chapter 21 Rescued but safe?

Her face flushed red, fear clouding her emerald eyes as the rope around her neck tightened. She didn't want to die like this-not like this. Her legs shook uncontrollably, and her breaths turned ragged, gasping for the air that seemed to betray her.

"Noooo!" Prince Ezekiel wailed, his voice raw with anguish. He struggled fiercely, but the soldiers holding him down only tightened their grip.

Just when it seemed her life was slipping away, a flying dagger sliced through the rope. Calista dropped to the ground, coughing violently, her lungs desperately pulling in the cool, rain-soaked air. Misty-eyed, she looked up to see the silhouette of a man stepping through the crowd.

He walked with effortless grace, his aura both regal and threatening. His dark eyes scanned the scene, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "Poor Ezekiel," Alexander's voice resonated, his tone laced with mockery. "If only you had taken my advice, your beloved wouldn't be in this predicament."

Ezekiel's body tensed, his fists clenching. Alexander continued, undeterred. "Your display of love was so touching. Truly, I almost shed a tear." His words dripped with sarcasm as he stepped closer to Calista, who scrambled backward on the wet ground.

"What are you doing here?" Alpha Caleb's voice boomed with fury, his veins bulging with suppressed rage.

Alexander smirked, waving off the alpha's anger as though it were insignificant. "Relax. I'm simply here to retrieve what's mine." His eyes locked onto Calista, who froze in terror. Her instincts screamed for her to run, but her body refused to move.

Alexander knelt beside her, his gloved hand brushing aside the wet strands of her hair. His grip tightened on her jaw, forcing her to look at him. "Are you willing to follow me to hell?" he asked, his voice calm but deadly serious.

Her mind reeled at his words. They were hauntingly familiar, like a voice from a dream. Memories of the dark angel she thought she'd imagined came rushing back. "Are you... the dark angel?" she stammered, her trembling voice barely audible over the pouring rain.

His expression remained unreadable.

"Yes," he confirmed, his gaze piercing through her soul. "And if you're willing, I will walk through the fire for you."

Calista's heart raced. His words sounded sincere, but the darkness in his eyes suggested otherwise. "What... what happens if I say no?" she managed to whisper, her voice barely holding steady.

She swallowed hard, her mind spinning. Was she truly willing to sell her soul to survive? Her eyes darted to Prince Ezekiel, who was still struggling against the soldiers, his face etched with despair. Tears blurred her vision as she made her decision. Turning back to Alexander, she whispered, "I'm willing. I will follow you to hell."

Alexander's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Good," he said simply, rising to his feet. He turned to face the crowd, his presence commanding and dangerous. "She is mine now," he declared, daring anyone to oppose him.

"You can't take her!" one man shouted angrily, stepping forward with defiance.

Alexander barely spared him a glance. In a blur, an ancient sword blazing with blue flames materialized in Alexander's hand. With one swift motion, the sword flew through, striking the man.His screams echoed for mere seconds before his body disintegrated into ash.

Growls and snarls erupted from the crowd as the soldiers prepared to attack. Alpha Caleb raised his hand, silencing them. "You can take her, but if she ever sets foot in my land again, she will die," the alpha said coldly, his glare sharp enough to cut steel.

"No, Father!" Ezekiel cried, his voice cracking. "King Alexander is heartless- he'll kill her!"

"Either way, she's as good as dead," Caleb replied, his tone devoid of sympathy. He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Ezekiel broken and desperate.

Alexander scooped Calista into his arms effortlessly. "I can walk," she murmured weakly, but her words went ignored. Alexander carried her away, his strides steady and unyielding. Rain poured harder, soaking them both, but Alexander's focus never wavered.

As they moved farther from the execution grounds, Calista turned her head, her tearful gaze meeting Ezekiel's. Her chest ached with a grief she could barely comprehend. He had been her savior, the first person to ever show her love. Memories of their brief time together flashed in her mind like cruel reminders of what she was leaving behind.

Their eyes locked for what felt like an eternity before the distance between them became insurmountable. The tears in Ezekiel's eyes mirrored her own, and she silently promised herself that one day, she would find her way back to him.

Calista's eyes fluttered open, her vision blurry and unfocused. She groaned softly, her body heavy with exhaustion. "Where am I?" she muttered, her voice hoarse.

The room was dark, illuminated only by the faint flicker of a single candle. The walls were draped in rich, shadowy fabric, giving the space an ominous air. Her heart sank as she realized she was no longer in Ezekiel's palace. Panic gripped her as she noticed her clothes had been changed.

"Hello?" she called out hesitantly, her voice trembling. "Is anyone there?"

Only silence answered her. The eerie stillness of the room made her skin crawl. She stumbled out of bed, ignoring the sharp pain in her back. Her hands fumbled with the door, but it refused to open. "Hello?" she cried, banging her fists against the wood.

"Please, is anyone there?"

"You are scared little bunny, I see," a deep voice drawled from the shadows.

Calista froze, her blood running cold. Slowly, she turned to see Alexander emerge from the darkness, his movements deliberate and predatory.

"King Alexander?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Why... why are you here?"

He stepped closer, his gaze locked onto hers. "Did you forget already?" His voice was mocking, laced with amusement.

Calista instinctively stepped back, only to find herself pressed against the door. Alexander stopped inches away, his towering figure casting a shadow over her. He raised a hand, pinning it against the door beside her head, blocking her escape.

"Trying to run?" he taunted, his dark eyes boring into hers.