The predators claim

ELARA's point of view.

I had been thrown into many bad situations before but nothing in my life had prepared me for this. I wasn’t just in trouble, I was trapped.

I pressed my hands against the cold metal bars of the cage and glared at my captor. “You kidnapped me, you crazy bastard!”

Killian Blackwood, that was his name, I had learnt of his name from the whispers of the others. He was standing with his arms crossed over his broad chest, watching me with unreadable eyes.

“You trespassed on our sacred land.” His voice was infuriatingly calm. “You’re lucky you’re still alive.”

I let out a sharp laugh, ignoring the fear curling in my stomach. “Lucky? You call locking me in a freaking cage lucky?”

The bastard didn’t even flinch.

I gritted my teeth and scanned the room again. It looked like a basement, built of thick stone walls with only one door, guarded, of course. There was nothing inside except for my cage, a wooden table, and a single chair.

There was no way out. I was so screwed.

“Let me go.” I tried to keep my voice steady, but my body was still humming with adrenaline. “I won’t say anything about what I saw. I don’t care about your weird cult or your glowing eyes.”

His gaze darkened. “Watch what you say, this is not a cult, it’s a culture.”

“Right, sure. Because normal people have a culture that totally makes their members have secret meetings in the woods and growl at each other like rabid dogs.”

A muscle in his jaw twitched.

Good. I wanted him to be pissed. If he lost his temper, maybe he’d slip up and give me an opening to escape.

Unfortunately, Killian seemed to have more patience than I hoped.

“Maybe I should kill you.”

The words made the hairs on my skin stand, but I refused to show it. I had spent my whole life bluffing my way out of situations. This time wouldn’t be any different.

I lifted my chin and forced a smirk. “Then why haven’t you?”

His silence was worse than an answer.

The weight of his stare made my skin prickle. It wasn’t just anger in his eyes. It was something that unsettled me even more.

I had seen men look at me with desire before. This was different. He looked like he wanted to possess me.

I shifted uncomfortably, suddenly hyper-aware of the thin fabric of my dress, of the way my breath came a little too fast.

Killian took a step closer, gripping the bars. “You don’t belong in this world.”

I wanted to tell him that I didn’t belong anywhere, but I bit my tongue.

“Then let me leave,” I said instead.

His fingers tightened around the metal. “You know about us already, I can’t.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Can’t? Or won’t?”

He didn’t answer.

“This is insane! I don’t care about whatever freaky thing you people are. I won’t say a damn word about it. Just let me go!”

He remained silent still.

A bitter laugh slipped past my lips. “Oh, I get it. You like having me here, don’t you? What, do you get off on caging helpless women?”

Killian’s eyes flashed. In a blur of movement, he yanked open the cage door and grabbed my wrist.

I barely had time to gasp before I was shoved against the bars, his body so close I could feel the heat coming off him.

“Do I look like the kind of man who preys on helpless women?” His voice was low and dangerous.

No. He didn’t.

Killian Blackwood wasn’t some sick creep. He was something worse. A predator. A beast barely restrained by a thin layer of control.

And I had just poked at his cage. I swallowed hard. “Please just let go of me.”

His grip tightened for a second before he abruptly released me and stepped back.

I exhaled shakily, forcing my legs to stay steady. “If you’re not letting me go, then what do you want?”

His golden eyes locked onto mine.

“You don’t belong here but you have to understand what you are.”

My brow furrowed. “And what exactly is that?”

For a moment, he hesitated.

Then he spoke the words that changed everything.

“You’re my mate.”

I stared at him and then I laughed.

“Oh, hell no. I don’t know what kind of medieval fantasy bullshit you’re into, but I am not your mate.”

Killian didn’t look amused.

“This isn’t a choice, human.”

“I have a name,” I snapped. “And I don’t belong to you.”

His expression darkened. “The bond says otherwise.”

Bond? I didn’t know what he was talking about, and I didn’t care. I just wanted out of this nightmare.

“You’re insane.” I stepped back, trying to put distance between us. “I don’t feel anything for you.”

That was a lie.

I felt something, but it wasn’t romantic. It was primal. Raw. Like my body was recognizing a force it didn’t understand.

Killian watched me carefully, his head tilting slightly as if listening to something I couldn’t hear.

“Liar,” he murmured.

I clenched my fists. “Think whatever you want. Just let me go.”

His expression turned unreadable.

“You don’t understand.” His voice was quieter now, almost strained. “Rejecting the bond… it’s not that simple.”

I scoffed. “It is for me.”

He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

I crossed my arms. “Then enlighten me.”

For a moment, he looked like he wanted to.

Then, as if snapping back to reality, he frowned his face.

“It doesn’t matter,” he muttered. “You won’t be here long enough to care.”

Something cold settled in my stomach. “What does that mean?”

Killian turned toward the door.

“It means,” he said over his shoulder, “that tomorrow, we’ll erase your memory of all this.”

I became still.

“No.” My voice came out hoarse. “You’re lying.”

Killian didn’t answer.

I rushed forward, slamming my hands against the bars. “You can’t just wipe my memories!”

But he was already walking away, his back disappearing through the heavy door.

I was running out of time. I had to get out of here and fast, else they were going to erase my memories.

I didn’t know how, and I didn’t care. The thought of someone reaching into my mind, plucking out pieces of me like I was nothing more than a faulty machine, made my skin crawl.

I had spent my whole life fighting to survive, fighting to hold onto the scraps of control I had. There was no way in hell I was letting some overgrown wolf-man take that away from me.

I needed to escape.

I forced myself to take deep, steadying breaths. Losing my mind wouldn’t help me. I needed a plan.

The cage was solid metal, and the bars were secured to the floor. No amount of brute force was getting me out of here. The door was locked, and Killian had taken the key.

I scanned the room again.

I let out a frustrated groan and kicked the bars. “Come on, think, Elara.”

There had to be a way out.

I crouched and ran my fingers over the metal floor of the cage. Maybe I could unscrew something, break a hinge.