Page 103 of The Alpha's Crimson Vow

I blink hard, willing my vision to adjust. But there’s nothing. The room around me is pitch black. The air is damp, thick with the scent of wood and something stale, almost rotten. The walls must be made of it—old, damp wood, soaking in the moisture of whatever godforsaken place this is.

I try to move but my wrists won’t budge. Panic lances through me as I realize I’m tied up. Hands bound. Legs bound.

I pull again, harder this time, but the restraints dig into my skin, biting into the tender flesh of my wrists. My breathing quickens. My chest tightens. I try to speak—to call out, to scream—but something is blocking my mouth. My lips part against the fabric of a gag, my muffled voice swallowed whole by the thick silence of the room.

Where the hell am I?

My heartbeat slams against my ribs, frantic and erratic. The last thing I remember is talking to Frank. And now—I’m here. Somewhere unknown. Bound. Gagged. Completely powerless.

And then there’s a slow, eerie creak. The door swings open. A harsh, blinding light spills into the room, searing my eyes. I squeeze them shut, turning my head away, my breath catchingin my throat as I hear the slow, deliberate sound of footsteps entering the space.

The steps are heavy, unhurried. Every nerve in my body goes rigid.

I try to see, but the light is too much, my pupils still adjusting to the sudden brightness. My body tenses as the presence looms closer.

Whoever this person is finally speaks, his voice is low. Drawling. Dripping with something cold and mocking.

“So this is what the fuss is all about.” A pause, like he’s studying me. “You’re pretty. Looks like my little nephew has good taste after all.”

My stomach plummets.

Valerian. Alex’s uncle. The man who tried to have me killed.

A fresh wave of fear claws up my throat, raw and suffocating. My fingers curl into tight fists against my bindings, nails digging into my own skin. My pulse hammers as I force myself to stay still, to breathe, but my body betrays me—I’m shaking.

He exhales slowly, before speaking again. “I’ve been hoping we’d meet, you know.” His voice is silky, laced with something dangerous. “It’s a shame it had to be like this. But I suppose fate is funny that way.”

I try to speak, but the gag muffles the sound, turning it into a desperate, garbled mess.

He chuckles. The sound makes my skin crawl.

“You must be so confused,” he muses, taking another step closer. “Thrown into all of this without even knowing the full story.” He clicks his tongue, as if pitying me. “But don’t worry. You’re about to play a very important role in all of this.”

I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing myself as he crouches down beside me.

“I have to thank you, actually,” he continues, his voice dropping lower. “Because of you, an old injustice is finally going to be corrected.”

I freeze.

He leans in, just close enough that I can feel his breath against my skin.

“Because of you,” he murmurs, “I will get back what’s rightfully mine.”

What does he mean?

He straightens up, his tone switching back to that terrifying amusement. “I’ve given Alex an ultimatum,” he says. “He has 24 hours. Either he abdicates the throne… or I kill you.”

The words slam into me like a blow to the chest. My breath catches. I can hear the absolute certainty in his voice. He’s not bluffing. He’s serious.

“24 hours,” Valerian repeats. “That’s all he gets.” His voice turns colder, sharper. “So if he doesn’t play along…” He exhales, mockingly thoughtful. “Well. You can’t say I didn’t warn him.”

I struggle again, my breathing coming faster, more erratic. The gag is suffocating, cutting into my mouth, stifling the desperate words I need to say.

Valerian watches me for a long moment. “Oh?” A smirk laces his voice. “You want to say something?”

There’s a brief pause. And he yanks the gag from my mouth.

I gasp, sucking in air, my lips chapped and raw. My throat burns as I force the words out, my voice hoarse but sharp. “You don’t have to do this.”

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