Liam’s eyes slowly fluttered open, his vision hazy and blurred.

He groaned softly, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over him as his mind struggled to regain clarity.

The throbbing ache in his head intensified his disorientation, making it difficult to make sense of his surroundings.

As his senses gradually sharpened, panic surged through Liam’s veins when he looked around and saw Anastasia nearby.

Confusion and concern etched deeply into his features as he struggled to piece together the fragments of his memory.

"Anastasia," he called out, his voice trembling. "What... what happened? Where are we?"

His voice quivered with a mix of fear and urgency as he took in the dimly lit dungeon with its cold stone walls and the eerie flickering torches.

The sight of Anastasia sitting on that iron chair and the restrainted with cuffs made of silver sent a shiver down his spine.

The realization of their captivity and the precariousness of their situation ignited a sense of panic within him.

Liam’s heart raced as he tried to process their circumstances.

Anastasia’s instincts as a protector kicked in, and she felt a surge of protectiveness towards Liam.

"Are you hurt, Snow? Are you okay?" Anastasia asked, her voice filled with genuine concern, desperate for reassurance amidst the chaos.

His gaze darted around the room once more, his eyes widening as he took in their confined surroundings.

The walls seemed to close in, and the silence weighed heavily on his senses.

Fear mingled with determination in his eyes as he locked his gaze with Anastasia’s, seeking solace and answers in her presence.

Anastasia’s voice, filled with equal parts worry and determination, reached his ears, offering a glimmer of hope.

" I’m fine. Do you know where we are and how we got here?" He asked in despair and hope. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

wanting to at least their whereabouts, but his hope canished as fast as it was formed when Anastasia shook her head.

Silence filled the room.

Anastasia broke the silence, her voice cutting through the stagnant air. "Your chest, the bullet, is it healed? Is it still bleeding?" she inquired with concern, her words laced with a genuine desire for reassurance.

Liam’s heart sank at the sound of her voice.

It reminded him of the pain of their shared past, a pain that he resented.

Yet, despite his animosity towards her, he knew they were trapped together and had to rely on each other. Reluctantly, he responded, "Yes, it is healing. It is not bleeding anymore."

A sigh of relief escaped Anastasia’s lips, briefly filling the room with a momentary calm.

However, their respite was abruptly shattered as Liam’s frustration boiled over.

He shouted in despair, his voice filled with anger and helplessness as he attempted to break free from the silver chains that bound him.

The realization that he couldn’t break free only fueled his rage further. "I can’t break silver, fuck!" he exclaimed, his voice laden with frustration and desperation.

Anastasia’s attention was immediately drawn to Liam’s outburst.

She implored him to calm down, asserting that they would find a way out together. " I can’t either. I will get you out if here just calm down for now."

But her words only seemed to incite his anger further.

He glared at her, his voice dripping with disdain and bitterness. "I didn’t ask for your help, and I don’t want it. I will get myself out of here on my own," he hissed, his defiance clear.

Anastasia’s gaze hardened, her own frustration bubbling to the surface.

She whispered-yelled at him, her words laced with a mixture of anger and concern. "You stupidly went alone and fell into their trap. You needed help, and now you still need help,"

she retorted, her voice filled with a tinge of exasperation.

Liam clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing as he met her glare.

He yelled back, the venom in his voice palpable. "I didn’t ask you for it, did I? You followed me, and boom, here you are, stuck here with me. I guess I’m not the only stupid here. And it is not my fault," he spat, his words laced with resentment.

Anastasia’s voice softened, her tone tinged with pain as she tried to reason with him. "I didn’t say it’s your fault, Snow. I said that the fact you attacked them and ran after the alpha alone was stupid and not part of our pla... Agh," she whimpered in pain, her words abruptly cut off.

Liam’s eyes widened, concern flickering across his face. "What? What’s going on with you?" he asked, his voice now filled with genuine worry.

Anastasia mustered a weak chuckle, her pain momentarily forgotten. "My wound... it’s not healing. I think the bullet had liquid silver in it,"

she explained, her voice tinged with a mixture of surprise and resignation.

Shock registered on Liam’s face, but Anastasia quickly reassured him, her chuckle carrying a hint of amusement. "Don’t worry, this amount of silver can’t kill me. Unless... it’s not enough," she said, her voice trailing off.

Liam looked at her sarcastically, his skepticism evident. "I wasn’t worried," he retorted, his words laced with defiance.

Anastasia chuckled softly, her voice low. "Good to know," she replied, their brief exchange dissipating into silence once again as they settled into their confined reality, their thoughts and emotions filling the heavy air.

Anastasia broke the silence once more, her voice cutting through the heavy atmosphere. "We didn’t get the alpha. Do you think the others are okay? Do you think we won?" she asked, her tone filled with a mix of uncertainty and hope.

Liam remained silent for a while, weighing his thoughts before responding in a low voice, "Yes." His brief answer carried a weight of exhaustion and resignation, suggesting that their victory might have come at a great cost.

Silence settled in the room once again, but it was soon broken by Anastasia’s voice. "I wonder why they brought us here instead of killing us there," she mused aloud, her curiosity evident.

Liam’s voice held a hint of bitterness as he replied, "Well, you’re a true blood. Why would they be stupid enough to kill you instead of trying to recruit you into their team?"

His words revealed both his disdain for her and her rank and his acknowledgment of her immense power as a true blood.

Anastasia grinned, her amusement evident. "You too. If I were them, I wouldn’t have killed you. I’d try to get you on my team," she replied, acknowledging the strength and potential he possessed, despite their complicated relationship.

Liam glanced at her, his tired eyes meeting hers. He muttered, almost to himself, "What’s wrong with your eyes?"

Confusion flickered across Anastasia’s face as she asked the same question in return, "What’s wrong with my eyes?"

"They’re glowing silver," Liam stated, his voice tinged with a mix of curiosity.

Anastasia fell silent, her confusion deepening. "I don’t know, probably silver side effects or something," she replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Once again, silence settled in the room, but this time it was interrupted by Anastasia’s deteriorating condition.

She started to pass out, her heartbeat weakening.

Liam called out to her, his voice filled with urgency. He could hear her heartbeat slowing down "Anastasia, are you still with me?"

Barely able to speak, she mustered a weak response, "Y-yes."

Liam sighed, his worry evident. "Keep talking, don’t close your eyes. The silver is getting to you," he advised, his voice filled with a mix of frustration and concern.

Anastasia stubbornly refused to admit the severity of her condition.

"No, I’m fine. Just dizzy. Those fuckers made sure the amount of silver is enough to weaken me completely. I can’t move," she explained, her voice laced with defiance and a hint of vulnerability.

Silence once again filled the room as Liam chose not to engage further, allowing Anastasia to do as she wished, their shared predicament hanging heavily in the air.

Anastasia mustered up the bravery to break the silence once again, determined to address the unresolved issue that hung heavily between them.

"Snow, about what happened in my Pack..." she began, her voice filled with a mix of apprehension and determination.

Liam immediately cut her off, his anger evident. "I don’t want to talk about it," he snapped, his tone laced with bitterness.

Anastasia yelled back at him, her frustration mounting. "You asked me to keep talking!" she retorted, her voice filled with a mix of anger and defiance.

Liam’s anger flared even more, his tone dripping with resentment. "Don’t talk then. I don’t care. I don’t want to listen to your death bed confessions and regrets," he spat, his words laced with disdain.

Anastasia let out a sigh, attempting to regain her composure, and spoke calmly.

"I will talk, and you will listen. You don’t have much of a choice because we are stuck here," she explained, the weight of their confinement hanging in the air.

A small smirk graced her lips as she added, "The two of us alone together."

Liam’s glare intensified, but Anastasia couldn’t help but chuckle at how hot and yet cute he looked when he was angry.

However, her smile quickly faded as she spoke earnestly. "I’m sorry for what I did to you," she said sincerely, her voice laced with remorse.

Liam’s glare remained fixed on her, his tone venomous as he hissed, "I don’t care. I don’t want to hear it."

Anastasia pressed on, her voice steady. "Snow, I know what I did was unforgivable..." she admitted, acknowledging the gravity of her actions.

Liam’s frustration reached its peak as he yelled at her, his jaw clenched tightly. "Then why are you apologizing if you already know it’s unforgivable?" he demanded, his words reflecting his inner turmoil and confusion.