The Cage
1429 Words
Chapter 3 - The Cage
Dakota's POV
I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
The two wolves in the cage were tearing each other apart. Blood splattered the floor. One lunged, teeth bared, and caught the other's shoulder. The scream that followed wasn't human.
Around the cage, maybe fifty people watched. Some cheered. Others held phones, filming. Money exchanged hands as bets were placed.
This wasn't hockey. This was a death match.
"What the hell is this?" My voice came out strangled.
Coach Brennan—no, Alpha Vaughn, I realized as his eyes flashed gold and he smiled. "This is how Crimson Falls really operates. We don't just train hockey players, Dakota. We train fighters. And the wealthy wolves who attend our games? They pay very, very well."
"You're insane."
"I'm practical." He nodded toward the cage. "Every player here participates. It's part of your scholarship. You fight, you win, you get paid. You refuse..." His smile turned cold. "Well, let's just say refusal isn't an option."
I backed toward the door. "I'm leaving."
"No, you're not." Vaughn didn't move, but suddenly two massive wolves blocked the exit. "You see, we did our research on you, Dakota. Orphan, no pack, criminal record, and a little sister in foster care. You're perfect. No one will look for you. And if you cooperate, Ember stays safe."
My blood turned to ice. "Don't you dare..."
"We already have people watching her group home. She's a cute kid. It would be a shame if something happened."
Rage exploded through me. I lunged at Vaughn, but the wolves grabbed me before I got close. They held me effortlessly, and I realized just how outmatched I was.
Vaughn stepped closer. "Here's what's going to happen. You'll fight in the cage. You'll win. And you'll keep your mouth shut. Do that, and Ember stays safe. You'll even get your custody hearing money. Refuse, and I'll make sure you never see your sister again. Am I clear?"
I wanted to kill him. Wanted to rip his throat out with my bare hands.
But Ember's face flashed in my mind. Her trust. Her hope.
"Crystal clear," I forced out.
"Good." Vaughn nodded to the wolves holding me. They released me, and I nearly collapsed. "Your first fight is in three days. Train hard. We have high hopes for you."
He walked away, leaving me shaking with fury and terror.
The cage fight ended. One wolf limped out, victorious. The other had to be dragged, unconscious and bloody.
I was going to die here.
"Hey."
I jerked around. A guy stood nearby, dark skin, locs, a familiar scar on his jaw. The one from outside the warehouse.
"You," I breathed. "You tried to warn me."
"I did. You didn't listen." He glanced at the cage. "I'm Kieran Frost. I'm... was... an enforcer at Valley Ridge before I ended up here."
"How long have you been fighting?"
"Six months." His jaw tightened. "I've seen twelve players die in that cage."
My stomach turned. "Why don't you just leave?"
"Same reason you can't. They have leverage on me." He met my eyes.
We were the same. Trapped.
"There has to be a way out," I said desperately.
Kieran hesitated, then leaned in close. "There might be. But not here. Too many ears." He pressed something into my hand, it was a small piece of paper. "Memorize this address. Meet me there tomorrow night at midnight. Make sure you come alone."
"Why should I trust you?"
"Because I'm the only person here who's tried to help you." He stepped back as someone approached. "Think about it, Dakota. But don't take too long. Your fight is in three days, and if you go in unprepared, you won't survive."
He disappeared into the crowd before I could respond.
I looked at the paper. An address on the edge of town.
This could be another trap. Or it could be my only chance.
Either way, I was running out of options.
I made it back to my dorm somehow, my mind spinning. Werewolves. Fighting rings. Death matches. This was beyond anything I'd imagined.
I pulled out my phone and texted Ember: *Hey kiddo. How's everything?*
Her response came immediately: Boring. When can I see you?
Soon. I promise. Love you.
Love you too, Kota.
I stared at the screen, my chest tight. I'd gotten her into this mess by accepting Vaughn's offer. Now I had to get us both out.
At 11:30 PM the next night, I snuck out of my dorm. The address Kieran gave me led to an abandoned warehouse on the industrial edge of town. Of course it did.
I approached carefully, every sense on alert. The place looked deserted.
"You came."
I spun. Kieran emerged from the shadows, alone. No ambush. Yet.
"I'm here. Now talk."
He gestured inside. "Not out here."
I followed him into the warehouse. It was empty except for some old equipment and broken crates. Kieran pulled out a flashlight and swept it across the space.
"I check for bugs every time. Vaughn has eyes everywhere." He turned to me. "What I'm about to tell you could get us both killed."
"Then maybe start with why you'd risk it."
"Because I'm not the only one trapped here." He pulled out his phone and showed me a list of names. "These are players who've disappeared from the program. Officially, they transferred or dropped out. Unofficially? They're dead. Killed in the cage or eliminated because they tried to run."
My blood chilled. "How many?"
"Forty-three in the last three years."
"Forty-three dead kids. And no one knew?. My eyes widened
"I've been gathering evidence," Kieran continued. "Trying to find a way to expose Vaughn and bring down the whole operation. But I need help. I can't do it alone."
"Why me?"
"Because you're new. They haven't broken you yet. And because..." He hesitated. "Because I see the same fire in you that I had before they crushed it out of me. You're a fighter, Dakota. Not just in the cage. You're someone who doesn't give up."
"Flattery isn't going to work."
"It's not flattery. It's true." He stepped closer. "I can help you survive the fight in two days. Train you, teach you what I've learned. But I need you to promise that if you survive, you'll help me take Vaughn down."
I studied him. He could be lying. This could all be a setup.
But my gut said he was telling the truth.
"If I help you, you have to promise my sister stays safe. That's non-negotiable."
"Deal."
We shook hands. His grip was firm, callused. A fighter's hand.
"Now," Kieran said. "Let's make sure you don't die in three days."
He spent the next two hours teaching me everything he'd learned about cage fighting. It was brutal, efficient, and terrifying. These weren't hockey rules. These were survival rules.
By the time we finished, I was exhausted and covered in bruises.
"You're a fast learner," Kieran said. "That's good. You'll need to be."
"Who am I fighting?"
His expression darkened. "Me."
I stared at him. "What?"
"Vaughn matched us on purpose. He knows I talked to you outside the warehouse that night. This is his way of testing us both. If I kill you, I prove my loyalty. If you kill me, you prove you're worth keeping." He met my eyes. "Either way, he wins."
"So what do we do?"
"We fake it." Kieran pulled out a small vial. "This is a modified sedative. Slows your heartbeat, makes you appear dead for about thirty minutes. I bite you during the fight, and inject this into your bloodstream. You 'die.' They remove your body. You wake up in the disposal area, and you run."
"And you?"
"I take the punishment for losing a fighter. But I'll survive. I always do."
"That's insane."
"It's the only way." He pressed the vial into my hand. "Trust me, Dakota. Or we both die for real."
I looked at the vial. A tiny glass tube that was either salvation or poison.
"Okay," I whispered. "I trust you."
"Good." Kieran's phone buzzed. He checked it and swore. "We need to go. Now."
"What..."
Headlights flooded the warehouse. Cars. Multiple cars.
"They followed you." Kieran grabbed my arm. "Run!"
We bolted toward the back exit just as wolves poured into the warehouse. Vaughn's en
Forcers, hunting us down.
We made it outside and ran into the dark forest beyond. Behind us, howls split the night.
They were coming for us. And there was nowhere left to hide.
- Writer
