Silas's scent surrounded me.

I was safe in his arms. But we weren't save where ever we were. This place was dangerous. It was a scene from a very realistic nightmare. We needed to get out of here before they came to get us. Before they came for him. The doctor had made sure that I understood that I meant nothing to them—that was a few minutes before he got an idea. I didn't like the look he had in his eyes when he looked at me again.

We were about to live through hell.

I tilted my head back to look at Silas. He was fast asleep. How he managed to sleep in this kind of satiation was beyond me. My eyes dropped to his chest for a few seconds before they darted away to stare up at the ceiling of the cage. We were in an actual cage like we were some damn animals.

A shudder raced down my spin. I instantly pushed the images away and carefully climbed from the bed. I froze when Silas stirred but he didn't wake. The floor was cold beneath my bare feet as I walked over to the toilet. I stared at it for a few seconds before glancing around. There was no damn privacy.

My eyes darted to the cage next to ours. Dark blue eyes instantly locked with mine. A shiver raced down my spine when his lips parted slightly to reveal sharp lethal-looking teeth. I unconsciously took a step back. The ragged scar covering his face held my attention for a few more seconds before I glanced down at his chest. He was covered in pale scars of all sizes.

"H-Hi," I whispered. "My name's Lara."

He growled at me. I licked my lips and took slow steps towards the bars.

"What's y-your name?"

He moved before I could comprehend what he was going to do. A chocked scream fell from my lips when his hand wrapped around my throat. His face moved closer and his lips parted when he growled loudly.

"Human," he growled. "Enemy."

If I could, I would've been shaking my head fanatically at him. I reached up and pressed my hand against the one holding my throat. "F-friend," I managed to croak out.

His hand loosened slightly but didn't let go. Dark blue eyes darted over my head and then back to mine. I could see the gears turning inside his head. What was he thinking? I licked my lips and sucked in a breath.

"T-two of the g-guards w-want to kill you." He didn't move which encourage me to continue. "I heard them talking. They want to kill you because you killed their friends, but the doctor told them to leave you alone. They plan to kill you when the doctor leaves."

"When?" he questioned in a raspy voice. "When does he leave?"

"I don't know."

His dark blue eyes darted over my face and then down my body. A peculiar look had entered his eyes when they locked with mine again. My breath got caught in my throat when his hand loosened around my neck and slid down under my shirt, over my collarbone. He moved my shirt away and his eyes widened slightly.

I knew exactly what he saw. It was a mark that I saw in the mirror every day. A brand that was made in anger. Ethan's mark that would never fade. Pain flashed through me at the reminder that I would never have both men. A tear dripped down my cheek, followed by another and then another. It seemed like all I've been doing was crying.

"What the hell are you doing? Let her go!"

His hand snapped back just as Silas jerked me away from the bars. My eyes snapped up to his face but he was focused on the man in the cage next door. He was angry because the man had touched me. If only he knew what the doctors had planned to use me for. A shudder raced down my spine.

"You touch her again and I'll fucking kill you," he growled at the man before he picked me and carried me back over to the cot.

I pressed my face against his neck and snuggled up against his chest. Uncertainty filled me. Nobody knew that we were missing. Silas nuzzled my hair and hugged me tighter. Was I going to lose him too?

"Lara?"

"Do you hate me?" I questioned. "You never answered me at the airport."

"I don't hate you, sweetness. I can't ever hate you."

I tilted my head back to stare up at him. "Even after everything I did?"

His lips tilted up into a slight smile. "Everything you did is considered normal." He cupped my cheek and leaned his forehead against mine. "It hurt knowing what you did with him. It hurts knowing that somehow he's always on your mind, and it hurts knowing that I would never be able to mark you the way he has."

His hand slid down to cover Ethan's mark.

"But he's not here. I'll never have him like I'll have you."

Sadness slowly crept into his eyes. "I would've been delighted about that if I didn't know how much you'll be hurting because of that."

"I don't understand," I whispered.

"We might be together, but a part of you will always belong to him just as a part of him will always belong to you. You were made for the both of us, Lara, not just for me. You can go on and pretend like he doesn't exist, but you'll never be happy."

"I'm sorry."

His lips brushed my lips softly. "So am I, sweetness."

I wrapped my arm around his waist and hugged him tightly. Silas's hand slipped into my hair. I relaxed against his body as he pulled the tie and pins out and placed them aside. My eyes fluttered closed when he started running his fingers through my hair.

"What did they do to you when they took you?" Silas asked after a few minutes of silence.

I instantly tensed again. The last thing I wanted to do was talk about what I had seen and heard. I swallowed hard and sat up. My eyes darted to the pacing man in the cage next door and then up to Silas's face.

"T-they want me to—" I broke off unable to continue.

"They want you to what?" His brows dipped into a frown. "Tell me Lara."

"They w-want s-semen samples f-from him." I nodded to the man. "I refused but the doctor t-threatened to hurt you if I didn't d-do it."

I flinched when he pushed me from his lap and stumbled to his feet. Silas walked over to the bars and slammed his fist into it. He repeated the action twice more before he spun away and started to pace. The only time I've ever seen him this mad was when he fought with Ethan. Tugging my knees up to my chest, I hugged them tightly as I watched him.

"Silas?" He didn't acknowledge me. "It's okay. I won't let them hurt you."

"I'm suppose to be protecting you!" he yelled, spinning to face me. "You're my mate and it's my job to make sure that something like this never happens."

"Move back," the man rasped. "They come."

Silas quickly closed the space between us and pulled me to my feet. I stumbled when he pushed me behind him and forced me to move backwards until my back hit the bars. Doors slammed opened and closed followed by footsteps. It wasn't long before the two men who had brought me back yesterday stepped into view.

The held their weapons aimed right at us. "Doc said that you've had long enough to think about it."

"She won't do it," Silas growled. "Tell the doctor that she won't do it. He can take me."

"Silas—"

"Silence."

My lips snapped closed. I gripped his hips and held on tightly when one of the men walked off and disappeared through the doors again. It wasn't long before he returned again with an excited smile on his face.

"Doc wants him taken to the examination room."

"Great." The man pulled keys from his pocket and stepped closer. "If you try anything my boy here will knock you out and then we'll come back to have some fun with your girl. You understand?"

"I won't try anything."

The chain was removed and the door opened wide. Silas walked out of the cage without glancing at me. It was only when the door had been locked again and they were walking away, that he glanced back at me. His eyes held a promise his lips couldn't say.

"Wait!" I screamed, rushing forward when they started to move away. "Let him go! Take me! It's me you want! I'll do it! Let him go!"

I sunk down to my knees when they disappeared through the doors. I had seen what they had done to another one. They were going to hurt him and use him. It was much worse than what the doctor wanted me to do.

"Please, take me."