Chapte:63
Chapter 63
When Fury called Jack’s Uncle the worst kind of monster, I’d shrepped it off. Told myself I wasn’t scared.
Quest was a damn fool.
Even Jack had rely spoken about him- and when he did, the way his jaw clenched every time was enough to tell me everything I needed to know
Pat I wanted to believe it was just history talking. That maybe this old man was just a bitter relic, clinging to a gruder.
But now?
Now I see the truth.
He’s worse thim a monster.
He’s calculated evil in flesh and blood.
But instead of crumbling under the weight of fear like he clearly expected… I start to laugh. It starts small–a soft scoff–and then bursts out of me in uncontrollable waves. I throw my head back, eyes still squeezed shut against the blinding light above, and laugh so hard that tears slip from the corners of my eyes. It’s not from the pain or the brightness in this hellhole of a room or the ropes cutting into my skin.
It’s the ridiculousness of it all.
“Gods,” I wheeze, trying to catch my breath. “You’re even dumber than I thought.”
Silence
I hear him shift in the room. I can’t see his face, but I don’t need to. The tension in the air says it all. He’s pissed. I can feel his imitation cracking around me like static.
It’s delicious.
“Lasked you a question,” he says through clenched teeth. “Where is the damn necklace?”
I snort, tilting my head slightly, though my wrists are still tied tight to this goddamn chair,
“Are you blind, old man? When you kidnapped me, did you not take five damn seconds to look at my neck? Or were you too busy monologuing like a villain in a bad play?”
I pause, then snap, “I don’t, Fucking Haveit
Silence.
He moves–just a step–but the shift in pressure is immediate, like a storm cloud crawling closer.
Then, a slow inhale. His tone drops, low and dark,
as a warning
“Watch your tone, little girl,” he growls. “If you value your tongue, you’d better keep it in check. Cutting it off and mounting it on the wall as a would mean nothing to me.”
dy goes rigid. A cold shiver rolls down my spine, despite the heat pressing in from the lights. He’s not bluffing. I can feel it.
My body
This man would slice me up without blinking
Still I swallow hard and square my shoulders, even though my body is still sluggish from whatever poison he injected me with
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napter 63
Tell me where it is, he maps,
21 told you,” I say, forcing the tremor from my tone, “I don’t have it. But… If you untie me shit slightly, testing the ropes, 1 ban go i Bring it back all nice and wrapped up. Just… let me go.
This time, It’s his turn to laugh–a dry, humourless, cold sound that scrapes across my nerves like rusted metal.
“Do you think i was born yesterday?” he sneers. “Do look like a fool to you? Like I’d just let you walk out of here, I’ve been a very bad uncle?”
straight to Jack, and cry about how
“I won’t tell him,” I snap, injecting just the right amount of desperation into my voice. “You can have me watched I don’t care. Put a damn collar of it helps you sleep at night. Assign someone to follow me, monitor me–whatever you want. But if you want that necklace, I’m the only one who can get
He hisses in irritation. “You won’t be living here, alive, or seeing Jack again.
That hits harder than I expect. My heart drops like a stone, and I swallow hard.
I blink rapidly, forcing back tears–not from laughter this time, but from fear. Real, bone–deep fear.
“Why?” My voice cracks despite my efforts to stay strong, “Why are you doing this to me? I’ve never done anything to you. Is this about Jack? Is that it? You’re using me to get back at him?”
“If it were just about revenge,” he says slowly, like he’s explaining something to a child, “I would’ve killed you long ago. Believe me, that would’ve been easier–and not the first time I’ve done it. But unfortunately for you…you’re more valuable alive. For now. I do plan to kill you eventually
I clench my jaw as he keeps talking.
“So tell me, Kall. Where is it? Or should we play a little guessing game?” he asks, his tone smug. “Because I think I already know where you stashed it. There’s only one place it could be–Jack’s house. The home he built for the two of you.”
Igo still, saying nothing
He chuckles–dark, triumphant. “Ah… silence. The worst kind of liar. I love when people give themselves away so easily.”
My nails dig into my palms as I hear him begin to circle me, the sharp tap of his cane echoing with each step.
“Tell me where exactly you hid it,” he says, voice coated in venom. “No need to beat around the bush–unless, of course, you don’t value your mother’s
head.”
Rage explodes in my chest.
“You’re disgusting,” I spit. “You really think threatening me with my mother and the people I love is going to get you what you want?”
He doesn’t answer. He doesn’t have to. The silence says everything
I take a shaky bre
breath, forcing myself to stay smart. My wolf is still silent–out of reach. Whatever he injected me with is still working, still dulling our bond. But I can feel her faint, flickering like dying embers. I just need more time.
So I play along.
“If I tell you exactly where the necklace is,” I say, thing my head toward his voice, “are you going to send your little mutt Khoas to fetch it? Pretend he’s the loyal beta, ke he has this whole time?”
There’s a beat of sence. A flicker of surprise.
Bingo.
“How long, huh?” I press, my voice rising “How long has he been spying for you? How many years have you had him planted, watching Jack, pretending
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to be his alty? You really think Jack won 1find out!”
exhales sharply, annoyed.
Trou give him too much credit,” the bastard mplies, his tone curling with disdain. “My nephew has spent to long wallowing in his t even noticed the knife pressed at his back all along”
He chuckles–this time with pride, his voice oozing satisfaction,
“He thinks he’s in control. Thinks he’s clever. But he’s been a pawn all along–moving exactly how I want him to. And now you–his mate right into the final piece.”
I let out a bitter laugh and shake my head.
“So this was all a setup, Khoas… marking Jasmine, knowing I’d come for her. You knew I’d try to play the hero.
He doesn’t deny it.
“You planned this.”
I can almost feel his smile.
“Very good, Kali. You’re smarter than you look.”
I smile too, but there’s no warmth in it.
“And you’re even more pathetic than I thought,” I sneer. “Lurking in the shadows, pulling strings like a coward…all for a necklace you can’t even touch. You really are a bastard.”
Ho steps in closer too close–the sharp tang of cloves and blood filling my nose just before his breath brushes my cheek.
“And
when I do, you’ll wish you had died before ever crossing me. So let’s stop pretending you have a choice “Oh, but I will touch it,” he whispers lethally. in this, Kali. You’re going to talk… or I’ll start getting creative. And believe me, I’ve had centuries to perfect the art of pain.”
I wet my cracked lips, forcing my expression to stay neutral even as my heart pounds so loudly it echoes in my ears.
Stall You have to stall him. Just buy time…
if Jack realizes I’m missing, he’ll come for me
“Fuck,” I whisper under my breath, the word slipping out before I can stop it.
He won’t be able to find me. I don’t bear his mark.
God, I wish I did.
Now I’m trapped–alone–and paying the price for every time I pushed him away.
E
