Chapter 2 - Locked Up

I froze.

His eyes went to my neck and he sniffed closer, “But… I don’t recognize this scent”.

I’ve been marked? By who? Is that what Elara was keeping from me? I had so many questions but no answers.

“Who marked you?!” He cupped the front of my neck, “Answer me.” His grip tightened.

“I—I don’t know”

His jaw flexed. Something snapped behind his eyes.

Suddenly, my back slammed into the wall.

“I’ll only ask you one more time”

“I— I don’t.” Air. I needed air. “I— I don’t know”

He looked away still holding onto my neck and he laughed dryly. Black spots danced before my eyes and I could feel my strength leaving. Was this how I was going to die?

By the time he looked up, his eyes had turned bright yellow.

“Who the hell marked you?!” His wolf growled past me and mine whimpered within.

Tears streamed down my face.

“I swear, I don’t know”

“Fuck!” He shoved me to the side, “You useless bitch! Just when I found a use for you, you decided to be what you always have!” His voice echoed in the office.

“You’re useless!” He reminded me. “I should have known when no one would choose you”

“Not even your wolf!” he continuously slammed his desk.

With my back still against the wall, I moved slowly towards the door. If I stayed here any longer, I wasn’t sure how it’ll play out. The last time, I ended up being unconscious for three days. This time, I might not make it. I was sure I had a better shot at life by running than staying here to be beaten into a pulp.

I was only a few steps to the door when he turned. My eyes met his and my heart dropped. I could as well die from heart attack in this moment.

“Where do you think you’re going?!” His eyes had turned red and his claws shot out of his hands.

I stood frozen with my back still glued to the wall.

“The one thing I found you useful for, you want to ruin it” he said taking bold steps towards me. His claws sliced through the air ready to strike me. My eyelids trembled as I shot them tightly accepting my fate.

After a few seconds when nothing happened, I slowly opened my eyes. His claws had stopped a few inches from my face. Someone had caught his wrist. Alpha Damian, Elara’s husband.

“Let go!” Sylas roared but Damian didn’t flinch.

“You don’t have to do this Sylas” he pulled him few inches away from me “Do you think Draven would want to get married to her if she’s covered in bruises?”

Silence. He glanced at me and then back at Damian “You’re right” Sylas retracted his claws and his eyes slowly turned back.

Damian had saved me today but at the cost of agreeing I get married to Alpha Draven. I didn’t know which was worse. Being beaten but not going through with the marriage or not being beaten but getting married.

“Lock her up” he called out, “Only release her when I say so”

My eyes widened, “wait, what?”

“Brother please” I ran towards Sylas and knelt at his feet, “You can do whatever you want with me, but don’t lock me up” my voice cracked

“I’ll lock you up and do whatever I want with you”

He turned towards the guards, “what are you waiting for?”

With my last strength, I held onto Sylas legs like a child holding onto its mother except in this case, I was holding onto the enemy. Sylas kicked me away.

“Please brother” I begged as the guards dragged me away through the hard floor.

I kept shouting as they pulled me out of the room and down the hallway but it was to no avail. The guards were only there to do their jobs.

The farther we walked, the quieter the pack house became. The sound of wolves training disappeared, even the guards stopped talking.

Ahead stood a stone building separated from the rest of the territory by iron gates. It was the packs prison.

Never in this lifetime would I have believed I’d be locked up like a criminal because of a mark.

We walked in, it was cold and quiet. At the first turn, there was an empty room. When it was unlocked, a guard followed me in.

“Sit down” the chains rattled as he loosened them

“I do not need to be chained” I folded my arms

“I’m sorry” he pulled my arms and wrapped the chain around.

I rubbed at the cold iron biting into my wrists. Every tiny movement made the chains click against the stone floor.

“I’m not a criminal” I said quietly

The guard avoided my eyes as he tightened the last shackle and clicked the lock.

“The Alpha’s order,”

“I need to see my sister”

He didn’t respond

“Or atleast bring me some water”

His shoulders slumped like he hated every word that came out of his mouth.

“Water… I can do”

I forced a smile, “Thank you”

“But no visitors” he walked away

I sighed. As if being in this prison was not enough, he wants to cut me off from everyone until Alpha Draven comes to claim me as his bride.

‘How inconsiderate of him’ my wolf said.

Time went by slowly and without meaning. I just sat by the wall, knees pressed to my chest. I had counted all the cracks in the wall. Then the bars and then the cracks again.

Somewhere beyond the prison walls, I could hear wolves howling and people chatting from afar. The sound only reminded me that freedom existed for everyone…

except me.

Suddenly I heard footsteps echo through the corridor. They were slow and deliberate.

My wolf shrank inside me.

Sylas.

My breathing quickened. Sweat beads had formed on my forehead.

The footsteps stopped right outside my cell and a hooded figure stepped into the dim torchlight.

“Lyra?”

My knees had nearly given out

“Elara?” My heart relieved when I saw her

“E— Elara” my voice broke “I never thought you’d come” tears had already formed in my eyes

She rushed to the gate fumbling with a bunch of key until she got the right one. Then she ran and pulled me into her arms. We stayed that way for over a minute.

“I—I’m scared sister” I sobbed

“I know Lyra” she wiped my tears with the back of her palm.

“If I stay here…” my voice cracked. “He’ll marry me off to Draven”

Elara closed her eyes for a moment before nodding

“I know” her voice broke

“And if I run…” I couldn’t even finish the sentence.

We both imagined what Sylas would do if he caught me

“He’ll hunt me down”

Elara reached for my hands, “Only if he finds you”

Her fingers tightened around mine. “Listen to me carefully” she said in a whisper, “we’ll make sure he never finds you”

“How? You know Sylas–”

“It doesn’t matter” she said like she already had everything planned out.

“I packed food. Clothes too”

“What?”

“Three days ago after the incident with Sylas, I knew it’d come to this” she hugged me even tighter.

“I promised mom that I’d protect you and up until this moment,” she held my shoulders “I’ve not really done that—“

My chest tightened. Mom. We hadn’t spoken her name in years. Her death was so cruel that it became an unwritten rule to not talk about her.

“You’ve tried your best,” I paused “but there’s not much you can do with Sylas in power”

She nodded, “That’s true and that’s why you must escape”

“What about you? I can’t leave you here alone”

“I’m not alone. I have my husband here” she smiled but it didn’t get to her eyes.

She was lucky to have been mated to Damian. It reduced her chances of being treated ill by Sylas since Damian was his best friend. But if I wanted to live, I’d have to leave this pack.

“What if he sends guards to come looking for me?”

“You’ll be long gone”

“By the river, there’s a rock and behind the rock, there are two bags containing your food, clothes and a spray”

“The river?”

I wondered how she was able to pull this off

“Yes. Use the spray to hide your scent”

“What if the guards are there?” I panicked

“They won’t be” she seemed certain

“How do you know?”

She inhaled sharply. “Because Damian arranged for tonight’s patrol”

“Thank you sister. I’ll come back for you”

“You don’t need to. If the heavens will, we’d cross paths again in our next life” she took a deep breath “hopefully, under better circumstances”

“I need to go before they realize I’ve been gone for too long”

“When the moon reaches it highest point,” she whispered pressing the keys into my palm, “run.”

She cupped my face one last time

“And no matter what you hear…” her voice broke.

Don’t look back” she whispered “Just run”.