CHAPTER 5 -MAKE-SHIFT PACK - LYRA'S POV
2000 Words
My first month in the Pit was a struggle. A part of me kept holding onto the hope that Tyson would realize his mistake, and find out I'd been wrongfully imprisoned and come to rescue me, but as the days flowed on, that hope began to dwindle.
Kael and I worked on our new tunnel, but the morning sickness was making it difficult for me to stay in the damp tunnel for long before I was throwing up.
I often cried myself to sleep, but my Alpha would just hold me in comfort, and whisper that the pain would lessen as I adjusted to the new reality.
The day of the food supplies, I was determined to get the chicken. Kael told me he'd changed his mind, and that he'd train me, but I wasn't hearing it. I was getting that chicken.
We stood at the entrance of Kael's territory, and I looked around. It was dark, but I could still see several others, all holding weapons as they too waited.
''Why don't they just all work together and share everything?''
Kael looked at me like I was crazy, ''Girl, one day soon you need to remember that you're imprisoned. This isn't a day spa. You have to fight for what you want or you and that kid are going to die. I'm not going to be around forever to protect you.''
''We'll be out long before you pass on.''
''For your sake, I hope that's true.''
As the heavy platform creaked, Kael straightened, ''This is it, Lyra, don't let your conscience rule you, or you'll die.''
I nodded and focused.
The smell of raw meat, grains, fresh water, and other items wafted in as the platform lowered, and then I heard the chicken, there was at least four.
When the platform was low enough, Kael yelled, ''NOW!''
Immediately, the cries of desperation of the other prisoners erupted. Men and women lunged forward, clawing at each other, growling and attacking with their crude weapons.
I pushed through the chaos, shoving past prisoners, all grabbing what they could. My heart raced, a wild drumbeat echoing in my ears.
I managed to grab two bottles of fresh water, shoving them into the material bag I'd tied together before looking around for the chickens. I lunged for them, desperate and determined. While two prisoners were fighting, I grabbed not one, but two birds, shoved the poor animals into my bag, and started to run frantically back to Kael's area.
I was just about to reach my goal when I heard a cry for help. Another woman was being attacked for the small items she'd managed to grab.
''DON'T!'' My Lycan shouted, as I hesitated, but when the man started to choke the girl, my mind was made up.
I ran over and swung. I punched him right in the face, knocking him back, before I quickly grabbed the girls arm, and ripped her up, losing one of my chickens in the process.
It was frazzled, but trying to escape, and I quickly went after it. I managed to grab it by one of its legs, when the man I'd hit grabbed my arm.
''YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT YOU B*TCH!''
A sharp pain shot through my arm as he slashed at me with his dirty blade and tried to get me to release the chicken. I stumbled back, blood dripping from the wound, and the chicken slipped from my grasp again.
The man grabbed it, but I kicked up my leg, making hard contact with his groin, and he fell to his knees. I then thrust up my knee, hitting his jaw, and knocking him out.
I quickly grabbed the chicken and turned back to the girl. ''Are you coming or not?!''
She looked like she couldn't believe what she was hearing, but nodded, and we ran back to Kael's territory to find him waiting with all of his goods.
''HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!?'' He shouted, and the women coward, ''YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN YOURSELF KILLED SAVING THIS GIRL. GET RID OF HER. WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER MOUTH TO FEED!''
''NO!'' I shouted, and he looked at me in shock. I took a steadying breath, ''Forgive me Alpha, I owe you more then I can ever repay, but I will not let this place change me. I will not sit back and do nothing while someone is in need of help.''
''And that is exactly what's going to get you killed.''
''Please can she stay?''
He looked at her, ''You even think about robbing us, and I'll cut your throat.''
''I won't.'' She said, almost pleadingly.
''She's your responsability. I won't feed her. Any food she has, comes out of your portion.''
''I understand.''
''And how understanding are you going to be when that kid needs food?''
''Well it's a good thing we have these!'' I carefully pulled out one of the chickens, that looked as if it had been through a war, it's features were falling off, and it looked slightly squished.
''You got it.''
''I got two!'' I said proudly, ''Now you have to train me.''
''From what I just saw, you don't need much training.'' He smiled and took one of the chickens. ''We're eating this one tonight, the one is for eggs.''
''Okay.'' I said easily. I wanted to eat something other than rat. Kael had confessed to me what the meat was, that we'd been eating. It was rat. Large rats lived here in the Pit. How they got in was beyond me, but there were loads, and we'd eat one every day.
''Clean up that cut before it gets infected.''
As Kael walked off to kill the poor little chicken. I turned to the girl. She was covered in dirt, her clothes torn and covered in Goddess knows what, and her brown hair was thin and patchy. She had bruises visible under the dirt on her skin, and several scars.
''I'm Lyra, and that's my Alpha, Kael. You are?''
''Kaliah.'' She answered, her eyes darting around as if she was worried someone would jump at her from behind something.
''Why are you in the Pit?''
''I killed my Alpha.'' She admitted, and didn't look remorseful.
''Why?''
''He raped me, but his mate lied to the King, and he threw me in here.''
''Okay, well it should please you to know he's been killed.'' I nodded, ''Do you want to risk getting your things?''
''I don't have anything.'' She said, her voice sounding broken now.
''Well you do now.'' I smiled and touched her arm, but she cringed in fear. ''No one will hurt you. Unless you try to hurt us, of course, in which case, we'll kill you.''
''I won't.'' She shook her head.
''Come on. Let's get you settled.
After making her a bed with some old cloth's, and some cardboard boxes, I turned to see her standing with her back against the wall.
''It's not much, but it'll do.''
''It's better than what I've used for the past three years.'' She told me, as she walked over, and then she froze, ''Your cut... it's healed?''
''I heal quickly.'' I smiled. ''Here.'' I gave her one of the water bottles. ''We share everything here, so what did you get?''
She sat down, and I copied her, as she pulled out a bag of rice, four apples, and some packets of biscuits.
''Good hall.'' I smiled and picked up the rice, ''This will go great with the chicken, sit and rest. You really are safe now.''
We enjoyed a feast that night, chicken and rice, and an apple each for dessert, and for the first time, I went to bed full. Kael didn't follow through with his threat, and gave us each the same size portion of food.
Kael had managed to get four bottles of water, rice, a load of bread, a few oranges, and some of the meat. Having an Alpha on your side, was a bonus, but from what I could hear from the others, the ones who'd tried to r*pe me on my first night, they'd gotten the bulk of the food, and were lording it over everyone.
Fear was my constant companion in the Pit. Days turned into weeks, that turned into months, and Alpha Kael and Kaliah became my lifelines, and we'd even helped three more prisoners, a man named Felix who was sent to the Pit because his Alpha claimed he was a dangerous rogue, but it was clear the boy wouldn't hurt a fly. An older woman, Elly, a nurse, who was accused of killing an Alpha's child, but the baby had died during childbirth and there was nothing she could do, and Stephanie, who admitted to killing the Luna of her pack who would often abuse and beat pack members and children.
Kael was equal parts happy and annoyed at our growing number, but I knew the Alpha in him, who longed for a pack, was winning over the annoyance.
Kael taught me and the others to fight every morning, adjusting his lessons depending on my size as my son grew, then in the afternoon, we'd dig, only stopping to eat once a day.
When my spirits would fade, Kael would share stories of my parents, sing songs, teach me the histories of our pack, and we'd create tales of what we'd do once we all escaped and were back in the world beyond these stone walls.
Once a month, the food would come down, and every time there would be fights, resulting in the deaths of one or two, and injuries for the other. But that worked out for me. I informed the others that I could heal, and was willing to trade, and they'd come to be healed, and would barter things. Every time it happened, I would gloat to Kael that I managed to trade something that didn't involve me spreading my legs.
Before I knew it. I was nine months pregnant, and I was working in the tunnel with Elly when I felt a sharp pain, and fell to my knees, crying out in pain.
''Lyra?'' She threw down her digging device and grabbed my arms, ''Is it time?''
Through clenched teeth, I nodded, ''Yes.''
''KAEL!'' Elly shouted, and I heard running. ''Come on, up you go.''
I leaned on her, and shakily got to my feet, and I heard Kael climbing up the stairs we'd made.
''What's wrong?'' He shouted, as we came into view.
''The babies coming,'' I told him.
''Oh cr*p.'' He turned, ''Kaliah, get the water boiling, it's time!''
Everyone helped me down, and set me up in the back of the cave that I'd cleaned as best I could for the birth, while the others busied themselves around me.
''I don't want him born here.'' I whispered as I grabbed Kael's hand, ''I thought we'd be out by now.''
Kael laughed and shook his head, ''Kid, it'll be years before we break through. You need to reside yourself with the fact that this kids growing up here, at least the first few years.''
''Don't worry about that right now,'' Elly told me, ''We're focusing on bringing this baby into the world.''
''I'm lucky you're here.'' I smiled at her.
''No offense honey, but I'd rather be anywhere else.''
I laughed, and laid back.
''Get some rest while you can,'' She told me, ''Your in for a long night.''
I nodded and closed my eyes. I couldn't help but wonder what Tyson would think about his son and heir being born in a hole in the ground. Surrounded by waste, piss, and blood, but when I heard my make-shift pack rushing around helping me, I smiled. No... My son was being born around love and family, even if it was in the darkness.
He was my light in the darkness, my most precious treasure, and I vowed to get him out of here. I would get him free.
- Writer
