217 A Vow
Olivia’s POV
I didn’t bother crying – what good would it do? Tears wouldn’t save me now. So I just sat there, in the dimly lit dungeon, hoping for a miracle. Because honestly… that was all I had left. With no wolf and no abilities, I was helpless.
The choker wrapped around my neck felt so magical… like a very dark magic was specially used to make it. I could feel its dark energy creeping into my soul. It felt like it was slowly draining the life out of me, little by little.
Suddenly, I heard the echo of footsteps, and I panicked… who was coming this time? Was this my death?
I sat frozen, staring at the shadowed corridor ahead, waiting for whoever it was to appear. A familiar figure appeared, and from the shadow, I could tell it was a lady, but I couldn’t see her face unless she came closer. And when she did, I realized it was Dalia. I forced my trembling body off the cold stone floor and dragged myself to the bars. Dalia stood there, her face drawn with pity, a tray of food in her hands. She hesitated before setting it gently on the ledge.
“They asked me to bring you this,” she said softly.
I didn’t touch the food. I just looked at her. “You knew, didn’t you?” I asked, my voice trembling. “You knew I was going to be killed?”
Her eyes widened. “No!” she whispered quickly. “I didn’t know anything, I swear. I’m just a servant, Olivia… I don’t know what’s going on in the Alpha’s mind.”
“So… you’re surprised I’m locked in here?” I pushed.
She nodded, her face tightening. “Yes. I mean, Alpha Gabriel seemed to like you. We all thought…” Her voice trailed off. “I never imagined something like this.”
I stepped closer, gripping the bars between us. “Then help me,” I whispered, desperation choking my words. “Please, Dalia. I need your help.”
She hesitated, panic flashing in her eyes. “If it’s to help you escape… or tell the triplet Alphas about you–I can’t Olivia, I’d be beheaded. And not just me – my family, too. You don’t understand the kind of people you’re dealing with. They don’t forgive betrayal.”
“No, no, not that,” I said quickly, shaking my head. “Not escape… not yet.”
She looked confused, but I kept going. “There’s a bracelet. A gift from my mother. I lied… there was no way I would tell her the truth. At this point in my life, I trusted no one. That bracelet is really dear to me… if I am to die, I want to die with it on my wrist…” I choked on my words and continued. “I left it on the bed the day I arrived… it might’ve fallen. Please, Dalia… if you can just look for it. Bring it to me. That’s all I ask. Please.”
Dalia stared at me for a long moment, torn and confused. Then slowly… she nodded.
“I’ll try,” she whispered. “But if anyone asks, it wasn’t me.”
And with that, she turned and walked away.
I collapsed back to the ground and stared at the meal… I didn’t have an appetite because food was the least of my worries.
Drawing in a shaky breath, I murmured a quiet prayer, hoping Dalia would find the bracelet and bring it back. I knew that once the bracelet was clasped around my wrist, the triplets would sense the signal – they would know I was in danger – and come for me.
For several minutes I waited, hoping Dalia would show up, but she didn’t… my panic set in… had she not found it yet, or did she get scared and decided not to help? I lifted my head up as I stared at the tiny window; through it, I could tell it was night already, and I wondered what the morning had for me.
Suddenly, I heard the echo of footsteps, and I scrambled to my feet. My heart racing… that should be Dalia, she must have found it. The footsteps were getting closer.
Please let it be Dalia. Please let her have the bracelet.
But as the figure stepped out of the shadows and into the torchlight…
My heart sank.
It wasn’t Dalia.
It was Alpha Gabriel.
He stopped just a few feet from the cell, arms folded behind his back, his expression unreadable. The torchlight danced across his sharp features, casting shadows that made him look more like a phantom than a man. I took an involuntary step back and frowned at him.
For a moment none of us said a word as we just stared at each other… I wanted to ask him why? Why did he turn out this way? I thought he liked me… I thought he had feelings for me… I thought… well, I was wrong. He never did. It was all a lie. But it was hard – so hard – to believe that the perfect Alpha Gabriel could be this cruel.
I noticed his eyes moved away from me and settled on the plate of food on the floor.
“You should eat,” he casually spoke, his eyes still settled on the food like he was avoiding my gaze. “You will need all the strength for tomorrow… because by tomorrow you will be…” He paused, then slowly lifted his eyes to meet mine. “Beheaded.”
My eyes widened, but I swallowed hard and composed myself… I won’t let him see me weak.
So rather than crying or pleading for mercy, I took a step forward to him until the cell bars separated us.
Our eyes interlocked, and I saw it… that look in his eyes… it wasn’t the cold, empty stare of a heartless killer. He didn’t look like those cruel villains in one of those stories… no, he didn’t look at me the way Abigail did… in Gabriel’s eyes, I could see pain… regret and worry, which made me wonder – was he really having second thoughts about doing this? Was he forced to do this?
For a moment, I was confused. But then… I knew.
He didn’t want this.
He didn’t want to do this.
So I decided to feed on that weakness. Push it. Press it. If there was even a crack in his armor, I would break it wide open.
“You know,” I said, my voice low but sharp, “I thought you loved me.”
His jaw tightened slightly.
“I thought I meant something to you,” I pushed on. “All those nights talking. The way you said you liked me.”
I pushed further, feeding off his weakness – his hesitation. “You made me believe you cared… you made me feel safe around you. You said I mattered. Was that all a lie, Gabriel? Were you lying when you touched me? When you looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered?” My voice trembled, not from fear this time – but from the pain of betrayal… Gabriel was like my knight in shining armor…
His lips pressed into a thin line. His jaw tightened.
“Tell me you lied,” I dared him softly. “Look me in the eye and tell me every word you ever said to me was a lie. That you never wanted me. Never… felt anything.”
His silence was suffocating.
I felt my heart pound as I stepped even closer. “You can’t, can you? Because you meant it, Gabriel. You felt it. And you still do.”
“Stop.” His voice was rough, low… but trembling.
But I didn’t stop.
“Admit it, Gabriel,” I whispered fiercely. “You’re not evil. You don’t want me dead. You said you liked me… you said I was special. Or was that just another one of your tricks to make me lower my guard?” My voice cracked. “I thought you were different. I trusted you.”
His hands curled into fists behind his back.
“I never lied to you,” he snapped. My heart stopped.
“Everything I told you… everything I did… was real. I meant it. Every word. I—” he shut his eyes tightly for a moment, breathing hard, “—I do care about you, Olivia. More than you can understand.”
“Then why?” I choked out, tears blurring my vision, no matter how hard I tried to hold them back. “Why are you killing me, Gabriel? If you meant all of it – why are you doing this?”
His gaze finally met mine, filled with pain. “Because I have no choice.” His voice was thick, pained. “Because I made a promise. A vow on my mother’s grave… a promise I cannot break.”