chapter seven

Nikolas's POV

I had seen prisoners before. Some of them were hardened criminals, some were desperate, and others were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.

But this one—Caspian—was different.

He wasn't just chained. He was wrapped in silver, his wrists raw and burned from where the metal dug into his skin. His torso bore deep welts from where the belts had struck him, some still fresh, others dark with dried blood.

And yet, despite the obvious pain, he sat there as if none of it mattered. His sharp, inhuman eyes followed me, unblinking, watching my every move.

I swallowed hard.

The doctor had told me to monitor him. Said he was just another prisoner. But when I saw the way they tortured him, something inside me twisted.

I wasn't supposed to care.

But I did.

"Come with me."

The doctor's words had barely left his mouth before I followed him down the sterile hallways of the clinic, my stomach unsettled.

I wasn't prepared for what I saw next.

Caspian.

His body slumped slightly, exhaustion evident, but his presence—his sheer existence—still demanded attention.

The doctor stepped out to grab supplies, leaving us alone.

I hesitated.

Then, before I could stop myself, I rushed to him.

"Please," I whispered, my hands hovering over his wounds. "Let me put some cream on them."

He didn't respond, only staring at me with those golden eyes, unreadable and intense.

I swallowed again, then carefully reached for the wounds on his chest. The skin was warm—too warm—beneath my fingers. I worked quickly, spreading the cream over the worst of the marks.

"You'll have to manage with this for now," I murmured, voice softer than I intended. "I'll bring more medicine later."

He didn't respond.

I hesitated again, then reached into my pocket, pulling out a small container of food.

"Here." I held it out. "Eat."

He just stared at me.

I felt stupid.

Then, after a long, agonizing pause, he spoke.

"My hands are tied." His voice was low, edged with something dark. "How do I eat?"

Oh.

I flushed, embarrassed.

Of course.

"Okay… I'll feed you."

The words came out before I could rethink them. I grabbed a small piece of food and carefully brought it to his lips.

His gaze never left mine.

The moment his lips brushed my fingers, a strange sensation shot through me—electric, sharp, and far too intimate.

It traveled down my spine, straight to my groin.

I almost dropped the food.

What the hell was that?

I cleared my throat, forcing myself to keep going.

Each time his tongue accidentally touched my fingertips, the sensation came back—stronger.

I was confused. Really confused.

I fed him in silence, pretending my hands weren't trembling slightly, pretending I wasn't affected.

When the last piece was gone, I quickly stood.

"I… I should go."

I turned, ready to run before I embarrassed myself further.

But then—

"Nikolas."

I froze.

My heart pounded.

He had never said my name before.

I turned slightly, glancing at him over my shoulder.

His gaze was still on me. But this time… there was something different in it.

Something terrifying.

Something possessive.

I should have left.

I should have walked away, pretended none of this had affected me, pretended I hadn't just felt something every time his lips touched my fingers.

But his voice deep, raw, and so full of something I didn't understand froze me in place.

I turned back, just enough to meet his gaze.

"What?" I asked, my voice quieter than I intended.

Caspian didn't blink.

His golden eyes held me there, like I was something he owned. Like he was waiting for something.

"Thank you," he said, voice low.

I wasn't sure why those two words unsettled me. Maybe because they felt wrong coming from someone like him.

Someone powerful. Someone dangerous.

Someone chained like an animal yet still in control.

I forced myself to nod, to step away.

But before I could move, he tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into something almost like a smirk.

"You felt it, didn't you?"

My breath caught.

I clenched my fists. "I don't know what you're talking about."

His smirk widened. He knew I was lying.

A slow, deliberate breath left his lips."You will "

I turned and left

When I got out of Caspian's cell, I felt like I could finally breathe again.

I hurried down the hall, my footsteps echoing in the dim corridors of the facility. My heart was still pounding too fast, too hard.

I didn't understand this feeling.

The way my skin tingled where I had touched him. The way his deep voice seemed to wrap around me like an invisible chain.

It was dangerous.

I shook my head and forced myself to focus.

Once I reached my room, I locked the door behind me and went straight to the bathroom.

I turned on the shower, letting the cold water rush over my skin, trying to cool the heat crawling up my spine.

What the hell was that back there?

I had treated injured prisoners before. But this was different.

Caspian was different.

His presence unsettled me in ways I didn't understand. He wasn't just some captured wolf he was something else entirely.

The way he watched me. The way he didn't even flinch when I touched him, when I pressed cream into his wounds.

And when he pulled his trousers down—

I slammed my hands against the cold tiles, gripping the edge of the sink.

Why am I thinking about that?

I groaned and finished my shower, trying to push the memory aside.

But it lingered.

Even as I got dressed. Even as I sat down to eat the meal I had prepared.

I took a few bites, then stopped.

I frowned at my plate.

Has he eaten?

The thought came out of nowhere.

I stared at my food, but suddenly, I didn't feel hungry anymore.

I stood up, grabbed some pain relief, and made my way back down the halls.

I didn't have an excuse.

I told myself it was just my job. Just basic care.

But deep down, I knew that was a lie.

When I entered his cell, Caspian was exactly where I had left him.

Still chained.

His head was slightly raised, as if he had sensed me before I even stepped inside.

The dim light flickered, casting long shadows across his broad, scarred frame.

I hesitated, then stepped closer.

"Take this," I murmured, holding out the painkillers.

Caspian tilted his head slightly. "You're back," he said, his voice rough from exhaustion.

I ignored the way that simple statement made my stomach tighten.

I held up the pills. "Open your mouth."

He didn't argue.

He parted his lips, and I placed the pills on his tongue, bringing the water to his lips.

He swallowed, never breaking eye contact.

I forced myself to focus.

My gaze drifted lower, tracing the fresh wounds across his back. The belt lashes were deep, the bruises darkening along his ribs.

I exhaled.

"If you… pull your trousers down a little, I can treat the wounds lower on your back," I said.

The second the words left my mouth, I realized what I had just said.

My eyes widened.

"I-I mean your wounds," I stammered, heat creeping up my neck. "Not—not anything else—"

Caspian didn't laugh.

He didn't mock me.

Instead, he held my gaze for a long moment—before silently pulling his trousers lower.

I froze.

I hadn't actually expected him to listen.

I swallowed hard and kneeled beside him, trying to keep my hands steady.

I focused on the wounds, applying the cream as quickly as possible.

But then—I saw it.

My breath hitched.

He was…big.

Too big.

My throat went dry, and I snapped my gaze away, panic flaring in my chest.

I worked fast, applying the cream without looking any further.

"There," I said quickly, standing up so fast I nearly stumbled. "You can pull them up now."

Caspian was silent.

But I didn't dare look at his expression.

I turned away, heart pounding.

"I—I'll check on you later," I mumbled before practically running out of the room.

I didn't stop until I was back in my own quarters, locking the door behind me.

Then I collapsed onto my bed, staring at the ceiling.

What the hell was happening to me?