Page 20

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

WYNTER

I can’t lie around crying, even though my heart hurts so badly, I want to.

The way Wrath dismisses me breaks me a little more with each passing day.

Every meal I’ve taken him for the last week, I’ve tried to engage in conversation, but he refuses, keeping his back to me or his head bowed.

He hates me, and I didn’t do anything to deserve it.

The other warriors are warming to me, and I’m relieved because I might need them if we ever want to leave this place.

It’s clear I can no longer count on Wrath.

Martha comes in just before dinner. “Anna will serve the warriors this evening.” My heart tightens. Even when he isn’t speaking to me, I still need to be near him, to see him .

“How come?”

“Your father asked to see you,” she says, avoiding my eyes.

“Why? What does he want?”

“I honestly don’t know, Wynter, but I’ve learnt that nothing is ever good when it comes to that man.” She places her apron on the side. “I have to walk you up.”

I follow reluctantly. “You don’t think he knows?”

“How could he? You went to meet the woman in the village, and she didn’t show. Who else would have said anything?”

We reach my father’s office, and Martha gives my hand a squeeze before leaving me there.

The guard opens the door, and I step inside to find him behind his desk.

In his hand, he’s holding a glass of amber liquid, and he knocks it back before grabbing a bottle to refill.

“Alcohol,” I guess, nodding at it. “Isn’t that a banned item? ”

He grins. “And what do you know about banned items, Wynter?”

“You’d be surprised what I know,” I say, taking a seat without being asked.

He eyes me with disdain, and I know he wants to yell at me for sitting, but instead, he gives another cruel smile. I brace myself for his next remark. “Actually, I’m not surprised at all.” He takes another drink. “I expected you to cause waves down there, but I knew you couldn’t do any damage.”

“Is there a reason you asked to see me?” I ask, making sure to keep my tone bored.

“You’re not scared,” he says thoughtfully.

“Why would I be?”

“Everyone is,” he says with a shrug. “But not you. I see the defiance in your eyes. It’s always been there. And so, I can’t leave you down in the caves for too long because you’ll bring me problems.” He laughs, and it’s cold. “You’ll start a revolution.”

I feel my heartrate speed up, panic warning me that he knows. “I wouldn’t,” I mutter, shaking my head. The thought of being taken out the caves scares me, not only because I’d be losing Wrath but also the friends I’ve made. It’s the only time I’ve ever felt a part of a family.

He laughs again. “You’re already building an alliance.” I shake my head. “Don’t lie, Wynter, you’re not good at it. You’ve been taking extra food, and I can only assume it’s for your new friends.”

“Because what you give the workers in the caves is too little. They’re hungry.”

“I give plenty, and you should be grateful you get anything at all,” he booms, slamming his hands on the desk. He takes a calming breath. “I think the best thing is to have you married.”

“Married?” I gasp, feeling instantly sick. “I’m the daughter of a warrior. I can’t get married.”

“Like I said before, I’m changing the rules.”

I push to my feet, the need to run away strong. “Who would marry me?” I ask with a nervous laugh. “Everyone knows I’m the daughter of a warrior.”

“You think they’ll defy me?” He grins. “I call the shots, and I will have you married.”

“I could be happy,” I say, trying to make him see this is a bad decision. “My husband might love me.”

“I doubt that, Wynter. There’s nothing loveable about you.”

“You’re going to risk me making a home and living happily ever after?

” He finishes his drink before two guards enter the room.

I glance at each, and then at the exit longingly, sensing I’m out of time.

“Please,” I whisper. “I’ll stay quiet in the caves and get on with my job there. You won’t get any trouble from me.”

“Don’t beg, Wynter. It doesn’t suit you.” He gives a nod to the guards, who each grab my arms and lead me from the office kicking and screaming. It’s only when they release me in the large cave that I freeze. My father leans in the doorway. “But first, they want to see you perform.”

“They?”

“Your potential husbands. You understand that to make you more appealing, we have to break you first.”

“You’re sick,” I whisper.

He smirks before closing the door and locking it.

I rush to it, pounding my fists against the strong wood and screaming to be let out.

My pleas are met with silence, and I turn back to face the room.

I stare at the stone in the middle where Summer once lay screaming as the warriors put her through hell.

There’s a fleeting thought that this could be a similar situation, but there’s no way my father would risk me getting pregnant to a warrior.

I take a deep breath and move to the centre of the room.

Whatever they have planned for me, I have to stay calm.

I glance at the four windows, the dark glass preventing me from seeing if anyone is watching, yet I somehow feel eyes on me.

They’ll expect a reaction, and there is no way in hell I’m giving them one.

Wrath

The screaming women have been playing for hours. My ears ache from the sounds of terror and orgasms, and my cock is painful. When the door finally opens and the guard enters, I pull angrily on my chains. He smirks. “Relax, big guy, your time is coming.”

The guard shows me the yellow gun before he unlocks the chain from the wall.

A silent warning. I stand and my hands are secured behind my back, just like they always are when they don’t want us to relieve ourselves.

As we step from the room, I notice the three other warriors waiting with guards.

It’s not often they take us all together—the last time was when the scared woman was in the centre, and they wanted us to fight to get to her.

Wynter’s sister. I don’t like sharing, so my anger is already building as we head through the passages.

We’re led into the cave and lined up, but I’m tense and in desperate need of release.

I glance at the others, all looking just as keen, and I growl, again pulling against my restraints.

My head is full, the sounds of screaming on replay, and that heady scent of sex is in the air.

My blood pumps fast through my veins, and my cock stands tall, desperate to feel the clench of a woman.

The second I’m released, I home in on the target, rushing forward before the others.

She’s in the centre of the room with her head lowered, resting on her knees.

I reach her first, grabbing her arm and pulling her to stand so I can get her naked.

But the second we make contact, she gasps, and I freeze.

Her terrified green eyes burn into mine, and then her scent hits me. “Wynter,” I mutter.

She pulls free. “They’re watching,” she whispers, backing away slowly, her eyes darting from me to the warriors who have now joined me. “You all have to act like you normally would.”

I glance behind me at the others, who are looking just as confused.

And then jealousy rips through me, wondering if she’s been talking to them too.

When she realises we’re not moving after her, she turns to run, crashing against the door and banging hard, screaming to be let out.

There’s no fucking way the other warriors are touching her.

I advance on her, and she turns, pressing her back to the door. “They can’t see,” she whispers, her lips hardly moving, “how I really feel about you.” I grab her wrist and slam it above her head. She uses her free hand to try to fight me off. “Pretend you hate me,” she adds.

“Easy,” I mutter, grabbing her flailing hand and placing it in my other hand above her head. “Sanchez.”

I grip the black dress at the neck—the dress I’ve pictured ripping off many times—and I tug hard.

The sound of the material shredding rings out around the room.

I sense the warriors all behind me, waiting for a chance to jump in, but they won’t get it.

I’ll kill every last one before they get near her.

I pull her against me, and she lets out a desperate cry for help.

When I turn to face the other warriors, the look in my eyes must warn them to back off because they slowly part.

I keep her in front of me, moving to the middle of the room where the raised stone is set.

I push her to lie back, placing my large hand against her stomach.

I don’t remove her underwear—there’s no other man here who will see her naked—but I move her cotton knickers to one side and edge my dick closer.

She stops fighting, like she’s resigned to the fact it’s going to happen, and she turns her head to one side, squeezing her eyes closed.

I press at her opening, closing my eyes as I push forward fast, breaking through her tightly clenched opening and groaning in pleasure as I fill her. Wynter screams, her entire body tensing with pain. The sound pierces my already sensitive ears, and I slam a hand over her mouth.

I want to take it slow and make this feeling last forever, but my body acts upon instinct, ramming into her uncontrollably to chase the sensation I’m addicted to.

I zone out, unable to hear her muffled sobs, only focussing on finishing quickly to end her torture.

I feel one of the warriors pulling at my shoulder, and I reach back, shoving him away.

The others move closer, all touching themselves.

I growl, placing my arms over her protectively. “No,” I warn.

Maximus gives a knowing nod, throwing his head back and coming on the floor. I lean closer to Wynter, my movements jerking as my body begins to shake. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, inhaling the scent of her as I come hard, shaking as I empty everything into her.

The groans of the other warriors tell me it’s safe to release her, and the second I do, she shoves me away.

I stumble back a step and watch as she rolls from the stone and springs to her feet.

The effort is too much, and regret fills her expression as she doubles over in pain, grabbing onto the wall for support as though it might hold her together.

I want to reach out, to be there for her, but Zeus’s sharp look reminds me they’re still watching, and our entanglement might get her into serious trouble.

Powerless, I watch as she folds into herself, curling up on the floor as her sobs echo through the silence.

The door creaks open, the guards’ heavy boots marking their arrival. The cold, unfeeling metal of the cuffs wraps around my wrists, but my gaze is anchored to her—helpless as her pain consumes her. Pain that I caused.

What have I done?