Chapter 66
Felicity POV
I woke up in a cold, damp cell. The walls were covered in moss and the air smelled of mildew and decay. I sat up, wincing at the pain in my chest. Suddenly, the door creaked open and a figure walked in.
As the figure came into view, I realized it was a very short old man. He barely reached my shoulder, and I almost laughed when I saw him. He had a wrinkled face and a balding head covered in sparse white hair. Despite his size, he strutted into the cell with a confidence I found unsettling.
"What do you want?" I asked, my voice hoarse from disuse.
The old man didn't reply. Instead, he approached me and began to examine my wound. His small hands were surprisingly nimble as he prodded my chest, and I winced in pain.
"You're lucky to be alive," he muttered.
"Who are you?" I asked, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.
"I am the owner of these lands. Where you intrusted, I'm Alpha Melezo."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Alpha? Was he the leader of this pack?
"You mean, like the leader of this pack?" I asked, half-jokingly. Such a short and old man seemed like an unlikely alpha.
Alpha Melezo glared at me, his eyes narrowing. "Do not underestimate me, omega. I have been the alpha of this pack for over 100 years."
As he spoke, the name Melezo echoed in my head. I couldn't place where I had heard it before, but it sounded familiar. Then, suddenly, it hit me - I had read about an Alpha Melezo in alpha Zarek's book at HQ.
It was connected with the death of my parents. My heart raced as I tried to piece together what I knew.
Alpha Melezo's name looped in my head like a warning. I knew I had to be careful. If he had anything to do with my parents' death, he wouldn't hesitate to take out his vengeance on me.
But at the same time, I couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that I needed to know more. What did Alpha Melezo know about my parents? Did he play a role in their demise or was he just a bystander?
Despite the burning questions on my mind, I refrained from asking. It wasn't safe. Alpha Melezo had made it clear that I was lucky to be alive, and I didn't want to push my luck.
I couldn't help but wonder if I would ever find out the truth about my parents' death. And if I did, what would I do with that information?
I looked up at the old man with newfound respect. He may have been small and frail, but he was no ordinary alpha. I knew I needed to tread carefully around him if I wanted to survive.
I swallowed hard, feeling a sense of unease. This old man might have been small, but he clearly had power and experience on his side. "Why haven't you killed me already?" I asked. " I entered your territory without permission." Alpha Melezo chuckled at my question. "Oh, don't worry dear. Soon enough, you'll understand why I haven't killed you yet," he said ominously.
I felt a shiver run down my spine. This wasn't the response I was expecting. "What do you mean?" I asked, my voice shaking.
The old alpha merely smiled enigmatically. "You'll see. You'll have goosebumps when you do." He paused for a moment, his eyes glinting in the dim light of the forest. "I'm waiting for someone special," he added, his voice full of meaning.
I swallowed hard, my mind racing as I tried to figure out who this 'someone special' could be. Was it another alpha? Or maybe just a lycan? The possibilities were endless and all equally terrifying.
"But why keep me alive if you're waiting for someone else?" I asked, trying to keep my tone steady.
Alpha Melezo's expression turned serious. "You can stay alive for now because you may yet prove useful to me," he stated cryptically. "But don't make too many assumptions, omega. I am not someone to be trifled with."
I nodded weakly, feeling a sense of dread settle over me. I had no idea what fate awaited me in this strange, dangerous land, but one thing was sure - I was in the presence of a powerful and unpredictable alpha who held all the cards. He was the most dangerous of all the alphas I've ever known.
As Alpha Melezo spoke, my ears perked up at the sound of a baby crying in the distance. My heart pounded with fear, wondering if it was my own child in distress.
Suddenly, the door to my cell creaked open and a guard walked in with a bawling baby in his arms. "Alpha Melezo, the child won't stop crying. What should we do?" he asked.
I watched in dazed amazement as Melezo glanced over at the guard and then turned his attention to me. "Well, it seems that your little one has arrived," he drawled, a hint of amusement in his voice.
My heart surged with relief as the guard handed me the inconsolable baby. Cradling him to my b****t, I felt him snuggle close and his sobs slowly died away as I began to nurse him.
I held my baby close to my chest as I sat in my cell, relieved to have him back in my arms. Alpha Melezo watched us quietly, his expression unreadable.
"What do you plan to do with us?" I asked, trying to sound brave.
"I haven't decided yet," he responded coolly. "It depends on how cooperative you are."
"I'll do anything you want," I said quickly, not wanting to imagine what he had in store for us. "Just don't hurt my baby!"
Melezo nodded slowly, almost as if he was considering my offer. "We'll see," he said finally. "But for now, you should rest. You'll need your strength if you want to be of any use to me."
I knew better than to argue with an alpha, especially one as powerful as Melezo. So I settled down on the cot in the corner, cradling my baby in my arms. It wasn't long before he fell asleep, exhausted from the stress of being separated from me.
As I lay there, listening to the sounds of the dungeon around me, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of man Alpha Melezo was. From what I'd seen so far, he was cold and calculating, with a dangerous edge that made my blood run cold. Suddenly, I heard noises outside. It sounded like a fight was happening just beyond the dungeon walls. I tensed, unsure of what was happening and whether Melezo was involved.
But then, I saw a small smile creep onto Melezo's lips,and his eyes gleamed. He stood up and strode towards the door. "Stay here," he commanded, before disappearing into the darkness.
I was left alone in the dimly lit cell, my heart pounding with fear and confusion. What was happening? Did Melezo have enemies? Was he in danger?
Minutes ticked by, and I could only hear the distant sounds of fighting.
I didn't know what to make of it all. Melezo was clearly a dangerous man, capable of taking and ending lives without hesitation. As I lay there with my baby, I wondered how I would ever survive in this world of violence and power.
It felt like an eternity, before I hear footsteps and see Melezo enter.
As I sat in the dimly lit room, my heart pounded with fear. Melezo, sat across from me, sneering. I tried to keep calm, but my mind raced with the possibilities of what he could do to me.
"Well, well, well," he said, gesturing for someone to sit across from him. "Look who finally came to pay me a visit."
I turned my head and saw Maximus walk into the room. Relief washed over me, and I whispered his name, my voice shaking with emotion. He came, oooh my moon goddess, he came for me. Was that the "special person" Melezo was talking about?
I nodded weakly, feeling a sense of dread settle over me. I had no idea what fate awaited me in this strange, dangerous land, but one thing was sure - I was in the presence of a powerful and unpredictable alpha who held all the cards. He was the most dangerous of all the alphas I've ever known.
Maximus gritted his teeth, his fists clenched in anger. "What do you want?" he demanded.
Melezo shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing, really. I just wanted to share something with you."
Maximus narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What kind of information?"
Melezo's right hand indicated something to Maximus, who turned his head and saw me. I tried to smile, but tears gathered in my eyes.
"Are you okay?" Maximus asked me, his voice trembling with emotion.
I nodded, grateful for his presence. "Maximus, I'm so glad you're here," I whispered.
But then, Maximus saw something else and was shocked. He almost collapsed on the ground, and I could see the shock was immense. "What is this?" he exclaimed in disbelief, pointing at the sight that paralyzed him on the spot.
I followed his gaze to see our baby, that I had slept on the other side of the cell.
"What is this?" Maximus asked again, pointing towards the baby.
Melezo grinned slyly. "Oh, that? That's your son, Maximus."
I could see the shock and disbelief on Maximus' face. He looked at me, then back at the baby, then at Melezo.
I could read the questions ge might have through his gaze. He was probably wondering if I was pregnant, when and how, if this child was really his baby.
"What do you want?" he growled.
Melezo smiled again, almost taunting him. "Simple. I want your throne. And I want Felicity by my side."
Maximus grited his teeth, his fists clenching in rage. "Over my dead body," he spat.
Melezo merely shrugged, as if Maximus' words were meaningless to him. "So be it. We'll settle this once and for all. You and me, Maximus. One on one. Winner takes all."
Melezo turned to one of his guards in the room and said, "Open her cell."
The guard quickly moved to the door of the cell and opened it, freeing me and my baby. As soon as we were out of the cell, Maximus made a move towards us.
But the guards quickly stepped in front of him, blocking his path. He struggled against them, yelling, "Let me go!"
But the guards were unyielding, and they led me and my baby straight to Melezo.
Melezo smirked as I stood trembling next to him, clutching my crying baby tightly. "Ah, Felicity. So good to see you again. You'll make a lovely queen by my side." Melezo looked us over with a cold, calculating gaze. After a moment, he turned to the guards and said, "Take her to the ravine."
I felt my blood run cold as the guards led me to a door. They opened it, revealing the deep, dark chasm of a ravine below.
Fear gripped me as one of the guards grabbed me by the hair with his right hand and took hold of my baby's collar with his left. Then, he turned to Maximus and said, "Choose, Maximus. Choose between your love, family and your throne." Maximus seethed with anger, his eyes locked on me and our child. "You leave her out of this. Let her go, Melezo."
Melezo only laughed. "Not until you make a choice, Maximus. Your throne or your family."
The guard holding me tightened his grip on my hair, causing me to wince in pain. "Choose now, or both of them meet their end."
Maximus seethed with anger, his eyes locked on me and our child. "You leave her out of this. Let her go, Melezo."
Melezo simply stood there, watching with a smug smile on his face, as maximus struggled to make a decision that no one should ever have to make.