Chapter 132 – Ella Warns Sinclair

"What do you mean, you won't tell me?" Sinclair rumbled, his voice full of foreboding. He glowered down at me, exuding raw alpha authority and unflinching disapproval. The idea that anyone—even I—would keep me from him seemed more than he could bear. Still, I knew I had to. If he came after me, the Prince would kill him.

I set my jaw, trying to look fierce and determined, even though my wolf whimpered in the face of his ire. "I won't! I don't care what you do or say; I'm not going to tell you."

"Ella, what are you talking about? Why not?" Sinclair demanded, his hands reflexively tightening on my body before easing when he realized how tightly he was holding me.

"I heard the Prince and Lydia talking. They know you won't pay the ransom. They think you'll try to stage a rescue, and they'll be waiting. It's a setup. If you come, they'll kill you," I whispered frantically. I knew this wouldn't dissuade him, but hoped my explanation would help him understand why I couldn't answer his question.

Sinclair's eyes glowed neon green, and he bared his fangs. "So what would you have me do, Ella? Just leave you as his prisoner?" Before I could respond, he continued, "Not fucking likely, trouble."

"I don't have the answers," I moaned, leaning into him, hoping he would calm down.

Unfortunately, he knew what I was doing and kept me at arm's length. "I just know that rescue isn't an option. I'm not going to let anyone else die for me—especially not you!" My throat itched, my voice thick with emotion as I looked up at my mate. "I can't lose you, Dominic."

"Sweetheart, if I know there's an ambush, I can prepare for it," Sinclair reasoned, sounding gentler now. My distress seemed to have calmed his temper, because he tucked my head under his chin and began stroking my spine with long, soothing strokes. "I know you're scared and probably feel horribly guilty about your guards, but their deaths were the most honorable kind for a warrior. They joined my ranks because they wanted to defend the pack at all costs."

"You didn't see them," I hiccuped. "It wasn't—they thought they'd failed. They died believing they hadn't done their jobs, that they hadn't protected me."

He tsked, pressing his lips to my hair. "They will be remembered as heroes, Ella. They fought until the very end, even when the odds were so stacked against them that they knew they couldn't win."

"But I don't want you to die too!" I cried. "I need you; the united packs need you."

"Shhh, I have no plans of dying anytime soon," Sinclair promised, caressing the curve of my belly. "But you need to tell me where you are so we can make a planso we can avoid that at all costs. Did you overhear Damon and Lydia because you're in the palace?"

I stubbornly shook my head. "I've made up my mind, Dominic," I insisted. "I'm better off in captivity than if we lost you. Fear of you is the only thing keeping them from hurting me."

Sinclair growled low and deep, brushing his thumb over the bruise on my cheek. "Is this what you call unhurt?"

I leaned my face into his hand, nuzzling and nibbling his palm. "It's not so bad," I insisted. "A few bruises are nothing in the grand scheme."

He grumbled, "They're something to me, and he's threatening to do much worse if I don't end my campaign in the next 24 hours. We don't have time to waste."

"I'm sure he threatened to kill me, but even Damon isn't that foolish. As long as you're out there making life difficult for them, they'll need to keep me as leverage," I reasoned, hoping I was right.

"That's not a chance I'm willing to take, Ella," Sinclair countered firmly. "And even if you are right, I can't help you through this pregnancy if we're separated. You're already high-risk; being a prisoner could make your condition even worse and endanger the baby."

He was using the baby against me. I realized, admiring his sly strategy. He knew I would let myself suffer, but the idea of our pup being harmed… I emitted a pitiful moan, hating how right he was. "There has to be another way. Maybe I can escape on my own."

The Prince's threats rang in my mind, but I was smart enough not to repeat them to my mate. I knew in my heart that if anyone was going to put themselves at risk, it should be me. The possibility of my baby's death was too painful to contemplate, and my inner mama bear lashed out at the thought with primal rage. Still, Sinclair was the one who had to rule; he was the one responsible for protecting millions of shifters and humans alike.

"That's an idea," Sinclair said, watching me with narrowed eyes. Too late, I realized he still had one hand on my tummy, no doubt channeling my feelings through the baby.

"But what aren't you saying, trouble? What aren't you telling me?" I summoned a growl, hating his perceptiveness. "Look, if I try to escape and I'm caught, they might rough me up a bit, but they won't kill me," I asserted, convinced the Prince wouldn't give up such a powerful bargaining chip—or perhaps praying I was right, since I wasn't willing to endanger Sinclair. "I'll be able to try again. But if you try to rescue me and they get the better of you, they'll kill you. The risk is less if I try to do this on my own."

Sinclair fumed, his fists clenching and unclenching on my body. "Listen to me, now. We only have a few more hours to work this out, and one way or another, you need to tell me where you are. I'm not saying I'm going to ride in there on a white horse to save you, but I can't find solutions if I don't know the situation."

I peeked up at him sulkily, feeling a ferocious desperation to keep him safe no matter what. "What time exactly do you have to give your answer? Are you meeting him in person?" I questioned, thinking that if I tried to escape when the Prince was out of the house with all his guards, I might actually succeed.

"Why?" Sinclair demanded, his voice like gravel.

"Because I'm trying to figure this out," I replied vaguely, knowing he was getting more and more frustrated with me by the minute.

"Tell me where you are, and I'll help you," he repeated forcefully, practically shaking with the effort it took to control his wolf. "This is not the time to test me, little one."

"No," I repeated stubbornly, unable to meet his eyes. "I've made up my mind, Dominic. I'm not going to tell you."

Sinclair's hand clamped around my nape with unrelenting force, pulling my reluctant gaze up to his own. "Let's get one thing straight, beautiful. You are not going to keep sacrificing yourself to protect the people around you—you've given up enough in your life, and it is my job to make sure you never have to do that again. I couldn't prevent you from doing it with the guards, but I'll be damned if I'm going to let you do it for me." There was something feral in his emerald eyes, a wildness I'd never before encountered.

"I hate to do this, but you're really not giving me another choice."

At first, I had no idea what he meant, but the next thing I knew, a wave of ruthless dominance slammed into me, nearly bending my body in two with the force of his power. I gasped in shock, not understanding. "I—what are you doing to me?"

"This is the authority I hold over other wolves," he growled unapologetically. "I don't enjoy using it against my mate, but I will if I have to. Now tell me where you are," he commanded mercilessly.

To my shock and horror, I felt the words rising inside my throat, balancing on the tip of my tongue. I fought with all my strength, amazed and devastated that he might steal the words from my lips without my permission. I always knew Sinclair was powerful, but I'd never felt the full force of his dominance before. I didn't realize he could force someone to do something against their will with only a few words.

"No!" I pleaded, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Please… don't make me; they'll kill you."

"Tell me," he said again, and to my misery, the force of his order only increased. I was a begging, blubbering mess, but Sinclair didn't relent. I hated him for doing this to me, for making me say the words that might send him to his grave, but I couldn't help myself. I was powerless to stop him.

I felt my mouth opening, and then the words spilled out.