Chapter 4 Escape.

"Hey, big brother."

"Hi, Liam. How's it going?"

"Great."

"And your mate? How y'all doing? Getting along?"

Liam glanced back at Sapphire who was busy on an Ipad before replying, "Yeah. We're doing good. How about you? How's your mate?"

"She's out for my blood. We can't tolerate each other."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay. I called to warn you that the Uprising is gaining more ground, Liam. Watch your borders. Watch beyond your borders. Tell your men to be careful and if you need any help, you let me know."

Liam was silent for a moment. "Of course."

"I better go now. Talk to you later."

"Sure."

"And say Hi to Sapphire for me."

"I will, Nick. Thank you."

"Anytime."

Nick hung up the phone. He knew there wasn't going to be a problem with Liam and his mate. Liam had been waiting for her since he was twelve, anticipating, hoping. And now that he had her, Nick knew there was no letting go and he wished them all the joy in the world.

Skylar, on the other hand, was a different thing entirely. She was a wild, wild card.

From below, noises rose.

"No one is allow there, Luna. It's forbidden."

"Well, I'm the Luna, aren't I?"

"But-"

"What does he hide in there anyways? His torture chamber? Skulls of people he's beheaded?"

The maid bowed at someone behind her. She turned.

"Oh, it's you."

Nick nodded at the maid, who bowed backed out and left.

"What's in there?" She pointed to a thick mahogany door. The door appeared non-existent and only if you paid closer attention to the room would you discover it, and Skylar had been paying close attention.

Because she would run as soon as she could. And as far away as possible.

"You can hear, can't you? And do you even walk? You haven't got footpads? You glide like a snake?"

Wordlessly, Nick turned to go up the stairs.

"Run, bambi, run." Skylar muttered underneath her breath.

Later that day, he heard shouting from his office and looked out the window. His men were running helter-skelter.

"What is going on?" he asked once he got outside.

"The - the Luna," one stammered in reply. "She's escaped."

Nick cursed out an oath. Shoeless, he dashed out into the woods that bordered his land and her scent hit him like a brick of wall.

"Skylar." he called out. Then listened attentively again. She had ran in her human form for a while, no doubt to tear him off her scent, and had later transformed into her wolf.

He sucked in air angrily. "Pray I don't catch you," he said, and went after her.

*****

"Let's pay each other some attention." Ignoring her wouldn't do, he concluded.

"What? Lemme go!" She fought against his strength in futility. "Leave me alone, you brute. Help! Murderer!"

He pulled her effortlessly towards the mahogany door she had been so curious about.

"I won't bother you again. I swear! Just let me go." She kicked and pulled and scratched.

Nick opened the door, and turned on the lights.

He shoved her on a chair in the middle of the room, handcuffing her unceremoniously to it. Other than the chair, the only thing in the room was a table with heavy chains on it.

"What are you doing?!"

He found a stool and sat opposite her. For a while, he only stared at her. "It seems we've been playing around for too long."

In a bored fashion, he drew a knife from his pocket. "You know where I got this from?" he asked, going on without waiting for her reply. "I lived with the wolves of a Scandinavian country once."

Skylar shuddered when he mentioned the name of the country. Every wolf knew that they were people not to be crossed.

"They aren't just master warriors and strategists who have gotten use to their country's cold and mountainous nature. They also have amongst them witches and wizards of great power. This knife was a gift from one of them. Guess what it can do?"

Skylar kept mute.

"Guess, Skylar, or have you suddenly lost your power of speech?"

She shook her head. Maybe she had gone too far. It seemed he had snapped.

"If used correctly, it can kill an Alpha wolf in seconds. Not just kill, but shred to pieces. Now I wonder what it'll do to you."

"You can't blame me for not liking you."

"Tone."

"Sorry."

"I can torture you to the verge of death, Skylar, but just barely, so you're hanging between the crossroads of the two worlds. Or I could kill you, bring you back, and kill you again. Or would you like to battle demons, seen only by you? Pick one."

Her mouth dried and she swallowed.

"Or I could have them bath you in ice. Ever had one, Skylar, an ice bath?"

Her voice was croaky as she replied, "No."

"I think you would be better for the experience."

"Look. I'm sorry, okay? I just don't- It's difficult, that's all."

He only stared at her. Then he stood up.

"I'll come back later in the evening."

"No, wait! Don't leave me here!"

He didn't reply. He turned off the light and shut the heavy door.

The room plunged into darkness.