Alpha Bane''s POV


    The Next Day


    Standing from my bed very early in the morning, I raised both hands and yawned aloud. I was barely able to get some sleep as I had so many things running through my mind so I was still very tired.


    Yet, I had to be somewhere. Part of the things that filled up my mind was uncertainty about what Ivan said to me. I couldn''t quite believe that he had said all that he knew. I felt he was holding something back and I knew just how to get it out of him.


    Slowly, I crept out of the bed, fixing my gaze on Aurora to make sure she wouldn''t notice. I had told her that I''ll leave the house the previous night but I didn''t tell her where. I didn''t want her to ask me either because I knew she''d want to be there with me which would ruin the entire n.


    I opened my drawer and took out my small knife, staring at it for a few seconds before putting it into my back pocket. "I hope I won''t get to use you," I whispered to the knife.


    Taking a final look at Aurora who was still fast asleep, I tiptoed out of the room and gently shut the door. Then, I heaved a sigh of relief at the sess of my first line of action, hoping that the rest of the n was going to be that sessful.


    I took slow, calcted steps on my way to the dungeon, thinking about the different ways that I was going to make Ivan speak. The easiest of them was to simply ask him to speak and watch him do so. Yet, I knew it was probably not going to work that way. I knew that some type of force might have to be employed by me once again if I wanted to get what I wanted. I didn''t want that.


    Aurora was so mad thest time. If I had to do the same thing the day after I just apologised to her, it wasn''t going to look good. It would all but prove that whatever the witch had said to her was through, although it wasn''t. Giving her that impression wasn''t the smartest thing to do.


    Yet, I had to get the job done. I needed answers. Without those answers, it was quite likely that our enemies were going to seed. The lives of everyone in my entire Pack and hers depended on those answers.


    I got to Ivan''s cell and kicked the door open. He gasped in surprise and turned around to face me.


    "Happy to see me?" I asked, with a wicked smile on my face; the type that suggested that I wasn''t done inflicting pain on him.


    He didn''t say anything. He just kept looking at me with a pitiable face but I did not pity him. He deserved none. All that he deserved was suffering, pain and death.


    "Today, I''m here to get the answers that you failed to give me thest time," I began. "I think you must have forgotten to spill a few things and I can pardon you for that. I mean, with all that beating, one is bound to forget a few things. I''m guessing you''re ready to talk to me now, aren''t you?"


    I walked slowly toward him, very pleased with what I saw. He was a bloodied mess, just as I expected him to be.


    After getting him thrown into the dungeon, I instructed the guards to beat him up mercilessly and starve him so that he could learn a lesson. With the way he looked, I felt they must have taken it a step further, much to their credit. They must have enjoyed it more than I expected.


    "You still won''t say anything to me, Ivan?" I asked again, seeing that he stayed mute. "I came here for answers and I''m not going to leave here without it..."


    "Then, you might as well, sit beside me in this cell. We''d make lovely roommates, don''t you think?" He smirked.


    I felt like smacking his face at that moment but I took a deep breath and held myself back. I had a n and I needed to stick to it.


    "You''d tell me why you did what you did and you''d tell me the truth this time," I barked, hoping to intimidate him. "Who knows if you even did what you said you did? I mean, men can do so many stupid things just because of a woman."


    "Stupid things?" He asked,ughing. "You mean like not being able to punish your victim because a woman walked in? Did she tell you not to hit me anymore, Bane? Is that why you can''t seem to let your hands fly?"


    "Watch your words," I warned.


    "Or what?" He looked straight into my eyes without any form of fear. "What would you do if I don''t stop?"


    "Nothing," I replied, which seemed to surprise him as he raised his right brow. "I mean, I don''t want you to stop talking. I just need you to tell me what I need to know so that I won''t have to get it from you myself. Nevertheless, you''ve proved incapable and so I''m going to help you out."


    I reached out to my back pocket and took out my small knife. Then I brought it up to my face and licked it. I could see the fear on his face as I drew closer to him with the knife.


    "Maybe when I chop off your fingers, one after the other, you''d be more willing to speak to me," I threatened with a huge grin, squatting beside him. "But I can''t underestimate your resolve. You''re a very strong man and I do think you''d be able to bear the excruciating pain without speaking a word. That''s exactly why I''d love to also chop off your tongue afterwards. If you won''t speak, what''s the use of the tongue?"


    "Please...Please, don''t do this. Have mercy, please," he begged in a stutter as his eyes widened in horror. It was the proof that I needed that I had finally broken his resolve.


    "Then you''d do well to speak up before I change my mind."


    "I''ll tell you everything. Just don''t use that on me," he said.


    "Go on," I nodded.


    "Okay. All that I said in the pce was true. I was a spy and I connived with Princess Sophia to plot her escape. It was Dn. He was the one who orchestrated the whole thing..."


    "Dn?"


    "Yes. He sent a man here. A big, bald man, who worked together with me to guarantee Princess Sophia''s safe escape. I''m also certain that they''re not nning to attack this Pack but yours. Dn and Princess Sophia are joining forces and you''re their target."


    I was so full of anger as his involvement was more than I had imagined. He knew that they were after my life and he helped them still. I felt like holding onto his neck and squeezing the life out of him. Yet, u had to keep my cool and I did my best to do that.


    "Why did you do that?" I asked.


    "It was because of Sophia," he confessed. "I''m in love with Princess Sophia."


    "You''re a fool," I sniggered. "Sophia is a very promiscuousdy and a serial cheat. She''s not someone that any man should fall in love with and I''m a hundred percent sure that she doesn''t even feel the same way about you."


    "I know that," he revealed, much to my bewilderment. "I was just hoping that with time, she''d grow to love me too."


    I couldn''t hold back anymore. Iughed so hard at his words and wondered how he allowed himself to be so naive. She had used him and he just let himself be yed by the woman.


    "When was thest time you talked to Sophia?" I asked him, folding my arms. "Ever since she left, I''ve not been able tomunicate with her."


    "Then you have all the answers that you need concerning her love for you," I said, standing to my feet and turning to leave the dungeon. "I''m not done with you yet though. Enjoy your stay here in the dungeon for now."


    "Please, I''m truly sorry for all that I did. Forgive me. Have mercy on me."


    He begged on and on as I walked away from the cell and shut the door. He wasn''t worthy of any reply.