*Pryce Winsley’s POV*
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I clenched my jaws, anger rushing in my whole being as I looked at the man I suspected was responsible for why Blair suddenly couldn’t use any of her witch abilities. And he scared our friends back inside the seniors’ building of my academy. And this warlock kind of looked familiar… an old enemy. Well, whoever they are, they won’t get away with what they are planning on us.
“Hello, Your Highness! It’s a pleasure to finally get face to face with the legendary Rightful Ruler of the werewolves. You truly are so big as a beast. But not that strong. Now... Are you wondering why I looked like your greatest nightmare?” He greeted me with a grin on his face and mocked me, and I growled at him, “You might look like Damien or related to him, but I’m not afraid of you. Release my mate, or you’ll see what you weren’t looking for. Or worse.”
He snickered and turned to look at the opened glass door behind me when the lights on the hallway lit up.
I tried to listen to what had been happening inside, and I heard Blair mention the name of her foster mother, Marge. And I suddenly felt her aura fade and the three human girls screamed my mate’s name, then there was silence. Hell, no!
“What did you do?” I belted and was about to hold his neck using my sharp claws, but he blocked my attack with his right hand turned into a werewolf’s. Hmm, he’s a hybrid, as I expect.
I could just knock him out right away, but I’m afraid my mate is in danger with whoever that woman this bastard was with who took my girl away.
“Where did you take her?” I asked and transformed into my wolf form to rush to where my companions were, and I found my friends lying on the floor, unconscious. But they are alive, thankfully. That witch must have used a sleep induction spell on them.
Damn, where are you, Blair?
“Aww, don’t worry. She’s in safe hands, Pryce Winsley. For now.” The man followed me inside and smirked, and I shifted back to my beast form and looked him in the eyes. I could see he seemed to be holding an ace against me. And, yes, they do.
Damn it! These people must have been spying on us for some time.
“Who are you, and what do you want from her?” I grumbled and saw small pieces of black cards he collected that were floating in the air near him.
“Runes,” I mumbled and finally knew the reason why Blair lost her powers. There must be something written on those.
“Mmm, no, it’s not only her that we needed. You’ll be together soon. Sooner, I guess.” He replied, and I whimpered when there was a sudden pain that I had felt around my body.
I cried more when it burned my flesh when I tried to take off the chains that had snaked around my neck and including my arms down to my core. And I slowly shifted back to my human form to feel less pain as it had been clasping me tighter and tighter.
It’s silver. F*ck them!
I winced when I felt my fresh wounds were bleeding, and I tried to slip out the chains, but I couldn't as it got tighter with every move I made. Thankfully, I had always been wearing this gold armor Ali had given me. It somehow lessened the injury I got from these stupid silver chains.
“Oh, I’m glad you went back for me, Auntie. Should we bring this beast, too, now? Oh, not a beast anymore. Human. A harmless, useless human, just like her other half. How easy are these b*tches to be defeated? Not even a sweat? Pathetic!” The jerk greeted the newcomer that looked like Margarette Kendall, who had bound me into these chains, and he laughed out loud.
Yeah, laugh now while you still can. You haven’t met my other form, and you seemed triumphant already? Ridiculous beings! I could even kill you all in less than a minute if I want to do so now.
“Yes, Don. She doesn't seem that dangerous. This was easier than I thought.” The witch confidently replied, and I let out a breath of relief. Mhmm, I’m not a threat… For now. So... Yes, please take me with you. I need to see where you have taken my mate, and I’m going to make you all pay if you ever hurt her.
“Don’t touch me!” I belted when the woman tried to hold my left shoulder, then she pushed me towards the portal that she created using the Mirak’s Crystal, and I fell on the floor of an unfamiliar place.
When I was about to get on my feet, I saw two women who waved at me while smiling broadly. Then I gasped and winced in pain when they had done witch magic to move my whole body and made me sit on a silver chair and bound me with more chains.
Ugh! These idiots!
These people are surely pains in my ass. I wonder if they are Northern Witches. But I think not.
“Who the f*ck are you?” I hissed and tried to break free, and the blonde-haired older-looking woman-witch-b*tch-whatever she is slapped my left cheek pretty hard.
Damn, hold your horses, vamPryce, and stay as human as possible. Their time will come soon. I need to act vulnerable for now.
“I never thought I could do that to this legendary creature. Oh, I am so excited to see Damien again.”
I looked at her when she mentioned the traitor’s name, and I don’t know what they are up to that could resurrect him. He's dead a long time ago.
Damn, I need to find Blair quickly.
“Let’s get everything ready for tomorrow night.” The other woman ordered, and I slowly felt my vision getting blurry until it went all dark.
No!
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A gust of wind hit my face, and I heard a familiar voice, making me open my eyes as I had just woken up from a nightmare. Was it?
I heard the voice again, and this time, she seemed to be crying.
Blair, why are you crying, My Love? Where are you? Are you in pain? Please, don’t cry.
“No! Spare her! I am the one who killed him! Let her go, please. No! Please! Pryce, beast up! Fight! Don’t let those bastards hurt you!”
“I’m so sorry. I can’t do anything. Forgive me.”
She kept screaming and crying, and I looked around me to find her, but I couldn’t see anything because of the darkness surrounding me. I’m not hurting. Why is my mate screaming as if I am dying?
Was it not just a bad dream that she was abducted by witches? They took us both, but where is she?
I tried to move but couldn’t, and I heard chains clanking. It really isn’t a dream. Now, I just remembered that I had silver chains all around my body. And I can’t shift into any of my werewolf forms.
I squinted my eyes when there was a bright light, and I heard a different voice.
I looked at the faces I had seen when I blacked out when they had put me into a sleeping spell.
“Hello, Pryce! Rise and shine! My name is Hera, by the way. And this is my sister, Asteria. I suppose you have met my son, Donald. Doesn't he look just like his father?” It was the woman who slapped me who spoke while a wide smile painted on her face.
“A carbon copy,” said the other woman here, who she called Asteria.
“Yes, thanks, sis. Well, I know our dearest husband will finally return tonight, and maybe you can finally have another baby. Babies.” Hera said, and her sister cheered and clapped her hands.
“Oh, yes! It has been centuries since the last time I had a baby. But damn, I can’t imagine us getting f*cked by your son’s body.” Asteria answered, making me look at them in unrest.
What are these people? I know they are the wives of Damien that Ford had told us, but what are they planning about his resurrection? This is disturbing.
“He won’t be my son anymore, Aste. Donald is going to die soon, remember? Don’t be stupid.” Hera argued, and the other woman replied with a fact, “The body is still Donald’s, Hera.”
“Ugh, whatever. Damien won’t be happy if we are worrying about that.” The older woman surrendered, and they both turned their attention on me.
“Sorry about that, Pryce. Now, let’s get back to you. We apologize if our younger sister, Magenta, had been enjoying her time with your mate. Do you hear that? Oh, poor Blair. That hybrid is pretty nasty and stubborn. Luckily, she’s a part witch, making it easy for us to control and play with her. We would take turns soon. But first, we will do something with you. Something fun.” Hera began, and I just kept glaring at them.
“What are you doing to her?” I asked and tried to control my emotions so I wouldn’t uncontrollably shift into my currently sound vampire mode.
“Just a little spice before we would execute our main purpose. Don’t worry. We will not kill her now, and neither do you. Damien would be the one to do that, and we all are going to watch. We just want to have fun and kill time in the meantime.” Asteria explained and made chairs float from my left, and they sat on both my sides.
“We just want to show you how your beloved princess suffers. Look at that screen.” Hera said and snapped her left fingers, making a huge LCD on the wall in front of us turned on.
“No, Blair,” I muttered when I saw how my mate begged while crying so much, and her face was black and blue and bloody.
“Stop it.” I sobbed and felt my tears fall, and I gulped.
“What? We can’t hear you.” Asteria mocked me, and I gritted my teeth as I felt my fury boiling.
“She’s seeing you getting tortured by us. But it’s not reality. Imagine that look on her face. That is how devastated she would be if you were in danger. But she can’t do anything with it.” Hera uttered, and I closed my eyes as I couldn’t take it seeing and hearing her hurting. She must be just close here. I need to go to her.
“Stop it, or you would regret messing up with her emotions,” I warned them, and I guess they knew how their husband died and every one of his followers that night. They pushed her to her limit by killing me.
“Oh, no. That won’t happen. You know why, Pryce? It’s because the crystal she had on her necklace belongs to our family. Our youngest sister, Cashmere, AKA Margarette, gave it to her. We know the power that flows in it. And we can control it, as well as with the help of Magenta’s runes by her cage. She would be helpless.” Hera asserted, confident that they are leading the game, and I got confused when they mentioned Marge. Was she their sister? Hmm. That means they are Southern Witches.
But I smirked when the information she spilled had sunk into my understanding.
I now remember what I had read about witches’ spells and runes. I just need to destroy Blair's necklace and one of those runes written anywhere around my mate’s cage. I need to set her free.
“Thanks for the information, ladies. I needed that. Truly.” I said with a smile, and they both turned their heads to look at me.
“And what can you do about it?” Asked Asteria, and I deeply inhaled.
“Nothing... For now.” I answered, and vicious smiles formed on their faces, and they laughed.
“Great! Now, we want you to enjoy that view for a moment. We have something very important to settle. See you later for more fun.” Hera said and stood up, and Asteria followed. Yes, please go and leave me here.
“Yeah, sure! Take all the time you need and good luck. May the odds be ever in your favor.” I told them with my sweetest smile, and they seemed bothered.
“Thanks. You indeed are charming, just like the man in your previous life. Too bad we can’t keep you away from harm tonight, Pryce, or your mate. Because… Long Live the King!” Asteria said, and I saw Hera made a portal. Then they were gone.
I let out the deep breath that I had been holding in for quite some time now, and I tried to focus my gaze on the screen to look at what Blair was doing. She’s still crying her eyes out, and she seems to be so weak now.
I’m sorry if you had to endure that pain, My Love. I will come to you soon.
And when I noticed that Magenta had left her alone, I finally felt relief.
It’s about time.