Chapter 0402

Seraphina

A cold shudder races down my spine as Lucas Adler steps into the dungeon. He was the absolute last person I ever wanted to see.

He slowly drags the barrel of his gun along the iron bars of my cell. Each bar produces a harsh, metallic clunk that vibrates right through my bones.

In the cell across from mine, I watch Evelyn shuffle backward into the shadows, darkness swallowing her form. But her quiet, choked sobs betray her location. "Relax, baldy. I'm not here for you." He spins toward Evelyn's cell and repeats the motion, scraping his weapon against the bars while chuckling lowly. "It's your turn, princess."

"No." Evelyn whimpers. "I haven't done anything wrong."

"We just have a few more questions. Answer them correctly, and you can return here to rest that pretty little head of yours."

"I've told you everything I know!" Her voice sharpens with frustration.

"Evelyn, just answer them. You're making this worse for all of us." I mutter under my breath. Lucas glances over his shoulder and winks at me. Wanting the truth and wanting to survive didn't mean we were allies.

Half of Evelyn's face emerges from the shadows, the rest still cloaked in darkness. Tear tracks stained her cheeks. I'd listened to her cry all night long. The sobbing would stop, then start again, a relentless cycle that made me wish for deafness. It felt like a crueler torture than starvation. Until I noticed each sob sounded off. Forced. Exaggerated. I doubt it was for my benefit; she was probably hoping to lure a guard down. Even now, with just one grey eye visible, I saw pure anger, not sorrow. Nothing was going according to her plan.

I might not have caught on if I hadn't been forced to observe her for so long. Time was all I had left.

Being Human came with massive disadvantages, but it did force you to truly learn about those you were trapped with, if you paid close enough attention.

"Does Alexander want to speak with me?" She asks, her voice barely a whisper.

"No, not today. Today is for my entertainment." Lucas flashes her a wide, unnerving grin. He's a complete madman, and I still can't figure out how a Hunter like him ended up embedded here. Hunters are supposed to work alone.

He unlocks her cell door and seizes her by the throat, yanking her resisting body close to his. "Don't try anything stupid. I have zero tolerance for idiocy today. Understood?"

"Yes." She rasps out.

I see it then—real, raw panic floods her features. And she absolutely should be panicked.

Minutes after they leave, heavy footsteps echo on the stone stairs. I retreat to the farthest corner of my cell and wait. Is this it? Has Alexander finally grown tired of waiting and decided to execute us? That would be the only reason both of us are being taken from our cells.

My lungs constrict painfully. I struggle to draw air. Strange black dots swarm my vision. My chest aches fiercely, and I slide down the cold wall, my legs giving out.

"Shit, kid. Breathe."

Caleb's large, familiar hands grip the bars of my cell. His intense blue eyes are wide with alarm as he scans my crumpled form.

"What... what are you doing down here?"

"Your mother is asking questions. I told her if I got permission, I'd come check on you. See how you're holding up."

The black spots gradually recede. I drag a deep, shaky breath into my lungs. I never want to experience that suffocating fear again.

"Just fantastic." I mutter bitterly. "Why didn't she come herself?"

"The pup is being fussy today."

"You didn't need to come."

"Yes, I did. Because I love your mother." He walks away, grabs a lone stool from the dungeon's far end, and sets it directly in front of my cell. "Sometimes, we do things for the people we love, no matter how pointless it seems. How did you end up in this mess, Seraphina?"

"Let's recap. I embarked on a solo mission to reclaim what was rightfully mine. It failed spectacularly. I met someone, let him mark me, and was a complete bitch to him in return. Ended up trapped for months by a man who believes he's a god. My total lack of Lycan abilities made me trust the wrong person, which landed me right back here. Now I'm a prisoner awaiting my execution date."

His forehead creases into a deep frown. "Do you regret any of it?"

I drop my head and let out a bitter snort. "Does it look like I'm enjoying this?"

He rolls his eyes and sits up taller, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. "I was convinced Alpha Athena would have us all eliminated, simply because of who you are and what you did. But she didn't. She gave us a chance. Your mother and your brothers are thriving here. Your little sister will too."

"And what does that have to do with me?"

"You could thrive here too, Seraphina. You could leave the past behind and start over."

"So we can all be one big, happy family, is that it?" I mock.

He stands up abruptly, shaking his head in clear disappointment. "I knew this was a mistake. You're an ungrateful brat. You won't even accept the help being offered to you."

"What help? You mean reminding me that my mother moved on and had more children to replace me?"

"You know that's not what I meant, and you know it's not true. For once in your life, pull your head out of your ass and look at the bigger picture."

"You can leave now." I dig into my pocket, searching for the last remaining piece of my protein bar. My fingers find only crumbs. It must have shattered when I collapsed on the floor.