Chapter 1
The dungeon door slammed open, and I winced as a sliver of light invaded the dark room. I could hear voices from beyond the door, muffled but clear enough to make out. "You agreed not to hurt her," a voice said. "I'll do whatever I want until she agrees to be mine," came the gruff reply.
A chill ran down my spine, and I pulled ineffectually against my bonds. The rough stone dug into my wrists, leaving them raw and bleeding.
The light flared brighter as the door opened further, and a man strode into the room, a whip in one hand and a torch in the other. He sneered as he caught sight of me, and I cowered back against the wall. "Hello, little one," he purred, his voice sickly sweet. "Do you know who I am?"
I remained silent, my heart hammering in my chest. I'd heard of this man, a cruel and callous Rogue who'd terrorized the pack for years. And now he had me, helpless and at his mercy.
The man stepped closer, the torchlight illuminating his features. His eyes glittered with malice, and his thin lips stretched into a cruel smile. He raised the whip, and I flinched away, but he only chuckled darkly. "I asked you a question, little one. Do you know who I am?"
I swallowed hard, my mouth dry as dust. I shook my head, my eyes fixed on the whip. He laughed again, the sound sending shivers down my spine.
The man lowered the whip, but I didn't relax. I knew this was only a temporary reprieve. He looked me over with a calculating gaze, and I felt like a mouse trapped by a hungry cat. "I am Lord Derrick, ruler of these lands," he said, his voice smooth and smug. "And you, little mouse, are my captive."
My stomach churned at his words, and I closed my eyes, trying to think of a way out of this nightmare. But there was nothing I could do, no route, no escape. I was trapped here, at the mercy of this evil man.
"I know what you're thinking," Lord Derrick said, as if he could read my mind. "You're thinking of escape, of some way to get out of here. But there is no escape. Not for you. You're mine, now and forever."
I opened my eyes, meeting his cold gaze. I wouldn't give in to his taunts, wouldn't let him see my fear. I lifted my chin, my eyes blazing with defiance. "You're wrong," I said, my voice shaking only slightly.
Lord Derrick's eyes narrowed, and the smile slid from his face. He took a step closer, looming over me. "You think you can defy me?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "You think you can escape my grasp?"
I held my ground, even as my heart pounded in my chest. "I'll never be yours," I said, my voice stronger now. "I'll never give up, never stop fighting."
Lord Derrick's eyes flashed, and he raised the whip again. "We'll see about that," he said.
Before he could bring the whip down, there was a deafening crash as the dungeon door burst open. Lord Derrick whirled around, his face contorted with fury. I craned my neck, trying to see what was happening, but all I could see was a shadowy figure silhouetted in the doorway.
The figure strode into the room, and I gasped as I recognized him. It was Ralph, my childhood friend and the one person I'd thought I'd never see again. He was covered in dirt and smear, his clothes torn and tattered.
Ralph's eyes locked with mine, and for a moment, we were both frozen in place. Then Lord Derrick's voice broke the silence, his tone dripping with venom. "You!" he spat, his hand tightening around the whip. "I should have known you would come for her."
Ralph's expression hardened, and he stood tall, his shoulders back. "Yes, you should have," he said, his voice as cold as ice.
In an instant, Lord Derrick's whip was on the floor, and Ralph's sword was pressed against his throat. "Make a move, and I'll end you," Ralph said, his voice deadly calm. Lord Derrick's eyes widened, shocked, and he froze, the blood draining from his face. "Now," Ralph said, "it's time to let her go."
Slowly, Lord Derrick stepped away from Ralph, his eyes never leaving the sword. Ralph kept his blade trained on him, his grip steady. Then, with a nod, Ralph turned to me.
Ralph crossed the room in two long strides, and knelt beside me. He reached for the ropes binding me, and I felt them loosen as he worked to untie them. As I sat up, my muscles protesting after so long in one position, I couldn't help but notice the way Rafe was looking at me. His eyes were filled with concern, and something else I couldn't quite place cause I'm so exhausted to even study him more.
That was all I could recall as I woke up sweating profusely. I walked into the bathroom to take a look at myself. As I look in the mirror, something catches my eye. Underneath my right eye is a slight smudge of a black mark, like an ink smudge. But how could that have happened?
I haven't even touched my makeup today. And as I move closer to the mirror, I see that the mark is moving, slowly turning darker and spreading out. I start to feel dizzy, and I feel my legs give out beneath me. I fall to the floor, my head spinning. As I look down at my hands, I see that the black mark is spreading there as well.
Suddenly, I'm jolted awake. I'm still in my room, lying on the floor next to the bathroom door. I sit up, my heart pounding in my chest. That was just a dream, I tell myself. I stand up and walk back to the mirror, looking closely at my face. There is no black mark, no spreading stain. I take a deep breath, trying to slow my racing heart. I splash cold water on my face, trying to clear my head. But the memory of the dream won't leave me. What could it all mean?
Just then, my phone starts to buzz. I pick it up and see a text from my best friend, Stacy."Are you coming to school today?" it reads. "I'm running late," I text back. "No problem, I'll save you a seat in class," stacy responds. I finish getting ready and head out the door. As I drive to school, I try to put the strange dream out of my mind. But it keeps nagging at me, refusing to be ignored. I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong.
Just then, my phone rang. I picked it up and saw that it was my Mom. I answered the call, hoping she could explain my strange feelings. "Mom, what's going on?" I asked, hoping for an answer. My Mom let out a sigh. "I think it's time we talk, honey. Can we meet in a bit?" she asked. "Sure, Mom. Are you going to tell me what's going on?" I asked. "Just meet me at the park after school hours.I promise I'll explain everything," she said.
Here's my story: My name is Selena. My Dad, Alpha Alexander, is the Alpha of the Moonlight pack. My Mom is the Luna, and my brother's name is Leonard. I'm the outcast of the pack because I don't have a wolf. Everyone treats me like an outcast, but I know that deep down, Dad and Mom are disappointed in me. But what can I do? All I've ever wanted is to find my Mate and be loved the way Dad loves Mom.
I'll be turning 19 soon, and I'm worried that I still haven't found my Mate.
I'm sorry for rambling, but I had to get all that off my chest. I was daydreaming a bit. Anyway, as I was saying, Mom asked me to meet her at the park. I will be on my way right after school.
When I get to school, I see Stacy waiting for me by the entrance. "Hey, you made it!" she says, giving me a hug. "You look pale. Everything okay?"
I nod, not sure if I should tell her about the dream. But I know she'll listen if I do. "It's just... I had the weirdest dream this morning," I say, as we walk to our first class. Stacy looks at me, her eyes wide. "Tell me everything," she says. So I do.
As I finish telling Stacy about the dream, she frowns, her forehead furrowed in thought. "It's definitely weird," she says. "But I don't think it's anything to worry about. Dreams are just dreams, right?"
I nod, but I'm not so sure. "Maybe," I say. "But it all felt so real. And what about the mark I saw on my face? What if it means something?"
Stacy shrugs. "I'm no dream expert, but I'd say it's probably just your brain processing stuff from your subconscious.
"But you said you felt dizzy before you woke up," Stacy says, her expression turning more serious. "Maybe you should see a doctor, just to make sure everything's okay."
"I don't know," I say. "I mean, it could just be a one-time thing, right? Maybe I just ate something that disagreed with me or something."
Stacy looks at me skeptically. "Maybe," she says. "But maybe it's something else. Better to be safe than sorry, right?"
I sigh. "You're probably right.
Stacy is my best friend, and she's one of a kind. She's creative, quirky, and a little bit eccentric - but that's part of what makes her special. She's the kind of friend who will always be there for you, no matter what. Being the Beta daughter's friend has its pecks. And she's not afraid to be herself, even if that means standing out from the crowd. You can always count on her to make you laugh, and to help you see the world in a new way. Stacy is like my own personal ray of sunshine.
As I walk to class with Stacy, I start to feel a little better. "Maybe she's right the dream was probably just a weird fluke. And even if it wasn't, i've got Stacy in my corner, ready to help me through anything. I take a deep breath, grateful to have a friend like her.
"You okay?" Stacy asks, noticing my sigh. "You seem a little more relaxed than you were before."
I smile.
