The Golden Cage

Chapter 2: The Golden Cage

The Royal Alpha Palace looked less like a home and more like a fortress carved out of solid mountain rock. Huge golden banners hung from the high marble walls, fluttering wildly in the icy mountain wind.

The wagon stopped in the grand courtyard, and the guards dragged me out onto the cobblestones. My legs were stiff and numb from the twelve-hour ride. Around me, dozens of other young women were being lined up by stern palace servants. Unlike me, these women wore silk dresses, heavy velvet cloaks, and glittering diamond necklaces. They were the daughters of dukes, lords, and wealthy pack leaders.

"Look at that pathetic creature," a girl with bright red hair sneered, looking down her nose at my patched wool dress and iron shackles. "Did they drag her straight out of a pigpen?"

"They are getting desperate," another noble girl laughed quietly behind her silk fan. "The recruiters are pulling garbage off the streets now. As if a filthy omega could ever match the spirit of Prince James."

I kept my head held high, clenching my hands into fists inside my sleeves. I didn't care about their insults. I only cared about surviving the day and finding a way to send word to Riley.

A tall, elderly woman stepped onto the grand marble staircase leading into the main palace doors. She wore a dark purple dress buttoned up to her throat, and her grey hair was tied in a tight, flawless bun. She held a long silver staff in her right hand.

"Silence!" her voice boomed across the courtyard, instantly cutting through the whispers of the crowd. "I am Head Matron Vanya. You have all been brought here for one purpose: to save the heir of the Bloodmoon Kingdom. Prince James’s wolf spirit is wildly unstable. His body remains locked in a dark coma, but his subconscious power is capable of destroying anyone who approaches him with weak blood."

She scanned the line of women with sharp, unforgiving eyes. "You will enter his private bedchamber one by one. You will place your hand upon his chest for ten seconds. If his wolf accepts your presence without attacking your mind, you will be named the Luna Princess of this realm. If his wolf rejects you... you will be removed immediately. Follow me."

The matron turned and walked through the massive double doors. We filed into the palace behind her, our footsteps echoing off the polished black floorboards.

The interior of the palace was blindingly wealthy. Massive crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, casting warm golden light over oil paintings of ancient alpha kings. Guards stood every ten feet, clad in black armor, holding long spears capped with silver blades.

We were led up three flights of grand staircases to the highest tower of the palace. The air grew colder with every step we took. A heavy, suffocating pressure hung in the hallway, making it hard to draw a deep breath. It felt as if a heavy storm was trapped behind the thick oak doors at the end of the corridor.

"Position one, step forward," Matron Vanya commanded, pointing her silver staff at the red-haired noble girl who had mocked me earlier.

The girl adjusted her silk dress, lifted her chin proudly, and strutted toward the heavy oak doors. Two guards pulled the doors open just enough for her to slip inside.

Ten seconds passed in total silence.

Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream echoed through the thick wood. The double doors slammed open, and the red-haired girl scrambled out on her hands and knees, weeping hysterically. Her eyes were wide with utter terror, her face completely pale. "The beast!" she shrieked, clutching her head. "His mind is a nightmare! Get me away from him!"

Two guards dragged the sobbing girl away down the hallway.

The other noble women began to panic. Several of them started crying quietly, while others tried to turn back toward the stairs, only to be blocked by the stern line of palace guards.

"Position two!" Matron Vanya called out coldly.

One by one, the girls entered the prince's room. One by one, they ran out screaming, collapsing, or hyperventilating. The heavy alpha pressure leaking from the chamber grew stronger with every failed attempt, pressing down on my chest like a lead weight. My heart pounded furiously against my ribs.

"Position fifteen! Isabella of Silver Creek!"

My name echoed down the long hallway. The remaining noble girls stared at me with shock and disgust, clear envy in their eyes that a dirty omega was being called forward.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my shaking legs. I walked toward the heavy oak doors. The guards pushed them open, and I stepped inside the prince's bedchamber.

The room was vast and dark, lit only by a roaring stone fireplace at the far wall. High arched windows offered a view of the dark, snowy mountains outside. But I barely noticed the room's grand decorations. My eyes were instantly drawn to the massive canopy bed in the center of the chamber.

Lying on the dark velvet sheets was Prince James.

Even in a state of total unconsciousness, he looked terrifying. He possessed a sharp, sculpted jaw line, golden-tanned skin, and broad shoulders that filled out his dark silk tunic. Thick dark hair fell slightly over his forehead. But the most striking thing about him was the raw, invisible power radiating off his body. The air around his bed crackled like static electricity before a lightning strike.

My inner wolf whined in deep fear, urging me to turn around and run. But I forced my feet to move forward. I thought of Noah shivering in his thin blankets. I thought of my father’s massive debt. I had no home to return to.

I walked up to the side of the bed. Up close, I could see the slight rise and fall of his chest. His thick eyelashes rested dark against his cheekbones. He looked like a sleeping god, beautiful and deadly all at once.

"Ten seconds," Matron Vanya’s voice sounded from the open doorway behind me. "Place your hand on his chest."

I lifted my trembling right hand. My fingers hovered an inch above his heart. The air felt hot, heavy, and thick with dark alpha energy.

I squeezed my eyes shut, held my breath, and pressed my palm flat against his chest