You're the prettiest devil I've seen.

Two days had gone by since the day Olivia escaped her worst nightmare and ran straight into the arms of another one. She couldn't believe how drastically her life had changed in a matter of a few days. 

If Noah's doings weren't enough, now, she awaited a trial. Yes, exactly, a darn trial about her future inside or outside the territory she was kept as a prisoner. 

The funniest part of the mess was that Olivia couldn't understand how a man with such an honourable reputation and name could be so mean. He didn't spare a moment to listen to her or even consider letting her explain what had happened. "So much for the sanctuary for the lost and forgotten," she whispered, pulling her knees to her chest. 

The cells were cold and smelled worse than some public toilets she had used back in England. Olivia sat on the ground, which didn't have as much as concrete to cover the dirt; her back was pressed against the rock wall, and her eyes were closed. After two days without water and food, her stomach rumbled louder than the feral rogues in the other cells. 

She knew that by the time someone pulled her out of there, she would look like an absolute mess. Not that she already didn't, given she had to sleep on the ground and some guards found it amusing to splash prisoners with water. Once the dirt became mud, it stuck to Olivia's skin, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get it off anymore. 

The guard's excuses for the improvised shower didn't make much sense, but Olivia knew better than to complain. 

Besides, she knew that everything might have ended way worse than it was now. If she didn't get stuck in this territory, there was no saying where she might have ended up. 

Any other Alpha would have sent her back without as much as listening to her story since, by their law, she was Noah's property. There was a chance she might have run into rogues or slept in a cave. 

Olivia was aware that the conditions provided by Alpha Landon weren't the best, but they still felt better than nothing. Soon enough, she would face the Alpha's son, tell him everything that happened and beg the man to let her go. 

She refused to consider the possibility of returning to Noah. Anything, even death, felt better than life trapped under a ruthless man. 

"You look weird. Has anyone told you that before?" The guards' voice startled Olivia; she threw her head back with such feed it hit against the rock with a loud thud. 

Olivia knew she most likely split skin since something warm ran down her spine, but she refused to show weakness. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, mister guard, but yes, I've heard that plenty of times." She whispered, eyeing the guard with caution. 

The last thing Olivia wanted was to annoy or anger the guards. Besides, she had to show them she was better than they thought. 

Just because this pack became a rival to that of her adoptive parents didn't mean Olivia had no manners or respect for others. 

"What are you?" The guard scratched his bald head and raised an eyebrow at her. Though usually, she would find the question offensive, Olivia could see the confusion on the guard's face, so she figured the man was being curious, not trying to disrespect her. 

With a loud sigh, she shook her head and smiled. "The doctors told me I have albinism. It's something about lacking pigment; that's why I'm so pale, my hair is white and eyes are, as you say, weird." As Olivia raised her eyes to look at the guard, she realised the answer came as one she would give to a friend, so to fix the mistake, she added, "sir." 

"Never seen a wolf albino, that's for sure. Your eyes, yeah, those are bizarre. Has anyone told you they don't like to meet your gaze? Like, with all due respect, young lady, but looking into your eyes creeps me out. There's something eerie hidden in those orbs, something that kicks in the instinct to survive. You're the prettiest devil I've seen." The guard chuckled and went about his way without sparing Olivia another glance. 

She couldn't understand why, all of a sudden, the guard decided to question her. It wasn't that Olivia hadn't heard the same questions more than once over the years; it was how the man caught her off guard.

Once he was far enough, Olivia reached back to check if the damage on the back of her head was more than a tiny split, and once her fingers ran over the massive cut, she flinched, sucking in a breath. 

Asking for help or assistance wasn't an option since she was a prisoner, so the best she could do was to tear off fabric from her dress and press it against the wound. If she were back home, she would have to get some stitches, but extras as such were meant for pack members, not Olivia. 

There was a risk of getting an infection given the conditions Olivia was stuck in, but there was no way to avoid that either. 

Struggling to add the necessary pressure to her wound, Olivia didn't notice how the same guard was returning from his walk. He stopped at her cell and sniffed. "I smell blood," he pointed out the obvious. 

Olivia wanted to snap back with a sarcastic remark, to say something so disrespectful that it would shut the guard up for good. Something so venomous that he would think twice the next time he called her devil, but for such an outbreak, the consequences might be more than Olivia could bear. 

"It's my fault, sir. I didn't notice you approaching the cell earlier, and once you spoke, your voice startled me, and I raised my head too fast. Kind of hit it against the wall and split the skin a little. It's nothing big; I'll be fine," she added the last part even though she knew the guard didn't give two shits about her well-being. He needed to ensure the prisoners sat in their cells and didn't escape before the trial. 

"No," the guard shook his head. "I need to warn my Alpha. You are a prisoner, but that doesn't make you less than others. Just because life deals everyone different cards doesn't mean they're less human or wolf," the guard announces and storms off. 

A bitter chuckle left her lips at the words. How was he to claim Olivia wasn't less than others if his Alpha never gave her a chance to explain why she was there? She never crossed the border to harm someone or stir up trouble. If it weren't for the bitter man in that office, she would be on her way to England. 

Sharp pain at the back of her head made Olivia press the blood-drenched fabric against her wound more forcefully. She had no idea how bad it was, but this had to be the worst accident she had had over the years. 

As time passed, Olivia felt light-headed and black dots started clouding her vision. She must have lost more blood than she thought if this was how her body reacted. 

Olivia's eyelids felt heavier than ever. Strength slowly flooded out of her muscles, and she couldn't force herself to hold the fabric to her wound. If it were her fate to bleed to the death of the enemy's cells, she'd accept whatever it was for as long as she didn't have to return to Noah. 

When she gave in and let her eyes close, Olivia heard distant voices nearing the cell. One of them had to be the guard who spoke to her earlier, but there were two more men who spoke, voices she had never heard. 

There was a sound of metal hitting metal, and then the cell door opened. Before anyone approached her, Olvia's body slumped on the ground. "She lost too much blood; we need to get her to the hospital," someone announced in panic. Olivia tried to open her eyes, but each attempt ended in failure. Before the darkness finally enveloped her, someone shouted, "Why is this woman in the cells? Do you have any idea who she is?"