as you probably guessed, reject is coming to a close soon. to thank all of you who've been with ruari and ciaran on their journey i'm opening the comment box and my inbox to suggestions for side stories after the book comes to a close.
if there's a particular pairing you're attached to and wanted to read more from (lorcanxkevan, branxjean, or more of ruarixciaran) or want to read from another character's pov (prior, lorcan, jean, even meinor to know why he's so evil etc.) let me know.
if there's something you'd like to see happen that the book couldn't cover just drop your suggestions in the box below or send me a private message if you're shy. who knows i might even create a new character named after you to make this worth your while. k",)
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Silver... They've been poisoning me with the damned stuff since monkshood doesn't seem to affect me for very long.
From the moment they've captured me I've been in a constant state of hallucination, unable to tell which way was right or left, down or up. My strength has been sapped rendering my limbs useless. They've been dulling my senses since I've already killed five of my guards. Two the first time I woke up and found myself held captive on this godforsaken place and another three when the effect of the monkshood they injected in my system wore off before they could administer more.
My injuries from the raid have yet to heal. The silver lacing the potion they've been drugging me with is hindering my body's innate ability to heal itself. I've been suffering from high temperature and severe headache aside from delusions. I guess this is what dying feel like, slow and torturous.
My captors have been sending someone to tend to my wounds and administer the potion that's keeping me benign. If I play my cards right I could use that as an opportunity to escape this hellhole.
They've been cautious for the first couple of days administering the drug every four hours, not wanting to take a chance that I might counter its effect sooner and have the chance to kill them all. But for the past two days they've been a bit lax because I've been silent and cooperative. I grit my teeth and pretend, made sure to conserve my strength and bid my time.
To my count there's probably five or more guards outside my cell but I can't be sure since I have to rely on my hearing rather than my sight. And from the sound of hushed voices and booted feet patrolling the premise, I counted five. I should double or halve that number but to be sure I'd wait until effects of the silver to properly wear off.
I haven't seen the collector or Gideon Loch since I arrived here. And I think the banished members of my pack are making it their duty to stay well away from me. It suits me just fine. I don't want any reminders of how low they've fallen. But I'd have to see the masterminds of this operation eventually otherwise my capture would have been in vain.
The familiar sound of metal keys rubbing against each other and a steel door being pushed opened echoed through the empty space. Light flickered and I remained still, sprawled on the floor, listening. Waiting.
"We have to move him soon master," a familiar voice said. I clenched my fists and willed myself not to move. Gideon Loch was on the other side of my cell talking to the person who'd killed hundreds to collect people he has no right collecting. "I've made preparations for his transport and if we double the amount of drug he's having he'd pose no threat while we move him."
"Double!" A woman's voice exclaimed. "A single shot of silver laced potion is too much already, if he'd been a regular wolf he'd be dead by now. Doubling the dosage would have irreversible effects on him. Unless you're planning to kill him then I suggest you think of other means to keep him senseless."
I know that voice but I can't match it to someone's face. It's cultured and refined. Even while spouting nonsense it sounded sweet and smooth. Cool. I've heard that voice before and I'm positive I know the woman.
Why can't I remember? Was it the drug or there's something about this that I'm failing to understand?
"Double the drug and have him transported before the end of the day. He'd been here long enough." A man's voice said. "If you hadn't been so incompetent Gideon we could have had his damned mate there with him and it would have solved all our problems once and for all. As it is, I trust you could handle this simple task?"
I stiffened and my blood grew cold when my muddled brain finally realized who Gideon is taking orders from. Meinor Ulfric, the alpha king. That means the woman with him is Alva. They are Ruari and Kevan's half siblings.
But why would the alpha king do something as base as this? Annihilate his own people for the sake of collecting rare breeds when the crown could easily demand them to join the imperial guards.
"Yes, master." Gideon muttered.
"Good. Now I want you to send wolves back to Moonscape and kill all the survivors. And if they can't capture the tri-colored wolf then make certain to kill him as well."
"Brother!" Alva cried out. "You said we'd collect them and hide them away. You never said anything about killing them. Kevan is still there."
"Silence! He'd thrown his lot in with them. I've always known that runt would do something like this. I've never understood why mother spared him when she didn't have any compunction to have Alessandra and older twin discarded. Now I have to clean up after her when I should be at court trying to stop the usurpers from taking my throne!"
"But they're are our brothers..."
"Half brothers and I never even considered them as such. Don't ever think they'd have a problem killing you or me if they learns that our side of the family is the one who plotted and assassinated their mother and have the older one twin banished in order to secure the crown."
"But..."
A resounding slap resonated through the walls and I tightly closed my eyes to keep myself from jumping in. Meinor have just hit Alva, his own sister. A woman. In my book only a scum would dare to hit a woman.
"I've heard enough from you. Don't forget dear sister your hands are as dirty as mine. You cannot forsake me now." Meinor's tone has now turned deadly. "I never understood your attachment to that runt Kevan but remember this, I am your only brother and your king. You shall obey me or I would throw you in a cage with them if you dare to defy me!"
Alva let out a pathetic sob and within seconds all I heard from her were the rustling of her skirts and the clicking of her heels as she ran away.
"Have someone follow her and report her every move to me." Meinor said. "She'd gotten soft. What a damned disappointment!" After that spiteful remark Meinor was gone as well.
A loud crash echoed through the room and I held my head up knowing it was Gideon. I hauled myself from the floor and sat by the wall to keep myself upright.
I knew he wouldn't be able to resist the temptation to gloat. Gideon is stupid that way. He didn't even have the forethought to check if I was dulled with the poison they've been feeding me.
"The mighty Ciaran Blackburn," he spat leaning towards the bars that separated him from me. "Finally awake are you alpha? How do you like your accommodation? Don't get too attached to it though, you'd have a your new room soon."
I just stared at him as he continued to blabber on.
"You know I have to thank you for making it easy for us to find Ruari Lyall. You see my employer is quite obsessed with him and his twin brother. He wants them gone. He thinks your little bitch Ruari would take the crown from him. But that isn't possible is it?"
I held myself back as he allowed himself into my cage. He's inside but he's still a bit too far for me to reach. I just have to wait until he goes within my zone and I'd be able to grab him.
"I never understood why you chose to banish me for someone like your pathetic mate. But when I found out he's a rare tri-colored wolf I understood why you wanted to keep your precious little pet." He snarled. "I haven't had the opportunity to thank you by the way for kicking me out of the pack. If not for you I wouldn't have all these."
I don't see what he's got to be thankful for because when he motioned around him all I see is a dank prison and a pitiable man covered with blood and has countless deaths under his name.
"You're pathetic..." I murmured.
"Pardon me?" He asked inching closer and stooping forward to bring his face closer to mine. "What did you just say?"
This is the opening I was waiting for.
I quickly grab him on a headlock and tightened my arm around his damned neck when he tried to struggle.
"I said you were pathetic!" I was caught off guard when he managed to stick a syringe on my arm but despite the sudden pain I didn't loosen my hold. "I thought you'd learn your lesson by now but I was wrong. There's no going back for the likes of you!"
I could feel the silver coursing through my blood stream but the thrill of the fight, of survival, and the adrenaline caused by the bloodlust made me more resistant to it.
"This is for Leanne..." I whispered by his ear as I snapped the life out him. It was a quick almost painless death not the type he deserved after what he had done but I'm not a monster like him. For me this is enough retribution.
I pushed him off me and he fell on the ground lifeless, his eyes still open and unseeing.
I grabbed onto the bars of my prison cell to keep myself from falling on the ground beside him. I brought my arm up and bit myself. On the spot where the silver was injected, leaving the wound open and bleeding to get the poison out.
I was stumbling out of the cell when the explosion hit. The ground shook from the force it and I could hear the sudden commotion outside. They're being attacked. This is my chance to escape.
My head was still buzzing from the poison and loss of blood but I managed to get out into a long empty corridor. I kept by the wall and felt my way forward. All around there were howls and growls, I could smell fresh blood mixed with the smoke and dust.
I was near the end of the corridor when wolves suddenly appeared, blocking my way to freedom.
Keiron! I called to my wolf. Keiron damn it! Wake up!
I can't get out of this predicament without his help. Keiron had been out of commission since they started us with the silver treatment. He started to stir at my command but he'd grown weak. I'd be able to phase but a couple of minutes is all I have. He wouldn't be able to manage more than that. But that's all I need to dispose of the trash standing in front of me after that I might be able to manage on my own.
I pushed myself off the wall and went down on all fours, making the shift easier. After shaking my body loose, I charged forward and felled the wolves in my path. I wasn't as effective as I would have liked but somehow I managed to leave the corridor and the cells. But as I burst out another door, I realized I escaped prison only walk into the middle of the fray.
Shit! Out of the pan and into the fire.
At the sight of me wolves charged and this time their sole purpose is to kill. I fought long and hard but after a while my luck had run out. Both Keiron and I were drained and exhausted. I fell on the blood covered floor on my human form and couldn't summon any more strength to get up.
I could feel more wolves coming my way but their attacks never reached me. I lifted my heavy lids to be greeted with the sight of my beautiful mate killing all the wolves coming my way.
"What have you done to yourself you stupid man?!" Ruari scolded through our mating link as he tore a wolf's throat out. I'm glad that isn't me. But from the vicious snarl on Ruari's face as he moved near me, I think I'm not out of danger just yet.
"Good to see you too darling," I don't know what else to say so I choose to go with the 'I'm currently helpless but still charming' act which proved to be the wrong thing to do because Ruari snapped his teeth mere centimeters away from my face.
"Do you think this is a game?" He snarled nudging me over with his nose.
I wrapped my arms around his neck as he took me on his back.
"I'm sorry Ruari," I whispered feeling the last threads of my consciousness snapping.
"Hold on to me..." was all he said before he lunged forward.
I buried my face in his fur as nothingness claimed me. I want my last vision to be of his face, that the last I hear is his voice and the only scent to fill my senses to be his. I don't know if I'd ever resurface from this unconsciousness I'm currently under but I want my last memories awake to be full of nothing but him.