I Ran From My Psycho Step-brother Straight Into The Alpha's Lap novel Chapter 182

**When Night Grows Softer Hope Returns To Lead Us by Asa Rowan Finn**
**Chapter 181**

“I don’t know; I don’t care,” Alec declared, his tone dripping with indifference. “I got what I came for—money,” he emphasized, stretching the syllables as if savoring the taste of the word. “Well, I would say it was good to see you, but that would be a blatant lie.” With that, he strode out, flanked by the two vampires, the door swinging shut behind them with a finality that echoed in the silence. Instantly, the room was enveloped in darkness once more, a heavy shroud that felt almost suffocating.

“Well, I suppose you can’t choose your family, can you?” Talya remarked, her voice tinged with a mix of sympathy and resignation. Emma, lost in her thoughts, remained silent, her expression a mask of contemplation. “I’m really sorry, Emma,” Talya added softly, her heart aching for her friend.

Emma let out a weary sigh, the sound heavy with the weight of unspoken frustration. “It’s fine. I shouldn’t be surprised, honestly. He’s always been a nightmare. But what do you think about what he said? Do you believe Sage is involved in all of this—whatever this chaotic mess is?”

Talya settled back against the cold, unforgiving wall of their cell, feeling the rough surface press against her. “I suppose it’s possible,” she mused, her brow furrowing in thought. “The wolf mentioned that there were more of us. What Alec revealed aligns with the wolf’s words. He said we were born of wolf magic.” She turned her gaze toward Sage, who lay still, lost in his own world. “If you’re the Finder and I’m the Dreamer, I can’t help but wonder what Sage’s role is in all of this.”

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough,” Emma replied, her voice barely above a whisper. The silence that followed was thick and heavy, stretching out for what felt like an eternity before Emma broke it again. “What do you think they’re planning to do with us? Why haven’t they come for us yet? It feels like we’re just… waiting.”

“I think they’re looking for the fourth one of us,” Talya speculated, her voice steady but laced with urgency. “At the same time, they’re probably trying to create more vampires by turning girls. They need us out of the way. Well, at least me. With me gone, the vampire can carry on with his schemes. I doubt he realizes that I can still dream-walk in this place. I can’t reach Liam, so clearly, something is blocking that connection,” Talya explained, her mind racing with possibilities.

“If that’s true, then you know what they’ll do once they find the last one, right?” Emma’s voice trembled slightly, the reality of their situation sinking in.

“They’ll kill us,” Talya replied, her tone unwavering, as if she had already accepted the grim fate that awaited them. “We have to escape before that happens. You don’t have any weapons on you, do you?”

“No, they took my knife while I was unconscious,” Emma admitted, her frustration evident.

“There’s no way out of here,” Talya said, shaking her head in despair. Emma fell silent, the weight of hopelessness settling heavily between them. As exhaustion crept in, Talya’s eyelids grew heavy, and she succumbed to sleep.

“Dreamer,” the wolf’s voice greeted her as soon as she entered the dream realm. “We must move quickly and locate those places.” Talya nodded, determination surging within her. Without another word, she dream-walked into the vampire realm, her heart racing with the urgency of their situation. Hours slipped by in the dream state before she finally unearthed something significant.

“I think I found it!” Talya exclaimed as she reappeared in the wolf realm, excitement bubbling within her. She eagerly relayed her discovery to the wolf, her voice filled with hope.

“Excellent work, Talya. I will relay this information to the wolves,” the wolf responded, his tone warm with approval.

Talya halted, her curiosity piqued. “You can communicate with them?” she inquired, her eyes wide with intrigue.

“Great job, Talya!” Emma praised, her enthusiasm infectious. “While you were sleeping, they brought some stale bread and water. It’s not gourmet, but at least it’s something.”

Talya’s hands fumbled around her cell until she felt the rough texture of the bread and the coolness of the water bottle. She quickly unscrewed the cap and took a long, refreshing drink, savoring the liquid as it slid down her throat. She capped the bottle again, wanting to conserve it for the uncertain hours ahead. She glanced toward Sage. “Did Sage wake up at all?”

“No,” Emma replied, her voice tinged with concern.

Time seemed to stretch endlessly within the confines of the cell. Talya felt as though she existed in a liminal space, caught between the oppressive reality of the vampire prison and the fleeting moments of hope that flickered in her dreams. When she was awake, the hours crawled by, filled with conversations that danced around their fears and uncertainties. Sage remained unresponsive, a silent figure in their midst.

In her dream state, Talya dedicated every waking moment to uncovering the locations they desperately needed. She discovered two more places, and the wolf assured her he would relay the information to his pack. Yet, just as she was immersed in the dream stasis, she was suddenly yanked back into her physical body.

Startled, she opened her eyes to find a group of furious vampires looming over her, their expressions dark and menacing. A scream tore from her throat, a visceral reaction to their sudden appearance. They seized her roughly, pulling her to her feet. “Talya!” Emma’s voice rang out, panic lacing her words, but Talya could only stare, frozen in fear. They dragged her out of her cell, up a set of stairs that felt endless.

After what seemed like an eternity, they reached another level and halted. Talya blinked, her eyes struggling to adjust to the harsh light that flooded the space. She stumbled slightly, squeezing her eyes shut against the brightness. As her vision slowly cleared, she took in her surroundings: a small room furnished only with a desk and a chair. Before she could process anything further, the door swung open with a violent crash, slamming against the wall behind it.