Chapter 4

As I stood at the edge of the balcony, my strong-willed nature left me. Maybe I was just tired of the life I was living.

Tired of not having control of my own fate.

It would be so easy to jump the three stories from the balcony. I identified a whirlwind of emotions inside of me as I contemplated taking my own life. I wanted nothing more than to be free, but I started to feel myself slowly beginning to break inside. I wanted to leave this place, and I wanted to leave it now.

“If I do this...I will still be free, right?” I wondered to myself.

I decided that I would know soon enough. No one was around and I doubt they would have even cared to help me if they found me.

I climbed up the rail of the balcony, managing to steady myself on the thick stone of the balcony fence. I gazed up at the bright blue sky before closing my eyes and letting the sunlight radiate down on me. I let out a breath as I sensed a newfound peace beginning to fill me before I took a step forward and started to fall.

“Villi!” A set of powerful arms grabbed me midway, holding me tight against a broad chest.

I opened my eyes and cried out in anger. “Just let me die!” I screamed as I punched the chest.

A moment later, I was back on solid ground. I continued to hit the person who saved me, but the older man easily grabbed my hands and held them tightly in his. I locked eyes with Killian, who stared at me with an unreadable expression.

“Enough,” he commanded.

I whimpered as I stopped struggling and began to cry quietly. I knew I would not be able to escape from the Alpha who had kept me prisoner all my life.

“I hate you,” I told him.

“Yes. You said that the last time you tried to kill yourself,” Killian said coolly.

“I was not trying to kill myself last time!” I barked at him. “I was trying to escape this hell you keep me in!” I clarified as I pulled my hands away from him.

Killian let them slip loose from his grasp.

“I hate this pack. And I will leave here as soon as I get my blessing!” I declared as I stood up.

Killian stood up as well. It was then that I noticed his two head Betas, Liam and Noah, were nearby, obviously waiting for me to try and run.

“When you get your blessing, you will be accepted into the pack at last,” Killian said as he towered over me. He was tall and muscular, much like Adal, but he had long dark brown hair and a beard, unlike his son, who was often clean-shaven.

“I do not want to be a part of your pack,” I spat.

Killian grabbed me by the throat and held me in place. “I do not give a shit what you want,” he growled at me. “You belong to me,” he said as he pulled me closer to him. “The only way you will be leaving this place is if you kill me first,” Killian threatened.

I looked him dead in the eye. “Then I will do so to dance on your grave,” I told him.

If anyone else had dared say such a thing to Killian, he would have snapped their neck with ease. However, with me, Killian would just smirk at my threats. Plainly amused by the fact that a weakling like me was brazen enough to threaten the most powerful Alpha amongst all the nearby wolf packs. I was powerless compared to him, so my threats meant nothing.

“I would love to see you try,” he chuckled as he let me go.

I rubbed my neck before turning away from him. His Beta, Liam, stopped me from getting too far.

“Your birthday is in three days,” Killian said.

“I am surprised you remembered,” I replied. In the almost eighteen years I had been alive, the pack had never celebrated my birthday even once.

“You will get your blessing at last in three days,” Killian added.

I glared at him, concerned about what he could be plotting by bringing up this information.

“Is it time, sir?” Liam asked him as he and Noah got even closer to me, doubtlessly trying to corner me.

“I think it is,” Killian smiled and nodded at them.

Before I could respond, Liam grabbed me and pulled out some rope. Noah came over to me and helped as the two of them got me to the ground, speedily covering my mouth with a cloth so no one would hear my screams.

“Mmph!” I tried to fight them as they then tied my hands and feet together before showing me off to Killian like some type of trophy.

Killian gazed at me with a pleased expression once I was completely subdued. “Make sure no one sees anything,” Killian said to Liam and Noah before dismissing them with a wave of his hand. The two wolves bowed their heads before going in separate directions.

Killian then crouched down to my level and began to talk to me. “I am sorry for having to treat you in such a way,” he said, sincerity laced his normally stoic and cold voice. “However, given your history of suicide attempts and running away… I am afraid that I have no choice but to lock you up until your birthday,” he explained.

“Mphmph!” I tried to scream in protest, but everything was muffled by the cloth covering my mouth.

“Now, now, my sweet little kit…” Killian spoke tenderly. “…I promise to make everything up to you once you have come of age,” he said as he reached out and caressed my cheek. “I waited eighteen years for you to get your blessing…” Killian said more to himself than to me. “…I will not let all of that hard cultivation go to waste because you desire something as frivolous as freedom,” he said as he refocused on me.

Killian then picked me up with ease and threw me over his shoulder. I started to hit his back, which caused him to swat me on my butt.

“Enough,” he scolded before he jumped back up to the balcony I had tried to jump off and made his way through the balcony doors.

Killian made sure no one was in the darkened hallways before making his way to his own chambers, which were located on the opposite side of Adal’s chambers on the third floor. He took me through a door that led to another hallway before making his way to the old Luna’s chambers.

“These chambers have been off limits since my Luna died two years ago,” Killian said as he put me on the oversized bed of the room. Killian then pulled out another rope before tying it to the rope that was binding my hands together.

I watched, powerless, as he attached the new rope to one of the wooden banisters of the oversized bed. Killian then grabbed my legs and yanked me over to him.

“Mmph!” I tried to kick him, but he blocked it easily before undoing the rope binding my feet together. “Mmph!” I continued to scream as loud as I could through the thick cloth.

“No one can hear you, nor will anyone think to look for you here,” Killian told me. He then pointed to the bedroom door. “Liam and Noah will be your guards.” He then grabbed the bell from the nearby nightstand. “Ring this if you need to use the bathroom,” Killian instructed.

“Mffhfh!” I screamed as loud as I could while pulling on the ropes with all my strength.

“You are too malnourished to break free,” Killian commented. “You will exhaust yourself,” he warned. “Just relax for now. I promise no harm will come to you,” he said as he grabbed me by my chin and made me look at him.

I glared at him.

“No more harm will come to you, I mean,” Killian joked slightly.

I rolled my eyes at him and pushed myself away from him. “Mmph!” I continued to pull at the rope desperately.

Killian sighed and turned to leave. “I know this is all confusing…” he paused at the bedroom door and turned back to look at me. “…I promise this will all make sense soon, my little kit,” Killian said before leaving me all alone in the room.

Once he was gone, I continued to scream and pull at the rope binding me until I eventually passed out from exhaustion.