Chapter 2
Hellbound By Two Alphas
Nora~
I woke slowly, my body aching as if I'd been run over by a truck. A sharp, throbbing pain pounded in my head, and my eyes fluttered open, greeted by the dim, suffocating light of the basement.
I tried to sit up, but a clinking sound stopped me. My heart sank as I realized my legs were chained to the ground.
"No," I whispered, my voice hoarse and broken. Panic surged through me as I tugged at the chains, yanking desperately to free myself. But the more I struggled, the more I felt my strength drain away, as if the metal itself was sucking the life out of me.
"K–Killian!" I screamed, my voice echoing off the cold, damp walls. No response.
"Keal!" I shouted again, louder this time, but the silence that followed was deafening.
Tears stung my eyes as I leaned back against the wall, refusing to let them fall. I wouldn't cry. I couldn't cry. I couldn't let them see me weak—not again.
"Lara," I whispered, seeking the comfort of my wolf. But there was no reply.
"Lara?" I tried again, panic rising in my chest.
Then it hit me. They had silenced her. Just like they always did.
❧❧❧
The door creaked open, and my head snapped up, my body tensing. Beta Grey stepped inside, carrying a tray of food.
"Here," he said coldly, placing the plate on the floor in front of me. "The Alphas asked me to bring this to you."
I glared at him, my anger burning through the exhaustion. He was no better than them. A puppet. A lapdog.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked, my voice laced with venom.
Grey didn't respond. He simply turned to leave, as if my question didn't deserve an answer.
"Tell your Alphas I don't need their damn food!" I shouted, grabbing the plate and flinging it to the ground. The food scattered across the floor, the water spilling into a muddy puddle at my feet.
Grey stopped, turning back to face me. His expression was unreadable, but his jaw clenched slightly.
"The Alphas will not be happy," he said simply.
I let out a bitter laugh, slumping back against the wall. "Do I look like I care what your Alphas think? I'm nothing but a cursed omega to them. A toy. Why can't they just reject me and let me go?"
Grey's gaze hardened, and he took a step closer. His towering figure loomed over me as he crouched to my level.
"Cursed or not, you are the reason the Alphas are strong. If the enemies find out who you are and kill you, the Alphas will lose their power. Is that what you want?"
I stared at him, my heart racing. I wanted to tell him I didn't care, that I hated them, but the truth was I didn't want to die—not yet. I still had too much to fight for.
"Get out," I muttered, turning my face away from him.
Grey didn't move.
"I said get out!" I screamed, my voice raw with emotion.
Finally, he stood and walked to the door without another word. The moment he left, the weight of it all crushed down on me, and I broke. Tears streamed down my face as sobs wracked my body.
I stayed there for what felt like hours—or maybe it was minutes. Time meant nothing in this hell. Regret clawed at me for wasting the food. I could have eaten a little and then thrown the rest away. Now my body felt weaker than ever.
❧❧❧
The door slammed open with such force that I jerked upright, fear shooting through me.
"Nora!"
The sound of his voice made my heart drop into my stomach. Killian stormed into the room, his face a mask of fury. Before I could react, he grabbed me, yanking me to my feet. My chains pulled painfully at my legs as he slammed me against the wall.
His grip tightened around my throat, and I gasped for air, clawing at his hands.
"How dare you disobey me?" he growled, his voice low and menacing.
"Killian, stop," Keal's voice cut through the tension.
I turned my head weakly, catching sight of Keal standing in the doorway. His face held a flicker of pity, though I didn't understand why. If anything, he should be angrier than Killian. I had stabbed him, after all.
Killian's grip loosened slightly before he released me altogether, letting me collapse to the ground. I clutched my throat, coughing and gasping for breath.
"Why can't you just let me go?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.
The silence in the room was suffocating. I forced myself to look up at them, my vision swimming with tears.
"I don't want you," I said, my voice shaking. "I don't want to be your mate."
Keal turned and walked out of the room without a word, leaving me alone with Killian.
Killian stayed where he was, his dark eyes boring into me. Slowly, he moved closer, and I instinctively backed away until my back hit the wall. There was nowhere left to go.
He crouched in front of me, his face inches from mine. I could feel his breath on my neck, and it made my skin crawl.
"You belong to us, little one," he whispered, his voice soft but chilling.
His eyes locked onto mine, and a cruel smile tugged at his lips. "You are our mate. Don't worry—I haven't forgotten about the bond. One way or another, you will bind with us. And when you do, you'll never run away again."
He stood, towering over me, and walked to the door. Just as he reached it, he paused, turning back to smirk at me one last time before leaving.
❧❧❧
I curled into myself, letting the tears fall freely now. I hated him. I hated both of them. And when I got out of this place—when I found a way to break free—I would make sure they paid for everything they'd done to me.
That was a promise.
❧❧❧