AllFreeNovel
Share Us
one
DEMI
I usedto think of prison as iron bars and concrete floors, but any room could become a cage if you weren’t free to leave. If the only freedom you had were the dreams you escaped to in the darkness. Dreams so sweet they left you wistful and empty when you woke up and they faded away….
The creak of a heavy door startled me out of a light sleep, stealing the remnants of those precious memories from me. My eyes flew open while my heart fluttered into an anxious panic.
Sitting up, my hands clutched at the sheets, balling the fabric so tightly I was sure the wrinkles would become permanent creases. Teeth gritted, I longed for a weapon to close my fist around, for a way to defend myself against the Beta, who entered my room carrying a tray of bland-smelling food.
The meager contents, a plate, cup, and napkin, left me crestfallen. I’d have to eat with my fingers if I ate at all. Anton didn’t trust me with a spoon, let alone a fork or a knife. Probably because I had tried to attack the first guard who brought me sustenance with my utensils.
Unfortunately, none of my attempts to rescue myself had worked.
The small room I considered a cell had just the essentials: a bed, a bathroom, and a table with two chairs bolted to the floor. There were no windows to tell the time, no superfluous items that could serve as weapons, and no way to figure out where I was being held or how to escape. Surrounding me on all sides were smooth, dark grey walls that sucked up the overhead light until it felt like I was living in a storm cloud.
Funny. I’d always liked the rain, but I might have to rethink my affinity for storms after this. I was so tired of staring at the drab color I could cry.
I blinked back the tears, refusing to show that kind of weakness in front of one of Anton’s lackeys.
At least your prison is better than it could be.It had a toilet and a sink. A spoiled princess I was not, but no woman wanted to pee in a bucket or a hole in the ground. A shiver wracked me just thinking about it.
I sniffled, but if I were being honest, it wasn’t the holding cell making me cry. It was the hopelessness that threatened to consume me every minute that ticked past.
Don’t think about them, I warned, swallowing around the lump clogging my throat. My eyes squeezed shut, and I willed the images—the memories—that flooded me to go away before I broke.
The tray hit the table with an unceremonious thud, making me jump. I glared at the annoying blonde Beta, who smirked back cruelly. His scent—an overwhelming blend of pine and oakmoss—swelled with obvious arousal. I’d bet my next breath it had nothing to do with me and everything to do with his little power trip. He got off on lording his minuscule authority over me, practically high off of it.
“Eat. That’s an order,” he spat, glaring down at me like I was the bane of his existence.
Yeah, well, the feeling is mutual, buddy.I glowered, summoning all the hatred that had built and festered inside me over the last seven days.
Seven equal rips on the edge of my sheet marked how long I’d been here based on how many meals the guards brought. Three a day—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The portions were small, and the food all hand-picked according to the diet plan Pack Silver forced upon me. But it was nice to know they weren’t planning to starve me. It meant they wanted me alive, and that was reassuring even if everything else was shittastic.
“I’m not hungry,” I replied flatly to the Beta, arching a brow when his fingers curled into fists and he took an angry step toward me. My bravado was all for show. None of it was real, but I’d be damned if I lowered my guard.
He sneered, eyes flashing with fury at my defiance.
“Careful,” I warned, taking a chance. “I don’t think Pack Silver will tolerate anyone putting hands on theirproperty. Especially a Beta.” I spat the last word like the designation disgusted me, though it was the farthest thing from the truth.
Referring to myself as a possession made bile rise in my throat. Anton didn't care about me, except in sick and twisted ways, but it was the principle. Regardless of his designation, the guard would pay for laying a hand on me. Only Pack Silver was allowed to hurt me. They’d never tolerate anyone making a move against someone or somethingthey considered theirs.
However, since Anton viewed Betas as second-class citizens, the punishment for the offense would be more severe, which the guard seemed to understand.
He backed off, the threat hitting its intended mark. Face contorting in anger, his teeth clenched and his nostrils flared. The acidity of my scent—soured from distress—made his nose wrinkle in disgust. The stench of burnt sugar and acrid berries permeated everything. It soaked the walls, the bedding so drenched it would take a hundred washes to recover.
“Pack Silver doesn’t give a shit about you,” he growled.
My chin jutted up rebelliously. “Go ahead then. Hit me.”
The Beta’s gaze roamed the room, his jaw ticking again. Retreating to lean against the wall, he ignored me, pretending I didn’t exist while waiting for me to eat.
I released the smallest breath of relief and relaxed marginally. Moving to take a seat at the table, I pushed the limited food options around my plate. Unable to help myself, I stole glances at the walls between meager bites—searching.
I suspected the room was under surveillance. The Beta had all but confirmed it. There were no visible cameras, but I felt eyes on me. Like a mouse trapped in a maze, my masters were watching, wondering what I would do next. Anticipating my next move.
The joke was on them because I didn’t have one. They’d imprisoned me as desired, and my hope slipped away with each passing day.
My pack.They weren’t coming.
