Chapter 195
Xena’s POV
I’m not sure how long it had been. After Alpha Wiley and Tatum left the room, I hadn’t seen them again. Darkness had fallen twice, the sun rising once more, but I was so disoriented I could barely tell if I was awake or sleeping.
My brain felt submerged in a thick fog, time warping around me. Th helplessness crushed me more than the physical pain, leaving me uncertain if I was even alive or trapped in some endless nightmare.
Faster than I’d expected, my vision finally cleared. Just in time to see lightning illuminate the darkened room. Thunder rolled, bringing with it the scent of rain.
“Good evening, beautiful.” Tatum’s voice scared me half to death. My heart instantly contracted, my throat going dry as fear spread like ice water down my spine. I knew he’d come back, but each time heard his voice, that sense of powerlessness drowned me again. I hadn’t heard any vehicles approaching. The storm must have masked the sound.
“What do you want?” I tried to focus enough to ask. My heart started racing as he moved closer.
“I’ve got a surprise for you.” Tatum smiled, straddling the chair I was tied to. His hands roughly grabbed my breasts, squeezing them without restraint, then gripped my jaw, forcing me to look at him.
“Get off!” I tried to shout, but it came out muffled. He laughed darkly before pressing his lips forcefully against mine. This time, he didn’t push his tongue inside.
His weight pressed against me, each touch burning my skin like fire. wanted to scream, to fight back, but my bound body could do nothing but struggle weakly. I felt myself breaking, being stripped away piece by piece.
“Fuck, I’m going to enjoy fucking you.” He climbed off me while tears filled my eyes. My entire body trembled with fear.
The door opened again as three warriors dragged in an unconscious man. The only light came from a lantern Tatum had placed in front of me. Only when they tied the man to a chair and pushed him in front of me did I recognize who it was.
“NO!” I whispered shakily. The tightly wound cord inside me finally shapped. Ryder sat before me, covered in blood.
My heart seemed to stop beating. Ryder… my Ryder… seeing him like this, a part of me died. Anger and despair twisted together, nearly suffocating me.
“Oh yes.” Tatum grinned triumphantly. “My guards found him and brought him to me.”
“Your guards? Found him and brought him to you?” I questioned. No matter how hard I tried, I still couldn’t establish a mind link
with Ryder.
“Yes, my sweet, sexy girl. I’m the better man.” Tatum reached out to stroke my face.
I immediately turned my head away in disgust. “Ryder?” I tried to wake him. His head hung forward, but he remained motionless.
“He’ll probably be out for a while. Until then, we’ll be right back.” Tatum laughed as he left with the guards.
Again, I heard no engine sounds, but after an hour, no one had returned, and Ryder hadn’t moved.
“Ryder, please wake up.” I sobbed. He didn’t answer. About another hour passed before he finally began to groan.
That hour felt like eternity. Each second stretched my nerves taut, my eyes constantly moving between the door and Ryder, terrified Tatum might return at any moment while desperately praying Ryder would wake. Loneliness and helplessness wrapped around me
1/3
Chapter 195
like a blanket, almost suffocating me.
“Ryder!” I cried again. He lifted his face and smiled.
“Fuck, it worked,” he chuckled softly.
“What worked?” I asked, my thoughts a jumbled mess, unable to understand what he meant.
4
“I guessed Tatum had taken you, and that he’d want you to reject me For you to reject me, you’d have to see me. I knew if I got captured, he’d bring me to you.”
“How does that help rescue me?” I asked, trembling with disbelief as hope filled me.
“I swallowed a tracker before I left.”
wily disbelief
“So help is coming?” I asked shakily, filled with a thread of hope.
“Yes, my love. Help is on the way. Are you okay?” Ryder smiled with a nod.
“No.” I couldn’t stop the tears streaming down my face.
In that moment, all my strength crumbled. With him, I didn’t need to pretend to be fearless, didn’t need to hide my terror and pain. Tears flowed like floodgates opening, washing away some of the weight pressing on my chest.
“Isn’t this nice? Two lovers reunited.” Tatum’s cold voice sent fear racing down my spine.
“Stay strong,” Ryder whispered to me.
His words anchored me to reality. Even now, he was giving me strength.
“Isn’t she lovely?” Tatum strolled casually behind me.
“Stay away from her,” Ryder growled.
His arm wrapped around my throat, my heartbeat accelerating wildly as every hair on my body stood on end.
Suddenly his hand tightened around my neck, air instantly vanishing as I felt my neck about to snap.
Ryder roared furiously, “Fucking get away from her!” Tied to the chair, his face reddened, veins bulging across his muscles as he strained against the ropes.
“This beautiful face?” Tatum released my throat, then squeezed my cheeks. “Maybe I should…” his hand slid un
my shirt.
His fingers were like venomous snakes, each touch making my skin crawl. Fear and disgust churned inside me, but amid the chaos, pure rage was burning too.
My heart began pounding wildly. I did the only thing I could think of–lowering my head, then throwing it back with all my strength. My skull connected with his nose.
“You fucking bitch!” Tatum rose, circled around, and backhanded me hard. Pain exploded across my cheek, only fueling my anger
further.
“Don’t fucking touch her!” Ryder shouted.
Tatum laughed dismissively, then turned smoothly and punched Ryder in the stomach. This caused him to immediately vomit. A
2/3
Chapter 195.
black object with a red light tambled out amid the mess.
“What’s this?” Tatum bent to pick it up, examined it, then his expression changed to sudden realization.
I’d say you have about thirty seconds before this place is swarming with my people,” Ryder spat on the ground, smiling.
Chapter Comments
