Two: Shackled

Mara’s POV

The Alpha’s grip was iron around my throat, steady but not crushing. He was close enough that I could see the faint stubble along his jaw, smell the mix of pine, smoke, and something darker clinging to his skin.

His golden eyes gleamed like molten metal, cold and unyielding, yet behind them flickered something dangerous.

My wolf stirred restlessly, whining in the back of my mind, drawn to him. I slammed a mental wall down on her and bared my teeth instead.

Ronald’s lips curved, the faintest ghost of a smirk. “Defiant, how predictable.”

He released me abruptly, and I stumbled back, breath rushing into my lungs like fire. My throat throbbed under his fingers’ ghostly imprint.

“Take her,” he ordered.

Hands clamped down on my arms. The guards’ claws bit into my skin as they dragged me through the clearing. I twisted once, testing their grip, but they were ready for me, jerking me forward hard enough to make my shoulder throb.

The Bloodfang fortress loomed in the distance, a jagged shadow against the moonlit sky. Its gates were blackened iron, spiked and unwelcoming, and even from here I could hear the soft hum of power, a warning woven into the very walls.

Wolves ranged along the battlements, their glowing eyes tracking me with open hostility.

The guards shoved me through the gates, down a long stone path leading to the heart of the compound. The scent of dominance clung to every surface, an oppressive mix of wolf musk, old blood, and ash, thick enough to taste. Every step felt like walking deeper into a predator’s den.

The packhouse was massive, carved from gray stone, its towering spires stabbing at the night sky like fangs.

Torches flickered along the walls, their flames bending and snapping in the breeze, casting shadows that slithered like restless spirits.

As we passed the courtyard, wolves paused their conversations to sneer at me. Their whispers cut through the night like blades.

“Rogue.”

“Dirt.”

“Dead girl walking.”

I kept my chin high, face blank, though my heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears.

We descended into darkness. The air grew damp and cold, thick with mildew and rust. Chains clinked softly in the gloom, a grim chorus to the sound of my boots scraping against the steps.

A guard shoved me forward, and I stumbled into a cell. The heavy iron door slammed shut behind me with a finality that echoed through my bones.

The cell was barely large enough to stretch out in, the slick stone floor biting into my knees as I crouched. A single barred window sat too high to reach. One door, reinforced with steel. Two guards stationed nearby, their eyes glowing faintly in the dim torchlight.

Hopeless, if I thought like prey but I wasn’t prey.

Time crawled.

The sound of boots on stone made my head snap up. Ronald stepped into view, his presence filling the corridor like a storm cloud swallowing the sun. He didn’t hurry; predators never did.

The guards straightened instantly, lowering their heads in reverence.

“Leave us,” he said, his voice a deep rumble that rolled through me like distant thunder.

The guards obeyed without hesitation, the cell door creaking open as they stepped aside. Ronald entered, his golden gaze fixed on me, sharp and assessing.

The air felt heavier with him in it, thick enough to choke on. My wolf pressed against my skin, frantic, desperate to answer his call. I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood, anchoring myself in pain.

He crouched in front of me, resting his forearms casually on his knees, but his body radiated coiled strength. His golden eyes held mine with predatory patience, like a cat toying with a mouse.

“What’s your name?”

“None of your business,” I spat.

He tilted his head, amused. “You’re bold for a rogue caught trespassing on my land.”

“I’ve been called worse.”

His jaw flexed. “Who sent you?”

“No one.”

“Liar.”

The word cracked like a whip.

He studied me for a long moment, his gaze like molten steel. I met it without blinking, though my wolf trembled under the weight of his dominance.

“You smell like mine,” he murmured, his voice low and dangerous, a growl that made my breath hitch. My pulse spiked. “But I don’t want a mate.”

The words stung more than I expected, but I refused to show it.

“Good,” I said coldly. “Neither do I.”

His mouth curved slightly. It was not a smile, never that, but something colder. He leaned closer, his breath warm against my cheek. “Then you won’t mind dying.”

My fingers twitched toward the dagger they had taken from me. I imagined plunging it into his chest until those golden eyes dimmed.

But I said nothing.

Ronald rose smoothly, towering over me like a shadow cast by the moon. “Keep her alive,” he ordered the guards outside, his voice sharp enough to slice through the air. “For now.”

Then he was gone, leaving me shackled in the dark.

The silence that followed was suffocating. I curled my knees to my chest, resting my head against the cold wall, focusing on breathing evenly, calming my wolf’s frantic whines. The bond coiled around me like invisible chains, her soft, longing sounds echoing in my skull.

Traitor, I hissed at her, but she didn’t care. She only wanted him.

I closed my eyes, letting anger burn away the weakness. I would slit his throat one day. I swore it.

The night stretched on, every minute an eternity.

When footsteps returned, I expected Ronald. Instead, a guard unlocked the cell, his expression grim.

He tossed a length of rope at my feet. “Orders from the Alpha Council, you are to be executed at dawn.”