Hugo's POV

I awake to the steady beat of her heart that brought a calmness to mind, a soothing melody to say the least. As the sun's fledgling rays warmed my cheeks, I inhaled her scent that had been infused into the linens. I felt warm and secure watching the Alpha sleep next to me. As I gazed at her, the aching in my body eased and I was overwhelmed with emotions.

There still remained a slew of unknowns and unanswered questions.

Despite the fact that we had been running in circles while moving in opposing directions, I knew we would eventually collide with one another. The only thing I can state with certainty was the existence of a curse that occurred on every full moon. But even that is indefinite since Frieda provided the information and given the tight bond I've seen between Frieda and Alpha Talia, I wasn't sure whether Frieda was telling the truth. Moreover, I was now skeptical of whether my escape from the mansion actually constituted an escape.

I couldn't bring myself to ask questions back then. But I knew if I needed answers, I was going to get them one way or another. With a sense of determination, I propelled myself up off the bed. I glanced at Alpha Talia who was still fast asleep on the bed.

"She came back"

The thought brought a smile on my face. My eyes panned towards the door. I needed to find Frieda before Alpha Talia woke up. I may not be able to coerce Alpha Talia into answering my questions, but Frieda looked like someone who'd spill her guts, if intimidated right. Trying not to wake Alpha Talia up, I tiptoed towards the door hoping the floor wouldn't creak. I checked the bed after each step to make sure she was still asleep.

Turning towards the door, I took a deep breath and just as my hand was about to grasp it, a voice spoke behind me.

"What do you think you're doing?" Alpha Talia sternly asked.

I flinched at her voice as I felt a tingle at the close proximity of her breath on my neck. I whirled around to see her in front of me and quietly replied, "I . . was thirsty for some water"

"I don't appreciate being lied to, little claws" Talia mumbled as she moved slowly in my direction. She glanced at the nightstand, which had a jug of water and an empty glass next to it, before turning to confront me.

"I could say the same thing to you" I whispered under my breath. As she waited for an explanation, she arched an eyebrow, I could sense that she was irritated.

"I was going to go find Frieda. To check how she was doing" I sighed. It wasn't a complete lie. After exerting a significant amount of her power to teleport us to safety, Frieda was still recuperating. It was the perfect time to get answers since she couldn't use her powers to escape the confrontation.

"Well I'll let her know you sent regards. In the meantime get freshened up, I'll bring breakfast" She headed towards the door. Why didn't she want me to leave the room? I thought.

Great, more questions!

"So what's your plan?" I asked before she could leave.

"For what?" She turned around and stared at me blankly.

"To fight back? The Shadow Pack is never going to stop looking for you . . for us. They may even negotiate with other Alpha's. We could keep relocating forever but that still won't stop the hunt" I remarked.

I anticipated that returning to warn Alpha Talia would have ramifications, but I can honestly say I was glad I wasn't on the other side, hunting her instead.

"We?" She folded her arms and frowned.

"I mean, I can't really leave the mansion now, can I? Even if I do, they'll hunt me down for sure" I replied.

"So you.. want to stay here because you have no choice?" She asked curiously. Her eyes widened as she awaited my response.

"I .. don't want to leave" I replied gazing into her eyes so that she'd know I meant the words.

"Because they'll kill you?"

"Yes and also because I don't think I can really stay away from you" I muttered, leaning forward. There was still an undeniable connection between Alpha Talia and I, despite my poor attempts to get answers. I'm just not capable of continuing to ignore that, the way she does.

"Why is that?" She asked huskily.

"Because .. you already know why" I replied gazing into her. She was reserved, but her eyes could never lie. Nor did her scent. I wanted to kiss her, but I held back. I knew she desired me, but had no excuse to proceed further given the fact that she was no longer in heat. The ball was finally in my court and I was prepared to use it as I pleased.

She ignored my words and turned towards the door. "Get ready for breakfast, little claws"

"No" I replied instantly.

"No?"

"I will eat when you give me answers" I spoke with confidence as I lounged on the bed. I lifted my fingers and combed my hair before leaning back on the pillow.

"I've said it once before Little Claws, when I say you eat, you eat!" She gritted her teeth in fury. Although I was eager to test her limits, I didn't realize that my tantrum would make her so upset.

"No" I mumbled again, after pondering when I should quit. But then again, I was confined to a room and was lied to, I was annoyed as well.

"Don't push me, little claws. You're asking to be punished." She stated whilst her crimson eyes glowed.

"Then go ahead, and punish me" I retorted while yanking at the handcuffs that were fastened to the bed post. She scowled angrily, and I smiled wickedly in her direction.

"I have to tend to Frieda. But don't think I will forget the stunt you've just pulled. You will be heavily punished for it later" Her curls bounced as she turned around and finally succeeded in leaving the room.

"Can't wait!" I called out as she left. I whiffed her scent while clutching the blanket to my chest, which nearly threw me into an ecstasy.

Without a doubt, she was my mate. I was certain of it. However, I had no intention of entering this situation without precaution. I didn't want to leap to conclusions after Izzy. I needed the truth this time.

She returned after a half-hour, carrying a dish of food into the chamber. Her expression did not convey any threat, but it was clear that she was unhappy with my behaviour today. However, her expression made me think she understood why I was feeling the way I was.

She glanced at the food briefly before turning to face me. She didn't need to speak, yet the room was filled with the echo.

Eat!

I took the bread and gently chewed it while staring at her. Although I might have been mean, I figured that I still had the rest of the day to taunt her. She gave me a brief moment of silent gaze before leaving. I stared at the door wondering why she was hesitant in letting me out.

Guess, I was back being her hostage again.

Several hours had elapsed. I took a shower, dressed in clean clothes, and anxiously awaited. No news of Alpha Talia. I pressed my ears against the door and used my wolf's enhanced hearing, but all I could hear was a distant, faint melody that sounded like a hum and water droplets.

I gave it a lot of thought before deciding to rebel and leave the room. The moment has come to track down Frieda. I entered the living room silently and took a glance around the mansion. There were undoubtedly many more areas that I had never seen before.

The mansion itself was a beautiful sight. As I crossed the passage and entered the left wing, the marble floor sparkled. Every step I made to follow Frieda's scent to locate her halted as I sensed a presence behind me. When I turned around, nobody was there. Wolfie's anxiousness began to spread through my body. All of the lights in the hallway started to dim as the air started to feel chilly.

Wolfie proceeded to shift my attention to the hum and the sound of the water drops instead. He pulled me firmly in the direction of the enigmatic oval door at the very end of the left wing. My eyes appeared to be glowing yellow, and it seemed as though Wolfie had almost seized control.

As if I was being pursued by something evil, I ran for the oval door. I held my breath as I grasped the door knob and quickly opened and slammed the door behind me, refusing to turn back.