The captive

Alpha Tyler's POV.

Flashback

"Who is she?" I let my gaze wander to the dirty ugly looking lady that had fallen to the ground on my arrival. She was pathetic.

"Marcel's woman Alpha. It was their wedding ceremony we interrupted......"

"Oh......" I smiled. I would take this one home as souvenir of my victory, which was inevitable anyway.

"Alpha, we'll dispose of her immediately........."

"No no........take her captive alongside the others. This one's my prisoner.

"Yes Alpha."

I shot the ugly presumably lifeless body before me and turned to walk away. A small whimper came from the body, and very surprisingly enough, my steps were halted. I turned to look back at her. Something tugged at my heart, I didn't know what it was but it was too strong. I suddenly felt goosebumps run through my body. I stared at her.

She wasn't moving at all, but she was still alive, I could tell. As though it wasn't bad enough that something had pulled me to her without my will, I was so affected by even the slightest sound that she produced.

What could this be?

"Alpha.......is anything wrong?" one of my men bowed before me and asked concerned about how I remained on the spot and kept staring at her. I could see that the guards were watching me and I probably seemed strange staring at a woman this long.

I cleared my throat.

"No it's nothing." The guard bowed again and turned to leave.

"Wait......"

"Yes Alpha." Another bow.

"I want her to be kept in my private cell, the one reserved for people whom I want to deal with personally. She's not to be harmed in anyway until I say so."

"Yes Alpha." another bow.

*********************

Alpha Tyler's POV.

Present day.

I took another sip of my tea as I watched from the head of the table as Damian and the other pack leaders bantered and exchange hot words, Damian vehemently contributing his opinions, throwing the hotter words. The great meeting hall was fairly lit as I preferred it and the curtains were left closed. This meetings were compulsory, as the pack leaders explained but I didn't buy the idea. Most of what we gathered to discuss about were already decided by me earlier and my word was final. I didn't care about the meetings.

My father had much respect for the pack elders and took everything they said seriously, I knew this from the numerous meetings I attended with him when he was alive. But I didn't follow in his footsteps. This pack leaders are old and outdated and rarely speak clearly. I had no time for the banter, I was grateful Damian was my spokesman.

It was six weeks since we returned from the Dark Moon pack. Marcel's remains were left behind to be eaten by worms, as he rightfully deserved. Marcel had come to me, years ago to seek refuge from the same Shaiza whom he had teamed up with to destroy me. I had given him my home, food, everything he wanted. My father when he was still the Alpha fought alongside him to recover his pack. I was beyond raged when I had gotten news afterwards that he had sworn allegiance with Shaiza, and fled my Palace. Shortly after my father was murdered.

My mother couldn't take it, she was distraught. It was my fault, they trusted me to bring a stranger into our home and look what happened. My father was everything to me, the kindest man I knew. He taught me everything I knew, he always said he knew I would be a great man, and that is why he trusted me so blindly. He didn't live long enough to witness my reign as the next Alpha. And that was my greatest regret, he didn't get to see how amazing his lessons had made me to be. How fearless I was now.

I swore to deal with everyone that was involved in his death, anyone that was connected to Shaiza. I would kill every single person and their entire family, and destroy all they love.

And that was what I was doing. I would take down every single fort and hiding place. Shaiza had been very careful and smart, it was tacky tracing him down and it seemed like with each pack we raided he went into hiding in another. But I didn't care, I would burn down the whole of Europe until I found him.

"That's the Alpha's final decision, right Alpha?"

"Huh?" I was awakened from my deep thoughts by Damian's angry stare.

"We were just suggesting that we need to cut down on tax rates in the southern........"

"Yes yes......" I waved my hand lazily at them. "Damian will take care of it."

"But Alpha......." One of the pack leaders began."..........that will have a major effect on our treasury, you know that........"

"On who's treasury?" Damian cut him off dramatically. "Ours or yours?"

Frederick glared at Damian disdainfully and continued to address me.

"Alpha, I salute your desire to make living easier for Green Moss, it is an honourable move. However we can't do anything that's going to greatly deplete our resources. We must also know that........"

"Frederick we'll reduce the tax, and that's final. Damian will head the process. If there's nothing else to discuss then this meeting is over. I pushed back my chair, picked my jacket and walked out without looking back. I was exhausted from the talk.

But I was also desperate.......desperate to see my captive.

"Alpha......" I heard Damian's voice from behind me as he hastened to catch up with me. "Frederick ought to realize early enough that he doesn't stand a chance. He's pathetic to think I'll allow him to continue using the tax proceedings as a thieving instrument. Meanwhile there's also the issue of........."

"Damian I want to see her now."

We were heading towards the main entrance. The guards at the door bowed before us and parted the great doors. I had made up my mind before I had realised it, I wanted to see her.

"See who?" Damian asked with a confused look on his face. We took the road through the lawns at the back of the palace leading straight to the cells.

"Alpha........"

"My captive in my cells. The one I had special instructions about......"

"Oh, Marcel's woman." Damian shot me an amused look as he spoke.

"Yes." I nodded.

We arrived the cells. The guards opened the gates and ushered us in. It was dark, and filthy. Thankfully we didn't need to go deep towards the vast space that kept most of the prisoners. We took a right turn to another cell structure, where I kept......special cases. All of the people that had ever made it into that part of the cells had died miserably, their fate was worse off than the others.

The keys clinged noisily as the guard turned it in the locks and opened the gate.

I saw her. She was........sleeping. Despite the condition that she was in she was fast asleep, curled up at the edge of the wall and clinging to her sad garments. There were bruises all over her body, blood. I had ordered the guards to save her for me, but I knew they would still rough her up a bit.

A bucket of ice water came tumbling down on her in an instant. That was how the guards woke the prisoners up.

She screamed. Something tugged inside of me wildly at the sound of her pain.

"Get up you stupid bitch and bow before the Alpha!!" The guard kicked her on the back.

"Stop this Tyler." My wolf growled inside of me angrily. I didn't understand.........why would I be so affected by.....by this woman..........

"Let her be." Damian commanded. He must have sensed that I was troubled, even though I didn't show it. I stared at her as she pushed into wall and whimpered. He hair was splattered thickly across her face so I couldn't see her clearly.

The cell was silent for a few minutes as everyone stood by, waiting to see what I would do.

"What's your name?" I asked. I wasn't sure what to do. This woman was the lover of the bastard that had teamed up with Shaiza and betrayed me. The bastard that was responsible for my father's death. The hurt and anger filled me instantly. She ought to die, she would die, torturer raped and torn apart just as she deserved. And yet..........

"Speak you slut!!!" The guard who had drenched her bellowed and pulled a whip hanging on the wall. He made to lash her when Damian stopped him.

"I said stand down!!!!" Damian roared. The guard turned in shock, bowed and dropped the whip. I felt me wolf struggling to come to the surface and tear out the guard's throat.

The woman kept whimpering and shaking. She was a sorry sight.

I repeated the question.

"What's your name? And I'd really advise you to answer me."

"Ga.......Gabr......." She stuttered weakly.

"Talk!" Damian barked.

"Gab......Gabriella."

Gabriella.

I walked over to where she was and squatted I'm front of her.

"Look at me."

She kept her heard buried in her knees. She was very frail and scared.

"I said look at me slut." I hissed.

Slowly she lifted her head and looked into my eyes. I held her gaze for a while, or rather she held mine.