Chapter 5

Thalia Pov

The cage was massive. It was specially built for the war dogs, and only a small hole in the roof let in a thin strip of sunlight.

Sweat soaked through my dress despite the coldness of the room. I turned in circles, my eyes searching the darkness.

Suddenly, my body stiffened as I met the glowing eyes of the dogs.

My breathing became heavier. With my eyes still fixed on the dogs, I pounded on the door.

“Hey! Peter, please open this door!”

But all I heard was silence. Though I knew he was still there. He was waiting.

My trembling fingers pressed against the door as I strained to hear anything.

“There are war dogs in here! Please…” My voice cracked with desperation. “…they’ll kill me!”

Just then, footsteps sounded nearer. My heart leapt. I waited, hope filling me as I pressed my body against the door. But—

Only chuckles rang out.

“Nice try. You have a strong wolf, Thalia. We both know that you can see in the dark just fine. And if you release your aura, those dogs won’t come near you,” Peter said, his voice flat, like he was so sure about his words.

My body slid to the ground, and I shook my head as tears streamed down my face.

He was wrong… so wrong…

“Peter… I don’t have a wolf anymore! Please… believe me.” My fingers scratched the door, my voice louder. “Believe me!”

“Save the performance. You will stay there until you’re ready to admit what you did.”

His cold, ruthless voice came from the other side. Then his footsteps sounded as they began to fade.

My eyes widened. I shook my head, pounding against the door as his footsteps faded.

No… no… he can’t leave me here. He wouldn’t leave.

“Peter!” I screamed.

But his footsteps continued to fade.

My body went cold as I slowly sank to the floor.

How can I survive this? I… I have no wolf. I can’t even stand steadily. How do I survive this?

Bark! Bark!

Chills ran down my spine at the fierce sounds. Every hair on my body stood up. I didn’t even need to turn around to know the dogs had moved closer.

T-They… They were close behind me.

Oh my goodness… Oh my—

“Growl…”

A low growl joined the first. This one sounded even more dangerous.

My breathing turned ragged. My chest rose and fell rapidly.

I could hear the paws shifting against the ground as they began closing in on me, just exactly the way predators approached their prey.

I should scream more. I should be escaping or thinking about a solution. But somehow, my mind was blank. My body stilled, and I couldn’t even scream.

I wasn’t in the cage anymore. I was back in that dirty room—the one Garrick used to lock me in with two mentally unstable men whenever I fought back.

I was back on that day… the day he broke my leg, threw me into that room, locked the door, and laughed outside.

“Do whatever you want with her! Teach that wolfless mutt a lesson! How dare she disobey me!”

Garrick’s voice rang in my head.

I was trapped in that room. Screaming for help, fighting the men, dragging my injured leg as I prepared to jump off the window as a last resort.

I screamed for help… I pleaded just like now… but no one came. I was alone. Helpless.

Now, I’m trapped again.

My eyes blurred as the barks grew louder around me, but I didn’t see the dogs anymore.

It was those men again, closing in on me and reaching for me.

No! No!!

“Get away from me, you bastards!” I roared, my hands thrashing around wildly. “Don’t touch me! Please… don’t touch me! No!!”

But they didn’t stop. They came closer, saliva dripping from their mouths, their eyes red with hunger.

I shuddered.

I didn’t know what I was fighting anymore. The dogs… or those men. I don’t know, but… I needed to escape.

“Please! Somebody, let me out!” I screamed, pounding the door.

I didn’t know how many minutes had passed, but it felt like hours. My voice had turned hoarse from screaming, yet no one came.

The dogs paced around me, their growls growing louder.

My nails dug into the ground as I slowly moved backward.

They were coming.

They weren’t waiting anymore.

“P-Please… don’t come closer… please…”

Bark!

Suddenly, I froze. One of the dogs glared at me, its mouth slowly opening as it moved toward me.

No. Would I really die here? But… I don’t want to die! I—

“King, why do you think she is your daughter? Maybe you’re mistaken?”

My body froze at the strange voice. I strained my ears.

Could I be hearing things? Are those voices?

Just then, another voice sounded. “I don’t know if I’m mistaken, but I won’t let go of any suspicions.”

Footsteps echoed from outside. It became clearer and clearer. And the conversation became clearer.

“Those eyes… They are the same as my queen’s. She looks too much like her for me to ignore it. Investigate her. My daughter has been missing for years, and I won’t ignore any chance of finding her.”

The voices and footsteps grew closer—

Hope instantly washed over me.

People are outside! I can get help!

I glanced at the dogs closing in on me. Swallowing hard, I crawled toward the door.

“Help! Is someone out there?! Please, help… open the door, please!”

I pounded against the door, not stopping even when loud barks echoed behind me.

They were closer now. So close.

“Help! Someone… please!”

My screams tore through my throat.

Suddenly, I felt a rush of air towards me. I swirled around, and my voice stuck in my throat.

One of the dogs lunged at me, its jaws wide open.

I froze.

Everything seemed to slow down. I couldn’t even move an inch.

It got closer and closer… then it jumped.

I snapped my eyes shut, and a loud scream tore through my throat.

“No!!!”

Bark!

Bang!! Bang!!

The door behind me burst open, but it was too late. The dog’s teeth sank into my left shoulder.

“Ahh!!!” A scream tore from my throat.

“Darn it! Save her!!”

The dog was suddenly thrown away from me.

I gasped as my body collapsed to the ground, blood running down my arm. Waves of pain tore through my shoulder.

My vision blurred, and I could barely understand what was happening anymore.

“Get the healers! She is losing so much blood!”

A voice filled with worry echoed in my ears. Then my body was pulled into a warm embrace.

I forced my eyes open and tried to look at the face in front of me, but everything was blurry.

My lips trembled.

“S-Save… me…”

“Hey… stay awake! Don’t sleep, girl… look at me!”

The voice cried out, and panic could be heard.

I tried to keep my eyes open. I wanted to see who had saved me, but my eyes rolled back before I could.

The last thing I heard was a loud roar filled with so much fury.

“Call the healers! And bring Alpha Jacob here right now!”