CHAPTER THREE
1240 Words
The cell door slammed shut behind me and I didn't have time to run before two guards entered.
"Stand up," one snarled.
I remained seated, my bruised body crying out in pain at the beating I had received the previous night. I was not going to stand up, my obstinacy the last act of rebellion.
The guard took a step forward and clutched my arm in a gruff way, yanking me up. I cried out at the pain coursing through my muscles but clamped down on my lip, refusing to let them get the response they wanted.
"Alpha's order," the other guard taunted. "You have a lesson to learn, princess."
My heart pounded as they dragged me out of the cell, my naked feet thudding on dry ground. I had no idea what Kaiden had planned, and it would not be nice.
They dragged me down the dark passageways until the dim light caught up with them. When they stepped outside, I experienced the biting blast in my face and knew where they were headed.
The training grounds.
A hard knot of pain formed in my belly.
I was strolling along, and I saw a large cluster of fighters standing in a circle, arms crossed over chest, all of them waiting for something to occur. The entire pack was present, grumbling and smiles on their faces hiding that they knew already.
And then he just stood there.
Kaiden stood in the middle of the arena, his massive form towering as usual. He had on a fitted black tunic, his golden eyes blazing as he watched me walking towards him.
"Because you will not learn your place," he announced, his voice ringing out over the open ground, "you will be instructed by the hard path."
I balled my hands. "You can punish me, if you wish, but you'll never own me."
Kaiden's grin expanded. "You will. But first let's make sure you're really alive."
He signaled to a giant of a man stepping into the arena. He was massive, muscle rippling on arms and chest as he shrugged those enormous shoulders. Scars etched his face, and his eyes were unreadable.
"Hey Garrik," Kaiden drawled. "One of my top fighters. You're going to fight him."
My breathing paused.
Fight him?
"I don't know how to fight," I snarled resentfully through gritted teeth.
"Well, you'd better learn fast then," Kaiden said to me with nothing but resentment."Because he'll not be giving you mercy."
The crowd gasped in excitement.
Garrik cracked his knuckles and grinned. "Let's make it interesting."
Before I could decide what to do, he launched himself at me. I can't die here.
I sprang out of the way just in time, reeling backward as his fist whizzed by an inch from my nose. My heart thundered in my ears.
I needed a strategy and fast.
Garrik was faster than he had any business being. He threw another punch, and I wasn't quite quick enough this time to dodge it and his fist cracked against my ribs, stealing the breath from my lungs. I doubled over on the ground, gasping for air.
The crowd snickered.
"Pathetic," one of the onlookers sneered.
I doubled up onto my knees, my body twisting in pain. I would not lose.
I set myself for Garrik's next blow. I parried and elbowed him through the ribs. He winced.
"Not bad," he conceded. "But not good enough."
And he wrapped his hand around my throat and thrust me down onto the ground.
Stars exploded before my eyes.
I scratched at his grip, gasping to fill my starving lungs.
"Enough," Kaiden roared.
Garrik's grip weakened only seconds before releasing. My body crashed onto the earth, choking. With my trembling body burning with pain, I attempted to push myself up onto hands and knees.
Kaiden advanced, standing above me. "You fought back, I'll give you that, but you are weak, Willow. And a weakling cannot be tolerated in my pack."
I spat at his feet. "Then kill me and be done with it."
Kaiden's eyes turned darker. "No, that would be too easy."
He moved away. "Take her to the chambers."
The crowd of prisoners groaned in dismay, but the guards departed. They pulled me by my arms, dragging me off once again.
And for a brief moment, while doing that, I caught a glimpse of Kaiden glance my way. There was an unreadable quality to his eyes.
And it scared me to death.
That evening, I slept on the cold stone ground of the cell, my entire body aching from the fight. I couldn't be here. I wouldn't be here.
I need to flee. I started pulling myself up, inch by inch, aching. I myself was shocked at every step, but I lingered not.
I crossed the room to the window and stared out. Stone walls towered above me over there, but beyond those there was forest inviting.
Freedom beckoned.
I caught my breath, and slid out of the rooms, hugging the walls as I made my way down the dark corridors. The guards stood at the front doors, but I have been a prisoner here long enough that I had learned to expect a rhythm to their round.
At just the right moment, I slipped away.
My bare feet left little more than a whisper on the floors as I dashed through the corridors, out into open courtyard, and towards the peripheries of the wall.
Night wind snipped sharply at exposed skin, yet I did not pause.
I reached the limits of the pack, wheezing on the air. Before me lays the forest: an endless sea of freedom.
I took one step forward.
And burst into a hard chest.
A tight hand wrapped around my wrist.
"Cutting out somewhere in a hurry?"
There and then my stomach dropped.
Kaiden.
His golden eyes flashed in the shadows, his arms wrapped around me.
"You actually managed to think you could get away from me?" he panted.
I tried to break free, but he wouldn't let me go. "Let me go!" I snarled.
He pulled me close until the noses of them were nearly touching. "You belong to me, Willow. Nobody is going anywhere except where I say so. You understand?"
I clenched my teeth. "I will never belong to you."
His face grew darker. "We'll see about that."
Without another word, he picked me up over his shoulder and strode on back to the fortress.
I screamed, gagged, hammered on his shoulder, but I may as well have been hitting granite. He was too powerful.
Kaiden strode palace gates, disregarding his guards' interested glances as he led me directly into dungeons.
Guards threw a cell door open and he pushed me inside.
"Lock her up," he growled. "No food. No water."
I leapt from the ground, rage clouding my eyes. "You are a monster!"
Kaiden smiled. "And you are mine."
And he turned and disappeared, leaving me to the darkness.
Days passed.
My throat was dry, muscles taut. I was hungry deep inside, but never would yield.
I would never yield to him.
But days passed, and I was already worn down by exhaustion.
My eyes became blurry, my legs gave way.
I leaned heavily against the hard stone under me.
Just as darkness closed in over my head, a figure stood in the cell.
A coarse, gravelly voice blew into my ear.
"I can release you."
My gasp echoed.
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