Chapter 29
Five
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Another week later
“Do you want to watch a movie or something?” Eric asks in a hopeful voice through the prison bars.
His time in captivity has softened him and mellowed him from a hard–edged man to one desperate for any kind of love and attention. Every now and then, the old Eric returns, hist fearless and rebellious nature shining through like a beacon, but his old personality never stays for very long. I think it’s because the walls of this prison have drained some of his spirit away. He is no longer the same man.
I hope it’s a phase and that he will return to his old self after we have found a way to let him out of here. But at the moment, he still lacks control. It was only yesterday when he tried to attack me. However, it might have been my fault. I cut my finger, and the scent of
blood made Eric react and see red.
“A movie would be nice…” I mumble, fingers already looking for a movie on my various streaming software.
Eric moves towards the prison bars, his shoulders hunched as he slumps down to sit in front of them. He manages to look small even though he is just as huge as his twin brother, who towers over my own 4’9 stature. The twins are both around 6’6 foot tall,
while I’m barely 5 feet.
“I really miss you, Five.”
I look up from my laptop. Eric is smiling faintly, but it’s a fake one. His expression looks startled underneath it, haunted. When he speaks, he sounds like he is suffering. “I…I really don’t want to be locked up in here anymore. It’s driving me insane, Five. I haven’t hugged
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you in almost a month.”
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My chest constricts, and I’m having trouble finding words. I miss Eric too, but we both know his bloodthirst is making it impossible to let him out of his prison cell. He is a hybrid now and probably too strong to stop if he went on a killing spree. His eyes are always red now, indicating that he has awakened, and his every pore oozes with strength.
“You know it’s for your own good, Eric. What if we release you, and you attack someone?”
“I’ve been thinking about that actually,” Eric stares off into the distance. “What if I will never learn how to control myself because I’m locked up in here? I haven’t had any real
practice.”
“That’s because we wouldn’t be able to stop you if you attacked someone. Haven’t you realized that you’re much stronger than us now? You’re a hybrid, while Logan and I are just werewolves. We wouldn’t be able to hold you back; even if I have evolved as a werewolf, my power isn’t enough.”
He grins. “You’re pretty f**king strong, Five. On that first day when I was just about turned, you defeated me.”
My face flames. “That was before you had awakened. I doubt I would be able to
overpower you now.”
He presses his nose through the prison bars, fingers tight around the metal. “But what if you had Logan’s help? That would be enough, right?”
I hesitate, and Eric sees my moment of weakness. He has gotten so good at reading me now that we have spent so much time together.
“I can see that you’re thinking about it,” he points out and gives me his best attempt at puppy eyes. “Come on, Five. Just take me to a cafe. I need to see real people and just…live. Please?”
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I snort. “But you don’t even like coffee.”
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“I do now when it’s the only human food that doesn’t make me want to gouge my eyes.
out.”
I roll my eyes at his dramatic reaction, but I can see his point. It must be terrible to be stuck in a cell all day, every day, with no human contact. I know Eric can be dangerous,
but he is also my mate. It means I need to trust him.
“Fine,” I finally relent. “I will talk to Logan and see if we can take you out for a bit. But just
a bit, okay? And you’re not to leave our sight.”
Eric’s face lights up, and I can’t help but smile. Despite everything, he still manages to make me feel guilty for keeping him locked up.
“Thank you, Five. You’re the best.”
I turn to leave, already dreading the conversation I will have to have with Logan. But before I can take a step, Eric’s voice stops me.
“Hey, Five? Can I ask you something?”
I turn back to him and nod.
“If I do learn to control myself, will you let me out of here?”
I hesitate. It’s a question I’ve been avoiding answering for a while now. But I owe it to Eric
to be honest.
“I don’t know, Eric. It’s not just about you being able to control yourself. It’s about trust. We need to be able to trust that you won’t hurt anyone.”
“I won’t hurt anyone. I’m not a monster,” he whispers, desperation edging his voice. “I promise.”
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“I hope so,” I say, turning to leave once more. “I really do.”
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“Stay the night,” Eric suddenly says. His tone is gentle, and the look on his face tells me he doesn’t believe I will say yes. Yet he pushes the idea. “Sleep inside my cell and let me prove to you that I can control myself. Please?”
I freeze in my tracks, turning to face him fully. “What? Are you crazy?”
Eric shakes his head. “I know it sounds crazy, Five. But I need you to trust me. And I need to prove to myself that I can control my instincts around you.”
I take a step closer to the bars of his cell. “Eric, you know that’s not possible. It’s not safe
for either of us.”
“I won’t hurt you, Five. I swear it on my life.”
His words send shivers down my spine, and I can see the sincerity in his eyes. It’s a tempting offer, but I know better than to let my guard down around him.
“I’m sorry, Eric. I can’t.”
His expression falls, but he nods understandingly. “I get it. I will keep trying to control myself. I won’t give up on proving to you that I’m not a monster.”
I sigh. “I believe you, Eric. I do. But it’s going to take time. And until then, you have to stay in your cell.”
Eric nods, looking down at his hands. “I understand.”
“Good.” I turn to leave once more, but before I can take another step, Eric speaks up again.
“Five?”
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“I know we are mates. But do you really care about me? Or am I just a prisoner to your
these days?”
The question catches me off guard, and I can feel my heart racing in my chest. “Of course, I care about you, Eric,” I say softly, my voice hoarse with emotion. “But it’s complicated.
You know that.”
“I know,” Eric says, his eyes searching mine. “But sometimes it feels like you’ve forgotten about me. Like all I am to you now is a monster locked up in a cage.”
Hot tears prickle at the corners of my eyes at his words. “Eric, I could never forget about you. You’re my mate, and that means something to me.”
“Then why won’t you let me prove to you that I can control myself?” Eric asks, frustration creeping into his voice. “I just want to show you that I’m not a threat. That we can be together without anyone getting hurt.”
“I know, but it’s not that simple,” I say, feeling helpless. The truth is that I want to give Eric a chance. I want us to spend the night together, and if he can control himself, maybe we
could cuddle and act like a real couple.
But I’m terrified of him and so ashamed of it. I’ve been trying to shove down my fear and pretend it doesn’t exist, but it does. I’m scared of my own mate, of his power. Spending
time alone with him…it frightens me.
The worst part is that I’m hiding it from Eric. I haven’t dared to tell him that his new hybrid self scares me. But whenever I’m around him, my heart races so fast it’s deafening to my
own ears.
“Five,” Eric holds my gaze, and the sparks between us can’t be denied. “Do you trust in the
mate bond?”
“I do,” I take a deep breath, realizing that maybe the key to solving this is to stop thinking
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with my head and listen to my heart. And my heart wants to be with Eric.
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Eric can sense the shift in my energy, and his eyes crinkle with humor. “Then would it really be so crazy to trust me?” he asks, his voice lighter now, less desperate. “Let me show you what I’m capable of.”
Before I can respond, Eric’s hand is on my cheek, pulling me towards him. The metal bars. of the prison cell prevent our bodies from colliding, but his arms are so long that they are capable of keeping me there.
“I will go easy on you,” he whispers. “I will be gentle,” he taps his lap and grins. “How about we just cuddle tonight? Come and sit in my lap.”
I hesitate for a moment, but then I open the gate, eyeing his lumbering form before walking inside. “Promise me that I won’t regret this.”
Eric’s face softens, and he pulls me into his embrace, holding me tight in a hug. “I promise,” he whispers into my ear. The height difference is so bizarre that he is bent in the middle. “I won’t hurt you, Five. Never you…at least not on purpose.”
I smile at that, but on the inside, I’m freaking out. A tendril of fear licks my back as I sit in his lap. I’m afraid and shivering as I feel the warmth of his b*dy seeping through my clothes and my skin. He is so big and strong, but right now, he is so gentle and tender. It’s like he’s holding a precious porcelain doll, handling it with utmost care. Yet, despite this, I can’t push down my fear.
Eric pulls me even closer to him, and I can hear his heartbeat as if it’s echoing in my own chest. His scent fills my nostrils, reminding me of the forest after the rain. I close my eyes, trying to relax. I know that Eric will never hurt me, but there is something about his hybrid form that still scares me. It’s not just his physical strength but the raw power that
emanates from him.
Eric places a soft k*ss on the back of my n*ck, making me shiver with pleasure. “Relax,
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Five,” he murmurs. “I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.”
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I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. “I know,” I whisper back. “I just need to get
used to this. It’s all so new to me.”
Eric nods, rubbing his hands up and down my arms in a soothing motion. “Take your
time,” he says. “I’m not going anywhere.”
We sit like that for what feels like hours, just holding each other in silence. I can feel Eric’s steady breathing against my back, and it lulls me into a sense of safety. It’s strange how being with him can make me feel so vulnerable and yet so protected at the same time.
“So…” I drawl. “Are you feeling like eating me yet?”
Eric chuckles behind me, burying his face in my shoulder to sniff me. “That depends on what you mean,” his deep voice makes me shiver in his lap. “I want your blood, but I’m fighting it…and I do want to eat you. Eat you out. It would be an honor to have your scent
all over my face.”
I almost choke. “Eric! Behave!”
“What?” he laughs. “I haven’t had S*x in forever, and you’re right there! Your pretty little self is sitting right on my dick. It’s torture, Five.”
My heart skips a beat, and I turn my head enough to see his playful eyes and smile. Dark hair is falling into his face, and he has a beard now that he hasn’t shaved. I snicker at that, “You’re not going between my legs before you get rid of that beard, Eric.”
He grins. “Wanna shave it off for me?”
“That would be interesting,” I say. “And intimate…you sure you trust me?”
“I do,” he rubs his face against me. It reminds me of something a cat would do, especially
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when he plants a k*ss on my n*ck. “I trust you more than I trust Logan.”
I frown. “Are you still convinced he betrayed you?”
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“Yes,” Eric growls. “He was so quick to throw me aside only so he could get to have your
alone in bed. That bastard hasn’t visited me once on his own!”
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I swallow thickly. I don’t like that the twins are enemies right now. They are brothers, and they used to be inseparable–I don’t want them to fight. I want them to work things out!
“Eric, that’s not fair,” I say quickly. “Logan was scared. He wants to be with you but doesn’t
know how to deal with your new form and the way you’ve changed!”
Eric sighs heavily. “Maybe you’re right…”
“I am!” I insist. “Please try and work things out with him.”
“I will try, but first,” he places his chin on my shoulder. “First, I just want to enjoy being
with you.