The Red Queen - (Alice In Wonderland)

Chapter 20 - Trapped

Cat stirred, her eyelids fluttering open as the dull ache of her body forced her back into consciousness. Pain throbbed through every muscle, and her wrists were rubbed raw from the iron cuffs chaining her to the cold stone wall. Her mind, still foggy, struggled to place where she was. The room spun as she blinked, her surroundings slowly coming into focus.

For a moment, she hoped it had all been a nightmare. But the sharp sting from the cuts on her skin and the metallic scent of blood brought her back to the horrifying truth—she was trapped. Captured by him.

Lizard - She realized that this name suited him much better than Lucas, she hated him, and had thought she would never see him again.

Her heart pounded as the memories flooded back—his twisted grin, the smug satisfaction on his face as he paralyzed her with just a touch, rendering her completely powerless. She tried to summon her abilities, but the room seemed to hum with a strange energy, a spell woven into its very walls. Her powers were useless here.

Cat tugged at the chains, her breath shaky. The weight of her situation sank in. She was truly trapped, her magic bound by this cursed room. Lizard had promised that when he returned, he would make her talk, make her scream, and worst of all—he had plans for her. Cruel, twisted plans.

Her skin crawled just thinking about him, how he'd always unnerved her—even back when they were younger.

Jack.

The thought of her brother hit her like a blade to the heart. The memories were bittersweet, each one both a comfort and a source of pain. Jack had always been her protector, fiercely loyal and loving. Despite the seven-year gap between them, they had been close. He never brushed her off or found her presence annoying, even when she tagged along with him and his friends. In fact, Jack had always invited her, making sure she felt included. It was through him that she first met Lucas "Lizard" and Harrison, back when Jack signed up to train as a soldier under Queen Marigold and King Thaddeus.

Her brother's promise to keep her safe after their parents died had been the only thing keeping her going for so long.

When Jack brought Harrison into their lives, introducing him as a trusted friend and fellow soldier, Cat had been lost to him from the very first moment. She smiled weakly at the memory, even as tears welled in her eyes. Back then, she was just a wide-eyed girl trailing after her brother and his handsome friend like a puppy, captivated by Harrison's bravery and strength. Jack never noticed the way her heart raced whenever Harrison was near—he still saw her as his little sister, oblivious to the fact she was growing up, falling hopelessly in love.

To her, Harrison was everything.

At the time, she believed she had seen something in Harrison's eyes, perhaps a spark of mutual attraction, but she dismissed it. She chalked it up to childish fantasy, to the hopeless crush of a young girl longing for a love she thought would never be returned.

While her heart had been completely focused on Harrison, Lucas had been fixated on her in a far darker way. His touches, initially innocent enough, had become more frequent and invasive, leaving her stomach twisted in knots. She hated every moment, the feeling of his hands on her skin making her feel sick. His very presence made her skin crawl.

Then came the day when Lucas had cornered her, his hands roaming where they shouldn't. She remembered the feeling of paralyzing fear as his powers took hold, and in a desperate surge of instinct, her own powers had activated for the first time. She had teleported away, straight to Jack, her face pale as a ghost and tears streaming down her cheeks. Harrison wasn't there, thank the gods—she couldn't bear the thought of him knowing what had happened.