Belle struggled to rise, but her body betrayed her as she had no strength left. Her vision blurred again, and every attempt to speak was t with failure. "I..." she rasped, her voice a faint whisper. Her mouth was dry, her vitality drained.
"Save that sweet little voice for your moans," the man sneered, his tone dripping with malice. He began removing his trousers, discarding them carelessly before positioning himself over her again.
"If you are a virgin, it will hurt. Otherwise, you will enjoy this far more than you think," he taunted, his hand cupping her face as he spoke. With a cruel tug, he tore away the remaining fabric of her gown, leaving her in her undergarnts.
"Ple... please," Belle stamred, her voice barely audible, a desperate plea that only seed to amuse him further.
Her eyes darted around, searching desperately for the blade the man had discarded earlier. When she spotted it lying far out of reach, a despairing hiss escaped her lips. If only she could grasp it, then and there, she could end this nightmare herself. At that mont, she resigned herself to a bitter thought. In her next life, she would pray to be born into a loving family, one that cherished her and shielded her from harm.
Just as darkness began to consu her, a faint figure appeared at the cave’s entrance—a white wolf with piercing golden eyes that glowed like embers in the dim light. For a fleeting mont, Belle thought she was hallucinating. A faint smile graced her lips before she succumbed to unconsciousness.
---
Hours later, a young woman, swathed in a warm blanket, rested her head on a man’s lap. The man was Quinn, his back leaned casually against the cave wall, his eyes closed as if in ditation. A small fire flickered in the cave, its glow casting a warm light over their resting forms.
Belle stirred, murmuring incoherent words, her grip on the blanket tightening as though caught in a nightmare. After a few seconds, her eyes fluttered open, taking in her unfamiliar surroundings.
Her body tensed as the mories returned. She bolted upright, the panic in her chest rising. "The man!" She exclaid, glancing around the cave until her gaze landed on an unexpected figure.
Quinn.
Her eyes widened in disbelief. What was he doing here? How had he found her? She tried to piece together what had happened but could only recall the fleeting image of a white wolf before darkness overtook her.
"If you are worried about that man," Quinn’s voice interrupted her thoughts, calm and unbothered, "you will need a miracle to piece his body back together."
Belle jumped, startled by his sudden words. Confused, she was about to ask what he ant when he lazily pointed toward a shadowed corner of the cave. Her eyes followed his gesture, and she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Did you... do that?" She asked, the obviousness of the question making her voice falter.
Quinn scoffed, his lips curling into a wry smile. "Who else? Use your brain, silly."
Realizing the absurdity of her question, she nodded, her cheeks flushing. "Thank you," she murmured, leaning back against the wall beside him.
Quinn’s teasing tone broke the silence. "Strange that your dear Hezekiah isn’t here yet. What could be keeping him?"
Belle rolled her eyes, the sarcasm not new to her. "He might still be looking for..." Her words trailed off as panic suddenly gripped her. "Mia and Aurora! They are still out there!"
She scrambled to her feet, intent on leaving, but Quinn caught her hand and pulled her back down beside him with effortless strength.
"It was Mia who alerted us, and Aurora is safe. We encountered her on our way here, so I instructed my n to escort them back to the castle first," Quinn explained, his calm deanor prompting a sigh of relief from Belle.
"Let’s go now!" Belle exclaid, eager to reunite with them, but Quinn remained seated, unmoving.
"Let’s start a new life here. It’s far more peaceful than my estate," he teased, his voice laced with mock seriousness.
Belle shot him a glare and smacked his hand. "I am not living here with you. Take out of here first, and then you can co back with Sofia," she retorted sharply, her patience worn thin. After narrowly escaping such a harrowing ordeal, his humor felt misplaced and unwelco.
"My apologies, milady still seems a bit shaken," he apologized, raising his hands in defense.
Belle huffed, steadying her nerves. "How long have I been out?" She asked, steering the conversation away from his jokes.
"About three hours, give or take," he replied nonchalantly.
She sighed, leaning her back against the wall. "This is all your fault. If only you hadn’t announced—" Her words were cut short as Quinn’s hand suddenly encircled her neck, pulling her so close that her breath hitched in her throat.
"What are you doing?" She gasped, her hands grasping at his. The intensity in his gaze sent a shiver through her.
"It’s a full moon tonight," he murmured, his voice low and strained. "I suggest you stay still unless you want sothing to happen that you will regret. We are still bonded, Belle." His labored breathing and the golden glow in his eyes spoke volus.
Belle’s heart sank as understanding dawned. It was the bond. His earlier golden eyes, now so vivid,
must have been a sign of its pull on him.
"Sh-should I leave?" She stuttered, her voice faltering under the weight of the mont. The bond held sway over her, too, and she feared she wouldn’t resist if things spiraled out of control.
"No. Stay," Quinn said hoarsely, lowering his head slightly as if fighting an internal battle.
Seeing him struggle against the bond stirred unexpected sympathy in her. She knew the strength it took to resist, and his visible tornt left her uneasy.
"Then reject now," she blurted, her voice trembling with urgency. "What better ti than under a full moon?"
Quinn shook his head, his resolve unshaken. "I made a vow, Belle. You are mine, and you can only be mated to . I have endured far worse than this while you were away. Having you so close makes it harder to focus, but I will manage."
Belle sighed at his stubbornness. "We are divorced, Quinn. Why won’t you reject ? What’s the point of holding on? To punish ? To watch suffer?" Her voice rose, frustration simring. "What could you possibly gain from this?"
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