Finn's POV
"If the rogues are messing with your trade routes, go deal with the rogues," I said, fixing him with a cold stare. "I already have full control of Mediland and the North. I don't need anyone offering me things I already possess. Now, I think it's time for you to leave."
I stood and began to walk away, but he stopped me.
"Alpha Finn, if I may, I'd like to remind you that Lucas Farrow is still in our custody."
Before he could finish, I grabbed his collar.
"Don't you dare mention that name in my presence!" I roared.
"Come on, Alpha Finn," the old vulture raised his hands in surrender. "As I said, this is nothing personal. But His Majesty can easily make it personal if he wants to."
"I don't care if he's dead or alive!" I snapped. "I'm surprised you've kept him this long, to be honest..."
"Are you sure?" he narrowed his eyes. "He's the only namesake you have. He's your father's son. Are you prepared to tell your father, may he rest in peace, that you caused your brother's death?"
I released my grip on Alpha Siluria and said, "I don't negotiate with you. If Lucian wants to talk, he comes to me himself, altogether with his cock sucking Rasputin Beta Jalin."
"You expect His Majesty to come here, to this place...?"
"And what's wrong with this place?" I challenged.
"Well, it's just..."
"I know people from your side call this market a living hell," I interrupted. Then I leaned in closer, my voice dropping to a menacing whisper, "I've been to hell. And I assure you, it's nothing like this place."
Leah's POV
"Close your eyes and get some rest," the doctor said after examining me. "You need it."
"Doctor... I don't understand. My wounds seem to heal on their own," I murmured.
"Some werewolves have stronger immune systems, so they heal faster. It's not uncommon," he replied.
"But doctor, have we met before?" I asked, feeling dizzy from the injection.
"No. Why do you ask?" He looked anxious as he turned away to close the drapes.
"It's just... You look very familiar," I said.
"It's a side effect from the shot," he replied, avoiding my gaze.
"Doctor, why do you keep giving me these injections?" My voice was growing faint.
"It's for pain relief," he said hurriedly. "And I'm sorry, I can't talk to you. There are eyes and ears everywhere."
With that, he rushed out of the room. My eyelids grew heavy, and my vision blurred.
Just before I drifted off, the door creaked open. A small wolf cub bounded into the room, his head tilting curiously as he saw me.
He was so fluffy and endearing, I yearned to reach out and hug him.
"Who are you?" I asked, my voice unexpectedly clear and calm.
"Don't you recognize me?" he asked. "Don't you recognize your own baby, mommy?"
My heart melted at the sound of his voice. But then, suddenly, blood trickled from his eyes and nose.
I tried to scream, but no sound escaped my lips.
My baby. My cub. He's bleeding, and I can't do anything!
Desperately, I stretched out my arms and legs, attempting to run to him. At that moment, I jolted awake.
Soft moonlight bathed the room, and I found myself enveloped in its glow. The child was gone.
It took me a few moments to realize it was just a nightmare. Then, I noticed I was lying on the floor.
How did I get from the bed to the floor? Did I crawl here myself?
But that was impossible. I couldn't move my legs and arms...
Wait... What happened to my arms?!
I lay on my back, my arms suspended in the air, bathed in moonlight that streamed through the open window. The maids must have forgotten to close it, allowing the night breeze to flutter the curtains, drawing the silvery glow inside.
I could move my arms! It seemed impossible, surreal. I retracted them, then stretched them out once more. I was truly moving my own arms.
Astonished, I kept silent. I had to return to bed before anyone noticed. As long as no one knew I could move, I had a chance to escape this place.
But how could I get back to bed? Using my arms, I lifted my upper body off the floor and sat up, my head spinning from the sudden movement. After a few moments, my vision cleared. I rotated my body and began to crawl, dragging my numb legs behind me.
Suddenly, clouds veiled the moon, and as darkness engulfed the room, control over my arms vanished, and I collapsed. Was the moonlight healing me? It seemed impossible.
I lay there until the clouds passed, once again bathing me in moonlight. Instantly, I felt strength returning to my arms and continued to crawl until my entire body was illuminated. Gradually, sensation returned to my legs. With great effort, I pressed myself upright. Before I knew it, I was standing, my heavy limbs defying their burden.
Just then, footsteps echoed from outside. I dashed to the bed, diving beneath the sheets and shutting my eyes as the door burst open.
Panic surged through me as I saw Alpha Finn stagger into the room, colliding clumsily with everything in his path, the air thick with the odor of alcohol.
I held myself still, not daring to reveal my newfound strength.
"You fucking bitch," he snarled, grabbing my throat. "Why are you still alive?"
Terror gripped me as Alpha Finn's fingers tightened around my throat. I could barely breathe, the room spinning into a haze. His eyes, bloodshot and enraged, loomed over me, and the stench of alcohol filled my nostrils, making me gag.
Every instinct screamed at me to fight back, but I had to hide the fact that I had regained control over my limbs. My body trembled, not just from fear, but from the effort of maintaining my facade of vulnerability.
"Why are you still alive?" he hissed again, his voice dripping with venom.
I tried to choke out a response, but only a wheezing gasp escaped my lips. Spots danced in my vision, darkening the edges as my lungs cried out for air.
"Didn't I make it clear?" he continued, his grip relentless. "You had no right to survive."
My heart pounded in my chest, a frantic drumbeat of desperation. I felt the weight of hopelessness bear down on me, but there was a flicker of defiance buried deep within. I couldn't die here, not like this. I had to think of a way out; I had to survive.
As if sensing my resolve, his grip loosened slightly. I took a shallow, shuddering breath, my mind racing for any strategy to escape.
"I...I'm sorry," I croaked, hoping to placate him, to lull him into lowering his guard.
His grip slackened a bit more, but his eyes remained locked onto mine, filled with suspicion and loathing. I could feel the cold sweat on my skin, the sickening realization that my life hung by a thread.
He released me abruptly, and I fell back onto the bed, gasping for precious air. He staggered back a step, perhaps contemplating his next move. I couldn't afford to wait and see.
"You're pathetic," he spat, turning away with a sneer. "I don’t know why I bother."
I listened to the sound of his retreating footsteps, my body tense and ready to bolt if he changed his mind. The moment the door clicked shut behind him, I exhaled shakily, a mix of relief and horror washing over me.
I couldn't stay here any longer. I needed a plan, a way out of this nightmare, away from Alpha Finn's torment. My hands trembled as I pushed the sheets aside, my mind racing with the beginnings of an escape plan.