CHAPTER 5

　　ARTEMIS' POV:-

　　I opened my eyes again and found myself lying on the ground. I shivered as the place was so dark and cold. I tried to look around but I was not able to see anything. It was too dark for me. I started sobbing as I stood up and tried to reach the wall or anything I could find. "Help! Somebody, please, help me! There must be a mistake. Please, get me out. I'm afraid of the dark. Please! Somebody help me, please." I yelled as loudly as I could. But no one answered me. I was not sure how I got there. The last thing I remembered was being in an animal fight.

　　I remembered that big black wolf and that oddly looking man. They were fighting with each other. No, it looked like they were actually fighting over me. Then I remembered that that big black wolf bit me. Then I might have passed out because of the pain. It felt like his big teeth pierced through my bones. I tried to feel my skin where he had bitten me. But to my surprise, there was nothing on my body. Not even a scratch that I felt on my body. I was not sure why that thing and that man was fighting over me. But I literally thought that was never going to make it out alive.

　　The door suddenly opened and the lights entered the room first. I looked around and screamed in panic. It looked like I was in a jail cell. Or maybe, it was a dungeon. "Good thing you woke up. Or I was about to throw you in front of my dogs tonight. Anyways, you are in the dungeon. You were bitten by the wild wolf. It means, you are under our custody. Because you were found under our pack boundaries. Till the next full moon, if you shift, we will kill you. If not, you will serve us as a slave till the end of your life. Now eat." A woman who entered the cell, she just barked at me.

　　Before I could have told her that it was a mistake, or even I would have moved a single muscle, she was already gone. The jail cell was again shut. But thankfully, it was not dark anymore. There was a small yellow light bulb inside the jail cell to light it up. I wiped my tears and looked around. I found a glass and a water cooler in the corner of the cell. I went towards the cooler and filled a glass with water. The water was dirty but I was so thirsty that I downed it all in one go. "Chicken, you brought her chicken? What is she, your daughter or something? Bring her something that we feed to our slaves. She is not a VIP." I heard the same woman yelling at someone.

　　After that, everything went quiet. "Slave! Oh God! Please help me. Please send someone to find me here. I can not live here. My dad must be looking for me. Please send them here soon." I prayed to God while crying crazily. I sat down on the ground, hugging my knees tightly. I felt so cold. And there was not even a pillow that I could use to keep myself warm. Even though it was summer, I still felt cold in that place. At that moment, I suddenly started to miss my mom so much. I could not help but think if she would be there with me, she would have hugged me to save me from the cold. Or maybe she would have gotten me out of there. Or maybe I would not be in that mess in the first place.

　　"No one can save you except for me. I am the only one who can help you." I heard a voice and I looked around to find the person who had talked to me. But to my surprise, I was alone in that cell. Actually, it felt like I was the only one in that dungeon. I could not help but frown in confusion. The voice belonged to a woman. I have never heard that voice before in my life. But still, it felt like I was familiar with that voice. And for some unknown reason, I was not afraid of that voice at all.

　　"Maybe I am out of my mind. I am hearing things. I can not go crazy." I thought to myself as I grabbed my hair and pulled them a little harshly. I wanted to feel the pain so I could stay sane. I thought maybe the pain would keep me sane in that place. I have never thought that I would be locked inside an old fashioned dungeon in my life. That place was scaring me. But that voice calmed me down a bit.

　　"You are not going crazy and you are not hearing things. I am not outside. I am inside of you. But don't say a thing." I heard that voice again. It felt like I was hearing a ghost in that dungeon cell. I gulped hard as I suddenly felt scared.

　　"Can you he…" I tried to speak but she shushed me suddenly as if she knew I could be in danger.

　　"Shh… shhh… shhh… don't speak out loud. If they hear us talking, they will kill you. And I will die with you. Whatever you want to ask me, just think about it in your mind. Yes, I can hear your thoughts. Because we are one now." She shushed me first then explained everything to me why she behaved like that. Then she answered my unasked question. Well, technically it was in my head so she maybe knew what I was about to ask her.

　　"Who are you? And how did you end up inside me?" I thought inside my head. She chuckled softly as she heard my questions.

　　"My name is Tracy. And I have been a part of you since you were born. You got me from your mother. I got inside you when you were inside your mom's womb." She replied to me and I was suddenly so surprised.

　　"My mom! You know my mom?" I asked her out of curiosity and she giggled at me.

　　"Of course, silly girl. I know your mom. Because she is my mom too. She was not like us. She was different. But she prayed every single night for you to be just like her other family members. And there we are, together." She spoke in a jovial tone that made me frown in confusion. She was speaking as if she knew me better than anyone.

　　"What do you mean? What are we? What am I?" I asked her out of curiosity.

　　"Is it not obvious! You are a werewolf!" She replied to me and my jaw literally hit the floor because of the shocking news she just gave me.

　　“Are we one? Oh my god!”