The White Wolf Chapter 151: Self preservation

As Alexia gathered herself, Edmund crossed the room. Looking at her brother-in-law, she raised her eyebrows. 

Edmund looked at the leftover food from breakfast. Compiling muffins, bacon, toast, and whatever he could find he put it on a tray and placed the silver dome lid on top. He picked it up tucking it under his arm and grabbed a water bottle. 

“Hungry?” Alexia questioned eyeing him. 

“Something like that.” He said turning back to the door. They walked in silence as they left the palace and made their way to the dungeon's entrance. 

The dungeons were dark and dreary. The musty air caused Alexia to cover her mouth as she walked. The guards were in visible shock at seeing the queen. 

The dark depressing air allowed no room for hope to bloom for those who inhabited it. There was no escaping the dungeons. No one ever had. For those who entered its bowels, the future was bleak. The fluorescent light that filled the space offered no warmth against the cold floors. 

Edmund seemed relaxed as he sauntered through the halls in no hurry. His at ease was at times scarier than the anger of the guards as his true mood was hidden well. 

Alexia tried to maintain the same aloofness but found herself scrunching her nose with disgust written on her face. 

They went through door after door each being unlocked before they could enter and then shut behind. Guards were stationed before and after each door. 

They passed the section where the first prisoner they had captured months ago was being held. There would be no release until the matter with the rogues was solved or at least his story verified. 

The final door was the entrance to the maximum security section. Caspian would inflict severe punishment on all the guards if the prisoner escaped. They took no chances. 

The guard seemed to strain as he opened the thick steel door. The hinges creaked as it opened the sound echoing in the hallway. 

After the door was opened Edmund and Alexia stepped through with Edmund leading. He did not pause as he navigated the way to the cell. He paid no mind to the guards waiting outside. The cell had a viewing room attached where the prisoners could be monitored without knowing if or who was watching them. Edmund stopped there first to look at the rogue. 

Alexia’s eyebrows raised as she took in the sight. The rogue was strapped to a cot that was anchored to the floor. Not with one or two straps but with ten different straps. 

Sensing her surprise Edmund explained, “I couldn’t have him running off now could I?”

“Well alright then.” She said a bit bemused. 

The prisoner stared at the curling testing the restraints now and then. They sat there watching him in silence. 

After a while, Edmund gave the order to take off the straps. The guards followed his order by putting handcuffs on his hands that were chained to a wall and only allowed him to move a little bit. 

The prisoner stretched and tested his restraints trying to free himself. They watched him struggle till he gave up. 

“I’m going in,” Edmund said turning to the door however he stopped when Alexia moved to go with him. “Where do you think you are going?”

“To interrogate the prisoner?” She responded perplexed. 

“Uh no. You are staying right here?” His eyes looked at her and then the floor and then back to her. 

“And why can’t I go in?” She questioned. Technically they were her dungeons. 

“Because I have some sense of self-preservation,” Edmund said as a means of explanation. 

The alpha in her told her to fight back and not be told what to do but the rational side of her thought better of it. She simply nodded and turned back to the viewing window. 

A few seconds later the door opened and Edmund walked into the cell. A guard followed with a small table placing it in the middle of the room. 

Edmund placed the tray on the table and removed the dome. “I thought you might be hungry.” 

The prisoner eyed him skeptically. Edmund handed the lid to the guard and then dismissed him. 

“Eat.” Edmund motioned to the food. 

“Why would I trust anything from you? You’re the reason I’m in here.” The rogue said. 

“That is debatable but I’ll let it go.” They stared back at each other waiting for one to make a move. 

The prisoner’s body was tensed as he waited for Edmund to make a move however Edmund seemed completely relaxed. 

“That’s the same breakfast I ate it’s the leftovers of what I ate.” Edmund paused looking at him. “I didn’t poison it. I need you alive after all.”

That seems to convince the rogue who picked up a muffin and ate it before moving on to the rest of the food. Edmund said nothing as the rogue ate. 

“Here have some water.” Edmund tossed him the water bottle from across the room. The prisoner held out his hands to catch it pausing to look at it before unscrewing the top. 

“Now let’s talk,” Edmund said. “Let’s start with an easy one, what’s your name?”

Feeling bold the rogue spat at Edmund’s feet. “That’s lovely. Now how about that name?” 

“Suck it.” He growled. 

“Here I was thinking we were getting on.” Edmund clicked his tongue and shook his head. 

“You’re the reason I’m in this place.” The rogue snarled remembering who put him in the cell. 

“Now now let’s not forget your role in all of this but we will get to that later.” Edmund’s pointer finger motioned around the room. The vine in the rogue’s neck bulged as his blood boiled while Edmund remained calm. 

The rogue tried his best to stare down Edmund. One twitch of Edmund’s alpha aura had him looking away. 

“I’m not telling you my name.” The rogue crossed his arms defiantly the best he could. 

“Very well, Mr suck, why were you in our kingdom?” Edmund pushed forward. 

The prisoner scoffed “Let me just tell you everything I know.” He replied sarcastically. 

“That would be most helpful,” Edmund said cheerfully causing Alexia to raise an eyebrow from behind the glass. 

She was no expert in interrogation but she knew enough to know this was not how it could go. Edmund continued to cheerfully ask the rogue questions and kept getting no. 

Eventually, he started towards the door. “Well this was fun but I have to go now.”

“If this kingdom has incompetent people in charge then it will fall in no time.” The rogue smirked. 

Edmund instead just laughed. He laughed so hard that a tear came out of his eye causing the rogue to look perplexed. Instead of retiring Edmund left the cell. 

He did not go far but joined Alexia in the other room. “Are you ready to go?” He asked opening the door. 

She nodded and followed him out. “He was quite the charmer.” She noted hoping he would explain the odd interrogation technique. 

“Very charming. I kept getting lost in his eyes.” Edmund said sarcastically. 

Once they were out of maximum security she could no longer hold it in. “What was that?”

“What do you mean?” He quirked an eyebrow. 

“Why were you so nice.” She could not wrap her head around his behavior. It was as if they were friends or at least friendly on Edmund’s part. 

“Oh, that. A false sense of security.” He said offhandedly. 

“Huh?”

“He thinks he has the upper hand.” Edmund possessed some of the strongest alpha blood. He bowed to no one except the king and queen and his mother of course. A rogue stood no chance. He was secure in himself and did not feel the need to prove himself to a no-name rogue. 

“But he doesn’t?”

Edmund gave her an unimpressed look as they walked through the halls towards the entrance. “Of course not.”

“Then why?” 

“Because my brother is probably about to be en route to visit him and hell’s furry is about to be unleashed on him. Probably his face.” Edmund pulled his phone out of his pocket to look at the time before returning it. 

“So you want him to be all arrogant with Caspian?” Alexia’s eyes widened thinking of the possible things Caspian could do and knew he would do things that she could not think of. 

“Not necessarily want but I did allow him to give us the information nicely. Not my fault he decided to go the hard route.” Edmund explained to her even though he had little hope of getting the information in a nice manner. He fought the rogue after all. He did not come willingly. 

Alexia laughed. “And here I was thinking you finally lost it.” 

“There is a method to the madness.” The hallway turned. 

“I can’t say I feel sorry for him.” Alexia sighed. 

“Not after that last comment. Come on let’s get out of here before we run into my brother and I get Hell’s fury instead.” Edmund said opening the door to the entrance.