Say that again.

Raven's

I wince, my face twisting in anguish as the first thing I'm aware of is the terrible pain all over my body.

I try standing up but collapse back into the floor. There so much weight on my hands and feet.

“Hey calm down baby, try to sit for a bit.”

Hearing Eli's soft voice makes my heart beat with hope. He's still alive. For a moment I thought they've successfully separated us.

“Eli,” I cry, trying to sit. My limbs ache, feeling way too stiff and raw. My breathing is laboured as I taste blood and dirt on my tongue.

Memories from the last few hours come harsh and fast like a tsunami. Pa’s betrayal hits me the second time and tears fill my eyes but I immediately blink them back. I can't show weakness.

Eli says something again. I know because I see his lips move but I his words are silenced by the sudden ringing in my ears. I reach with a hand to grab my head when something wet slides down my temple, dripping onto the cold floor beneath me.

The smell of metal is unmistakable. With the amount of blood on the ground, it's either I'm bleeding to death, or someone else has bled to death on this same ground.

How many people have these beasts killed?

My chains rattle as I strain my neck looking behind me. “Are you alright?” I ask, my eyes searching every bit of Eli. Silver metal bites into my wrists and ankles.

I'm certain this is a punishment cell for animals like themselves. But even with my silver sword, they had recovered quickly.

“As fine as I can be. Although I feel like a hundred bulls ran me over.” He chuckles in pain. “Surprisingly they treated my leg.” Eli adds and truly there's a bandage on his knee.

“Why?” I say. Something's definitely fishy here.

He hisses, adjusting his position. “I don't know. Maybe they want us alive. I was losing a lot of blood.”

“What's the plan to get out of here?” I ask more to myself than Eli.

A smirk grows on Eli's face and I find myself smiling too despite not knowing his plan yet. “Tell me what's on your mind you smart ass.”

“I may have stolen some blue dust.” He whispers.

My jaw drops.

Do you want to get yourself killed? That's father's most valuable item.

Claims a warlock gave him. The blue dust gives extraordinary strength for a few hours after which whoever digests it will go back to their previous state or worse.

“Shit, what if Pa finds out?”

“He abandoned us remember?”

I shake my head, “That's because he knows we'll find a way out.” Eli doesn't look like he agrees but he also doesn't argue with me.

I glance up noticing there's only one window – a tiny glass at the roof of the stone cell. The major light and heat is provided by the touches setup on the wall.

“How are we going to get out?” I question, my thoughts racing. In that exact moment, the iron gate cries as it's pushed open.

No one steps in and whoever opened it steps aside as if waiting for someone. My nerves rise as I listen intently.

And then I hear boots. Three pairs. I don't move until the owners come into view.

Squaring my shoulders, I look up.

There's three men. They all enter like they own the very air we're breathing. All of them have the same stormy eyes but different facial features.

They all carry an overweight pride on their shoulders. Clearly related. These must be Darkwaters princes.

I recognize their names even before I match them to their faces.

Leo, the youngest, born five days after his brothers. His pale face is carved in a soft structure but the tattoos lining his neck up to his forehead speak of his hardness. He twirls an iron ring on his right hand with a smirk.

In between us Callum, the second-born, brutal and loud. Pa says he's the sickest one among them. His fists are scarred. And his eyes stay trained on Eli with a predator’s vibe.

My hands curl into fists. Whatever thought you have running through that mind of yours, you better kill it. I'll first die before letting you hurt my man.

And then my eyes find him– the firstborn to alpha King Raphael. Only child of the first-marked Luna.

Saviour.

The silent one, deadliest of all three. He's rumored to be the right arm of his father, always executing his father's judgement.

He stands at the left end, quiet and still. He's visibly taller than the others. His broad shoulders remain rigid but what unsettles me the most is how his dark gaze locks on me like he’s seeing through the front I'm putting up.

Not letting my head drop despite being surrounded by alpha blood, quickly takes a toll on me but I refuse to back down.

I'm not afraid of them. I'm not afraid of death.

Saviour doesn't look away and so I don't. No one's going to intimidate me. Somehow my eyes notice how perfect the manly bun on his head is.

He has one of the most beautiful lips in the planet– with that perfect bow shape. His jaws are so defined they remind me of the sharp end of my sword.

“Well,” Callum drawls, his cold eyes glancing around. “The famous hunters. Mutts who promised us pain and extinction, chained like the animals they so despise.”

“Poetic,” Leo says, flashing his sparkling white teeth. “Although they smell worse than mutts.”

“Fuck you,” Eli croaks.

In the blink of an eye, Callum strides forward and without hesitation, he punches Eli in his gut.

Let go of him you bastard!

My chain rattles as Eli folds, coughing violently.

My body surges forward on instinct, but the darn chains yank me back with a sharp snap. My wrists burn, pooling tears to my eyes.

“You touch him again,” I hiss, ignoring the pain tearing through my body. “...and I swear to god I’ll gut you with your own fucking spine.”

It's possibly my imagination playing a trick on me but I can swear Saviour's brow twitches in interest. Callum turns to me, his teeth bared, revealing growing fangs. “Say that again, you hunter whore!” He yells, charging at me.