Allison’s lips curled up baring her teeth. "Careful, Ember," she said, her voice low. "If you hadn’t stolen the locket you wouldn’t be here. I only ca here to check on you."
I tilted my head. "You an like you’re doing now? Coming down here just to see if I’m already broken?" My voice was calm. "Sorry to disappoint you. I’m still alive."
’Bloody liar.’
She stepped closer, and I had to fight the urge to step back. "You really don’t understand your place, do you?" she hissed. "This pack has rules. Hierarchy. And mutts like you don’t belong at the top of anything."
I smiled in amusent. "Funny. You’re the only one who seems scared I might be."
Her eyes flared with sothing—anger, maybe, or fear masked by arrogance. Either way, it was satisfying.
"I didn’t co here to argue with you," she said, smoothing down her sleeves as though wiping away the stench of this place. "I ca to give you a chance."
"A chance?" I echoed. "How generous. And what could that be?"
Her voice dropped so low it sent shivers down my spine. "Admit it, that you took the locket. Say it was a mont of weakness, a lapse in judgnt. Alpha Damon might still have rcy if you show submission."
My nails dug into my palms. "So you want to lie? Why? To cover up your cris?"
She scoffed, ignoring my question."I want you to survive," she replied quickly. "Even soone like you must understand that survival sotis ans sacrifice."
"Alpha Allison..." I paused, giving her a good look. "That’s not an option."
She stared at for a long mont. "You’re not the first to defy , Ember. And certainly won’t be the last. But I know how to make your type obey to the extent of worshiping the ground I walk on." With that, she turned and walked toward the cell door.
Before she could knock to be let out, I called after her, "You’ve gone through a lot of trouble to get rid of . I wonder what you’re so scared of."
She didn’t turn around. "I’m not scared," she said softly, "I’m just thorough."
The door opened. She walked out, and it closed behind her with a clang that echoed louder than it should have.
I let out a slow breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My body was still tense, but my mind was already spinning.
I sat down on the mattress, cold beads of sweat trickled down my face. I closed my eyes, ’it seems like being a breeder is not a good occupation.’
.....
Hours passed. I lay on the bed staring at the cented ceiling, I didn’t know exactly how many hours had gone by. My body was too sore, my mind too restless to sleep.
The torchlight had dimd. The sounds of the dungeon had quieted, save for the occasional distant clatter or soft drip of water echoing sowhere deeper in.
Then... the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the air. This ti, they were softer, and more cautious.
I turned to the iron bar gate and a figure approached.
’Caroline.’
She stood just outside the bars, eyes flickering toward the guards, who were leaning against the wall, half-asleep.
I rushed to the bars, my voice low. "What are you doing here?"
She leaned in. "I told you I’d help. Lydia is keeping the guards distracted. You have five minutes—maybe six. Are you up for this?"
’Up for what exactly?’
My heart leapt. "For what?"
Caroline bit her lower lip and reached into her cloak, pulling out a thin hooded robe. "Put this on. We’re switching places."
"What?" I blinked. "No. That’s..."
"Not up for debate," she cut in firmly. "Lydia helped rub a faint layer of scent-shifter on . It won’t last long, but it’s enough to throw off anyone who walks by. I’ll pretend to be you until you co back."
"But why should I go out? And that is too dangerous, what if you get caught..."
"I won’t be," she said simply, though the fear in her eyes told she knew the risk.
’This is a perfect opportunity, Ember. You can go out and find evidence that Alpha Allison was behind all of this.’
"I owe you." My throat bobbed.
"No," she whispered. "We just owe you a chance to fight back."
I hesitated a second longer, then pulled the robe over my head.
Caroline quickly opened the gate with a key I guessed she’d taken from one of the sleeping guards. She slipped inside the cell, mimicking my posture on the mattress.
I closed the gate, keeping the keys gently on the floor, to make it look like they might have dropped it.
"Where do I go?"
"Lydia left the side gate slightly unlocked. Take the tunnel. It leads to the outer gardens, and from there, it’s all on you. Just... don’t get caught." She whispered.
I nodded, my heart skittered in my chest. This was a big risk, however it was the only way to prove my innocence. I hesitated, my gaze lingered on her, my fist clenched into a ball.
"Go," she whispered.
I gave a curt nod, and moved quickly through the pathway, keeping to the shadows. My legs still ached, but adrenaline pushed forward.
Every corner I turned, every cell I passed, I expected to be caught. But the guards were absent, or distracted. Lydia’s work I believed.
I reached the side gate. It creaked softly as I slipped through.
The air outside hit my face like a bucket of ice. Night had fully fallen, and the stars hung above like quiet witnesses.
I wrapped the robe tighter around myself and moved through the garden paths, my feet crunched on gravel.
I didn’t know exactly where I was going. But I found myself in an open space, with torches burning on the walls, guards patrolling the area, so in their wolf form and others in their human form.
I rested my back on the wall, I heaved heavily, trying to calm my storming heart. They might pick up on the sound, and that would be the end of my existence.
Suddenly a growl rumbled through the air, my heart stopped beating for a mont, the hair on my body stood up on their ends.
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