Chapter 55
DIMITRIS POV
It had been one month since we captured Gideon and brought him to B***d Moon. Though ‘captured’ might be the wrong word. He’d willingly surrended to us, not putting up an ounce of fight. His new home was the dungeon, obviously. Occassionally, he would leave, transporting himself to his home, wherever that was. The first time he did it, I lost my mind.
“I do need to change clothes, you know.” He’d said.
The frustrating part was, I couldn’t stop him. I could chain him to the wall but it wouldn’t make a difference. The confusing part though, was that he always came back. He’d be gone for thrity minutes or so, long enough to clean up, and reappear in his cell. I asked myself countless times, why bother? Was this a way to taunt me? To show me he could escape anytime he wanted, and I couldn’t do s**t about it? The whole situation put me on edge.
Today, myself along with my Beta Ben and Gamma Luke, and Bens mate Clara were going to interrogate Gideon. Again. Everytime I’d tried, he would studiously ignore me, whistling to himself or reading a book he’d brought back with him. I was starting to contemplate violence.
“I hope you know there is nothing I can do to really help here. He outclasses me in so many ways.” Clara said now.
I nodded to a few of the gardeners who were hard at work. “I don’t know what else to try.” I replied to her.
“You think the three of us are enough to intimidate him into talking?” Luke asked.
“Maybe.”
“Why doesn’t Lily-“
“No!” I interrupted Ben harshly.
I knew what he was going to suggest. Lily herself had offered to do it, but I’d shut down the idea. I didn’t want my mate within hundred feet of this guy. He’d already taken two pack members, he could easily kidnap Lily too. We entered the dungeon, all four of us wrinkling our noses at the smell. A few rogues we’d captured glared at us as we passed, others shrinking away into the corners.
“This place is disgusting.” Clara commented behind me.
“That’s kind of the point.” Luke muttered. She shot him a dirty look. Those two were always bickering; They reminded me of siblings.
I led my group to the very back of the dungeon where Gideon was housed. His cell was medium sized, but just as dirty and dark as the others. I stopped in front of the bars, glaring inside. He was dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans with white sneakers. His salt and pepper hair was freshly washed and combed; His goatee as well. As usual, he had a book in his hand, flipping the pages lazily. He was definitely the cleanest prisoner here, and it pissed me off. I tapped on the bars, averting his attention.
“Hello Alpha.” His tone was polite, not at all scared the way it should be.
“I’m here to-“
“Question me. I know. I thought it was obvious by now that I won’t answer you.”
“Then why do you keep coming back?” I growled.
He shrugged. “I have my reasons.”
Scanning my handprint of the pad beside his cell, the door creaked open. Gideon looked at me over his book, his eyebrows raised. I stepped into the space, Ben and Luke and Clara behind me. There was barely enough room to fit all five of us, especially with how big we wolves were. Gideon closed his book, swinging his legs to face us.
“This is new. Are you planning to beat the answers out of me?” He smirked a little.
“If that’s what it takes.” I threatened.
“You know I could transport myself out of here to safety as soon as you lay a hand on me?”
Ben stepped forward, shuffling me off to the side. “What is even the point of this?” He snarled. “What’s your plan? To live down here forever?”
“Not forever. Just until I get what I want.”
“Which is?” Clara asked from behind us.
“Ah, the witch. I was wondering when we’d meet.”
“Don’t talk to her.” Bens eyes grew black.
Gideon looked between Ben and the sound of Claras voice. Honestly, she was basically hidden behind the three of us in the small space. “She’s your mate.” He stated.
Neither Ben nor Clara confirmed it, but a slow smile spread of Gideons face. He seemed geniunly happy that my Beta was mated to a witch.
“She asked you a question. Answer it.” Luke snapped.
Gideon focused back on me. “I want to talk to Lily.”
Of course he did. “No.” I deadpanned.
“Then I have nothing else to say.” He leaned back against the wall, picking up his novel. My patience snapped, and I had him a foot off the ground by his throat a second a later.
“Stop playing with me!” I shouted. “You think I couldn’t snap your pathetic neck in an instant? You might have magic, but that won’t save you. That won’t stop me from ending your useless existence!”
A hint of anger touched his eyes. “I’ve been lenient with you Alpha, but you’re really starting to test my patience. I’ve told you what I wanted.”
“No way in Hell are you getting near my mate.” I spit at him.
“Fine. But that’s the only way I’m going to talk.”
“Why?” Ben asked.
“That’s my business.”
I squeezed my hand tighter. “Wrong. I’m her mate, her husband. Anything to do with her has to do with me.”
“Really? Where was that attitude when you were pretending she didn’t exist? Except when it benefited you, of course.”
My wolf, Ajax, pushed forward forcefully. My fist connected with his nose, b***d immediatly gushing out. Part of me acknowledged that even though he’d stated he could, he didn’t leave the cell. He simply crouched on the ground, cursing under his breath as he righted his broken nose. Clenching my fists tightly, I held Ajax back from coming forward fully to do worse.
“Perhaps that was out of line.” Gideon muttered.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
“I want answers.” I ground out. “Or she is going to give me a thruth serum that I will shove down your throat.” I jerked my thumb over my shoulder to where Clara was standing.
“I’ll take it willingly.”
“What?” Luke asked.
Gideon nodded. “But only in front of Lily.”
My teeth snapped together with anger. “I told you-“
“I’m not negotiating Alpha. Either I talk to Lily, or you get nothing from me at all.” He snapped.
“Why haven’t you just transported yourself to her? If you’re so adamant about this?” Clara spoke up. Ben looked at her wide-eyed, shaking his head back forth quickly. She was treading into dangerous territory and he knew it. However, Gideon shook his head at her.
“I won’t do that. She won’t listen to me if I force her to. I need her to be willing to hear me out.”
Luke placed a hand on my shoulder. “Come on. This is pointless right now.”
Ben agreed, already moving his mate out fo the cell and away from me. Giving Gideon one more hard stare, I followed my friends, slamming his cell shut on my way out. I didn’t care if it locked or not; He could leave either way so what was the point in double checking? I stalked past the other prisoners, leaving my friends behind. I was beyond angry.
When I got outside, I rounded on Clara.
“Why the f**k would you suggest something like that?!” I roared. Ben stepped closer to her protectively, but Clara just crossed her arms and met my gaze.
“It wasn’t a suggestion; It was a question. And I don’t think you need to worry anyways. If he wanted to take Lily, he would have by now.”
“You don’t know that!”
“No, I don’t. But I think you shuld let him and Lily talk.”
“Are you insane?” I snapped at her.
“That man down there is powerful, as powerful as any Clan Elder! If he was a Dark witch, he would have killed you in your sleep already and taken your mate. He must have another reason for being here.”
“Wait.” Ben said. “Are you saying Gideon is not a Dark witch?”
“I don’t think so. I’ve not met any, but I’ve heard they have a disturbing aura about them. I felt how powerful Gideon is, but I felt no darkness from him.”
I ran my hands through my hair roughly. There were too many ‘buts’ and too many ‘ifs’ here. How could I, in good consious, allow Lily to put herself in danger without all the facts in place beforehand?
“He agreed to take the serum Dimitri. And we have nothing else, no other ideas. He’s clearly not going to talk to us.” Luke said.
“And Lily already agreed, a while ago.” Clara added.
My eyes went to my Beta. “I agree.” He said.
Groaning, I kicked a rock in my path, sending it flying into the forest. Pushing past them, I stormed back into the dungeon, growling the whole way to Gideons cell. Yanking open the cell door, I planted myself in front of him.
“You will come to the packhouse tomorrow at noon. You will take the truth serum, a double dose if I see fit to administer it. You will not speak to Lily alone! And if you try anything, anything at all, I will remove your head faster than you can snap your fingers. Do you understand me?”
Gideon blinked at me for a few seconds. “Why the packhouse?” He asked.
“One because I can’t fit all the necessary protection for my mate down here. And two, because she hates coming down here.”
He nodded. “Understood. I will see you tomorrow.”
I left, a feeling of unease and regret moving over me. I already knew this was a bad idea.