ENSLAVED BY THE ALPHA

Twelve

I shouldn't have acted on impulse. He caught up with me way too easily and I was no match for him.

Following his orders the guard threw me into the dungeon and I heard the door slam shut with a bang as the heavy steel bar slammed into place behind my back. I was alone in the darkness for the first time in days. It was an unappealing, dark room that smelled like urine and sweat and fear.

Everything was pitch black.

“Please let me out of here” I turned immediately banging at the door . The bars were thick metal bolted together, but it was no use - they wouldn’t budge. They couldn’t be more secure anywhere else. “Let me go! Let me go… please!”My voice grew louder and my heart pounded in my chest as I banged frantically against my cage. It echoed around in my head making my headache worse. “I will behave, I will do whatever you want” I felt tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. My throat tightened and my breath became shaky. I tried not to cry. But I couldn’t help myself. “Let me out…” I whimpered and sobbed quietly.

Nothing, the only thing I got in return was the echo of my voice running through the empty space of the dungeon. Silence filled my ears. “I am… so sorry!” I yelled through my tears and sobbing. “You don’t understand what I did to get here, but… I didn’t want to...I didn’t want to fight anyone or anything…! Please just let me go.. I promise I’ll never come back…” I continued shouting desperately until I couldn’t hold my words in anymore. A few minutes later, I was sitting on the cold concrete floor of the dungeon sobbing into my hands. ‘Why me? Why?’ I repeated over and over again. I hadn't done anything wrong. I had been nothing but kind, loving and helpful… Why me? What did I ever do to deserve this cruel fate?

I sat there shivering and crying. ‘I want to leave…’ I thought sadly.

Maybe he was just joking, he couldn't possibly leave me here.

I dozed off but the sound of rats running around the dark corners of the cell startled me awake. I jumped up to my feet and held onto the side wall. My breathing quickened when something brushed past my arm, causing me to jump. I spun around wildly trying to find its owner. “Who’s there? Who is it? Show yourself!” I shouted furiously. No one answered me and I started to panic.

Something touched my shoulder again and I flinched in terror. “Please leave me alone! Leave me alone, damnit!" I screamed. I could hear the rats squirming as if they were mocking me. Their scurrying made the darkness seem even more claustrophobic than it already was. “Leave me alone!” I screamed again. Tears ran down my cheeks mixing with sweat from my forehead. It was all getting too much and I wanted to run.

I caused this.

Maybe I shouldn't have run, and if I didn't, he wouldn't have any reason to be mad at me, and I wouldn't be here.

Maybe.

I couldn't sleep that night, I couldn't tell what time it was later on or how long I'd been sitting here but I knew it was late or early.

I was tired. My head ached and my legs and arms felt numb. When I looked down, I could see bruises forming on my thighs from where my elbows had hit them while I sat curled up in the corner of the cell.

My stomach growled from hunger, my throat burned from thirst and I was afraid that I would vomit because of my dehydration. Hadn't it only been a few hours since I had last eaten or slept? I wished someone would come along and rescue me. I could die here without ever knowing freedom or comfort. There's nothing here but cold hard, stone walls. Nothing but darkness. No light.

Not even a ray of daylight to give me some semblance of hope. I hated it. I wanted it to end. I wanted everything to go away… I closed my eyes, and prayed.

There was no response.

With every passing second, my discomfort grew, that rats and mosquitoes wouldn't let me be either, the coldness of the walls seemed to seep into my bones. I shivered uncontrollably. My lips went numb and I wondered how much longer I would be allowed to sit in this freezing, dark place before they'd let me out.

How long had it been?

I was hungry, very hungry and I would probably die from thirst as well as my lips were beginning to crack due to dehydration but I wasn't going to take that chance. I refused to go out like a rat in a trap. And I wasn't about to die in such a pathetic, humiliating manner.

It wasn't fair.

As time went on, I couldn't find it in me to move anymore, the sounds and the buzzing from mosquitoes didn't bother me anymore, I just laid there weak on the cold floor as they bit on my feet but I couldn't even lift a finger.

I had no strength left to even think about standing up and moving around the cell or to call out for help. I felt exhausted and sick to my stomach - not just physically but mentally and emotionally. I was exhausted and sick with pain, guilt and regret. And I didn't know what else to do but cry and even my tears refused to flow freely. Everything hurt and every bone ached. My throat was raw. My eyes burned with exhaustion. I was scared. Not of death itself but I was terrified of what the future might bring, of how bad life would be afterwards.

When I thought I couldn't take it anymore, I heard someone fumbling with the door to the dungeon. They creaked open and light blinded me for a moment and I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling dizzy with nausea from the sudden change of scenery. Then, the bright light disappeared, leaving only my vision to adjust, and I slowly opened my eyes and found a pair of green eyes staring back at me.

He tried to touch and I barely managed to pull my arm back before he could touch me.

He was the reason why I was here in the first place.

He froze in his tracks after a few seconds, then stepped forward tentatively and placed his hand on my head. His fingertips gently traced the sides of my face as he stared in silence.

“Is she alright?” Another voice asked.

Darkness clouded my vision and I could feel it winning.