Chapter 17

LUXURIA.

I can't tell how long I've been here. Days have blended into a haze of cold, damp darkness. My body trembles from the chill seeping through the stone walls, but it's the severe hunger that's worse.

They only bring food in long, excruciating intervals—once every day, if that. My stomach growls in protest, but the fear that clutches at me is louder.

I've been here for three days. Three endless, torturous days. At least, that's what I think. Time feels warped in this dungeon—this cursed place that stinks of decay and rot. The smell makes me gag every time I breathe, but what really drives me mad is the rats.

They're everywhere.

Monstrous, oversized rats scurrying across the filthy floor. Their large bodies brush against my legs as they dart by, their sharp claws scraping the stone.

I shudder every time they come near, my heart racing in panic. I can feel them, crawling, watching, waiting for me to break.

I hate them with a passion I never knew I had. My body tenses at the sound of their squeaking, the rustle of their tiny feet against the ground. It's maddening.

My breath quickened, and I pulled my knees tighter to my chest, trying to make myself as small as possible, but there's no escaping them. They're everywhere.

My injury, which was almost healing, was becoming sore again. It is taking more time to heal than usual. No proper care has been given to me.

I tried to scream, but my voice had gone hoarse from the cries that no one hears. No one comes to my aid. Not even the guards cared to glance my way, except it was time for the meager meal they brought my way.

I felt myself breaking, my sanity slipping away with every tick of silence, every squeak of those vile creatures. I clutched my arms, trying to hold myself together, trying not to lose it completely. But I can't stop thinking about him.

Alpha Parthe.

I wish he would come. I wish I could see him. I would fall to my knees and beg him, apologize for ever going to see Kahel. It wasn't worth it. None of it was worth it. And now I'm here, paying the price for a man who betrayed me with my own sister.

I rested my head against the cold wall, feeling the rough stone bite into my skin. I was breaking. I felt it in my bones. This place was breaking me piece by piece. The darkness, the isolation... it's like a cage closing in tighter and tighter. I felt like I was suffocating.

Wasn't it time for another food yet?

Just as I thought I would lose myself completely to the darkness and the rats, I heard the heavy creak of the dungeon door opening. I stiffened, my heart pounding. The guards never came in this quietly. They always barged in.

But this was different.

In the dim light, I squinted, expecting to see the familiar, gruff faces of the guards. Instead, I saw a figure standing in the doorway—small, delicate. A woman.

She stepped forward, and I could make out her features more clearly. Young, maybe in her early twenties, she had soft, olive skin and long, silky brown hair braided neatly down her back.

She carried a tray with her, balancing it carefully as she approached. I stared at her, bewildered. Who was she?

"Hey there," her voice was soft, almost like a lullaby in this nightmare. "I brought you some food. You must be starving."

She knelt beside me, carefully setting the tray down, ensuring it didn't spill. "I’m Zendaya,” she introduced herself with a smile that seemed so sincere it made me wary.

“I thought I’d bring it myself today,” she continued, her voice light, as if we weren’t in a dungeon, as if I weren’t caged like an animal. “It’s a little warmer when it’s fresh, and you could use something warm in your stomach.”

I eyed the food suspiciously but said nothing.

She noticed my hesitation, her smile faltering slightly. “I’m not one of the cruel guards,” she whispered conspiratorially, leaning a little closer. “I just...“I just help my mother in the kitchen. I thought—well, I thought no one deserves to suffer like this.”

I hesitated, unsure if I should believe her. There was something too easy about her kindness. But then again, I was desperate. I was too weak, too broken to question her. I only nodded slowly, and she took it as a sign to continue.

"Hey... I'm not like the others," she began, her voice soft yet steady. “I know we’ve never met, but I heard what the Alpha did to you. Although it didn't feel right but, that's how he is. He hates disobedience and rebellion.” She paused for a moment as if choosing her words carefully. “I thought I could make things a little easier for you while you're here.”

Her words felt strange, too considerate for this place. Her eyes never left mine, watching closely for any hint of trust. There was no sign of deceit, still... why would she care?

"T...thank you, Zendaya." I said weakly, drawing the food closer to myself. I was starving.

It looked more than what I've been served since I got locked up. Almost like a feast.

"You are welcome. I can assist you as long as you are in the pack." The girl said.

Her offer of assistance was tempting. I was tempted to ask about the Alpha. I desperately needed to see him.

“What about the Alpha?” I asked, my words muffled by the mouthful of food. I was eating like a starved animal, shoveling each bite in as if it might disappear. But I didn’t care. I was hungry—no, famished, in a way that gnawed at my bones.

I sensed a slight hesitation before she replied.

"He is well. Always busy, as usual."

"Can you do me a favor?" I asked, wondering if she was capable of such favors.

"What could that be?" She asked me.

"I want you to take a message to the Alpha for me."