Astrid’s P.O.V
The soft morning light filters through the small window of the cramped cell, casting faint shadows on the cold, damp floor. I stir from my restless sleep to the sound of Amelia's voice, her words like a ray of sunshine in our dismal surroundings. 'Happy Birthday!' Amelia says, her voice carrying a genuine warmth that momentarily chases away the shadows of our grim situation.
Seth joins in, his voice filled with enthusiasm. 'Happy Birthday, Luna!' He cheers, his attempt to bring some cheer to our dire circumstances earning a weary but appreciative chuckle from me.
I can't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. 'Who would have thought I would be celebrating my eighteenth in a cold, dirty cell?' I muse; the irony is not lost on me.
Amelia and Seth share in my laughter, but our moment of levity soon gives way to a heavy silence as reality looms over us, and it becomes impossible to ignore the fear and uncertainty that have settled in the pit of my stomach.
'Astrid?' Amelia asks, concern lacing her voice as she senses my distress.
Tears well up in my eyes as I share my fear with them. 'I'm so scared, guys. I'm scared Ryker won't save us in time. What if James forcibly marks and mates me?' I voice the dreaded possibility that has been haunting my thoughts.
Seth gazes at me sympathetically, his eyes reflecting the shared apprehension we all feel. 'I'm going to try and mind-link Alpha Ryker. James and John had wolfsbane injected into me, which weakened and stopped me from being able to contact anyone from our pack. It should be out of my system by now,' Seth explains.
We watch with bated breath as he concentrates.
'Is it working?' I inquire anxiously, my heart pounding in my chest.
Seth nods with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. 'I've gotten through to Alpha Ryker!' he announces, relief washing over us.
Unable to contain my excitement and longing, I rush to the cell door, clutching the bars and partly squeezing my head through the gap, my breathing intensifying. 'Tell Ryker, I'm sorry,' I beg Seth, my voice trembling with regret. 'Tell him I'm so sorry that I should not have left. I didn't want to leave.'
Seth's smile is reassuring. 'Ryker says he knows. Vanessa confessed everything after Alice poisoned him, so Vanessa could mark and mate him,' Seth replies, with a glimmer of hope.
I gasp, my protective instincts flaring. 'Please tell me Vanessa didn't mark Ryker?' I growl, a warning edge in my voice.
Seth reassures me. 'No, Kane and Leon were there just in time. Alice and Vanessa are both in the pack cells for now,' he informs me, providing me with relief.
Seth continues. 'Ryker knows we are here,' he states firmly. 'Ryker says he will be here tonight with the warriors to free us.'
Tears of relief blur my vision as I finally voice my true feelings. 'Please tell him. I miss him. I just want to be with him again,' I confess, with longing and vulnerability.
Seth nods, a hint of a blush colouring his cheeks. 'Um, Ryker says he can't wait to hold you in his arms tonight and taste your sweet lips,' he smirks playfully.
I can't help but smile, hug myself, and grin. ‘I'm going to see Ryker tonight!’ I exclaim.
Seth and Amelia share in my happiness, their smiles reflecting the lightness that has momentarily pushed aside the darkness of our captivity.
The flicker of hope dissipates as John and James descend the stairs, their smirks casting a menacing shadow over their faces. John unlocks Amelia's cell door, and with a firm grip, he drags her out, her terrified cries echoing in the narrow corridor.
'No, John, please! Where are you taking me?' Amelia pleads, her voice trembling with fear.
'Let her go!' I shout, gripping the bars of my cell in frustration, my helplessness gnawing at me.
John responds with a cruel slap across Amelia's face, silencing her protests. 'Stop fighting me! The Alpha is ready with your punishment, and the longer you make him wait, the more lashes you will receive!' He warns.
I can't contain my fury any longer. 'Don't you dare touch her!' I shout, locking eyes with John, my determination burning fiercely. 'I will rip your head off the moment I shift if you lay a finger on Amelia!' I threaten, my voice dripping with the deadly promise.
John glares at me but eventually relents, turning to James. 'James, I think you need to put your little mate in her place!' He suggests before resuming his task of dragging Amelia up the stairs, her cries of despair echoing in my ears.
With Amelia taken away, James enters my cell, and I instinctively take a step back, retreating until I'm pressed against the cold stone wall with nowhere else to escape. His presence is suffocating, and dread settles in my chest as he closes the distance between us.
James gently cups my cheek with his hand. His touch is sickeningly intimate. 'Tonight, we become one, and you become mine,' he whispers in my ear, his breath hot against my skin.
My stomach churns with revulsion, and I summon every ounce of courage within me to shove him away. He stumbles back, his scowl contorting his face, but he quickly recovers and seizes my hands, pinning them above my head.
'Get off of my Luna now!' Seth's warning pierces the tension in the air.
James pauses momentarily in annoyance. He turns his head toward Seth, his tone dripping with arrogance. 'Astrid is my mate! I will do as I please with her, so if I were you, I would shut your trap before I come in there and rip your head off!' He threatens, his possessiveness overshadowing any semblance of reason.
James resumes his assault on my neck, his kisses feeling repulsive, like a dying slug leaving a slimy trail on my skin. The sensation is grotesque, and I can't endure it any longer. 'Stop!' I glare at him, my voice trembling with disgust.
'Stop?' James muses, his teeth elongating as his canines drag across my shoulder. 'I was thinking we could skip the wait to consummate and do it now. We can always do it again later tonight after I mark you,' he suggests, his intentions chilling to the core.