Rejected and Claimed by her Alpha Triplets

Chapter 313 - the hideout

313

~Belinda’s POV

He stared at me silently for a while, then said softly, "That’s what every fool says after they’ve fallen."

His words stung, but they were true.

"I hate myself," I whispered, choking on tears. "I hate everything I did. I should’ve died instead."

"Don’t say that," he said quickly, though his voice was still tired. "Don’t ever say that."

"But it’s true!" I yelled. "I ruined everything. I ruined your name, our family’s honor, our lives. I don’t deserve to live!"

He reached out suddenly and grabbed my hand. His grip was weak but firm. "Listen to me," he said, looking straight into my eyes. "You did wrong, yes. You did something terrible. But dying won’t fix it. Living is your punishment now. You’ll live and face what you’ve done."

I shook my head, crying harder. "I don’t think I can."

"You can," he said. "You have to."

We both sat there in silence for a while. The only sound was my soft sobbing and his rough breathing. The prison was cold, the air heavy with sadness.

Then he spoke again, voice low. "Belinda... I was proud of you once. You had everything. Strength, respect, intelligence. You could’ve been anything. But you threw it all away for empty promises."

"I know," I whispered.

"I told you," he continued, "power doesn’t come without a price. But you wanted it anyway."

"I just wanted to be seen," I said quietly. "I was tired of standing in Lisa’s shadow. I wanted to prove I was worth something too."

He sighed, shaking his head. "And now you see where that need for validation led you."

"I know," I said, wiping my face. "I was stupid. Blind. I hurt everyone who loved me. I hate myself for it."

He didn’t answer for a long time. Then he said softly, "Maybe the Moon Goddess will forgive you one day. But I don’t think the pack will."

My tears flowed again. "I don’t care about them. I just want you to forgive me."

He looked at me, really looked at me, and for a moment, I saw the father I used to know. The one who’d carried me on his shoulders when I was little. The one who’d told me bedtime stories and called me his "bright moon."

He sighed, then whispered, "I already did."

That broke me completely. I fell forward, crying into his lap, and he didn’t push me away this time. He just sat there, stroking my hair with trembling fingers, both of us broken in our own way.

I was still leaning against Father’s leg, crying softly, when the sound of heavy boots echoed down the corridor. The sound was cold, steady, and terrifying.

Then the door burst open.

Hald walked in.

My body went stiff. Father looked up weakly. Hald’s face was blank, his eyes cold like a man with no heart left in him. He didn’t say a word at first, just pointed at me.

"Get up," he said flatly.

I didn’t move. "W-why?"

"Orders," he said simply. "You’re coming with me."

Father struggled to stand, his voice shaking. "Please, Hald, she’s already wounded..."

Hald didn’t even look at him. "Stay out of this, Beta. You should be thankful they didn’t execute you yet."

My father’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

I looked up at Hald, tears already blurring my sight. "Where are you taking me?"

He didn’t answer. He just grabbed my arm roughly and yanked me up. I stumbled, pain shooting through my side. "Please," I cried, "I’m weak, don’t..."

"Walk," he barked.

"Father!" I screamed, trying to look back, but the guards behind Hald blocked my view.

"Belinda!" my father’s voice echoed faintly. "Don’t say a word! Be strong!"

I didn’t even get the chance to reply. Hald dragged me down the hall, his grip like iron. The walls grew darker as we went deeper. The air smelled of blood, rust, and fear.

Then we reached the torture room.

My heart sank the moment I saw it, chains, hooks, burning rods, and a wooden table with dark stains. I froze at the doorway. "No," I whispered, shaking my head. "Please, not here. Please."

Hald pushed me inside. "Tie her up," he ordered the two guards behind him.

They forced me down. Cold chains wrapped around my wrists and ankles. I winced as the metal dug into my skin.

"Hald, please!" I begged. "I want to see the Alphas. Let me talk to them! Please!"

He crossed his arms, staring down at me. "You’ll talk. But not to them. To me."

I shook my head violently. "I have nothing to say to you!"

He leaned closer, his voice low and rough. "Where is Fridolf?"

My breath hitched. "What?"

"You heard me," he said. "Where is Fridolf?"

"I don’t know!" I yelled. "I swear I don’t!"

He slapped me hard across the face. My head spun from the force.

"Don’t lie to me," he growled. "We know you were with him. You helped him. So, where is he hiding?"

"I told you, I don’t know!" I cried, blood running from my nose. "I left him in his hideout! I haven’t seen him since!"

Hald’s eyes narrowed. "His hideout?"

I hesitated. "I...I don’t even know the exact place. Somewhere near the border cliffs. He never let me see the full path..."

Another slap, harder this time.

"Liar!" he barked.

"I’m not lying!" I screamed. "Please, Hald, I swear on the Moon Goddess, I don’t know where he is! If he’s not there anymore, then I have no idea where he went!"

He picked up a burning rod from the fire beside him. My blood ran cold.

"Hald, please..." I whispered, trembling. "Don’t do this. Please. I’m telling the truth."

He didn’t reply. He pressed the hot rod close to my arm. I screamed as the heat seared my skin.

"Where is Fridolf?" he asked again, his voice steady, almost calm.

"I don’t know!" I screamed louder. "I don’t know! Please, I’m begging you!"

He pressed the rod closer again. I cried, struggling against the chains, but they were too tight. My wrists bled from pulling so hard.

"Talk!" he yelled.

"I can’t!" I cried. "He left me! He disappeared! I don’t know where that bastard is! If I knew, I’d tell you! Please!"

Hald’s expression didn’t change. He dropped the rod and grabbed a whip instead.

"No! Please! No!" I begged, shaking my head. "Please, Hald!"

The whip cracked across my back. I screamed so loud it echoed through the chamber.

"Where is he?"

"I don’t know!"

Another strike.

"Where is he?"

"I said I don’t know!"

He hit me again. And again. My vision blurred from tears and pain. Blood soaked my torn clothes.

"Hald, please!" I cried, choking on my own sobs. "You’re killing me! I swear I’m not lying!"

He dropped the whip and grabbed my face, forcing me to look at him. "You think I’m a fool? You expect me to believe you don’t know where your partner is hiding?"

"He’s not my partner!" I yelled, voice shaking. "He’s a monster! He used me! I left him! I swear I left him!"

Hald stared at me for a moment, breathing hard. Then he stepped back, cold again. "You’ll talk when you’re ready."

He turned away and nodded to the guards. "Pour water on her."

One of them grabbed a bucket and splashed the cold water on me. I gasped, the shock jerking me awake from the edge of unconsciousness.

"Hald..." I whispered weakly, trembling from head to toe. "Please... please, you have to believe me. I don’t know where he is. I left him in the hideout. If he’s not there anymore, I don’t know where he went."

He didn’t reply.

"Hald," I said again, my voice cracking, "I’m not lying. I swear on my mother’s grave, on the Moon Goddess herself. Please."

Still, silence.