9. Hux
Chapter 9
Hux
T he cell is cold and damp, the scent of mildew heavy in the air. Natural light filters weakly through a small barred window high on the wall, casting thin, pale beams across the floor. The metal door, solid and imposing, has a small opening near the top, allowing me a glimpse into the hallway and the cell directly across from mine.
I pace back and forth like a caged animal, my thoughts swirling with anxiety and rage. Two days have slipped by in agonizing silence, broken only by the distant echoes of footsteps outside the heavy door. My mind races with the image of my kitten, trapped somewhere on the Sterling estate. And there isn't anything I can do about it.
The stark, white walls press in on me, forcing me back to a time when my father, Owen Huxley Senior, believed in discipline above all else. The isolation he imposed was a calculated tactic to instill fear and obedience. The memories flood back, unbidden and unwanted.
I hate that I carry a part of him, even in name. It's why I despise my name so much, and why Adam used it to taunt me.
My hands, clammy with anxiety, run through my hair, pulling at the strands in frustration. There's no escape from this suffocating confinement and it makes my mind race. I remember the fear that gripped me every time my father's temper flared, first for myself and then for Candice. He had no patience for mistakes or weaknesses, and Candice often found herself at the receiving end of his rage. I became her shield, standing between her and our father's wrath, taking the brunt of his anger to spare her.
There was a particular incident I won’t ever forget—a time when Candice accidentally knocked over a vase in the hallway. The crash brought my father storming into the room, his face twisted with anger. I stepped in front of Candice, shielding her from him. My father's fist cut through the air like a whip, but I stood my ground, refusing to let him harm her. Taking the brunt of his wrath.
That was the first time he put me in our basement. I was trapped there for three days as punishment for stepping in between Candice and him. I shake my head, trying to free myself of the memories that threaten to consume me.
I can't afford to go down the path to darkness.
Finally, with a defeated sigh, I collapse into the solitary chair—the only piece of furniture in this desolate room. I stare at the small opening in the door, my mind racing with the horrors that could be unfolding behind it. The helplessness gnaws at me, a bitter reminder of the powerlessness I felt under my father's thumb. But this isn't about me. This is about Kaylani and the others. I can't afford to be paralyzed by fear and memories.
I force myself to take deep breaths, trying to calm the storm raging inside me. The light from the barred window is a small comfort, a reminder that there is still a world outside this cell. I have to hold on to that hope.
For Kaylani. For everyone.
Suddenly, footsteps echo in the hallway, drawing closer. My heart leaps in my chest and I move to the door, pressing my face against the small opening. The anticipation is almost unbearable as the footsteps stop right outside my cell.
The door swings open, and my breath catches in my throat as Adam slowly walks into the room. His appearance is shocking, his face swollen and bruised. My stomach churns with dread.
His gaze meets mine with a haunting emptiness, devoid of the usual arrogance or malice that defines him. This isn't the cocksure alpha I'm used to facing off against, and my mind begins to spin with scenarios, each one worse than the last.
"Adam," I manage to say, my voice strained and laced with a fury I struggle to contain. "What the fuck happened to you? Where's Kaylani?" I demand, crossing the small space in three easy strides and tugging on Adam's shirt. My senses are invaded with a blend of cloves, tobacco, and a hint of copper.
Then I smell it, the undertones of rose—it invades my senses and settles into my stomach like lead. It's my kitten's unmistakable scent, and the realization sends an icy chill down my spine. My blood runs cold as everything clicks into place. Adam's appearance, paired with Kaylani's lingering pheromones. My hands tighten in the fabric of his shirt.
I grip him, holding on for dear life as my mind spirals.
"What did you do to her!?!" I bellow, rage seething through my veins.
I knew Adam was sick, but I always thought there was this part of him that, in his own twisted way, actually cared about Kay.
A slow, malicious smile tugs at Adam's lips, his split lip coating his teeth in blood. His smile sends a surge of anger through me, boiling beneath my skin like molten lava. The sight of his blood-stained teeth twists my stomach into knots.
"She's mine to do with as I please," Adam replies, his voice laced with contempt. "She needed a reminder of her place."
His callous words ignite a firestorm within me. Without another thought, I lunge forward, my fist connecting with Adam's jaw with a satisfying impact. He stumbles back, taken aback by the force of my blow.
"You sick bastard!" I shout, my voice raw with fury. "You'll pay for touching her!!"
Adam's smirk widens, his eyes glinting with a sadistic thrill. "Try me, Owen ," he taunts, his voice dripping with malice. "Let's not forget who's in charge here."
My grip tightens on his shirt, my knuckles white with the effort. "You're going to regret this, Adam," I hiss, my voice a low growl. "I swear it."
Adam's laughter fills the cell, the sound echoing off the cold, white walls. His eyes are still filled with that sadistic thrill, and he leans in closer, his breath hot against my face. The scent of tobacco and cloves settles around me suffocatingly. "We'll see about that, Owen. We'll see."
My fists fly again in a furious rage, each blow crunching into bone. Adam grunts, trying to fend off my attacks, but I don’t give him a chance to recover. I strike again and again, my knuckles aching with the force of my hits. His split lip smears blood across his face, a grim testament to my anger.
I'm through with his taunts, and I'm determined to wipe that smug grin off of his fucking face.
Adam stumbles back, barely able to stay on his feet. With the injuries from his previous beating combined with mine, Adam doesn't stand a chance.
He falters, his steps becoming sloppy and unstable. I take the opportunity to lunge at him again, fighting him tooth and nail. Each punch splits my knuckles further, but I don't care.
I don't know if Kaylani is alive at this point and I've killed before. My soul is already tainted by death. My fist flying at Dane's face flash across my memory.
What's one more Alpha added to that death note?
For a moment, it seems like I've gained the upper hand. But then, with a sudden surge of strength, he ducks under my next punch and slams his shoulder into my gut. The wind is knocked out of me, and I stumble backward, gasping for air.
He takes advantage of my momentary weakness, launching himself at me with a renewed force I didn't see coming. His fist crashes into my jaw, snapping my head to the side, and pain explodes in my skull, black spots dancing in my vision. I force myself to stay on my feet, refusing to go down.
"You'll pay for everything you've done Adam," I threaten, my chest heaving as I watch the vulture circle around me.
Rage surges through me, and I swing wildly, my vision blurred with fury. But he ducks and twists, his movements quick and precise. He catches my arm and yanks me forward, throwing me off balance. Before I can recover, he slams his knee into my stomach, doubling me over in pain.
I fall to my knees, gasping for breath, and Adam towers over me, his laughter echoing in the confined space of the cell. "This is your place, Owen. On your knees, at my mercy."
His words cut deep, igniting a desperation within me to fight back. I push myself up, refusing to stay down. But Adam is relentless. He grabs me by the collar, hauling me to my feet, and slams me against the wall. The impact rattles my bones, and sends stars dancing in my vision.
If he wasn't holding me so firmly in place, I would collapse to the floor.
"You think you're a hero, don't you?" he hisses, his face inches from mine. "You think you can save everyone? News flash, Owen . You're nothing but a failure. And now everyone you've ever cared about will suffer."
His taunts fuel my anger, and I summon every ounce of strength I have left. With a guttural roar, I drive my knee into his stomach, forcing him to loosen his grip. I shove him back, trying to create some distance, but he recovers quickly, his eyes blazing with rage.
"You’re not going to win this," he laughs manically, lunging at me again.
We collide in a flurry of punches and kicks, each of us determined to come out on top. The cell feels smaller and smaller, the air thick with the scent of blood and sweat. My body aches with every movement, but I can't afford to give up. My body screams in protest, but I force myself to stay upright, ready for his next move.
Adam's fist connects with my temple for a third time, I think, I'm not sure anymore. I'm so out of it I've lost count. White spots dance in my vision, and I stagger, struggling to stay on my feet. He grabs me by the throat, slamming me against the wall again, and I feel the cold metal pressing into my back.
"Is this the best you’ve got?" he snarls, his grip tightening around my throat.
Gasping for breath, I claw at his hands, desperate to break free. But his hold is ironclad, and my vision begins to darken. In a final, desperate effort, I swing my fist upward, catching him under the chin. His head snaps back, and his grip loosens just enough for me to suck in a breath.
"A little birdie told me you want to make my brother part of your pack? We may be able to come to an understanding, you and me. A sibling for a sibling?" He chuckles darkly, his laughter echoing off the cold, white walls.
"You're delusional," I spit back, my voice trembling with fury.
Adam's eyes gleam with amusement, as if he's enjoying this twisted game. "Oh, but it's not a bargain, Owen. It's an offer. One you can't refuse if you want to keep your precious kitten safe."
Hope surges through me at his words. He doesn't realize it, but he basically just told me that Kay is alive, and that’s the worst thing he could have done.
If my father taught me anything, he taught me this.
'You either rule by fear or with pain.' My father wholeheartedly believed in ruling with an iron fist, and I could handle the pain, but the fear? The fear that something terrible happened to her and I couldn't save her? That, I couldn't live with.
But I'll withstand any amount of pain Adam throws my way if it means my kitten is safe.
Even if I have to crawl my way back to her.
With a newfound source of strength, I force myself to take a step back, my mind racing. I can’t let Adam provoke me into making any more rash decisions. He wants me to play his games. To play into his hands.
I need to be smarter than him.
I won't let him win. Not now. Not ever.