Traded

Chapter 85

*Merikh*

The air is warm and sticky, only adding to my already heightened irritation. I miss her; I miss her so damn much and I am angry every second of every damn day. What I want is my mate back at any costs and that is a dangerous thought to have. To give up my life to know she will be okay would be well worth it.

But I want a life with her. One with adoration and singing her praises so she understands how amazing she truly is. I want to give her everything, including a new me, a better and more improved version. The version who is better at communication and listening. She deserves a mate who will just sit in awe of her and let her be exactly who she is.

All I want is another chance even when I have had so many. But I’ve learned, I have grown and I am ready to alpha up and be everything she needs. Including a hero or a sacrifice to ensure she gets away from the assholes who have her.

“Merikh,” Hayes hollers out my name, running toward me. Panic is written all over his face as he stops in front of me and my stomach drops.

“What is wrong?” I ask, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Did something happen?”

“Caspian received a box that was sent for you,” He says.

I give him a confused stare.

“And?” I ask.

Hayes clears his throat and looks away before he exhales and shakes his head.

“It is…it smells of her.” He mutters, unable to look at me.

“It smells like Colette?” I ask, my heart skipping a beat.

“Yes,” he mutters. “It smells like her blood.”

He clears his throat, and it feels like the world shakes beneath my feet. My mouth falls open to say something articulate, alpha like, but instead a shocked, pained groan tumbles out.

Then I break into a sprint, tearing through the garden, bounding over the pristine green bushes and breaking through the door. The second I hit the hallway to the kitchen, I freeze, picking up the faint scent of her blood.

Bile rises in my throat, my lycan howling and hiding in the back of my mind, too heartbroken at the possibility of what this might mean. I clear my throat, running both hands through my hair as I suck in a deep breath, preparing myself for the worst.

If it is confirmation she is dead, then I will stop at nothing to kill every fucking dragon and the last standing phoenix before allowing myself to meet her in the moonbeams.

“Merikh…” Caspian says as I walk into the room, unable to remain calm as my hands shake, pointing to the small box on the table.

“Is that it?” I ask him and he nods.

My fingers tremble as I take the little box, a streak of blood on the outside, and tear open the top. As I pull the flaps open, her sweet scent flows out, bringing tears to my eyes when I see a ribbon tied around a chunk of her soft hair. I lift it out, holding it to my nose and inhaling as my eyes fall closed, relishing this little piece of her.

Then I place it to the side and look at the phone in the box with a small envelope sitting next to it. I grab the white paper and pull out a small note card, staring at it.

“What does it say?” Caspian asks, his voice shaking.

*4362 here is a little surprise for you,” I read, placing it to the side as I pull out the phone and a lock screen pops up.

“What does that mean?” Caspian asks, picking up the card written in his daughter’s blood.

“It’s the passcode.” I mutter as I type it in and it opens to the video screen.

Everything fades away, my heart the only sound I can hear as it raps away in my chest, my lungs squeezing like there is no air to be found. I wanted to see her, get my eyes on her, to at least see she is alive. But this is worse, so much worse than I imagined.

“Alpha!” Hayes screams and I turn my head to look at him, blinking as I try to process the video screen I can’t bring myself to hit play on.

“What is it?” Caspian asks, reaching for the phone. He takes it and I don’t fight him as he gulps and closes his eyes like he is fighting off tears.

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“We need to watch it.” I mutter, walking toward the massive living room.

“I can’t…” Caspian says and I look over at him, his face as white as a mountaintop mid winter.

“Hayes, figure out how to have it on the screen.” I grumble, dropping into the couch preparing myself for the worst but also reminding myself I need to see this. I have to look for clues, find something to discover where she is.

“You want to watch it on that thing?” Caspian sneers, pacing over to me and standing in the way. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Everything.” I grumble, leaning forward, my elbows on my knees. “Everything is fucking wrong when she isn’t with me.”

“Are you trying to punish yourself? Is that what this is?” He asks, confused, and I scoff.

“No, I am watching it because if she has to live it, then I should have to as well. We need to know what they are doing to her. I need to see it so I can return the fucking favor to them.” I look up at him. “There could be clues about where she is,” Hayes also says, and I know I can always rely on him to know why I am doing things.

“Shit,” Caspian mutters, then he walks over to the other side of the couch and plops down. “Let’s get this over with, then.”

Hayes looks at me once he has the TV on and the phone screen sharing. The image of Colette is right before me. The little play button obstructed nothing but that barrier in my mind, screaming ‘I can’t do this‘. But I have to.

“Hit play.” I tell him.

Suddenly there she is, my perfect, beautiful little luna. Her face is sunken, her glow gone, but she is still as beautiful as she always is. It is clear they are starving her, giving her minimal liquids, probably because they are afraid of what she can do.

“Say it,” a voice off screen says forcefully. Colette looks up at the person and rolls her eyes. Then she looks directly at the camera.

“Fuck yourself.” She says, a small smirk on her chapped and bloody lips. A thrill of pride ripples through me, but it is short–lived.

“Suit yourself.” The woman says as she steps forward and lifts a metal bar.

I stand, growling at the screen as the woman swings it and slams it into her stomach, making the wind wheeze from my chest. I fall to my knees, my eyes watering and my body quivering with anger and no outlet.

Colette cries out in pain, her head falling forward as she struggles to suck in a full breath. All I can hear is her labored breathing that sounds like a heavy wheeze, and my chest is torn wide open. I love how strong she has become mentally, but I need her to give in, to stop herself from being a smart ass when she is on the line.

“Just say it, love,” I whisper, finding myself moving closer to the screen. “Just fucking say what they want.”

Another scream breaks through the TV speakers and I look at Colette, who is silent and unmoving. She lifts her fiery gaze to someone off screen and she fights against her restraints.

“Leave her alone!” She wails. “I will say it, okay? I will say it. Please, just don’t hurt Melody anymore.”

The woman saunters back in, moving behind Colette and placing her hands on her shoulders, digging her nails into her skin as she bleeds through

her shirt.

“I warned you, every time you resist I will just torture your dear little mommy.”

My eyes grow wide and I try to recall what Giselle had said before the meeting went up in flames.

“What?” Caspian gasps, and I look over to find him next to me. “Melody is really alive? I thought they were lying. That they were trying to evoke an emotional response and catch me off guard.”

“I’m sorry.” Colette whispers, tears on her cheek as she looks mournfully off the screen. “I will say it now. I promise.”

“Then get it over with already, your highness.” The bitch says in

annoyance.

“Merikh.” Colette whispers, looking directly into my soul, pain in her eyes as she struggles to breathe still. “If you want me, come and get me. War is on the horizon, a barrage of fire and death is coming via the sky and you must choose. Me, or our kind-”

A fist connects with her ear and her head snaps to the left, a whimper breaking from her lips.

I growl again, my fists balled up and creaking as my bones ache from the pressure. This fucking bitch is going to

slow and painful death.

“His kind, not yours. You are not the same breed.” The woman hisses.

“Me or all of lycan and werewolf kind.” Colette whispers.

2/3

The video cuts off, leaving us all in stunned silence.

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