His Himan

CHAPTER TWO: THE PUNISHMENT.

Immediately Leo gave Ryker instructions, and he quickly stood up and came to where I was standing.

I wanted to run but he held the grip of my hand with his claws. I recoiled, panic rising in my throat."No"I cried, but it was useless. Ryker's massive and strong hands were already on me, pulling me to his side.

"No, Leave me alone"I repeated, my voice shaking and my body trembling."No, please".

But the words were of no use, lost in the wind. I was being dragged like a slave towards the stone cells.

The last my eyes saw before the door was slammed was Leo's eyes from a distance.

The cell was very damp and dark. And I was alone. Ryker slammed the door on me and left.

I was on my knees, breathing heavily, my mind reeling. I started asking myself some questions: What just happened now? Why did he order for me to be thrown here? Why had they taken me? What was all this madness about?

A little noise interrupted my thoughts and I looked up to see a figure standing in the shadows of the adjacent cell. Her eyes were filled with terror and her face was pale. She was human -like me.

"Who..... are you?"I asked, my voice, shaking.

She was a bit shocked at the sound of my voice."I'm Elara. I've been here for..too long.

Too long? My stomach twisted. "You're a prisoner too?".

Elara nodded, her voice barely above a whisper."Forge it, you're his now. They always take the humans".

I felt a chill run through me at that thought. So this is how Leo is going to claim me.

"I will never be his Luna", I fiercely whispered, but something asked me in my mind," Would you be able to resist him?

There was no time to think about what the voice said to me because suddenly a shadow appeared in the cell and It looked like Leo but I looked carefully and I observed he was not the one, my mind was the one playing me because I already had him in mind.

The next day, I woke up to the cold bite of stone against my cheek, and the dampness entered my bones overnight. I could not forget where I was for if I forgot, the faint light in the cracks of the walls was enough to remind me where I was: that I was kidnapped, trapped, powerless, and at the mercy of the so-called Alpha Leo.

His name burned in my mind like a curse. I replayed how the events of the previous day happened, I was filled with anger and fear. As a matter of fact, I was not a prize to be claimed. How come he woke up one morning and decided to claim me to be his own?

I heard the sound of footsteps walking down the hallway, and it really interrupted my thoughts. I tried to sit upright, brushing the strands of hair from my face as the heavy door was opened and lo, and behind, It was him.

Leo stood in the doorway glancing at me. He has this quiet power, a commanding presence that makes it very much impossible to look away. His eyes were so much fixed on me.

"Why didn't you bow?" he said, his voice very low and menacing.

I blinked, very confused.

"What do you mean?".

"Yesterday, have you forgotten" he continued. The air was so thickened with this mysterious being's presence."When I declared you my Luna. You should have knelt, you did not kneel. You did not show any atom of respect".

His words made my anger flare despite my fear. I did not know where the boldness to talk to him came from.

"Respect?" I snapped, my voice so sharp and firm."You kidnapped me, didn't you? You dragged me against my will and locked me up in your cell. You don't deserve my respect, one but of it.

For some seconds, there was silence all over the space between us. Then, Leo smiled.

"You're bold," he said, almost amused. I love that. Most would have begged for mercy by now".

"I'm not most. They can be most not me"I shot back immediately, my voice wavering slightly.

"Do it," Leo ordered, showing no argument.

Before I knew what was happening, Ryker held my wrists, his grip was very firm but was not cruel. I struggled, trying to push his hands off mine. I kicked and did everything possible, but he was far too strong. The cold bite of the iron shackles snapped around my wrists, and I cried out in frustration.

Leo came closer to me, his gaze not leaving me."You're proving stubborn. You'll stay here until you understand what it means to be mine".

I looked at him, with so much boldness though fear was bubbling beneath me. I'll never ever be yours".

His expression changed immediately, this time more darkened and for a moment, I saw something in his eyes that showed vulnerability, so raw. But before I could look again to be sure I was seeing well, it was gone replaced by the cold mask he wore. I used my hand to rub my eyes but did not see anything again.

"We'll see", he said very simply, then turned and left the cell. Ryker followed, his footsteps heavy, and slammed the door.

I slumped against the wall, my wrist was really aching. I was alone until I heard the voice of Elara from the next cell.

"You shouldn't have gotten him angry," she said in a whisper, her tone filled with fear.

I turned my head to where the voice was coming from and met her wide terrified eyes through the small gap in the wall."I'm not going and would never bow to him".I said.

Elara shook her head."You don't know what you're doing. You don't know what he's capable of. He's not human like us. None of them you're seeing there is.

Her words sank deeply inside me and I kept wondering whether she was true or not. But something in me was still telling me that Elara was correct.

Hours passed or should I even say days. I lost count of time in the oppressive confines of the cell. Hunger came knocking on the door of my stomach, and my throat burned with thirst but my ego wouldn't let me cry out because I didn't want to give in whatever it was that Leo wanted from me.

The door finally opened again; this time, it was Ryker. He came with a tray of food and water, his experience unreadable.

"Eat," he said, sounding so gruffly. I eyed him."Why do you act like you care? "I don't ", he replied; this time, his tone was softer."The thing there is that the Alpha won't be happy if you starve to death". "I snorted almost immediately and in a bitter way"How generous of him".

Ryker looked at me and sighed. "You're so difficult, and you're not making things easy for yourself, do you?

"Why should I?" I shot back."Did I ask him of all these? I did not ask him to drag me into his world or did I"?

For some seconds, Ryker said nothing. Then reluctantly, he muttered, "Neither did he".

Those words struck me; what is he talking about? But before I could press him for more, he stood and left the cell, locking the door.

As I ate, I was unable to shake the feeling that there was more to this mysterious, cold commanding Alpha I see and the one he presented to the world. But whatever it is is none of my business, I just want to leave this place.

The words of Ryker reverberated in my mind “Neither he”. What was he trying to explain? I thought

I never wanted to know but now I want to know.

“Is he trying to say that Leo kidnapped me for somebody else? Or “That he brought me here just to keep me because he loves keeping prisoners. “What could be the meaning of what Ryker said,” I thought aloud.

“Ryker is right; don't doubt him,” Elara said, as though she was reading my mind,d thereby interrupting my thoughts.

I looked at her very speechless and she just nodded.

“Time reveals. With time you’ll understand what he meant. I won't be the one to explain it to you either”.Elara said, sounding like a counsellor.

The whole thing was becoming so confusing to me and I didn't even know where to start to understand from. I was just lost with everything happening. The look on my face shows confusion, frustration, anger, and fine.

Elara looked out from the hole we see ourselves from and smiled at me

“Don't worry Empress, you'll be fine”

“I’ll be fine” I repeated. Elara doesn't understand what's happening to me. How will she understand when she's not in my shoes?

Those words of Ryker kept re-echoing inside me but who would help me explain this?

—--

The Pack elders already made plans at the back of Leo and already decided that I could not be their Luna. D-Day came, and they called Leo for an emergency meeting, unlike them. Leo keeps to time so he even arrives before the others show up. The meeting point was still the place they always met.

The dungeon where I was thrown into because of my stubbornness was very close to their meeting point. After they must have exchanged pleasantries. One of the wolves stood to speak.

"Leo, we called this meeting because of the Empress that you kidnapped and said she is our Luna.

I sat in stunned silence as the Pack elders delivered their ultimatum to Leo.

"You must find another Luna, "one of them growled. For a human to be our Luna is unacceptable. It's a big threat to our way of life and our traditions"

I felt a surge of anger and hurt at their words. As much as I don't even want to be the Luna of the pack, I want to go back to my village. I should not be addressed that way.

Leo was not happy from the expression on his face. His face was masked with calm determination but I could sense turmoil brewing under the surface.

"I understand your concerns, he said. But I also want you to know that she has been destined before now to my Luna, so I'll not abandon her. She is my mate and the Luna of this pack.

The Pack elders shook their heads in disagreement. As long as we're alive, we can't watch that happen."Really?"It has already happened. All the pack elders stood up and echoed together"We shall see"