Imprisoned By Alpha Voridian

Imprisoned by the devil's Bargain

ELOWEN

I couldn’t move, couldn’t escape. My head was pressed against the cold, unforgiving platter, the wooden edge digging into my skin. I felt the executioner’s hand in my hair, pulling it back and exposing my neck.

This was it. My life was about to end in an instant, and there was no one to help me. I could have ignored Maverick, pretended I didn’t see him if I had wanted to save myself. But I couldn’t. Without him, I wouldn’t be alive. I owed him everything, and pretending not to care wasn’t something I could do.

Not to him.

Tears streamed down my face as I whispered my last words to him. "Maverick, I’m sorry. I’m sorry this is the end for us."

"Elowen," he whispered, struggling against the restraints, trying to free himself. "You can’t kill her! If you want someone to die, it should be me! Kill me!" he shouted at the guards.

"Begin the execution!" the Gamma shouted at the executioner.

I saw the blade being raised, glinting in the sunlight. My life was ending, and my only regret was not killing the Alpha King, who had brought so much pain to all humans. The Alpha King had been kind to me the night before, even though I believed it was just an act to catch me off guard and get rid of me when the time came.

Not even he could save me this time because I knew that he would be happy to see me dead.

I shut my eyes as the executioner lowered the blade. I waited for it to touch my neck, but it didn’t come. Instead, I heard a commotion, a loud voice shouting in the distance, and the scuffling of feet.

"Stop immediately!"

His voice.

I recognized it, and it made me tremble when I knelt. My chest pounded with emotions: hope, fear, and uncertainty. Why was he here? What did he hope to do?

"What the hell is happening here?" he demanded as he walked between the guards, their heads bowed. His eyes scanned the scene before landing on me. "Princess," his voice sounded in my head, "what have you done now?"

His face was unreadable. I couldn’t figure out why he had come or how he had found out I was here—unless he had returned to the room and discovered that I had attacked his guards.

"Why is the princess about to be executed?" he demanded, moving forward until his overwhelming presence surrounded me.

The Gamma stepped forward, bowed, then turned and pointed at me. "Your Highness, not only did she disguise herself as one of the guards, but she also attacked them with this," he said, handing over the dagger he had taken from my hand to Voridian. "And she attacked me too," the Gamma added, showing his left ear where I had slashed him. Surprisingly, it hadn’t healed, which meant the dagger was laced with silver. If I had known, I would have aimed for his heart.

Voridian’s eyes flicked to the dagger, then back to me. "So, she’s a rebel, too," he chuckled. "What were you thinking, Princess? Did you think you could get away after killing my guards? I gave orders that you shouldn’t go anywhere, but you didn’t listen, and you killed two of my men." He drew closer until there was no space between us, then crouched lower to my ear. "What do you hope to achieve when you are powerless?"

Maverick suddenly shouted at him. "Leave her alone, you monster!" He struggled against the restraints, trying to stand, but Voridian responded swiftly. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Maverick, baring his teeth and slamming his head against the platter, cracking his forehead against the wood.

I screamed when I saw blood trickling down Maverick’s face. His eyes were shut tight, and he looked like he might pass out if hit again.

"Please, stop!" I begged. "Let him go, please."

But my pleas only made Voridian angrier. Heat radiated from him, and his eyes shot daggers at Maverick, looking as if he was about to kill him on the spot. "Whip him," he ordered.

I watched in horror as the guards held Maverick down and placed his head on the platter. Then I heard the whip strike his flesh, followed by his screams. "Maverick!" I shouted. "Please, have mercy on him!" I struggled against the restraints, kicking and pulling at the ropes, but it was useless. The rope around my wrists was tighter than I thought.

Since I couldn’t free myself, there was only one thing left to do—beg, even though I didn’t want to. "Please, have mercy on him!"

The whip cracked again, and with each strike, I shouted, knowing Maverick couldn’t take much more. I couldn’t bear to see him suffer any longer. "Please, stop," I cried out, saying the words I never imagined I would say to Voridian. "I will do anything."

Voridian let out a low chuckle and then stopped them. "That’s enough!" he ordered. Then, I felt the cold edge of the dagger against my neck. "Since you’re willing to do anything, Princess, should I take your life then?" he sneered. "Say your last words since you’re about to die at my hands."

I didn’t respond because I would have no regrets if it meant saving Maverick’s life. I closed my eyes, preparing for the end. But instead of the final blow, I felt the dagger withdraw from my neck and heard Voridian’s voice again. "He’s going to die first," he announced.

My eyes fluttered open to see him place the sword at Maverick’s throat. "He killed three of our guards, and he deserves to die."

I knew it.

He had read my mind, understood what I was thinking, and decided to kill Maverick instead. But I would not give up; I had to fight until the end to save my friend. "Kill me first, then you can kill him!" I begged. At least, if I died first, I wouldn’t have to witness his death. "Take my life first."

Voridian growled as he turned his attention back to me, his eyes shifting from golden to blue. "Do you think I wouldn’t kill you? Your life is in my hands, and you are of no importance to me."

I shut my eyes again, not wanting to see his eyes continue to change. "Then kill me if it will make you happy, Alpha King Voridian!"

He chuckled and raised his dagger to strike Maverick. "I’ll return to you once he’s dead," he replied. I opened my eyes, realizing he had made up his mind to kill Maverick, leaving me no choice but to do what I had intended when he first walked in.

"Please," I begged desperately. "Have mercy!"

"You’re in no position to make deals, Princess!" he responded, chuckling lightly. "This is where it ends!" He slowly lowered the dagger to end Maverick’s life.

"Please!" I cried out in my thoughts, knowing he was the only one who could hear how deeply I wanted Maverick to be saved. "I will do anything!" I shouted aloud. "I will do anything. Just spare him."

Voridian immediately lowered the dagger and turned towards me, crouching to my level again. He raised my chin to face him and chuckled. "If you say so." His fingers caressed the left side of my face; then he drew me closer until there was no space between us, our lips almost touching. "You’ve just made a deal with the devil, Princess. Expect to burn." He leaned closer, his breath fanning my neck. "And don’t think about going back on your word because from now on, you are mine!" The way he said it sounded like he was claiming ownership. Instead of being irritated by his words, my heart fluttered erratically, and excitement coursed through me.

"Release them and take them back to their cells!" he ordered, then pushed my head forward before standing up.

As the guards released the restraints on me and Maverick, I rushed to his side, checking if he was still breathing. "Maverick!" I called out his name, and when he opened his bloodied eyes to look at me, I sighed in relief and hugged him. Then I looked up to see Voridian glaring at me.

His words echoed in my mind, and I wondered if I had made a terrible mistake. What had I just agreed to? And what did he mean when he said I should expect to burn?

Voridian snorted, and then I heard his voice in my head. "Everything, Princess. Prepare to burn soon. Let’s see if you can handle the heat." He grinned at me, then turned and walked away. "Remember, you’re mine, Princess," his words resounded in my head until he was out of sight.

What had I just gotten myself into? I had made a deal with the devil himself, and just like he had said, I was going to burn, but was I ready for the heat?