CHAPTER SIX

Not a word. Riley was not given the chance to before Malcolm's guards dragged him with them. His plea for reasoning fell into deaf ears. They dragged him all the way to the car and threw him in.

Riley shouted, screamed at his stepdad to let him go, to give him some days to pay off the debt he knows nothing about. "Please, you can't do this! I beg you! Give me some days. Please…" Riley slurred, his face filled with tears. He tried to be tough, he tried to not be shaken.

But can he? No he cannot!

Caspian Nightingale was a nightmare! Even though he's mentally unstable now, who would want to marry into the Nightingale family? Let alone marry Caspian?

The Nightingale family are high rank Alphas that was feared by all, their name enough to send shivers down anyone's spine. More than a mafia, they were an untouchable empire, with power rooted so deep even the cops wouldn't dare cross them.

Merciless in business, they crushed anyone who stood in their way. Betrayal was met with swift, ruthless punishment, and those who defied them rarely lived to tell the tale.

Even hardened criminals steered clear of the Nightingales, knowing full well that crossing paths with them was a death sentence. To marry into their family was not just a risk—it was a nightmare.

No. That's not what scared him. That's not why his hands trembled and his breath hitched in his throat.

It wasn't the Nightingale family's reputation or their ruthless empire that terrified him.

It was Caspian.

Caspian. Caspian. Caspian. Caspian.

The name kept on repeating in Riley's head. That name alone was enough to make someone pee their pants.

He had heard stories of how the Nightingales hated Omegas, no, of how Caspian despised them. Especially Omegas like him. And the way he treated his ex-partners? It wasn't something anyone would wish to experience, not even in their darkest nightmares.

"Get your ass out! You're not planning to sit there forever, are you?" The guard, whom Riley assumed to be Glenn's right-hand man, barked and roughly pulled him out.

"Welcome back home, son." Glenn smirked and slumped onto the nearby couch in the living room. "You know where your room is, you can go and have some rest, it's already late."

Oh, how Riley wanted to knock that smug look off his irritating face. His body trembled with suppressed anger, his hands clenched into fist as he glared at Glenn.

"Rest? You're a full-time clown. I told you I don't want to get married, not with him!" Riley barked, his voice sharp and trembling. How could he rest when he's so close to losing his mind—or maybe he had already lost it!

The thought of marrying Caspian didn't just sit well with him; it clawed at his chest, making it hard to even breathe.

"As if you have a say," Glenn's smirk faded, his tone colder than before. "Go now while I'm still kind to you, or I might just make that call tonight. You don't want to know what happens when the Nightingales lose their patience, trust me."

What? What did he mean by losing their patience? Is it that he had been planning and waiting for the right time to strike? Either way, he's exhausted right now. He needs to rest and think of a way out of this marriage.

Exchanging words with Glenn won't change anything either. So, he needed to plan his move well.

Like that, he went upstairs and slumped on the bed without even taking a good look of the room that was once his.

Riley lay on the bed, his body stiff and his mind restless. Caspian's name echoed in his head, a haunting reminder of the nightmare he was being forced into. No matter how hard he tried to think of a way out, his exhaustion pulled at him relentlessly.

His eyelids grew heavier, his breathing slowed, and before he could stop it, the chaos in his mind faded into nothingness as sleep slowly claimed him.

*********************

In the cold, dimly lit underground lair, the only source of light came from the flickering, harsh bulbs hanging from the ceiling. The air smelled faintly of blood and metal, a stifling reminder of the world that thrived in the shadows.

The unmistakable faint sound of a scream echoed through the cold, concrete walls. The man at the desk didn't flinch. His eyes remained fixed on the monitor in front of him—unbothered by the noise. Another informant was caught. Another traitor, and they were being treated to the law. His law.

One of his trusted men stepped in quietly, his footsteps heavy. "The informant's broken," he said casually, glancing toward the hallway where the screams grew louder. "We've got them, but the marriage… it's still a mess. The omega's fighting it."

The man at the desk leaned back, his fingers tightening around the armrest. "I see," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You've looked into the situation at home?"

"Yes. Your mother's pushing hard. And the omega… he's not pleased with the idea. But he's got no choice."

A he? Interesting. Seems like his mother finally knows his taste after all. "Really?"

"Yeah, your mother believes it's the best way to secure the family line, to strengthen the empire. She's already set the wheels in motion. But the omega...he's fighting it, almost desperate to avoid marriage."

Secure the family's line? What more is there to be secured?

Hah, he's underestimating this woman more than he should. That's a good plan there, a very good one.

He leaned forward, elbows resting on the desk, his posture relaxed yet intense. 'Desperate…" he trailed, his eyes filled with a mischievous, dangerous glint. Why did he suddenly feel interested?

The man in front of him, his right-hand man, could feel the shift in the air. "Boss?"

A cold smile tugged at the man's lips. "Let's see how this plays out. Let's see the unfortunate soul who'll still become my bride."

The words hung in the air, a promise of something far more sinister.