My hands wouldn’t stop shaking. No matter how tight I clenched them, the tremor ran through like a pulse that refused to die. My knees were weak, my breathing uneven, and I could barely keep my eyes on him. The Alpha stood a few feet away, his tall fra shadowing the flickering light of the torches. His gaze, sharp, cold, and terrifyingly calm rested on as though he were watching an animal cornered in a trap.
He didn’t have to say a word.
That faint, twisted smile on his lips was enough to tell everything. He was enjoying this. My fear. My trembling. My helplessness.
I wanted to speak, to say sothing but my throat refused to obey. My tongue felt heavy, my voice trapped behind the pounding of my heart. I could only whisper, "Please..." but it ca out like a breath, a ghost of sound swallowed by the stillness between us.
Rose and Elara were still behind . I could feel their quiet sobs shaking the air, could sense their terror pressing against my back. We were all trapped here, and there was no way out. The door behind him was closed, the heavy lock gleaming in the dim light.
The realization hit like a punch: he had locked us in.
"Why..." My lips trembled. "Why are you doing this?"
He tilted his head slightly, that smile deepening calm, almost boyish, but in the worst way imaginable. "Because you tried to sneak into my quarters, didn’t you, little oga?" His voice was low, smooth, and taunting, like silk dipped in poison. "Did you think I wouldn’t notice?"
I swallowed hard, unable to look at him. My chest ached. My lungs hurt from the way I’d been breathing too fast.
"I—I just wanted to check on Rose," I stamred, my voice cracking. "She’s sick. You said—"
"Enough."
That one word froze the air. It cut through like a whip.
The room fell silent again, except for my own ragged breathing and the sound of Elara muffling her sobs with her hand.
He took a step closer.
Just one. But it was enough to make stumble back until my back hit the wall.
The scent of his dominance filled the room strong, suffocating, a mix of pine and iron. My wolf whimpered inside , shrinking back. My human side wasn’t any better; I felt like collapsing, like curling into a ball and begging for this to end.
"You think I don’t know everything that happens in my pack?" he said softly. "You think I wouldn’t notice three little ogas tiptoeing around the Alpha’s door?"
His eyes glinted. "You’re brave, Ellie. Stupid, but brave."
My na in his mouth sounded like poison
I shook my head quickly, tears blurring my sight. "Please I didn’t an to-
"Stop." His voice dropped lower. "I’ve heard enough."
I flinched again as he raised his hand not to hit , but to run it through his hair in a gesture so casual it made want to scream.
Then he said it so calmly it didn’t even sound like a threat.
"The only way I’ll release Rose and Elara without strangling them..." He paused, his gaze locking on mine. "is if you co with . Right now."
My breath hitched. "W-what?"
"You heard ." His smirk widened. "Follow , and I might just let them live. Stay, and I won’t promise I’ll be rciful."
Behind , I heard Elara’s faint gasp and Rose’s whisper of my na. My legs trembled so violently I could barely stay upright. My throat burned as I looked between him and the two terrified girls behind . Their faces were pale, eyes wide and wet with tears. They were shaking just like I was.
"I’ll go," I said, my voice breaking. "Just—just don’t hurt them, please."
He gave a mock bow. "Good girl."
The way he said it made my stomach twist.
When he turned toward the door, I hesitated only for a heartbeat then ran after him. My slippers nearly slipped off as I stumbled forward, heart pounding, tears burning my cheeks.
He didn’t look back as he unlocked the door, stepping into the hallway. But I could feel his amusent like the air itself carried it. He didn’t need to speak for to sense that he was mocking inside his head.
"Inner voice: You think you’re strong, don’t you?
You think this is bravery?
The words weren’t real. They weren’t spoken. But they echoed inside my skull as if my mind had learned the rhythm of his cruelty.
My steps faltered, but I forced myself to keep walking. My body shook so badly that when I tried to wipe my tears, my hand trembled uncontrollably. The corridor stretched ahead, dark and endless. Each step echoed like a countdown.
My breath grew uneven again. My eyes blurred. My vision swayed as if the world tilted with each heartbeat.
"W-Where are you taking ?" I stamred
He didn’t answer.
The silence was worse than any words could have been.
I pressed my lips together, praying silently in my head as we walked. God, please... please help . Please show a way. Please get out of this.
I’d never prayed this hard in my life. I didn’t even know if anyone was listening, but I had to believe soone was. I had to believe this wasn’t how my story would end—
in fear, in this cursed world, trapped with a man whose eyes looked like they’d seen hell and decided to stay there.
We reached a large door at the end of the hall. He stopped, his hand resting on the handle. I could see the faint smirk tugging at his lips again as he turned to look at .
"Are you afraid?" he asked.
I didn’t answer. My voice wouldn’t co out.
He leaned down slightly, his gaze eting mine. "You should be."
Then he opened the door and stepped inside and I followed.
The room was dimly lit, the scent of cedarwood heavy in the air. It was his private chamber his world, his control. My pulse raced so hard I thought I might faint.
He motioned toward the center of the room. "Stay there."
I did. Because what else could I do? He circled slowly, like a predator studying its prey. Every breath I took seed to echo in the silence. My tears had stopped, but only because I was too scared to move.
"Tell ," he said after a long mont. "Do you regret coming here?"
I nodded faintly, my voice a whisper. "Yes eh no, I an yes Alpha.
"Good," he said, smiling again. "Regret ans you’re learning."
Then he turned away, walking toward the window. His tone was light when he spoke next, but it made my blood run cold. "You’ll stay here tonight. And tomorrow we’ll see if your little friends have learned obedience too."
I wanted to scream. I wanted to run. But I couldn’t. My feet felt glued to the floor.
As soon as he left the room, closing the door behind him, my knees gave out. I dropped to the ground, sobbing silently, pressing my hands over my face.
"Please, God..." My voice cracked. "Please show a way. Please take back. I can’t do this anymore. I just want my life back."
I prayed until my throat hurt, until my tears ran dry, until my body shook so hard I thought it would break apart. I whispered every desperate word that ca to mind, begging for a miracle that wouldn’t co.
Sowhere in the hallway, I thought I heard laughter.
His laughter. And it broke sothing deep inside .
I curled into myself, trembling. My chest heaved with silent sobs. "He’s right," I whispered to the empty air. "I’m losing my mind. I can’t even tell what’s real anymore..."
The walls seed to close in. My vision blurred again. I didn’t know if I was crying or hallucinating. Maybe both.
All I knew was that I wanted to wake up. To go ho. To be Christy the doctor again the girl who loves her job. not ogas and Alphas and death. But as I sat there, shaking, I realized there was no way back. I rested my head on my arms, trying to steady my breathing, but my chest kept shuddering with quiet sobs. I couldn’t stop shaking. My body ached, not from pain but from exhaustion the kind that seeps into your bones when fear becos the only thing you know.
"Please" I whispered again, even though no one could hear . "Please let go ho."
Ho. The word burned like a wound.
And just like that-like a dam finally breaking the mories ca rushing back.
I used to hate early mornings.
Not because of the work, but because the hospital lights were too bright, too white, too cold. I rember standing in front of the mirror in the locker room, tying my hair into a bun, half-awake, half-alive, the sll of disinfectant already clinging to my scrubs.
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