Hiding His Alpha Twins novel Chapter 23

Lochlan’s POV

My eyes slowly fluttered open, yet all I could see was the dim, bleak darkness that surrounded me. The cold, damp air hung heavy in my lungs as I adjusted to my surroundings. My body ached, and as I shifted, heavy iron chains bound my wrists and ankles, leaving me chained and shackled, utterly vulnerable.

These damn chains. I couldn't even call out to my Wolf, I knew these chains kept the wolf at bay, and I was alone.

How did it come to this? How had everything unravelled so catastrophically?

Suddenly, the echoing sound of heavy footsteps reverberated through the dungeon, drawing nearer with every step. Dread filled me as I strained to identify the source of the approaching presence. The door was swung open, and then, emerging from the shadows, I saw him. King Alex stood before me, draped in regal garments that billowed around him as he moved with calculated elegance. The flickering torches painted an eerie glow on his face, revealing a coldness in his eyes that sent shivers down my spine.

My heart raced, a tangled mess of fear and anger that burned within me. The clanking of chains intensified as I instinctively tried to recoil from his menacing presence, but the restraints held me captive, rendering me helpless. I steadied my resolve, channelling my rage into a steely determination to confront him.

King Alex strode with purpose toward me, his expression unfathomable. "I trust you've had ample time to reflect on your decisions," his voice dripped with an icy, taunting calmness. "You may have an apology for me and information on how you got in my grounds?"

Defiance welled up within me, finding a voice laced with equal parts rage and conviction. "You may shackle my body, but you can never extinguish the love I have for Catarina. She isn't destined to be your queen. She was chosen for me.

A smirk danced across the king's lips as he paced back and forth, his presence casting an ominous shadow over me. "Ah, Lochlan, you misunderstand. Catarina is with me now. I love her and she loves me."

A chill ran down my spine, my mind numbly grappling with the implications of his words. "No, that cannot be," I pleaded, desperate to hold on to hope. "Her heart beats for me, not you. The moon goddess paired her and me together."

A wicked laugh escaped the king's lips, reverberating through the dungeon and encircling me like a haunting melody. "You think that she would want you now after all this time. You are delusional to think she could be with someone like you, a mere commoner. Destiny, however, has a way of setting things right. She is mine and my queen. Your sickening betrayal pushed her away, and she rejected you. The moon goddess saw her pain and spared her being tied to you any longer. She was blessed to find a second chance mate. Me."

His words pierced my heart like a thousand serrated blades, tearing through the fabric of love and trust we had painstakingly woven together. The memories of our shared moments, the promises of forever.

Summoning every ounce of strength, I fought against the iron chains that imprisoned me. The metal groaned in protest, the restraints digging mercilessly into my flesh, but I refused to yield. Sweat beaded on my forehead, mingling with the pain of desperation that pulsed through my veins.

"I don't know how you got here without an invitation which I specifically made sure you and none of your pathetic pack would receive, but now you are here and have found Catarina, you will do well to remember she is now my queen. She will be with me forever, and nobody will take her from me. I hope that you will understand my words. Perhaps you will need a reminder not to mess with me." King Alex spat as he grabbed a hot iron rod and placed it across my face.

As I screamed out in agony, the searing pain of the iron rod pressed against my face, leaving behind a burning trail of scars. The stench of burnt flesh filled the air, mingling with the metallic scent of blood that trickled down my cheek. I gasped for breath, and my vision blurred with tears and the haze of torment. But through the agony, I clung to the memory of Catarina's sweet smile, the warmth of her touch, and the love that had once enveloped us, determined to rise above the chains that imprisoned me.

"My love for Catarina is stronger than any torment you can inflict upon me!" I roared; my voice filled with raw defiance. "You may try to break me, King Alex, but you will never break my spirit. The bond we share is unbreakable, forged by the depths of our love. You may claim her as your queen, but her heart will always belong to me!"

King Alex's lips twisted into an evil smirk, his eyes gleaming with an unholy satisfaction. "Oh, how you delude yourself, Lochlan," he taunted, his voice dripping with venom.

Fury coursed through my veins, fuelling determination within me. With Herculean effort, I strained against the chains that bound me, muscles trembling with the force of my resistance. "You underestimate the strength of our love," I growled, defiance seeping into every word. "No matter how forcefully you try to erase me, my presence will linger in her heart. Love cannot be coerced or controlled, King Alex. It is a force that transcends your grip."

King Alex's eyes blazed with fury, his facade of reality cracking for a moment to reveal the rage beneath. "Do you honestly think you can defy me, lowly peasant?" he sneered. "Your defiance will only fuel my desire to break you, to annihilate every semblance of rebellion within you. I will make you suffer until nothing is left but a hollow shell."

He gestured for his guard to hand him another hot iron rod, and I knew it would cause more pain to ripple through my body, but I refused to cower in the face of his sadistic threats. "You may imprison my body and inflict me with pain," I spat, drawing strength from the love that burned within me. "But you can never chain my spirit. I will rise above your cruelty, King Alex. And when I do, I will reclaim what is rightfully mine."

"Hold him down." King Alex yelled to his guard as three hurried in to grab me. I didn’t fight back. What would have been the use?

I closed my eyes and let out an agonising howl as the hot iron rod was held against my arm this time. I would be covered in scars, but I would not give up on Catarina this easily. She was worth the fight!

"I will never give up." I snarled as the guards released their grip on me and moved away, leaving me on the ground.

The king's laughter reverberated through the dank dungeon, a chilling echo that taunted my every fibre. "You are nothing more than a pathetic fool," he scoffed. "Your love will not save you, Lochlan. It will only be your downfall."

With a final, defiant cry, I summoned every ounce of my strength, fighting against the relentless chains that held me captive. The iron links groaned in protest, my muscles flexing with desperation. And at that moment, as sweat mingled with tears down my face, I vowed to break free from the chains that bound me, to defeat the betrayal that had ensnared my heart, and to rescue the woman I loved from the clutches of darkness.

King Alex's voice cut through the eerie silence of the dungeon, his words dripping with triumph and sadistic pleasure. The torchlight glinted off his sinister smile, casting long, dark shadows around the dank chamber. As I strained against the biting chains that bound me, his taunting words echoed through the gloom.

"Catarina is mine now," he sneered, his voice laced with perverse satisfaction. "I am sure you will soon accept that. The moon goddess has freed her from your terrible bond. She has blessed her with a second chance mate, which is me." His arrogance hung heavy in the air, punctuated by the jingle of his regal attire.

The king's eyes hardened, and a bitter smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Lochlan, you have been blinded by your delusions. The darkness that clouds your soul cannot be so easily cast aside. You think you can change, but I have seen the depths you want to sink."

"No, sir."

"Do not interrupt me," he snapped, his voice cutting through the air like a whip. "Your evil ways will never taint Catarina and the twins."

His words were a crushing blow to my already broken spirit. I tried to steady myself, to find the right words to plead my case, but they escaped me. The truth of his words struck me like a tidal wave, overwhelming me with the weight of my sins. How could I have believed that redemption was within my grasp?

Tears streamed down my face, my body trembling with anguish and regret. "But, my lord, I loved Catarina. I could make up for my actions. I have searched so long to find her."

King Alex's expression softened briefly, a flicker of sympathy passing through his eyes. "Love alone is not enough, Lochlan. The pain you have caused, the lives you have destroyed, cannot be undone. It is a stain that can never be washed away."

He turned away from me; his voice filled with finality. "You will never see Catarina again, and the twins will grow up in a world free from the grasp of evil. It is a mercy I offer for their sake and yours."

"The twins?" I stammered. "They are mine?" I was shocked. How could I not have known?

Alex laughed as it suddenly dawned on me.

"The day you decided to fuck your own mate's best friend was the same day that she came to tell you of her pregnancy. Yet she saw you and that slut at it, you are disgusting, vile cretin. How could you do such a despicable thing to the one you were blessed with from the moon goddess? The twins will never know you, nor will they want to. They have everything they need in a father from me. I will always be there for them to cheer them on and celebrate their successes in life and wipe their tears when they are sad. Those twins may not hold my blood in their veins, but they have my heart, and I love them. Catarina and the twins are my family. You will not ever breathe the same air as them." Alex growled and shoved me against the wall, touching my throat.

"You disgust me." He threw me down and slammed the door behind him as he left. I heard the door lock turn and the guard assuring the king that he would not leave me unattended.

As the weight of his words settled upon me, I felt my world crumbling around me. All this time and I had children with the love of my life. How could I have been so damn stupid to risk it all for Tara? I hated her, and I hated myself more for allowing it to happen. Those twins were mine, yet I would never get to be their father. It was a bitter pill to swallow, accepting that I would never have the chance to make things right.

At that moment, I realised that the darkness within me had consumed everything I held dear. I was left with the hollow ache of regret, etched deeply into my soul. I knew that I had lost more than just my family. I had lost myself.