Chapter 3: Imprisoned

I woke up feeling the pain on my wrists. My body felt numb and my head was aching as I opened my eyes. The first thing I noticed was the tight shackles on my wrist. Second was the dark and dirty cell I was in.

As I struggled to sit up, memories flashed in my mind. From sneaking into the first district’s mating ball, to returning home and finding out the sinister outcome of my uncle’s betrayal. The last thing I remembered was I got knocked down by Lucas.

With my overflowing emotions, my anger got the better of me. I didn’t think about the gap of strength between me and Lucas. I was ready to die right there. I was ready for the worst. Why would I expect them to spare me if they had killed my dad anyway? 

My friends… they were all killed. How could Uncle Nick and Lucas do this?

The sunlight from the small hole in the east wall of the small cell where I was imprisoned was my only light. I was still wearing the peach dress I wore last night but now it was marred with dirt and blood from my dad.

I looked at the steel bar door that didn’t have a single hole for me to peek in. I didn’t know where I was, but I was quite sure this place wasn't anywhere in our district. Why did my uncle spare me? He should have just killed me instead of making me suffer.

My legs were not shackled, only my wrists, but I didn’t move or stand because my legs felt numb. I just sat right there in the corner, leaning on the cold wall. I didn’t know how long I was in that position until the steel bar door opened.

A middle-aged woman entered with a food tray. It had a bowl of porridge and a glass of water. She was wearing an apron like she was some sort of kitchen staff. She looked at me with pity, but I just looked at her indifferently. Asking for help to escape this place didn’t sound like a good idea. She was probably just a worker serving her master and I didn’t want to implicate her in any way.

"You should eat, miss. It’s already lunch time and you haven’t had anything today." She put the stainless tray by my side and was about to leave.

"Can I ask you a question?"

She turned to me. There was hesitation in her face but she didn’t refuse.

"I know you can’t help me get out of this place. I just want to know where I am," I said in a strained voice.

"Even if you know, I don’t think you can leave. This place is heavily guarded."

"If you can’t be specific, just tell me what district."

I knew that Uncle Nick’s mother came from the fourth district, so he must have some properties there.

The woman contemplated for a moment. But at the end, she sighed and shook her head before leaving.

I lowered my gaze at the bowl of plain porridge. Since I was a child, the dining table had always been filled with my favorite dishes. You could say I was kind of spoiled, but I didn’t think there was a problem with a parent giving all the best things to his child. And now that everything had been stripped from me, I realized I didn’t know how to live on.

My dad was dead, so probably most of his trusted people were also dead now. I could only hope that my best friend, Winona, was alive. But with what Uncle Nick did, I doubt the chances.

My stomach grumbled. Even though my wrists hurt when I moved them, I reached for the bowl and held it uncomfortably just to fill my aching stomach. A while ago I thought about just dying, but after contemplating, I realized that maybe I didn’t die for a reason. Fate must have stored something for me and I shouldn’t waste it.

I shouldn’t give up on life and allow those who hurt me to have the life they did not deserve.

After gulping down the porridge, I drank the water and wiped my messy mouth. I took a deep breath and threw my head back.

An hour later, I was crying again. I didn’t want to cry, but I couldn’t help my tears every time I thought about Dad. I didn’t have the slightest idea that something was about to happen. I wasn’t even given a chance to tell him about my good news. He was brutally killed by those traitors, and I swore, I would never forgive them.

Days passed, and nothing changed. I was still in that cell and I only saw the same woman every day. She sent me two meals each day. Sometimes porridge, sometimes a pretty decent meal. She never gave me her name, nor did I ask for it, so she remained a nameless person to me.

My wounds had healed within two days, but even though my body was in good shape, I knew I could never attempt to escape in my wolf form. With the wraith shackles on my wrists, it would never allow me to shift.

Wraith steels were a weapon used against werewolves. It could contain a wolf’s form and prevent us from shifting, so it was often used on prisoners. I heard that only a few could break it—those powerful few with stronger blood than the majority. How I wish I was one of them. Maybe I would have a chance to escape.

I eventually lost count of how many days it had been since I was imprisoned. Every three days, the woman would take me out to change my clothes. There was a small bathroom outside the cell where I took my bath, but my shackles were never taken from me for even a second.

I didn’t have any idea what Uncle Nick’s plan was. Did he still care for me enough to make sure I was still taken care of? But that’s bullshit. I would believe it if he was planning to sell me off to some old rich guy.

It had been almost a month, I guess, when the steel bar door opened and someone else’s eyes met my gaze instead of the middle-aged woman who was taking care of my needs.

It was my best friend, Winona.

My eyes widened in disbelief. I was happy to see her alive, but after a few moments, I realized something.

"How did you get into this place?" My voice was cold and low.

Winona had been my friend ever since time immemorial. She was there when I first learned how to ride a bike, during my first school punishment, and almost in every foolish act I had done in the past. She became the sister I never had. But what my uncle and cousin had done made me realize that even the closest people could betray you.

Instead of answering, Winona hurried to my side with a worried face. She seemed perfectly fine so I assumed she got into this place easily.

"Are you alright, Claire?" she asked but my eyes only grew wary. She noticed it and slightly moved away. I knew her so well that I immediately saw the guilt in her face.

"You seem to have access to my cell," I muttered through my gritted teeth.

"Look, it’s not like what you are thinking-"

"So, you know what I’m thinking? Didn’t know you had become a mind reader."

"Claire, can you please hear me out?"

I was starting to lose faith in everyone so I couldn’t help but think about all the negative things. No one could blame me. The people I trusted turned my life upside down.

"My dad is with your Uncle Nick. They are both on this. They planned to overthrow the Alpha so Uncle Nick could replace him. I got so mad when I knew about it so Dad didn’t allow me to leave the house for two weeks. I got bodyguards 24/7, and I’ve been playing mind games with Lucas for almost two weeks now until he gave up and brought me where you are," Winona said so fast that she was panting right after.

I stayed silent for several seconds. I could see in Winona’s eyes that she wasn’t lying. It sounded convincing. After all, Winona was just a young lady who was powerless. I should just be glad that she was alive. At least someone dear to me was spared.

"You should just leave," I said and looked away. "You’ll get implicated if you try to help me."

"You know why Uncle Nick keeps you alive? He’s planning to get you married with the fourth district’s new alpha to have access to the fourth district’s ore mine."

I wasn’t mistaken. That old bastard was really planning to use me.

"If that’s what he wants, then I will do it."

If it was what it would cost me to leave this place and survive, then so be it.