Rude Awakening

ARIA

The man I had slept with was no longer there. I missed his warmth. I missed him. Was it strange? I didn't even know his name; I hadn't asked for it. I thought I was prepared for everything that came with a one-night stand. It went according to my plan. I was no longer a virgin. So why did it feel like there was a hole in my heart?

The time I spent in his arms was the most amazing moment of my life. No words could describe how I felt. I had been cherished and spoiled by the pleasure he had given me. It wasn't anything I expected; it was a thousand times better, but as he left, I felt incomplete.

"Snap out of it, Aria!" I scolded myself, slapping my cheeks. "He was just a hot guy! A human!"

I knew I had to get my head straight. I did it. I would not become the wife of some old man, and one day I would find my true mate and be happy. I giggled dreamily at that thought, but my laughter died quickly as I tried to get out of bed.

I found out the new meaning of the word "soreness." I couldn't get up. My legs were so weak I needed to roll out of the bed and crawl my way up while leaning against the wall. Once I stood up, my eyes shifted to the open window. Was that how he left the room?

I walked closer and leaned out. There were three stories down to jump before hitting a hard sidewalk. A werewolf would have survived that kind of stunt easily, but a human? Perhaps he had only opened the window, and then walked through the door...?

"Yes, that sounds more reasonable and much simpler." I laughed at myself for even thinking of something as irrational as a human jumping out of a window only to leave the room.

Truthfully, there was one more disturbing thing I couldn't get out of my head—he called me his mate... Or was it only a part of my dream? He couldn't truly say those words, could he?

I sighed heavily and tried to pick up my clothes and get the hell out of that pink room. I finished putting on my dress and threw the shreds of my panties in the trash bin. Suddenly, someone started banging on my door. I flinched. No one, aside from the club staff, knew that I was there. I bribed them with all the money I had to make sure they all kept their mouths shut.

"Aria, open the fucking door!" Blaze yelled through the door.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath as I turned to face the window. Any other day, I would jump down without hesitation, but my legs still needed an hour at the least to regenerate so I could even walk steadily.

A second later, Jack broke the door, and he, Blaze, and two other pack warriors barged inside. "What is the meaning of this?!" my brother roared as he scanned the pink suite.

I remained silent while he walked toward the bed. A few drops of my blood were clearly visible on the white sheets. He punched me in the face so hard that I fell to the floor. "What the fuck did you do?!" He grabbed my hair and pulled me up, nearly ripping it off my scalp. "Speak!"

I growled, fighting through the pain he had caused me. "I destroyed your little plan!" I snarled. "I'm no longer a virgin!"

He freed my hair from his grip and stepped back, throwing me a vicious glare. "You have no idea what you've done!"

I laughed humorlessly. "What did I do? I met my mate, and he is going to come back for me soon!" I lied. I didn't even know why I said such a thing, but I regretted it in an instant. For some reason, those words tasted achingly bitter...

Jack chuckled and looked me up and down. "I knew that she-wolves in this pack were mostly stupid, but you outdid them all. There is no way you would have known that someone is your mate without confirming it during the blood moon."

More lies squeezed through my teeth. "He is special, and he knew right away."

Certainly, my declaration made everyone burst into mocking laughter. Even I was aware of how ridiculous my statement sounded.

Blaze pointed at the two pack warriors that came with him and Jack. "Take her to the dungeon, the one under the factory."

"What?!" I cried out. "It's a place for the worst kinds of criminals! I've done nothing to deserve this!"

Blaze smirked coldly and grabbed my chin. "You will stay there and wait for the punishment Alpha Kestrel gives you. Don't worry though, you won't wait too long since he is already on his way to Silverville."

"Alpha Kestrel?" I muttered in panic. "But I'm no longer pure! I cannot become his wife!" My plan was supposed to save me from my misery. What else was I supposed to do to get out of this mess?!

Blaze chuckled icily. "Dear sister, the fact that you won't become his wife doesn't change the deal I made with his pack. You already belong to him. You are his for whatever he chooses to do with you."

Chills ran down my spine. This couldn't be true. I shook my head nervously. "No…" I muttered, regretting that I hadn't tried to jump down that window. Perhaps I would have broken some bones, but I would have had a chance to escape.

"Take her away." Blaze waved his hand, and the two warriors grabbed my arms.

"No! Brother, please!" I cried out, looking at Blaze as the warriors dragged me out of the room. He gave me a look of pure disdain before walking in the opposite direction, leaving me in the hands of his men.

At that moment, he killed the final ounce within me that believed he could ever treat me as his sister. His hatred won.

***

I was forced to put on some dirty old cloth. The prison guards tied my hands, and I was taken to the dungeons. Two guards led me through the massive steel door that led to the long row of dirty prison cells. I could see a few rogues being kept in there. They were covered in blood, barely moved, and made no sound except for letting out low painful groans. All of them were on the verge of death.

"What did they do to deserve to be tortured like this?" I asked, pointing at the cells.

One of my guards chuckled and shrugged. "They were trespassing."

"What?!" I burst out.

The other guard slapped me. "Don't raise your voice, bitch. You are no longer a pack's little princess. Know your place," he hissed.

A low growl escaped my throat. I did nothing to deserve this, any of this. I needed to find a way to escape this place. I no longer cared if I became a rogue. Every kind of life would be better than staying in this pack with an Alpha who hates me with all his heart.

The guard pushed me into the cell and locked it. There was nothing but dirt and a little pile of hay inside. The stone walls were covered by dried stains of blood from those who most likely died in that cell before me. Was I going to die here as well? I was terrified, but my fear mixed with the fury burning inside my veins. I started to walk around my cell. I climbed on one of the uneven stones in the wall, trying to reach the small crack between the wall and the ceiling, but I jumped down immediately as I heard the guards' voices. The two guards that brought me here stood just around the corner, and I was the main topic of their conversation.

"Do you think she'll survive here long?" one of them chuckled.

"Nah, princess, who never even got her hands dirty, has no chance in here. Besides, it's that Alpha Kestrel who'll serve her punishment. I doubt she'll survive," the other one said.

"Alpha Kestrel? Who is that guy anyway?" the first one asked.

"He's the Alpha of the Blood Shadow Pack, Kestrel De Ribera. He has an odd thing for women, especially virgins. He loves to torture them." A peal of wicked laughter tore his throat. "They say that he killed two of his wives already."

I exhaled in a rush and collapsed onto the stone ground. My brother had sold me to a sadist. Was he hoping that Alpha Kestrel would kill me?! Was he too much of a coward to kill me himself, and he finally found someone who would do it for him?! My eyes flashed in fiery red. My wolf was filled with rage, and so was I. I felt hurt, betrayed, and, for the first time in my life, my heart was full of hatred.

Suddenly, one of the guards came in front of my cell and opened it. "Let's go, little bitch."

"Go where?" I said, gritting my teeth.

"Your fiancé has arrived." He snorted before grabbing my arm and dragging me out.

As two more guards joined us, any thought of trying to escape disappeared from my mind. I fisted my hands as I walked out of the dungeons, surrounded by their snickering and disgusting comments about my body. They led me to the factory courtyard, which was now filled with people as if the entire pack gathered there. They were all standing in a huge circle in piercing silence. When I got closer, the crowd spread, leaving space for me and the guards. Only when we passed the crowd did I see the throne on one side of this circle with a hulk-like man in his late forties sitting on it. He was wearing a black suit and a dark-grey half-unbuttoned shirt, which partially exposed tribal tattoos going from his neck down his chest. He had black hair, thick black eyebrows, and a beard. His golden eyes turned red as soon as he saw me. I gulped. He had the aura of the deadliest predator I had ever met. My brother was standing by his throne as if he was this man's servant. I saw him flinch once this terrifying man glanced at him. Pathetic. Blaze didn't have the right to call himself Alpha.

"Aria!" he called out nervously. "Come here, quickly! This is Alpha—"

The huge man stood up and pushed Blaze aside, making him fall to the ground. As he stomped toward me, the guards who brought me here stepped back in fear. He smiled coldly as his eyes examined my body. "I think I should introduce myself," he said, a hint of mockery in his voice. "I'm Kestrel De Ribera. From now on, I am your master, and you are my slave."