Word Count: 2287

~Dove

I stare at the cracked concrete wall, lying flat on the stiff cot.

Hours have slugged by since the guard stopped interrogating me, and I've received not a second of medical attention.

I'm not seriously injured, but my body is covered in a litany of bruises like fallen soldiers scattered on a battlefield. I'm certain there are cuts and grazes to match, as well.

All I can think about is my father and Eden. Lying here, unsure of whether they are alive or not is devouring my insides like fire to kindling.

I need to figure out how to escape this so I can get back to them.

The distinct sound of a lock thunking as it is undone has me leaning up, swinging my legs off the bed.

A second later the door opens, Alpha Varian stepping in.

He takes one look at me before he pauses. He almost steps back out again before he catches himself, as if suspecting he's seen an apparition of me.

We stare at each other in stunned silence for a long moment.

"Dove?" He whispers.

I stand fluidly from the bed. "Varian..."

He looks over me again, eyes lingering on each visible bruise in turn. Devastation pulls at his beautiful features as he strides into the room toward me.

"You're hurt." He pauses before me, looking inclined to touch me but refrains. "What happened to you?"

I blink. I wondered if it were his order that lead me here, although it's clear his soldiers took their own liberties. He couldn't fake this kind of confusion, which is a mild relief.

If he doesn't intend for me to be here, then he'll be able to send me home...

"Your guards...I'm in so much pain." I rest my hand against my ribs, were a dull ache has persisted since I was struck by his guards boot.

He looks over his shoulder at his personal guard. "Bring the healer. Now."

The authority in his tone has me trembling, the sound grazing along the concrete walls of this small cell.

I let myself look at Varian, who is vastly more underdressed than when I last saw him.

His loose, black silk shirt has a few buttons undone over his heart, and his sleeves have been rolled up to his elbows. Bruises bloom over his knuckles, and his hair thick and messy.

"Am I a prisoner?" I wrap my arms around myself, anxious for the moment he leads me out.

He balks. "No, of course not...you're...you're not..."

He drifts off, retreating his mind as his confusion becomes visible on his perfectly sculpted face. He putting thoughts together, trying to make sense of what is troubling him.

"What?" I ask warily.

"Are you Dennis's daughter?" He asks, looking over me with renewed intention.

I'm immediately swaddled in relief, venturing forward a step. "My father is alive? Oh please, I need to see him, I need to make sure he is okay."

He physically flinches, a platter of emotion shifting through his eyes at a speed too quick to be sorted. A cold feeling travels down my limbs as I get the sense my connection to my father isn't winning me any favours.

"Your father is Alpha Matthias' war advisor...."

"That may be so, but he's a good man. He doesn't deserve to take the fall for this." I step forward, ready to launch into a full blown defense of my father if it comes down to it.

Varian takes a small step back, stunning me.

"Did you know?" He asks hoarsely.

"Know what?" My voice sounds shaky and weak.

"About me? About my plan for the invasion?"

Dread spills through my stomach like an upturned pain bucket. Thick, like oil and not so easily removed.

He no longer see's me as the girl looking for an adventure, for something new and exciting. He see's me as his enemies war advisors daughter, which is hardly an auspicious delegation.

And it may cost me my life...

"What? Of course not. You didn't tell me anything, leaving me to get almost killed by your soldiers!" I remind him abruptly, gesturing down to my ribs as if he may see the bruises staining my skin.

"You're a spy, aren't you?" The animosity only grows with each word. "You came to my party to seduce me, to spy on me."

"Of course not. I don't even know you!" I snap.

He cannot seriously believe that...Sure, the facts aren't favouring me, but couldn't he see how earnest I was, how vulnerable I was in that moment? Spying wouldn't have won me any favours anyway....

"So you're telling me that the daughter of my enemies war advisor isn't a hired spy to infiltrate my pack, my home?" He growls.

"It seems ridiculous, but I swear Varian, I'm not a spy," I say slowly, methodically.

I hope his heightened Alpha senses can tell that I'm not lying. By the growing darkness spreading over his face like a gruesome mask, he clearly can't.

"I don't believe you."

"My father didn't even know I went to the party that night. I snuck out because I wanted to have fun, to do something foolish and dangerous," I insist desperately. "I swear on everything that I am, I'm not a spy!"

My voice sounds shrill as it collides with the concrete walls surrounding us. I barely have the energy to keep standing let alone argue with him, but if I don't, he might just kill me.

"What is your job title?" He asks softly.

"I'm a maid, a cleaner. I told you-"

"Where do you work?"

I pause, rubbing my clammy palms against my sides. This is where my excuse loses merit. No matter how much I scramble, he's never going to believe I'm innocent.

"I...I work for Alpha Matthias," I grit out reluctantly.

His jaw settles in a hard line, his anger so palpable I can feel it pulling the air from this room, the temperature dropping to near arctic levels.

"I should have known." He shakes his head. "Is Eden involved?"

"Eden? No, she's in love with Ciella! She's not a spy either," I say urgently, trying to put that thought to rest before it spirals out of control.

I'll take the fall if I need to, but I'm not dragging my sister into this.

"I want to believe you, Dove. I need to." He rubs his forehead, smoothing the tense lines gathering there. "But I'm finding it hard to believe you didn't have other motives that night."

"How can I prove it to you?"

"I need to finish interrogating your father."

He turns to walk out, inspiring a jolt of fear through me. My fathers job position means he's in danger, and I may the only one who can keep him alive.

"You can't hurt him...what did he do to you?" I question, mercifully making him turn to face me again.

"Other than work with my enemy..." He shakes his head. "He is likely harbouring information about my brother. Someone who Matthias may be holding captive."

The haunting edge of his voice casts a smattering of chills over my skin.

"What? That can't be true..." I frown, digging deep into my memory for any reference to Varian's brother by Matthias, but I come up with nothing.

Matthias always indicated his hatred for Varian comes from differences in character and approach to running a pack. I figured it was only jealousy on Matthias part inspiring the feud while Varian remained unfazed.

I never thought there could be this much to it...

"Are you saying I'm lying?" He asks softly, the lethal anger bleeding into every word.

"No, of course not." I huff out a sigh. "Tell me what I can do to prove to you that we can be trusted."

He studies me quietly for a painfully long moment. He seems to be contemplating my worth, what he's willing to risk.

This is the Alpha everyone is scared of...I can feel his power thrumming against my skin.

"You will be critical in this interrogation. If you can comply with my plans, I'll release you," he says eventually, although his words provide me no relief.

I can imagine he's capable of conjuring plans that are impossible to adhere to...

"What about my father?" I ask hopelessly.

Not even a flicker of doubt on his flawless features. "That remains to be seen."

"Varian..."

He holds his hand out to stop me. I get the feeling that me reasoning with him is actually affecting his resolve.

"If I find out you have any other connection to Matthias, Dove, I won't hesitate to conclude you are colluding with him," he states.

He doesn't say it maliciously, nor to scare me. He truly means every word he utters, and the quiet threat behind them.

"I...I'm not."

Varian offers me a lasting look that suggests only the smallest scrap of sympathy before he turns, speaking to a healer who stalks suddenly into the room.

"I expect her looking as she did when I last saw her. Don't leave so much as a single scratch on her body," he commands before vanishing down the hallway.

I sit mutely on the bed, barely looking at the healer who hustles in to treat me. I don't even feel the pain anymore, to occupied with thoughts of my father being tortured for information he may not have.

Yet, I can't blame Varian...

Because if I were him, I wouldn't trust me either.

•••

~Varian

I stalk upstairs, my gait long and insistent.

I need time to devise the next step of my plan. Dove revealing herself as Dennis' daughter would otherwise alter it were I not convinced she's working with Matthias.

She's drenched in his scent and is clearly withholding something about their relationship. He must have instructed her to attend my party to flesh out my plan for the invasion.

But why let me do what I did to her? The thought has me on the brink of insanity.

I need to go ahead with my plan. I can't let this get in the way of saving my brother, if he's still alive.

The sound of a door open distantly has me pausing. Moments later Eden appears at the other end of the hallway, Ciella trying to keep up as her lover marches closer, nearly slipping on the polished floor. 

"Where is my sister and father?" Eden demands, her face a powerful culmination of her frustration as she reaches me.

I sigh through my nose, glancing at Ciella who sidles up meekly. "Why is she here?"

"Come on Varian...There is no way Dove is working against you," she says softly, reaching for Eden's hand but she snatches it away.

How Ciella has found out so quickly about my suspicions, I don't know. News travels quickly, apparently.

"I cannot be sure," I mutter, rubbing my face tiredly.

"She's not a spy. She works as a maid for fucks sake! She's never even spoken to Alpha Matthias before!" Eden yells, her voice pounding at my temples.

I emphasise with her frustration, and admittedly, her reaction seems genuine, but that doesn't prove anything to me. Dove seems perfectly capable of keeping her true job title from her sister.

"Are you certain?"

"Of course I am. She's my sister! She couldn't hide anything from me, even if she wanted to." Eden looks desperately at Ciella, who shrugs.

I glare at my friend, folding my arms across my chest. "Did you know about Eden's connection to Matthias and her father being a war advisor?"

"I did." She swallows thickly.

"And you didn't tell me?" I hiss.

I let them into my circle, nearly communicated my plans to them.

"I trust her. Who her father is doesn't matter when she is loyal to me, to us." Ciella loops her arm through Eden's for good measure, holding my stare with narrowed eyes.

She's one of the only people I've met that won't back down from an accusation. I admire that about her, even if I'm regretting it now.

She knows how important finding my brother is. She knows that when it comes to Matthias, I can't trust anyone in his circle.

"Let me sister go at least. Please," Eden pleads, switching from anger to desperation.

"Your sister is needed to complete the interrogation. She plays a critical role in my plan happening tomorrow," I tell her evenly. "I promise that by evening, she will be free, and possibly your father as long as he complies."

Ciella yanks on Eden's arm, drawing her attention. They share a long stare, silently communicating something I don't understand.

Eden eventually looks at me, her lower lip quivering. "If you hurt her-"

"No harm will come to her. Once I get what I need, Dove is free to go," I promise. "She'll even be moved to her own quarters like any guest would until then."

"You have until tomorrow."

She turns on her heels, dragging Ciella along with her. I watch them go, ignoring the aching sensation in the pit of my stomach.

She's conceding for Ciella's sake, but I also sense she knows my power is nothing she can compete against.

Regardless, she's made no mention of her father or wanting to preserve his life. There must be something going on there, which is a problem for another time.

I need to concentrate on the plan happening tomorrow.

A lot can happen, and everything is going to change.

🩷••🩷

As always, you can read this book 16 chapters ahead on Inkitt and 10 chapters ahead on Radish!

Your support means a lot to me!

~Midika 🐈‍⬛💜