CHAPTER FOUR : DUNGEON
1513 Words
My head felt heavy, that pounding kind, like a million bricks falling on it all at once. I groggily opened my eyes fighting through the pain as my blurred vision slowly cleared and I took in the complete darkness before me.
Something stilled inside me, and I twisted, struggling to sit up straight through my labored breath.
‘Lina,’ I called through my link trying to reach for my wolf, but all I felt was a void. I couldn’t feel her, and that sent a shiver shooting down my spine.
And just right there, memories of everything that had happened flashed through my mind, Marcel leaving me at the altar, cheating on me with Nate, my quarrel with Dexter and then my….
‘Oh heaven…my father, he f*****g drugged me!”
My veins flared with rage at the thought. I jumped from the bed-like surface as I rushed towards the colored gate before me only to freeze when the light from the hall brightened the entire place.
“No…no…no, this can’t happen…this is not true,” I breathed heavily, my wide eyes taking in where I was as I refused to believe my father had locked me in the pack's dungeon.
My hands wrapped around the steel rods of the gate, immediately ready to yell for help, just for a piercing scream to leave my lips when the silver coating the metal burned through my flesh.
My gaze moved to my hands seeing the raw skin, as pain erupted through my entire body. I breathed hard waiting for the flesh to cover up, but nothing happened…rather, my wound was not healing.
It should have healed by now… Why wasn’t it f*****g healing?
“Lina!” I called out this time, shouting at the top of my voice as dread shot through every core of my body. First I couldn’t feel my wolf, and now my wounds were not healing like they were supposed to.
“Help! Somebody help me!” I screamed in rage this time.
My chest heaved as my heart pounded hard against my rib cage.
“You see what your actions made me do to you, my princess,” that familiar voice echoed through the silent air.
My gaze immediately snapped towards the stairway. The light was even brighter there, and I watched as he walked down the stairs.
And then, his fingers moved to the light switch as the entire place brightened.
“Dad!” I whispered, a twinge of hope twisting in my chest, wondering maybe I had gotten everything wrong.
“Alina my dear,” his deep voice came, as he moved even closer to me, separated by the gate.
“The day you were born, do you remember what I told you about it?”
Something hooked in my throat making it hard to swallow, as his words brought memories flashing through my mind.
“That a seer cursed me?” I answered through my croaked voice
He shook his head, that dark smile still on his lips.
“No my dear, that was never a curse, but everybody else failed to see what I saw in you. The seer said, ‘Your destiny is wretched. You’ll be our destruction and savior.’ Why can’t you see it, Alina? Now it’s your time to fulfill your destiny, through this marriage.”
“What are you saying, Dad? Marcel…he…he, I caught him sleeping with Nate! I saw it with my own eyes. He brought disgrace to our entire pack and me by having an affair…”
“So what if he did?” He yelled, the calmness in his tone from a second ago completely gone as his baritone voice sent a quiver down my spine.
“So what if he decided to f**k someone else what’s wrong with that? Do you think you’re anything special Alina? If you did then you must be more foolish than your dead mother.
Maybe if you had cut down all those food you stuffed in your face you wouldn’t be looking like that, and maybe he might see something worth f*****g in you!”
His words hit harder than ever. I trembled under his gaze. And for a moment I was no longer stuck in the dungeon, but I was back to being the little girl desperate for her father's attention and approval.
“You and Marcel were perfect, the perfect union between two great packs, do you have any idea how many years I’ve worked to achieve this union?” He growled.
My hands curled beside myself, my nails digging into my injured skin, but I barely cared as I watched the monster before me.
“I raised you to be his perfect bride regardless of you being a weak useless healer. And now today, you made me seem like a fool in front of the entire pack and even Marcel!” He barked.
“You committed a grave sin today, Alina. An abomination by calling off your wedding with Marcel. But don’t worry, I'll make sure to correct it for you.”
“You’re supporting Macel’s actions?” I gritted my teeth, knowing I shouldn’t have expected anything more from him
“I’m Marcel’s mate. I’m supposed to…”
“You are supposed to marry him, become his Luna, and breed his children, nothing else, Alina. Marcel is the Alpha of the Crimson pack and he answers to no one. And he definitely does not answer to a she-wolf like you.
Do you understand what breaking off our alliance with the Crimson pack would cost us?” He hissed.
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 f*****g Silverwood pack…they’re growing every day. They are slowly posing a threat as the day passes, and you and I know very well they’ll move to attack us very soon.
So can’t you see it? 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 on 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.
Marcel was slowly killing my wolf by cheating on me after marking me!” I roared, fed up with everything.
“If your wolf dies then so be it, she was good for nothing anyway!” He gritted harshly, not hiding his revulsion.
And my entire form trembled as rage wrecked through me.
“Just like your mother,” he added, his jaws locking hard in disgust.
His comment made my entire form twist in anger, and I did everything to keep it as I spoke. “I will not marry Marcel, Dad,”
“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.
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,” he said calmly.
And then, he observed me. I stared, hating the way 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 until tomorrow morning.
By then, you should have come to your senses and realized 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.
My head swirled, knowing I needed to come up with a plan immediately. Letting him leave means I’ll be stuck here. I needed to do something else, I'll be forced to marry Marcel.
And just at that moment, that biting feeling of hunger wrecked through my body as my legs grew weak from lack of food and even water. 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.
- Writer
