an offer from the lioness

Freya's POV

I did not expect the dungeons to smell like roses and petals, but I did not expect it to smell so badly.

When I was led in here, I had managed to count at least twelve dead bodies, all piled in different corners, maggots playing on their remaining flesh, while some had been down here for so long they did not have a single flesh on their bones.

If I had not seen worse back at my town, I would have succumbed to the urge to retch.

My cell wasn't in much better circumstances too. It was unnecessarily small, making sitting difficult.

I found myself crouching in an uncomfortable manner, my two legs feeling stiff with each passing moneng I spent in that position.

True to the commands of their leader, I was beaten every single hour, each stroke of the whip taking a small chunk of my flesh back with it.

I lost track of time and my mind was messed up with every minute I spent in the stench.

And then, when I was so sure I could not do it any longer, I heard the metal gates open and the gruff voice of a soldier came, dragging me up to my feet like I was a sack of potatoes.

For the first time in what felt like days, I was led out of the cell, the guard not bothering to help me on my feet, just dragging my legs along with him on the porcelain floors.

" Where are you taking her? It's not yet time for her to work on the mines yet" a voice came, making the soldier who held my hands to stop, turning back to look at the slightly taller man, his eyes holding a mixture of anger and surprise.

" I answer to the Luna and not to the alpha. I was asked to bring the slave to her chambers" he said.

" The alpha ordered a slave to be locked up and you have the audacity to release her? Take her back to the cell before I lose my cool" the guard spat out, the anger now a prominent emotion in his voice.

The guard dropped my legs, walking towards where the new comer stood. I was too tired to stare up at their faces, but they were so close to each other now, I could almost imagine them breathing on their faces.

" Malcolm. Should I call this a form of disrespect?" A cool, feminine voice said, suddenly interrupting what would have been a heated fight.

It was not the voice that made me strain to look up. It was the shoes.

Those glass shoes that clicked on the floors, each step taken slowly, each drawn breath not rushed. Her red dress flowed form the top of her shoulders down to her legs, giving just a small space for the glass shoes to shine.

I have met a couple of powerful people in my time and I knew for a fact that this woman, whoever she was, fell in the same category as them.

" Luna! I would never dare to do that. However, the king has specific requests that the slave remains locked up in her cage until he deems it so" the man who I now knew was Malcolm said.

She sighed. A small hapless sound that caused a shiver to run down my spine quickly.

" Malcolm. I thought you would know, that this pack is run by me. Whatever your alpha does, he puts it through to me. I would ask that your head be chopped off but I'm in such a good mood today you see." A small pause. No words.

From my crouched corner on the floor, I saw her glass heels make their way towards Malcolm who now looked like a deer caught in hind lights. He shifted on his feet uncomfortably, as though trying to not make a sudden move.

She held onto his beards gently, pulling him closer to her.

"The next time you question any of my servants, I will make sure you bleed slowly and beg me to take your life" she said.

That was all. No words were exchanged again. It was almost as though everyone has a silent commission.

Malcolm scurried away and she hurried the servant with her hands.

I felt his hands tug at my feet and again, I was being dragged through the porcelain floor.

Whoever this woman was, whatever rank she bore in this place, I could tell she was deadlier than their leader.

The room I was led into was spacious and coated red. Every. Single. Inch.

I was plopped onto the floor in front of the bed where this woman sat, hands around a small book.

" Apologies dear child. I did not mean to be so violent in bringing you here. My name is Agatha and I'm the Luna of this delightful pack. May I know your name?" She asked.

Even though I was not staring at her, I could almost feel the smile in her voice.

" I don't owe you or anyone my name" I spat out.

She chuckled, clapping her hands as though my reply delighted her.

"Oh feisty. Honestly the moon goddess did a great job pairing you with zarek. I always knew he had a knack for stubborn women." She said.

I scoffed, spitting out the puddle of blood that had somehow formed in my mouth.

" Your presence in nauseating. I would love to go back to my cell now" I said to her.

" Oh dear. But you see, I have to talk to you. You will be put to the mines tomorrow and believe me when I say no one goes to the mines and gets out" she said.

" I never said I wanted to get out." I said simply, for the first time admitting that I had accepted defeat.

" Oh but you can. I have a little mission for you and I want you to help me with that. If you can, I will let you go" she said.

Every fibre in my being was yelling at me not to trust her. Every word she spat out was a lie. But somehow, she had my attention caught with that word.