Don't Poke the Luna (Xena and Ryder)

Chapter 259

Xena's POV

My heart plummeted as Alpha Wiley's

is grin widened with sick satisfaction. He nodded to Tatum, who switched to another camera food,

This screen revealed William bound to a bench, lying flat with a towel covering his face. A'figure stood over him, slowly pouring water from a bucket omo the cloth covering his mouth and nose. William's body jerked and strained against his restraints, his chest heaving desperately as he fought the semnation of drowning.

The sight of them being tortured while I stood here unharmed tore at my soul. My hands shook as rage and helplessness warred within me. They were suffering because of me, because Alpha Wiley wanted to use me as some kind of breeding stock for his twisted experiments.

Every instinct screamed at me to fight, to tear these monsters apart with my bare hands. But the rational part of my brain knew that any aggressive move from me would only result in more torture for Tom and William.

I closed my eyes, forcing myself to think through the implications. If I agreed to this insane plan, would Alpha Wiley really stop torturing them? Could T trust him to keep his word? And what would happen to Ryder, to Logan, to everyone I loved if I became complicit in this madman's scheme?

But as William's muffled cries of distress reached my ears through the speakers, and as Tom's burned flesh continued to smoke on the other screen, 1 realized I had no choice. I couldn't watch them suffer. I couldn't let them die.

swallowing glass, each word I was about

my voice

his ear mockingly.

cold gaze with all the hatred I could muster. "I said stop. I'll do

as he approached me again, but this time he didn't grope me-it seemed the earlier slap still had him rattled. "Choose me, Xena. Bear my pup, not Ryder's. We won't mark each other-I've come to realize that doesn't matter. I'd rather your

bile rose in my throat, and I had to swallow hard to keep from vomiting. Every instinct screamed at me to tear his throat out, but I forced myself to think strategically. This was my chance-when he was most

screamed, realizing that William and Tom were

somewhere." Alpha Wiley

control panel and spoke into

body went limp in the chair, his chest heaving

to ask, my voice shaking

you cooperate." Tatum's hand reached out to touch my face, and I had to use every ounce of willpower not to bite

the only advantage I had left. Una was still there, coiled

swaying on my feet while scanning the room for anything I could use as

to be.

disappoint