9

Aprils pov.
I sat on the cold, damp floor, the ache in my muscles settling in as the harsh stone bit into my skin. The water the guard had brought me had eased the dry burn in my throat, but it did little to fill the hollowness inside me. I tried to ignore the hunger gnawing at my stomach, but it only grew sharper with every passing hour, and at some point, it felt like it was burning.
The door creaked open, and my heart skipped a beat before I saw the guard slip back inside, holding another small bundle. He approached slowly, crouching in front of me with a tentative look on his face. “I thought you might need this,” he said, unwrapping the cloth to reveal a piece of roasted meat and a small wedge of cheese. “It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.”
The rich and savory scent hit me first, and my stomach twisted with longing. I wanted to refuse-to say I didn’t need his pity-but my body betrayed me. I reached out and took the food, my fingers trembling slightly as I brought the meat to my lips. It was warm, and as I took the first bite, the flavor filled my mouth, overwhelming the bitterness that had been festering inside me.
It tasted like heaven; it tasted so damn good. I was never going to take food for granted. Not that I ever did, but I’m just saying.
“Thank you,” I murmured, barely able to meet his eyes. I hated that I needed help, that I was too weak to stand on my own. But more than that, I hated not knowing if I could trust him.
The guard’s gaze was steady, his voice quiet as he spoke. “You’re welcome. You shouldn’t have to endure this, April. I know you’ve been through hell.” His tone had a softness, a sincerity that tugged at something buried deep inside me.
I forced myself to look at him, to search his face for any hint of deceit. “Why are you doing this?” I asked, my voice laced with suspicion. “Why would you risk yourself for someone like me? Don’t you know what they say about me?” My voice wavered on the last word, a twinge of vulnerability breaking through the wall I’d tried to build around myself.
This pack always had something to say about my family and me. I just wish I knew what or who their sources were because some things I heard about myself were crazy and sickening, but I guess we’ll get deeper into that some other time.
“They’re wrong about you,” he said simply. “I don’t know the whole story, but I know enough to see that you don’t deserve this. Nobody does.” He leaned closer, his brown eyes catching the faint light that seeped through the tiny barred window. “And I want to help you, April.”
His words stirred something in me, a feeling I hadn’t dared to entertain since… since before my parents were taken. It felt like hope, faint and flickering but discernible. “And how exactly do you plan on doing that?” I asked, my tone both challenging and cautious. “It’s not like I can just walk out of here.”
The guard gave a slight nod, his expression turning serious. “No, but we can find a way to make it look like you’ve disappeared without a trace. There are gaps in the guards’ schedules-windows of opportunity that we could use. If we time it right, and with a little misdirection…” He paused, a hint of a smile curling on his lips. “We might just be able to pull this off.”
I studied his face, searching for any signs of doubt or hesitation, but all I saw was a quiet resolve. It scared me to believe him, to consider that escape could be possible, especially when it felt like the universe had done everything to crush me. “And what if we fail?” I whispered, letting my fears and thoughts be known. “What if they catch us?”
“Then I’ll take the fall,” He said, his voice firm. “I’ll make sure they believe it was all my idea. You’ll have a chance to get away while they’re busy dealing with me.”
I stared at him, the rawness of his promise hitting me like a punch to the gut. “You’d do that? For me?” It didn’t make sense. Why would a guard with no obligation to me risk so much for a stranger?
“Because I know what it’s like to feel powerless,” he said, his expression hardening with a quiet intensity. “And because sometimes, you just have to do the right thing, even if it costs you.”
His words washed over me, pulling down the walls I’d so carefully built around myself. I didn’t know if I could fully trust him, but I felt the sincerity in his voice, and for the first time in what felt like ages, I allowed myself to hope. Even if it was just a glimmer.
“Alright,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “What’s the plan?”
His eyes brightened with determination. He began to speak in a low voice, outlining the details step by step. We kept it vague, focusing on the basics without lingering on the specifics, in case anyone was listening. His plan involved more than just sneaking past guards; it included creating diversions, using the hidden passages beneath the pack’s territory, and taking advantage of the upcoming gathering to create the perfect opportunity.
As we spoke, I found myself leaning in closer, my heartbeat picking pace with every word. It wasn’t foolproof-nothing ever was-but it was clever and dangerous enough to give us a fighting chance. For the first time since the dungeon doors slammed shut behind me, I felt like I was doing something other than waiting to be broken by the Alpha and my ex-mate.
“Snow,” I call my wolf.
“Yes, April, “She says, sounding better than she did the last time we talked.
” Are you okay?” I ask.
“I’m better now,” she says.
I’m glad she’s better. Snow is the only one I have left, and if it weren’t for her, I don’t know what I would have done.
“I’m glad you are, You are all I have left.” I tell her.” Snow, do you think we should trust the guard?” I add.
She is silent for way too long, and I begin getting worried.
“Snow?” I call out.
“Yes April. You should trust him,” she says, and a deep sigh escapes her.
“Snow, Are you sure you are okay?” I ask, getting worried because she doesn’t seem like her usual self, given the circumstances, I don’t blame her, but she sounds so damn low it breaks my heart.
“Don’t worry about me. It’s nothing I can’t handle,” she says, and I trust her. So, I stopped asking questions because I could tell by her response that she did not want to talk about it, and I respected that.
All of a sudden, I feel a sharp pain in my chest, and it takes a minute for me to realize that it’s coming from Snow. She is in so much pain, oh my goddess.
“April, Are we going to leave mate behind?” She asks sadly. I knew the rejection broke her way more than it did me, and it really sucked that I could not take some of her pain away.
“Yes Snow, he rejected us remember? He also got our parents killed,” I say matter of factly.
“It’s okay, April, I understand. I’ll help you and stick by you no matter what.” She says. “Even though it hurts,” She adds, and all I want to do is give her the most prolonged and biggest hug; it sucks that I can’t do that because she is me, and I am her.
“Hello? We are stuck in one body, so you can’t really leave me,” I say, trying to cheer her up. Still, I also console myself low-key by saying that as long as I have Snow, I will never truly be alone.
“I love you April,” she says. “I’m never going to go silent again,”
“I love you too Snow,” I say. “Do you promise?” I add, sounding really vulnerable.
“I promise,” she replies instantly, which causes my heart to flutter.
I’m so glad we are doing this together.
I find myself smiling for the first time since the rejection.
“April?” The guard calls.
“Oops sorry, I kinda zoned out,” I say.
I did not want him to know that I was talking to Snow. Just because I accepted his help does not mean I trusted him.
“I understand, So back to the plan.” The guard says.
Calling him guard is getting tiring and annoying.
“Firstly, before we proceed, tell me your name.” I say.
“I’m sorry Luna for not introducing myself in the beginning. I’m Dylan Lane at your service,” He says, and to top it off, he does a bow.
How dramatic! It’s been a while since I laughed, and yet a giggle escaped me. Did he just call me Luna?
“You are too dramatic. Also, why did you call me Luna? I’m not a Luna.” I spit.
“I heard the Alpha and his son talking about you. They said something about you and our packs future Alpha being mates,” he said.
So, they were talking about me, huh? The weak mate? How hilarious. Note the sarcasm.
“I’m not a Luna. Also, never associate me with this pack. Its your pack not ours,” I say.
“Fuck! I’m sorry for that but just know I’ll stand by you no matter what and so will the rest of the pack,” He says.
What does he mean by the rest of the pack will stand by me? In which world? Had he not seen them do absolutely nothing as my parents’ blood spilled on their land for committing no crime?
I ignore his statement because it is honestly irrelevant to me.
“April… I am April,” I said after seconds of uncomfortable silence went by and after I also realized I had not told him my name. It felt weird for him to be the only one to introduce himself. It felt strange to speak my own name out loud, to hear it in this place of horrors. “I guess you already knew that, though.”
He chuckled softly. “Yeah, I did. But it’s still good to hear it from you.” He glanced at the door, then back at me, his expression shifting. “Rest now. We’ll need you at your best when the time comes.”
I nodded, feeling a slight but genuine smile curve my lips as I leaned back against the wall. It wasn’t much, but it was something, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like I had a reason to believe that there could be a life beyond these walls. I didn’t know if I could trust Dylan entirely, but I knew he was the first person to make me feel like I had a fighting chance.
I let the warmth of that thought carry me as I closed my eyes, sleep pulling me in with an unexpected gentleness. It wasn’t until I heard the sound of the dungeon door creaking open again that my eyes flew open, and I saw Dylan’s back going up the stairs.
And then he was gone, slipping up the stairs and out of sight. The moment the door clicked shut, I could hear the distant thud of approaching boots, and my heart sank for some weird reason.
But another figure stepped into the dungeon in the same heartbeat, and my blood ran cold. Jake’s voice rang out, cold and cutting through the darkness like a knife.
“April,” he said, his gaze sweeping the cell as he stalked closer, a cruel smile spreading across his lips. “Miss me?”
I held my breath, my pulse pounding in my ears as I tried to erase any trace of Dylan’s visit from my mind so that I would not give anything away. The plan-the glimmer of hope-seemed to dim with every step Jake took towards my cell.
For the first time since Dylan had first approached me today, I felt the flicker of hope falter.