Chapter 3

Sam's POV

I straighten up on the bed and kick my legs out ofthe side ofthe bed, halting whatever Cole is saying.

Cole jumps to his feet and grips my arm when I nearly facepalm into the floor

"What the hell are you doing?" He questions. "Get back into bed. You're in no position to be standing up."

I shake off his arm and attempt to drag myself over to the door but get sidestepped by Cole, who stands in front of me with his arms stretched out by his sides.

"Sam, you're acting crazy," he whispers. He glares at me. "I'm so close to forgetting that you're my Alpha and shoving you back into that bed."

"Get out of my way," I grit out through clenched teeth. "Either that or I plummet you to the ground." That's a lot of heat coming from someone who can barely stand on their own two feet and based on the side eye     that Cole gives me, he knows that I'm full of shit.

I still stand my ground, ready to prove both of us right by making a fool of myself when I attempt to fight him to the floor.

We hold each other gazes, neither of us ready to back down. This goes on for a few seconds then Cole lets out a deep sigh and drops his hands to his sides. He mutters something under his breath that sounds a lot    like a curse word before leveling me with a glare.

"Fine," he puffs out in defeat. "I'll take you to her but you have to promise not to strain yourself. Just talk to her."

I make an incoherent sound at the back of my throat and Cole just shakes his head in defeat.

"Lean on me," he says, gripping my forearm and pressing his side to mine in a way that his assistance is sort of hidden. If anyone has any questions about why we are pressed side to side, they can go to hell.

We walk out of my room and down the stairs and only get stopped a handful oftimes by some pack

members who have noticed my absence and felt it right to ask if all is well. A few fake smiles, some quick waves, and some fast exchange of words, and then we're finally standing in front ofthe dungeon where

Ella has been inhabiting a room for the three years that she has stayed here.

A lot ofpeople found it hard to share a house with a Demon's daughter who assisted her father in

committing heinous crimes. Her stay in the dungeon helped to pacify them. So that's where she has stayed for three whole years.

Most ofthe cells down here are unoccupied and finding the one that Ella is inhabiting doesn't take much time. It occurs to me that this is the first time that I'll be seeing her in the place she lives. I have never

stepped foot in here since we brought her in and I never really thought much of it.

We get to the cell she's living in and find the door locked with Ella sitting on the bed -the only flat surface in the room- while staring blankly at the wall in front of her.

Cole hit his fist on the iron bars, rattling it and drawing Ella's attention away from the peeling wall in front of her. Her head slowly turns to us, and her eyes dramatically widen once she sees who's standing outside  her cell.

She jumps up to her foot and rushes over to the door to open it. "Alpha Sam." A quick fleeting glance at me. "Beta Cole." Anotherquick fleeting glance at Cole. "I didn't know that you two were coming over," she breaths out with her head bowed.

I let go of Cole's arm and his support and step into her room.

Ella retrieves to the far corner ofthe room, probably trying to create more distance between us, but there isn't much distance to be created when the room is barely ten feet wide.

I step closer to her, grinding my teeth against the pain overtaking my body with each step that I take. "Jude told us about what happened between you two," I say, dragging each word out of me.

Ella's eyes widen, panic evidence on her face.

Her reaction causes my gut to clench.

"Is what he said true?" I ask slowly, watching each flicker ofemotion that crosses her face, trying to decipher any emotion that she might be trying to hide.

Her mouthparts but no words come out.

I crowd into her space. "Is what he said true?" I echo.

"He-he tried to force himself on me," she whispers.

I grip her arm, dragging her into my chest, ignoring the pain that shoots up my arm. Ella flinches and winces, eyeing the spot that I'm gripping on her arm.

I run my eyes over her body, noticing the fact that she's wearing a turtle neck when it's like fourty three degrees out there, and she's cozied up in a cell that has little ventilation.

I narrow my eyes at her then tilt my head to the side to look at Cole. "Leave us," I order.

Cole pauses and stares at me blankly.

"Leave us," I repeat, increasing my voice.

Cole looks at us indecisively before shooting one last glance at usand then stepping out ofthe room, leaving us alone.

I wait until I can no longer hear his footsteps before turning back to Ella. I let go of her arm and step back a bit. "Take offyour shirt," Ithrow out.

Ella blinks.

"Take offyour shirt," I repeat, annoyance sipping into my words. What is it with people and making me repeat myself a million times?

Ella crosses her arms over her chest and steps back. "W-why?" She stutters.

My voice hardens. "Take offyour shirt or I'll call in some guards to come rip it offyou." I arch a brow. "It's your choice."

Her eyes water, and her chin trembles. She drops her arms to her side and stands still for a moment before reaching for the ends of her shirt and dragging it over her head.