I woke up in a drugged haze. I could feel heavy amounts of wolfsbane in my system, more than I had ever prepared for, and more than what I was immune to. Even beyond the wolfsbane, I could feel another kind of drug coursing through my blood, making me feel sleepy.

Nevertheless, I pried my heavy eyes open, even though sleep was begging to overtake me. I was chained to a wall in a damp cellar. The scene was strikingly familiar to when I had my tongue ripped out by the rogue over 4 years ago.

Come on out, you pussies, I thought to myself, wondering why whoever captured me from the Pack House didn't show themselves. Perhaps they didn't think I would wake up so soon.

I tugged on my restraints, but it was useless. Whoever chained me up took as many precautions as possible. The combination of the chains and wolfsbane made it impossible for me to escape or even conjure weapons.

I growled as I continued yanking on the chains fruitlessly. The wolfsbane was blocking my mate bond with Cain, and I was unable to call him for help.

Suddenly, the cellar door creaked open loudly, and I snapped my head up to look at who was entering.

You, I mindlinked him when I saw him. Even though Cain was too far away for me to contact in my weakened state, I was able to mindlink the man so close in proximity to me.

Jax, Beta of Blood Lake, looked at me emotionlessly.

I laughed.

Cain is going to fucking kill you, I told him, unable to control my wild laughter.

"Cain doesn't know where either of us are," Jax responded, with zero inflection in his voice. I couldn't tell what he was feeling.

You think the Blood Alpha will ever stop trying to find his mate? I snidely asked him. You will be lucky to die at his hands, because I can assure you, if I get to kill you, I will make it excruciating.

Jax flinched slightly, but otherwise showed no signs of fear. "I am being protected. The Blood Alpha won't touch me."

Protected by who? I asked him, my curiosity piqued.

"I'm under his orders not to tell you his identity until he can be here to tell you himself," Jax responded.

Was Gwen in on this too? I snarled at him, sounding feral.

His eyes widened slightly in surprise, but also softened at the mention of his mate. "No. Much to my dismay, she has been quite enamored with you since your arrival."

You killed Carter, I accused him.

Jax's expression was overwhelmed with guilt and sorrow. "I didn't kill him. It was the rogues."

You were involved. Whoever is ordering you around like a little bitch sent the rogues too, making you responsible for his death, my tone was disgusted.

"I didn't know they would kill him," Jax whispered, not making eye contact with me. "They were only supposed to take you. Only you were supposed to get hurt. Not Carter. He was like a brother to me."

I will torture and punish you so violently and painfully you will beg me to end your life, I promised him. It's the vengeance Carter deserved.

"Don't you get it, Ares? You will never leave here alive. Cain thinks you and I are dead. He's not looking for us," Jax growled at me, not appreciating my threats.

I rolled my eyes. He does not think I'm dead, you moron.

"Oh no? Did you wonder why you can't feel the mate bond you have with him?" Jax asked wickedly.

I frowned. The wolfsbane is just temporarily blocking it, I informed him.

"Oh, no, Luna," Jax said the title mockingly. "Do you know what my Gift is?"

I didn't. It was considered rude to ask people what their Gifts are, and I had never spent much time with Jax before.

Jax continued talking when I didn't respond. "I have the power to break bonds."

I gasped. You didn't.

The evil grin on his face told me that he did in fact break the mate bond between Cain and I.

Why, I choked out, feeling the emptiness in my heart without Cain's presence. Knowing that it wasn't temporary made the pain and isolation more intense.

"Do you remember the last person who challenged you for Gamma?" Jax questioned me, confusing me.

That glow stick pussy? I asked, not understanding what he was getting at.

"What? No. I meant years ago," He clarified, waiting for me to put the pieces together.

I tried recalling, before I remembered what he was getting at. Not sure what this has to do with it, but sure, I remember. Some random wolf from a Beta bloodline. Don't remember his name.

"You beheaded a wolf and don't even have the courtesy to remember his name? You're an abomination," Jax took a few steps forward and punched the side of my face, making blood spill out of my mouth in a steady stream.

Like I care about some rando loser challenging me for my title enough to remember his name, I spat blood at his face, making him punch me again.

"That was my brother," Jax growled at me, and punched my stomach hard, knocking the wind out of me.

Your... brother's... I gasped out in between trying to take breaths, head rolled far after I ripped it off of him with my bare teeth.

Jax punched my ribs this time, shattering at least four on one side.

"He was the only family I had left," Jax's voice was angry, but I could see the hurt in his eyes.

He was a disgrace. Being from a Beta bloodline and challenging a Gamma is weak. His death was more merciful than he deserved. I have a feeling I will be able to say the same about you, I flashed my canines at him wickedly, despite the pain I felt. The wolfsbane was making me heal far too slowly.

Jax just smiled in response. "Oh, Ares. You and Cain both suffer from the same fatal flaw. You're both driven by arrogance and violence. A deadly combination."

I rolled my eyes, You haven't seen violence yet, pup. I taunted him, knowing it would piss him off that a younger female was calling him a pup.

Unfortunately, he ignored me and continued. "It's really a shame that you both couldn't reconcile your differences while you were alive and together. I'm sure he's suffering thinking that you're dead. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll kill himself before we kill him."

I was annoyed, wanting to know who "we" is.

Cain is stronger than you think. Thinking I'm dead won't make him weaken in the slightest, I smirked at him in victory. Cain wouldn't let my death derail him.

Jax looked at me almost sympathetically. "You really are disconnected from your wolf, aren't you? You don't understand mates at all. Cain has never cared about something as much as you. You brightened his life. You weren't in Blood Lake to see how vicious he used to be. You softened him, even though you may not believe it."

I didn't say anything, after all, what does one say to that?

"It doesn't matter now though. You will never see Cain again, and he will die alone and knowing that you died because he wasn't there to protect you." Jax smiled dangerously.

I shrugged, not showing any fear. I'll remember these words when I eventually get out of these chains. Didn't you learn your lesson from Cain? I always escape.

Jax laughed. "You didn't escape after the last time, Ares."

I gave him a sinister smile. Did you ever consider that I wasn't trying to?

Jax's face briefly flashed in concern and confusion, but he quickly smoothed his features. "I wouldn't try to escape. He has been waiting for your death for years," Jax warned me.

He should have killed me years ago then, I smirked at him, I've never been stronger or more capable of killing.

Jax shrugged. "Extenuating circumstances made him unable to kill you himself. Don't worry though, he's given me the privilege of being the one who gets to drain the life from you."

Yawn. Bring him on, I antagonized him, I'm sick of talking to his henchmen. If he's so powerful, he shouldn't be too chickenshit to show himself.

Jax slightly grimaced. "You're going to regret saying that, Ares."

I doubt that, but whatever. His boss probably wasn't strong enough to kill me on his own, and had to have his weird little minions do it for him. Pussy.

Jax suddenly turned away and left the cellar. I wondered who the mystery puppet master is. Truthfully, I had probably made so many enemies from all of the people I've killed, I didn't even know where to begin thinking of possible suspects.

I didn't have to ponder for long, because the elusive figure himself stepped into the cellar shortly after Jax left.

My heart fell when I saw who had been orchestrating my kidnapping the whole time.

I was never getting out of here.

Shit.