Chapter 8: TERMS...
ELLA.
Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating.
I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears, each thud echoing louder than the last. The words you have no choice hung in the air like a verdict already passed.
I looked from Leonard to Lurgard, then to Lawrence, hoping foolishly, that one of them would soften, that one would say this was all a misunderstanding.
None of them did.
My fingers curled tightly around the edge of the hospital bed, knuckles whitening as I struggled to steady my breathing. Panic clawed at my chest, but beneath it, sothing sharper began to rise, defiance.
"You can’t do this," I said finally, my voice low but trembling. "You saved , yes. And I’m grateful. But that doesn’t an you get to own ."
Leonard’s jaw tightened. Lurgard scoffed softly, crossing his arms as if my words amused him. Lawrence remained still, his gaze never leaving my face, watching
as though he were trying to read sothing written deep beneath my skin.
"We’re not owning you," Lawrence said calmly. "We’re taking responsibility."
"For what?" I demanded. "For a woman you think I am?"
Lurgard stepped forward, his presence overwhelming, his shadow falling over . "Stop saying that," he snapped. "You are her. Whether you rember it or not."
"I am not!" My voice cracked, the shout tearing out of
before I could stop it. My hand moved instinctively to my stomach, my palm pressing protectively against it. "I don’t know you. I don’t know your pack. And I don’t belong anywhere called Ironclad."
Their eyes dropped briefly to my hand, and sothing unreadable flashed across all three faces.
Leonard exhaled slowly, as though losing patience. "You’re exhausted. Confused. And injured. This isn’t the place for argunts."
"So you’ll just force ?" I asked bitterly.
His silence was answer enough.
A cold realization settled deep in my bones. Physically, I was weak. Emotionally, I was fraying. And standing against three n who moved and spoke like power itself was a battle I couldn’t win.
Lawrence stepped closer, his voice softer than the others. "You don’t have to fight us, Theresa."
"My na..." I started, then stopped.
I didn’t even know what my na was anymore.
The thought hollowed
out.
I swallowed hard, tears burning behind my eyes as I looked away. For a brief mont, images flashed through my mind, running feet, shouting guards, Alex’s face twisted with rage, the fear that had driven
into their hands.
I couldn’t go back.
And I couldn’t stay here either.
"Fine," I whispered at last.
All three of them stiffened.
I lifted my head slowly, eting their eyes one by one. "I’ll go with you. But not because I owe you my life. I’m doing this because I have no other choice right now."
Lurgard smiled like he’d won sothing. Leonard nodded, satisfied.
Only Lawrence looked... conflicted.
"This doesn’t an I accept your story," I continued, my voice steadier now. "And it doesn’t an I’ll pretend to be soone I don’t rember being. If I go with you, it’s on my terms."
Leonard raised a brow. "You don’t get to set terms."
I stiffened instantly, was this a prison.
For a long mont, no one spoke. Then Lawrence inclined his head slightly. "We can talk once you’re settled."
It wasn’t agreent, but it wasn’t refusal either.
Lurgard turned toward the door. "We’ll handle the discharge."
Leonard followed, already pulling out his phone.
Lawrence lingered.
As the door closed behind the other two, he looked back at , his expression unreadable yet heavy with sothing that made my chest ache for reasons I didn’t understand.
"You really don’t rember us," he said softly and it wasn’t a question.
I shook my head.
He studied
for a mont longer, then nodded once. "Then I hope," he murmured, "that this ti...we don’t break you again."
Before I could ask what he ant, he turned and left.
I sank back against the pillows, my hand returning to my stomach, my heart racing with fear and uncertainty.
Ironclad Pack.
A na I didn’t rember.
A past that wasn’t mine.
And a future I had just walked into, whether I wanted it or not.
I didn’t argue again.
Not because I agreed with them, but because my body no longer had the strength to hold defiance. The mont Lawrence turned away, the weight of everything I had been suppressing crashed down on
all at once. My limbs felt heavy, my chest tight, my thoughts tangled and slow.
I sat there quietly while they handled everything.
Doctors ca and went. Papers were signed. Instructions were given in low, authoritative voices that allowed no room for questions. No one asked for my consent. No one explained anything to
in detail. It was as if my presence in the room was secondary, like I was an object being transferred from one place to another.
And maybe... that was exactly what I was to them.
When they returned, Leonard stood at the foot of the bed, tall and imposing, his aura pressing down on
even without him saying a word. Lurgard leaned casually against the wall, arms folded, eyes sharp and assessing. Lawrence stood slightly apart, silent as always, his gaze steady but unreadable.
"You’re coming with us now," Leonard said authoratively.
I could only nod my head.
The movent was small, instinctive. Submission born not of loyalty, but of survival.
Lurgard stepped forward and reached for . I flinched before I could stop myself, my shoulders tensing as his hand hovered near my arm. His brows furrowed briefly, irritation flashing across his face.
"We’re not hurting you," he said curtly.
I swallowed and relaxed, at least outwardly.
He helped
stand, his grip firm, unyielding. The mont my feet touched the ground, a wave of dizziness swept over . My knees buckled slightly, and I would have fallen if Lawrence hadn’t moved instantly, his hand bracing my back.
"Careful," he murmured.
His voice was low but there was sothing restrained in it, sothing that made my chest tighten inexplicably.
I was guided—not asked, not led, but guided—out of the room.
The walk to the SUV felt longer than it should have. Every step sent a dull ache through my body, and by the ti they settled
into the back seat, I was shaking despite myself. Lurgard shut the door firmly, the sound echoing like a final seal.
There was no going back now.
The engine started. The car pulled away.
I stared out the window, watching the hospital disappear behind us, my reflection faintly visible in the glass. I barely recognized the woman staring back at , pale, exhausted, eyes too large for her face, fear barely contained beneath the surface.
Theresa.
They kept calling
that.
I wrapped my arms around myself unconsciously, my hand drifting to my stomach. The movent grounded , reminded
why I was still breathing, still enduring.
I have to survive.
No matter what they believed.
No matter where they were taking .
Leonard sat in the front passenger seat, his presence heavy even from a distance. Lurgard drove, one hand on the wheel, relaxed but alert. Lawrence sat beside
in the back, close enough that I could feel his warmth, though he never touched
again.
After a while, exhaustion won.
My head tilted against the seat, my eyelids growing heavy. Just before sleep claid , I felt a coat being draped carefully over my shoulders.
I didn’t look to see who did it.
When my eyes fluttered open, I woke to iron gates.
Massive, towering, engraved with symbols I didn’t recognize, but my body reacted before my mind could. A strange unease crawled up my spine as the SUV slowed and passed through them.
Ironclad Pack.
The na echoed ominously in my thoughts.
The estate beyond the gates was vast, dark stone buildings rising against the night sky, lights glowing faintly in tall windows. The place felt ancient... powerful...
The car ca to a stop.
"Wake her," Lurgard said.
Lawrence shifted beside . "She’s awake."
I straightened imdiately, my heart racing. The door opened, and cool night air rushed in. Leonard turned to look at , his gaze sharp, assessing, authoritative.
"From now on," he said calmly, "you do as you’re told. You speak when spoken to. And you do not attempt to run again."
I nodded quickly.
"Yes," I whispered.
Satisfied, he stepped aside.
Lurgard reached for
again, lifting
effortlessly from the car as though I weighed nothing at all. The ease with which he carried
was humiliating, and terrifying. My fingers curled into his shirt unconsciously, my body reacting to the certainty of his strength.
He carried
inside with the doors closing behind us with a deep, echoing thud.
"This is your room," Leonard said after a while, stopping before a large door.
Lurgard set
down gently, but the mont my feet touched the floor, my legs trembled.
"You’ll rest," Lawrence added. "We’ll talk when you’re stronger."
Leonard’s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at . "And don’t forget, Theresa, you belong to Ironclad now."
The words settled over
like chains and instantly, I opened the large door before
and stepped inside.
And when it closed behind , the silence was deafening.
I sank onto the bed slowly, my breath shaky, my hands once again finding my stomach.
"I’m still here," I whispered to the life inside . "No matter what... I’ll endure."
But as the weight of Ironclad pressed down around , one terrifying thought took root in my mind...Surviving them might be harder than escaping Alex.
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