Chapter 61 - The Alpha in Darkness

“Scaring you? I am scaring you? Now you know how we felt when we returned to find you gone!” he says, not even bothering to slow down.

With Ryland driving, the trip takes less than half the time. I am getting car sick when I notice the hidden turn-off. Ryland, not even slowing down as he turns the car sharply, makes it skid along the driveway and makes me slam into the door. His hand reaches over, grips the front of my shirt, and pulls me back onto the seat. He slams the brakes as he pulls up, and I put my hands out to avoid hitting the dash, jarring my hands before being thrown backwards in the seat, my hands tingling painfully. I manage to get my seatbelt off, my hands shaking violently as I open the car door before I puke everywhere, narrowly missing the side of the car.

When I hear the front door slam open against the outside of the house, I look up and see Thaddeus. His glare sends shivers up my spine and chills my blood. I panic and head toward the forest surrounding the property.

I know they warned me about running from him, warned me so many times, but I’m not thinking straight. Fear makes adrenaline pump through me, and flight or fight takes over. I know I can never fight them off, and I also know I will never be able to outrun them, but that doesn’t stop my body from acting as any sane person would, by running for their life.

I hear a feral growl rip through the air, birds take off from the trees as it echoes and bounces off them. I don’t even get ten meters before I feel my feet leave the ground and I’m being slammed onto the grass, knocking the air out of my lungs. Thaddeus’ black eyes stare down at me as he pins me down. I hear Orion scream out to him, when suddenly, the grass catches on fire, forming a circle around us. I watch the flames get closer and move in around us.

His entire body is shaking in rage; I feel it through the bond. His anger makes my blood run cold as ice. Thaddeus rips my arms above my head and leans down. His nose goes to the crook of my neck as he inhales my scent. “You’re scared,” he states. His words are cold, and I feel tears start to brim. “You should be,” he says, and I struggle against his grip, feel the flames move in closer, licking at my fingers, and cry out in pain.

The next second, I feel his fangs sink into my neck, making me scream. Pain radiates everywhere before I finally pass out.

Evelyn

My eyes are opening, and the first thing I see is the canopy over the bed. Sitting up, I hear growling, which makes my head snap toward the chair by the door. Thaddeus’ hypnotic green eyes are staring back at me. His glare chills me to the bone, making me want to shrink under his intense gaze. His hands are clenched so tight I can see his knuckles pressed tightly against his skin. I gulp as I force myself to look away, as terror runs through me.

Now, I understand what it means to be scared of the Dark King. His anger fills the room like a thick cloud; it is almost hard to breathe. My skin feels like it is crawling, making me itchy as he stands up, making me jump off the bed and move toward the window.

It is a high drop, but I would rather that than his wrath. My hands shake as I grip the windowsill behind me as he approaches, stalking me, and I suddenly feel tiny in front of this monster of a man; never in my life had I felt so small and breakable.

Just as he is about to say something, the door opens, and I let out the breath I am holding as I watch Orion walk into the room. My relief is short-lived when I see the look on his face, mirroring Thaddeus’. He is livid, and I made him that way. His usually calm demeanor is now frightening as he walks over, his eyes blood red and his fangs protruding.

“Do you have any idea what you have done?” Thaddeus spits through gritted teeth, his hands shaking at his sides. Yet, the rational part of my brain isn’t working, and I instantly regret the words that leave my lips.

“You act like I whored myself out. I left; I came back. No harm done,” I tell him.

Thaddeus’ fist slams through the wall next to my face, making me jump. “You think you did nothing wrong?” he asks, and I don’t bother answering. “You disobeyed us!” he screams, making me cower away from him. Tears brim and spill onto my cheeks, my body trembles in fear.

Thaddeus grips my face, forcing me to look at him. His fingers dig into my jaw as his hands shake; he wants to kill me. I can see it in his eyes, he wants to hurt me, and I know if Orion wasn’t standing next to him, he would have.

“I’m sorry,” I stutter and burst into tears, which only seem to anger him more. Like seriously, what more does he want from me?

“You’re sorry? Will sorry save the people of that town when I burn it to the ground?” he asks, making my tear-filled eyes dart to his before going to Orion, begging him to tell me he is only joking. “Or should I go visit Lana? Is that what you want?” he asks, gripping my face tighter, making me cry out as his nails dig in. The lights are flickering above, casting shadows on the walls, and I can tell he is losing control.

“No, please! I won’t leave again!” I blurt out in panic.

“You’re right; you won’t be leaving again. You will not be leaving this house ever again,” he says through gritted teeth and grabs my face with both hands as he jerks me towards him. I see Orion grab his arm, trying to calm him, but he suddenly let’s go and steps back.

“You did this to yourself,” Orion says, turns his back on me, and walks out, abandoning me with my monster of a mate. I feel fog slipping over me; it feels cold. As cold as his anger. It makes me shudder as it rushes through every cell in my body, making my stomach drop somewhere deep within me. It isn’t relaxing like it usually is when they use the fogginess on me. No, this raises goosebumps on my skin, and fear paralyzes me where I stand, nearly making me wet myself in fear; it is cold and demeaning.

“You will not leave this house unless I say, and you will obey my every command.”

I feel tears burn my eyes. My mouth speaks even though I know this is wrong. I want to scream at him, yet the force of his command smashes against me like waves, hitting rocks on the beach, violent and relentless, and I know whatever he asks of me, I will not be able to deny him. My entire body shakes as the words leave my lips hypnotically, and I feel like I am placed on auto pilot as I say them, not even recognizing my own voice.

“I will not leave the house unless you say so; I will obey your every command.” As soon as the words leave my lips, I feel my free will leave me in a rush, and my shoulders sag, defeated. How ridiculously easy it is for him to take my freedom from me; not that I had much to begin with. I suppose I should be used to being someone’s toy; I am his puppet on strings he gets to pull.

Thaddeus, seeming satisfied, lets my face go. “Now sit here until I say you can come out,” he tells me and turns on his heel to walk away, leaving me shaken. I feel betrayed by Orion for just walking away, allowing this, and where is Ryland? Does he agree too?

My legs buckle underneath me, and I hit the floor, not even feeling the impact. I feel nothing but hollow. I don’t know how long I am stuck on the floor. I want to get up, but I can’t because he told me to sit here; my body fails to do anything I need it to do. I need to pee, my bladder is screaming at me, and I am starting to worry he will leave me here to wet myself and degrade me even more.

I let out a breath of relief when I see him walk into the bedroom. His eyes dart to me on the floor.

“Get up and come downstairs,” he tells me.

My legs and back are killing me, and I hop up, glancing toward the bathroom, but he has already turned and left. I chase after him, calling out to him, but he ignores me, and I can’t stop following his order. I follow him all the way to the living room. I stand there awkwardly, moving from one foot to the other.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“I need to pee,” I tell him, and he smiles. Orion and Ryland walk out of the kitchen.

“Then go,” Thaddeus says. and I let out a breath. However, as I turn around, his voice stops me. “Did I say you could go anywhere?” I turn back around, confused by what he means. A cruel smile slips on his face.

“Thaddeus, that is cruel; don’t you dare,” Orion snaps at him.

“She will learn not to disobey us.”

“Thaddeus, she is our mate. Just let her go to the bathroom; she can’t leave the house,” Ryland growls at him.

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