The Beast

Lisa's POV

I could barely take my eyes off the man who emerged victorious, my body trembling with fear of what was to come.

"fascinating, isn’t it?" Cole’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I bit hard on my lips, swallowing the sobs threatening to escape as I turned to face the heartless alpha.

"I am no one’s property. You aren’t going to give me to him to use my body however he pleases," I spat, my voice sharp with defiance.

Cole only chuckled. "Funny, you still have the nerve to talk back at me. One more act of defiance, and I’ll let all my fighters have you for entertainment."

A violent shudder ran through me, my spine locking up at the mere thought of being forced into something so vile. But before I could dwell on the horror of his words, a low snarl caught my attention.

The champion still stood in the field, his body bound by thick silver chains meant to restrain him. Even with his fresh wounds, I was stunned by his strength as he thrashed wildly, fighting off four guards who struggled to contain him.

"Your new male seems lovely, doesn’t he?" Cole mocked, his words dripping with amusement. "We’re giving you only one day to prepare yourself. His rut is coming pretty soon, and you’ll be the one to serve him."

My heart pounded against my ribs. I couldn’t stop the scream that tore from my throat. "You monster, let go of me!" I thrashed against the grip of the two deltas restraining me, desperate to claw my way to Cole.

"Take her to her cell," he ordered, his voice cold. "And make sure she never sees freedom again."

The deltas dragged me down a staircase, deeper into the dungeons.

With every step, the air grew colder, the only light coming from dimly lit candles mounted on the stone walls. The overwhelming stench of blood and damp earth made me gag.

I barely had time to react before I was shoved into a holding cell, the guard removing my chains with a cruel smirk.

My gaze darted to the massive silver door beside me, my breath hitching as I noticed the tiny metal-framed window connecting my cell to another—a pitch-black space where no light dared to reach.

I squinted, trying to make out any movement inside, but the darkness swallowed everything whole.

"Good luck, whore," one of the guards sneered before their laughter echoed down the halls, leaving me alone in the suffocating silence.

I forced myself to focus on my surroundings. The harsh, ragged breathing from the cell next door put me on high alert. My nose twitched as I picked up the scent of mint and a hint of cedarwood, but the overpowering stench of blood made it hard to be sure.

Then my mind snapped back to the dangerous male who had fought, and killed, someone earlier. My hands flew to my mouth in shock. There were barely ten feet between me and the beastly alpha.

His powerful scent and aura gave him away as I heard movement and the crinkle of hay shifting in his cell.

"Who’s there?" The voice was low, edged with a quiet snarl. I couldn’t stop the small squeak that slipped past my lips.

My body quivered now that I had been noticed, but he made no move to attack. I didn’t understand why, but something in me reacted to his voice, as if it pulled at something deep inside me.

"I’m a prisoner here too. You don’t need to act so hostile, little wolf," his voice echoed through the space between us. "What is your name?"

I hesitated. There was something in his tone, pain, exhaustion. I could hear it in the roughness of his voice.

Survival told me to keep quiet, but another instinct overrode it, the part of me that couldn't let someone bleed out in front of me.

Pushing aside my fear, I stood and peeked through the small metal-framed window. That’s when I saw them, blood-red eyes glowing from within the darkness of his cell.

My gaze dropped to his barely clothed form, his body covered in blood and wounds. His hand was still bleeding from the wolf’s bite.

Before I could think twice, I tore a strip of fabric from my worn clothing and held it out through the small gap between us.

"I’m Lisa," I said, my voice softer than I intended. "Here, use this to stop the bleeding."

His fingers brushed against mine as he took the cloth, his touch strangely warm despite the cold air between us.

"And why do you care?" His voice was laced with suspicion. "Did he send you to me too?"

I crawled back to my spot, letting out a dry laugh. "You tell me, since I was sent here to be with you."

A knowing silence settled between us before he finally spoke.

"You are the Umbra pack heiress, my conquest from the fight."

His words sent a shiver down my spine. "I am no one’s property," I said firmly.

"You won’t be saying that tomorrow when they put you in here with me," he added.

My stomach twisted. "So you’re still going to go through with it? Even after I helped you?"

"Either that, or they kill you right in front of me. Your choice." His voice was calm, matter-of-fact, as if my fate had already been decided. My throat went dry.

"My rut is on its way," he continued, his tone darker now. "And I won’t be myself either way. But I won’t hurt you. Cole only wants to punish me."

I swallowed hard. "I thought you were his champion."

"His champions have estates and skilled healers to attend to them. I am his prisoner." he said.

The cell was too dark for me to make out his face clearly, but his words alone made my blood run cold.

"Why?" I whispered. "And why does he need me?"

"He needs my offspring as leverage to keep me under his control. You have been chosen as the breeder."

A wave of nausea hit me. My stomach twisted so violently I thought I might be sick.

I shut everything out, curling into myself as I pressed my forehead against my knees. My breaths came in short, shallow gasps. Panic threatened to consume me, and I squeezed my hands so tightly that my nails bit into my palms. I barely noticed when they started to bleed.

"I'm Derek," his voice finally broke through the storm in my head.

I didn’t answer. My eyelids felt too heavy. Exhaustion pulled at my body, and before I could stop it, I slipped into sleep.

A cool wind swept through my mind, pulling me into a dreamlike haze. A deep, soothing voice echoed in my head.

"It’s going to be okay, little one. Trust me."

I was too tired to fight the voice. It wrapped around me like a comforting embrace, pulling me into deeper slumber.

Bang!

The sound of metal slamming jolted me awake. My body tensed as I blinked against the dim light.

A shadow loomed in front of my cell. The same Delta guard from before sat outside, leering at me with a sick grin.

"Morning, breeder," he said.

I turned away in disgust, refusing to give him the reaction he wanted.

"In a few hours, you’ll be mounted like a whore," he sneered. "You’ll have so little strength left you’ll faint. Be careful, that monster will eat you right up for his rut!" He laughed.

"I would willingly embrace death," I muttered, my voice steady despite the terror twisting inside me.

"Don’t say that."

The words slammed into my head like a thunderclap, dark and commanding.

I gasped, hands flying to my ears. Panic surged through me. Where had that voice come from?

The Delta’s laughter died, and he gave me a strange look. "Talking to your mother's ghost?," he muttered before stomping off, slamming the dungeon doors behind him.

"Who said that?" I thought frantically.

"That was me," came the answer.

Recognition hit me like a bolt of lightning. It was Derek’s voice. He was speaking to me, telepathically.

"They don’t know I have this power," he continued. "Nor do they know I can speak. All their attempts to cut out my tongue and silence me have failed because I don’t speak when they’re around."

I swallowed hard. "You were bleeding so much last night," I whispered.

"Listen to me," Derek said, his voice tight with strain. "I’m using the last of my strength and sanity to talk to you. Soon, I will go into rut. Whatever happens, do not run from me."

My breath hitched.

"My wolf likes a chase. If you run, I won’t be able to stop myself. Do not run, and I will not harm you," he warned.

My heart pounded so hard I thought it might shatter my ribs. I forced myself to nod.

The telepathic link fell silent the moment I did.

And then, just as he had warned, the cell door swung open.

Rough hands yanked me to my feet, dragging me forward. The heavy doors to the alpha’s cell opened as they were unbarred, and my heart pounded in my chest like drums. I was shoved forward into the darkness.

The door slammed shut behind me.