Chapter 6

　　Avery's POV

　　I shouldn't have looked. But the door was open just enough, and the torchlight spilled across the floor like it was inviting me closer.

　　I edged forward, holding my breath, careful not to let my shoes scrape the stone. The voices inside were quiet now, murmuring, too low to make out the words.

　　I leaned toward the gap.

　　At first, I didn't understand what I was seeing. The room was small. Bare stone walls. A table pushed to the center. Papers scattered everywhere. Maps. Strings. Pins.

　　And then my eyes lifted to the far wall.

　　My stomach dropped.

　　There was a portrait hanging there.

　　Large. Framed. Lit by the flickering torch mounted beside it.

　　My portrait.

　　For scond, my brain refused to process it. I just stared, trying to convince myself I was wrong.

　　But it was me.

　　My pulse started hammering in my ears. I leaned back slightly, suddenly very aware of how exposed I was standing in that doorway.

　　I needed to leave. Now.

　　But my foot shifted against loose gravel.

　　The sound was small. And yet inside the room, the voices stopped instantly.

　　Silence fell like a blade.

　　One of the chairs scraped against the floor.

　　"Who's that?" Lucian's voice cut through the silence.

　　My heart slammed hard enough that it felt like it might give me away. I didn't breathe.

　　The torch crackled.

　　Footsteps started toward the door. I forced my body to move, peeling myself off the wall.

　　The door slammed open.

　　Light spilled over me.

　　I ran.

　　"Stop."

　　The word cracked behind me like a gunshot, and my body finally obeyed. I bolted for the tree line, branches clawing at my arms, my breath tearing out of my chest in uneven bursts.

　　Footsteps exploded behind me. "Don't let her get away!"

　　The forest swallowed me whole, darkness folding in tight around my vision, but it didn't slow them down.

　　I jerked forward with a gasp, nearly losing my footing. My heart slammed so hard it blurred my vision.

　　My foot caught on something.

　　I went down hard.

　　The impact knocked the air out of me, pain exploding up my side as I hit the ground. Dirt filled my mouth. For a second, I couldn't breathe, couldn't move.

　　Footsteps closed in.

　　I scrambled, hands slipping in the soil as I tried to push myself up, but a shadow fell over me before I could get my knees under me.

　　A hand grabbed my arm.

　　I twisted, kicking out blindly, connecting with something solid. A grunt. The grip loosened just enough.

　　I tore free and staggered back, sucking in air like I'd been drowning.

　　Raith's hand locked around my arms like steel clamps. "Let me go! Y– You're all monsters!" I screamed, my voice cracking as he dragged me back toward the house.

　　Raith didn't say a word. Not even a flicker of emotion crossed his face.

　　Lucian was already in his room when Raith dragged me through the doors. Standing completely still. No cane. Arms at his sides.

　　He was furious.

　　Raith released me, and I stumbled forward, catching myself before I hit the floor. Barely.

　　Lucian did not move. "Leave us," he said.

　　Raith was gone before the echo died. The silence that followed was total.

　　Then Lucian moved without hesitation, slow at first. No yelling. No rage. Just pressure. I tried to stay still, but I could feel the panic bouncing in my chest like a trapped animal.

　　And when he was close enough, he whispered, "Why are you so stubborn? You want to be made to obey? Then I will teach you how to be a slave."

　　"Get down." He grabbed my hair, yanking my head back until my neck strained. "You think you are tough? I'll kill you if you push me, girl." He jabbed a finger at me, his voice dripping with menace.

　　My hand tightened around the sharp object I'd grabbed from the corner earlier. With all my strength, I drove it into his hand.

　　"Fuck!" He roared. Pain twisting his voice. He shoved my head away, his grip loosening as he stumbled back.

　　The door burst open and Raith rushed in.

　　"Alpha, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice tense.

　　"Lock her up!" Lucian snarled, his unseeing eyes flicking towards Raith's voice, his face contorted with rage.

　　"No, please, let me go! I want to go home!" I screamed, my voice breaking as I pressed myself against the wall, terror clawing at my chest.

　　"Let me go!" I choked out, my voice cracking as he dragged me down the hallway. "Why are you keeping me here! Why is there a portrait of me! You blind psycho!"

　　My bare feet stumbled across the cold floor as I struggled to keep up with his harsh grip. I turned to look ahead and that's when I saw it.

　　A heavy, iron door. Dead silent.

　　"No…No, no. What is this?" I stammered, trying to dig my feet into the floor.

　　Raith ignored me as he pulled out a set of heavy keys and started unlocking the bolts one by one. The sound made my stomach twist.

　　"Are you — are you going to leave me in there?" I cried, voice shaking. "Please, it's too dark… I'm scared of the dark… don't leave me alone in there!"

　　Still nothing. He didn't even look at me.

　　"Raith! Please!" I begged, tugging at his arm now. "You can't leave me here, please. I don't want to be alone, please don't."

　　He shoved me hard.

　　I hit the floor of the room with a heavy thud, the coldness biting into my skin instantly. My palms scraped against the hard ground as I twisted to look back at him.

　　But he was already locking the door.

　　"Raith, please. I'm sorry. Please let me out—I'll do anything. Don't leave me here alone," I cried, my voice breaking as I pushed against the door.

　　The last lock clicked.

　　Silence

　　I dropped my forehead against the door, tears already streaking down my cheeks.

　　"...Please…"

　　But he was gone. And I was alone again.

　　I sat in the corner, hugging my knees, shivering. My dress was damp with sweat and tears. My back ached from the hard floor. My throat burned from crying out.

　　Then I heard it.

　　Footsteps.

　　Soft. Measured. My heart kicked up, unsure if I should feel scared or hopeful. I dragged myself to the door, legs steady. My palms pressed against the iron, my cheek resting against its cold surface as I tried to make out anything beyond it.

　　"Raith?" I whispered, barely able to speak louder than a breath. "Is that you?"

　　No reply.

　　I tilted my head towards the small opening in the door, straining to hear. The footsteps were still there… Slow, careful… getting closer.

　　"Please…" I said again, softer now. "I won't scream anymore. I just want to talk…"

　　But the silence that followed didn't ease anything inside me. Whoever it was, they weren't speaking.

　　I swallowed hard and stepped back from the door, my fingers trembling as I slowly lowered myself to the floor again, chest rising and falling in panic.

　　The footsteps stopped outside the door.

　　The lock turned. Slow. Deliberate.

　　The iron door opened just enough for a thin blade of light to cut into the room.

　　A figure stepped inside.

　　A woman.

　　She closed the door behind her with a quiet click, sealing us back into the dark, only the faint spill of light from the hall outlining her shape.

　　She didn't come closer immediately. Didn't speak. She just stood there… like she was taking in the entire room.

　　"…so this is her."

　　My throat tightened as I pushed myself further back against the wall, my fingers digging into the fabric of my dress.

　　I swallowed hard. "W–who are you?"