Chapter 4

Elorai.

At Adaline's question, everyone falls silent, just staring at each other. I keep chewing my food, unsure if I should respond.

It particularly wasn’t directed at me.

She huffs at the silence, wearing a strained smile. “She must be the new plaything you picked up, right?” she asks, glancing at the men.

That strikes a nerve. I frown. “I’m not a plaything.”

She glares at me, eyes narrowed to slits. “Then what are you?” she grits.

I don’t answer, just take a bite of my steak.

I watch as her color starts to fade, realization dawning on her face. “Ronan, she isn’t the target the council ordered you to kill, is she?”

Nobody answers that question either. Knox looks away, rubbing the back of his neck, Lucas lets out a deep breath. Their silence and demeanor are answer enough for her. She gasps.

“She’s supposed to be dead!” Adaline cries, her expression turning panicked. “You were supposed to kill her! Why didn’t you?” Her gaze snaps toward me again, venomous. “Why did you let her live?!”

“Shut the fuck up, Adaline…” Ronan growls under his breath, his jaw clenched.

She shakes her head instead. “No, this isn’t right! You’ve disobeyed a rule. You’re supposed to kill her, not let her live!”

“Shut the fuck up!” Ronan snaps, shooting to his feet. Adaline stumbles backward, fear all over her face. Ronan is furious now.

He must have done something, because she goes down on her knees, groaning in pain and writhing. Even Lucas and Knox seem uncomfortable, visibly struggling as they sit.

“We didn’t kill her, so what?” he asks her, tilting his head to the side. “Is there anything you want to do about it?”

“She’s a weapon!” Adaline chokes out, doing her best to meet Ronan’s gaze. “She was created to ruin us. To expose us in public and have us killed. If you let her live, she will do just that!”

I grow puzzled at her words. Me, a weapon?

“It is still none of your business. I decide whether she lives or dies, not you. Do you understand?!” he roars.

“You’re making a mistake,” Adaline spits. She crumples even further, wincing in pain.

“Do. You. Understand?” Ronan growls.

“Yes… yes, Alpha… please!” she cries out in panic.

Ronan finally stops tensing and settles back into his seat. Adaline’s struggles cease, but she’s still curled up on the ground.

“Get out…” he groans, and I watch as she picks herself up and scurries out of the dining hall.

“You should take it easy with the alpha’s will. You know how bothersome it gets for us,” Knox grumbles, clearly irritated.

Ronan ignores him.

His gaze returns to me, and his eyes narrow. “You truly are unaffected by it,” he murmurs, the earlier rage nonexistent.

“Unaffected by what?”

“The alpha’s will. Pheromones,” he mutters.

I shrug, taking another bite of my steak. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I stare at the ground where Adaline once lay. “Why did she call me a weapon?”

Ronan furrows his brow. “You still haven’t figured it out?” Knox asks.

I shake my head. “No.”

They all turn to me again, staring. Goosebumps spread across my skin, but I meet their gaze.

“You’re done eating,” Ronan notes quietly, glancing at my plate. “Go to your room,” he orders.

I want to retort. Snap at him. But the image of Adaline writhing on the ground quickly makes me change my mind.

“Fine.”

I pull away from my seat and head back to my room.

The journey is a bit long, and I almost get lost a couple of times, but I make it eventually.

Closing the door behind me, I sag against it, a sigh escaping my lips.

I don't want to continue living with these men. They seem terrifying, and there's no telling what they will do to me the longer I stay here. Their cryptic gazes are already giving me chills.

I walk toward the window, gazing out into the night sky. The forest beyond the walls is calling to me, and for a moment, I wonder if I can truly escape from here.

I could climb down the window, but it's a far way down, and I don't see any rope in this room.

Gnawing at my lower lip in frustration, I let out a huff. In due time.

All in due time.

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Adaline.

Pacing my bedroom, I bite at my fingernails, ignoring the dull throbbing in my skull—an aftereffect of Ronan using his alpha will on me.

I can't believe this. That wench is supposed to be dead. They were supposed to kill her. Why did they let her live?

Why are they all protecting her? This is all so wrong.

A knock sounds at the door. I whirl toward it, half expecting it to be Ronan, coming to apologize. But the door pushes open, and Lucas walks in instead.

My anticipation gives way to disappointment.

"Are you alright?" he asks, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed and gaze fixed on me.

"I'm fine..." I mumble under my breath, looking away from him, still thrumming with anger. Then I snap my gaze toward him. "You didn't say anything back at the dining table concerning that lady."

"You didn't give anyone a chance to speak."

"Why did you keep her alive?"

He slowly walks into the room, his footfalls heavy. "So we know what those humans did." He cocks his head to the side, his expression turning grave. "How much they know and what they've uncovered. That way, we can better protect ourselves."

"You can do that with her corpse!" I snap vehemently.

Lucas shakes his head. "It's not the same. We need to study her while she's alive."

I frown, pacing around the room once again. "The council will find out about this. You know they will punish you three if they do, for defying their orders."

"They won't if you don't tell them," Lucas states, gazing squarely at me. "You won't tell them, Adaline."

I bite my lips, swallowing back a retort. They want me to play along? Let that abomination continue to live? Over my dead body.

As if reading my thoughts, Lucas tenses, his gaze becoming sharper. "Adaline... You know better. This isn't any of your business."

"But I can't be idle, Lucas!" I finally snap. "What you're taking is a risk. She's a threat to every living werewolf the longer she's alive! You of all people should know that!"

Besides, let her live so she can snatch them away from my hands? Not on my life.

Lucas scoffs, already irked. "She won't be a threat away here. We live far enough, and we have no plans of letting her out of our sight. You don't have to worry. Just let her be and look the other way."

My jaw clenches as I gaze down at the ground.

I don't want to let this go. I can't let this go.

"I know what you're thinking. Don't do it," Lucas says in a grave voice—a warning and a command. "Do not bother the girl..." He growls, walking out of the room and slamming the door behind him.

I glare at the closed door, snarling.

To hell with that.

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Unknown POV

A clothed figure stands before a monitor screen, looking at the data presented to him from his countless experiments, when his phone rings.

He pulls it from his coat pocket and answers, pressing it to his ear. “Yes?” he says, his low voice echoing in the silence.

“Sir, the first lab has been discovered and destroyed. Everything was burned to the ground. The successful is gone, sir,” the speaker announces, his tone somber.

The man in the coat tenses, his lips drawing into a thin line. “Is she dead?”

“That, we cannot confirm. No body was found.”

He lets out a slow breath. “Okay. Lay low for a while. Let the dust settle.”

“Yes, sir…” The call ends, and he slips the phone back into his pocket, returning his attention to the data in front of him.

Once he’s satisfied with what he sees, he leaves and walks into another section of the facility, where a male figure lies unconscious and pale.

Heart monitors beep steadily behind him.

The corner of his lips quirks, but it doesn’t quite form a smile.

“Almost ready…” he growls under his breath. “Those damned werewolves—we’ll get rid of you all. Don’t worry.”

It’s only a matter of time.