ALANNA
Fear. Anguish. Terror. Pain.
Those were my constants, my oxygen, and the fucking air I breathed.
The torture had stopped, sure. They were feeding me now, patching me up like I was something worth keeping alive. But deep down, I knew better. I wasn't being saved, I was being prepared.
Every bone in my body remembered the moment he walked in. That fucking Alpha and his godlike presence. I wasn't lucky to be alive. I was just unlucky enough to be kept breathing… for now.
Eating was a chore. Swallowing felt like betrayal. I felt like cattle fattened up for the slaughter.
But that wasn't the worst of it.
What really fucked me up were the dreams. Every time I shut my eyes, my mother died all over again. I died all over again, and those two bastards, Richard and Chase, they were out there, probably sipping drinks and patting each other on the back for what they'd done to me.
Justice? That was a goddamn joke.
Ivorymoon used to be everything. We built that place with our blood and sweat, my pack, ny home, and those assholes destroyed it in one fucking night.
And Chase? I refused to let my mind go there. He'd meant everything once. But now, just thinking about him triggered memories of my wolf, how she screamed as rogues tore through her flesh. She was murdered, butchered, and for what? Greed?
The wounds on my body healed, but inside, I was bleeding out. I began to see Mom standing there, just out of reach. Every time I tried to touch her, she vanished, and I cried like a goddamn child.
I've never felt so useless. So broken.
I wanted to die. But death was a fucking tease. I stopped wanting anything. Not food. Not light. Not life. Just…nothing.
Then, like the devil had heard my thoughts, he spoke.
"Are you throwing a tantrum?"
His voice sliced through my misery like a blade. My heart jumped. When the fuck had he entered? I didn't feel him, no warning, no pressure in the air like last time. Just his voice.
The windows flew open, and Alpha Stefan strolled in like he owned the place, because he did.
Flanked by two beasts of men, soaked in blood that wasn't theirs. His hair was tousled, his eyes on me like I was the most interesting thing in the world.
One of the guards pulled out a chair. The other rolled out a map and started pinning locations. All business.
"Set her free," Stefan said without breaking eye contact.
Everything froze. Even the guards looked at him like what the fuck? But no one disobeyed. A second later, the shackles were off and I hit the cold floor. Relief was a brief, sweet ache.
"Why are you throwing tantrums?" he asked again, voice calm but deadly.
I didn't answer. I couldn't. My throat was dry and my brain was fried. But something about his voice made my skin prickle in places that had no business reacting.
Then they brought in another table, and laid out torture tools like fucking art pieces.
"She's the first person to make me repeat myself," Stefan murmured, tilting his head. "And still ignoring me."
The others turned to look at me. Some glared. Some smirked. Some looked almost…sad. My confusion must've been written all over my face.
"Mason," Stefan said, "Why do you think she's throwing tantrums?"
"Lies," Mason replied with a casual shrug. "Her story doesn't make sense. She's rejecting food. Classic suicide attempt. She's looking for the easy way out."
Stefan smirked. Then it disappeared, and he pointed at me, eyes cold.
"You were dumb enough to wander into my territory," he said. "I'll be the only way you get out. I'm giving you one chance. Tell me the truth. Why are you here? How did you get in? Don't fuck with me like you did with the others."
My mouth opened. Nothing came out. After a few shallow breaths, I forced words through my ravaged throat.
I told him everything. Betrayal. Blood. Cliff. Chase. My mother's death. The agony. I bled it all out like it might save me.
As I spoke, the men made marks on the map. When I finished, one of them grunted.
"Still doesn't add up."
Stefan leaned forward, studying the map like it insulted him.
"You had one chance," he growled.
"I swear, I'm telling the truth!" I begged, my voice shaking.
He nodded toward the table, his expression unreadable. My body moved before I could argue. Shaky legs carried me forward.
Mason pointed. "You were found here. You say you fell from there. Even a wolf at full sprint would take four days to make that distance. Not one fucking night."
My jaw dropped. I stared at the map, stunned. How the hell did I get here?
Stefan inhaled sharply. "Try again," Mason urged. "Answer him."
But I didn't. I got caught up on the name. Stefan. His name hit me like a shot of fire down my spine.
"No," Stefan suddenly said. "She's been telling this same story since day one. Isn't that right, Alanna?"
My name in his mouth sent a ripple through me. I shook my head. "I have nothing else to add."
The tension thickened.
"This ends now," Stefan barked. "Everyone. Out."
My heart pounded. My tongue turned to lead. The room emptied. Then:
"You," he snapped.
My body shot up like it had been jolted by lightning. My legs carried me forward until he was inches away. So fucking close.
I looked up at him, his gaze was burning. I couldn't look away. I didn't want to.
Then, in a blink, I was slammed against the wall. Hard.
His hand wrapped around my throat. He bared his teeth. My breath caught but not in fear.
My body was… humming. Betraying me.
Heat swirled low in my belly. What the fuck is wrong with me? He was choking me. He was about to kill me.
And I was burning for him.
"Look at me," he growled. "I want to be the last thing you see."
Our eyes locked. And then, I felt it.
A soft echo. A whisper in my soul.
My wolf.
She wasn't gone. Not completely. I felt her stirring.
"Any last words," he asked, bringing me back to my reality.
"Please!" I said, surprising myself.
He narrowed his eyes.
"It's too late for that," He mused, tightening his grip.
"I h-have…a…p-proposition," I sputtered.
He raised a brow.
"Please, just give me a chance… one chance. Let's make a deal."
I didn't know where the confidence was coming from. Was it because I discovered that I didn't completely lose my wolf?
"Are you insane?" He hissed. "We went past that a long time ago."
"I know, but please, just listen. You'll still kill me anyway."
He narrowed his eyes again then looked away. The room was silent for a moment before he bellowed, "Get lost."
My whole body quaked. I thought he was referring to me, but the guards scurried out. As soon as we were alone he released me and I fell to the fall.
"You have 5 minutes." He grumbled and folded his arms.
My hands rubbed my throat. Was it weird that I missed the contact and his warmth? I coughed to stall him because I didn't know where to start.
My life depended on this moment and everything I was going to say. I didn't want him to pity me, it was useless, I wanted him to see me as either an asset or a tool.
They said in situations like this, it was best to start from the very beginning and leave nothing out.
"I'm Alanna Agnelli, daughter of the Alpha of Ivory Moon," I started. "The night I fell into your territory was supposed to be my coronation as the Alpha of Ivory Moon Pack."
He sneered, "And why the fuck should I care?"
"Because after listening to my story, you're going to have to choose between taking my offer and killing me. Either way, I am going to exact my revenge on the ones responsible for my current state. I want to become worse than their worst nightmare and I will see it happen. I don't care if the world burns or the earth shatters. You can kill me now, but best believe, I'll shake the underworld and the afterlife until it lets me return to have my revenge."
He smirked. "Interesting. Go on, I'm all ears."