Chapter 216- Tied To A Pole

Chapter 216: 216- Tied To A Pole

Third-Person pov:

The men wasted no time. Two of them approached Chris while another pair went straight for Rick.

"What the hell do you think you’re—" Chris began, but the words suddenly died in his throat. He tried again, only to discover that he couldn’t open his mouth.

Before he could understand what was happening, one of the strangers grabbed his arms and pulled them behind his back. Chris wanted to shove him away, but his body wouldn’t respond. His arms moved exactly as the man wanted, allowing him to tie his wrists without the slightest resistance.

A few feet away, Rick was going through the same thing.

He could see everything and hear everything. His mind was perfectly clear, yet he couldn’t speak, move, or even struggle as the strangers tied his hands.

Rick turned his head toward Chris, who was looking equally horrified.

What the hell is happening to us?

Neither had an answer.

It was as though someone had taken complete control of their bodies, leaving them helpless spectators to whatever was happening.

Chris desperately tried to summon his wolf, but even that proved useless. And when one of the strangers ordered them to walk, both men obeyed. Not because they wanted to, but because their legs were moving without their permission.

***

Rick was quicker to understand what had happened. The wine!

It had to be the wine they’d been drinking in the car.

He didn’t know whether Chris had reached the same conclusion, but Rick was beginning to see how badly they’d been fooled. Everything started coming back to him. The royal invitation, the King’s praise, the promise of recognition for his hard work. How stupid had he been to believe any of it?

He was a Beta, for Goddess’s sake! Managing pack affairs, keeping records, and assisting the Alpha were all part of his job. Every Beta did those things. What had he done that was so extraordinary that the Lycan King himself would invite him to the palace and consider giving him an award?

And Chris? He was an Alpha, yet neither of them had questioned why the King was suddenly so interested in their ordinary responsibilities.

Was it really the Alpha King on the phone or a con artist? Was it Arabella’s idea? But she was never this wise. Maybe she was a pawn in someone else’s game.

They’d been so busy enjoying the attention that they’d forgotten to use their brains.

***

The men led Chris and Rick deeper into the forest, eventually stopping at the ruins of an old building. Most of its walls had collapsed, and wild bushes had grown over what was left.

It was the sort of place nobody would think to search, especially when everyone back in Blackthorn believed they were on their way to the Royal Palace.

A thick wooden pole stood in the middle of the ruins. The strangers forced Chris and Rick to sit on the ground with their backs against each other, then secured them to the pole, their hands already tied behind them.

Rick tried moving his fingers, hoping the strange effect of the wine might be wearing off, but nothing happened. He couldn’t even turn his head properly to see Chris.

For once, he desperately wished he could speak to his Alpha.

Whatever differences they had, this was no time to fight over positions or authority. They needed to work together and find a way out of here. But how were they supposed to plan anything when they couldn’t even communicate?

Rick had always considered himself the more intelligent of the two. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that he deserved the Alpha title far more than Chris ever had. He was the one who handled most of the difficult work while Chris enjoyed the privileges.

But that was a matter for another day. First, they had to survive this mess.

He wondered what Chris was thinking. Knowing him, he was probably still worrying about missing his grand welcome at the palace.

And Rick wasn’t entirely wrong.

Chris was devastated. Today was supposed to be his chance to shine before the Lycan King. He had imagined the royal reception, the respect he would receive, and how proudly he would return to Blackthorn afterward.

Instead, he was sitting on the filthy ground, tied to a pole like a criminal. Who the hell would dare do this to an Alpha?

His first suspicion fell on the neighboring packs. Someone must have heard about his invitation and become jealous. Perhaps they couldn’t bear the thought of Blackthorn gaining favor with the royal family.

Yes, that had to be it. Someone was deliberately trying to ruin his big day, and if he ever got out of here, he would make sure they paid for it.

What Chris still couldn’t understand was why he had lost control of his own body.

After a while, one of the men returned carrying a bottle of water. He was a large, rough-looking fellow with a long scar running from his left cheek, across his jaw, and down the side of his neck. The mark was old, but it was deep enough to make Chris wonder what kind of fight had left him with it.

The man crouched in front of Chris, wearing a sarcastic grin. "Thirsty, Alpha?"

Without waiting for an answer, he tilted Chris’s head back and poured some water into his mouth. Chris had no choice but to swallow it. The man then moved around the pole and did the same for Rick.

"Now, listen carefully, you two. Need to use the bathroom? Let me know. Hungry? I’ll bring you food. Want more water? I’ll get it for you." He screwed the cap back onto the bottle and looked between them. "But if either of you tries to escape, I’ll break your legs. Understood?"

Chris wanted to curse him. How the hell was he supposed to let anyone know what he needed when he couldn’t even open his mouth?

As if the man had guessed what Chris was thinking, because he burst out laughing.

"Oh, don’t look so worried. This won’t last forever. Just a few hours, and you’ll be able to talk again." He shook his head in amusement. "Though I have to ask, which idiot told you to drink so much wine in that car? One glass would’ve been enough, you fools!"

So, it really was the wine!

Chris finally understood, though he still had no idea what they’d put in it. The man stood up, gave Chris a hard kick in the leg, then walked around and kicked Rick as well.

"Enjoy your stay, gentlemen."

Still laughing at his own joke, he walked away, leaving the two most powerful men of Blackthorn pack tied to a pole, unable to do a damn thing about it.