Chapter 4: Beyond Broken

Rose

I’m shivering in a corner of the dungeon.

It’s always dark; its ice-cold air reeking of damp earth and rot. 

The dungeon guard patrols once every day, and when I hear his footsteps now, I rush to the bars. 

“Please!” I shout, throat parched, because meals are scarce here. Sometimes, I have to drink up the puddles in the ground to survive. “Tell the Alpha I need to see him. I have something important to tell him!”

Jacob needs to know that I’m pregnant before it’s too late. I’m worried our baby will get hurt here.

“Get back!” The guard barks. 

“Listen to me! It’s a matter that will decide the fate of our—” I shriek, falling on clay when he hits the bars, his claws narrowly missing my eyes. 

Roaches crawl up my arm, and I just swipe them off, already used to their presence. I settle back in the corner, crying silently. 

Jacob won’t come, but once he hears I’m also carrying his child, he will leave Zaneta. I’m certain of it.

I trace the cracks on the wall, my frail, dirt-stained fingers trembling with despair. Then, I draw a family portrait. Jacob with his strong jawline, me with my messy hair, and our baby with its tiny hands. 

I’m too numb to cry; darkness presses against me like a physical force. Jacob has to come for us. He must.

From then onward, days blend into weeks. I don’t know when it’s morning or night. I’m only fed three times a week.

But I will make it out alive, for my baby’s sake, no matter how long it takes.

After a short nap, my eyes flutter open. Zaneta is at the entrance of my dungeon cell. 

I shoot up from the ground, realizing only now how much her face has haunted me in my dreams. 

My heartbeat spikes when she steps inside. The guard holds up a dull lantern to guide her. 

I recoil from the light like it will burn my skin if it touches me. 

Zaneta grips her nose, repulsed by the smell around her. “Even the shadows can’t hide your wretchedness, Rose.”

“Why have you come here?” I say in a tight voice. 

“I thought you would love to hear that my wedding to the Alpha and my coronation are happening in three months.” She smiles sweetly. “You’re invited, of course. If you can make it.” Zaneta stifles a laugh.

I stand up. “I won’t miss it or anything. In fact, I will bring a gift that will ensure the Alpha’s heart remains mine!” I touch my stomach, smiling icily at her. 

Zaneta’s eyes widen, and she shakes her head, frowning hard. I don’t stop smiling, even when tears fill her eyes and she’s visibly shaking. 

She walks off with her fists clenched, stopping at the entrance to scream at the guard.

“Torture her! Every morning and night. Never give her rest,” she grits, throwing me a look of pure hate over her shoulder. 

“But—but she was once a Luna, Luna Zaneta. Pack laws state that she can be punished but never tortured—”

“Are you stupid?!” Zaneta screams in his face again. “Your Alpha commands you, so stop talking nonsense and do as he says!”

Then she leaves angrily.

I’m shaking at the corner, not from cold this time, as about three pack guards step into my cell. My body thrums with fright.

I thought the laws would protect me. This shouldn’t be possible. My father gave up so much for the Raven pack, as have I. Jacob wouldn’t dare reduce me to torture. 

“No!” I struggle as they grab me and haul me out of the cell.

They drag me to the training ground for pack guards, and I see others like me, prisoners brought to be tortured—

“Rose?” 

I raise my head, locking my eyes with Rhi, wincing from the daylight burning my eyes. 

“Rhiannon,” I say, tears welling in my eyes as I take in her bruised arms and body. “Ah!” I shriek when someone slashes a whip on my back. 

“Move,” the guard growls, and I gaze at Rhi until I can’t. “He needs a practice partner. Just follow the leads of others and stay alive.” They shove me forward, towards a tall, burly soldier. 

The man leers, and I shudder, crawling away from him. My job is to stay alive until he’s tired. He lifts his weapon, attacking me.

Another soldier swipes at me, and it rams into my midriff, ripping air from my lungs. My eyes redden from the pain. It becomes a fun game for all of them as they take turns.

He hits me again, and blood sputters out of my mouth. I hear Rhi’s screams next to me, but there’s nothing she can do.

***

Three months later, I lie limp against the wall of my cell, barely hanging onto life.

There’s a doctor checking my body now, because yesterday I had bled so much they thought I wouldn’t make it.

He checks my pulse. “Were you pregnant?”

My eyes flash wide immediately. I nod, sitting up from the wall at the mention of my baby. 

“I see.”

“Is anything the matter, doc?” I smile, holding my stomach. “I’m supposed to be due in a few months—”

“It’s gone. You lost the baby.”

Time stops as every part of me splinters apart. I shake my head, tears tightening my throat. 

“No,” I cry out. “That’s not true. My baby can’t be gone.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss. Pray to the goddess so that the new Luna’s blessings will heal you.” He leaves my cell, reminding me that today’s their wedding. 

Jacob is mating with Zaneta and crowning her as the new Luna of the Raven pack today. Even though he never came to see me, I had faith.

But now I’ve lost it all. I have nothing left.

I wail in the dark dungeon, my cries loud and painful as I toss and turn on the ground, praying for my baby to come back to me. My boy already had a name.

I would have named him Jacob, after his father.

Even though I’ve not recovered from yesterday’s training, the guards drag me outside without remorse hours later.

Rhiannon tries to come close to me, but they whip her to stay put. I must look pale and lifeless. I didn’t even realize tears were still dropping from my eyes.

The warning bells go off as soon as the training starts. I jerk back to reality at the screams tearing through the space.

Someone rams into me. I stumble to the ground until a hand stops me from falling.

It’s Rhi. She glances at the Lycans coming at us, eyes widening in fear.

“Lycans! Run for your lives!” A prisoner shouts, and a memory from four years ago flashes in my mind. 

It’s happening again. The war between werewolves and Lycans. 

Jacob is supposed to be keeping the peace. I made sure of that when I was still his Luna. Now everything has gone wrong. 

Rhi and I try to flee, but I notice Raven guards are throwing prisoners to them as bait while they run. 

Suddenly, I kick a stone and trip, crying out in pain. Rhi stops to help me up, but a guard immediately shoves her to the Lycan warrior behind. 

“No!” I scream, running after her and trying to save her, but more Lycans pounce on her, tearing her apart. “No! Let her go!” I try to fight them off.

“Get out of here, Rose! Don’t ever look back. Save yourself!” She screams, protecting me and taking all the blows. “Go. Now,” Rhi whispers, a tear staining her cheek.

I turn my back on her, crying because it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I race into the woods with others, surviving like she wants me to. 

But it seems when I lost my baby, I lost my wolf completely, because I can’t see through the dark now. 

My foot suddenly gets caught in a ditch. I try to force it out, but the ground beneath me gives out. I shriek, stumbling down the slope and crashing through stones and shrubs.

I cough up sand, tossing in pain, but immediately, a tight rope loops around my neck, dragging me through damp earth. 

My body trembles when I see its Lycans.

They’ve caught me.