Betrayed by an alpha claimed by a lycan king

Chapter 143 Chapter 143

SAGE

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Relief washed over me the moment the door closed behind Titus. I waited a beat, holding my breath to make sure he was truly gone. Silence settled over the room, a comforting sound from the suffocating intensity of his presence. Whatever reason he had for leaving, I didn't care. What mattered was that I had time to figure out how to get this cursed charm off my thigh.

I sat on the edge of the bed and lifted my skirt, revealing the intricate band clinging stubbornly to my skin. Its faintly glowing runes pulsed softly, like a heartbeat mocking my desperation. I tugged at it, trying to slide it down toward my ankle, but it wouldn't budge. The damn thing was fused to me, stubborn as the man who put it there.

My frustration bubbled over. I needed to try something else.

Scanning the room, my eyes landed on the wooden drawer by the bedside. Hope flickered. There had to be something useful inside. I strode over, yanking the drawer open and rifling through its contents.

A glint of silver caught my eye-a pair of scissors

That'll do.

Grabbing them, I hurried back to the bed, propping my foot up on the edge for better access. The charm's delicate lace-like pattern was deceptively elegant, hiding the sinister magic woven into its design. "I'll cut you off if it's the last thing I do," I muttered under my breath.

I wedged the blades between the charm and my skin, squeezing the scissors tightly. The metal bit down, but instead of cutting through, the charm responded violently, constricting around my thigh like a living serpent.

"Fck!" I hissed, pain shooting through my leg as the band tightened mercilessly. My thigh throbbed; the blood flow was nearly cut off. The sharp edges of the scissors were cutting through my skin. I dropped the scissors with a clatter, my hands flying to the charm in a desperate attempt to pry it loose.

The pressure only grew worse, my skin burning under the strain. Panic clawed at my chest as numbness crept through my leg.

"Damn you, Titus," I spat through gritted teeth, tears stinging my eyes.

The charm finally loosened, easing its tight grip around my leg and settling back into place as if mocking my failed attempt to remove it. My chest heaved, my breathing rough from the effort. A sharp pain shot through my thigh, and when I glanced down, my stomach churned.

A deep red line cut across my skin, just above the charm-a wound from my desperate struggle to cut it off. Blood welled up from the gash, trickling down my leg in thin, stubborn lines. I hissed through clenched teeth, the pain fueling my anger.

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I pressed shaky fingers against the wound to stop the bleeding, but all I did was smear the blood across my skin. The charm pulsed faintly, its eerie glow seeming to mock me for even trying.

My fury burned hotter than the pain. My legs wobbled as I forced myself toward the bathroom. Turning on the faucet, I splashed cold water over the wound, sucking in a sharp breath as the sting hit me.

The cut throbbed, and I noticed a faint shimmer around its edges, making my skin crawl. Was it the charm's doing? I ran my fingers near it, unease creeping up my spine.

4:05 Ron, 10 Feb 2

Titus. His name burned in my thoughts. I hate him to the core.

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I grabbed a towel and wrapped it tightly around my thigh, biting back a groan as the pressure stung. The bleeding slowed, but my anger didn't. If I couldn't break this charm by force, I'd have to find another way-and outwit Titus in the process. A promise echoed through my mind: I will break free. One way or another.*

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed outside the door, making my pulse spike. I forced myself to stand straight, wiping the blood from my hands.

The door creaked open, and there he was. Titus. His eyes immediately landed on my leg, darkening as they caught sight of the wound. There was something unreadable in his gaze.

"Y-You're back," I stuttered. It hadn't been long since he left. I wasn't expecting him to be back this quick.

"You're bleeding," he said calmly, stepping into the room, ignoring my words.

I met his gaze head-on, refusing to back down. "So much for stating the obvious," I shot back, my voice laced with sarcasm.

Titus's eyes flicked to the wound on my thigh, the towel soaked with my blood. His expression darkened, confusion mingling with something sharper. "That can't be. Shouldn't you have healing powers?"

My heart skipped a beat, and panic gripped me. I was hoping he had forgotten about that part, but he didn't. Titus knew my body was supposed to heal almost instantly from any wound, thanks to the ancient red wolf's magic that flowed through my veins.

But that power had vanished the moment I gave birth to the twins, drained from me as though I never had it. Until now, I don't exactly know what happened. The twins seem to be normal aside from the distinctive color of their hair.

I forced a laugh, though it came out shaky. "Guess I'm not as invincible as everyone thinks," I said lightly, hoping to brush off his scrutiny.

His eyes narrowed. "You're hiding something," he said before he looked at me straight in the eye. He was trying to get inside my head.

My eyes widened in fear. I quickly gather every strength left in my body to block the link connecting us.

Titus's expression darkened further. He took a slow, deliberate step toward me, his towering presence suffocating. "You're blocking me," he uttered, clearly unimpressed by my action. "What are you hiding from me, kitten?"

I crossed my arms over my chest, mustering what little defiance I had left. "I'm not. It's not my problem if you have a hard time believing that."

I was expecting another banter from him, but panic surged through me when I saw him quickly taking the space separating us. Before I could stop him, he closed the distance between us, dropping to one knee. His hand wrapped around my calf, firm but strangely gentle as he pulled my leg toward him.

"Hey!" I protested, trying to pull away. "What are you-"

"Stay still," he commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.

I stiffened as his warm hand gripped my leg, sending an unwelcome shiver down my spine. With deliberate care, he peeled back the towel from my thigh, revealing the gash. Blood trickled down in dark streaks, staining my skin. His jaw tightened, and his brows furrowed in disbelief. Without a word, he pressed the towel firmly against the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

14:05 Mon, 10 Feb.

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The tension in the room thickened as his sharp gaze landed on the bloodstained scissors lying on the floor. He bent down. picked them up, and straightened to his full height, his expression unreadable.

Our faces were just inches apart, and I felt the warm brush of his mint-scented breath against my cheek. My heart raced, but I refused to back down.

"Don't be stubborn," he said, his voice low but firm, holding up the scissors between us. "This won't help you."

I swallowed hard but kept silent, defiant despite the pain throbbing through my thigh.

His gaze stayed firm. "That charm can only be removed by me. Nothing else will work. All you're going to do is hurt yourself. So quit doing stupid things, will you?"noveldrama

I squared my shoulders, refusing to be intimidated. "I'm afraid I can't do that," I said firmly, defiance dripping from my words. "I'll do anything-try everything-to escape."

A flicker of amusement crossed his face, though his eyes remained dark with something far more dangerous. Without another word, Titus turned and walked to the door. He pulled it open with a slow, deliberate motion, the hinges creaking ominously.

"Go on," he said casually, gesturing toward the open doorway with a sweeping motion of his hand. Td like to see you try."

My heart raced as I stared at the open door. Was this a trick? A trap? Or was he simply testing me, confident that I couldn't truly escape?

But I didn't have time to overthink. If there was even the slightest chance at freedom, I had to take it.

Without a look back, I bolted toward the door, my feet pounding against the floor as I sprinted down the corridor. My lungs burned with exertion, but I didn't care. The possibility of freedom was too intoxicating to ignore.

I glanced back, expecting to see Titus hot on my heels, but there was nothing-no sign of him, no echo of footsteps following me.

Relief surged through me. I kept running, the hallway blurring as adrenaline pushed me forward. My breath came in ragged gasps as I rounded a corner and saw it-the gate. Freedom was just beyond it.

A triumphant smile spread across my face as I surged forward. The cool breeze kissed my skin, a promise of what lay beyond this nightmare.

But just as I reached the gate, my body collided with something unseen, a force so powerful it sent me stumbling backward.

"What the-?" I gasped, reaching out with trembling fingers only to meet empty air. My hand pressed against an invisible barrier, smooth and unyielding like glass.

Desperation clawed at my chest. I pushed harder, pounding my fists against the force keeping me caged. Panic rose as realization dawned-Titus had anticipated this. "No," I whispered, my voice cracking with disbelief. "No, no, no!"

I clawed at the barrier, my nails scraping uselessly against the invisible wall. My breaths came fast and shallow, fury and frustration twisting into a tight knot inside me.

To add salt to the wound, I noticed a few maids walking out of the gate with no problem at all. They were looking at me with a furrowed brow, staring at me like I'm some kind of lunatic. 14:05 Mon, 10 Feb 17.

Behind me, a low, mocking voice shattered the silence.

""Problem, kitten?" Titus drawled, his tone laced with smug amusement.

I whipped around to see him standing a few feet away, arms crossed over his broad chest, his dark eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

"You knew," I demanded, my voice quivering with rage.

He shrugged with infuriating nonchalance. "Obviously. I told you-there's no getting out unless I say so."

"I hate you! I fcking hate you!" I screamed, my frustration boiling over.

His eyes darkened, a cold smile tugging at his lips. "The feeling's mutual, kitten. I hate you down to my very core"