Xander's POV
I don't know how many corners I've turned, or how many times I've killed while trying to escape, but I can't last much longer.
The corridors are endless and it feels like a nightmare where I can't escape no matter how hard I fight my way through.
If it weren't for my brother and the unknown of his whereabouts if he was still fighting beyond these walls or lying dead and trampled on by others. I can't feel him anymore but that could be a side effect of that drug they injected me with.
And Robbin, that fierce, narrowed-eyed troublemaker. If I hadn't found her all those months ago, which now feels like an eternity, would I still be fighting this hard or more so?
No, impossible. Every second of every day I fight even harder. It's because of that piece of light she's carrying inside of her. The thing I never knew I needed and would go to the ends of the earth for. My unborn child.
How could something that's not even breathing have such a powerful influence over me? Nevertheless, I have to get back to them.
I take a quick break as I turn another corner to catch my breath. Nothing but empty darkness lit only but a few cascading lanterns hanging on the stone walls. No windows, no nothing that could shed some light to the outside world.
That drug, whatever it was, blocked out my wolf senses. I couldn't even wolf out right now to aid in my escape.
My breathing felt heavy and my lungs were on fire. Every part of my body was ready to give up and for a sad, terrible moment, I wanted to. It was a fleeting thought, but my family, they need me.
They need the Xander that they know to come back to them. That meant that I had to keep moving, keep fighting my way out of this dungeon.
"There he is. Stop him," I vaguely heard behind me.
My feet dragged under me but still, they moved as fast as they could. It wasn't enough to get away, though. I fell to the ground as someone tackled me from behind, sending me back into a state of unconsciousness. I didn't even bother to fight them off. Whatever strength I had vanished as soon as I hit the floor.
~*~
The numbing pressure of blows that slammed against my face brought me back awake, though for a moment I had forgotten where I was. Every time they knocked me out, my mind was plagued with flashes of memories.
First, it was my mother that I saw. Her long, black hair that always hung loosely from her head. Even the scent of her came back to me, but it was fleeting. Then it was my father teaching Gus and me how to transform into our wolf states.
All that time I lost with them because of Ryker made me sad more than anything. Angry, of course, and vengeful, too, but the thought of them being gone forever was always painful.
After their deaths, I thought Gus would be the last familiar bond I'd have, but Robbin proved that wrong. She and her fiery presence had stuck with me since the moment I found her. And ever since then, I've been through more fights and battles. I know not to blame another person's violence solely on her since their actions don't correlate directly back to her, but it's still been more hectic than it was before her arrival.
Still, the only thing I can regret is my behavior towards her. I'd go through all those battles again if it meant I could start over with her, with our child.
The visions of her were the most painful, perhaps because they were recently in my mind and heart. It felt raw and I almost wanted to grieve the thought of her since it was possible I'd never see her or our unborn child again.
"Wake up," a voiced distantly said.
My face jerked aside as another punch hit my face. I wanted this to be over with. This war, this suffering, all of it. It felt unfair to my people and my mate.
My head was yanked up and Ryker's face was close enough for me to rip off with my teeth. If only I had the strength.
"Look, Xander, this war is getting boring for me, too, so why don't you surrender already."
He sounded like a bored, impatient child. "Does the lives of millions mean nothing to you?"
He released his hold on me and stepped back a few paces. I tried moving my body as much as I could, but they put me back in the chair with silver restraints around my wrists and ankles. "Only those who follow my leadership matter to me. Everyone else is only a sack of meat in my way."
"You're not a leader," I coughed out, "A leader fights with his pack. You don't have to be in here torturing me but you are for enjoyment. Your men are out there getting slaughtered. You only fight when you want something you want. None of this is for them. It's for you."
"Shut up!"
He beat me some more, but at this point, all I sensed was the blow of the punch, not the pain. Even my body wanted to give up. It wouldn't heal itself.
His assault was interrupted by one of his followers.
"Ryker, sir, she's here."
He let go of my beaten body and grinned to himself.
"Good," he told him, "Escort her to us."
I watched him out of my swollen eyes as he wiped my blood from his hands with a rag. "I'm not getting anywhere with you so I guess I'll have to move on to the next best thing."
He turned to the door, waiting for something, but before anything came, her scent rushed through me like a wave.
I didn't want it to be true, for the gods to rewrite this moment in life and make it another memory or dream, anything but reality.
And then I saw her face and it became real, and I wanted nothing more for her to die so she wouldn't go through what I did, and then I'd die right beside her, and we'd be free of this world and our burdens.
"What's the matter, Xander? I thought you'd be happy to see your mate."
He shoved her forward and I got a better look at her. Her hands appeared restrained behind her back but that was it. They didn't hurt her.
Yet.
Suddenly, every part of me was awake and I felt it healing slowly.
"I knew she'd come the moment she found out we had you. Why don't I give you two a moment to catch up? You know what I want."
Ryker closed the door and surprisingly, left both of us alone. I watched Robbin as she walked up to me and bend down. Her eyes were trying as hard as they could to stop her from crying.
The pain on her face as she looked over my wounds.
"You let them restrain you?"
She turned to her side, showing me her cuffs. "Cooling cuffs. They won't let me generate any heat to use my dragon blood."
"I'm so sorry," she whispered. She leaned her head onto my shoulder and I was ready to break free of this chair and hold her, but our heads resting on each other was the closest we go to that. "What does he want, Xander?"
"Power. He wants the Broken kingdom."
"Why doesn't he just take it?"
"Because it belongs to the Northerner kingdom. After it fell, no one wanted to claim it so we did, but nothing became of it. But that's not all he wants. He wants the rights of all wolves who turn rogue."
"I met some who already follow him, but it's not for admiration. It's out of fear and lies. We can't give him the power over them."
"No." I felt her head lift. "Robbin, if you say no, he'll torture you, too. Think of our child and the war that'll continue the longer we wait. I didn't realize it until now, but this fight is not worth it anymore."
"So, what, we surrender? What'll happen the next time Ryker wants something? We go through another war?"
"Maybe, but at least we'll be alive to find out."
We stayed silent for a few minutes longer, resting on each other, feeling comforted by the presence of each other. Being apart only made the need for each other stronger.
"Xander, I have to say something," she said, breaking the silence.
"It's okay. I know."
"No, please. Let me say it." She looked up at me again and the tears she held back slowly came to the surface. "I love you. Xander, you left and I never said it. I should have and I'm sorry. It's been so hard to come to terms with our relationship ever since, well everything, and I don't want to go another day without you in my life."
"I should've said it, too. I thought that I'd end this fight and come back to you, but when Ryker captured me, I began to lose faith. But now that you're here, I know that this isn't the end. I love you, too."
I kissed her softly, letting the feeling of her on my lips give me more strength. But it silently broke as the door opened again.
"I hate to break up your reunion, but I've grown impatient. Agree to sign over the Broken Kingdom and all rogue citizens or I end this once and for all."
Robbin rose and gave one final agreeing look, then turned back to Ryker.
"Okay, " she said, "You win. It's yours but under a few conditions."
"Conditions?"
"Slavery was outlawed across the five kingdoms centuries ago, so don't consider practicing it."
"Fair enough. Anything else, dragon queen?"
She took a step closer to him. "You can have the rogues, but under protest, and you can't come back for more after you're done."
"Under protest," he scoffed, "What do you take me for?"
"The rogues are already on your side. It shouldn't be hard to convince them to join you, but anyone who doesn't want to can and will exercise that right. Those are our conditions."
He stared at us briefly. It was a good deal, but risky. The rogues who haven't taken his side already could be scare of him, of what he can do. No one wants a ruler who only fights for himself. Then again, if he doesn't, then he'll be fighting this war for the rest of his life.
Before he could give us an answer, the door opened again, this time with a more frantic follower.
"Ryker, sir, you need to see this," said the young man.
"Hold that thought," he said, then left with the boy.
"What's going on," Robbin mumbled.
"I don't know."
A few moments later, three-alarm rings combined with a siren blared from beyond the door.
"Three rings in intervals."
"An attack," I said, "But from who?"
"We need to leave." Robbin sat on the floor and brought her arms over her legs, bringing them to the front of her body.
"There's nowhere to go. Besides, we're both chained."
She got up and looked me in the eyes. "The Xander I know never gives up, and you're not about to."
A loud, painful scream from the hallway caught our attention, with more following after that.
"Whatever is attacking is close. Now, do you want to die fighting or not?"
"Robbin, I'm restrained to a chair."
"Fine, then I'll fight."
"Robbin, no." She stepped in front of me and the door swung open again and before she charged for whoever it was, Olympia appeared in the door frame.
"Finally, she said," I found you."