The sound caused him to turn his head once more. Alex cleared his throat and approached Colton. “We erred and will not repeat the action, sir.”
Colton glanced back at them; although she could not discern his expression, the other men exhibited a fleeting look of fear on their faces. “What else have I heard?”
Alex audibly swallowed. “Pardon, sir?”
“I heard you took a girl from them.” Colton’s words were laced with malice. “The prince nearly succumbed to madness upon discovering her absence. He eliminated the remaining men you had left.”
Molly ingested. A surge of relief enveloped her; he was, at the very least, alive and in good health. She wished he was beyond their grasp and nearer to his destination.
“A girl? No, we did not abduct anyone. We would never seize an arbitrary girl-“
“Why did you abandon your pack to perish?” Colton advanced towards them. “A true man would never abandon his group to perish in such a manner.”
“We sustained injuries and had to depart for our survival, sir,” Alex stated, casually placing his arms behind his back. “We lament departing from them-“
“Where is she?” Colton interjected.
“Who?” Micah enquired, his brows knitted. “We did not abduct anyone, Lord Colton. We have informed you that we returned here solely due to our injuries.”
Colton took a deep breath. “Cease that music immediately,” he retorted. Micah rushed to deactivate it. “I detect the presence of a female; I can perceive her blood. Do not deceive me,” he growled.
Molly screamed once more, hoping he could hear her muffled voice this time.
Colton faced the door behind which she was concealed. Molly continued to scream.
“Wait!” Micah seized Colton’s arm and instantly appeared to regret his action. Colton seized his neck and hurled him across the room without hesitation. His body produced a nauseating crack upon impact with the wall before he descended. Molly paused for a moment.
What is the basis for her trust in him? They were all members of the same pack, and he appeared more formidable than the two of them combined. What if he intended to inflict greater harm upon her? They stated that he did not have an aversion to causing harm to women. He expressed anger towards them for even taking her… Did he not?
Colton’s gaze shifted to a section of the floor stained with her blood. He snarled and faced Alex. “What actions did you take towards her?”
“We attempted to ascertain the prince’s activities here, fearing he was orchestrating an ambush with the palace.” Alex retreated from Colton.
Colton forcibly opened the door and discovered Molly, bloodied and restrained. He swiftly bent down and revealed her mouth before he began to untie the bindings.
“Please…” Molly coughed, her throat was exceedingly parched and painful, making respiration uncomfortable. “Assist me…”
“I will extricate you from this location and transport you to a secure place.” Colton assisted her in standing up cautiously. “Proceed now…”
“We suspected she might possess information regarding their plans,” Alex remarked cautiously as he approached them. Colton pivoted and seized him by the throat.
“I ought to eliminate you on the spot for your actions towards this unfortunate girl,” he spat. “You will both receive your due, but I demand your immediate absence.” He hurled him effortlessly against the opposing wall. Molly hoped he would have sustained a severe head injury; perhaps then she might experience a modicum of relief regarding their actions towards her.
Colton glanced back with a benevolent demeanour. “Are you well?”
Molly gradually shook her head. “Why do you sound so familiar?”
Colton displayed a faint smile. “You are Molly, correct?”
“What led you to that conclusion?”
“Let us not concern ourselves with that at this moment; you appear on the verge of fainting.” Colton placed his hands on her shoulders to stabilise her. She was unaware that she had been swaying. “May I?” he enquired before lifting her and carrying her as one would a bride. Molly rested her weighty head on his shoulder as he transported her through the doorway.
The frigid gust of wind nearly caused her eyes to well with tears once more. Colton placed her into a small, cosy carriage that appeared markedly different from the one she had travelled in with the prince. This one featured a soft cushion and was dark red rather than blue. Molly experienced a brief flicker in her vision as he enveloped her in a warm coat.
“Who are you?” Molly enquired softly.
“I am Lord Colton, though you may refer to me as Colton if you prefer.” He shut the carriage door, and it promptly departed into the night. She endeavoured to maintain her gaze upon him opposite her. He regarded her with a hint of apprehension in his demeanour. “I believe I know an individual who can alleviate your suffering; please be patient.”
Molly stated softly, “They were going to kill me.”
“Rest assured, I will attend to both of them shortly. You will no longer have to endure the same foul atmosphere as they do.”
Molly coughed and shut her eyes. “Who are you?” she enquired once more.
“I am the leader of the rogues.”
“You…are you the leader of the rogues?” Molly painfully sat up and attempted to distance herself from him in the confined carriage. He observed her with a curious demeanour, yet refrained from approaching her. What was the speed of the carriage? Is she capable of jumping out?
“Indeed, I am.” He extended a blanket towards her, but Molly refrained from reaching out to accept it. “I assure you I was not involved in your abduction. Upon learning of it, I immediately sought you out.”
“If you are their leader, why would they oppose your desires?” Molly trembled and embraced herself. Her mind was on the verge of ceasing function, paralleling her body’s decline. It would be effortless to recline her head and allow the soothing embrace of darkness to envelop her senses.
Colton cleared his throat and swept aside his dark hair. “Within each group, there are individuals who believe they possess superior knowledge compared to the leader. Their actions will not be overlooked, Molly. You have my assurance.”
