Chapter 9 Esmeralda's POV

What is he doing here? I wonder, unable to move or sit up. It would be such a shame for him to see me like this.

The door swings open, and there he is, standing in the doorway, his face a mix of rage and something else I can't quite place. The Beta. What is he doing here?

"Esmeralda. Are you doing okay?" He asks, bending over me, his eyes widening as he took in the slashes across my back.

"Lucien, what are you doing here?" I ask, looking up at him in confusion. He looks me over and his jaw flexes as though he was controlling his anger. Why is he getting angry on my behalf?

"I have to get you out of here. Right now." He says, cold puffs of air coming from his mouth.

I stare up at him, barely able to process his words. Lucien's face is tense with anger, a harsh line etched into his brow as his eyes roam over my bruises and cuts. I try to push myself up, but a jolt of pain shoots through me, forcing a gasp from my lips.

"Esmeralda," he says, voice softer, yet underlined with tension. "We can't waste time."

"Lucien," I manage, my voice barely a whisper. "Why... Why are you helping me?"

He hesitates, something unreadable flashing in his gaze. "Because," he says finally, his tone low, "You don't deserve this."

Before I can respond, he leans down, slipping an arm beneath me. I try to protest, but he shakes his head. "Just trust me."

The warmth of his arm around me is a strange comfort against the biting cold of the cell. He moves quickly and carefully, supporting me as we slip through the door. My heart races, not from fear, but from the uncertainty of where he's taking me, and why he cares at all.

Lucien holds me close as we slip through the dim corridors, carefully and silently evading the guards. The faint scent of herbs wafted into my nostrils from up ahead, and I realize he's taken me to the pack witch nurse's quarters.

He pushes open the door, and the nurse looks up, eyes widening as she takes in my state. Without a word, she gestures for him to lay me down on a cot. Lucien does so with surprising gentleness, his expression never softening, though something revengeful flares in his eyes.

The nurse begins to work, muttering spells as she dabs salves on my wounds. The sting fades, replaced by a soothing warmth, and slowly, I feel strength returning to my battered body. Lucien sits beside me, never looking away.

"You're going to be okay, Esmeralda," he says softly, his tone firm yet comforting. "I won't let anything happen to you. Not anymore."

A cold, twisting fear settles in my chest. "Lucien... What if the Alpha finds out? What if he knows you took me from the cell..." My voice trembles, and I plead not wanting to get him in trouble, dragging him into this mess. "Please, take me back. He'll punish me if he finds out I left."

Lucien's jaw tightens. "Esmeralda, listen to me. What he did to you was wrong. You don't deserve to be locked away, treated like... like this." His eyes harden just a bit. "Let me help you, even if it's just for tonight."

I search his face, my heart heavy with dread as I think about the possessive Alpha. "This will only make things worse."

But Lucien just shakes his head, resolute. "Let me worry about the Alpha. You just focus on getting better."

The nurse finishes tending to my wounds, her touch gentle as she wraps a warm blanket around me. I can't help the way my body relaxes into it after the terrible cold I had suffered in that cold room.

"Rest now, dear," she murmurs kindly, her fingers lingering on my shoulder in a gesture of reassurance before she steps away.

Lucien remains by my side, his presence both comforting and unsettling. I want to trust him, but the fear of what Sheldon will do if he discovers this fills me with dread.

I turn to him, my voice barely a whisper. "Lucien, why are you risking this? If he finds out, he'll make you suffer too."

A flicker of something I can't quite place flashes in his eyes. "Because someone has to care, Esmeralda. And it's clear he doesn't." His gaze hardens as he adds, "I made a vow to protect those in our pack, and that includes you."

I swallow, not sure how to respond. He stands, glancing toward the door. "You should rest now. I'll be close by if you need anything."

Lucien pulls up a chair, and exhaustion finally pulls me under. But before sleep fully claims me, I hear his voice, low and steady, like a quiet promise. "I won't let her hurt you again."

I jolt awake, my heart racing as the sounds of shouting and crashing echo through the small room. Panic surges through me as I realize it is coming from outside. I struggle to sit up, confusion clouding my mind, when the door bursts open.

Sheldon storms in, eyes wild and furious, his presence filling the space with an icy dread. Lucien stands, a defensive posture betraying the tension radiating from him.

"What the hell is going on?" Sheldon barks, his voice cutting through the chaos like a knife. He glares at Lucien, eyes narrowing in suspicion and rage. "What gave you the right to move her?"

Before Lucien can respond, Sheldon lunges forward, delivering a swift punch that lands squarely on Lucien's jaw. The sound of impact echoes through the room, and I gasp, adrenaline shooting through my veins. Lucien staggers back but quickly regains his footing, glaring defiantly at the Alpha.

"She's not a prisoner, Sheldon!" Lucien shoots back, his voice steady despite the obvious pain in his eyes. "She deserves to be treated better than this. You can't keep her locked away like an animal."

Sheldon's eyes flare with fury, but underneath it, I see something else, a flicker of uncertainty, perhaps even guilt. "And who the hell do you think you are to interrupt on my personal territory?" he sneers, stepping closer to Lucien, looming over him. "You don't know what you're getting into."

I take a tentative step forward, desperate to intervene. "Sheldon, please..."

He turns his icy gaze toward me, and my heart freezes painfully at the coldness in his expression and I stagger, shifting away from him and hiding behind Lucien.

"She deserves to be safe," Lucien continues, his voice unwavering, standing firm despite Sheldon's looming presence.

Sheldon takes a step back, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "You're crossing a line, Lucien. She is mine to protect or punish."

I feel a chill run down my spine at his words. It is as if the air in the room has thickened with tension, suffocating me.

"Is that what you call it?" I asked, my voice trembling but firm. "Punishment? Because that's all it's been since the moment I got here."

The room falls silent, the weight of my words hanging heavy in the air. I feel both of their eyes on me, one filled with anger, the other with something softer, but no less intense. I can't believe I just talked back to him. Oh goddess.

"Esmeralda," he finally said, his voice low and dangerous. "Both of you. You're coming back to the main house."

"I don't want to," I said, my voice shaking.

"Too bad," he replied lazily, his tone giving no room for argument. "You're mine."