Chapter 1: Caspian
“Are you sure about this, Caspian? You have so much work to do.” Sabrina sighed as I opened the car door for her.
“Absolutely, my dear. We need to celebrate.” I spun her around in my arms before she got inside the car, pressing her close to my body, “It’s not everyday I learn that I’m going to be a dad.” I purred.
I pressed my lips passionately to Sabrina’s, running my hands down to her belly. Just last night my mate, wife, and Queen Luna informed me that she was eight weeks pregnant with my child. I couldn’t be happier and my mate deserved a relaxing vacation, we both did. I moved my hand to her face before pulling away,
“I love you so much.” I whispered and her entire face lit up,
“I love you, too.”
“Come on, get in the car.” I laughed, helping her into the passenger seat. I walked around to the driver’s side and started up the car.
“Where are we going?” Sabrina asked with an excited smile on her face.
“To the cabin.” I replied simply.
My father purchased the cabin after my eldest brother was born as an escape for our family and, since then, it’s become my favorite place to go. Sabrina and I met three years ago, but all of my duties kept me from being able to get away long enough to take her there. It was about an hour's drive from the castle, deep inside the Golden Woods.
“Without any guards?” She looked around in surprise.
“I staged a breakout.” I winked at her and she giggled.
“That’s awfully naughty, your highness.” She smirked, resting her hand on my knee. A deep growl formed in my chest and I nearly pulled the car over right then and there to take her.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, my Queen.” I said, wrapping one of my arms behind her so I could run my hand through her blonde hair.
“I thought you liked games, my King?” She looked at me with her bright green eyes.
I stepped on the accelerator and she started laughing again, it was like music to my ears. In no time at all, we were moving down the driveway towards the cabin. Suddenly, Sabrina screamed.
A wolf had plowed into her side of the car, nearly knocking us off the road. I jerked the steering wheel hard to the right, steadying the car back on the driveway before slamming the breaks.
“Stay in the car, lock the doors.” I told her, undoing my seatbelt. There were dozens of rogues slipping out of the woods now.
“Caspian.” She cried. I pulled her face towards me and kissed her once.
“It’ll be okay, Sabrina, I promise.” I assured her before opening and closing the car door. I heard the locks click behind me.
“King Alpha, how gracious of you to walk right into our trap.” A man sneered, walking towards me.
“Who the hell are you?” I snarled.
“You don’t recognize me? How poetic.” The man chuckled. I narrowed my eyes on him, trying to figure out where I knew this man from.
“What do you want?” I honestly didn’t care who he was, he was going to be dead soon, anyway.
“Well, if we’re exchanging Christmas lists, mine is to have your head on a pike. But, alas, that’s not on the agenda for today. So, we’ll settle for your bride’s instead.” He grinned.
I turned around just in time to see several men dragging Sabrina out of the car. I let out a viscous roar and lunged forward, but I was stopped before I could shift into Jess. Four men jumped on me, latching silver onto my ankles, wrists, and around my throat. A chain was attached to the silver collar, giving them full control over me. The man yanked me down to my knees and I watched helplessly as they manhandled Sabrina.
“Let her go! I swear to the Moon Goddess, I will kill every last one of you!” I roared.
“I don’t think you’ll be doing much from this position.” The man laughed, “Let me introduce myself. I’m Cohan, leader of the rogues here in the werewolf realm.” The man said.
“There are no rogues in the werewolf realm.” I snapped, not once taking my eyes off of Sabrina.
The men surrounding her had her restrained with silver bracelets around her wrists so she couldn’t shift. She was thrashing around in their arms, desperately trying to get away. Her eyes locked with mine and they were full of fear.
“Shows how much you know, great Alpha King Caspian Storm. You and your family of royal hags no nothing of what goes on right under your noses. You are not in charge here, you just don’t know it, yet. But, after today, I guarantee you’ll never forget my name.” Cohan said.
“Let her go!” I growled.
“Now, now. Why would I do that?” Cohan shrugged before waving one hand towards his men, “I’m going to destroy you from the inside out.” His face grew serious and dark, his eyes a void of blackness.
Before I could say or do anything, one of the men was holding my mate by her throat, her feet dangling in the air. I screamed out, feeling pathetic and useless as I watched them terrorize my mate. She clawed at her throat, gurgling as she struggled for air. The men laughed around her. Cohan knelt down in front of my face while one of his men kept me at bay with his silver chain,
“First, I’ll make you watch as my men ravish your mate before ripping her apart into tiny pieces. I’ll come for your family next, starting with your precious baby sister.” Cohan whispered. I spat in his face just as Sabrina screams caught my attention.
I whipped around to face her just in time to see the men ripping her clothes off and pushing her against a tree.
“Don’t touch her!” I shouted. One of the men turned around and smirked at me, winking as his disgusting hands roamed over my mate’s body.
“Oh, she’s a beauty, isn’t she?” Cohan said as Sabrina stood there completely naked. I tried to attack him, but his men held me back. I wrestled with the silver restraints until my eyes met with Sabrina’s again.
As the men took turns forcing themselves into my mate, her expression became blank and her eyes lifeless. She disassociated with what was happening to her, refusing to look at me or anyone else; her eyes were fixated on the ground. I couldn’t explain it, but the fight left me as the will to live left her. I’m ashamed of myself, ashamed at how easily I gave in. Watching them assault my mate over and over again ripped my soul from my body, taking every ounce of strength I had with it.
I tried to look away, but Cohan and his men wouldn’t let me. He grabbed my face and forced me to look just as the men behind me yanked the silver chain, pulling my head up.
“You will watch this. You will live in your uselessness and understand how you were unable to do anything to protect your precious mate.” Cohan said as the last man finished with Sabrina. She collapsed to her knees, her body crumbling around her while blood poured between her thighs.
“You will pay for this.” I said between my teeth.
“I haven’t done anything….yet.” Cohan's smirk returned. He dropped my face and walked over to Sabrina like a predator stalking its prey.
“Hello, honey.” He grabbed Sabrina’s chin and forced her to look at him, “What do you have to say to your Alpha King who couldn’t protect you?” He baited.
Sabrina’s eyes flashed towards me and she did the one thing I never expected. She smiled. Her eyes flashed to life for the briefest moment.
“I forgive him.” She said, “And I love him.”
Cohan didn’t like that answer as he reeled back and slapped her across the face. Her head snapped to the side and her face was expressionless again.
“NO!” I shouted with everything left in me, thrashing against the chain with all my rage. I saw more of Cohan's men rush over to help restrain me. For a moment, Cohan actually looked afraid.
And then he pulled Sabrina from the ground and held her in front of him, wrapping his arm around her neck from behind. I could feel it, I was seconds away from breaking free. Before I could, Cohan jerked his hands and snapped Sabrina’s neck. She crumbled to the ground, lifeless.
My body gave up, my werewolf strength failing me as I dropped to the ground, screaming. I sobbed unapologetically, tears pooling from my eyes.
“Now you know. You are nothing and never will be. We are the rulers here.” Cohan sneered in my face before motioning for his men to clear out.
One by one, the rogues shifted into wolves and ran off through the woods. One of the men behind me wrapped the silver chain around a tree, tying me up like a common dog. Cohan was the last to shift, taking one last look at me before laughing and running off.
I laid flat on the ground, burying my face in the gravel driveway. I didn’t care if I ever got up, if anyone ever came and unleashed me. I could die here and be fine with it. I didn’t deserve to live after I let my mate be raped and murdered in front of my eyes. I wasn’t worthy of being a man, a mate, or a King ever again.
