Chapter 2

Forgive us Luna.

As I drifted into sleep, I thought about the possibilities of what could happen to me. I was carried bridal style and placed on a soft surface in a car, which soon began to move. I heard the men talking, but I couldn't open my eyes. They mentioned riding something beautiful, which made me worry that they were referring to my beloved Blush. If anything happens to her, I swear to make their lives miserable.

I had to concentrate on my breathing and focus on the rhythm of my heartbeat to keep track of the car's movements. As the vehicle finally came to a stop, I closed my eyes and tried to map out my surroundings in my mind, using all my senses to piece together the information I had. I heard the creaking sound of a gate opening, and the car started moving again. I reminded myself to stay calm and focused, counting my heartbeat once more to keep my mind occupied and alert.

Eventually, the car came to a stop again, and I felt someone lifting me up with a muscular arm. I was turned around, and I began counting my heartbeat again. I heard the sound of a knob turning, a door opening, and footsteps approaching.

When I was finally placed on a soft surface, likely a mattress or bed, I wondered why someone would kidnap me and put me in a comfortable bed instead of a dungeon or on a concrete floor.

"Alpha,"

I heard someone speak in a low tone.

I didn't hear any sound of chains or handcuffs, so I assumed I wasn't tied down. I heard the footsteps of three people, and one of them sniffed me like a dog.

"She's just a human. She's no match for me," he said with a sneer. "She's weak." The masculine voice of someone called Alpha made tingles run down my spine, even though he insulted me and said I was no match for him.

"She doesn't belong here," his voice was so low that I almost didn't catch it, but his words sent a chill down my spine nonetheless and I was confused for the first time ever in my life thinking why would someone's words affect me this way. I don't even know how he looks and who he was.

"But Alpha, we need her," someone else spoke, but their words were met with a loud, crashing voice. It sounded like a vase breaking into pieces, followed by someone yelling out in anger, "Quiet!"

I could hear the authority in his voice as he spoke, "Keep this to yourself. I warn you, no one in the pack should know about this." His words were menacing and commanding, making it clear that he meant business. It was as if he had the power to control everything around him with just his voice.

The Alpha guy refused to accept anything the other dudes spoke but his dismissive attitude was infuriating. Despite the others trying to reason with him, he refused to listen and even went as far as to say that he didn't care about my fate. As he stormed out of the room, the tense atmosphere lingered, and I could feel the others' eyes on me. His words stung, and I couldn't shake off the anger brewing inside me. I despise being judged, and the fury was enough to snap me back to consciousness.

I tried to push myself harder and harder until I saw the two men's eyes looking at me in shock. They couldn't believe that I had regained consciousness so quickly, even though they had given me a high dosage of tranquilizer.

"Impossible," a blonde man looked down at me.

I smirked confidently, raising my feet up and expertly crossing them over my left, before stretching my arms out and folding them comfortably beneath my head. The way he looked at me only fueled my sense of accomplishment, and I couldn't help but revel in the feeling of superiority.

"You two better have some valid reasons to get me here, if not..." I trailed off as they exchanged a quick glance. Their hesitation made me suspicious.

"If not?" the other guy prompted, his tone challenging.

I couldn't help but giggle as I hopped up and stood up straight. Looking down, I confirmed that it was, in fact, a bed. "I'll tell you later," I replied with a sly smile, making my way toward the door. As I passed them, I couldn't resist adding, "Assuming you're both still capable of hearing by then."

I heard one of them calling out to me as I was leaving the small room, "Wait! Luna!" But I quickly corrected him, "People call me Adie," I corrected him sharply. "Short for Aderyn Brookes. Don't call me Luna or any other name ever again. I don't like it." My tone was firm and unwavering, letting them know that I wouldn't tolerate any disrespect. They didn't expect such a kind of gesture from their hostage. They thought I was going to freak out or try to escape, which I will definitely do later.

One of them cleared his throat and said, "Hey, I'm uh Blake." Then the other one said, "Hi, I'm Cole."

I had assumed that I would be taken to some dingy warehouse or a secluded location, but I found myself in a grand house instead. The place was colossal, almost resembling a mansion. As I looked around, I saw people. A lot of them would sniff the air whenever I passed by and some looked at me in confusion. Then I thought of the two dudes behind me. Why had they abducted me? What could be their motive?

As I walked, the two men accompanying me suddenly halted and erupted into a heated argument. Not wanting to be caught in the crossfire, I quickened my pace and turned left.

After scouring several rooms, even inadvertently interrupting some couples' intimate moments, I finally found the room I was seeking.

"This must be the kitchen," I muttered to myself.

As I stepped into the kitchen, the cool air from the fridge hit me, and I opened it to reveal a plethora of packaged meats and other edibles. "No wonder there are so many people in this house," I mused to myself as I grabbed a cold Coke from the shelf and began to drink it.

Suddenly, the two men who had been chasing me burst into the room, their argument momentarily forgotten. I tensed, bracing myself for whatever was to come next.

"Hey, what are you doing here? You are not allowed to leave your room," Blake, the blonde guy, stated, making me choke on my Coke.

"Allowed? I don't need anybody's permission to do anything, and what do you mean by what am I doing here? Can't you see it's a kitchen, and I'm hungry, so I'm eating your food," I stated the obvious.

Cole looked at me curiously and asked, "Why are you not afraid of us? We literally kidnapped you." I raised an eyebrow and replied, "Why should I be? If you wanted to hurt or kill me, you would have already done it, right?"

Blake spoke cautiously, "Yeah, we won't hurt you."

My lips formed a thin line as I slammed the coke can on the kitchen counter "So, what now?" I asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"We're not sure," Cole admitted. "We were just supposed to bring you here and wait for further instructions."

"Instructions from who?" I asked.

"Sorry, we can't tell you that," Blake replied.

I rolled my eyes. "Figures. Look, I don't want to cause any trouble. I just want to go home. Is there any way you can let me go?"

Cole and Blake exchanged another look, seeming to silently communicate with each other. Finally, Cole spoke up.

"We'll have to talk to our boss first. But don't worry, we won't harm you. We'll make sure you're comfortable while you're here," he said.

I nodded, not knowing what else to say. Comfortable? How could I be comfortable in a house where I was being held against my will? But I didn't want to anger them, so I kept my thoughts to myself. Maybe there was a logical explanation for all of this. Maybe they had mistaken me for someone else. But deep down, I knew that wasn't the case. I had a feeling that I was exactly who they wanted.

I walked around the kitchen, trying to distract myself from my thoughts. There was a large window above the sink, and I looked outside. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining down on the lush green trees in the backyard. It was hard to believe that I was trapped in this house against my will.

"Where's Jeena?" My mind immediately went to my beloved Audi, and I looked over at Blake for an answer. He seemed confused, ruffling his hair as he questioned, "Who's that?" I couldn't believe it - did they really leave my car stranded on the road? "My Audi," I clarified. "I call her Jeena."

Cole responded in a casual and composed tone, indicating that there was nothing out of the ordinary, "Your vehicle is securely stored in our garage, and we also found your bag in the car, which we have since retrieved and placed in your room, where you were situated a mere fifteen minutes ago."

Blake, his voice joining the conversation, urged us to move forward by saying, "Come on, let's get going."

Still feeling a bit puzzled by their sudden directive, I asked for further clarification, "Go where exactly?"

"To the alpha," Blake eagerly exclaimed, before receiving a swift smack on the head from Cole, who appeared to disapprove of his impulsive outburst.

Despite the physical reprimand, I found myself unable to suppress my curiosity and agreed with enthusiasm, "Okay then, let's go!" I was eager to learn more about this enigmatic destination and what mysteries it might hold.

We made our way down the corridor, and after ascending the stairs to the second floor, we found ourselves standing before a sizable wooden door. A knock was administered, and a husky voice replied, causing a ripple of shivers to travel down my spine.

Cole and Blake exchanged a knowing glance, as if they were privy to some information regarding this situation that I was not.

"This place is definitely weird," I thought to myself.

Without hesitation, Cole turned the knob and opened the door, with Blake following closely behind. I shrugged my shoulders and stepped inside after them, my eyes scanning the surroundings with curiosity.

It was an office, replete with bookcases, a couch, a desk, a mini-fridge, and a grand window made of glass.

I was so captivated by the interior that I didn't initially notice the three men observing me. When I finally did, my gaze settled on the man behind the large desk, who was none other than the same individual I had encountered at the diner.

He was dressed in a sleek black leather jacket, a crisp white shirt, and form-fitting black denim jeans. It was impossible not to notice the veins that protruded from his hands, a telltale sign of someone who spends a significant amount of time exercising.

I couldn't deny that he was incredibly handsome, with an aura of power and authority emanating from him.

Feeling a sense of urgency, I spoke up nonchalantly and asked, "Why am I here?" I hoped to keep the conversation brief, as I had only been in this strange place for half an hour and already wanted to leave. I had no desire to uncover the reason for my abduction if that was indeed what had occurred.

The man with the raven hair looked up from his desk and met my gaze directly, holding it for a few seconds before I squinted my eyes at him.

"Aderyn Brookes," he spoke up.

I was taken aback, wondering how he knew my name. I had only recently started using my real name, and as far as I could recall, I had only shared it with Blake and Cole just a few minutes ago.

"How do you know my name?" I asked, my confusion evident in my tone. "Your card says Nicolle Taylor, pretty interesting," he said, placing my fake ID card on the table in front of me. I let out a huff of frustration. "Well, I gave you options. Which one would you choose? Both might be fake. One might be real," I challenged him, hoping to throw him off balance and all he did was give out a very small smile. "Interesting. I would choose Aderyn. I like the name Miss Brookes," he replied, a small smirk playing on his lips. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his remark.

"What? Am I here for some name game shit? Come to the point,"

"Miss Brookes. I'm Dy-"

"I don't want your introduction. Just come to the point," I cut him off, enunciating each word with frustration. I noticed Blake seemed to be choking on air as he heard me, and I couldn't help but wonder if I had offended him. As for the man in front of me, his forest-green eyes suddenly turned black in a mere second. Wait! Did his eye color just change?

I watched as he shook his head and averted his gaze, before nodding and standing up. I couldn't help but wonder if his eyes had really changed color or if it was just my imagination. As he rose to his full height, I followed suit, feeling slightly intimidated by his towering presence.

"Miss Brookes, I know you have a lot of questions going on inside your mind, but I guess as they have already said, you are going to stay here for a while," he said, his voice firm and unwavering."

As he spoke, I couldn't help but feel a surge of anger rising within me. Who was this man to just decide that I had to stay here? I was not some pawn in his game.

"I don't recall asking for your permission," I retorted, my voice laced with frustration.

He didn't seem fazed by my response, instead, he simply crossed his arms and held my gaze. "As much as I hate the idea, I'm letting you stay here only because of my people," he continued. I scoffed at his words, rolling my eyes. "Your people? And what makes you think I would listen to you?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Do you like poems?" he questioned and I narrowed my eyes at him confused. "What?"

"I will make it simpler for you."

"As the owner of this land, dear Miss Brookes, My commands are the only ones that all will follow, for the time that you'll spend under my roof, my orders are what you must abide by and swallow. I hope you understand the weight of my words, and the consequences that will come if you stray, for as long as you are under my watchful guard, you will follow my rules each and every day." He finished speaking, his words lingering in the air like a weighty presence that refused to dissipate. I looked at him as if he had grown horns on his head, the audacity of his arrogance leaving me momentarily speechless. He stood there, tall and proud, framed by the window, basking in the self-importance of his words. The room fell silent, the only sound the steady rhythm of my breathing as I tried to gather my thoughts and find the words to respond.

"Weirdo," I muttered under my breath and heard someone out of the two again choking on the air because of my response.