### Chapter 4: Bound by Monsters đŸđđ„
**Lia's POV**
My eyes flutter open, and for a moment, everything feels⊠okay. The pain's gone, the ache in my chest vanished, like a weight's been lifted.
My body hums with a strange warmth, stronger than it's been in years. I'm not weak anymore.
I shift, the soft brush of sheets against my skin startling me. Sheets? I'm in a bed, not the cold cellar floor. My heart stumbles, and I try to piece together what happenedâwhy I'm here, why I feel *alive* again.
Then a strong hand grips my arm, and I whip my head around, my breath catching. Eric. His cold blue eyes bore into me, sharp and unyielding, like a predator sizing up its kill.
I scream, shoving myself back, only to hear a low chuckle from the other side of the room. đ
Dorian's there, leaning against the wall, his dark hair falling over his eyes, a smirk playing on his lips. And next to Eric, sitting quietly, is Rick, his gaze fixed on the floor like he's afraid to look at me.
My stomach twists, a sick realization hitting me like a punch. The mate bondâit's stronger now, a burning pull in my chest that makes my skin tingle and my heart race.
They did something. They *bonded* with me. The thought makes my blood run cold, my hands shaking as I clutch the sheets tighter, pulling them up to cover myself.
I'm in some oversized shirt, not my clothes, and the thought of why sends bile up my throat.
"What did you do?" I choke out, my voice raw, my eyes darting between them. "What the hell did you do to me?"
Dorian chuckles, the sound low and mocking, as he pushes off the wall and stalks toward the bed.
The mattress dips under his weight as he leans in, his face an inch from mine, his breath hot against my skin. "What's wrong, omega?" he taunts, his voice dripping with venom. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
I grit my teeth, fighting the urge to lash out, to claw at his smug face. "What have you done?" I demand, my voice shaking with rage. "Why do I feel like this?"
He smirks, his eyes glinting with something dark, something that makes my traitor body hum even as I want to scream.
"How could I let my mate die?" he says, his voice low, almost a purr. "I love watching you suffer, Lia, but dead? That's no fun."
He grabs my wrist, yanking me up, the sheets falling away. I scramble to cover myself, my cheeks burning, but he just laughs, sharp and cruel.
"I've seen plenty of that last night," he says, his eyes raking over me. "What're you hiding now?"
Before I can protest, he drags me toward a door at the side of the roomâa bathroom, the tiles cold under my bare feet.
He shoves me inside, his hand still clamped around my wrist, and turns on the shower. The water hisses, steam rising, and I yank my arm free, backing up until my spine hits the wall.
"What are you doing?" I snap, my voice trembling but defiant. "Stay away from me."
Dorian steps closer, his frame towering, his eyes locked on mine. The steam curls around us, and I hate how my body reacts to his nearness, the bond pulling tighter, making my skin burn.
He leans in, his lips curling into a smirk. "What's wrong, Lia?" he murmurs, his voice a dangerous whisper. "Afraid to shower with your mate?"
.
.
.
I slide down the wall, my legs giving out, and sit on the cold floor, glaring up at the three of them. Eric's still by the bed, his expression unreadable, his silence sharper than any words.
Rick's avoiding my eyes, his hands clenched like he's fighting something inside.
And Dorianâhe's just standing there, smirking, like this is all a game. I can't believe this. A shower with them? The thought makes my stomach churn, my heart pounding with rage and something else I refuse to name.
After everythingâtheir hands on me, their bond sinking its claws into my soulâI'm still here, still trapped. đ©žâš
"What do you want?" I spit, my voice breaking the silence. "Why are you keeping me alive? Just reject me and be done with it!"
They don't answer, their silence heavier than the chains I wore yesterday. My eyes flick to Rick, who's been quiet all day, his head still bowed.
He's the weak link, the one I stabbed, the one who looked at me with pain in his eyes. I swallow hard, forcing the words out.
"I'm sorry," I say, my voice low, directed at him. "For stabbing you. I didn't⊠I didn't mean to."
He looks up, his hazel eyes meeting mine for the first time, and there's something raw thereâhurt, maybe, or something softer I don't trust.
I turn to Dorian, my voice hardening. "I wish it was you I stabbed instead."
Dorian laughs, a cold, sharp sound that echoes off the tiles. He steps forward, grabbing Rick's arm and pulling him up.
"Come on, pup," he says, his voice laced with mockery. He glances at Eric, who's still watching me like I'm a puzzle he's trying to solve.
"I've got things to do," Dorian says. "Take her around the pack, Eric. Show her what she's missed. And make sure she doesn't run again."
He drags Rick out, the door slamming behind them, leaving me alone with Eric. His silence is deafening, his cold stare cutting through me like a blade.
I glare back, my chest tight with anger and fear. "What?" I snap, my voice sharp. "You got something to say, or you just gonna sit there like a silent dog?"
Eric stands, slow and deliberate, and walks toward me. His boots echo on the tiles, each step making my heart race faster.
He stops closeâtoo closeâhis face inches from mine, his eyes glinting with something dangerous. Then he speaks, his voice low, a growl that sends a shiver down my spine. "This is gonna be fun." đșđ