The Alpha Fate

CHAPTER 4

We panted as we made our way towards the caves at the far end of the territory. I couldn’t wait to see the wonders that laid there, not the slaves though, the gold, and other precious stones they retrieved.

The area had always been out of bounds but now I understand why. The story had been that our enemies lurked behind the shadows of the huge rock and hunted anyone who passed by. Whether those enemies were humans, or other wolves, we didn’t care to know, we just wanted to be safe and so we kept off.

“Alpha” I heard her in my head.

“Phina,” I corrected.

Her chuckle was low “It suits you, the way you’re charging in front, like a warrior going to win a battle.”

My laugh was a long one: “Well then, don’t distract me. As your alpha, I command you.”

“If not for such speed we are moving, I would bow right now.”

I turned to cast a quick glance at her, she was unbelievable. She didn’t look back, her eyes stood fixed on the path in front of her as she covered the ground in quick, heavy strides.

“You’re too swift to be a sigma.” I went back to our conversation.

“What would you have me be, alpha? Anything for you?’

I looked back, and this time she was staring too. My head swarmed and, for a moment, an inexplicable feeling ran through me. Her eyes seemed darker even though they were always dark, and when she squinted, I could feel her read my heart beat was going way above normal, and it wasn’t because I was running.

I looked in front again and broke the connection. With fastened pace, I charged forward, leading my council behind me.

Behind what always seemed like a forest hid a massive iron gate, coated with silver for anyone who tried to climb it. The top of the fence had silver pieces scattered all over them too. I looked in awe as the gates rolled up, revealing a set of armed guards who acknowledged my presence with a bow.

I walked in, aware of all the eyes on me.

“Welcome, let me show you around.” One of the generals approached me.

I shook back into my human form, and followed him as he led the way through the dungeons. I could hear screams and grunts from the people in the mining pit. I could also hear lashings from whips every now and then. The place reeked of flesh, decay, and burnt earth, not to mention the intense heat that seemed to want to consume me.

I took a hand to my nose to keep me from coughing as he walked me through. The first set of cells held sleeping prisoners, who he claimed were ill and needed attention, but due to insufficient resources, they were left to hibernate, and if they didn’t survive, were taken away. The next turn held the rooms which, from his explanation, contained twenty prisoners. The rooms were a hundred in total and he informed me that seventy-nine of those rooms were currently filled, with the last one holding twelve inmates.

The thought of twenty people squeezing into those cells made me want to puke, but I remembered Braiah’s sayings “An alpha is never weak, and even if she feels weak, she never lets her pack see it.”

I imagined the look on the faces of everyone around if I actually did puke and give in to my fainting heart and I stifled a chuckle.

I tried to make light of my situation whenever I could, because if I did let how I feel come to the surface, I would cry.

It was unfair, in my opinion, but there was only little I could do in this situation, so I followed them.

Then we got to the mines. I stood in a high room and watched them from all the way up there. It was where the coordinator, Jeffery Tarmar, stood to see who was working and who was not, and I trembled within myself. One thought came to my mind; and that was the fate of our people going through the same situation in another pack. It was inhumane, and it was disturbing, but I looked on with a straight face.

The coordinator was beside me in an instance. “We make sure they work enough for us.”

“Where are these precious stones sold?”

“To the humans,” he replied, “They are the pack’s resources. We trade them for alliances, food for the pack, and any other affairs.”

I nodded. I knew for a fact that humans didn’t know about our existence, and how the park survived had never been on my worry list, but I least expected it to be through the torment of others.

He called his second-in-command before I could say another word.

“Bring 289, 183, and 212 to me.”

“What for?” I asked as soon as the errand man sauntered away.

“They’ve been slacking,” he said.

It took seven minutes for the men to be dragged up the stairs. Their bodies were black, and looked like they hadn’t had a bath in ages, their fingernails destroyed, and their clothes worn.

They bowed as they met me. It was no news that I was the new alpha. I couldn’t help but notice the numbering on their skin that had been done by hot metal.

He made them lie and, with a whip laced with spikes, he lashed them in my presence. With every stroke, came a splash of blood, a high-pitched scream and torn flesh.

I knew I was getting closer to passing out and so I did the first thing that came to my mind.

“Enough!” I yelled.

I seemed to have bruised his ego because he looked at me in disbelief, but I had had enough.

“That is enough,” I repeated. “Let them get back to work.”

He looked like I had just slapped him but didn’t protest “Off you go,” he yelled at them.

One by one, they got up and made their way out. I watched them leave.

The one with the SB 289 tattoo turned to look at me, his eyes looked like they would fall from their sockets soon.

His mouth moved but no voice came out. I did read his lips, he said “Thank you.”