Chapter 9
Chapter
Nine
Istood there, frozen in the beautiful bedchamber Hayden had prepared for us.
Golden-framed paintings adorned the walls, and luxurious silk draped over the lavish bed. The enormous four-poster bed, a masterpiece carved from wood, stood in the middle of the room like a throne, causing me to frown.
This space, with overwhelming splendor, was nothing but a gilded cage. Every detail screamed of wealth, power, and elegance, but it felt suffocating.
Hayden's eyes darkened as his desire for me grew insistent, the blue specks flickering like wildfire.
"Breanna," he growled, his voice low and dangerous, "why do you have to defy me every step of the way?"
I looked into his eyes, searching for some semblance of understanding. But all I could see was anger and hurt, emotions that twisted my heart painfully as I struggled to find the right words.
I stood my ground, refusing to let his wrath shake me. My heart pounded in my chest, but I kept my voice steady. "I won't mark you, Hayden. You cannot force me into this."
He clenched his fists, the muscles in his arms rippling beneath taut skin. He paced the length of the room like a caged predator.
"Why are you so stubborn?" he said in a firm tone, frustration lacing his words.
Although I had planted my feet on the hardwood floor, my legs trembled. Hayden felt like a ticking bomb that would explode at any moment.
An image of Hayden with his arms tightly wrapped around my body popped into my mind—the first time he’d met me in my dream realm. The fright of him suffocating me with his embrace became a reality now. A pang of anxiety infused extra adrenaline into my veins, and coldness traveled all over my body.
Hayden took a step closer, towering over me, and I cringed as I imagined the strength of his arms encircling me, his grasp capable of suffocating my fragile existence. But I wouldn’t go down without a fight.
His hand shot out and grabbed my arm, causing me to gasp at his touch.
"Breanna…" Hayden's voice was low, and his fingers dug into my arm as he stared at me with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. "You are my Queen and my mate. You owe me your body and soul."
"Owe you?" I said in a louder voice than intended. "I didn't ask for any of this, Hayden. You bonded us together to begin with when I wasn’t ready."
Hayden's eyes narrowed, the blue depths darkening as his brows furrowed. His grip on my arm tightened, and the muscles in his jaw tensed. It was clear that my refusal was a direct threat to his power and ego, but I refused to let myself be objectified and reduced to a mere possession.
I tugged on my arm, but he didn’t release me. I wanted to will my witch whip and lash it at him, but unless I used dark magic, the weapon wouldn’t hurt my mate.
I cleared my throat and decided to reason with him.
"Marking you… It's not something I can do lightly," I said. "I need time to think about it."
He released his grip on me, and I massaged the spot where his fingers would probably leave a bruise. I used to look up to and admire him, but now I wanted to run away from my mate.
"Time?" He scoffed, scowling. "You've had more than enough time, sweetheart. We're mates. It's what we're meant to do."
But with the gripping fear came a rumbling in my chest—my igniting temper.
"Is it?" I almost let out a scream. "Or is it just another way to control me?"
Blood rushed to my head, and I exhaled loudly. I wouldn’t be able to reason with him.
"Control you?" Hayden's expression darkened. His brows knitted together, intensifying his scowl. "Is that what you think this is?"
"Isn't it?" I ask, trying to ignore the sting of tears threatening to fall. "You wanted my first everything to be with you and only you. What else would you call that?"
"Love," he snapped, his nostrils flaring. "I love you, sweetheart. And I want to share every part of myself with you. Is that so wrong?"
I took a deep breath. The idea was right, but how he went about it felt all wrong. Hayden used to be my protector, but now he had become the very source of my undoing.
"Love shouldn't feel like a cage, Hayden." I paused, my chest tightening. "It should be freeing, not suffocating."
His fists clenched at his sides. Hayden stood too close to me for comfort.
"Are you saying you don't love me?"
I remained silent, my heart pounding against my rib cage.
His breathing hitched, and vulnerability flashed in his eyes for a moment. But then his jaw set, and his expression hardened.
"I see," he said, turning away. "Now it's time to decide what your future holds."
"Love cannot be forced," I said quietly, tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. "You can't demand it or bend it to your will."
He stared at me over his shoulder for a moment, anger and longing etched on his face.
"I won't force you, Breanna," he said, each word clipped and cold. "But know this—I want you to come to me willingly. I want you to see that we are meant to be together."
Ten years ago when he became my bodyguard, I would have never guessed this man could turn so toxic.
He stomped to the bedroom door and twisted his head around. “You won’t leave this room until you’re ready.”
I stumbled backward. “Ready for what?”
“To mark me and accept me,” he growled.
“So I am your prisoner here?”
Ignoring my question, he left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The lock clicked into place, sealing me inside the luxurious prison he had created.
I dashed to the door and turned the knob, pulling and pressing. Then I banged my fists on the wood.
“I’ll never forgive you,” I shouted.
I made so much noise that I hoped Dad would notice. But no one replied.
Dropping my hands to my sides, my fingers twitching, I took in the elegant furniture, the candlelight flickering against the polished stone walls. I was now his prisoner, locked away until I gave in to his demands.
I ambled to the velvety bed and sank onto the edge. The locked door loomed before me as a symbol of Hayden's tyranny and my imprisonment. My heart thundered in my chest as I stared at it, disbelief and anger settling into my bones. He’d really trapped me in this place.
But I wouldn't break. I couldn't. I would find a way to resist his tyranny, even if it meant staying in this room for an eternity.
Jumping to my feet, I paced the chamber, my thoughts turning inward, searching for any strength or hope to cling to.
Once the shock and emotions waned, I thought about what Hayden would do next. What would my friends and family think when they realized I was missing? They wouldn’t let me vanish. But doubt nagged at me.
Would Hayden lie to them and convince them I was fine? If he were truly a fairy, with his power of illusion, there was no telling what kind of deception Hayden could weave. I wasn’t sure of the true potential of his fairy powers.
The thought of my loved ones being deceived by him made my heart ache. A shiver traveled down my spine, but I forced myself to stay focused. I couldn't afford to be paralyzed by fear now.
I wrapped my arms around myself, struggling to hold on to my resolve.
He won't break me. I would find a way to resist him.
That was what Hayden had turned into recently—a tyrant.
In the suffocating silence of the room, I stared at the locked door. I swore that no matter how long it took or what it cost me, I would never give in to Hayden's demands.
He was beyond redeemable.
With determined steps, I continued to pace the large chamber, my mind racing. I scrutinized every detail of the room, searching for any weaknesses in its structure or objects that might aid me.
The polished stone walls appeared impenetrable, the furniture heavy and daunting. The candles’ dim glow only made the shadows dance and taunt me.
"Think, Breanna," I murmured.
I searched for any sign of a hidden door or loose stone. But as the hours dragged on and the candlelight flickered lower, every possibility evaporated.
Exhaustion threatened to overtake me, but I refused to let it win. With every step and breath, I reminded myself that I was stronger than Hayden's tyranny, stronger than these figurative chains binding me to this room. Stronger than the mate bond he’d started, and I’d finished.
And somehow I would save myself.
Darkness crept into the room as the day ended, making long shadows on the walls. I didn’t bother to turn on the lights after the candlelight extinguished. My senses became duller, as if my abilities were fading away with the fading daylight.
I lay on the bed, watching through the window. Hayden had placed motion sensors on the frames and locked them. How long had he been preparing my prison?
My eyelids grew heavy, but I forced them open. They drooped again, though.
Time seemed to stand still while I yearned for the first light of dawn—the promise of a new day would surely bring hope for escape.
Three days passed, and I was a prisoner in my own kingdom, caged within the grand chamber Hayden had remodeled for us.
Strange men brought me food—not my werewolf warriors, but unfamiliar faces who obeyed orders and remained silent in my presence. They stood guard outside my door, ensuring that I couldn’t escape.
I became aware of my captors' presence for the first time when I awoke the day after Hayden had imprisoned me. I used my wolf strength to pull the doorknob, but before I could break the lock, my wardens told me to stop trying to escape.
“Or else what?” I had challenged them, but the mere mention of their master’s name had me rethink my actions.
Now one of my guards set a tray on a small table beside me.
He appeared towering, with a lean and powerful physique.
His golden, flawless skin brought to mind the fairy assassin from the vampire castle.
I attempted to catch sight of the man's ears, but his shoulder-length, dense hair blocked my view.
The smell of the food filled the room, making my stomach rumble, yet I couldn't bring myself to take a bite.