I woke up to the groan of wood and metal creaking. My eyes snapped open, settling instantly on the heavy door at the end of the corridor. It took a heartbeat for my surroundings to click into place—the cold stone, the metallic tang of old blood, and the heavy scent of bleach. I remembered the blonde she-wolf leading me here, apologizing for her mate's idiocy with a sheepish smile. She continued by telling me how he is a sweet guy once you get to know him, even if he is an idiot most of the time. She walked me down to the biggest cell they had at the end of the hallway, and it was also the best cell to have any privacy. Its curved bars gave me a panoramic view of the entrance and other cells as well. Yet it kept my own interior hidden from anyone standing at the door.
The only lights in the prison cells were from the one dinky light by the door to the prison cells. That light is all you need when, as an animal shifter, you can see in the dark just as well as a human can see during the day. Although no one can see in absolute darkness, you still need some kind of light to see to reflect through the darkness so one may have the ability to see in the dark. The walls were gray concrete, but I wasn't fooled. I knew titanium plating lived beneath the surface to thwart shifter strength. Even the chains bolted to the walls were reinforced with silver and magic, designed to strip a shifter of their power and lock them in whatever form they wore. They have large and smaller shackles for those who are in their human forms and bigger versions of those shackles that they have for when they keep them in their animal forms. Since animal shifters are stronger than humans, they need to ensure that once an animal shifter has been captured and locked up, they can't use their superhuman strength to break the wall away to be able to escape. These chains have been endowed with magical properties that once these chains have been placed on the animal shifter, it then makes them unable to use their powers, including shifting back and forth people their animal form and their human form.
My mate had tried to talk me out of it. I could still see the conflict in his eyes as he begged me to stay in the main estate. A part of me warmed at his concern, enough that I pressed a kiss to his cheek before demanding the cell door be shut. The click of the lock had been a physical blow to him; the look of betrayal and sadness on his face was almost enough to make me regret it. But I knew better. I smiled at him to show him I was fine as he took a step forward to stand directly in front of the cell doors as he got up to the doors, he stuck his hand through the bars. I grabbed his hand, giving him a reassuring squeeze before letting go and stepping backward out of his reach. He looked so conflicted and hurt at the same time, but I knew his people needed to feel safe, and a "monster" behind bars was the only way to give them peace.
He continued to stare at me until the she-wolf forced him to leave. I watched their backs as they left and continued until not even their footsteps could be heard anymore. I looked around the cell, and it looked filthy even though I knew it wasn't. Despite the cell's dirty appearance, there wasn't a speck of dirt on the floor, proving to me this cell wasn't that dirty in the first place. I could still smell a hint of bleach all around the cell, like it had just been cleaned earlier in the day. Along the walls of the cell, there were four sets of those chains attached to the walls, and there were two of each of those types of chains. Besides the chains, there was nothing else inside the cell, which was fine with me because even if there was a bed in there, I still wouldn't have used it. I haven't slept on a bed in a long time, so I wouldn't know how to feel about sleeping on one now. Not only that, but it is much easier to stay alert when sleeping on the ground than on a bed, so you don't have to worry about hurting yourself if you roll off of it to avoid getting attacked by someone.
I undressed out of the clothes that my mate gave me to make sure nothing happened to them and folded them neatly before hiding them in the cell just to be on the safe side. My tiger form felt more natural in this darkness. I'd spent the night curled against the back wall, watching the moonlight stream through a high, barred window—the only air source in this tomb. It is the only window in the prison, and it is also on the back wall of the outside of the cells, so the people in the cells could see it but could never touch it. Not that it mattered since the people in these cells were normally chained up, so they had no hope of escaping anyway. After lying on the ground and looking out the window, I eventually fell asleep, which brings me back to the present.
The door swung fully open, and two men stepped into the prison. The first was a walking wall of muscle: five-foot-ten, buzz-cut, and wearing a black T-shirt so tight it looked like a second skin. He also wore black shorts with steel-toe boots, which just looked even more ridiculous in my opinion, or maybe it's just the way he looks in them that makes it so ridiculous to me. He had a permanent scowl and tattoos crawling up his neck. He also gave the impression that he was all muscle and no brains.
The second guy was standing at the top of the stairs talking to someone, and from the sound of their conversation, I think the other person was one of the guards guarding the prison. The second guy was taller, leaner man with long black hair pulled into a meticulous ponytail. He wore a sharp gray suit and moved with the practiced grace of someone who thought he was much more important than a prison guard. Werewolves are known for their strict workout to ensure that they stay in shape to protect their pack, even if they aren't warriors. So even though the taller one didn't appear as muscular, it didn't mean he wasn't fit. Plus, all animal shifters are stronger than a normal person, so it's rare to find a weak animal shifter.
I could barely hear what the two of them were saying, but thanks to being an animal shifter, I possess a certain ability that gives us heightened senses for all five senses. It is thanks to my heightened senses that I was able to hear some of the things they said, but not all of what they were saying, as they were trying to whisper to make sure that they wouldn't be overheard. "You have fifteen minutes," a gruff voice echoed from the stairs. "Fifteen?! Come no, make it thirty," the man in the man in the suit bargained, his voice smooth and oily. This time, the other guy scoffed, "My shift ends in thirty, and I'm not losing my head for you," the guard snapped. "Double the price, and you get twenty. No more."
A growl vibrated from the suit-wearer, but he agreed. The guard then added, "But that time starts now, and you'd better be gone before I come back. As I said, I'm not risking my job or life for you and that brother of yours." I heard another growl from the guy standing at the top of the stairs, and the guard just laughed as the guard's footsteps retreated. The guy walked down the stairs, and by the look on his face, I could tell he was angry. The moment he came down the stairs, you could tell he was an inch taller than the other guy.
"So, what's the deal?" The taller guy looked at him with an annoyed look on his face as he snapped, "I know you heard all that, so why are you asking?" The muscular guy shrugged, "I wasn't paying attention." The other guy sighed, "Then don't worry about it in the first place, and let's just get started." He nodded, "Works for me, but are you seriously going to wear that?" He looked down at himself before saying, "Now, but I don't see any coat rack around here to hang it up." The other guy rolled his eyes before pointing at an empty cell door "Just hang it up there; at least then you don't have to worry about it." The tall guy gasped, "Do you know how much this suit costs? It costs more than what your life is worth." The taller guy just rolled his eyes "Then why did you wear it when you knew we were coming here? You can just clean it later." He looked at him with wide, degusted eyes as he opened his mouth to gape at him, "You want me to put my jacket on that dirty cell door?" The other guy folded his arms against his chest "Well, would you rather that or to have blood stain your precious suit?" He groaned, "I guess you're right."
The taller, skinnier guy then proceeded to peel off his expensive jacket and tie to hang on the open cell door before rolling up his sleeves until they reached his elbows. They then proceeded to move towards my cell, all the while looking into each of the cells before continuing forward until they made it to my cell. They approached my bars, faces twisting into what they clearly thought were "sinister" grins. To me, they looked like bad actors in a low-budget thriller. I didn't even lift my head from my paws. Even when they pulled out a set of keys to open my cell door, they were so ridiculous that they weren't worth my time. They continued to bicker with each other while they tried to figure out how to open the door to the cell. I didn't even bother to conceal my eye roll when they did finally open the door, as it was like one of those old but crappy cartoons; it is just unfortunate that I can't change the channel to something better.
Their faces contorted in anger when they saw my eye roll Don't you dare look down on us, you insolent beast," the Suit hissed. I rolled my eyes as they sounded even more ridiculous, as he truly sounded like a cartoon villain as they attempted to sound intimidating. If he is trying to hurt my feelings with his words, he is truly mistaken, as I don't care what he or anyone else in this pack thinks about me. "Your kind isn't even worth the air you breathe. Once this door is open, we'll teach you the true meaning of fear," he said with a sneer.
As he spoke, his supposed brother and partner in crime just stood to his right, just slightly behind him, with his arms crossed over his chest as he attempted to look down his nose at me. He had a smug look on his face as he clenched his jaw while his entire body was rigid, and every muscle was tense as he seemed to prepare himself for a fight. I didn't just ignore him; I rolled my eyes and rested my chin back on my fur. It was almost comedic. I could hear the vocal one dramatically scoff as the rattling sound of the keys stopped, and then I'm sure he turned to his brother before saying, "Do you see this? This accursed creature dares to ignore us, brother. You vile creature, I will make you regret that, along with every decision you ever made in your life, until you truly regret ever setting foot on our land. We shall beat you in complete submission until you can't even think of looking a wolf in the eye ever again, and there is nothing you can do about it since those chains will keep you from being able to fight back."
If I were in my human form right now, I probably wouldn't have been able to resist the strong urge to facepalm at the idiocy he is spouting from his mouth. I have no idea how someone can be that dumb, I mean, honestly. I understand that probably no one for my mate, that she-wolf and his beta even know the truth about the true situation, but that doesn't excuse their beyond stupid behavior as they just assume I am chained up. They thought I was chained up like the usual prisoners, but I was lying two feet away from the shackles, completely untethered. I don't know which of these two idiots had the bright idea to come down here to mess with the big bad tiger, but I can tell that they obviously didn't do any research on how they take care of or treat their prisoners, nor have they ever been down in the prison cells before. The lock finally gave a heavy click.
The moment they heard the clicking sound of the door unlocking, the skinny one smiled triumphantly while the other guy uncrossed his arms, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly in a somewhat evil grin. "Oh yeah, that's what I am talking about. We are so going to make you regret your insolence, you insufferable beast," the skinny guy said. I made an annoyed kind of disgruntled grunting sound as their pathetic act only succeeded in annoying me rather than intimidating me as they had hoped.
The moment he pushed open the metal cell door, you could hear the screeching of the metal door as it protested at being forced open. The Suit stepped aside, and the Muscle charged. I didn't panic. I waited until he was inches away before I coiled my muscles and launched myself toward the ceiling. I cleared his head by a foot, kicking off the back wall to glide over him. The moment I became airborne, I saw the surprised expressions on their faces right before the concrete floor face-first. I landed silently, baring my teeth in a low, vibrating growl.
Suit froze, his eyes darting between me, his brother. The Muscle scrambled up, his face red with fury. And he wasn't thinking because, without a second thought, he charged towards me again. I rolled my eyes at his ridiculous behavior, only this time, when he took a few steps towards me, he quickly changed into a large brown wolf with large dark brown eyes. Although his wolf was larger than a normal wolf, although he still had nothing on my mate, nor was he even somewhat impressive; he was fairly predictable.
The moment he got close, he snarled as he lunged for my throat. He was predictable. I dodged his snap, lunging instead for his shoulder. My teeth sank deep, and the coppery taste of his blood filled my mouth. He yelped, backing away with a limp. I opened my mouth as I bared my teeth and growled. His blood oozed out of my mouth, and I had no desire to swallow his disgusting blood. I saw fear and regret fill the skinny one's eyes as all his bravado vanished in an instant, as he backed against the wall. The other one looked at the wound I inflicted upon him and then looked back at me as anger filled his eyes before he curled his lip and snarled at me in anger. His movements had slowed as he swiped his paws in my direction. I easily dodged his attacks, even though it didn't discourage him in the slightest, as he kept trying to hit me all the same.
I suddenly felt the back of my foot touch the cold concrete wall, and I growled at just how small this cell truly is. Muscles smirked in his wolf form as he was excited to think he had me trapped, finally. But unfortunately for him, the moment he charged towards me, I noticed an opening and quickly jumped to the left. Although at the moment, it appeared I was apparently not quick enough because he managed to get closer to me than I thought he would. I was quick enough to avoid his actual attack, but I still ended up colliding with his shoulder, and the force of his body colliding with mine caused me to get thrown against the bars of the cell.
I felt cold, cell bars collide and bite into the skin of my back, causing pain to permeate along my back as I fell to the ground. I immediately felt the pain in my back, and I clenched my jaw as I tried to ignore the pain and forced myself to stand back up. Unfortunately, the moment I attempted to get up, the wolf managed to surprise me by kicking me in the stomach with his back feet like a kicking bronco. He managed to put enough force into the kick, causing me to get slammed back into the bars again. I managed to bite my tongue to keep from groaning or making any sound in pain. I fell to the floor again, and the moment I looked up, I noticed him rearing up for another attack while his brother charged forward as well, preparing to attack as well. So, I did the only thing I could at the moment. When he went to attack me again, I quickly transformed back into my human form and rolled underneath the wolf's body, so I was lying on my back.
I watched as his expression changed from that of his fierce battle façade to that of surprise, but before he could do anything about it. I changed back into my tiger form, and before his feet even had a chance to touch the ground, I quickly kicked him in the stomach hard enough to send him flying toward the ceiling, but not hard enough to do any permanent damage that could lead to his death. The moment his body made contact with the ceiling, I saw his eyes roll into the back of his head. His brother stopped dead in his tracks, and the look of surprise and fear was evident on his face as he watched his brother's body get thrown into the ceiling.
I rolled out of the way and stood up all before his body came crashing back toward the ground with a loud thump. He groaned in pain, and without even thinking twice, I quickly kicked him in the head, knocking him out completely. The moment he was out of the way, I looked up at the skinnier one, and the moment our eyes met, he whimpered in fear. I took a step towards him, and the moment I did so, he quickly turned around and attempted to run towards the cell door, but he wasn't quick enough. I easily outran him and made it to the cell door before him, and the moment I was in front of the door, I turned around and faced him. The moment I turned to face him, I bared my teeth at him and growled, and he jumped in surprise.
I watched his nostrils flare as his eyes darted around, searching desperately for a way out—but it was far too late for that. I wouldn't let him escape after everything they'd tried to do. I took a menacing step toward him. He immediately retreated, his fear thickening the air with every step I closed between us. The scent was intoxicating, driving my tiger to pounce, to tear apart the pathetic fool stupid enough to challenge a tiger. My tongue slid over my lips, the coppery taste unmistakable—Muscle Head's blood. His fear only sharpened the craving. The blood clung to my mouth and fur from where I'd sunk my teeth into his shoulder. The sensation snapped me back to reality.
I slowly closed the distance between us, and with every step I took, I watched as he flattened his body even more against the wall as he was trying to pass right through the wall to escape. I could see the panic flash across his face as he started to tremble with fear. "P-p-please don't k-k-kill me. I-I p-promise we w-won't ever bother y-you again," he pleaded with fear lacing his every word as he stuttered in fear. I heard him whimper in fear, and his fear was so intense that it took everything I had not to listen to my animal instinct to devour him. I didn't kill them. Instead, I shifted back to my human form mid-stride. Before the Suit could even scream, I buried a fist in his jaw. His head hit the wall, and he slid to the floor in a heap. His head rolled to the side, so it was resting against his shoulder as he was now completely knocked out, just like his brother. I walked over to his brother to see that he was now in his human form and was currently lying on his stomach, completely naked on the floor. The bite wound I inflicted on him has already stopped bleeding, and I can tell that it is already healing, so his life isn't in danger, which is good.
I looked at the two of them, naked and unconscious on the floor. A wicked idea took root. After everything they attempted to do and how much they annoyed me, I felt no mercy for them. I know someone will come in here eventually. Whether it is another guard or someone attempting to do the same thing as these two fools. As a form of punishment, I spent the next few minutes "rearranging" them—positioning their bodies in the most humiliating, compromising pose I could manage. "That should give the guards a laugh," I chuckled to myself.
I grabbed my clothes from their hiding spot and pulled them on before slipping out of the cell. The lock clicked as I shut the door behind me. I smiled, satisfied, knowing they were securely trapped inside—and that the guard would return any moment. I glanced at the door, weighing my chances, then shifted my attention to the window. As I walked over to it, the window sat higher than I'd expected, smaller and more square than round—clearly designed to prevent escape. A normal person wouldn't stand a chance. Unfortunately for them, they hadn't accounted for a big cat shifter. Like our animal counterparts, we could slip through spaces far too tight for anyone else.
I leaped, caught the ledge, and squeezed through the gap, tumbling onto the soft, cool grass outside. The sun hit my face, and I closed my eyes, drinking in the freedom. The wind caressed my face, my lungs with fresh air for the first time since I woke up. I know I went down there to those cells willingly, but tigers weren't meant for cages.
I stood there just enjoying the moment as I ran my hand over the soft grass and smiled to myself as I enjoyed the moment. When I opened my eyes, I noticed that there appeared to be a few houses in the background and nothing but grass surrounding the prison cells. I felt it was a little odd that I didn't see any guards around the building, but it's not my business. I stood up and brushed the grass and dirt off my butt and legs before deciding that, since I'm out now, I might as well go take a look around.
*
I just walked into my office the air was thick with a different kind of tension. I immediately took off my black suit jacket as I was feeling too suffocated. I tossed my suit jacket on one of the chairs in my office before clasping onto the couch with a sigh and covering my eyes with the crook of my arm. I heard heels click on the hardwood floor of my office, and I knew that Mia followed me into my office behind me. I heard her sigh as she walked over to the chair across from me. "What are we going to do with you, Kayden? I thought you were old enough to learn not to just leave your things lying around." I could hear the teasing tone in her voice as she spoke, but I couldn't help to uncover my face to glare at her.
Mia's blonde hair was pulled back into a sleek, structural bun that accentuated the sharp, elegant lines of her heart-shaped face. She looked every bit the Alpha's strategist. She wore a tailored white blazer over a crisp silk shirt, a stark contrast to the bold, crimson pencil skirt that hugged her frame and ended just above her knees.
The outfit was punctuated by the rhythmic, authoritative click of her red open-toed heels against the hardwood floor. Resting at the hollow of her throat was the heart-shaped ruby necklace she'd received from Luca last Christmas; the gem caught the light with every breath she took, a drop of fire against her white collar. She looked polished, formidable, and ready for business—exactly the presence I needed by my side in a meeting, even if she was currently using that presence to scold me.
I watched as she picked up my suit jacket for the chair and tsked like a mother scolding her child. "When are you going to learn to pick up after yourself? Leaving things lying around like that is how you ruin things and how you get wrinkles in your clothes." I rolled my eyes "That's why we have dry cleaners or ironing boards for." She gave me a sideways glance before walking towards the closet doors, "And we've got an even better invention you can use." She opened the closed door, pulled out a hanger from the closet, and held it up "It's called a hanger. If you hang up your clothes after taking them off, it ensures that they won't wrinkle. And just in case you don't know how to use it, I'll show you how to use it properly, so watch carefully."
She began demonstrating with exaggerated movements how to hang a coat on a hanger in a step-by-step process. I rolled my eyes at her childish behavior before I couldn't hold back my laughter, breaking some of the weight in my chest, "Alright, that's enough already, Mia." She shook her head with a faint smile of bright red lips, "I swear, whatever are we going to do with you? However, will your mate feel when she finds out just how childlike you are? No one wants to have to parent their partner." I know this has always been a long-standing joke among my friends and family, as we have all made jokes like this before and after we have found our mates. And I know it is meant to be light-hearted and funny, but the moment she mentioned my mate, I felt my blood run cold.
Mia must have realized what she said or noticed the change in my body language because her smile instantly vanished. "I'm sorry, Kayden. I wasn't thinking when I did that. Have you come up with any ideas of what you are going to do yet?" I sighed and smiled slightly, "It's okay, Mia, I know you didn't mean any harm when you said that. But I haven't even gotten past the fact that she's a tiger. Mortal enemies toward our kind. How can the moon be this cruel? It feels like a sick joke."
She walked to the chair across from me and sighed before sitting down. Her green eyes met mine, concern clear as she offered a sad smile."You and I both know I've never heard of two different species being mated—especially not ones considered enemies," she said quietly. "Our pack, and many others, have lost too many to her species." She paused. "But the truth doesn't change. She was chosen as your mate. For better or worse, that's something you'll have to face." Her voice softened, "We don't always know why the Moon Goddess makes the choices she does. We just know mates are made to be our other half—through the good and the bad." She held my gaze as she said, "The bond doesn't care about politics, Kayden. She was chosen for you. For better or worse, she is your other half. You can reject her or accept her, but the choice has to be yours—not the pack's. In the end, the choice is yours. Accept her or reject her."
I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed, "I'm aware of that, but whatever I choose will affect the pack. I'm the alpha for Christ's sake." She sighed before grabbing my hand from my face, forcing me to look at her. She looked at me with understanding and concerned eyes, with a sad smile on her face "You're right; your decision does affect the pack, but the pack doesn't get to decide your happiness. Don't put your happiness on the line just for the sake of the pack's happiness. Besides, she was made for you, which means she is meant to be the perfect Luna by your side to help run this pack. So, no matter what you choose, the pack will be fine."
I raised an eyebrow at her "And what if they aren't fine with it and they decide to challenge my leadership or conduct a mutiny and name someone else as their Alpha and new leader?" She smirked, "Then I will leave with you." I rolled my eyes "I'm being serious." She squeezed my hand "So am I. If you leave, so will I." I shook my head, "The pack would need you too much if I were forced to step down."
"I don't care if the pack needs me. You are my best friend and the only alpha I will serve under. You are the only alpha I respect or will ever serve. You only think about the pack and what's best for it, and you will put your life on the line for any one of us. If the pack can't see just how much you care about them or tell what a great alpha you are, then they aren't worth it. They aren't the ones whose happiness or their chance of true at finding true love is at stake; yours is. And you have every right to decide that for yourself."
I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair before looking into Mia's green eyes and smiling softly. "Thanks." She smiled back at me, "You're welcome." I sat back, leaning my back against the couch as Mia let go of my hand "She really is beautiful. Almost other-worldly." Mia said, and I couldn't help smiling as I thought about my mate, "Yes, she is. She's perfect." She chuckled, "You are definitely smitten with her." I rolled my eyes "I don't even know her." She smiled, "The mate bond works fast. It doesn't need reasoning or words to make you feel the way you do. If you wait too long, it will make sure there is no going back, as you will find that you are madly in love with the person in a matter of days instead of years. And you can no longer imagine your life without them."
Something about what she said made my blood run cold as the hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and a sense of dread suddenly filled the air. I don't know why, but even though I was sitting in front of her and watching her lips move, it suddenly felt like those words were coming from someone else's mouth. Even though it was said in more of a matter-of-fact tone, it felt like it was more of a warning than anything else. Everything felt off, and I couldn't help trying to change the mood, so in a teasing tone, I said, "And you know this from personal experience? I didn't know your relationship with Luca was that deep." The corner of her lips lifted in a slight smile "We both know I was in love with Luca long before we found out we were mates. Although the mate bond probably played a part in that as well, for all we know." I raised my eyebrow "Then where did that come from?"
She shrugged, "It's just a mixture of my own experiences mixed with other things I've seen or heard about from other people." Despite her saying that, it still didn't make me feel better, as something still felt off. A part of me didn't believe her, but I had no reason to question her as she had never lied to me, and I had known her all my life. I sighed, "Alright, what do you think I should do then?" She smiled softly "Personally, no matter what anyone else says, I think you should get to know her. She is meant to be by your side for a reason, and I think you owe it to yourself to find out what that is. If it is more trouble than it's worth, then you can reject her. At least that way you know you at least gave it a chance for better or worse, that way you won't have any regrets later."
"I think you are forgetting that this isn't all about me. She has just as much right to reject me as I do. What if she doesn't want this and just outright rejects me?" She raised and smirked all knowingly, "From the way she was acting last night, I highly doubt she is even thinking about rejecting you." I groaned and ran my fingers through my hair "But what if it is all an act?"
"What would she get out of acting like that?"
"I don't know. Maybe she is trying to get us all to let our guard down to destroy all of us in one go."
She sighed, "And what could she possibly gain by that? She is a single tiger against hundreds of wolves. Even if she managed to take hostages, she would still be way outnumbered and wouldn't have a chance at survival if she did something like that."
"What if she isn't alone?"
"Will you stop with all the what-ifs! They will only psych you out that way. We didn't find any tracks but hers when she arrived, and if she ever showed any signs of doing so, we would take care of her and her friends if that were ever the case. And most of your doubts could be proven or erased if you would stop psyching yourself out with all these questions."
I sighed, "How can you be so sure?" She shrugged, "I don't know, I just have a good feeling about her. Besides, I just want you to be happy and who better to do that than your mate? And honestly, why are you being such a downer when it's your mate we are talking about, your mate? Kayden, she willingly let us lock her in a cage just to make your life easier. Doesn't that tell you something?"
"You mean against my wishes." She chuckled, "Come on. Sitting here like a scared child won't solve anything. Go see her. Get to know her. Either the doubt will vanish, or you'll know it's time to let go." I rolled my eyes and sarcastically said, "Thanks. You always know just what to say to lift my spirits and make me feel better." She smirked, "We both know the real reason you and I are such good friends is due to our honest personalities, or else we wouldn't trust each other as much as we do." I sighed as I ran my fingers through my hair, feeling stressed and slightly helpless over everything, as I was still very unsure what the right thing to do was about everything. Mia suddenly stood up and held her hand out to me "Come on."
I raised my eyebrow at her questionably "And pray do tell where we are going." She rolled her eyes at my childish antics "To go see your beautiful mate." I felt my eyebrows rise in surprise "What do you mean?" She rolled her eyes "There is only one way to get over your doubt, and that is to get to know her. Sitting here like a scared little child isn't going to accomplish anything." When I continued to sit there, not moving for a minute, I could see a look of annoyance begin to form across her facial features, and she rolled her eyes before saying, "Really, are you just going to sit there all day?" I was about to retaliate by saying something smart, but she cut me off before I even had a chance by saying, "Are you seriously going to keep your beautiful mate waiting for you?" I could immediately feel the guilt as it began to weigh heavily in my chest, and I sighed before reluctantly placing my hand in hers.
I allowed Mia to help pull me to my feet as she smiled triumphantly before leading the way out of my office. Before we left my office completely, I sighed, "I hope you are right for both of our sakes." She turned her head to look at me and smiled softly as she held the door open for me "True love is worth any cost." I could hear a strange note in her tone in her voice I couldn't pinpoint what immediately put my body on edge, causing my muscles to tense. There was also a strange, almost warning tone in her words, but something told me not to question it right now, so I just kept walking. We walked toward the prison cells in silence, but with every step, the feeling of impending disaster grew stronger. I didn't know yet that the "mate" I was going to visit wasn't even in her cell—and that she'd left a very colorful surprise waiting for me.