Chapter 153

Bethany rushes from my room and returns with an axe. I pull back as far as I can, giving her the room she knees to slash away at the baseboard of the bed where the chains are connected. It must take some exertion. Blood begins to seep through her bandages.

“Bethany…”

“Almost there!”

He brings down the axe once more and finally, there is some slack in the chains. After unwinding the chair from the shattered baseboard, I’m still somewhat confined. The long chain connects one ankle to the other. But at least I’m no longer attached to anything solid.

Grabbing the loose chair, I shuffle free of the bed.

The only problem now is that I’m still very naked. Bethany rushes into the closet and returns with a dress. Together, we pull it down over me, then we rush from the room.

I’m slower moving, carrying along these heavy chains.

“Were are they?” I ask.

“The courtyard,” Bethany replies.

I turn down the hallway. Some servants hop out of my way. They already seemed alarmed from before I showed up. They, too, must be concerned about the fight.

Bethany and I push outside. There, we see two massive werewolves lashing out at each other with their large, dangerous claws. They tear and swipe, slicing wounds into each other’s flesh – wounds that heal quickly thanks to their werewolf healing factor.

After a few slashes, the two start pacing around each other.

Now is my chance. The only chance I might get.

Holding tightly to my chains, I rush forward.

“Caleb!”

I have to stop him. If he kills his father, he will never forgive himself. Even if he has good reason, patricide might be the blow to his psyche. The paranoia would win.

“Caleb! Stop! Please!”

At the sound of my voice, the bigger wolf, the one I know to be Caleb, stops and glances at me.

At the same time, Hector growls, runs toward me, and slaps me out of the way with one of his massive paws. I go flying, then smack into the ground a few yards away.

Caleb howls. As if a switch has been flipped inside of him, he suddenly fights with much more rage and ferocity. His attacks are relentless, slashing and clawing at Hector with no care for the wounds Hector is also inflicted onto him.

Hector’s moves are not enough to save him. Soon, Caleb has Hector down on his back. Caleb, growling, opens his jaws and goes for the throat.

Every single one of my bones hurt. Even my teeth. But I’m even more bound and determined to stop Caleb now.

With effort, I force myself up to my feet. Then, gathering my chains, I hobble forward.

“Caleb!” I say, though my voice is more strained than before. “Caleb, stop! Please, stop!”

At the sound of my voice, Caleb freezes. Tilting his head, he looks at me.

His wolf is monstrous in size and appearance, but his eyes, even red, are the ones I know to be Caleb’s. He’s in there, perhaps lost in the moment to his wolf and his rage. But I could bring him back, I was sure of it. I could keep him from murdering his own father.

“Come back to me, Caleb,” I say.

Standing up straighter, he starts to move toward me.

Hector slowly shifts back to his human form. As soon as he is able to speak, he calls out, “You are as weak as your brother, Caleb. Letting this slave order you around. Have you fallen in love with her? Have you too decided a mate who is well below your station?”

Caleb growls but otherwise ignores Hector as he continues toward me. When he’s near me, he lowers his large snout down to my torso and sniffs gently.

“I’m not hurt,” I tell him. “Well, not more than a few scrapes and bruises, anyway. I will recover.”

He chuffs lightly. Reaching a hand up, I gently scratch his long snout.

“You don’t have to worry about me,” I tell him.

He gradually shifts back to his human form. As he regains his human limbs, he wraps them around me. His nose stays tucked to the side of my neck, scenting.

“You smell like our night together,” he whispers.

My cheeks burn. “Well, there wasn’t time to shower…”

“Everyone can smell me on you.”

“Caleb, please.” I’m so embarrassed, I’m pretty sure I might melt.

“Disgusting,” Hector huffs from behind us.

As if remember he exists, Caleb lifts his head away from me, and turns toward his father.

“You should be thanking Harper,” Caleb tells him. “It is only by her interference and generous heart that you get to live to see another day.”

“And that is your weakness,” Hector retorts. “Listening to her. Letting her decide anything. She is a slave, Caleb, not your wife. Not your mate, or your Luna. A slave. You should treat her as one. Instead you let her decide my fate? This is not the werewolf way. You should kill your challenger. You must kill me.”

“There’s been enough killing,” I say.

“Silence, slave,” Hector snaps.

“She may speak as much as she likes,” Caleb says. “It is you who will remain silent, father.” Louder, to the gathered crowd, Caleb speaks up, “Hector is responsible for the death of my brother, Evan. He plotted actions that could not be undone and led to Evan’s death. He will be charged for this crime.”

Motioning to the guards, Caleb adds, “Take him to the dungeon. I want him watched the entire time. No one escapes.”

“Yes, Alpha King,” a guard says and two rush forward to take Hector into custody.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” Hector says sharply, ripping his arms away from the grabbing hands of the guards. “I’m perfectly capable of walking on my own. Give the old Alpha King some damned dignity.”

Caleb keeps his arm around me as Hector walks by us. Hector glares, first at me, then at his son.

“You will regret keeping me alive,” Hector says. Then, with the guards following, he disappears into the palace. With the way the guards trailed after him, it almost seemed as if he was back to being a King rather than a prisoner.

Some people have too much pride. They cannot bear to lose any of it.

“Let me see you,” Caleb says. Reaching for my arms, he stretches them out, revealing the scrapes and bruises that dotted along my skin. My elbows were bleeding, and a few bruises dotted my wrists and forearms.

Caleb carefully inspects each other.

By now, with the drama mostly settled, the servants, other harem girls, and slaves return to their regular duties. Only one woman remains, watchful.

Annabelle stands near the edge of the gardens, half hidden by a rosebush. Her eyes are on Caleb and me, and a frown tugs at her lips.

She’s clearly dissatisfied with Caleb’s gentle inspection of me. If she came closer, she would likely be equally displeased by the smell of our combined pleasure that still clung to my skin.

“Caleb,” I say, hoping to bring his attention to our observer.

He glances at Annabelle over his shoulder, then immediately ignores her.

“She can wait,” he says. “It’s you that I’m worried about right now.”