CHAPTER TEN

Mildred woke up to a damp, ancient smell, one that felt like the place hadn’t been occupied in ages. As her eyes adjusted, looking at the surroundings, her heart hitched.

The dungeon stretched before her like a forgotten cathedral of sorrow. Iron bars rose like cold prayers; the chains lay coiled like the serpents dreaming of their next captive. And the air tasted of rust and forsaken oaths; each breath reminded her that even stone remembered pain.

Someone was lying before her.

The room was pitch black, so she couldn’t see the person, and the smell of rust masked every other smell. So she couldn’t smell him.

“You’re awake? A calm gentle voice asked.

“Do you need water?” he asked again.

Her throat burned. “Yes,” she whispered.

He handed her a flask. She took the water and drained it down in one gulp.

“Thank you,” she muttered.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“Mildred,” she responded.

Werewolf, right?

She nodded. “Yes.”

“Forgive my ill manners,” he said softly. “My name is Alex. I am a Lycan… temporarily locked in this dungeon.” He said while smiling.

Mildred manages a small smile. “You didn’t need to explain that to me.” She spoke.

“I was only trying to lighten your mood.”

“Thank you.” She spoke.

Even though she doesn’t have any visible wounds, her body still aches from the turmoil. It seems like she has been to so many uproars, probably because of the journey to this place; whatever had happened had taken its toll.

“Do you know why the Lycan king is doing this?” she asked.

“Not exactly,” Alex replied. “But I heard rumors,” he said.

“Like what?” she asked.

“That a werewolf killed his brother, and he wants to even the score with his brother.” He added.

Mildred signed. “It's been so long. Why can’t he forgive? Besides, it is not like the one who committed the crime is still alive, unless he believes the soul was reincarnated among us.” So he could punish him.

Alex smiled faintly at her expression; she looked so adorable when she looked worried.

Suddenly, Mildred's stomach growled loudly, and she covered her face in embarrassment.

“Charles should be bringing food to us anytime soon,” Alex said.

“Who is Charles?” Mildred asked.

“The king’s beta” he replied.

“Oh.” She hesitated. “Do you happen to know where the two guys who were brought together with me are?” she asked.

“You were the only one Charles brought here,” Alex said.” He asked me to take care of you” he said.

“Why will he ask you to take care of me? I thought I was a prisoner? Why will he bother to do that?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” he said, but he said you were special.

“Wait!” I thought you were also a prisoner, too. Why would he tell you that?

“I’m Charles' cousin brother, his dad is my uncle,” he said.

“Oh.” She paused. “Then why are you here?” she asked.

“I lost a bet,” he said sheepishly. “The punishment is to be locked in the dungeon for three days.”

Mildred blinked. “That’s insane.”

“I know right?”

She sighed. “I’m the daughter of the blue moon pack’s alpha, maybe that's why he thinks that I’m special,” she said.

“That's what explains your blue hair?” Alex said.

“Yes. all my ancestors had blue hair.”

“They were called the Azure moon pack back then.” He spoke.

Her eyes widened “You know my ancestors?”

“Yeah, I do,” he said quietly. “I had a best friend from the pack.”

“Then what happened to your friendship after the curse?” she asked.

We stopped meeting. We were asked never to step foot on the werewolves’ pack again to avoid being cursed,” but I heard he aged and died.

“Can you tell me more about the pack?” Mildred asked.

Alex smiled, “It was called the realm where night and magic intertwine,”

“Why?” Mildred asked.

Because it was breathtaking, it was bathed in shades of deep blue, a color so striking that it seems stolen from the heart of an eternal twilight sky.

When the moon rises, its glow casts a shimmering azure reflection across the land, making the entire territory feel as though it’s carved from moonlight itself.

Towering pines with dark sapphire needles guard the borders, their bark etched with a silver vein that pulses with ancient magic.

“Do you know what the river looks like?” he asked.

“No” she replied.

The rivers that cut through that land were crystal blue, glowing faintly at night, as if the moon dissolved into the water. Mist rolls across the forest floor in pale azure swirls, whispering secrets to those who listen.

The pack’s den sits on top of a ridge of glowing blue stone known as Moon Crest Rise. When the full moon reaches its peak, the stone illuminates in a brilliant azure blaze, an omen of strength and unity for the wolves who call the place home.

“Do you know the amusing part of the deal?” Alex asked.

“No” Mildred replied.

“The wolves” he muttered. “What do you mean?” asked.

The wolves of the azure moon pack are just as enchanting as their pack. Their fur carries tinges of blue, some has subtle as shadow, others bold as the sky after storm, which royal family, it marking them as descendants of an ancient lunar blessing.

Legend says they have a connection to the moon goddess, that every time she wants to reincarnate into the world, she always chooses someone from that pack, which is why one messes with them.

They are a noble, fiercely loyal pack that will never betray you. They are known for their unbreakable bond with the moon.

To outsiders, Azure Moon pack territory is a place of beauty and danger, but to those who belong, it is a sanctuary of shimmering blue light, representing power and the unwavering pack’s pride.

“How do you know so much about the pack?” Mildred asked.

Smiling bitterly. “I grew up there,” he answered. My birth mother had postpartum depression after she gave birth to me, so she handed me over to my godmother so she wouldn’t harm me.

I came back when I was five, but I was always with my godmother, almost every time. I'm not close to my birth mother, so I chose to always stay with my godmother until everything happened.

I once tried to sneak but got caught midway, I was punished for a complete year.

That was insane. She said, I know that right? He spoke.

“Yeah, you said the other time that a curse will befall the Lycans if they set foot in the werewolves' pack, so what will happen now that your king broke the rule?”

“Well, we are still waiting to see what happens,” he replied.

A cold breeze blew, and my body began to shiver. He handed me an old quilt to use, since I was wearing only a hool uniform.

The quilt was big enough to cover my whole body, but for some reason, the weather changed.

“Is the weather different over here?” I asked.

“No,” he replied. I don’t know why the weather suddenly changed.

He covers her legs with the quilt, making sure no angle is left out.

Just then, some loud footsteps were heard, entering the dungeon, noise filled the place as if it were an emporium.

Alex stood up on his feet, excited. Three guys about his age appeared; they were laughing, “How is it down here?” They laughed hysterically.

“Hope you enjoyed it?” one asked. He just minds them.

But because the place is so, they couldn’t see that there was another person there, and the dungeon has a special effect of masking scents.

They open the door and walk in, “Hey, guy, let’s get out of here, I don’t like the feeling here,” another said.

“I can’t leave just yet,” he said.

“Why?” one of his friends asked.

“Beta Charles asked me to take care of this princess.”

“Princess?” “What princess” one asked.

Wait! “You mean the werewolf princess?” another exclaimed.

I heard she is so pretty, another said. “Well, judging from her voice, she is definitely pretty,” Alex said.

Hi princess, “how are you doing today?” one of them asked.

“I'm good, thank u,” she replied.

Wow, she really does have a pretty voice.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“Mildred” she answered.

“My name is Tom, Alex's best friend, nice to meet you.” He spoke.

“Nice to meet you too” she greeted.

This is Derrick, and this is Maxwell. They both said hi.

They all sat down and continued gisting and laughing. Mildred had been laughing her heart out cause of these guys; they are so funny. Derrick brought food that they got for Alex, and gave her some. She ate to her heart's content.

You seem to be enjoying yourself here sweet pie, a voice echoed from behind her. ‘Kaden!” She exclaimed. As she tried to find him through the darkness.

Her hand touches his feet. He was struggling to sit down, and she helped him up. He winced in pain as he sat down.

“What happened? Why are you in pain?” she asked.

“He woke up earlier and was struggling with Charles, so Charles made him pass out, for to stay calm,” Alex replied.

“But you told me you didn’t know where they are?” she asked.

“Well, I didn’t want you to panic” he answered.

They all laughed,

Suddenly,

Stone steps screamed beneath hurried feet as though the figure plunged downward.

By the time he reached the dungeon floor, the world above felt distant like a dream abandoned at the edge of the stairs, while the depths waited, patient and unforgiving.

He shouted, “THE CURSE HAS BEGUN. WE ARE IN DANGER”