Chapter Thirty Seven
Chloe sat alone in the dungeon, her mind racing with thoughts of everything that had led her to this point. She couldn’t believe that she was back in this pack, back in this place that she despised so much. It had all started with Emily’s betrayal, and now Chloe was paying the ultimate price for it.
As she sat there, bound and alone, Chloe couldn’t help but think about Aiden. He was the one person who had made her feel safe and loved, even in the midst of all the chaos. But she knew that she couldn’t rely on him to save her this time. This time, she was on her own.
Chloe thought about Liam, the Prince who had always rubbed her the wrong way. She couldn’t stand him, couldn’t bear the thought of being mated to him. But as much as she hated him, Chloe knew that he was her only hope of getting out of this alive. She had to be nice to him, had to play the game if she wanted to survive.
But the thought of being mated to Liam made Chloe’s skin crawl. She would rather die than be bound to him for the rest of her life. She couldn’t imagine a fate worse than being stuck with a man who didn’t love her, who didn’t care about her feelings or her desires.
As Chloe sat there, her mind running in circles, she felt a wave of hopelessness wash over her. Would she ever be free of this pack, of this life that had been thrust upon her? Would she ever find happiness and love, or was she doomed to a lifetime of misery and pain?
Chloe didn’t know the answers to these questions, but she knew one thing for sure – she would never give up. She would fight until the bitter end, until she either escaped this place or breathed her last breath. She owed it to herself, to her father’s memory, to never give up and to never let her spirit be broken.
And so Chloe sat there, alone in the darkness, her heart filled with a fierce determination to survive. She didn’t know what the future held, but she knew that she would face it with courage and strength, no matter what challenges lay ahead.
As Chloe sat in the dungeon, her mind wandered to a happier time, a time when her parents were still alive and she was just a little girl. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift back to that moment, hoping to find some solace in the memories.
She remembered a day when her parents had taken her to the park, and they spent the afternoon playing together. Chloe had been particularly proud of herself that day, as she had just learned how to ride her bike without training wheels.
“Look at you, Chloe! You’re doing so well!” Her father exclaimed as he watched her pedal around the park.
“You’re a natural, sweetheart,” her mother added with a proud smile.
Chloe beamed with joy and rode her bike around the park, feeling free and happy. Her parents cheered her on every step of the way, and their encouragement made her feel like she could do anything.
“You can do it, Chloe! Keep going!” Her father shouted as she made her way up a small hill.
“Remember, Chloe, you can achieve anything you put your mind to,” her mother said with a smile.
Chloe’s eyes filled with tears as she remembered that moment. She missed her parents so much, and the thought that they would never see her grow up broke her heart. She cried out in pain and anguish, wishing that they were still here to guide her and protect her.
“Why did you have to leave me?” Chloe cried out. “Why did you have to die?”
The sound of her own voice echoed through the dungeon, and Chloe felt a pang of fear. She knew that if anyone heard her, they would think she was weak and vulnerable. But in that moment, she couldn’t help it. The pain of her loss was too much to bear, and she had to let it out.
She cried and shouted until her voice was hoarse, and then she curled up in a ball and wept. It was the first time she had cried since coming to the pack, and it felt like a release. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to be vulnerable and let her emotions take over.
Chloe felt a sudden pang in her head, and she couldn’t understand what it was. Then she heard a voice in her head, calling her name repeatedly. She felt her heart race as she recognized the voice, it was Aiden! She had almost forgotten the promise he made to her before she left his pack, that they would be able to communicate with each other through their minds.
“Aiden?” she called out tentatively, unsure if she was really hearing his voice in her head.
“Yes, Chloe. It’s me,” Aiden replied in her mind.
Chloe’s heart swelled with happiness at hearing his voice after such a long time. “I missed you so much,” she said, her voice filled with emotion.
“I missed you too, Chloe. Life has been hard without you,” Aiden said, his voice sounding sad.
Chloe felt a lump in her throat at his words. “I’m sorry, Aiden. I never wanted to leave you and your pack. I was forced to,” she said, her voice filled with regret.
“I know, Chloe. I understand. But we have to focus on getting you out of there. Liam has been looking for a way to break you out,” Aiden said, his voice sounding hopeful.
Chloe’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Liam’s name. “What about Liam?” she asked, a hint of anger in her voice.
“He’s been trying to find a way to free you, Chloe. He’s not as bad as you think,” Aiden said, trying to defend Liam.
“But he’s the reason I’m here, Aiden. He’s the reason I’m in this dungeon, and I can’t forgive him for that,” Chloe said, her voice filled with bitterness.
“I understand how you feel, Chloe. But you have to try and forgive him. He’s the only one who can help you get out of there,” Aiden said, his voice soothing.
Chloe took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. A part of her knew that Aiden was right, but it was hard to let go of her anger towards Liam. “Okay, I’ll try. But I can’t promise anything,” she said, her voice still tinged with bitterness.
“I understand, Chloe. Just know that I’m here for you, and I’ll do anything to help you get out of there,” Aiden said, his voice filled with determination.
Chloe felt tears well up in her eyes at Aiden’s words. “Thank you, Aiden. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had,” she said, her voice choked with emotion.
“I’ll always be here for you, Chloe. No matter what,” Aiden said, his voice filled with sincerity.
Chloe smiled through her tears, grateful for having Aiden in her life. She knew that with him by her side, she could face anything.
Chloe felt a sudden rush of warmth in her chest as she thought about the future she could have with Aiden. “Aiden, do you think we’ll ever get out of here?” she asked tentatively.
“I don’t know, Chloe, but I won’t give up on trying to get you out of there,” Aiden replied, his voice strong and reassuring. “And when we do get out of here, we can start our life together. We can build a home, have children, and live the life we always wanted.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
Chloe felt tears welling up in her eyes as she listened to Aiden speak. “I can’t wait for that, Aiden. I want to be with you, I want to have a life with you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Aiden’s voice was filled with emotion as he replied, “I want that too, Chloe. I want to wake up every morning and see you beside me, I want to hold your hand as we walk down the street, I want to watch our children grow up and be there for them every step of the way.”
Chloe’s heart felt like it was bursting with love and hope. “What do you think our children will be like?” she asked, a small smile forming on her lips.
Aiden chuckled softly. “Well, they’ll definitely have your beautiful eyes and your kind heart, and they’ll have my stubbornness and my love for adventure.”
Chloe giggled at the thought of their hypothetical children. “I hope they get your sense of humor too,” she said, her voice laced with amusement.
They continued to talk about their future, their hopes and dreams, their fears and uncertainties. They talked about the kind of life they wanted to build together, the things they wanted to do and the places they wanted to go.
As they talked, Chloe felt a sense of peace wash over her. For the first time since she had been taken captive, she felt like there was hope. Hope that one day she could be with Aiden, hope that they could have a life together, hope that they could be happy.
And for that moment, she forgot about her current situation, forgot about the pain and suffering she was enduring. All she could think about was the future she could have with Aiden, and the love that they shared.