32. Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Two
Victoria
W aking in a groggy and disoriented state from sleep is all too familiar. As consciousness slowly returns, I become aware of a presence in the room. My eyes snap open only to land on Jasper lounging in the chair by the bed, with a predatory grin on his face.
“You all need to learn not to hover when someone’s sleeping,” I mutter, a glare on my face as I try to get the sleep out of my system and be fully aware when around these people. I can feel the blankets shift as I sit up, swigging my legs over the side of the bed.
“Now, that isn’t a very nice greeting.” Jasper laughs, as he leans forward in the chair, his fingers messing with one of the many rings on his fingers. My eyes are drawn to his long fingers for a few seconds before snapping back up to his face. I see the teasing smirk on his face, but he doesn’t say anything, which is surprising with his personality.
“What are you doing?” I ask, not giving the greeting he wants, the annoyance that flashes over his face confirming my thoughts. His grin snaps back into place as I eye him wearily.
Jasper huffs out a laugh, "Just enjoying the view. You look so peaceful when you sleep - almost innocent." His eyes darken. "It's a shame we'll have to change that."
A chill runs down my spine at his words, my fingers tightening on the bed covers under me in anxiety and fear.
“What?” I ask with a shaky breath. Change my innocence? What did that even mean? What were they going to have me do?
“Now greet me properly.” He ignores me as he raises an eyebrow, his hair shifting a bit over his eyes as he almost looks like he’d eat me if I didn’t give him the right response this time.
“…morning…” I bite out, my voice devoid of any emotion as I blankly look at him. Is he really going to act like this right now? I withhold a sigh as I watch as his grin grows.
"Good morning, little bird," he says, his voice low and teasing. "I hope you slept well. We've got a big day ahead of us."
I stay silent as I process his words, “I take it the…’ complication’ has been fixed?” I guess it’s better to get this over and done with…but I’d silently hoped for some time alone.
Jasper's grin widens, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Oh yes, we've taken care of that little... hiccup. Everything's ready for your final test."
I swallow hard, dread pooling in my stomach. "And what exactly does this test entail?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
Jasper tsks, wagging a finger at me playfully. "Now, now, little bird, you know we can't spoil the surprise. That’s cheating, and we don’t like cheaters.”
I glare at him, frustration and fear warring inside me. "This isn't a game, Jasper. My life is on the line here."
His expression darkens slightly, all traces of playfulness vanishing. "Oh, I'm well aware of that, Victoria. Trust me when I say, we all take this very seriously."
Jasper stands up, moving towards me with a fluid and predatory grace. I tense as he approaches, my heart racing as he stands directly in front of me. His imposing presence makes me shrink back slightly. I have to crane my neck to look up at him, feeling small and vulnerable under his intense gaze.
"This test will determine your future," he says, his voice low and intense. "Whether you become a true member of our family or..." He trails off, letting the unspoken threat hang in the air.
I swallow hard, fighting to keep my voice steady. "Or you kill me," I finish for him.
Jasper's eyes flash dangerously. "That's not an option, little bird. You're ours now, whether you've fully accepted that yet or not."
He reaches out, gripping my chin firmly, tilting my face up and keeping me in place. "But don't worry. We'll make sure you pass this test. We've invested too much in you to let you fail now.”
I open my mouth to say something, but he shakes his head, making me snap my mouth shut again. Frustration running through me at not letting me speak.
“You are the only person who has meshed well with my brothers and myself…and is able to pass these tests. We will make you pass this last test even if we have to give you a hand.” He tells me as he lets go of my face, but he stays where he’s standing with a cold expression on his face.
I stare up at Jasper, a mix of fear and defiance in my eyes. "What do you mean, 'give me a hand'? I thought these tests were supposed to prove whether I was worthy or not. If you help me cheat, doesn't that defeat the purpose?"
Jasper's lips curved into a cold smile. "Oh, little bird. You still don't understand, do you? These tests aren't just about proving your worth. They're about breaking you down and rebuilding you into what we need you to be."
He reaches out, running a finger along my jawline. I suppress a shudder at his touch. "And we've decided that you're exactly what we need. We're not about to let you slip through our fingers now."
I stared up at Jasper, a chill running down my spine at his words. The intensity in his eyes, the possessive way he speaks about me - is both terrifying and strangely thrilling. I hate how part of me responds to his dominance, even as I try to cling to my anger and fear.
"What if I don't want to pass?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. "What if I'd rather die than become part of... this?" I gesture vaguely, encompassing him and the whole twisted situation.
Jasper's eyes flash dangerously, his hand shooting out to grip my throat. Not hard enough to choke me, but firm enough to remind me of his strength and control. "That's not an option, little bird," he growls. "You don't get to choose death over us. We won't allow it."
“And you don’t get to decide if I want to live or die. That is my choice” I snap back at him, using my arms to push him away. I’m at my breakpoint and I can see the look of surprise on Jasper’s face as a dangerous expression flashes over his face. I stand up, keeping my glaring expression on my face. I’m tired…..tired of playing this game…tired of all my conflicting emotions.
Jasper's eyes flash angrily as he stands there for a second, titling his head to the side. He steps forward, pushing me down on the bed, a yelp escaping my lips as my body sinks into the mattress, hands pulled over my head and being held by one of his strong hands. I can feel the coldness of his rings pressing into my skin and making me flinch at the feeling. I open my mouth to say something before his hand’s back around my throat, squeezing it as if he’s warning me to stay silent, but not enough to make breathing hard.
"You don't seem to understand your position here, little bird," he growls, his face inches from mine. "Your choices, your autonomy - those are privileges we can grant or take away as we see fit."
I glare up at him, anger overriding my fear for a moment. "So, what am I then? Just a puppet for you to control? A toy to play with until you get bored? I thought you didn’t want me to be a doll!"
Jasper's lips curve into a cold smile. "I don’t want a doll…but I also don’t want someone who will fight me the whole time. I want you to make good memories with us, laugh, cry and eventually have a family. I very much want that for us…” His grip on my throat tightens slightly. "But make no mistake, if we have to teach you some things before that can happen…. we will.”
Taking a slow and shuttering breath, I can feel his body press more into mine before he speaks again, “You will be good with us. I just need you to give in.”
I give a laugh, “Just give in? As if it’s that easy.” It really wasn’t. I would have to throw away some of my morals and maybe some of my humanity if I did that.
“I don’t want to give in. I don’t…” I start but can feel the shift in the air as I look at the emotions flashing over Jasper’s face. They went through a couple, before settling on anger.
"You don't get it, do you, Victoria?" he snarls, his face inches from mine. "Your choices ended the moment we chose you. Your life belongs to us now."
Jasper's grip tightens for a moment before loosening, allowing me to take in a deep breath in relief. His eyes bore into mine, intense and unyielding. "You can fight all you want, little bird. But in the end, you'll submit. You'll beg for our touch, as well as our approval."
I want to say something back, to fight and rebel against his words. But I feel if I’m to say something now, he might really snap by the look in his eyes. I bit my lip, averting my eyes and not saying anything. I know when not to push... and I think now is one of those times.
I hear his sigh, and then I’m suddenly on the bed alone, I blink looking at Jasper for a second. He glances at me one more time before growling and running a hand through his hair, some of the red parts of his hair sticking up from the rough treatment.
"Stand up," he orders, his voice low and commanding. I hesitate for a moment before slowly rising to my feet, acutely aware of how close he is. Jasper's eyes rake over me, his gaze intense and appraising.
"Good girl," he murmurs, reaching out to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. I didn’t move and chose to watch him to see what else he’d do. He gives me a small smirk before leaning forward and brushing his lips over my cheek.
"Now, let's get you ready for the grand finale…” He murmurs into my ear before pulling back to see my face.
The air between us crackles with tension as Jasper straightens, his tall frame towering over me. My breath hitches as I feel the heat of his lingering gaze, both heavy and unrelenting. He tilts his head slightly, his eyes tracing the curve of my face with a mixture of amusement and something far darker. My legs tremble under me, but I force myself to stand tall, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me crumble any further.
“For someone who fights so hard, you’re quite beautiful when you’re trembling.” His voice is low, almost reverent, but it sends a chill down my spine instead of soothing me. “Let’s see if that fire in you lasts through tonight.”
"Ready?" he asks, his voice a low purr that seems to curl around me like smoke, suffocating and all-consuming.
I swallow hard, hating how he can make my skin crawl and my pulse race at the same time. "I don't think I'll ever be ready for whatever nightmare you have planned."
The corners of his lips curl upward into a devilish grin that’s sharp and predatory. I don't move as my legs feel stuck to the ground like weights have been fastened to them. My stomach churns with dread, even as some treacherous part of me wants to scream at him for what he’s putting me through. About how this is unfair. I know it won’t do any good though… probably either make him angry or amused.
His grin widens at that, teeth flashing like a predator closing in on its prey. "Oh, little bird," he mused, circling me slowly, his presence a magnetic pull that kept me rooted despite every instinct screaming at me to run. "You should know by now," Jasper murmurs, his voice like silk wrapped around blades, "there's no use in running. Not from us."
His fingers lightly brush some of my hair away from my face, deceptively gentle, as if the moment he’d had me pinned to the bed hadn’t just happened. As if my defiance hadn’t drawn out that dangerous edge lurking beneath his smirks and teasing.
Clenching my fists at my sides, I will myself not to react, not to give him what he wants. My throat still aches slightly from where his hand had gripped it, but the pain is a reminder: I’m not broken yet. Not by him. Not by any of them.
Jasper stops circling me, coming to a halt directly in front of me. The intensity in his gaze makes it impossible to look away. His blue eyes—blazing with something wild and uncontained—searches mine as though peeling back every layer I’d worked to shield myself behind.
“You think you’re strong,” Jasper says softly, his voice almost tender, though the sharp edge beneath it cuts through the air like a blade. “I know this test will be hard…but remember strength alone won’t save you here. You have got to use everything you have and survive.” His fingers trail down my arm, stopping just above my wrist, and I force myself to remain still, even though every fiber of my being is screaming for me to fight back.
“Still fighting,” he murmurs, almost to himself, as if he were admiring a rare specimen in a cage. His hand moves back up, curling beneath my chin and tilting it upward so I couldn’t look anywhere but at him. “Such a spitfire you are.”
"You still think defiance will save you," Jasper says softly, his voice a low hum that dances along my nerves. "That's cute. Admirable even. But all it does is make you more.. . intriguing." His lips quirk up at the corners, his amusement dark and unrelenting.
“It makes me want to devour you whole.” He mutters, eyes dark and grip tightening on my chin before letting go. He takes a step back, “But now isn’t the time. We’ll have more time for that later.”
I can hear the underlining promise of what will come after this last test. I feel a shiver of fear…and maybe anticipation go through me. The weight of his words clawing at my resolve, but I cling to what little fire I have left. "You can't take what I won't give."
His grin falters for a fraction of a second, and I note the way his expression flickers—like a shadow passing over him before he regains control. Jasper leans in closer, his breath ghosting against my parting lips, “We shall see about that. Time will only tell how much of a fight you’ll give once you are officially ours.”
He straightens up, grabbing me and pulling me close to him, as my eyes are covered with a thick cloth. “Now let’s get going. They are probably wondering what’s taking us so long.” He tells me as the cloth is tightened around my head. I can feel a few strands of hair being caught in the knot, making me wince a little.
“Let’s get this over with.” I tell him, my voice barely above a whisper as I hear the door creak open, a hand on my back leading me forward to what felt like my doom…which it basically was.
The last test is about to start... and I’m nowhere near ready.