"Hey, slow down! You will break my wrist!" Writhing in his grasp, Lilith cried out, but Zayd, consumed by anger, paid her no heed. He continued dragging her along, turning sharply at every corner until she was utterly frustrated.
"Let go of me!" Summoning every ounce of strength, she shouted and forced him to a halt. Though she failed to free herself entirely, the sheer force of her resistance made him turn and face her. For a fleeting moment, her heart faltered but she refused to let fear take hold. Squaring her shoulders, she met his gaze with unwavering defiance.
He bellowed. "You dare defy me?!" His voice, sharp as a blade, nearly made her swallow her fear. She could not deny that he unsettled her in a way no one ever had, yet she would never grant him the satisfaction of knowing it. If she did, he would feast upon her fear, twist it into a weakness, but she would never allow herself to cower before him.
"I only wish to be freed. Your grip is unbearable," she finally replied, inhaling deeply as she glared at him. Unbeknownst to her, there was something in that glare that stirred something dark within him, a desire to bend her will, to see her yield.
"Fine," he murmured, and just as she thought he would release her, she found herself caught entirely off guard. Without warning, he lifted her effortlessly and flung her over his shoulder. His movements were rougher now, and she thrashed against him, her struggles met with little resistance.
"You bastard!" She spat, pounding against his back, though it had little effect.
A moment later, she heard the creak of a door swinging open. The next thing she knew, they had entered a dimly lit room. He switched on the light, but before she could take in her surroundings, he tossed her onto the bed. In an instant, he loomed over her, his legs and hands locking her in place.
She fought, gritting her teeth as she struggled beneath him, though it was a futile effort. No matter how much strength she mustered, she could never overpower him. Yet she refused to yield, her defiance unbroken.
"How did you meet him?" His voice cut through her struggles, halting her movements. Her eyes snapped up to his.
He couldn't possibly be throwing a fit over his brother, could he?
"Why don't you ask him yourself if you are so curious?" she replied, flashing him an annoying smile.
His reaction was swift. Without warning, his hand closed around her breast, kneading it with a firm grip. A strangled moan escaped her lips, caught between pleasure and pain. It was unexpected, and though his touch sent shivers through her, the force of it stung. She squirmed beneath him, twisting to break free.
"There is no use struggling," he murmured, smirking down at her. "But if you insist, we could do this all night."
Lilith's expression hardened, her cheeks flushing with fury. If only she were a wolf, if only she had the strength to tear free. The only reason they dared treat her this way was because she was weak. And she despised it. They wouldn't have dared to look down on her if she was a Lycan, including her adopted parents who she was going to pay back for selling her off.
"While I was trying to escape, I ran into a room to avoid the guards. That was how I met him," she finally confessed. His grip on her breast loosened, and she sighed in relief, resisting the urge to soothe the lingering ache.
"You will not dare look my brother in the eye or go near him." His voice carried a warning, yet she scoffed, finding his demand utterly absurd.
"Why must I obey your every whim? I am neither your puppet nor your servant. I can do as I please." She spat the words at him, defiant despite her disadvantage. Just because she lacked the upper hand did not mean she would submit to his control.
"But you are my slave, and you swore to belong solely to me. Would you like me to return you to that room to refresh your memory?" He arched a brow, his words a sharp reminder of the vow she had foolishly made. Her stomach twisted at the realization, she had done this to survive. And survival, after all, was victory. Everything else was meaningless.
"So, what will it be? Freedom or torment?" He smirked, jolting her from her thoughts. Her lips pressed together in frustration as she silently cursed him.
"Fine," she relented at last, though she already knew she would escape soon. 'I won't be here for long anyway,' she thought, forcing herself not to smirk.
"Good choice. At least your instincts for survival are intact. I only hope they are as sharp as your body's instincts." His gaze dropped lower, making her stiffen.
It was then that she understood. Did he truly believe she would yield to him?
"Even if you were the last man alive, I would never submit to you." She spat, her confidence unwavering. But her confidence only made him chuckle, he found it rather taming.
He boasted, "That fire… that confidence… I want to extinguish it. I wonder how long you will hold onto those words. No woman has ever managed to resist me." His arrogance was almost laughable. She longed to prove him wrong but there was no need. Soon, she would be gone.
"I am not just any woman, and I do not let my body rule me." She shot back, but he only laughed, his amusement grating against her nerves.
"You make me hard." His voice dropped, and before she could react, his lips latched onto her neck. His grip on her wrists tightened, pinning her beneath him as he sucked at her skin.
Lilith opened her mouth to protest, but as the sensation deepened, words failed her. A breathless sound escaped her lips, one she despised herself for.