Crowned by Fate Chapter 71

Skye's POV

Within minutes, the heavy door to the dungeon swung open, and Alpha Kane strode in with two men in white coats following close behind. His previously smug expression had been replaced by one of barely contained fury.

"What happened here?" he demanded, glaring at the guard who shrank back under his Alpha's gaze. Kane pointed an accusatory finger at Nadia's limp form in my arms. "Did you do this?"

"No, Alpha Kane, I swear!" The guard's voice trembled with fear. "They were just eating breakfast, and she suddenly collapsed. I didn't touch them, I swear!"

Kane's emerald eyes narrowed as he studied the scene before him. He motioned for the two men—doctors, I presumed—to approach our cell.

"What happened to her?" one of the doctors asked me, his clinical gaze assessing Nadia's condition.

"I don't know," I replied, genuine fear coloring my voice despite knowing exactly what had caused her condition. "We were just eating, and suddenly she started convulsing. Then she just... collapsed."

I looked up at Kane, allowing the panic and rage I felt to surface completely. "It was the food, wasn't it? You poisoned us!" I accused, my voice rising to a near-hysterical pitch. "You put wolf poison in our breakfast!"

Kane's eyes widened slightly at my accusation, a flicker of genuine concern crossing his features. "That's absurd," he countered,"Why would I poison you? I need you both alive." He gestured toward me with an open palm. "Besides, if the food was poisoned, why aren't you affected?"

His logic was sound, which only made my performance more convincing. I looked down at my untouched breakfast, then back at him with wild eyes.

"I didn't eat anything," I lied. "She ate first."

Kane studied me for a moment, then turned to the doctors. "Open the cell. Check her condition."

As one of the men unlocked our prison, Kane fixed me with a warning glare. "Step away from her. Let the doctors work."

I reluctantly released my hold on Nadia, sliding back against the wall as the medical professionals entered our cell. One of them immediately checked her pulse, lifting her eyelids to examine her pupils while the other monitored her breathing.

"Has she ever had seizures before?" the first doctor asked me.

I shook my head. "I don't know. We haven't known each other that long. We weren't in the same pack originally."

The two men exchanged glances before the senior of the two turned to Kane. "Alpha Kane, her breathing is dangerously shallow. We need to get her to the hospital immediately for a full workup."

Kane's jaw tightened as he considered the implications. "Do whatever it takes," he ordered, his voice hard. "But make sure she doesn't die—especially not on Gravestone territory."

The doctors nodded and quickly prepared to transport Nadia. They placed her on a stretcher, securing her limp form with straps.

As they lifted her and began to move toward the exit, I scrambled to my feet and tried to follow. Kane's arm shot out, blocking my path.

"Where do you think you're going?" he demanded. "Guard, keep her here."

"I'm going with her," I insisted, desperation creeping into my voice. "I need to make sure she's okay."

Kane ignored me, turning to follow the stretcher. The panic I felt wasn't entirely feigned—Nadia had sacrificed herself for our escape plan, and I couldn't let her efforts be in vain.

"If anything happens to her," I called after Kane's retreating figure, "Adrian and the entire Oasisborn Pack will stop at nothing for revenge. They'll fight to the last wolf."

Kane froze mid-step, his shoulders tensing visibly. For several heartbeats, he remained perfectly still, calculating the potential consequences. Finally, without turning around, he gave a curt nod.

"Fine. Bring her," he ordered the guard. "But watch her every move."

***

The journey to Gravestone's hospital facility offered no immediate opportunity for escape.

Seated in the back of an SUV with a guard on either side, I memorized every street, every turn, creating a mental map of Kane's territory. The pack's compound was larger than I expected, featuring several imposing stone buildings surrounding a central courtyard.

The hospital itself was surprisingly modern—a stark, white building with security cameras mounted at every entrance. Inside, the halls gleamed with sterile efficiency, a sharp contrast to the medieval dungeon we'd been kept in.

The medical team rushed Nadia into an emergency treatment room, leaving me in the corridor with my two assigned guards. Minutes later, Kane arrived, conferring with the doctors in hushed tones just out of my earshot.

"After you've completed your examination," I overheard him instruct, "administer the shift suppressant to both of them."

I stepped forward immediately. "You can't inject her with anything," I protested. "She's already unconscious. What if the drug interacts badly with whatever caused this? You could kill her!"

Kane regarded me with narrowed eyes, clearly weighing my words against his security concerns.

"Fine," he conceded after a moment. "No suppressant for her until she regains consciousness. But make sure she's securely restrained." He turned his cold gaze on me. "She, however, gets her dose immediately."

With that final command, Kane departed, presumably to attend to other pack business. I watched him leave, my mind racing to formulate an escape plan before the doctors returned with their needle. The two warriors remained at my side, their vigilant eyes never leaving me for a second.

"I need to use the restroom," I announced suddenly, pressing a hand to my stomach. "I think the food didn't agree with me either."

The guards exchanged glances, clearly reluctant to let me out of their sight.

"Please," I added, forcing a grimace of discomfort. "Unless you want me to be sick right here in the hallway."

After a moment's hesitation, one of them nodded toward a door marked with a restroom sign. To my dismay, both warriors moved to follow me inside.

"Seriously?" I asked, infusing my voice with as much dignity as I could muster. "You're going to watch me use the toilet? I may be your prisoner, but surely you know who I am—who we are. We're not just random captives."

I pointed toward the small window high on the bathroom wall. "Look at that window. Do you really think I could squeeze through there without you hearing? Even if I managed, where would I go? I'm in the middle of your territory, surrounded by your pack."

The logic of my argument seemed to penetrate. After examining the narrow window and confirming it was indeed too small for easy escape, the guards reluctantly stepped back.

"Two minutes," the larger one grunted. "Any longer, and we're coming in."

Once alone, I stared at the window in frustration. It was indeed too narrow for a quick, silent escape—especially with two guards posted just outside the door. My gaze swept the small bathroom, desperately seeking anything that might help.

That's when I spotted the liquid soap dispenser mounted on the wall beside the sink. An idea began to form—desperate and risky, but possibly my only chance.