𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 ( 𝐌𝐱𝐌 ) [ DARK ROMANCE ]

Chapter 11 | PHASE ONE: Time

RAIDEN ||

Two days later

I growl, grabbing hold of the steel bars and shaking them as hard as I could, wanting nothing more than to wake up from this nightmare.

Reland and I had woken up to two days ago only to realize that we were being held captive within the cells of Dylan's pack.

My anxiety had gone through the roof by the very first night as I'd never wanted to find myself locked behind a cell ever again — yet here I was.

Trapped, scared, furious, enraged — and my mate of all people was to blame.

Letting go of the bars, I pace my cell — the only comfort that touched my heart was the fact that I could see Reland in his cell right across from mine.

My heart beating so hard, I felt dizzy, my vision blurred, the head pounding — the threat of my anxiety crippling me had become all too real as I slid down the wall of my cell, my body hitting the floor, my hand instinctively going up to my chest to slow my rapidly beating heart.

Closing my eyes, I try to suck in a breath that gets caught in my throat, my chest clogged with fear, images of my time in N.E.U.R.O. Labs — my time in chains, beaten, tortured, starved, controlled — all rushing to the forefront of my mind as my heart continues to pound in my chest.

"Fuck," I was starting to panic, everything was becoming too real.

My fear, my anxiety — these cells, Dylan's betrayal, the fact that I couldn't feel Onyx, my body wouldn't stop trembling, my hands wouldn't stop shaking. . .

I can't breathe.

I can't fucking breathe. . .

Clutching onto the front of my shirt, I swallow and then swallow again, my breaths coming out harsher, faster, louder.

"Reland, help me," I whisper my words and the moment that I do, the tears that I'd been trying to hold back this entire time, break free and the all too familiar devastation of the entire situation hits me.

I'm locked up again, I'm going to be used again, abused again, tortured, beaten — my mate betrayed me, he used our bond against me, he helped his pack capture me — they tried to kill me.

"Breathe, Raiden, deep breaths, try to focus on my voice, don't let this drag you under, don't focus on the pain, on the past. . . try to think about your family, think about me, think about anything that makes you happy. . . don't let this win."

I could hear Reland's voice — his words attempting to soothe me as I try to take another deep breath that gets caught in my throat again.

"I-I can't breathe, Reland," Thrashing up against the cell wall, my chest clogs up so harshly, my grip on my shirt tightens as I beg it all to stop.

"Deep breaths, Raiden," Reland whispers, his voice steady yet I could hear the fear behind it. "Think of what we're going to do when we get out of here. We're going to bust out of this fucking place, kill any wolf that stands in our way and then we're going to go back to your place and enjoy that dinner."

I nod — trying to focus on his words, on his explanation, to allow his words to calm my choked frame.

"But first we're going to have to clean out your fucking car man because that meat surely caused a problem by now, oh the maggots!" He exclaims dramatically and I chuckle, thinking about the horror that my car was left in.

"Raiden, bro, the maggots!" Reland gasps, repeating himself as if he didn't believe it the first time. "And it's not just the maggots, but the smell, man fuck, your car probably smells like hot ass, feet and armpits on a summer day!"