The Alpha's Silent Bride: Seventh Time's The Charm novel Chapter 17

Chapter 17: 017: Half-eaten by wolves.

~ Roselle ~

If I don’t run now, Elias will come soon, or Celeste. I don’t trust Ronan to leave me completely alone.

I open the door to my room, sighing in relief when I find it isn’t locked. At least that’s enough to tell me this is a lesser prison.

My eyes scan the hallway for any sign of guards, but there are none. The corridor is empty and eerily silent.

I take a cautious step forward, like I’m walking on eggshells. Step after step, I move as quietly and carefully as I can until I’m fully outside the room, then I gently pull the door shut behind me.

My heart thrums heavily in my chest as I walk, every step making me more certain someone is going to jump out from somewhere and say,

"Hey, where do you think you’re escaping to?"

What if Ronan or one of his pack members catches me trying to run away? What would he do to me? Lock me up? Would this be the very thing that ends up digging my grave?

Should I go back? I hesitate, my mind spinning with a hundred different thoughts even as my feet keep moving forward.

No. I can’t go back. I’ve already made it this far, and somehow, I still haven’t run into anyone.

The hallway stretches endlessly before me. I don’t remember it being this long. When Ronan brings me to the pack house earlier, we only walk a short distance, or at least it feels that way.

Now, every step seems to drag on forever.

The walls of the corridor are decorated with intricate carvings of wolves and crescent moons, along with ancient symbols I don’t recognize. Their shadows dance across the stone under the dim lights, making the place feel even more unsettling. My gaze catches a particular painting, and my steps slow. It’s a wolf. Massive and imposing, with silver fur and piercing eyes that seem almost alive. The artist captures it so perfectly that for a second, it feels as though the creature is staring right back at me, watching my every move.

I’m tempted to stop and study every detail of it, but since the universe seems to be on my side and there’s still no one in sight, I need to use this opportunity wisely.

I tear my gaze away and continue moving.

Reaching a corner, I press myself against the wall first, peeking around it before stepping out. My eyes scan the area carefully, searching for any sign of movement.

Nothing. Only then do I move forward.

My heart is beating so hard at this point that it has to be over a hundred beats per minute, if not more.

Reaching the end of the corridor, I’m greeted by yet another curve in the hallway. A frustrated sigh slips from my lips, why the hell is this place so damn big?

And fuck. Every wall looks identical. The doors lining the corridor are all the same too, each one blending into the next until they become impossible to tell apart. How do they even know which room is which? If I wasn’t trying to escape, I’d probably be lost already.

I take the turn, my eyes still scanning every corner, every doorway, every shadow. A strange feeling crawls over my skin. Then I freeze.

My breath catches in my throat as my gaze lands on a familiar painting. The wolf, the same wolf artwork I’d stopped to admire just a few minutes ago. No. My eyes widen as I stare at it, willing myself to be wrong.

Slowly, I turn and look back down the hallway, and then it hits me, I’ve been going in circles.

Oh, hell. Fuck me sideways.

I should abort mission and head back, but the truth is, I can’t even remember which way I came from.

And it’s almost as if I’m trapped in the middle of nowhere, where going back isn’t an option and moving forward isn’t one either. Except in this case, standing still isn’t an option.

I have to do something, or I’m doomed.

If Ronan is half the monster people words paint him to be, then who knows what he’ll do if he finds out I tried to escape? Maybe my grave will be dug today.

Maybe I’ll become just another name on the list of his dead brides. The thought sends a chill down my spine, and Warren? The bastard would probably be thrilled. That’s what he wanted from the very beginning. For me to die, without having to soil his hand, I let out another sigh and decide to keep moving forward.

Eventually, I make it back to the first turn I took. This time, instead of repeating my mistake, I choose a different path.

Immediately, I notice the walls are different, relief washes through me, at least I’m not walking in circles anymore.

I keep trudging on, hoping this route leads somewhere... anywhere. I’ve barely made it halfway down the new path when I hear a strange noise.

My heart skips, then starts hammering so hard against my ribs that it hurts.

I spin around immediately, expecting to find someone behind me, but there’s no one there. No one at my back, no one to either side.

I swallow hard and force myself to keep moving. Maybe I imagined it, or maybe the sound came from one of the rooms, which means someone is about to step out.

Either way, I need to run.

I turn back to the front, and nearly stop breathing.

Two wolves stand directly in my path.

One is taupe-colored, the other a rich brown. They’re massive, their lips curled back to reveal sharp teeth as they stalk toward me.

My eyes widen. Panic slams into me so hard it almost knocks me off my feet.

My heart is beating so violently now that I’m sure it’s about to burst from my chest. Every instinct in me screams at me to run, to do something, but my body refuses to cooperate.

I can only stare as they keep advancing.

Oh, hell.

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