The incessant throbbing at the base of my spine and the side of my neck yanked me out of the fog of sleep. My first groan was a guttural protest against consciousness, followed by a hiss as I leaned back against the chair. The damn thing creaked under me, and a few satisfying pops rang out when I twisted to work out the kinks in my neck. My relief was short-lived. I tried to lift my hands, but they didn't budge. Leather straps dug into my wrists, holding them in place. My heart sank. Not again. The Wolven Council clearly had a fetish for strapping people to uncomfortable chairs.
The room around me was small, no bigger than a solitary cell, but the walls, floors, and even the ceiling were padded with soft, cushioned material. It was a stark, sterile white, though the fabric had faded over time and bore stains that I decided not to scrutinize too closely. My bare feet pressed against the cold padding of the floor, which sent a chill up my legs. My stomach turned as I realized what kind of room this was: a suicide watch cell. The flicker of a red light in the corner confirmed it—a surveillance camera stared down at me, unblinking and invasive.
I shifted in the chair, my butt already numb. A single door stood before me, with a tiny window cut out at the top. Sunlight filtered through, warming the back of my neck. Daylight. How long had I been out?
"How should I know?" Orion's gruff voice rumbled in my head, groggy and annoyed. "Keep quiet. I'm trying to sleep."
I scoffed, trying to wiggle into a slightly more comfortable position. "You're unusually calm for someone whose life was just wrecked. The oath failed, and someone marked us. Marked us, Orion! Who the hell even was it?"
"And what exactly do you want me to do about it?" he growled, clearly unimpressed with my panic. "We'll find whoever did it and deal with them later. Worrying about it now is pointless. Relax for once. Go on, brood silently or something—I'm going back to sleep."
The mental link went quiet as he cut me off, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Typical. Orion always knew how to disappear when things went to hell.
The sharp creak of the door startled me, cutting through the quiet like a knife. My head snapped up, cold sweat trailing down my spine. Two figures entered the room—a man and a woman. My instincts flared as my eyes darted between them.
The woman was stunning, almost ethereal. Her skin, a warm, bronzed tone, seemed to glow under the dim light. A golden sundress clung to her figure, catching faint shimmers as she moved. She walked with the grace of someone who knew she owned every room she stepped into, her high heels clicking softly against the padded floor. Her hair was a masterpiece—intricate braids woven into an elegant cascade that fell down her back. Bangles jingled on her wrists, a soft, musical counterpoint to her every step, and her pale blue eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made my skin crawl.
The man beside her made my stomach twist. Time had turned him into someone who looked every inch the Alpha he always wanted to be. His broad shoulders, the chiseled jawline dusted with a five o'clock shadow, the gray eyes that once haunted my dreams—all of it was Justin. My former best friend. The traitor.
My lip curled in disgust as my gaze flicked back to the woman. So, this is the woman he sold me out for?
Orion stirred, grumbling, "Well, you gotta admit—he's got excellent taste."
"Not helping!" I shot back mentally.
Justin's voice broke through my internal rant, deep and familiar in a way that made my heart lurch. "Caleb. It's been a while." He smiled, that same cocky smile I once loved, but now it only felt like salt in a wound. "You've changed."
My jaw clenched. Of course, I'd changed. Did he expect me to stay the naive idiot he betrayed all those years ago? "What the hell are you doing here?" I snapped, my voice low and sharp.
The smile vanished. The woman—his mate, no doubt—wrapped her arm around his. Justin cleared his throat. "We're here to collect you. The Wolven Council has agreed to release you into my custody until your... mate... settles matters with them."
My laugh was sharp and bitter. "So I'm property now? Is that it? Passed around as if I belong to any of you?"
Justin's eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. "Caleb, do you even understand the mess you've made? I know you hate me, and maybe I deserve that. But if you'd just stayed in the pack—if you'd listened to me—all of this could've been avoided."
I surged forward, the straps digging into my wrists. "Avoided? You threw me under the bus to live your perfect little life, and you dare lecture me?"
Justin flinched but said nothing. His mate—Katelyn, if I remembered correctly—spoke up instead. "I can see where my little brother got his fire from." Her tone was calm, almost gentle, but her words hit like a blow to the gut.
My breath caught. Memories of my pup's cries flooded back, and I bit down the lump forming in my throat. I didn't want to hear of him on her lips. Not her. Not now.
"And who the hell are you?" I asked, venom dripping from my voice, though I already knew the answer.
She smiled, but it was strained now. "I'm Katelyn. I've wanted to meet you for a long time."
"Well, lucky you," I muttered. "Hope it's everything you dreamed of."
Justin's growl filled the room, low and dangerous. "That's enough, Caleb. You can hate me all you want, but you don't have to take it out on her. She's done nothing to you."
"Done nothing?" My voice rose. "She took everything!"
Justin stepped closer, leaning into my space. His gray eyes bore into mine, a storm brewing in their depths. "You don't have to like this, but you're going to cooperate. Your mate has put everything on the line to save your ass, and if you screw this up, it's not just you who'll pay the price."
I stared at him, unblinking. "I didn't ask for a mate. Whoever marked me can rot for all I care."
His laughter was bitter, filled with frustration. "You don't get it, do you? Not everything is about you." He banged on the door, signaling for the guards.
The room filled with tension as four officers entered. One knelt in front of me, his tone calm but firm. "This doesn't have to be difficult. Just cooperate."
I stared at the floor as they unstrapped me and replaced the bindings with cold handcuffs. The weight of my reality settled over me like a suffocating blanket. My escape had failed. My freedom was gone. All that was left was the unknown.
Orion's voice was a murmur in the back of my mind. "One step at a time, Caleb. We'll figure this out. And when the time comes, we'll burn it all to the ground."
I swallowed hard as they led me down the corridor. Whatever awaited me back in the pack, one thing was certain: I wouldn't go quietly.