I pulled Nine closer to me, pressing him into my side as the elevator hummed softly. The air felt thick with tension, each breath like a small struggle. We were in this moment together, and yet, it felt like the entire weight of the world was pressing down on us. My grip on his arm tightened slightly, keeping him close, making sure he knew I was here—right here, with him.
The guards outside spoke in low voices, but their idle chatter didn't mask the unease that gripped my chest. I knew they didn't care about Nine. Hell, they barely cared about me. But that didn't mean they weren't listening. They would hear anything that was out of place. Anything that didn't match the status quo. So I held Nine closer, the heat of his skin seeping into mine, as if grounding me.
I could feel him, trembling ever so slightly, and it made my heart ache. He was so vulnerable, so broken from everything that had been done to him, and yet, all I could do was stand here—an audience to his suffering. He looked so small next to me, his head barely reaching my shoulder, his body frail, shoulders slumped from what he'd endured.
But there was strength in him. A quiet, stubborn strength that I couldn't help but admire. Despite everything, despite being a tool, an object for others' pleasure, Nine still found ways to hold on. Even when I thought he couldn't, he did. He found a way to push through the agony. That, more than anything, kept me going. I couldn't let him down. I wouldn't.
The elevator seemed to crawl as the minutes passed, and I could hear the guards' voices growing quieter but still audible through the thin walls. One of them joked about the previous shipments—how "pretty" the hybrids had been, how compliant. I didn't even want to think about it. The thought of them discussing Nine like that, like he was some kind of commodity, made my skin crawl. But I couldn't let it show. Not now.
I could feel Nine's body close to mine, his breath shallow, his hands trembling in mine. I wanted to hold him tighter, wanted to shield him from everything. But I knew that wouldn't help us now. I had to be smart. I had to stay calm. If I lost control, if I let my emotions slip, it would end badly for both of us.
The elevator ride felt like an eternity. I felt Nine flinch as the elevator jolted to a stop. The sound of the doors opening felt too loud, too final. This was it. The end of the ride. The beginning of what we were about to face. I breathed out slowly, trying to steady myself.
I leaned down slightly so I could whisper in his ear. My words were low, just enough for him to hear but not the guards outside.
"We'll be out of here soon. Just a little longer. You need to keep quiet, okay? I can't afford any mistakes. Do you understand?"
Nine shifted against me, his head tilting up slightly, his face pale with the strain of holding it together. His eyes met mine, and for a split second, I thought I saw something flicker there—some glimmer of hope. It was faint, but it was there. He was listening. He trusted me. And that gave me a strength I hadn't known I could still feel.
Yes, Alpha. His voice, though soft, reached me through the bond. It was almost a whisper, but it was clear. The desperation in his tone made my chest tighten.
I could feel Nyx stirring within me, the low growl at the back of my mind, but I pushed it down. I needed to be calm. If I let my wolf take over now, everything would fall apart. I couldn't afford that.
"Good." I pressed my forehead against his, just briefly, the contact grounding me in this moment. "You just have to go along with it a little longer. I have a plan, Nine. But we need to be careful. Do you trust me?"
There was a long silence before his body seemed to relax ever so slightly against mine, as if he was taking in the weight of what I'd said. His hands gripped mine with a bit more force, like he was trying to hold onto that trust, trying to believe that something could be different. That we could get out of here.
I trust you, Alpha.
His words, though soft and broken, made my heart ache. He didn't just trust me. He needed me. And that responsibility, heavy as it was, was one I wouldn't abandon. I had to find a way out for him. For us.
I squeezed his hand, giving him what little reassurance I could, before the elevator doors slid open with a soft whoosh. We were here. We had arrived.
The hallway before us was long, lined with cold metal doors, and at the end of it stood the Supreme Leader's suite—a place I had only heard rumors about. His domain. The place where he would decide Nine's fate. Where the worst of what we had endured would seem like a distant memory.
Nine tensed beside me, his body stiffening again, the tension rolling off him in waves. I could feel it, too—the fear, the dread, the hopelessness creeping in like a shadow.
"Stay close," I whispered. "Just a little longer, Nine."
I could feel the thrum of the bond, the quiet tug as Nyx growled low in my chest, urging me to take action, to do something, but I couldn't. Not yet. Not here. I needed to stay in control.
As we moved forward, I kept my gaze fixed ahead, trying to ignore the sick feeling in my stomach. The Supreme Leader was waiting on the other side of that door. And once we crossed that threshold, I knew there would be no turning back.
The guards flanked us as we walked, their heavy footsteps echoing on the cold floor. I could feel Nine's heart racing in his chest, the rhythmic pounding of his pulse like a countdown. We were so close, so close to whatever came next. But I couldn't let him see my fear. I had to be strong for him.
The door in front of us loomed large, and I stopped just before it, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on my chest. This was it.
I turned to Nine, lifting my hand to his cheek, gently brushing his hair back. I wanted to give him something to hold onto—something that was mine. I couldn't keep him safe forever, but I could at least give him this. For now.
"Just a little longer, Nine," I whispered, my voice hoarse with emotion. "I promise, we'll get through this. We'll make it out of here."
The door slid open in front of us, and I steeled myself, taking a deep breath. The moment had come.