Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder-Chapter 1695 - 137 : A Dark Return

*Briella*

It felt as if my body was going to shut down as I just stared at Malphas in absolute horror.

Disgust ran through me, and I started to get nauseous as I looked at Malphas. I wanted to look away, but it was like I was being forced to keep my eyes on his pasty skin and evil face. Even with his eyes closed, he looked cruel and every bit the dark figure from my many nightmares.

There was something else as well. The strange, dark pull I had been feeling lately was so much stronger as I stood in front of the tank. There was no doubt that the demon lord had been the one infiltrating my mind the whole time.

He was after me.

It didn’t seem like Tian was going to see reason, but I had no choice but to keep trying and pray that I could convince him to let me go before Malphas woke up.

I wished badly that I could turn around so that I could look Tian in the eye, but I was still rooted to the spot. I had to settle on just using my voice to its full capacity. “I wonder if Malphas told you the full story of what happened to me,” I began, trying to keep my tone level and devoid of fear. “I know he’s your father and you trust him, but I am begging you to trust me now.”

Tian didn’t respond, but I heard a sharp inhalation like he was preparing himself for what I had to say.

“My grandmother was a great priestess from Celestial Valley,” I said softly. “Malphas fell in love with her, but she didn’t return those feelings. It caused a lot of conflict. Malphas was very angry. Even after my grandmother died, he still wasn’t satisfied and decided to go after my mother. He kidnapped both my mother and me when I was just a baby.”

“I am well aware of that,” Tian snapped suddenly. “Your grandmother was a fool for going against Malphas. All he wanted was to help her reach her true potential. He was a powerful magic wielder as well. He wanted to share that power with her.”

“No, he didn’t,” I said as patiently as I could, even though his response caused my panic to rise. This was not going well. I swallowed and tried again.

“Please, Tian. You have to believe me. Malphas just wanted her power for himself, and he was jealous of her true lover. I think after all this time, he still wants his revenge. He tried to use me when I was just a baby for my power.”

“You’d best shut up,” he seethed suddenly, causing me to do just that. “You shouldn’t speak that way. You are extremely fortunate that Malphas is giving you this opportunity. You should be grateful.”

“Tian, please!” I cried in a last-ditch effort, sensing that it was completely futile. “Malphas isn’t who you think he is! He’s using you! Please come with me so we can leave together!”

I cried out when I felt something deep within me snap. I realized it was the invisible tethers that Tian had been using to control me. I lifted my hands, actually lifted them out of my own free will, and stared down at them in wonder. I vowed internally to never take for granted having control of my body ever again.

I cried out a second time when Tian suddenly grabbed my wrist hard. I looked up at him, fear coursing through me.

“Father warned me that you may not see reason,” he said regretfully, his square jaw clenched tightly. “I was very much hoping that I would be able to trust you to have control of your own body, but you’ve made it abundantly clear that that just isn’t going to be possible.”

Tian tightened his grip on my wrist and started to pull me away from Malphas’ tank. While I was relieved to be leaving the dark lord’s presence, I wasn’t exactly excited as my captor pulled me down another tunnel.

“I really wanted to trust you,” he said as he pulled me along. “I’m hoping that you will understand both Malphas and myself in time. For now, I have no choice but to keep you where you can’t get into trouble.”

I didn’t like the sound of that at all. When we finally reached the end of the tunnel, I found myself in a cavern filled with empty steel cages. It didn’t take me long to recognize them as the ones used to trap the Ethereal Grove animal companions.

They were the ones that all died and were lost during the battle against Tian and his dark army.

Tian dragged me over to one that was about half my height and shoved me inside before slamming the door shut. I bit my lip and lowered myself into a sitting position against the hard metal floor.

“You asked me to trust you,” he said finally actually getting on his knees in front of me to look me in the eye. “But trust goes both ways, doesn’t it?”

I stared at him wordlessly, not having a response to that. He was talking to me like he cared about me. I just looked down at the ground, completely resigned to my fate.

Tian sighed as if I was a disobedient child and stood up. “You’re going to understand in time,” he promised ominously. “If I can’t help you to see reason, then maybe Malphas will be able to once he is ready to be awakened.”

I thought about saying that was never going to happen, but I felt helpless as I sat in the tiny metal cage. Tian stood there for another moment as if he wanted to say something but left without another word, leaving me alone in a dark room with empty cages.

Because it was pitch black after Tian left, I had no way of knowing how much time had passed. I shook the bars of the cage, unsurprised that they didn’t give at all. I bit my lip before hesitantly trying to use some of my energy against it. I took a calming breath and gathered the energy inside of me, bringing it to my fingertips.

I gripped one of the bars, bringing the magic out of my hand and into the metal. I cried out when a searing pain singed my hand. I snapped my hand back, staring at the dark red welt forming across my palm.

My eyes filled with tears. They were less from the pain in my hand and more from the fact that I was even more helpless since it was very clear that I couldn’t use my powers to escape. It seemed like the cages were infused with some kind of dark magic.

There was no way to escape.

I collapsed with my back against the bars of my prison, cradling my injured hand against my chest. I clenched my teeth together as the tears overflowed, spilling down my cheeks.

How much time had passed? Where were Kryzen and Emberly? I prayed fiercely to the Goddess that they were alright and safe at home.

I wondered if Kryzen knew where I was. If he did, I knew he would come for me. I wanted him home to protect our baby, but I also selfishly hoped he would come for me. I longed for his strong arms to wrap around me and hold me close again.

It must have been hours before Tian returned. I was lying as best as I could inside the tiny cage. I was sore from not having much room. I held my breath as Tian stepped up to me and crouched down to look at me.

“Looks like someone was bad while I was gone,” he said, eyeing my injured hand.

I didn’t move when he unlocked the door of the cage and opened it. I dared not look at him, even when he took the wrist of my injured hand and pulled it toward him so he could inspect it.

He traced the nasty burn with surprisingly gentle fingers. My hand suddenly felt cold like it was made of ice, and then the pain was gone.

I snatched my hand back, staring at where the burn had been in wonder.

“You can heal,” I said through unmoving lips as I stared at my now unblemished hand.

“I don’t want you to be hurting,” Tian said quietly.

I looked at him, trying to understand why he was being kind and compassionate. He looked genuine when he spoke.

Maybe I could finally get through to him.

“What is it that you truly want, Tian?” I asked, sitting up so I could look him in the eye. “And I don’t mean what Malphas wants. Putting everything he’s told you aside, what do you want in life? What is most important to you?”

Maybe if I helped him realize he was his own person, he could see Malphas for what he was.

Tian stared at me wordlessly, his dark eyes intensifying as he gazed at me. My eyes widened when he traced a finger along my cheek. “You,” he said, his low voice rough with longing.

My heart started to race with fear and dread when I realized I was still in a cage with Tian hovering over me, his eyes dark with desire. He leaned in. I shrunk away, preparing to slam my fist into his nose, but then he stopped and leaned away.

“Father will be displeased if I do anything to you without his permission,” he said, giving me an apologetic grin that made me nauseous. He held his hand out to me. When I didn’t take it, he shrugged and grabbed me by the wrist again, pulling me to my feet.

I didn’t have to ask where he was taking me this time. He pulled me down the dark tunnel. I was once again face-to-face with Malphas’ frightening form, still floating in the tank of red liquid.

Tian dropped my hand and raised his up to the glass. He looked over at me and smirked. “It is time to wake up my father,” he said. He then started to chant in a strange language.

The red liquid slowly started to drain from the tank, revealing more and more of Malphas’ new body. The scars that had been there the first time were gone, his skin flawless and smooth with rippling muscles that made it look like he could crush a human skull without a second thought.

I stepped back but knew I couldn’t really go anywhere as Tian stepped up to the now dry tank and opened the front of it. Malpas’ eyes were still closed.

“Welcome back, Father,” Tian said, his tone filled with awe and expectation.

My blood froze when Malphas opened his eyes. I was barely able to suppress a horrified gasp when the black, soulless orbs were revealed, and they slowly found mine.

I was frozen in fear as Malphas strode toward me, not even glancing at Tian as he crossed the room to stand before me.

I flinched when he pressed a cold hand against my cheek and grinned at me, his perfect white teeth pointed menacingly. “It’s been a while, Briella. You’ve grown up beautifully.”