Chapter 4 PUT ME DOWN

His eyes searched hers again, that blank expression taking over once more. Nyra gulped, wondering what he would do now. She knew that compared to the power he had, she was completely helpless. This beast could take off her head and move on without breaking a sweat.

Lucian looked away from her and up at the scrappy rope she had fashioned. He muttered something to himself and then turned and strolled back towards the manor.

"Hey!" Nyra called out. "Put me down!"

He ignored her and continued to stride through the front door. Not wanting to risk angering him more, she kept quiet and turned her attention to the place that had become her prison.

Lucian walked past the entrance of the beautiful garden she had been admiring and moved towards the massive front door that was covered by moss. She had been right to call the place a manor because it was certainly nothing less than that.

As they moved further inside, she could see the evidence of neglect all around, with dust coating all the furniture and making the air itself seem musty.

Still beneath it all, she could see the regal designs of the pillars and the chandeliers. Even the staircase seemed like something out of a fairytale. But there were long claw marks along them that bore evidence of the brute who inhabited the place.

Wordlessly, Lucian went up the stairs and turned left. She kept her eyes open, taking in details so that she would be able to find her way out. All she needed to do was bide some time and wait for the right opportunity; then she would escape.

Without breaking a sweat, he stopped at one of the rooms along the long corridor and shifted her in his arms so he could open the door. Once he did, he walked inside, and only then did he let go of her, dropping her unceremoniously onto the bed.

He made his way across the room to the window and pulled the rope up. Nyra watched, terrified, as his nails grew into long claws, which he used to tear it up into shreds.

"Never again," he growled and stormed out, slamming the door and locking it shut. Only once she heard his footsteps recede did Nyra let go of the breath that she hadn't even realized she was holding.

Moments later, the door opened, startling Nyra from where she'd been brooding at the edge of the bed. She sat up quickly, wondering if Lucian had changed his mind and decided her head would roll after all, but it wasn't him at the door.

Instead, two Lycans-a male and a female-strolled into the room, the former carrying multiple shopping bags while the latter was pushing in some sort of tarp-covered cart. They were, in a word, stunning. Nyra noted the startling resemblance between them, from the strawberry blonde hair to the piercing blue eyes and realized that they were probably siblings. They were beautiful in a way that was too perfect to be human.

Yet they're nothing compared to the Alpha, a voice inside her said, and she pushed it back, hating herself for entertaining that thought.

She watched them intently as they moved closer, her sense of discomfort and rage rising once more whenever she was among members of the species. It was almost funny how she had gone from actively avoiding Lycans in town whenever she could to this, kidnapped and forced to rely on them to stay alive.

Thankfully, they stopped a few feet away from her, leaving what they had come with before bowing their heads and walking out. Nyra waited for the sound of the lock sliding back into place before releasing a sigh of relief.

She started by checking the cart first. Slowly, Nyra lifted the tarp and found a multilayered structure that had some form of food on each level. The first had various Tupperware containers with a variety of dishes and disposable cutlery. The second held different fruits and chocolates, while the third contained bottles of water and a few other drinks.

Looks like he's really planning to keep me here for a while, Nyra mused to herself, unsure of what to do with all of the food before her. Could she even trust that it wasn't poisoned? But then again, would the Alpha really go to all the trouble of poisoning a meal when he could've easily just pulled out her jugular earlier?

Nah, Nyra concluded, and picked up an apple. She bit in slowly and began to chew, waiting a few seconds to see if she would suddenly start to feel anything wrong.

When that didn't happen, she picked up one of the Tupperware containers and dug in, remembering then that she hadn't eaten anything for almost twenty-four hours and was now ravenous.

After she finished the meal, Nyra turned her attention to the numerous shopping bags on the floor, letting out a gasp when she realized they were all designer brands. She went through them and found dresses, shoes, coats, shirts, and so much more. A furious blush lit up her cheeks when she picked up a La Perla box and found exquisite lingerie in different colors and styles. Somehow, everything seemed to be in her size.

The Alpha was insane. He had to be insane. There was no other explanation for this. All this time he had spent alone in this estate must have driven him mad. That must be why he thought he could just kidnap her, bring her here, and then dress her in high-end brands like she was some doll.

She shoved it all aside, channeling her rage to come up with a plan. There was no reason for her to play this game of cat and mouse with him. If he thought he could appease her with food and clothes, he was wrong.

Nyra went to the window and looked down, this time locking eyes with the female who had left her room earlier. They stared at each other for a few moments before the female rolled her eyes and began to pace the ground directly below Nyra.