Chapter 159 The Shadows Lurking Behind
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Bailey and I wandered through the hallways of the pack house in utter silence. The tension felt so thick in the air that I swore the oxygen was slowly dissipating. "So, how have you been? What's new?" I asked as we reached the staircase. Bailey shrugged. "Not much. Same old Bailey, different day, I guess," she replied.
"Oh, come on, there's gotta be something that's happened since I last saw you!" I joked, but Bailey didn't crack. Her expression remained serious and unbothered. She ignored my statement and continued walking up the stairs. By the time we reached the top, my stomach did somersaults as I set eyes on a guard I had never seen before in the pack house.
"Luna," he said, bowing his head. There was something ridiculously familiar about him, though I struggled to place it.
"My apologies for the interruption," he said in a stoic voice, and I couldn't help the unease that crept over me. Something felt off—wrong, evil even, maybe. "Alpha Jaxon and Beta Don have requested your presence in the dungeons... a mind link was sent out to the warriors only because they believe it's a safety issue and you could be at risk," he continued coolly and collected.
I raised an eyebrow and took my time examining his every feature, trying to detect any hint of dishonesty. For a safety issue within the pack, he was damn relaxed and unruffled. Most warriors would be on edge, ready to defend the pack even if it meant their last breath. Bailey gasped beside me, panic clear in her voice.
"Safety? Oh, please Moon Goddess, am I going to die?" she exclaimed dramatically, putting on quite a good show.
The guard smiled at her and shook his head. "I'm sure everything will be just fine... ah?"
"Bailey," she responded without skipping a beat.
"I'm sure everything will be just fine, Bailey. You have my word," he promised as if they'd been friends for ages. I looked at them both, feeling my wolf grow increasingly agitated, unsure if she trusted them either.
"Very well," I replied. "I should go check on Leah and my parents first," I said. If there were a safety risk, Jaxon would not be pleased if I ignored orders, but I also couldn't live with myself if I left my family behind. We had already been down this road of following the rules, especially in emergencies.
"Sorry, Luna, the Alpha's orders were to get you to the dungeons immediately. He said you might put up a fight, and if you did, I'm to use any force necessary to ensure your safety," the guard explained casually, but I noticed his eyes darken. Now I felt even more uneasy knowing this man had no qualms about forcing me against my will. Jaxon really said that? My mate?
My mind raced a million miles an hour as I thought of at least a dozen plans to escape if I needed to.
I gave the man a small smile. "Very well." I turned and began descending the stairs. He followed closely behind with Bailey right next to him. None of us spoke, and I tried to mind link Jaxon as we continued down. The link was flat. Unusual—Jaxon had never shut me out like this. I tried Beta Don next; as second-in-command, he had to know what was going on. Still, the line remained flat.
It didn't take long before we entered the dungeon I remembered all too vividly. I cringed as I recalled the night's events—the night I had nearly been raped and beaten for crossing Beverly. I took a deep breath as the smell of copper burned my nostrils.
"Alpha's orders, only the Luna may enter," the man said. Bailey let out a small huff, but I chose to ignore it; I needed to reach my mate and find out what the hell was going on.
As I moved through the long hallway, I caught sight of him. There he stood facing the concrete wall of the cell. He was deep in thought, completely disconnected from reality inside a cell. I realized it was the same one I had been locked inside, which made bile creep up my throat. Something terrible must have happened—I'd never seen Jaxon like this before. He was consumed by his thoughts. He hadn't even noticed I'd entered. He had taken off the red sash he was wearing; now, he was dressed only in a sharp black suit.
"Jaxon, w-what happened?" I managed to stutter as I carefully edged closer to him. He didn't respond; the silence between us burned. My wolf winced inside. There was something thick and muggy in the air making it harder to breathe with each breath. I felt my wolf scratching to come out, adamant not to go any closer to Jaxon. It wasn't right—he was our fated mate. He would never hurt us. She was treating him like a stranger, pressing forward, growling inside as I stepped further into the cell. I'd never felt her so disconnected from our mate, but it made me nauseous. I didn't like this feeling of distance between the other half of my soul.
Jaxon finally raised a hand. It seemed to signal the same man who had escorted me to the cells. The man stepped inside and I couldn't help but stop and gawk, my eyes wide. He moved to close the silver-laced doors but seemed to resist more than I did. He didn't make eye contact once, avoiding my gaze and keeping his eyes on the floor.
A click echoed against the concrete walls as the latch locked. My heart thundered in my chest. I took a step closer to Jaxon.
"What the fuck is going on?!" I screamed as tears burned my eyes. "Where's Beta Don? Where's Sophia? Jaxon, talk to me, dammit!"
Every brutal possibility played in my mind—rogues, an attack, kidnapping, something happening to Sophia. Oh, my Moon Goddess, was it my family?
Then I heard it—a wicked chuckle from Jaxon, dangerous and chilling. I swallowed hard. I never should have come to the dungeons.
Another moment passed, and I couldn't speak, but inside, my wolf screamed.
It happened so fast. One moment, I was standing behind Jaxon, raising my hand to reach his broad shoulders. The next, large hands gripped me tightly from behind. I felt the warmth of breath against my ear as a low voice muttered, "Not this time."
I tried to struggle, to fight against his monstrous hold. I had to get out of there. But it was no use. He held me for a moment, then I felt something sharp pierce the skin of my neck. I knew I couldn't give up—I'd promised Luna Fraya I'd never give up. I gathered every shred of energy left and fought to push out of his hold. I couldn't though. A liquid spread through my body, and the room instantly began to darken.
