Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Thin Ice of Loyalty
RAMON’S POV
I walked up to the cell I ordered Blane to be kept until he was ready to learn his lesson. The underground corridor felt damp and heavy, the stone walls cool and slick under my fingertips as I moved through the dim torchlight. My boots echoed sharply with each step, the sound bouncing off the narrow passage.
The guards in charge of the cell stepped out of the way for me to go through. Their heads bowed low, eyes fixed on the ground. They knew better than to meet my gaze when I was like this.
When I arrived in the specific room Blane was kept in, I met him seated with his head bowed. His shoulders slumped forward, the chains around his wrists resting heavy on his lap. The small cell smelled of stale air and unwashed skin, a far cry from the beta who usually stood tall beside me.
I felt a pang of guilt on seeing him that way. No matter what he had done, I couldn’t deny there was no one else I would rather have as my beta. The bond of years, battles, and trust ran deep, even now.
The second he sensed my presence, he lifted his head. His eyes looked tired, shadowed with exhaustion, but they still held that steady loyalty I had come to rely on.
"Alpha," he called in a weak voice. It cracked slightly, rough from lack of water.
I frowned. Although I had asked them to lock him up, I didn’t remember asking them not to feed him, or even give him the freedom to walk around the walls within the cell building. The sight of him like this twisted something uncomfortable in my chest. However, I couldn’t show him that I was disturbed by his state. No matter what, he needed to know he couldn’t just do whatever he liked. Especially when I gave an order.
"Do you need something from me?" He asked. He tried to push himself up, but his legs shook under him.
I could see he was struggling to stand. Even in his state, he was still so ready to serve. The chains clinked softly as he moved, the metal cold and unforgiving against his skin.
"No. I just came to ask you an important question, and I need an honest answer." My voice came out firmer than I felt, echoing slightly off the stone walls.
"Go ahead then." He nodded his head, settling back down with a quiet sigh.
"Why?" I asked. The single word hung heavy between us.
"Sorry, Alpha, I don’t quite get your question." His brow furrowed in confusion, lines deepening on his tired face.
"Why did you choose to go behind my words over and over again? What is it about Sonia that makes you want to protect her? Should I believe what Lorena says?" The questions spilled out, each one sharper than the last. My fists clenched at my sides, the tension building in my shoulders.
He quickly went on his knees and bowed his head. The chains rattled loudly in the small space as he moved. "I’d die first before I fall for my alpha’s mate. You know that. Everyone knows it. Well not everyone, considering the rumours Lorena is hell-bent on spreading." His voice was steady despite his position, carrying the weight of truth.
"So why the fuck have you chosen to betray me?" I growled, the sound low and rumbling in my chest. Frustration burned hot through me, mixing with the guilt I refused to name.
"Because you didn’t make me your beta to just blindly follow you. Remember the first order you gave me? You said I wasn’t beside you to be a yes man. That in times where you get things wrong, I needed to be a strong opposing voice. I forgot before, and that’s why I slept with the girl at your orders. I’ve felt guilty ever since." His words hit hard, stirring memories of that night I wished I could erase.
"Are you loyal to the girl or me, Blane? I don’t understand you!" I growled, a little frustrated. The cell felt smaller, the air thicker with every word.
"I’m forever loyal to you, Alpha Ramon. I just think when it comes to the girl, you’re unfortunately blinded by your hatred for her father. I also believe you’ll regret most of your actions against her later. My only goal is to ensure those actions are not many." He kept his head bowed, but his tone held quiet conviction.
"So you’re protecting her from my wrath? But don’t you understand that she feels my wrath because she’s her father’s precious little thing? Why can’t you just understand my point?" I asked, as I began to pace back and forth. My boots scraped against the rough stone floor, the sound sharp in the confined space.
It felt like I was talking to a brick wall. Blane had never opposed my desires so strongly against my desires. He usually backed up my orders, and followed them to the last letter. Something was different this time, and I wasn’t buying his need to alleviate my later regrets, bullshit story.
"Ferins hasn’t moved a needle since you kidnapped her. His son’s are clearly more invested in this whole plot than he is. Shouldn’t that make you realise she may not be his weak point the way you think she is?" His voice remained calm, but the words dug deep.
"Bullshit!" I growled ferociously. "Absolute bullshit! She looks like his wife. He adores her. Everyone knows this. Heck, you yourself told me how it was rumoured he could give the world to her. Why are you acting brand new?" My pacing quickened, heart pounding with rising anger and doubt.
Blane sighed, and I could hear the tiredness in his voice. "I just don’t want you to have any regrets later. That’s all," he conceded. The words hung in the stale air between us.
I went silent for a few minutes and considered all he had said. The torchlight flickered on the walls, casting shifting shadows that mirrored the chaos in my thoughts. The more I thought of it, the crazier it sounded.
Yet, there was a part of me that felt really sorry for how I had handled the disagreement between the both of us. The guilt gnawed at the edges of my mind, refusing to stay buried.
"Daniel has given me feedback," I said, after deciding in my heart to change the topic. The shift felt necessary, a way to regain control.
"That’s good. What did he say?" Blane lifted his head slightly, curiosity sparking in his tired eyes.
I looked around, ensuring there wasn’t anyone close by. Thankfully, Blane’s cell room was isolated. I had also instructed the guards to give us some privacy. He was my Beta. I couldn’t do anything without telling him. Regardless of our differences. The weight of leadership pressed down on me as I spoke.
"He confirmed it was indeed Jack’s pack that attacked us. They’ve armed their borders in preparation for a retaliatory attack." My voice lowered, the words heavy with implication.
"Do you understand what this means?" He asked. His chains shifted as he adjusted his position.
"I have a theory. Let’s hear yours."
"There’s a spy. How would they know there’s a probability of retaliation if they made it look like Silverpaw attacked us? Someone must have told them the Silverpaw allegations weren’t sticking, and that we were moving to investigate them." His reasoning was clear and sharp, cutting through my defenses.
"A spy?" I repeated. I had thought of it, but quickly discarded that notion.
No one in their right mind would be bold enough to spy on my pack. Then again, before the attack, I swore no one would be able to attack my pack. The realization settled like a stone in my gut.
"And you don’t think it’s Sonia?"
"How could it have been? She was unconscious, or in lockdown throughout that period. Why are you not thinking of the person who insisted silverpaw had something to do with it?"
"Lorena? Surely you’re not referring to her."
"Why not?" He asked. "Alpha," he added much later, because he knew he was skating on thin ice. His tone remained respectful, but the challenge was there.
"Because she wouldn’t dare. She adores me too much to be my pack’s spy." The words came out defensive, even to my own ears.
"Or that’s just what you think. I find it funny that she’s continuously in these situations where she pushes for Sonia to be the problem. If you’re not hiding something, then you won’t be pushing the spotlight on someone else." Blane’s logic pressed harder, making the air in the cell feel even heavier.
I thought about it. I knew for a fact Lorena would never betray me. She was too obsessed with me to do that. But I still had to question her. Swiftly, I turned around.
"Goodbye Blane," I said to him. The words felt final, but the doubt lingered.
As I stepped into the open, I beckoned on the first guard I saw. "Blane must not spend this night locked up. Before midnight, get him out," I ordered. My voice carried the weight of command, but inside, the conflict churned.
With determination etched in my face, I went in search of Lorena. The corridor stretched ahead, torches flickering as I moved through the shadows, my mind racing with questions I could no longer ignore.
