The Alpha I Chose

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Meadow

I wake up and stretch. The lumpy little mattress isn’t comfortable, but at least I feel a little bit stronger after getting some sleep.

Clover? I try to reach my wolf.

I’m here, she replies weakly. I sigh in relief. That shot of wolfsbane those guys got us with really did a number on me but I’m here.

We should totally bite them for that, I tell her angrily. Clover laughs and goes silent again, undoubtedly to get more rest.

I stand up, folding my quilt carefully and placing it at the foot of my crappy little bed. For the first time, I take a good look at my surroundings, but there’s not much to see.

I seem to be in a small stone room. The corner I’m in on the far right wall has my mattress. There is a door on the front wall and to the left of it a small wooden table and a chair. There’s nothing else in the front of the room and the back corner opposite my bed has a bucket.

“If you expect me to pee in that bucket you’re out of your ever-loving mind!” I shout, just in case Captain Grumpy can hear me. As expected, I get no reply.

I look down, thankful that I either lost my shoes somewhere or they took them from me. I’m now barefoot and standing on what looks to be a dirt floor. I attempt to dig my toes in it and sure enough, the dirt loosens.

I kneel down and pick up a handful, rubbing it between my fingers before bringing it to my nose and inhaling. The scent of damp earth is comforting to me. I place my hands on the ground and dig in with my nails, loosening more of the dirt before smoothing it back out.

I get an idea and jump to my feet, running to the door and knocking politely.

“Excuse me Mr. Kidnapper?” I shout through the metal door. “Hello?”

The door starts to open and I step back, plastering a smile on my face. It’s best to be friendly when you make demands, after all.

Much to my dismay, it’s not one of the laughing guards that enters the room, but Captain Grumpy himself. And this time he has a new sidekick.

“Oh it’s you!” I say, an obviously fake pleasant tone to my voice. “Did you come to try to steal my quilt again?”

Captain Grumpy gives the other guy a pointed look before fixing his gaze back on me.

“Did you need something?” he asks me, his deep voice strained as if he’s trying to stay calm.

“As a matter of fact, yes.” I tell him. “Can I have some seeds?”

For a moment the man just blinks at me, not saying a word.

“You want… what?”

“Seeds? You know, those little things you put into dirt and then they grow into plants?” I gesture to the floor where I had just been digging. “The soil in here is really quite good for a dungeon.”

I walk over and pick up a some of the dirt before returning to him and sticking my hand in his face.

“See? Smell it!”

“I’m not smelling the dirt,” he huffs at me angrily. Turning to look at his friend he continues, “do you see what I mean?”

Sidekick laughs before smoothly stepping around the Captain. He bends slightly and takes a small sniff of the dirt I’m holding.

“Smells… earthy,” he says with a grin before straightening back up. I roll my eyes.

“I wouldn’t expect you two to know anything,” I tell them, returning the dirt to its place before strolling over and sitting down in the little wooden chair. “I just figured if I’m going to be stuck in this dungeon awhile that I’d at least try to make it more homey.”

They both watch me cautiously, like I’m going to do some crazy wolfed out martial arts moves to take them down. I sigh.

“I don’t see any sweatpants. Or chocolate.” I say, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice. “So can you at least tell me why I’m here?”

Grumpy and Sidekick look at each other for a moment, clearly mind linking each other. I roll my eyes and cross my arms, waiting for one of them to answer me. Finally Grumpy speaks.

“Revenge,” he says simply. I snort.

“Revenge for what exactly?” I ask.

“Not your concern,” Grumpy mutters.

“On the contrary, sir,” I say, standing again and walking over to him. I jab him in the chest with my finger. “You kidnapped me and locked me in this poorly decorated dungeon so I think it’s absolutely my concern.” Sidekick c***s an eyebrow as he smacks his friend on the back.

“She’s got you there, Malcolm,” he says and I look at Grumpy again.

“Your name is Malcolm?” I wrinkle my nose.

“What’s wrong with my name?” he asks me sounding insulted.

“Can I call you Mal?” Without waiting for an answer I step over to the other guy. “And what’s your name, sidekick?”

“Sidekick? I’m wounded!” He laughs, sticking his hand out for me to shake, which I politely do. “Beta Eric Carson, miss. And your name?”

“Ah, a Beta. So that makes Captain Grumpy Mal the Alpha of wherever I am.” Malcolm gives Eric a furious look. “My name is Meadow Fields, originally from the Silver Creek pack, but currently Luna of Blackwood Ridge.”

Malcom stands there looking irate, and he opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off and continue talking.

“Honestly, though? I hated the Ridge. And I hated my mate. Aren’t mate bonds supposed to be all sunshine, happiness, and fairy tale endings?” I look back and forth between the two men. Evan looks interested whereas Mal just looks confused. “Well, I thought they were. Mine was not. So I’m actually pretty happy to be here.”

“You’re happy I abducted you?” Mal says, his voice laced with sarcastic disbelief.

“Of course I am!” I roll up my shirt sleeves, showing them the fading handprint shaped bruises on my arms before pointing at my left eye. “See that? These bruises aren’t from struggling with your guards. That’s what happens when you embarrass Garbage Garrett by helping an Omega clean up something she dropped.”

Beta Evan and Malcolm stare at me. Beta Evan’s face looks pained. Mal’s expression is unreadable.

“If you two will excuse me now, I’m going to take another nap. It’s not like I have anything else to do with my time.”

I turn away from them, returning to my mattress. I unfold my quilt and lay down facing the wall, covering myself up. As I hear them quietly leaving the room, tears began to fall down my face.