Not like them

Fear coiled in my empty stomach as the werewolves moved toward me. My limbs were too weak to fight back, but that didn’t stop me from trying. I pushed against the ground, attempting to stand, but my knees buckled instantly.

Beta Henry clicked his tongue. “Pathetic,” He muttered.

A strong hand grabbed my arm and yanked me up. My head spun, black spots dancing in my vision as I was half-dragged, half-carried out of the dungeon. The cold, damp air of my prison was replaced by the warmer, wood-scented corridors of what I assumed was the Alpha’s private quarters.

Idris’s quarters.

The thought made my skin crawl.

I was shoved through a heavy wooden door, and I stumbled forward, barely catching myself. The room was large, dimly lit by a few lanterns. A fireplace crackled in the corner, its warmth a stark contrast to the chill of the dungeon. The space was both luxurious and suffocating, dark furs draped over a massive bed, weapons mounted on the walls, and the lingering scent of him , earthy, wild, and unsettlingly intoxicating.

I turned to face the werewolves, but they were already closing the door. The lock clicked into place.

I was trapped.

Alone. In the Alpha’s room probably.

A shiver ran down my spine, but I forced myself to stand tall, despite the weakness dragging me down. I wouldn’t cower.

Not yet.

I tried to be strong but everything changed when I heard footsteps then I heard the door being unlocked. 

Idris is going.....

My thoughts were interrupted when my eyes fall on the person who entered inside the room. It wasn’t Idris this time and not the beta. 

It was an old woman with grey hair.

"Why haven't you bathed yet?", She questioned while taking in my appearance. I didn't bother responding to her, I just stared at her in my weak eyelids. 

"I don't like repeating myself, go and bathe",

"Damn! Why did the moon goddess choose a human to our luna this time?!".

The old woman’s words echoed in my head, but I barely had the strength to process them.

Luna?

Did she just call me their Luna?

A sick feeling twisted in my stomach. No. That couldn’t be right. I wasn’t one of them. I wasn’t meant to be here.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry and raw. “I’m not your Luna,” I rasped, forcing the words out.

The old woman’s sharp gaze flicked over me with something between pity and disapproval. “That’s not for you to decide, child.”

Her words sent a cold shiver down my spine.

Before I could protest again, she sighed and moved toward a side door, pushing it open. “The bath is warm. You stink of sweat and filth. Wash yourself before the Alpha returns.”

I didn’t move. My body screamed for warmth, for relief, but my mind resisted.

I wasn't a werewolf like them.

Why should I obey?

As if sensing my hesitation, the old woman turned to me again, her expression softening. “I decided to be soft on you because I'm a mother dont make me regret my decision ” She spoke . Something in her tone made my chest tighten but I still didn't obey. 

 I wasn’t her child because I didn't belong to them.

I didn’t want to do anything they told me to. I didn’t want to give in.

The silence stretched between us, thick with my defiance. I didn't say anything and finally she shook her head, her patience clearing thinning.

“You’re stubborn,” she muttered. “But stubbornness won’t save you here, child. It won’t change what you are to us.”

Her words scraped against my raw nerves. What I was to them? A prisoner? A trophy? A Luna?

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my dirty palms. “I’d rather rot in that dungeon than pretend to be something I’m not,” I spat

The old woman’s  lips pressed into a thin line. “Then you’ll rot,” she said simply. “And when the Idris returns, don’t expect mercy. You will only eat if you obey him", 

The reminder of Idris with his golden  eyes  sent a fresh wave of unease through me, but I refused to show it. I refused to let them break me.

The old woman shook her head, as if I were a foolish child. “Stupid human,” she murmured. Then she turned and walked toward the door.

As soon as she left, I clenched my fists, nails biting into my palms.

I didn’t want to listen to her.

I didn’t want any of this.

But the lingering chill from the dungeon was still buried deep in my bones, and my body was betraying me, desperate for any form of comfort.

Swallowing my pride, I took a shaky step toward the bathing chamber.

The room was dimly lit, the flickering lanterns casting shadows across the walls. Steam curled through the air as I hesitantly stepped inside. A large bathtub filled with warm water sat in the center, the scent of herbs and oils drifting toward me.

I hesitated. Bathing felt like giving in. Like surrendering to the role they were trying to force me into.

But my body ached, my skin caked in grime, my muscles stiff from being held captive in that freezing dungeon.

Just a bath. Nothing more.

I peeled off my torn, bloodstained clothes, shivering despite the warmth, and stepped into the water. A sigh slipped from my lips as the heat embraced me, chasing away the cold that had settled deep in my bones.

I closed my eyes, letting myself relax for just a moment. But the peace was fleeting.

I was still a prisoner. Still in the Alpha’s quarters. Still trapped.

The thought sent a fresh wave of unease through me.

I hurried, scrubbing away the filth, as if I could erase the mistreatment from my skin. As if I could wash away the reality of where I was.

Once done, I found a neatly folded dress waiting for me. It was soft, simple, but clearly not something meant for a prisoner.

I scowled. Dressing in their clothes felt like another form of submission. But I didn’t have much of a choice.

As soon as I was clothed, the door creaked open. My heart lurched.

Not the old woman this time.

Not Beta Henry.

A tall figure stepped inside, his golden eyes glowing like embers in the dim light.

Idris.

My breath caught in my throat.

He had come.