The Prisoner

Quinn

It was him.

The man from my dreams. There was no mistaking it. But how?

He was exactly as I remembered, but far more terrifying. Seeing him again made me want to scream.

He didn’t take his eyes off of me. Even as Alex berated him from behind the plexiglass wall, his gaze never wavered.

He knew I recognized him. He saw it in my eyes. I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t.

He smirked like he knew something I didn’t.

I felt the blood rush from my cheeks as my face went white.

Jax looked at me, worried.

“Quinn?” Jax called.

But I couldn’t look away.

“Quinn,” he said, more concerned.

My body felt stiff.

And that’s when I heard it. Like a whisper in my head.

Carl

Hello, Quinn. It’s good to see you again.

I gasped as I snapped out of my trance.

I turned to Jax, panting.

“Quinn?” Jax asked, “Are you alright?”

“Sorry, I...I don’t know what came over me,” my voice trembled. I wanted to tell Jax about the voice, but I wasn’t sure if what I heard was real.

Was my mind playing tricks on me?

Jax turned to the man behind the glass with hate in his eyes. There was a coldness about my mate I’d never seen before.

From the look on his sullen face, I could see the deaths of the Shadow Moon guards were weighing heavily upon him. As Alpha, he held a deep connection to each and every wolf in the pack.

When a member suffered, he felt it, too. They were a part of him.

I jumped at the sound of a door opening as Alex exited the cell.

“Has he said anything?” asked the Alpha.

“Not a word,” Alex replied. “Pretty boy here thinks he can hold out on us...stubborn bastard. Got a warped sense of loyalty to his pack, if you ask me,” he sneered.

Rogues were known to be self-serving. They didn’t live by the code of a wolf pack.

“He must want something,” Jax said, as he approached the glass.

“His life!”

“Yes, but more than that. I can see it in his eyes.”

“And if he doesn’t talk?” I asked.

“Oh, he’ll talk. You can be sure of that. And once we get the information we need, we’ll kill him.” Jax glared at him, daring him to speak.

The rogue didn’t bat an eye.

“Big talk for a man I single-handedly incapacitated,” Carl scoffed as he stood up and walked to the glass. “And you call yourself an Alpha.”

He stood face-to-face with Jax.

Jax slammed his fist against the transparent wall.

“Shut up, rogue!” Jax snapped.

“Oh, so now you don’t want me to talk? Suit yourself,” he said.

He turned around and sat back down.

Jax’s muscles tensed as he clenched his fists. He looked ready to burst through the door and tear him apart.

“You and your dogs killed two members of my pack!” Jax roared. “They had loved ones, families…not that you’d know anything about that. Your kind is incapable of empathy.”

I’d never seen such fury in him before, but Carl remained composed.

“I know you’re here for a reason,” Jax went on. “You expect me to believe that someone like you just happened to get captured?”

“Wait, you think he’s in here on purpose?” I asked.

“Isn’t it obvious? When they found him, he barely put up a fight.”

A chill ran down my spine. I’d seen what he was capable of with my own eyes.

Someone like him wouldn’t go down that easily. And with Jax threatening to execute him, he had to know what he was getting himself into…didn’t he? Why else would he put himself in that kind of danger?

My memory flashed back to my dream.

If there was meaning behind it, it meant…

~He’s here for me!~

I felt a lump in my throat.

Carl had stopped paying attention to Jax and returned his focus back to me. He flashed a sinister smile as if he knew what I was thinking.

Carl

You’re a clever one, aren’t you?

I looked to the floor, unable to meet his gaze.

~Am I really hearing things? It must be my imagination.~

That was the excuse I used, but even I found it difficult to believe that rationale.

“So, what do you say?” Jax said to Carl. “Did you let yourself get captured, or are you really just that big of a pussy?”

Scarface stretched his shoulders back and popped his neck, unaffected by the insults.

“Why are you attacking us?!” Jax bellowed. “Why now?”

But the Alpha was met with silence.

“This is pointless,” Alex said impatiently. “We’re wasting our time. Even if he does talk, we can’t believe a word he says.”

Jax sighed in exasperation as he contemplated what to do.

“You’re probably right.”

“Then we should kill him,” Alex said eagerly.

“No…cut out his tongue.” Jax smirked. “He clearly has no use for it.”

“With pleasure,” Alex said, as he unsheathed his dagger and moved toward the cell.

That got Carl’s attention.

“Wait,” the prisoner said. “I’ll talk.”

Alex stopped.

“Oh, now you’re ready to cooperate?” Alex chided.

“On one condition.”

“We don’t have time for these games!” Alex said, continuing toward the cell.

“Hold on,” Jax ordered.

“He’s just stalling!”

“I’m willing to hear him out.”

“We should kill him!”

“Just…wait!” Jax said, asserting his authority.

Alex backed off.

Jax swiveled to face the rogue. “Alright, what’s your condition?”

“I’ll only talk to her,” Carl said, his gaze landing on me.

My eyes widened in surprise and my stomach churned with anxiety.

“Quinn?” Jax questioned, clearly taken aback.

“In here,” Carl said, gesturing to his cell.

~Is he serious?~

I felt myself shrinking, regretting my decision to come down here. But Carl was an enigma I needed to unravel. I knew he held the answers.

~What’s his game?~

Jax burst into laughter. “You’ve got to be kidding me. There’s no way in hell I’m letting her step foot in—”

“I’ll do it,” I interrupted, stepping forward.

Carl looked satisfied with my decision.

“Are you out of your mind?” Jax asked, blocking my path.

“If he gives us the information we need, I’ll talk to him.”

“No way!” Jax protested. “I can’t let you do that.”

“I need to know if the attack was connected to me.”

Jax still wasn’t convinced.

“Our pack is at risk. If this is the only way to protect them, we have to do it. It’s for the good of the pack. Plus, you’ll be watching. I know I’ll be safe with you there.”

Jax remained silent, but he didn’t object.

“You can’t be seriously considering this,” Alex chimed in.

“I’m not asking for your permission,” I said firmly, “just that you don’t interfere. Please…trust me.”

Jax was clearly conflicted. I felt terrible for putting him in this position, but it was necessary. Too many lives were on the line…but then he gave in.

“If you feel threatened, just say the word, and I’ll be there in a heartbeat,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady. “Just don’t get too close, okay?”

I nodded, then threw myself into his strong arms, grateful for his trust.

Jax let me go and unlocked the cell door.

Once inside, he locked the door behind me. I was on my own.

I turned around to find Carl standing there.

It was just the two of us.

Carl took a step forward but halted when Jax slammed his fist into the wall. He then took a deep breath, inhaling my scent. That’s when I heard it…

Carl

It’s twice now you’ve escaped my grasp.

Carl

Most aren’t so lucky.

I did hear his voice! I was certain of it. He was communicating with me through my thoughts!

Quinn

How are you doing this?

I gasped when my own voice echoed in my head.

He laughed.

Carl

You really are naive, aren’t you…?

Carl

Your Alpha hasn’t taught you anything.

I crossed my arms and glared at him. His intrusion into my thoughts felt like a violation.

That’s when it clicked.

Quinn

This is how you did it, isn’t it!

Quinn

How you got into my dream.

Carl tilted his head and clapped his hands in a patronizing manner.

Carl

Well, maybe you are smarter than you look.

Carl

Not that it’ll do you any good.

Carl

It won’t change what’s to come.

I turned to Jax, who looked puzzled. He didn’t understand what was happening, but I had to continue.

Quinn

What do you want from us?

Quinn

Why did you attack the pack?

Carl

Isn’t it obvious?

He looked at me with a predatory gaze, but I stood my ground. I wouldn’t let him intimidate me.

Carl

Tell me, Quinn…

Carl

What happened to your father?

Carl

Do you know where he is?

My body went rigid.

Quinn

He died.

The rogue’s smile widened, as if he was privy to a secret I wasn’t.

Quinn

Why?

Quinn

What do you know about my father?

Carl

Me?

Carl

Nothing. I’ve never even heard of Alistar Michael.

He knew my father’s name!

Carl chuckled.

He knew something…but what?

My lingering fear morphed into anger. I couldn’t contain it any longer.

“Did you really just bring me in here to talk about my father?” I shouted. “Because if you don’t start explaining, there will be hell to pay!”

Carl laughed even harder, clearly unfazed by my threat.

“You think these wolves scare me? Torture is second nature to me,” he said, pointing to the scar on his face. “But you’re right. There is something I wanted to tell you… Come closer.”

“What do you want?”

“Just come closer.”

I didn’t like where this was heading.

I glanced at Jax, who shook his head, but I needed to know what Carl wanted. Against my better judgment, I moved closer.

“Closer,” he murmured.

I took another step.

“Closer,” he whispered, his excitement palpable.

One more step brought me right in front of him, close enough to feel his breath.

“I’m here. Now, tell me,” I demanded.

He leaned in close, then whispered, “Vulpes!”

~Vulpes?~

Before I could question him, he yanked my hair, pulling my head back. I clawed at his arm, but he didn’t release his grip.

“I take it back…you really aren’t very bright,” he sneered. “I’m going to enjoy watching you die.”

His other hand closed around my neck, choking me.

My vision blurred as everything faded to black.