Chapter 6

Lyra's POV

Tears stung my eyes as I turned to Keto, “What are they going to do to me?”

The men in the hall started circling around me.

They looked really cruel, and their hungry stares made me feel disgusted. 

Keto folded his arms, his face hard but not as cold as Orion’s. 

He took a glance at the men, then returned his gaze to me. “If I were you, I wouldn’t worry about them,” he said, “They’re the mouth. Orion’s the teeth.”

My breath seized. Orion. Of course. He was the real danger, the one who could crush me with a single word.

 My eyes went to the heavy metal door we had just entered.

Good to see it was still open, but Keto's words interrupted me.

“Don’t even think about it,” He said.

But I didn’t listen. His words meant no shit to me anymore.

 Panic surged all over me as I ran towards the door.

I could hear the men laughing behind me like a pack of hyenas.

The fact that Keto didn’t try to stop me should have made me worried, but I was too preoccupied with my escape plans.

I ran as fast as I could, cared less about directions, just ran as far away as possible from the drilling pit, and Orion, but I couldn't get very far away. I bumped into a pair of red eyes and froze on the spot.

 Orion didn't say a word, he just held his gaze on me like a red traffic light at night.

 I became paralyzed at the spot, like a statue that lacked mobility. His massive height made me feel like an ant staring up at a giant.

That made him scarier, like he could easily squeeze me without any struggle.

He wore a white singlet that hugged his body, revealing all the strong muscles and dark tattoos he had on.

“Going somewhere?” he asked.

I nodded dumbly, my head moved before I could stop it. 

He twitched his lips, “Go back,” he said, gesturing his head toward the hall.

I started to turn, ready to obey just to avoid his wrath.

 But then something unexpected happened within me, and the words came out before I could stop them. “I’m not yours to order around like a slave.”

Orion’s eyebrows went up, his eyes widening for a second. 

It was the kind of surprise that said no one had ever disobeyed his order before, especially not a woman.

My heart pounded fast, but I couldn’t take my words back now. Although I wished I could.

“What did you say?” 

I swallowed my fear, even though my hands were still shaking. 

 I lifted my chin up. “I’m not yours to order around like a slave,” I said, louder this time around.

Orion’s face changed, he became red with anger, though that flicker of surprise was still visible.

 His gaze went to someone who was obviously behind me, but, before I could turn, I felt strong arms wrapping me from behind.

“Let me go!” I yelled, trying to yank free, but it was like fighting a steel gate.

 I knew it was Keto—his grip was unmistakable.

Orion didn’t say a word as Keto carried me back into the hall, my kicks and shouts doing nothing.

 The men’s laughter grew louder, mocking me.

 Keto set me down inside, and I stumbled, barely catching myself. 

I was about to stand when the door creaked, and Orion walked in. 

He had to bend his head to fit through the frame, his height made the door looked small.

 The men quickly cleared their throats and straightened up like soldiers.

 Orion’s presence sucked the air out of the room, and every eye was on him—except mine. 

I couldn’t look away from the ground.

“I know you’re all wondering who I have brought in this time.” Orion said.

One of the men, a huge guy with golden teeth spoke up. “She’s too weak, boss. She’s not gonna last.”

Orion chuckled, and the men took it as a cue to laugh.

I didn’t understand what they meant, but the fear in my gut told me it was bad. 

 “My initial plan was to let two of you have her for the night as you please,” he said casually, “She was supposed to be for me, but she’s not the kind of woman I’d want to fuck around with.”

My stomach dropped. I felt like I might vomit.

 His words echoed in my head, have her for the night. 

He was going to give me to these men, like I was nothing. A whore, just like he’d called me.

The men were about ten, maybe twelve. I tried hard not to cry as I stared at them. 

Then one of them stepped forward. “Just give the word, boss, and we’ll take turns,” he said.

I wanted to scream, to run, but my legs were rooted to the spot. 

My mind raced, searching for how to come out of this troubles, but Orion’s next words stopped my thoughts cold.

“But,” he said, pausing for effect, “she showed me something earlier. The wit of a warrior.”

I looked up, my breath catching. He was talking about what I’d said in the hallway, my defiance.

 Was that a good thing? Or had I just made things worse?

Orion turned to face me, “For daring to disobey a direct order,” he said, “you’re going to fight my strongest female werewolf tomorrow.”

The room spun. Fight? Me? I could barely stand, not to talk of fighting.

“I’ve heard the rumors about how strong you are, Ravenna,” Orion continued, his voice mocking. “You’ll prove it tomorrow.”

Ravenna. My heart skipped a beat. He thought I was Ravenna. But I wasn’t. I was Lyra, stuck in Ravenna’s body. 

Ravenna might’ve been a fierce fighter, but me? I’d never thrown a punch in my life. 

Back home, I was the weakling, the one everyone pitied. I was never trained to fight.

 Now I was supposed to face Orion’s strongest werewolf? I’d be torn apart for sure.

Orion’s gaze never left me, his lips curling into a cruel smile. 

Sweat dripped down my face, stinging my eyes.

 I wanted to beg, to tell him I wasn’t Ravenna, but what good would that do? 

He’d probably laugh and throw me to the men anyway. 

My defiance had bought me a fight instead of a night of horror, but it felt like trading one death sentence for another.