Chapter 48: Chapter 48

Chapter Forty — Eight

Michael

“We need your help.” The words echoed around the big room as both James and I said it out loud in our heavy voices.

At our sentence, Elijah rolled his eyes like he knew we would say that.

Honestly speaking, when he rolled his eyes it made him look uglier than he already was. Even though I was thankful for him for saving both mine and my brother's life, it did not change the fact that he was ugly.

He nodded his head for both of us to sit down. Sliding the chair, we both set down. He gave a curt nod to tell us to continue. James spoke first.

“We can not do it. Even if we want to. Our wolves howled in pain and forced us to stop hurting her, because it hurt them just the same. Mate bond, I guess.” He said. Elijah scratched his thick brow as if thinking about it.

I continued.

“We could handle it, but it will take too much time. Not only we and our wolves will feel the pain but also, we will probably go easy on her, even if we don't want to. Our mate bond won't allow us. So...” I said, Elijah raised his brows curiously.

“So...” He asked with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

“So, we were thinking maybe you could take over and get the information out of her. Time is running out, we need to find about Adan and the rest of them.” I told him.

On the mention of the rest of the people, his expressions sobered and turned into a more serious one.

He stood up and started to roll up his sleeves. For once my heart slammed inside my chest knowing what that gesture meant. He was a very famous man, widely known to get information out of anyone. He was also renowned for how badly he could hurt someone. There was no way that Linda would not speak. She would not get any lesser treatment just for the sake of being our mate. What's worse is that he might go out of his way to hurt her, especially after what she did to our pack.

I still could not comprehend how cruelly she murdered our pack members. She broke their neck, cracked their bones and tore them in half with the same hands that once caressed mine.

I could not believe when Elijah informed us that only half of our men were left alive. The rest of the others were killed by those jackasses.

What's worse is that among the chaos and incidents happening one after another, we did not even get the chance to pay our respect to brave ones who died during the fight, to save their family, pack and land. We did not even get a chance to appreciate their bravery and loyalty.

I clenched my jaw, remembering that it was all her fault. All of her fault. That traitor's fault.

How cruel one has to be, to do that cruel thing?

Elijah's voice brought me back to reality.

“Don't bother me when I'm dealing with that bitch.” He ordered us. At the word bitch both James and I stiffened. Even knowing she deserved all the curses and pain, I still could not seem to extract myself away from it.

Whipped. That's what I was.

“If any of you interfere when I'm dealing with her then I will have you both locked up. And I MEAN it. Nobody will intervene.” He told us, like we were not the ones who asked him to do it. I wanted to snap back at him and so did James, by the looks of his face, but we both held back. There was no point in getting angry at him.

He was right.

So I just nodded.

“Good. You both will stay here until I return. My guards will keep an eye on you both.” He told us as if stating facts. This time I could not help myself.

“We were the ones who asked you to do it in the first place! And here you are, trying to tell us that we will be held as prisoners?” I barked at him, standing up. Elijah turned to face me.

“I won't have any debate on this. Both of you will stay here, and my guards Will monitor you both. Your mate bond will tell you both to save her and stop the pain. If any of you tried to do anything stupid then we will have a problem. Got it?” He asked and without waiting for an answer, walked out of the door, leaving both of us alone.

Eventually I sat down. For a few moments none of us said anything and there was total silence around us. Then James sighed out loud. He rubbed his face with both hands.

“She is going to get hurt. Badly.” He whispered. I closed my eyes. His words hitting deep. Maybe it was a good thing that Elijah locked us up here. Otherwise, we would probably be up and out, the time when we feel her pain. He was right.

“Yeah. Things are going to get bad for her.” I said aloud. It felt like confronting my scared — self. The fear I held for her of her getting hurt.

She will get hurt. And she needs to get hurt.

Out of the nowhere, I heard someone's familiar voice. Someone outside was fighting. James gave me a look and we both stood up simultaneously. When at the same time, the door of the room banged open. And in walked the last person I had expected.

Janet.

Yet again.

This sudden entry of hers gave me a sense of déjà vu. She always takes entries like this and ends up on the least expected occasion. Like an unwanted guest. Usually her entry seems to annoy me but not this time.

“I can't believe I'm saying this, but for the first time in my life, I am actually glad that you are alive.” James told her. Janet gave him a smile that held no joy.

“I am glad.” She replied, but her words held venom in them. She was not happy with him. James' brows crinkled in confusion, clearly not getting her behavior. Suddenly, a guard rushed after her.

“I told you no one is allowed to meet them.” He yelled before grabbing her by her arm and started dragging her away. Janet fought like a wounded animal until James told him to stop.

“But none of you are allowed to talk to anyone.” He protested. I waved my hand at him to let her go, and he did.

“She is not a threat. If you don't believe me, then ask Elijah.” I told him. His face contorted, clearly not happy with the situation,, but he did as I asked him to.

Right after mind — linking Elijah, he made a sound of annoyance and spun around and left, without uttering another word.

Janet was breathing heavily and the expressions on her face could make anyone fear for their lives. It was clear if he had not let go of her when he did then he would get in serious trouble.

One should not mess with Janet.

She was like a tigress in a human body. Or a — wolf.

Whatever.

“This time I had to agree with James. I am glad that you are safe.” I told her and her lips curled up in disgust.

“Why? Did you miss me? Because that bitch mate of yours couldn't give you sex anymore?” She asked snidely. Her eyes flashing with fury.

James and I both tensed on her words and James gave me a look from the corner of his eyes. Her words were sharper than an axe.

“Umm... Janet, I know that you are...” James opened his mouth, but Janet shut him up by her words.

“Remember, how you degraded me and told me off because you found your mate? Remember, how I used to fight for you and even fell in love with...” She barked angrily, but her words died down in the end. Her throat filled up with tears.

James and I both looked at each other. He looked horror-stricken. Like, someone had told him a dark secret.

To be very frank, I was struck by her confession as well. Falling in love with someone in our world, was a rare and almost non-existent thing. In our world, the word love is only used to describe your feelings for your mate. But other than that, it was very uncommon. So it was quite surprising that she used the word love.

“Serves you both right, though. You both deserve it.” She mumbled almost to herself. James swallowed subtlety before talking aloud.

“Janet, I...” He said but Janet stopped him from speaking further by her words.

“And when I told you about her. You did not even believe it. You thought that I was trying to manipulate the situation.” She said. I try not to point out to her that she Had manipulated the situation before. But then I felt guilty for feeling that.

She was right.

About her. About the situation. About everything.

“Listen to me, Janet. We are sorry. We both are. Likewise, we knew that we misunderstood you,, but the situation was a very complex one.” I told her. James nodded his head in agreement too.

“Yeah. The situation was pretty messy back then. We were... our mate bond distracted us from reality. It made our sense to see things dull. However, you were right. And I apologize.” James told her softly.

Janet looked at him blankly and listened to him apologise for his mistakes. Still, she did not reply.

Finally, she gave a curt nod. Only to him.

Not me.

Disregarding me like I did not even stand in the same room.

All of a sudden, the door slammed open and Elijah came rushing in. His shirt was soaked in blood, his breathing was ragged, and he looked angry as hell.

“That bitch is not opening up. She is not speaking. She did not even make a single sound. Not of protest or pain. This shit is not working.” He shouted out loud.

His words surprised me and not. The way she held back when we were trying to pry the information out of her then she stayed calm. Thus, I knew she could handle pain. What I did not know was that she could handle This much pain.

Things need to change.

We need to find another solution.

Everything quieted down. Everyone in the room looked at him like he had lost his brain, which probably was the case.

“We need to find another way.” James said out loud. I looked at Janet and an idea popped inside my head.

It needs to work.

“I think I found a way.” I announced with a twisted smirk off my own.