HER SECOND CHANCE : A CURSED ALPHA

CHAPTER THREE : DUNGEON

ALINA’S POV

My head felt heavy.

It was that pounding kind, like a million bricks falling on it all at once.

My eyes groggily opened, fighting through the pain, as I took in the complete darkness before me.

And then, my body twisted in agony, as I struggled to sit up on the strong surface I lay beneath.

‘Lina,’ I struggled to call my wolf through our link, but there was no response from her.

And just at that instant, memories of everything that had happened flashed through my mind.

‘Oh Selene, my father had drugged me!’ I growled internally, clenching my fist in rage.

I stood up from the bed-like surface, and the light from the hallway told me exactly where I was.

They locked me in the damn dungeon like a criminal.

I moved towards the locked iron gate in anger.

And the moment my hands landed on it, I pushed it off with a scream when it burnt through my skin.

It was made of silver.

“Dad!” I screamed in rage, my flesh still burning from touching the silver gate.

“You see what your actions made me do to you, my princess,” I heard his familiar voice making my head immediately snap towards the stairway.

The light showed his silhouette clearly as he walked towards me.

His fingers moved to the light button and he switched it on, brightening the entire place.

“Dad!” I whispered, calling his name in joy.

A part of me was hopeful that maybe he had finally come to his senses and decided to free me.

“I told you to marry, Marcel. And you agreed like the good little girl I trained you to be.

Now tell me, Alina, what gave you the right to call off your marriage with him and make such a scene?” He growled harshly, coming to stand before me.

With only the gate separating us.

“He cheated on me, Dad.

I caught him sleeping with Nate,” I said, trying to explain myself to him.

“If he did so what?

Marcel is the future Alpha of the Crimson pack.

He answers to no one but the present Alpha, his father. And he definitely does not answer to a she-wolf like you, Alina,” he hissed in rage.

“You are supporting his actions. I’m his mate.

I’m supposed to…”

“You are supposed to marry him, become his Luna, and breed his children, nothing else, Alina.

Do you understand what breaking off our alliance with the Crimson pack would cost us?” He growled.

His voice echoed through the entire room, enough to make me flinch.

“The Greenlake pack is falling. We are losing resources. We barely have any allies or warriors. And the Silverwood pack is growing every day. They are slowly posing a threat to us every day. Everybody knows they’ll move to attack our pack soon and take over. Your marriage to Marcel is supposed to be our turning point. The Crimson pack is one of the strongest packs in this part of the continent. Do you understand what that would mean for us?” He spat in anger.“We need them at our side at a time like this.Do you know how strong our pack would be rated if this alliance goes well and you marry him!” He barked.

“But what about me! Marcel is never going to leave Nate.

Did you know that my mark had been hurting from the day Marcel marked me?” I retorted back with equal fury as a low laugh slipped from my lips.

“And now I understand everything, clearly.I’ve been experiencing the pains of infidelity!” I bit out in disgust for being so oblivious all this time.

“Marcel had been cheating on me for Selene knows how long. And it’s making my wolf weak. If this continues, then she might just die…”

“Then it’s good if she dies! Your wolf was good for nothing anyway. Just like you and your mother were!” He muttered harshly.

And my entire form trembled as rage wrecked through me.

“She was too weak to even birth children for me properly,” he spat in disgust.

“She would not have died if you had not pushed her body past her limit. You knew very well that she had complications after birthing Dexter, yet you forced her to get pregnant again,” I yelled, my voice echoed through the hall before I realized what exactly I had done.

This was the first time I spoke back to my father.

But I was completely fed up with everything.

I’ve tried so hard to please him at every little turn.

And when Marcel turned out to be my mate.

I saw it for the first time.

The pride in his eyes for me.

And only now did I realize why.

He was only proud because Marcel being my mate was only a way for the Greenlake pack to grow stronger, and nothing else.

“It seems you have finally grown wings, little girl.

I let you stay with that useless uncle of yours for too long, and now you think you can talk back to me,” he rumbled, his voice low and deadly.

“I will not marry Marcel, Dad,” I spat, my eyes hard, refusing to give up.

But he said nothing.

My anger rose at his silence, as I gritted.

“If Marcel likes men so much, then why don’t you marry Dexter to him.

He is your son after all, and they’ll make a good couple.”

I watched as my father’s gaze darkened at my words.

“Marcel needs an heir. And that child would come from no one but my bloodline.

That’s the only way we can establish ourselves in the Crimson’s pack and not be overthrown,” he said calmly.

And his calmness scared me, knowing my father was poison itself.

The deadliest kind.

He observed me, and I stared as his lips twisted into a cruel smirk when he spoke.

“You’ll not marry Marcel right? That’s your choice. You’ll remain locked in here till tomorrow morning.

By then, you should have come to your senses and realize everything I’m doing is for the greater good of our pack.

And if you haven’t, I’m going to drag you to the altar in chains and you’ll get married to Marcel no matter what happens. Mark my words, Alina!” He spat venomously.

And with that, he turned walking back to where he came from.

My heart pounded erratically watching him move towards the door.

As my head swirled, knowing I needed to come up with a plan immediately.

I couldn’t let him leave me here else everything would be over.

And just at that moment, my stomach growled as hunger took over my thoughts.

I cursed remembering I had not eaten the entire day, Yulia was supposed to…

‘Oh s**t, Yulia,’ my eyes widened as a plan formed in my mind.

My lips parted, and the words spilled out of my lips immediately, “I’ll marry Marcel” I shouted, and he paused.

My father snapped his head immediately to face me, his eyes drawn in suspicion.

I swallowed, struggling to keep my docile facade up, but I knew just how smart and cunning my dad was.

He could see through my acts without missing a beat if I made one mistake.

I curled my fist knowing if that happened, then he would leave me locked in here.

My wolf was already weak from the drugs still running down my veins.

And it would be foolish to keep on fighting them in my condition.

Sighing, I parted my lips to continue.

“But I have to speak to him first. I made a mistake dad, and only now do I realise it,” I breathed, putting on the most meek look I could make, as I continued. “I was hurt earlier when I saw Marcel and Nate together. But you’re right, I’m a she-wolf after all, and Marcel is an alpha. It’s not my business who he f***s, as long as I become the Crimson pack’s Luna, that’s enough for me. I’m just like you dad. I love the power this position has to offer,” I said, sounding eager.

Hoping my voice did not give my poor acting skills away.

But seeing the way a smile tugged on his lips, I knew he fell for my act.

“I knew you’d come to your senses,” he muttered proudly, as I put on a great show of smiling brightly.

“I’m your flesh and blood after all,” I replied.

“Hmm, I'll bring Marcel down now, for you to talk,” he said, moving to leave again.

My eyes widened in fear, as I spoke hastily, halting his steps.

“I think I should eat something before I speak with Marcel, Dad, I can barely speak well as it is.

I don’t want my weakness or worse to pass out when I’m apologizing to him,” I said, breathing heavily.

My father observed me with a frown as he nodded.

I watched as his gaze grew distant, and I knew he was speaking through the mind link.

A few seconds later, two guards came down the stairs and towards where he stood.

My father’s gaze moved to me, and I understood that it was his silent approval for me to order.

I put on a fake overly wide smile of happiness as I spoke.

“Inform Yulia to get me Marcel’s favorite pistachio pie,” I smiled, turning to face my father with a pout as I spoke.

“I think it’s better if Marcel came down to eat with me as we spoke.Seeing his favorite food might soften his heart towards me, don’t you think so too, Dad?”