### Chapter 9: Shattered Bonds đșđ„đ
**Lia's POV**
I'm losing my mind in this room, pacing like a trapped wolf, the walls pressing in like they want to crush me.
Rick's been gone forever, minutes dragging by, and the boredom's eating me alive, clawing at my sanity.
The mate bond burns in my chest, a sick, twisted thing tying me to Dorian, Eric, and Rickâthe monsters who ruined my life. I hate them, hate this pull that won't let me go, chaining me to the ones who killed my parents, who burned my world to ash.
My lips still tingle from kissing Rick, that stupid, weak moment I can't shake, and it makes me want to scream until my throat bleeds.
I can't stay here, locked up like their pet, their plaything. I need to run. Now. đ©žâš
I creep to the door, my heart pounding so hard it hurts, and crack it open, peering into the hallway.
The corridor's empty, shadows flickering in the torchlight, no sign of those bastardsâDorian with his cruel smirk, Eric with his icy stare, Rick with his confusing softness that messes with my head.
This is my shot, my one chance to break free. I slip out, my bare feet silent on the cold stone, my breath shallow as I stick to the walls, eyes darting for an exit.
Every creak makes me flinch, my pulse racing, but I keep moving, my hands trembling as I search for a way out of this hellhole.
I reach a heavy wooden door, my fingers hovering over the handle, when a low, throaty moan stops me dead.
What the hell? Some shameless Lycan's getting it on in the middle of the day? This pack is full of brutes, so I shouldn't be shocked, but it's disgusting, and my stomach twists with revulsion.
I'm about to keep going, to run while I can, when I hear *his* voiceâDorian's, low and rough, dripping with that smug edge that makes my blood boil.
My feet freeze, my heart stuttering. What's he doing? I should move, should bolt, but somethingâmaybe the bond, maybe my own damn stupidityâpulls me to the door.
I push it open, just a crack, my breath catching as I peek inside. The sight hits me like a punch, a nightmare I can't unsee.
Dorian's got Rick pinned against him, their lips locked, his hands tearing at Rick's shirt like he's claiming him. Eric's behind Dorian, his lips on Dorian's neck, his hands gripping his shoulders, possessive and hungry.
The air's thick, heavy with heat, with need, and the mate bond in my chest flares, burning so hot I can't breathe, my head spinning with rage, disgust, and something elseâsomething I hate myself for feeling.
I slam the door open wider, my voice raw, shaking with fury. "What the hell are you guys doing?"
Their heads snap toward me, and Dorian's smirk spreads, slow and deliberate, like he's savoring my shock, my pain.
Rick pulls away from him, his face flushed, his eyes wide with guilt, like a kid caught stealing. He steps toward me, his voice low, urgent. "Lia, why are you here? I told you to stay in the room."
I shove past him, my eyes locked on Dorian, my hands shaking with rage. "Explain," I snap, my voice trembling but sharp as a blade. "What the hell did I just see? Were you about to have sex?"
Dorian chuckles, a low, dark sound that makes my skin crawl, my heart racing with hate and that cursed pull I can't escape.
He steps closer, his hand reaching for my face, his eyes glinting with that cruel amusement that makes me want to claw them out. "What's it look like, omega?" he says, his voice a purr, dripping with venom. "Just a little fun between mates."
Before he can touch me, Rick grabs his wrist, his voice desperate, pleading. "Dorian, let me handle this."
Dorian's eyes narrow, but he steps back, his smirk never fading, like he's enjoying this twisted game.
Rick takes my hand, his touch gentle but firm, and pulls me away, back to his room, my head a mess of anger and confusion.
He sits me on the bed, kneeling in front of me, his hazel eyes searching mine, soft but heavy with something I can't read. "You okay?" he asks, his voice quiet, like he actually gives a damn.
I laugh, a bitter, broken sound, shaking my head. "Okay? What the hell was that, Rick? What were you doing with them?"
He looks away, his jaw tight, his silence deafening, and it drives me crazy, the bond burning hotter, pulling me to him even as I want to run.
"Say something!" I snap, my voice raw, my hands clenching the sheets. "Who's whose mate here? I'm confused as hell!"
He sighs, his eyes flicking back to me, and when he speaks, his voice is low, almost broken. "Dorian's dominant," he says. "Eric's⊠possessive. I'm submissive. And youâyou're an omega, submissive too. We're all mates, Lia. That's how it works. How do you think we survived the past two years while you were running? We've been⊠mating with each other."
His words hit like a slap, my stomach twisting with disgust, my heart pounding with rage.
I yank my hand from his, my voice shaking, spitting venom. "You're all sick," I say, standing so fast the room spins. "Sick!"
I storm toward the door, my heart racing, the bond burning like a brand in my chest, pulling me to them even as I hate themâDorian's cruelty, Eric's coldness, Rick's softness that makes me weak.
Rick calls my name, his voice desperate. "Lia, wait!"
But I don't turn back, my feet moving, my heart screaming, refusing to be their prisoner any longer. đ„âš