4. Countdown.

Kayla.

Laura and her little circle had claimed a corner of the room as if it belonged to them.

She sat in the middle of it, back straight, chin lifted, legs crossed neatly despite the filth on the floor. The dim light from the small window above cast a faint glow over her face, making her look almost theatrical, like a queen holding court.

The other girls hovered around her.

Two of them had removed parts of their outer clothing and were using the fabric to fan her gently. One knelt beside her, whispering something that made Laura smirk faintly. Another adjusted the way her hair fell over her shoulders, as though presentation still mattered in a stone prison.

She had always been like that.

Even in school, she never carried her own bag. Never stood in line. Never spoke unless it was to command. A spoiled brat raised to believe the world existed solely for her comfort.

So I wasn’t surprised.

Not even here.

Not even in chains.

I watched her quietly from where I sat, leaning against the cold wall, my head still throbbing dully from where it had struck the stone earlier. Dried blood tugged at my scalp whenever I moved too much.

I wasn’t afraid of her.

That was never the problem.

She just always outnumbered me.

Strength in numbers. That was her real weapon.

And I had never had one.

So I endured.

Her laughter drifted across the room, light and confident, as if she were already imagining herself beside the Alpha triplets, draped in silk instead of dust.

I closed my eyes briefly, retreating into my thoughts.

“Are you okay?” the voice was soft. Gentle and almost hesitant.

I felt something warm brush against my hand. I snapped my eyes open instantly, instinctively pulling back a little before I registered what was happening.

A girl sat beside me.

She was smaller than I had noticed earlier, her features delicate, her expression cautious but kind. Her fingers were lightly caressing my hand, as though testing whether I would recoil.

“I am okay,” I replied quickly, my tone guarded.

I wasn’t one to accept kindness easily. Kindness has always come with conditions, with hidden motives, with consequences.

She studied my face for a second, then nodded slowly.

“Alright,” she said softly. “I am Lily.”

There was a small smile on her face, uncertain, but genuine.

I hesitated before answering.

“I am Kayla,” I replied, forcing a small smile in return. It felt unfamiliar on my face after everything.

“Here,” she said suddenly, extending her hands toward me.

In her palm was a piece of bread, split unevenly into two halves.

“I split mine into two,” she explained quietly. “You can have the other half.”

For a moment, I just stared at it, no mockery, no tricks, no cruelty, Just… sharing.

Something in my chest softened unexpectedly. My heart melted in a way I hadn’t anticipated. I lowered my gaze to her hands again before slowly reaching out. My fingers brushed hers briefly as I took the bread.

The moment it touched my mouth, hunger overtook everything else. I devoured it hungrily, barely chewing, barely breathing between bites. The dry texture scraped against my throat, but I didn’t care.

I was already running out of strength.

“Thank you, Lily,” I said after swallowing the last bite, my stomach finally settling enough for me to breathe properly.

A small, embarrassing sound escaped me as I let out a quiet belch, and for a split second, I froze.

Then Lily laughed.

It wasn’t mocking. It wasn’t sharp like Laura’s laughter.

It was soft. Genuine.

I found myself laughing too.

The sound felt strange in my throat, unfamiliar after everything that had happened, but it felt good, light, almost normal.

We shifted closer to each other after that. Not in an obvious way, just enough that our shoulders brushed lightly. The room grew quieter as the hours passed. The faint murmurs faded. Even Laura’s corner eventually settled into silence.

The darkness crept in slowly.

The small slit of a window high above us offered little light, and soon the room was swallowed in shadows. The cold from the stone floor seeped through my thin clothing, wrapping around my bones, but exhaustion pressed heavier than discomfort.

Without realizing it, my head tilted.

My eyes closed.

Sleep claimed me before I could fight it.

I couldn't tell how long I slept as a sharp brightness pierced through my eyelids.

I winced, squeezing my eyes tighter before reluctantly opening them. A bright ray of light streamed through the narrow window, landing directly across my face.

I stretched lazily out of habit, my limbs stiff and sore.

But the cold from the ground immediately brought reality crashing back into my head.

The hard stone beneath me. The ache in my skull. The chains, still clinking faintly somewhere in the room.

I hissed out loud as pain flared through my back and wrists.

“Morning, Kayla.” Lily’s voice reached me softly.

I turned my head. She was already sitting upright, her hair slightly messy, but her expression calm.

“Morning, Lily,” I replied, pushing myself up slowly. My body protested the movement, but I ignored it.

I was about to say something else, maybe ask how she slept, maybe comment on the cold, when the heavy wooden door creaked open.

A rush of wind swept into the room, sharp and icy.

Every single girl stiffened.

A guard stood at the entrance, broad and unmoving, his shadow stretching across the floor.

Silence fell instantly.

“On a single file!” he commanded.

His voice left no room for hesitation.

The room erupted into hurried movement. Chains rattled. Bare feet scraped against stone. Girls scrambled to their feet, pushing lightly, adjusting positions, forming a line as quickly as possible.

Lily grabbed my hand without a word and tugged me forward.

“Come,” she whispered urgently.

We squeezed into place, standing shoulder to shoulder with the others.

“You all must behave yourselves,” the guard continued, his eyes scanning us coldly. “The Alphas want to see you!”

The Alphas?

The word struck me like lightning.

My spine straightened instantly.

The lingering sleep vanished from my system. My heart began to pound, not with fear, but with something darker. Something focused.

I lifted my chin slightly and adjusted my stance, increasing my pace as the line began to move forward.

Finally, I get to see the ones I want to kill.

The air felt different as we stepped out of the room, heavier, charged.

“Wait for me, Alphas!” My fingers curled subtly at my sides. “This is the beginning of your countdown. It’s only a matter of time now!” I muttered under my breath.