4

"Human, come," Giulia says, and I follow behind her in silence. 

We haven't spoken since she left me in the room with the underground spring. I have been too upset to speak. Even when she handed me new clothes, I was silent. I didn't thank her for the clean clothes or even ask how they acquired them. I honestly don't care. I am too emotionally drained now.

Being alone in that water only allowed me to think. I thought of nothing but Nathan and the leaders of our city. By the time I knew I had to get out of the water, my heart was in tatters. 

I follow behind her as she travels down the hall as best as I can, but the tunnel is dark. I am constantly tripping and bumping into her back to catch myself. She doesn't utter a word when I bump into her, and I don't, either. 

After about five minutes of blind torture, I walk straight into her side. For some reason, she stopped without even warning me. She quickly steadies me by placing her hand on my shoulder and turns me to face something. 

"This is the hole. Alpha will decide what to do next. You will wait here until that decision is made," she says as I hear the creak of metal moving. 

Her hand applies pressure to my back, and I stumble forward. I don't fall, luckily, but that doesn't make me feel any better about my situation. I finally pull my sealed lips apart. 

"It's pitch black. I can't see," I complain as I turn in what I hope is her direction. 

"I cannot assist you with that problem. Humans can not see in the dark. We can...This is our den. This is the safest place for you and us. We have no lights, and we rarely use the fire. Only when we are in human form do we light it. You do not need to fear the dark. We are here. You are safe," she says, as a matter of fact, and I hold out my hands to feel the gate-like door keeping me in the hole. 

"Please. Please don't leave me here. I have had an awful day, and this...this is frightening," I beg, and I feel her fingers graze mine. 

"You are safe, human. It is our job to ensure the safety of humans. That has been so since we were created," she says gently, and a few desperate tears leak from my eyes. 

"I watched my boyfriend die today. I got carried away by beasts. I learned that our city officials have kept vital information from us...Please don't leave me in the dark on top of all that. I can't handle it," I admit in a broken voice, and silence greets my ears. 

"Hello? Giulia? Hello," I plead hopelessly after a few seconds of quiet. 

"I am sure the officials in place now either don't know about the other cities or decided it was safer to keep it secret. The officials who were around when the cities were made have been dead a long time," a deep masculine voice says, and I gasp. 

I bite my lip and step back as my brain begins to swirl. I didn't hear him approach us and that fact is as unsettling as my thoughts about him earlier. 

I don't know what he plans to do with me, but that question arose while I bathed earlier. He makes me feel safe, but at the same time, he might be keeping me for not-so-pleasant reasons. He might be angry about me defying the rules. He might use me as an example, so other humans stay inside the walls. 

"Umm, Alpha...umm...why are you keeping me here," I ask in such a quiet voice. I am afraid he won't hear it. 

"I need a few questions answered. Until I receive those answers, you must stay here. The oracle has already been summoned, so it should not be more than a few days," he replies, and my eyes bulge as he speaks about the mythical creature my teachers talked about during our story times. 

"The Beast Oracle is only a legend...Not a real being...right," I whisper, and he growls softly. 

"My sister is very much a real person, and she is not a beast. She is the kindest of us all. She is pure of heart. She is the closest to our creator! SHE CARES ABOUT HUMANS AND THEIR SURVIVAL, EVEN THOUGH NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, IT'S NEVER ENOUGH. DO NOT CALL HER A BEAST AGAIN. WE ARE LYCANS! THE RACE OF PROTECTORS! THOUSANDS OF US HAVE DIED FOR YOUR KIND. THE VERY LEAST YOU CAN DO IS BE RESPECTFUL," he shouts, and I fall backward onto my butt as the force of his aura hits my physical being like a hammer. 

Sadness shreds my insides, and my heart feels like he has shattered it all over again. Half of my brain is screaming at me for upsetting him, and the other half is confused about why I care. A knot of yearning and shame is building in my chest as my cries grow louder. My entire body is being affected by him, and I can't wrap my mind around it. 

"Stop crying! I do not want your tears," he orders, and the knot in my chest twists as I hear his insensitive words. 

I want him to care. I want to apologize for making him mad, and I want him to apologize to me for hurting my feelings. It's like my traumatic day has bonded me to him, and he doesn't feel like a stranger. He is my only ally here, and he is hurting me. 

"I said STOP," he shouts, and I basically scream-sob before curling up into a ball. 

Adrenaline pushes through my veins, making my muscles spasm, and pain fills my body. I feel like he is ripping my soul in half just by being upset with me. Maybe it's because he is an Alpha, and his dominance affects my body differently. He did say humans are delicate. 

"Human, calm down," he says gentler, but my shaking and sobs continue. 

He growls a little, and I flinch hard. 

"Alpha, if I may...she seems to need comfort. The hole is for criminals and bloodsuckers we wish to study. Maybe we should place her by the fire in the main room. I will guard her. She will not run off," Giulia says suddenly, and I realize she has been here the entire time, witnessing my breakdown in silence. 

"Very well. If she escapes or...if anything happens to her, you will be punished for failing to follow orders," he grumbles, and I hear his footsteps as he once again walks away from me. 

"Yes, Alpha," Giulia says, and I hear the metal gate as she opens it. 

I can't bring myself to move from the ground, but I soon learn I don't have to. She picks me up gently, and this time, I curl into her eagerly. Her warmth seeps into me, making me feel slightly better.

"I have never seen anyone respond to Alpha like that," Giulia whispers as she walks briskly through the tunnel. 

Her muscles twitch as she seems to ponder my behavior. But I ignore her curiosity and focus on the warmth radiating from her skin. It feels fantastic to be hugged after going through all that. 

"Did his words hurt you," she whispers, and I freeze for a moment before I nod. 

Her stride hesitates for a second, and she gasps before continuing. 

"From now on, call us Lycans. When the Alpha is around, be quiet, so you don't upset him. The Oracle will be here soon. She will know what to do," Giulia says quietly, and I nod even though she has spiked my own curious nature.