Chapter 221: Think Escape

Willow stared at him in complete disbelief.

The man who had lived centuries ago.

"That is impossible." Willow whispered more to herself than to him.

"I understand that this must be difficult to believe but I want to apologize for Alistair."

Willow looked away from him.

She did not want his apology, she wanted nothing from him except his death for what she now knew he had done.

He had killed Alistair.

She tried to breathe but the air seemed to catch in her throat.

Just then the door opened and Miranda stepped inside.

She looked from Caelan to Willow, taking in the latter’s tear-streaked face.

"Why is she not tied?" she asked harshly. "Why is she sitting there freely?"

"Because she is going to do as we want."

Miranda stared at him in disbelief.

"Have you lost your fucking mind?" She snapped. "Her mate is dead, Caelan. She has discovered that you have been pretending to be him, and you expect her to cooperate?"

Caelan’s jaw tightened.

"I can handle her."

"Tie her up."

"There is no need to..."

"Either you tie her up, or I will put her into an eternal sleep." Miranda cut him off. "And believe me, I would have no trouble doing it."

Caelan’s jaw tightened.

"Fine." he muttered.

Willow watched him cross the room.

Only then did she notice the rope lying near the wardrobe.

Caelan picked it up and approached the bed. Willow flinched as he reached for her wrist.

"Please, do not fight me." he murmured.

Every part of her wanted to scratch his face, scream for help, and do whatever she could to get away but Willow remembered how quickly Miranda had rendered her unconscious.

She could not risk that happening again.

So she remained still as Caelan gathered her wrists and began tying them together.

He finished tying the rope but he had made it loose so she could still move her wrists slightly. There was enough space between the rope and her skin that she could probably work her hands free if she tried.

Caelan looked at her face but she avoided his gaze.

"Are you not going to ask me?" Miranda folded her arms across her chest and regarded Willow. "Surely you know by now that there is something afoot."

Willow merely stared at her without speaking and this infuriated Miranda.

"Caelan has, after all, been acting as your mate for quite some time. How long has it been now? A week? Two?"

Willow’s eyes stung.

"Miranda," Caelan tried to stop her but she ignored him.

"You did not notice, did you?" Miranda smiled wider. "You could not tell the difference. All those nights you spent beside him and you never once realized that the man sharing your bed was not your mate."

"While Alistair lay dead in a cave, you were fucking goddess knows who."

Willow felt something inside her break. A tear slid down her cheeks and then some more as she began sobbing.

She could not stop it.

The tears she had been trying so desperately to hold back began falling freely.

She bent forward, her shoulders shaking.

How could she have been so foolish? How could she not have known?

She had loved Alistair. She had known him.

"Enough, Miranda." Caelan’s voice was sharp.

Miranda turned toward him.

He was staring at her, his expression stormy.

She raised an eyebrow and looked between him and Willow.

"Oh for goddess’ sake, do not tell me you have fallen for her."

Caelan’s jaw tightened but he did not answer.

Miranda stared at him then she laughed.

"You fool. Have you truly become so pathetic?"

"Enough" Caelan took a step toward her. "Can you not see that she is grieving?"

Miranda’s smile disappeared.

"I beg your pardon?"

"She is grieving, Miranda." He gestured toward Willow. "Her mate is dead. She has just discovered that everything she believed for the past several days was a lie, and you are standing here mocking her."

Miranda stared at him.

"I do not have to fall for her to know when to behave like a human being," he added.

Miranda’s eyes moved to Willow was still crying, her bound hands pressed against her face and she rolled her eyes.

She had never understood why people allowed grief to consume them so completely.

Death was inevitable and it came for everyone eventually.

Some people simply met it earlier than others. She had lived long enough to understand that and she had no intention of wasting time comforting a woman who would probably try to kill them the moment she had the opportunity.

"How touching," she muttered.

Caelan glared at her but Miranda ignored him. She had more important matters to discuss.

"A letter came from the Alpha Council." she said.

"It did?" Caelan’s expression changed. "When?"

"Not long ago. We should go and discuss our next course of action."

He glanced toward Willow and Miranda followed his gaze, irritated at him.

"Unless you would prefer to continue arguing about the feelings of a woman who would gladly have your head removed from your shoulders."

Caelan stared at her for another moment before he nodded.

Miranda moved toward the door.

"Come. We have much to discuss. We should leave her to her grief." she snorted.

They both walked out of the room, closing the door behind them.

For several seconds, Willow did not move.

She remained bent forward but she was no longer crying.

She raised her head slowly.

She had to escape this place and Caelan had just given her an opportunity by leaving the rope loose.

Willow began twisting her wrists.

The knot shifted slightly and she kept working at it, refusing to stop.

Miranda had said something about an Alpha council.

She had heard Alistair mention the Alpha Council before and never with any particular fondness.

She knew enough to understand that they were powerful, dangerous, and not particularly interested in maintaining peace between the territories.

If Miranda was working with them, then whatever she was planning could not be good.

And if Caelan had taken Alistair’s place, it meant Emberfall was now in their hands.

She needed to tell Ares....Ares would know what to do.

She needed to reach him somehow.