The Gift chronicles novel Chapter 1

Book 1 Chapter 19

I woke up alone in the Alpha's bed, and reached down to untangle my feet from the sheets, since it seemed like they had wrapped around one of my ankles. When I threw the comforter off me, I was shocked to see that my right ankle had been tied with rope. I tried tugging on the rope, and hissed when it burnt my hand. I tried moving the rope off of my ankle and down my foot, but it hurt my ankle too. I must have gotten used to the pain in my ankle while I was knocked out. The rope had to be lined with silver, causing the burning feeling.

I got out of bed, and saw that the rope was tied to the bottom of one of the bed legs. The rope, however, was extremely long. Long enough for me to walk to the bathroom and to the door, but not long enough to leave.

What the f**k! I mindlinked Alpha Cain, knowing he was behind my imprisonment.

Yes, my little mate? He responded immediately, with a faux—sweet tone.

Come back and get me out of this rope right away! I ordered him, still trying to tug on the rope, and hissing when it burnt.

Are you ready to submit to me as your Alpha and mate? He asked, not at all sounding interested in the conversation.

Never, I growled.

Then it looks like you'll never be untied, he said, and I could feel his amusement through the bond.

I tried summoning a knife, and was surprised when I was able to, even though it hurt a little bit. I wondered if I was knocked out for a few days, since my hands had healed since I last tried to summon a weapon and failed.

I threw the knife to the side, and conjured a hatchet instead, thinking it would be easier to cut the rope with. I stood up and put my leg on the bed, and swung the hatchet into the rope and through the bed near my ankle. The rope luckily cut easily, so easily that Alpha Cain would need a new bed after how deep the hatchet went into it.

I used the knife to cut through the rope tied around my ankle, wincing as the silver burnt my hand and ankle as I sawed off the rope. Finally, I cut through, and was freed completely from the rope.

I got dressed in Alpha Cain's clothes, and cringed when I remembered that I destroyed my clothes and boots while shifting at the lake. Luckily, I hadn't worn my cloak that day, so I put that on over, ready to escape once again.

I opened the door quietly, and took one step out of the door when a hand grabbed my neck and threw me on to the floor, not once releasing its grip. Sure enough, Alpha Cain was the owner of the hand, and was staring down at me in... amazement?

"I expected that you would escape, but I didn't think it would be so soon. How did you do it?" He asked, not releasing his hold on my throat even though I was swatting at his wrist.

I ignored him and tried to get out of his iron grip, until he suddenly scooped me up into his arms. He walked us into the room, and took in the scene. Namely, the cut up pieces of rope, his cut up bed, and of course, a knife and hatchet laying on the bed.

"I see that your hands healed," Alpha Cain observed. "They would have healed faster if you hadn't been trying to summon weapons everyday. That was one of the ways I knew you were faking being a loving mate. If you hadn't been trying to summon weapons, which you had no reason to unless you were trying to escape, then you would have healed within the first couple days."

I stayed quiet, completely unsure of how to react. I had no more tricks up my sleeve. He knew I got my powers back, and knew that I completely hated him.

Are you going to burn my hands again? I timidly asked through the mindlink. He looked genuinely surprised by my question, and responded, "No. That was a one—time thing meant to make you submit. Since it didn't work, I have to go to my last resort."

My heart dropped when I saw hints of guilt in his eyes. He rarely felt guilty for anything he did to me, so I was sure that whatever he had planned was going to be bad. I struggled to get out of his hold, but it was no use. He used one of his large hands to hold both of my wrists, and continued to carry me, taking me out of his room, but not before grabbing the pelt and haphazardly throwing it over me. I continued to thrash in his grip, but he was too strong and too focused on not letting me escape. I will admit that he impressed me with his ability to think of new ways to ensnare me.

A few random pack members looked at us in curiosity as we walked through the pack house, but nobody was brave enough to say anything or laugh. He walked us out of the house, and the cold was biting. He kept walking until we got to a formidable looking stone building. There were guards posted outside, and as we walked in, there were more inside. Sure enough, he had taken me to the prison.

Interestingly enough, for a prison, there seemed to be a lack of prisoners. All of the cells we had walked past were empty. I had the fleeting thought that it was probably because they don't keep prisoners, they just kill them immediately. All rogues knew to stay away from Blood Lake territory.