The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 123

Chapter 123

ARIA

I wake up some time later, though I have no idea when, and look around.

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The room is a bit brighter, but mostly because of the light coming in through the crack in the door. There are no windows in this room, so there isn’t the slightest possibility that I will escape.

In any case, the extra dose of silver Ray gave me has made it impossible for me to even keep my eyes open, much less conjure an escape plan. I’m more vulnerable now than I ever was before, and my will to live has been destroyed completely.

I close my eyes again and drift off to a restless sleep where hounds chase me in my dreams through a forest with no end. I have no way of escaping them and they keep getting closer. At some point, my body will become too weak to continue and my step will falter. When that happens, the hounds won’t waste any time. They’ll devour me whole.

This is exactly what’s happening to me right now. I suppose the Hounds symbolize death.

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When I return to my senses, someone is pressing something against my lips. I peel an eye open and see the face of a woman I have never seen before, and she’s holding a plate of food in her hands.

“Eat,” she commands.

I try to open my mouth, but everything burns and there’s an awful taste. I doubt I recovered from the burn of the silver. At some point, she gives up and walks away. I rest my head against the floor again, depleted to the point of no return.

The next time the door opens, more women barge into the room. I’m forced to sit up and watch as they undress me, peeling my clothes from my body. The chains are carefully removed from my wrists and I feel the sweet relief of their absence right away. I can almost breathe again.

I’m dragged across the hall, totally naked, into a bathroom. The Bathtub is already filled with steaming water, and they carefully guide me inside. The water makes the open sores in my wrists burn. I’m so focused on the fact that the chains are no longer on my wrists that I don’t ask myself why the hell they’re washing me up until we’re back in the room and a flowy navy blue dress is thrown over my head.

My wet hair is left to dry as it is, and then I’m dragged outside, barefoot.

We reach the living area, and it’s empty, but I can smell the delicious aroma of food in the air. My stomach grumbles, but I have no appetite. Does that make any sense? As we cross the living areas and head toward a drawing room with doors that open to the garden outside, I focus on shifting, hoping and praying that it will work because then, I’d be able to get out of here and get to Ryder.

I haven’t forgotten about him, but there’s so much silver in my system that I can’t seem to focus on the bond like I am now.

I’ve already lost two people who were dear to me.

I can’t lose him, too.

There’s a gathering of people out in the garden. There’s a face everywhere I look. My feet touch the grass and a sob forms in my throat. I never thought I’d see the sky again, or feel grass between my toes.

I try to shift again. I try and try until my head starts pounding, but it doesn’t happen. The women drag me all the way to where Ray is standing. His back is facing me, but upon hearing our approach, he throws us a look over his shoulder. Then, his gaze settles on my face.

“Ah. Here’s my Little Nocturn,” he remarks before taking one of my sore wrists in his hands. He pulls me toward him, and my side crashes against his. I immediately try to step back, but he twists my wrist painfully and I’m forced to stay put.

He faces the group again. All of them are watching me. I’m still mying to figure out what the hell he wants from me. If he

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10:03 Mon, Mar 2 M

Chapter 123

can’t touch me because I’m a Nocturn, then what’s his deal?

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“Everyone!” he says loudly, his voice cutting through the soft murmurs of conversation. “I’d like to have your attention!”

They all turn to look right at us. I keep my head held high, refusing to bow to anyone. Ray grabs my chin and squeezes my jaw hard enough to leave bruises. “Here she is! The Ironclaw Nocturn! Ryder Drexel’s downfall!”

The crowd starts booing me, and I can’t help but ask myself what the point of all this is. I didn’t think that he was this obsessed with Ryder. What’s his problem? I don’t understand it all.

He got what he wanted. He won.

“You’re my new pet now, Aria,” he whispers in my ear. “I’ll parade you around until I get sick of it. I hope Drexel finds out exactly what’s being done to you here. I hope he feels the pain deep in his soul. I will break you, and that in turn will break

him.”

I turn my head to meet his gaze. He smiles eerily. Then, he forces me to turn back to the group of people he was with.

It takes me a long time to realize that these people all form a part of his hockey team. I’ve seen them before. Of course, I don’t know anyone’s name, but they all play ice hockey, alright.

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