Chapter 4

Cold and damp, the air from the lower quarters wrapped her around like a wet cloak, clinging and choking her. She sat on the floor, leaning her back against the cold stone, her arms still burning to the joints from the drag. Her eyes were wide and staring ahead, her mind racing.

He had called her a stray, thrown her aside like she was nothing. The emerald eyes that cut and the mocking smirk were burnt into her mind as her chest heaved to contain the feeling. What hurt most was the helplessness cloaking her like a second skin: so much struggle to survive, yet here she was locked up in the dungeon of the man who thought her no better than a weak rogue.

Her hands had curled into fists. She would have liked to cry and scream, demanding answers, but none would come. Instead, she pressed her forehead to her knees, making herself think. What now?

Above her, in the great halls of the mansion, Ryland moved with the assurance of a man who owned the world. At his side, his fiancée Serena walked, her hand resting lightly on his arm.

"You seemed distracted," Serena said, her voice soft, but pointed.

Ryland looked at her, sharp features unreadable. "I was just thinking."

"About the girl?" she asked, jealousy underlying the tone.

"She's no one," he shrugged. "Just another stray who wandered into the wrong territory."

Serena's lips quivered into a smile, but her eyes betrayed her doubt. "If you say so. But I hope you're not planning to waste too much time on her. We have more important things to focus on."

Ryland smirked, his emerald eyes glinting. "Of course, my dear."

As they entered the grand dining hall, Serena's hand tightened on his arm. "You've been restless lately," she said quietly. "Is something bothering you?

He hesitated, eyes darting to hers then settling on the bounty of food laid out before them. "Nothing for you to concern yourself with."

Serena regarded him a moment before nodding, though stiffness lingered in her shoulders.

---

Time dragged in the blackness of the dungeon. She did not know the time; neither did she know what was occurring upstairs. The silence weighed in, oppressive, save for an intermittent water drop in stone.

Her stomach growled, and the emptiness inside of her was such a stark reminder of how different life had become. She hadn't eaten properly in days, and the scraps she had scrounged from the woods felt like the dream of times forgotten.

Footsteps were now coming toward her; they cut through the spell her reverie held. She tensed up, ready for the next action.

The heavy door creaked open, and light poured inside. A guard entered with a tray of food.

"Eat," he growled, laying the tray before her, and retreating toward the doorway.

She stared at the meal-a light plate of bread and soup-but she did not move.

"Do you not hear?" the guard snarled. "I told you to eat.”

Her stomach twisted in hunger, but her pride held her back. She didn’t want to take anything from these people.

The guard sighed, stepping forward again. “Suit yourself. But if you’re planning to starve, don’t expect anyone to care.”

He made a turn and walked out, slamming the door behind him. The sound of the lock sliding into place sent a shiver to her marrow.

She stared for a while at the food and finally gave in. Hands shaking, she picked up bread and raised it to her mouth, desperate for the slightest nourishment. It tasted flat, but she didn't care; it would keep her alive.

She ate and thought about the Alpha: nothing like she had imagined-powerful, yes, cruel and cold, but. But there was just something about him, some sort of evasive thing.

Why does he want me here?

---

Upstairs, Ryland sat in his study, his fingers drumming light upon the armrest. He could not rid himself of the image of that wild and defiant girl, and incredibly interesting.

He had encountered lots of rogues throughout these years, but none like her, and something inside of her, one thing tugged his curiosity in a way he could hardly remember.

“She's nothing,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head.

But the thought would not let him be. Who was she? Why had she landed in his territory? And why weak as she so clearly was- did she seem so? Resilient?

His wolf stirred restlessly within him, an unspoken tension building in his chest.

At last, he made a decision. He would have answers.

--- 

She had lain on the cold stone floor when the door creaked open once more. This time, it wasn't a guard.

She sprang up in one quick motion to sit, her hazel eyes set on the towering figure standing in the doorway. Ryland stepped inside, his emerald eyes narrowing while he regarded her.

"Get up," he said, his voice firm.

She did not argue but merely kept her face straight, stiff. Yet, the man was into dangerous games, and crossing him would not go well.

He said nothing for a while, but watched her. "Who are you?"

Her lips clamped in a thin line. "Why does it matter?”

Ryland's eyes flashed with irritation at the insubordination of this prisoner, and he stepped closer. "Because you're in my territory, and I don't tolerate intruders. Now, answer the question.

She met his gaze, her fear mingling with defiance. "I'm no one," she said quietly.

His jaw clamped down, and he reached out, his fingers closing tight on her chin. "Don't lie to me."

Her breath buckled, her eyes wide in her hazel eyes staring up at him.

"Because why?"

"I had no choice!" she exclaimed in anger. "I didn't ask to be here. I did not request for any of this! Your men brought me here!”

His grip loosened, and for a moment, something fluttered in his eyes, emotion she couldn't place. Still, in that very second, it was gone, and his cold mask slid right back into place.

"You're weak," he said in a low, measured tone. "Pitiful. I just don't know how someone like you survived this long."

The fact that his words cut deep was something she didn't want to acknowledge, with the tautness of her chest an annoying indicator.

He let go of her and took steps back away from her. "You are not worth my time," he said with a very superior sweep of his hand. "However, you will remain here until I decide what to do with you."

As he turned and headed for the door, she found her voice. "Why do you care so much about strength?"

He stopped then, his shoulder half-turned to her. "Because it is the only thing in this world that counts."

With that, he departed, leaving her again in darkness.