Mated to Another, Imprisoned by Him Chapter 07

Mated to Another, Imprisoned by Him Chapter 07 “Don’t Touch My Mate

The chains never stopped grinding. My wrists were flayed raw.

But I didn’t stop fighting.

Every twitch tore the scabs open.

With my wolf soul suppressed, the wounds wouldn’t close. They were inflamed, festering.

But looking at them, I smiled. These weren’t just wounds. They were my leverage.

When Winder walked in with the medicine, I didn’t pull away.

I leaned back and held my wrists out.

Where the iron bit in, the skin was gone. Red, swollen, oozing. I could see bone.

He stared. His lips moved, but no sound came out. The color drained from his face.

“How did it get this bad…” He rushed over, hands hovering, shaking. “I told the Beta to treat this every day—”

“Treatment’s useless.” My voice was soft, weak. “The chains just rub it raw again.”

Winder choked.

He crouched, handling my wrists like they were glass. Applying salve. Guilt was written all over him.

I watched him, cold amusement in my eyes.

If he cared, he wouldn’t have let it get this far.

He just wanted to cage me. Own me.

“Take them off,” I whispered, dropping my gaze, using that old sweet tone. “… It hurts too much.”

Silence.

He looked up. His eyes were a storm-suspicion, hurt, conflict.

He knew. He knew I’d run.

I knew he was eaten up by guilt. And that was exactly how I’d get him to unlock the chains.

He gritted his teeth. “…Okay.”

He stood and unlocked the chains. “You stay in this room.”

The weight vanished. I pulled my arms back, silent.

Winder hid the chains. Sat on the bed. Exhausted. Watching me.

“Nina, stay. Don’t run.”

I didn’t answer. I just left my ruined wrists in plain sight.

His throat bobbed. Hands clenched. He looked away.

We waited.

Him watching. Me calculating.

Until the border alarm howled.

Nick was here. Coming to get me.

Winder was on his feet and out the door in a heartbeat.

At the door, he turned, voice raw.

“Stay. I’ll be back.”

The door slammed.

I was out of bed.

My wrists screamed. I didn’t care.

I pressed my ear to the wood.

Howls. Roars of battle.

The house was emptying. Everyone running to the border.

Now.

I slammed my shoulder into the door.

Crack.

My hand broke.

The hall was empty.

I ran. Straight through the rose garden without hesitation. Beneath my feet, the roses blooming perfectly just moments ago were crushed into a pulpy mess.

The farther I got, the more the wolf soul inside me snapped awake. Power surged. The pain faded.

I ran for the border.

By the time I got there, the packs were tearing each other apart.

In the center-

Nick was on one knee. A claw mark through to the bone on his shoulder. His left arm useless.

He looked up, blood in his mouth, voice broken but defiant.

“Let Nina go!”

Winder raised his claws, going for the heart.

Nick couldn’t dodge.

“Nick!”

I hit the field like a freight train. The wolf soul Nick had healed exploded out of me. I slammed into Winder just as his claws were about to pierce Nick’s heart.

Winder went flying. Crashed into the dirt, spitting blood.

I dropped to my knees, pulling Nick into my arms.

“I’m here.”

He saved me. Now it was my turn.

Winder looked up. The fury on his face broke-stunned, then gutted.

He stared at me, his eyes hollow.

“Nina… you-”

I met his gaze, ice-cold.

“Winder,” I said. “Don’t you touch my mate.”