Chapter 4

At dawn the next day, I was dragged out of the kennel by the bodyguards.

I hadn't slept all night. Every wound in my body hurt like hell. I was brought before Timothy and Ellia.

Timothy looked at me with amusement.

"Jason, to help you atone properly, Ellia and I talked and came up with a new rule for you.

"From today on, you're a dog raised by the Murdock family.

"Every morning and evening, you'll wear this collar, crawl five laps around the yard, and bark like a dog."

I snorted and slowly pressed myself up from the ground.

"Timothy, you'd better kill me now.

"Or else, I'll make you pay a thousand times over for everything you've done to me."

"Oh really?"

A cold female voice cut me off. Ellia stepped out from behind him.

"Jason, if anyone should be paying the price right now, it's you.

"You'll pay for Ethan's death!"

My heart clenched so hard I could barely breathe.

Timothy laughed even harder.

"You hear that, Jason?

"If it weren't for Ellia still clinging to that pathetic bit of feeling for you, I would've killed you already. Do you think I'd let you stick around and be an eyesore?"

He gave the bodyguards a look.

"What are you waiting for? Put our new dog's collar on him!"

Two bodyguards stepped forward immediately. One of them held a metal collar lined with inward-facing spikes.

If that thing went on, it would pierce straight into the flesh of my neck.

"Don't you dare!"

I roared and struggled with everything I had left.

The two bodyguards pinned me down from both sides. They tried to keep me on the ground.

I fought like mad and thrashed around with my arms and legs. I managed to kick one of them away.

Amidst the chaos, Timothy yelled angrily and stomped hard on my wrist.

I heard a crack.

It was the same spot where, years ago, I had been cut by a knife while saving Ellia from kidnappers.

The old wound was torn open again.

The bone-shattering pain drained every last bit of strength from my body. My vision went black, and I collapsed.

Click!

The cold collar locked around my neck. The spikes dug into my flesh instantly.

Blood poured out and soaked my collar.

I couldn't even make a sound.

Timothy took the leash from Ellia. She had been holding it the entire time.

He clipped one end to the collar and handed the other end to Nial.

"Nial, go on. Walk the dog."

Nial shrieked in excitement, grabbed the leash with his chubby hands, and yanked hard.

He even mimicked his father by kicking my back.

"Crawl, doggy! Crawl! If you don't, I'll beat you up!"

Timothy crouched down beside me again.

"Jason, there's no rush.

"This is only the beginning.

"Next, I'll cut the tendons on your hands and legs. I'll turn you into a dog that can only crawl!

"You're pretty good at fighting, aren't you? Let's see how well you fight without tendons."

My pupils constricted instantly.

Timothy stood up and prepared to sever my tendons.

The blade in his hand moved closer and closer to my ankle. I could already feel the cold edge of it.

Just as he was about to strike, the glass windows of the entire villa suddenly began to vibrate violently. The wine glasses on the table also vibrated along with the high frequency.

Startled, Timothy ran to the window.

A deafening roar grew louder and louder. A massive shadow engulfed the entire yard.