No Mercy

Chapter 26

I try not to let my eyelids flutter as I lay on the bed. I can feel his eyes on me; watching my chest as it rises and falls, taking in every twitch of my eyelids and unconscious shift of my fingers. I thought that when the sun set an hour ago things would get easier, be much easier than they were this afternoon, but he never relented. His eyes never wavered, repeatedly asking the questions I didn't want to answer.

I try to think of a way out of this. We've been locked in this hellhole alone for the past few hours, and there hasn't been any sign of someone coming to let us out, or even bring us any food.

Mediana. The voice echoes suddenly in my head. This is Beta Ruth.

My spine stiffens at the intrusion, and my mouth dries and I struggle to keep breathing normally. Yes, Beta.

I'm here on behalf of Alpha Mercy for a progress report. I know it's only been a few days but we need any information you can provide us with about Torrence so far.

Where is Rylan? I ask.

I can hear the growl in his thoughts. I don't give a fuck what Alpha Mercy told you to call her, you will only address her as Alpha Mercy.

I visibly flinch at his words, my breathing no closer to returning to normal. Yes, sir.

But suddenly, I hear the shift of Ronan moving from across the small room, the floorboards creaking as he prowls toward me. So I pretend I'm having a nightmare, screwing my eyes shut tighter as my rugged breathing morphs into desperate pants. I dig my dirty nails into the bare mattress as I start to roll my head back and forth, mumbling under my breath.

"Wake up," Ronan calls out as he shakes my shoulder lightly.

I jump at the touch, my eyes flying open as I roll as far away from him as I can. His worried eyes lock onto mine, making me lose focus of the internal conversation I'm having. He holds his hands up in surrender as he takes a step back, trying to show that he is no danger to me.

"You were having a bad dream," he says, his low voice echoing around the small room.

I don't say anything in response, pressing my back against the wall as I bring my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them to hold my legs in place.

Well? Beta Ruth says. What do you have to report?

I close my eyes as I lean my forehead against my knees, trying to focus on one thing at a time.

I'm not sure how long I have been here. I admit. They have kept me sedated majority of the time.

It's been about 3 days. I can hear the dissatisfaction in his words. You have to have gathered something valuable during that time.

I sigh heavily as I just start to relay everything I have observed, hoping that he will find some of it useful. I tell him everything I can think of from the house they were keeping me hostage to the questions that the leadership was asking me. But I hesitate when I start to give him the details of my almost escape.

I can't tell them about finding my mate. I know they were hesitant to send me in here; I can't give them any more reason to doubt my abilities. I can't give Ryl—I mean, Alpha Mercy—any reason to pull me out of the mission. I have to do this for her.

This morning I was able to prove my worth to Alpha Torrence by escaping from the place I was held captive. While I was running I was able to get a brief look at the way their territory is set up. I'm now being held captive—