chapter fifteen

Nikolas' POV

I woke up with a start, the soft sounds of the night still hanging in the air. My body was tense, my mind scrambling to make sense of the strange, unfamiliar surroundings. I blinked, taking in the dim lighting of the room. It wasn't my room—it couldn't be. There were no traces of home, no familiar scent, just the crisp, clean smell of Caspian's territory.

I moved slowly, my eyes scanning the space. No Caspian. My heart thudded a little harder at the realization. Where was he? I got out of bed and walked around the room, feeling a mixture of confusion and frustration. How the hell had I ended up here? I rubbed a hand over my face, trying to shake off the haze of sleep.

I didn't ask for this.

I muttered under my breath, heading toward the bathroom, the sound of my footsteps echoing in the silence. The mirror in front of me reflected a face I didn't recognize a person caught between being a prisoner and someone who should've never been taken in the first place. My uncle... I should've never allowed that transfer. This wasn't just about school, about some twisted new life he thought was good for me.

Now I was here. Kidnapped. And by none other than the imposing, frustrating Alpha who wouldn't leave me alone.

I rubbed my hands over my face again, the thought of being so far from home sinking in deeper. How could Caspian do this? How could he just claim me like this? I didn't even know him! His presence, so strong, so commanding—it made me feel cornered and yet... I couldn't shake the pull. My thoughts twisted back on themselves, but I shook my head to rid myself of the nagging confusion.

I turned to the shower, needing the rush of water to clear my mind. The warm cascade over my skin was a welcome distraction. But even in the privacy of the steam, I couldn't escape the feeling that Caspian was always there, looming in my thoughts.

When I finished, I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my waist, moving toward the closet. Great, nothing in here fit me. Everything was far too big. I cursed under my breath, running my fingers through my damp hair. Why the hell was he so much bigger than me? I sighed in frustration and grabbed one of his oversized tops, the fabric swallowing me whole, and paired it with my old jeans, which at least felt like something familiar.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever came next. I had to get out of here, to figure out how to escape this madness. But first, I needed to get to the kitchen maybe I could find some answers there.

I left the room, stepping out into the vast hallway. The place was huge. I had no idea where I was going, and I quickly found myself hopelessly lost. The architecture was grand, too much so for me to keep track of. It felt like wandering through a mansion, each turn bringing me further away from any sense of direction.

Suddenly, I stumbled into a wide open field. Men. Big men. All training, sparring, using all kinds of weapons, their grunts and shouts cutting through the air. My stomach dropped at the sight of them, their power and size making me feel even smaller than I already did.

"What are you doing here, princess?" Ronan's voice broke through my thoughts, and I turned to see him standing nearby, a smirk plastered on his face.

"Where's Caspian?" I asked, my voice sharp despite my frustration.

Ronan raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Oh, is our princess already looking for her prince?"

I scowled at him, my patience wearing thin. "That's it, Ronan. I'm tired of your teasing. Why don't we just fight?"

He chuckled, the sound rich with amusement. "Yeah, and let Caspian hunt me down for it? Nah, I'm good."

He raised his hands in mock surrender, his grin never faltering. He had this way of making everything feel like a joke.

I huffed, the tension in my chest not dissipating, and glanced around at the warriors who continued their training, not paying much attention to us. Caspian was nowhere in sight. Maybe he was hiding. Or maybe he was keeping his distance on purpose, letting me stew in my own anger and confusion.

Caspian moved through the thick bushes, his muscular frame catching the light as he emerged into the open field, shirtless and looking every bit the formidable Alpha he was. His skin glistened with a layer of sweat from the earlier training, and every movement of his flexed muscles made my pulse quicken. I couldn't help but stare, my breath catching in my throat as I tried to pull my gaze away, but it was like he had some sort of magnetic pull over me.

Just as I was about to snap myself out of my daze, I heard Ronan move closer, his voice dropping into a teasing whisper. "Yummy, huh?" He smirked, clearly enjoying my discomfort.

I quickly snapped my head toward Ronan, my face burning with embarrassment. "Shut up, Ronan!" I hissed, pushing him away as hard as I could.

Ronan stumbled back, laughing harder than ever. "Hahaha! Nikolas, relax. I'm just messing with you. You can eat him all you want, for all I care."

My face turned crimson, and I shot a desperate look toward Caspian, hoping for some kind of intervention. But Caspian only stood there, watching us with a bemused expression, the muscles in his jaw twitching as he suppressed a grin.

The rest of the warriors around us seemed to enjoy the spectacle, some snickering under their breath, others pretending not to notice. I felt all eyes on me, and I couldn't help but shrink back, wishing the ground would just swallow me up.

Caspian finally spoke, his voice calm but with a hint of something else, something that made my heart skip a beat. "Ronan, stop teasing him," he said, his tone commanding.

Ronan, still grinning, raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I'm just having fun. But you two are making things more interesting than I expected."

I glared at him, not appreciating the teasing, but I couldn't stop the heat in my cheeks. I turned back to Caspian, feeling completely out of place in this strange, tense moment.

"Caspian, why am I here?" I finally managed to ask, my voice quieter now, my nerves a tangled mess. "I didn't agree to this. I never wanted to be here

Caspian's expression didn't change immediately, but something flickered in his eyes at my words. Something unreadable. Dangerous.

"Please, Caspian, let me go," I pleaded, my voice laced with desperation. "I didn't kidnap you those hunters did." I took a shaky breath, willing my heart to slow down. "I even treated you there, I helped you, Caspian. If you want revenge, why would you take me?" My throat tightened as I forced out the next words. "I didn't hurt you…"

Caspian's jaw tensed, his golden eyes burning into mine, unreadable and unwavering.

I exhaled sharply, taking an instinctive step back. "I saw you change, Caspian." My voice trembled. "I saw what you became."

Silence stretched between us, thick with tension.

"I didn't want to bring it up," I admitted, my pulse pounding. "I thought if I forgot it, if I pretended it wasn't real, it would just—disappear." I swallowed hard and looked at him, really looked at him. "But it is real, isn't it?"

Caspian remained still, too still.

"What are you?" My voice was barely a whisper now. "Are you a mutant or something? Is that what they do in the facility? They make monsters like you?"

The moment the word monster left my lips, I regretted it.

Before I could react, Caspian moved.

One second, I was standing there, heart hammering. The next, his strong hands gripped my arms, spinning me around and pinning me against a nearby training machine. My breath caught in my throat as the cold metal pressed against my back, my body caged in by his presence.

Fear spiked through me, but it wasn't just fear—it was something else, something deeper, something that made my skin prickle in ways I didn't understand.

Caspian's golden eyes burned into mine, fierce and unyielding. His grip was firm, but not painful. He leaned in slightly, his breath warm against my skin.

"I am not a monster," he growled, his voice low and rough.

I swallowed, frozen in place.

"I am a wolf."

His words sent a shiver down my spine.

"What you saw was my wolf, Nikolas," Caspian continued, his voice steady, yet charged with something primal. "That's how I was born."

I stared up at him, my breath coming in short, shallow gasps. His presence was overwhelming powerful, undeniable. And for the first time, I wasn't sure if I should be afraid of him… or something else entirely.