Chapter 1: Hell

***Mia

I woke up with a blinding headache. I reached my hand to the back of my head and felt a lump beginning to form. My eyes winced at the pain. The swollen bulge hid beneath my hair, matted with what smelled of stale, days' old blood. I rolled over and found myself lying on a dirt floor...

Was I still in the forest? I thought to myself.

The last thing I remembered was running through the woods with Lily. Faint sounds of my wolf’s paws rang through a clouded memory. Her constant footfalls patting against the earth... it was a run we had made on countless nights. I remembered feeling my wolf’s growing hesitation; her heart hastening as she took light steps through the brush. There was a sharp thud, and I could still hear Lily’s high-pitched cry. That’s when our eyes went heavy.

And now I was here. Wherever here was.

Something uncomfortable was weighing on my neck. Still in a daze, I clawed at my throat to find a wide metal collar with a chain attached. My fingers immediately followed the chain links up to a concrete wall.

I shot up in horror. I looked around but could make nothing out in the darkness. As my eyes began to adjust, I looked down and noticed I was still naked from my shift. But this wasn’t the forest.

To my surprise, there was another naked woman curled in the fetal position. Her body faced the wall, just a few feet from me. She, too, had a collar fixed around her neck, dirty and disheveled. The chain was secured to a long bar, drilled into the ceiling above.

We seemed to be in a large cell of sorts; floors were cement with a thin layer of dirt covering. It was musty with two small windows on opposite sides, letting in little light. It must have been night because I could only see darkness outside through the high bars... with a hint of the moon, stretching somewhere outside of my reach.

“Lily!!!” I cried to myself ... no answer from my wolf. Why couldn’t I hear her? Why couldn’t I sense her? “Hello?” I cried out into the void.

“Shshh!” a voice hushed from the other side of the room.

“Don’t let them hear you... " another voice cried, panicked from the other end.

My mouth dropped, gaping in fear. How many more women were in here? Prisoners like me. I pushed my back to the cold, hardened wall and tucked my legs in, wrapping my arms around. A hopelessness washed over me and I could feel my heart sinking. Tears began rolling down my cheeks as I quietly sobbed into my folded arms.

No Lily. No mother. Only this room.

---

I didn’t know how long I had been asleep, folded into a miniature ball within myself. The side of my face was imprinted with remnants of the dirt floor, cold and unwelcoming.

A flood of light and the sudden groan of a heavy door opening woke me from my nightmarish dreams. Only to remind me that I never left this hellish crypt.

Now I could make out the silhouettes of several women, captive along all four sides of the room. They blocked their faces from the uninvited sunlight. From afar, it looked like the two girls from my town.

Their eyes sunken and skin bruised in various places. Neither met my gaze but scurried away from the door.

Rays illuminated the dungeon. Railings hung from the top with shackles draped like sickened chandeliers, holding their slaves in place. The room was dingy and old. Cracks crept along the foundation like writhing veins. The center held buckets of water and what looked like crumbs from whatever they were fed at some point.

How long had this place been here? How many women had it housed? But the better question... who brought them here?

Heavy footsteps made their way through the entrance. The figure was covered by shadows but I could make out a muscular form. Tall and intimidating with a wide build and commanding presence. Each step taken, patient and purposeful, as he walked around the darkness of the corners.

The women cowered in fear as he drew closer. Some sobbed; some whimpered, yet his stride never faltered.

That was - until he turned to my side of the room. My lips begin to quiver. I looked ahead, not to make eye contact but even in the darkness, I could feel his sharp gaze pierce through my skin. Never had I felt so naked, so vulnerable. My heart raced erratically. I concentrated on my breathing, as not to show the fear welling up in my chest. As his footsteps slowed, he stopped directly in front of me. The sunlight flashed across his face.

It was the Alpha King.

Just two days ago, I had seen the same scar, just below his right eye. There was no denying who put me in this prison. My body began to tremble; my knees weakened. I huddled against the walls, attempting to cover my bare breasts. But I was still vulnerable, still defenseless against this beast. I shook my head, repeatedly.

“No... no... not you."  I felt a quiver sit at my jaw.

He smirked at the weakness in my voice.

“Hello, my dove,” he replied as he stepped up, closing the distance between us. With his broad shoulders, he towered over me.  A hand swept across brushing the hair from my face.

“Did you think I was going to leave you there? Allow another man to find you? To take what is mine?” he sneered as I tried to turn away.

Forcefully, he grabbed my chin to face him. Fury burned in his eyes. His mouth was inches from mine, smelling of whiskey and sweat. He stared at my mouth and suddenly bit my bottom lip, forcing me to cry out. His hand relaxed, sliding down my neck. It trailed under my fastened collar, my chest beating uncontrollably under his weight.

“I gave you a chance. You chose your own fate when you denied my offer. So now you have forced my hand,” he growled as his hand slid to my breasts. His eyes glowed in delight, relishing my fear. “Quite literally,” he added with a smile.

“No... stop... " I pleaded. I knew the other women could hear me... see me. They all must have endured the same fate after being brought here. He only chuckled. Strong hands pried my arms away from my breasts, uncovering my exposed body. It was now on display, so pure and powerless, right before his eyes. Tears fell down my dirt-stained face, falling to my chest.

He brought his thumb to each tear, smearing the droplets along the curves of my breasts. His fingers lingered around my nipple, circling my areola. I cringed at his touch and pressed my back to the concrete.

Quickly, he pinned his body against mine. There was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. I felt his nature, hardening against my upper thigh. His hands began to move down my stomach, past my belly button. I closed my eyes and began to cry. His breath was hot against my neck. I could feel his manic hair, brushing beside my shoulder. Would he rape me here? In front of all these women? Had he raped them as well... all in the same fashion?

“I smell your fear,” he said as he sniffed the air. “You know what else I can smell?” as a hand made its way to the middle of my legs. I clamped my thighs as tight as possible, but his brute grip carelessly threw one leg aside. “Your arousal..." he smirked, wickedly.

His palm crept up my inner thigh, inching towards my pussy. I bucked under his hold, my chest heaving in anticipation. He was loving this. My fear. My resistance. My repulsion.

“Please, I beg you. I’m ... a virgin,” I stammered softly.

His eyes glinted in the light. I could see a devilish smile round the corners of his mouth. He stepped back, hungrily, as he took in my form once more. His fingers snapped. “Guards! Take her to the room.”

My eyes widened in fright as a malevolent grin came over his face.

“Welcome to Hell, my love.”