Chapter III
The man that landed me in this wretched situation.
The cause of it all.
Arien.
I quickly tore my eyes away from his and returned, now running, towards my destination. Only for my ankle to protest anew at this sudden and increased weight upon it, I felt it painfully giving out.
No no no no no, this was the absolute worst time to be tripping like some incompetent damsel in distress.
Next, I found myself falling and bracing for an impact which never came.
Instead, warm arms adeptly caught me and now held me steady. I squeezed my eyes shut and then glanced up in horror.
Chocolate eyes met mine again breathing out, "Not so fast mate."
An incredulous smirk adorned his face.
In response I did what any self-respecting, fed up, captive would do – I screamed and wildly threw punches. My size though, seemed to be a laughable joke compared to him so it did nothing to loosen the arms around me, and before I know it I was being carried back towards the house.
Back towards my prison.
I continue hitting and screaming as I see my freedom slip away with each footstep.
"No no no no no. Please! Please, I was so close. So so close." I pleaded, screaming, panic rising as my freedom was snatched away.
His purposeful strides quickly carried us inside the house and after walking through two more rooms, I was placed in an armchair but instantly shot up. This action brought instant regret as my ankle gives out once more.
Damn broken body.
Arien again prevented my fall and placed me back in the seat, chastising, "Stop trying to get away, you'll only hurt yourself more."
Me hurt myself...hurt MYSELF?! My hysteria swiftly rose at his words.
How dare he say that, like I hadn't been held in this very property for days, being tortured.
How I wanted to scream and hurt something, someone.
What a cruel fucking joke. I tore at my hair as I tried to quell my rising hysterics.
Okay breathe Soleil.
I could feel my heartbeat painfully throbbing below my breast.
What was happening right now and what could I do to get out? Why was he acting almost amused or relieved at my arrival? His countenance confused me. I was struggling to understand any of it in my panicked state.
I focused on the softened tone in his voice and it gave me the hope to plead once more, "Please let me go. I truly didn't do it on purpose – you'll never see me again and-"
The entry of my almost executioner had my throat run dry and words evaporate.
Oh no no fuck no, once he saw me here he'd surely reconsider my freedom.
The fear in my eyes went completely overlooked by Arien as he sent a look at him and grinned, "S?ren, you'll never guess who I found at our very own gates – our mate!"
S?ren. So that's the name of my end.
What was he even saying? How could he smile like that when my potential end stood in the doorway?
Arien beamed at the stoic looking S?ren while I remained in place, confused and panicking.
S?ren pierced me with what can only be described as disgust and I couldn't help but flinch as he replied, "I know."
Now it was Arien's turn to look confused, "What do you mean you know?"
"She was the spy who poisoned and tried to kidnap you."
As Arien faltered, I couldn't help but burst out in defense, "That's not true, I never tried to kidnap you! I want nothing to do with you and I'm so sorry for what I've done – I've suffered enough, please just let me go."
The words escaped as a rushed, almost jumbled, begging plea, as I looked to Arien who seemed the more humane of the two.
Now his brows furrowed and his next words came out clipped,"What does she mean?"
Directing his question to S?ren, Arien's smirking relaxed look had long since vanished. Slowly, understanding seemed to dawn as S?ren simply stared back impassively.
Arien began frantically shaking his head.
"No, brother you must be mistaken," Arien looked like he was rapidly processing everything, struggling to keep his relaxed facade in place.
He continued, "You had the culprit imprisoned right? Trying to get information?"
Then a pause, awaiting S?ren's explanation.
Nothing but pregnant silence rung out.
Then a furrowing of his brow as his formerly laid back countenance crumbled, now putting the pieces together.
He looked to be unraveling as I held my breath, not understanding this reaction.
"NO – no, tell me we did NOT do that to our mate?!"
These words were punctuated low and slow even though his breathing seemed to have sped up. S?ren's silence was again his only answer.
My confusion only grew as devastation gradually coloured Arien's face and he sunk to his knees.
What the hell was going on? Actually, I didn't even care to know, I only cared whether this meant I got to leave.
Following along, much less understanding what had been going on, had long since become impossible and my mind spun wildly.
I was hesitant to speak in front of S?ren, his threat of death wasn't far from my mind but I had to try and convince them of my freedom.
"You were just going to let her go, weren't you? Without telling me?" Arien's voice was now rising as he glared at S?ren.
I wanted to tell him to calm down. To not upset the man who could probably kill us both in a mere blink. But I wasn't about to risk my life by speaking.
S?ren calmly replied, "I was doing what's best for us. For you."
My existence had seemingly faded into the background as the two argued. Good, that was safer for now.
"No. You were doing what you wanted to do. As always. Without consulting me. Just like when you ordered her to be imprisoned."
So that's who was to blame for my imprisonment, didn't surprise me much.
Their argument continued but a sudden addition to the room had me freezing and completely zoning out.
Suddenly, I was back inthatroom and my breathing was now coming out in short bursts.
And then, not at all. My lungs refused to work, just like when they were filled with water as I locked eyes withthat man.
Why did I feel like I was suddenly drowning?
Coughing down my own blood again. Why was my chest burning on every inhale?
What was happening to me? This had never happened before.
He was all I could see and my rising panic served only to make me lose mere control of my breathing and surroundings.
The room slunk into a blur, like I was underwater. My heart so loud I could hear it in my ears.
I couldn't breathe. I was going to die.
A voice gargled through the rising tide of my mind.
Suddenly I was rescued from my imagined drowning, "Breathe, breathe slowly now. You're fine, you're safe."
Arien's soothing voice whispered to me as his arms grounded me back down. I managed to close my eyes and finally draw in small breaths once more. My heartbeat stopped thundering as I came to the realisation of where I was.
As I floated back down to reality.
Once I'd calmed down enough, I reopened my eyes to meet the ones of a worried looking Arien.
I averted my gaze. Embarrassment flooding through me.
What just happened? I'd never felt that way before, such sheer panic for no apparent reason. I'd never been so weak before. I felt tears prick my eyes but willed them away, I'd shown enough weakness for one day.
The man was no longer in the room which led me to question whether he'd ever even been there.
"No one will hurt you again. You're safe here." Arien's voice broke through my reverie, reassuring me but not.
I was too spent to even mentally scoff at just how ridiculous that statement was, they already had.
I was in danger every second I remained on this property and he was the one who stood in my way of leaving.
Regardless of what happened before and whether he knew, he was now responsible for keeping me here.
And I would surely continue to be hurt the longer they kept me here.
Finally I looked him square in the eye, "Then let me go," I managed to whisper.
He looked torn and somehow weirdly crushed before answering, "I'm sorry mate."
Hope crushed and swirled around me painfully.
His resounding refusal became the most painful thing to me in this moment. I would remain trapped and at their disposal. Liable to be damaged once more.