Page 145 of Alpha's Forbidden Fate

Selene

Ifind myself in an opulent grand mansion. The walls are adorned with ornate decorations, and the floors gleam with polished marble. I’ve never seen this place before, and I can’t help but feel a sense of unease as I glance around, searching for something familiar.

“Where are we?” I ask Levi, but he simply ignores me.

As I look around, my eyes are drawn to the huge portraits adorning the walls. They depict a striking blonde man, his features regal and imposing. I can’t place him, but there’s something familiar about his face that niggles at the back of my mind.

Before I can dwell on it further, Blake leads me to a room and locks me inside. The room itself is spacious yet oppressive, with heavy drapes covering the windows and casting the space in shadow. The furnishings are luxurious but cold, adding to the sense of isolation that surrounds me.

A few minutes later, the door creaks open, and a woman enters. She’s human, her features soft and delicate, but there’s a weariness in her eyes that speaks of hardship. She introduces herself as Isabella, and she is trembling with fear.

I study her carefully, noting the way she flinches at my gaze. “Why are you here?” I ask gently.

Isabella shifts uncomfortably, her hands trembling at her sides. “Levi sent me,” she stammers. “He said you needed... dinner.”

My stomach churns at the implication, and I feel a surge of anger rise within me. “I won’t be doing that,” I declare.

Isabella’s eyes widen in terror, and she takes a step back, her breath coming in shallow gasps. “Please. If you send me away, he’ll kill me.”

I’m taken aback by her words, unsure of what game my brother is playing at. “You can stay,” I tell her, my voice softening with compassion “I won’t harm you. I promise.”

Relief floods Isabella’s face, and she sinks to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Thank you.”

As I watch her, a sense of determination settles over me. Whatever Levi’s plans may be, I won’t let him use innocent people as pawns in his twisted games.

I ask Isabella where she’s from. “Italy,” she replies softly, in a thick accent. “I came here to study art, but... now I don’t know if I’ll ever get to go home.”

“I’m so sorry, Isabella. You don’t deserve any of this.”

She looks at me, her eyes filled with tears. “You’re different from the others. Nicer. Why are you here?”

I take a deep breath, trying to find the right words. “I’m here because... because my brothers are involved in this. I’m trying to stop them, to help you and the others.”

Isabella’s eyes widen in surprise. “You’re going against your own family?”

I nod. “I can’t let them continue hurting innocent people. I have to do something.”

“Am I going to die here?” she asks as tears slide silently down her cheeks.

I feel a wave of helplessness wash over me.

How can I help her when I can’t even help myself?

“I honestly don’t know what is going to happen. I’m a prisoner here, too.”

“Oh,” she responds.

Instead of dwelling on our dire circumstances, I ask, “So, what have you learned during your time here, Isabella?”

She tells me that she overheard one of the vampires, a woman named Katya (a name that makes me stiffen with familiarity), say that this mansion belonged to a man named Ambrose Hargrave. He was a billionaire and a vampire, but he’s been dead for years. That explains why the portraits looked so familiar—this man was a friend of my father’s.

No wonder my brothers knew to come here.

I feel a mix of anger and sorrow. Anger towards my brothers for their involvement in this and sorrow for the innocent lives they’ve destroyed.

“I promise, Isabella, I’m going to find a way to get you out of here.”

She looks at me with gratitude and a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

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