” she said. “Go. It’s better than staying here, right?”
River swallowed the lump in her throat.
Aubrey had been by her side through everything. They had shared this cramped, miserable space together. She wasn’t sure how to face it without her.
She pulled Aubrey into a tight embrace. “I’ll come back for you,” she whispered fiercely. “I promise.”
Aubrey hugged her back, her arms squeezing tightly. “You better.”
River pulled away reluctantly, stepping toward the cell door.
The maid unlocked it, stepping aside as River walked out.
With one last glance at Aubrey, she followed the woman down the dim corridor, her heart heavy in her chest.
She didn’t know what awaited her in the servants’ quarters.
But she did know one thing.
She was still a prisoner.
And no matter where she was placed, as long as she was under Alpha Ryker’s control, she would never be free.
Not truly.
- Writer
