AMELIA
I grimace, sitting up on the cold concrete floor. I survey the room with my only good eye, as my right eye has been busted shut. Touching it, I wince, both from the pain in my eye and the countless injuries covering my hands. My body is a canvas of bruises and aches beyond words. Moving my hand to my head, my bottom lip trembles as I feel my ball-shaven head. Tears spill from my eyes. I endured torture upon my arrival in the lycan territory, but nothing like this. Ember and Adam have subjected me to unspeakable things.
I run my half-opened good eye over my battered body, and more tears flow down my swollen cheeks. My shoulders tremble as pained wails rip out of me, but I suddenly freeze upon hearing my name softly called.
I whip my head to the side of the wall I heard it from, wondering who it could be. Is Nickolas here to save me? Hope flutters in my heart, praying that he realized I didn’t run away but was kidnapped. Even though being rescued might mean moving from one prison to another, I would take being Nickolas’s prisoner any day over being in this hellhole.
I quickly crawl to the side of the wall, my muscles protesting the abrupt movements, but I press on, pressing my ear against the wall. My heart beats fast as I wait to hear my name called again.
“Amelia,” a lady’s voice vibrates through the walls, and my heart drops. It’s just another prisoner. I can’t believe I thought Nickolas came to save me. Why did I even think he would come and save me instead of my family? Perhaps because he is the only one who knows not to look for me in his kingdom.
I slowly sit down on the cold ground, resting my back against the chilled wall. The realization sinks in I’m never getting out of here. I’m going to die here. The lady calls again, interrupting my train of thought.
“Yes,” I reply, my voice hoarse and barely above a whisper. Rubbing my hand against my throat, I remember how much screaming I did for my voice to get this bad.
“I can’t believe it’s really you. I feel so happy to hear your voice but also sad,” the lady rambles. I don’t respond, continuing to think about how I’m going to die here.
“I’ve missed you, dear cousin. I thought I would never hear your voice again.”
“Cousin?” My brows furrow. Why would this strange woman refer to me as her cousin?
“Why aren’t you speaking, Amelia? Did they do something to your voice?” She speaks again, and suddenly it clicks why she knows my name and voice and, most importantly, why she would dare call me her cousin.
“Lily,” I say, turning to face the wall as if hoping I could pass through it and meet her.
“I can’t believe it’s you.” I press my palm to it, desperate to be next to her right now. Lily is the daughter of my father’s younger brother. Thankfully, her parents weren’t at the party, as Lily’s younger sister was sick, and Lily herself was at college in London.
“Me too,” she says, and I hear her sniffling.
“What are you doing here?” I’m overjoyed to hear her voice, but my heart also aches because something terrible must’ve happened for her to be here.
“Adam grabbed me from a club I went partying at. He’s involved in women trafficking,” Lily says, and I nod, finally understanding why there are so many women in the dungeon.
“I’m so sorry,” I murmur.
“It’s not your fault. I should’ve been more careful, and I can’t believe you are the lycan’s king’s mate. How the hell did that happen?” She exclaims, her voice tinged with disbelief.
“I wish I knew,” I say, shaking my head. She must’ve heard our conversation and put two and two together.
“Is it true Uncle Nate is dead? Also heard of the ambush during your dad’s birthday.”
“I-I,” I begin but stop. I want to say no, but I don’t even know if that’s true. The injuries my dad sustained were fatal. It’s been a while, and I haven’t heard anything from them. I can’t say he’s dead, but at the same time, I couldn’t say he was alive.
“I don’t know,” I confess, settling for the truth.
“Have faith, cousin. Uncle Nate is the Alpha King; it won’t be so easy to kill him,” she reassures me.
“You’re right. He’s…” I trail off, catching the sound of approaching footsteps.
“Shh,” I tell Lily, moving my eyes to my cell door. I wait to see if Adam is back to finish the job.
“Don’t speak no matter what you hear,” I whisper. I don’t want them to know I have someone I care about here.
“Hello princess, miss me?” Ember’s voice taunts as she strides into the room, a sinister smile playing on her lips. A surge of hatred churns in my chest as I glare at her. Each day, my resentment for her deepens. I remain silent as she approaches, her heels echoing ominously in the confined space. Today, she’s dressed differently – in jeans, a black jacket, and a white t-shirt underneath. I have never actually seen her in jeans before until today.
“Answer when I speak to you, bitch,” she sneers, grabbing the collar of my shirt and delivering a stinging slap across my face. My already cut lips bleed afresh, a sharp pain lancing through me.
“No,” I spit out defiantly, glaring at her. My hands itch to retaliate, but I refrain, knowing she has the upper hand here and I don’t need anything to make things worse for me.
“I’m not surprised,” Ember scoffs, releasing my collar. She turns around to address someone outside the cell, an individual I hadn’t even been aware of until now. “Drag her out,” she orders, her command directed at a bulky man standing behind her.
He approaches me, seizing me by the collar and dragging me across the floor. My wounds, barely healing, begin to bleed again, and I wince as my skin scrapes against the unforgiving surface. He transports me to the center of the underground room, securing me to a chair with ropes he finds lying around. This is the same place where Adam first tortured me.
Fear seeps into my body. Oh, Heavens! Is she going to torture me herself? The thought has me breaking out in a cold sweat. Ember despises me; she is going to make sure I die slowly. I need to do something to get out of here and fast. Adam was a nightmare; I can’t imagine Ember.