Within minutes, the heavy dree to the dungeon swing open, and Alpha Kane strode in with two men in white coats following clour behind. His previously smug expiration had been reced by noe of barely contained fury.

“What happened her? he demanded, ring at the guard who shrank hack under his Alpha’s gaze, Kane pointed an usatory finger at Nadia’s limp form in my wins. Did you do this?”

“No. Alpha Kane, I swear! The goan’s voice trembled with fear. They were just eating breakfast, and she suddenly copsed. I didn’t touch them, I swear!

Kane’s emerald eyes narrowed as he studied the scene before him. He motioned for the two men–doctors, I presumed–to approach nur rellfnb773 Content originallyes from fin?novel/fnb773

“What happened to het? one of the doctors asked me, his clinical gaze assessing Nadia’s condition.

“I don’t know,” I replied, genuine fear coloring my voice despite knowing exactly what had eased her condition. “We were just eating, and suddenly she started convulsing. Then she just copsed”

1 looked up at Kane, allowing the panic and rage I felt to surfacepletely. It was the bfood/b, wasn’t it? You poisoned us!” I used, my mice rising to a near hysterical pitch. “You put wolf poison in our breakfast!”

Kane’s eyes widened slightly at my busation/bb, /ba flicker of genuine concern crossing bhis /bfeatures. “That’s absurd,” he countered, “Why would I poison you? | need you both alive.” He gestured toward me with an open palm. Besides, if the food was poisoned, why aren’t you affected?”

His blogic /bwas sound, which bonly /bmade my performance more convincing. I looked down at my untouched breakfast, then back at him with wild eyes.

“I didn I eat anything.” I lied. “She ate first ”

Kam studied me for a moment, then turned to the doctors. Open the cell. Check her bcondition/b.”

As one of the men unlocked our bprison/b, Kane fixed me with a warning re. Step away from her. Let the doctors work.”

I reluctantly released my hold bon /bbNadia/bb, /bsliding bback /bagainst the wall as the medical bprofessionals /bentered our cell. One of them immediately checked her pulse. lifting bher /beyelids to examine her papils while the other monitored her breathing.

“Has the ever had seizures before? the first doctor asked me

bI /bbshook /bmy bhead/b. ‘bI /bbdon’t /bknow. We haven’t known each other that King. We weren’t in the same pack originally.”

The two men exchanged nces before the senior of the two turned to Kane, Alpha bKane/bb, /bher breathing is dangerously shallow. We need toner to the hospital immediately for a full workup/

Kanes jaw tightened as he considered the implications. “Do whatever it takes,” he ordered, his voice hard. “But make sure she doesn’t die–especially bnot /bon Gravestone territory.”

The doctors nodded and quickly prepared to transport Nadia. They ced her on a stretcher, bsecuring /bher limp form with straps.

As they lifted her and began to move toward the exit, scrambled to my feet and tried to follow. Kane’s arm shot out, blocking my path

“Where bdo /byou think you’re going?” he demanded. “Guard, keep her here.”

“I’m going with her, I insistedb, /bdesperation creeping into my voice. “I need to make sure she’s okay.”

Kane ignored me, turning to follow the stretcher. The panic I felt wasn’t entirely feigned–Nadia had sacrificed herself for our escape bn/b, and I couldn’t let

her efforts be in vain..

“If anything happens to her, I called after Kane’s retreating figure, Adrian and the entire Oasisbon bPack /bwill stop at nothing for revenge. They ll fight to

thest wolf.”

b1/3 /b

Kane froze bthis /bstep, his shoulders tenting visibly. For several heartbakt?. temained perfectly still, calcting the potential without turning around, he gave a curt ned.

“Fine. Bring her,” he ordered the guard. “Hot watch her every move.

The journey to Gravestone’s hospital facility offered no immediate opportunity for ecipe.

Seated in the back of an SUV with a guand on either side, I memorized every street, every form, creating a mental map of Kane’s territory. The packpound wasrges than I expected, featuring several imposing stone buildings surrounding a central murtyard.

The hospital itself was surprisingly modern–a stark, white building with security cameras mounted at every entrance. Inside, the halls gleamed with sterile efficiency, a sharp contrast to the medieval dungeon we’d been kept

The medical team rushed Nadia into an emergency treatment mom, leaving me in the corridor with my two assigned guards. Minutester, Kane arrived, confening with the doctors in hushed tones just out of my earshot,

“After you’vepleted your examination, 1 overheard him instruct, “administer the shift suppressant to both of them.”

I stepped forward immediately. “You can’t inject her with anything.” I protested. “She’s already unconscious. What if the drug interacts badly with whatever caused this? You could kill her!”

Kane regarded me

with narrowed eyes, clearly weighing my words against his security concerns.

“Tine,” he conceded after a moment. “No suppressant for her until she regains consciousness. But make sure she’s securely restrained.” He turned his cold gaze on me. “She, however, gets her dose inmediately.”

With that finalmand, Kane departed, presumably to attend to other pack business. I watched him Irave, my mind racing to formte an escape n before the doctors returned with their needle. The two warriors remained at my side, their vignt eyes never leaving me for a second.

“I need to use the restrooms,“I announced suddenlyb, /bpressing a hand to my stomach. “I think the food didn’t agree with me either.”

The guards exchanged nces, clearly reluctant to let me out of their sight.

“Please,” I added, forcing a grimace of difort. “Unless you want me to be sick right here in the hallway.”

After a moment’s hesitation, one of them nodded toward a door marked with a restroom sign. To my dismay, both warriors moved to follow me inside.

“Seriously?” I asked, infusing my voice with bas /bmuch dignity bas /bI could bmuster/bb, /b“You’re going to watch me use the toilet? I may be your prisoner, but surely you know who I am–who we are. We’re not just random captives.”

I pointed toward the small window high on the bathroom wall. ‘Look at that window. Do you really think I could squeeze through there without you hearing? Even if I managed, where would I go? I’m in the middle of your territory, surrounded by your bpack/bb./b”

The logic of my argument seemed to prate. After examining the narrow window band /bconfirming it was indeed too small for beasy /bescape, reluctantly stepped back.

“Two minutes, therger one grunted. “Any blonger/bb, /band we’re bing /bin.”

Once alone, I stared at the window in bfrustration/b. It was indeed too narrow for a quick, silent escape–especially with two guards posted just outside the dour. My gaze swept the small bathroom, desperately seeking anything that might help.

Thats when I spotted the liquid soap dispenser mounted on the wall beside the sink. An idea began to farm–desperate and risky, but possibly my only chance.