13: Into The Lion's Den

HERA

Two days.

That’s how long I’ve been rotting in this filthy, dark dungeon with nothing but the stench of mould and decay has my company.

My throat was dry, my stomach felt like it was caving in, and my body still ached from the pain of being beaten days ago, as well as the cold, hard floor pressing into my bones.

I have never felt this weak in my life. Maybe physically, yes—but my mind? It was still sharp. Sharp and burning with rage.

Hunger for food and thirst for water gnawed at me, but it’s nothing compared to the hunger and thirst for revenge that fueled me, that kept me alive, that whispered in my ear every second I’m trapped in this hellhole.

Shadow Claw. My pack. My throne.

I will get it all back, and when I do, every single person who has ever crossed me, who has ever treated me like I’m nothing, will pay.

They will beg for mercy, and I will show them none. Not Lilith, not Wanni, not anyone. Their suffering will be slow, their pain will be exquisite and excruciatingly, and I will savour every moment of it.

They’d know what it means to hurt. They’d know what it means to be broken.

The thought of it—of seeing the fear in their eyes, hearing their cries— has kept me from spiralling into despair. It was all that has kept me sane.

It’s the only thing keeping me sane.

I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, even though the air was pungent and rotten. The cold seeped into my skin, but I held on to the heat of my anger.

It was all I had left. It was all that mattered.

When I return to Shadow Claw, it won’t be as the broken girl, the banished queen that they turned their backs against.

No. I’ll return as their rightful queen—the queen they never deserved but the one they’ll fear.

And when I sit on that throne, dripping in the blood of my enemies, they’ll know. They’ll all know.

I will make them suffer.

And then, when they’ve given me everything I want, when they’ve screamed their apologies, their pleas for mercy, I’ll snuff the life out of them slowly. Painfully. Just as they deserve.

I smile to myself, the image of their destruction giving me strength, giving me purpose.

The door to the dungeon creaked open, and I didn’t need to look to know who it was. Her scent—floral and sour, like fake sweetness trying to cover up her dark, rotten heart—filled the air before she even stepped inside.

Lilith.

She strutted in, eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction as she walked toward me, a smug grin plastered on her face. In her hand, she carried a bottle of water, the clear liquid sloshing around tauntingly as she shook it in front of me.

“Thirsty?” she asked sweetly, twisting the cap off and letting the cool water pour out slowly onto the dirty ground in front of me. “All you have to do is ask nicely. Get on your knees, grovel, and I’ll let you drink.”

I stared at the water as it splashed at my feet, my throat burning with thirst, but I didn’t give her the satisfaction of a reaction. I wasn’t about to beg for anything, least of all from her.

I’d rather die!

“Fuck off, Lilith,” I rasped, my voice hoarse but firm. “This is only temporary, and when I get out of here, I’ll make sure you regret every second of your pathetic little life. You’ll beg for my mercy, and I’ll make sure you don’t get it.”

Lilith’s grin faltered for a split second, but she quickly recovered, tossing the now empty bottle to the side.

“Big words for someone who’s rotting in a dungeon.” She leaned in closer, her face inches from mine. “You think you’ll get out of this? You think you’ll rise again? You’re nothing, Hera. Nothing. Just a banished queen who can never rise from the ashes of your shame!”

I fought the urge to roll my eyes because she was beginning to sound like a broken record at this point. It was so annoying… and very unoriginal if I do say so myself

In fact, I could see it in her eyes, the way her hands twitched nervously, the way her voice wavered when she spoke. She knew this wasn’t over.

Not by a long shot.

Just then, the door creaked open again, and a maid rushed in, her face pale as she hurried over to Lilith and whispered something into her ear. I watched as Lilith’s expression shifted, the smugness dropping from her face instantly.

“It’s Alpha Atticus,” the maid whispered, though it was loud enough for me to catch. “He’s ordered her release.”

Lilith stiffened, her face a mixture of fury and disbelief. I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face.

“Oh, looks like your little power play over me is cut short. How tragic,” I drawled, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Guess I won’t be rotting down here after all.” I cocked my head to the side.

Lilith whipped around to face me, her eyes blazing with anger. “Don’t get too comfortable,” she hissed. “This isn’t over.”

“No, it’s not,” I said with a smirk. “But it will be soon. And when it is, you’ll be the first to feel the consequences.”

She stormed out of the dungeon, almost tripping on her heels, slamming the door behind her. A few rather agonising minutes later, she returned, her lips pressed into a thin, furious line as she barked orders to the guards to release me.

As the chains were unlocked, I stood up slowly, flexing my knuckles and worked my sore bones with a few cracks. I turned to Lilith, who was glaring at me, her hands balled into fists, the fury radiating off her in waves.

I raised an eyebrow, giving her a once-over before smirking.

“Careful, Lilith. If you clench those fists any harder, you might actually grow a spine.”

“Fuck you,” she spat out through gritted teeth and I smirked even more.

“No thank you,” I responded with faux sweetness.

Lilith’s eyes burned with fury, but she couldn’t muster any come back. So, she just stomped off in anger.

I watched her go with a smug smile, the sweet satisfaction of getting under her skin lifting my spirits just a tiny little bit.

Two maids rushed up to me, their faces tense.

“ Come with us, now,” one of them said, pulling at my arm.

I shot her a look, jerking my hand out of her grasp.

“And where exactly are we going?” I asked her.

“You’ll see.” She didn’t even bother to explain before walking away. I rolled my eyes but followed behind them.

We made our way through winding corridors until we reached the maid quarters. The room was cramped, the air thick with exhaustion, and the smell of sweat hit me like a wall.

I have never been to this part of the palace before. And somehow, I was grateful that Atticus didn’t make me sleep here.

I caught sight of Agatha as soon as I walked in, standing in the corner, her face a mix of concern and relief when she saw me.

“I heard what happened,” she said when I got to her, watching as she gave me a once over. “You look awful,” she whispered and I chuckled, shrugging.

“Part of the job, right?” I smirked.

Before Agatha could say anything, a strict-looking woman, who I immediately assumed was the head maid with the way she dressed, stepped forward, eyeing me up and down.

“You’re late,” she said briskly, arms crossed. “You’ll need to get cleaned up fast. The Alpha expects you to serve him in the next hour.”

I blinked.

Excuse me? Serve who?

"The Alpha? As in... Atticus?"

"Who else?" she replied with a roll of her eyes. "Get ready. You don't want to test his patience again. You’ll be serving him in the dining hall. Now hurry."

An hour later, after a rushed wash and a borrowed maid's uniform that felt too tight in all the wrong places, I stood with a few other maids outside a grand dining room.

My stomach twisted, but I kept my expression neutral. This was just another game, and I’d play it my way. Agatha, who was standing next to me, leaned in close.

“You’ll be fine,” she murmured. “Just keep your head down, okay?”

I nodded, though I had no intention of keeping my head down for long.

The doors were pushed open, and we entered. The room was massive, the air heavy with power. My heart skipped a beat as I looked up.

Alphas.

Not just Atticus, but the leaders of every major pack, gathered around a long table. Each one more intimidating than the last, their gazes cutting through the room.

I immediately kept my head down to avoid eye contact with any of them, but inside, I was reeling.

What the hell was going on?

Why were all the Alphas here?

This wasn’t just a meeting. This was something bigger, and I had a feeling I was about to be caught in the middle of it.

Fuck!