The first thing I heard as I pushed the doors open was her whimper.

Leaving her chained, trembling, aching like this might have been cruel, but cruelty was necessary. She had to learn. She had to understand that she didn’t get to put herself in danger, not when she belonged to me.

If I had been a second later… if I hadn’t been there… she would’ve been ripped apart by those rogues. The thought alone made something vicious snarl inside me. My beast pressed against the edges of my control, claws raking at the surface, demanding I punish her, fuck her until she never dared run again.

I closed the...