Esmeralda

"Get in, will you?!"

I jumped in fright, holding my chest with my frail hand as the guard on duty yelled at me, indicating that I should enter the cell once again. My cold dark cell.

My blood rippled at the thought of losing my freedom because I was weak, I couldn't shift to activate my super speed. My speed was no match for him as he caught me effortlessly. My screams, wails and kicks had no effects on him as he dragged me to the cell.

A glare from his ugly scarred face sent shivers down my spine, making me look away in fear almost immediately, biting my fingers nervously. Those ugly sharp eyes that shot daggers at me, piercing through my soul, threatening to make me pee in my pants. If looks could kill, I would be dead.

With shaky knees, I stood at the entrance of my cell with my hand still clutched tightly to my chest as if to protect it from him. Torn between two options, I flickered gaze from the murky cell that was impossible to get a glimpse of the whiteness of one's tooth to the room I dreaded the most, the correction room.

My gaze swept past the first few rooms and landed on a door that was made with heavy iron bars, while some iron ran vertically, some ran horizontally on it, just like the bars at the entrance of my cell.

Big, thick, rusted, ice-cold bars.

I shivered at the thought of the rusted, cold iron bars coming in contact with my skin. I took two steps away from the iron door at the entrance of my cell. It was like I could feel its impact already.

A huge wooden slate hung at the top of the iron bars, wired firmly to it. 'Correction room' was spelt on the slate, inscribed boldly on it. The right name should be punishment room or the room of torture. Correction room was way too fancy for it.

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I made a mental picture of the interiors of the room.

No!

I didn't want to be there, not after encountering the horrors in that room. But I knew if I wasted more time, I would be in there, screaming in pain, gnashing my teeth in regret. Garry would waste no time shutting me behind the heavy bars of the correction room, my screams were like music to his ears. He hated my guts, I wish I knew why.

"Don't make me repeat myself," he said in a dangerously low voice.

Think! Think fast!

I said to myself, as my mind raced across many thoughts. I knew he was running out of patience and I knew what came after it.

Punishment!

As much as I dreaded the correction room, I didn't want to be in my cell. I was sick of being shackled from head to toe, sleeping in an uncomfortable position as the heavy chains clung to me like a second skin.

Think!

But I couldn't think, it was as if the presence of my cell and the correction room was suffocating me. I couldn't go to my cell and the correction room was a no-go area for me either. As much as I didn't want to be punished, I didn't want to be engulfed in total darkness, overwhelmed by my unending nightmares either.

I needed help, I needed to be free from unending pain and torture, I needed illumination and freedom like the rest of the members of the pack.

Was that too much to ask?

It was not my fault that I was an omega, the name that the rest of the pack had called me. But I knew I was not. I remembered my dad telling me how powerful I was, but it was useless because I couldn't see any power manifesting. I almost thought my father was lying to me but I knew he wasn't the type that tellstell lies.

I summoned all the courage I had left in me, clearing my dry throat as I found my voice, "Please, can you help me fix the light in my cell?" my voice came out weaker than expected.

One look from him almost made me pee in my pants, this time, I wrapped my hands around my small frame as if protecting myself from him.

"What I mean is, can I get another cell? A more comfortable one," I looked away from him, looking at my cell. "I don't like it here anymore."

I closed my eyes and bit my trembling lips, hoping for a positive reply, but he didn't make a sound. It was as if I was invisible and he couldn't hear me. We stood staring at my cell for another irritating minute, I was scared but I knew I had to speak up.

"Uhm, sir..." I reluctantly tried to get his attention again but he didn't let me finish talking before he yanked my hair hard, dragging me away from my cell as I screamed in pain, trying to rescue my hair from his strong grip.

It was a useless fight as my strength wasn't match for his and I could feel the strands of my hair pulling from my scalp.

I kept crying and screaming in pain as he threw me against the hard wall, making me fall to my knees immediately.

"Say what Garry, this thing ordered me to change her cell," he let out a burst of deafening laughter, trying to get the attention of the second guard on duty, Garry.

"She said she doesn't like it in there anymore," he leaned on a door for support as he let out a burst of more deafening and annoying laughter, making me stop crying for a minute.

What was funny?

"The guts!" Garry's angry voice resonated throughout the room, seizing my breath. I couldn't see him as the room was dark but I could tell that he was close and he was pissed by my actions.

"She even tried to run away."

This time, his voice was deadly and I knew he wasn't going to take it easy on me.

I knew I needed to defend myself, else, Garry would deal with me mercilessly. I didn't know why the guard left me at Garry's mercy knowing Garry hated me with passion. He hated me just like the rest of the pack hated me, for no reason.

"I swear by the moon goddess, I didn't order him, I pleaded with him. Please believe me..." I pleaded, wiping the tears on my face with trembling hands as I glanced around the dimly lit room, checking for Garry.

"So he is lying?" he let out an angry growl, causing me to jump in fear. I knew I was in deep shit and nobody could save me.

"I didn't say that, I was just pleading with him, not ordering him," I replied sharply, regretting my words immediately as I realized that I had fallen into Garry's trap. I shouldn't have answered his question, that made him dangerously angry.

A heavy slap landed on my cheeks, causing my ears to ring violently. I bit my lips, trying not to let out a sound as I was close to tears.

"You'll learn." Garry growled, looking at me with raw hatred. "Take her to the punishment room," he pronounced my judgment, walking away immediately, making me wish for death instead.

Esmeralda

"No! Please," I cried, clinging to his leg as he dragged me into the correction room with a firm grip on my hair. I kept my gaze locked on his face, hoping he would see how remorseful I was and reverse his judgement but his eyes were solely fixed on the door of the room with a sinister look plastered on his face.

I was done, I knew it.

Hiding quickly in my spot to delay my punishment, I glanced around the familiar room with teary eyes to see Garry walking toward a shelf. The shelf contained a lot of instruments of torture, to break people that broke the rules.

People like me.

I watched Garry patiently like a hawk watching its prey as he selected some instruments that he would use in torturing me. But he suddenly stopped, moving away from the shelf with transparent glass to the whips displayed on the wall. I watched as his hands carefully selected the horsewhip.

The horsewhip!

The whip I dreaded most!

"No! Please, don't use that on me," I screamed immediately, mentally scolding myself for giving my hide-out away.

"This will do, this will restore you to your default settings and make you stop attempting to escape because you can't," he chuckled loudly, with his eyes solely fixed on the whip as he caressed it gently.

"Please, I promise to be good," I pleaded but it fell on Garry's deaf ears as all his mind was centeredcentred on beating the hell out of me.

His heavy footsteps sent me hiding beneath the huge wooden table, curling up into a ball to avoid being fetched out by him but he caught me before I could hide further, yanking my so hair hard that I could feel some strands pulling off as he flung me to the table, making my cracked lips kiss its cold, hard surface.

Tears escaped my eyes as he worked the chains into my small hands, leaving me hugging both sides of the table, helplessly.

"Count with me."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, preparing for the worst. I knew the worst was coming.

I looked away from his hardened face, resisting the temptation to look around. There was nothing new to look at except instruments of torture and tools for corporal punishment, making me close my eyes, anticipating the whip.

Crack!

The whip sounded, travelling through the air till its sharp edges came crashing on my back. I screamed in pain, shutting my eyes almost immediately as I tried to yank my hands off the chain with force to caress my bare back but I couldn't as I was trapped to the table that restrained my movement.

"One." My cracked voice sounded almost like a whisper as I struggled to prepare myself for the subsequent lashes, but he didn't let me recover from the pain of the first one before he greeted me with the second, third and fourth lashes, making me hate my life.

Surrendering to the torture and pain that travelled throughout my back, I laid still, like I have been thrown into a pool of ice-cold water, waiting for him to be done with me. I was sure my back would be in a deep shade of red by the time he was done lashing me.

"Thirteen." I sniffed, biting my trembling lips, praying silently for him to be through with me as I was on the verge of passing out.

"Your crocodile tears mean nothing to me, you ungrateful weakling. After sheltering you and giving you a life, you want to escape so that you can end up like your psychopath sister who kills people for fun?" he barked without sparing any seconds before he lashed me hard.

I could swear by the moon goddess that he was surprised when I didn't react to the whip. I was too weak to even move a muscle.

"Fifteen." My voice came as a whisper that could only be heard by paying maximum attention.

My joy knew no bounds when he leaned closer to me, unlocking the chains that held me bound and lifting me to my feet.

"Get out!" he growled, watching my every move as his eyes didn't leave my body.

"This would be the last time you try to escape, else, It will be my pleasure to welcome you into the world of pain," he said as an evil smile played on his lips, making me stagger in fear.

I couldn't feel my back for some seconds as I walked down the path leading me to my cell once again.

The cold dark cell that I tried to run away from.

Each time I tried to run away from it, I found myself back to it again.

Back to my unending nightmares.

I felt defeated.

Maybe I should give up since I couldn't help myself.

Maybe I should accept my fate since I couldn't run away from it.

Maybe I should start seeing the cell as home since I would be spending my forever there.

Maybe I deserve the punishment as I was not satisfied and I tried to escape.

I let my tears pour freely from my eyes as I watched the guard shackle me to the wall, limiting my movement, leaving me broken that the presence of the thick darkness that surrounded me didn't have any effect on me.

It reminded me of my first encounter in the punishment room when I was caught trying to escape during the Moonball ceremony.

My best friend and I had been dealt with mercilessly before being thrown into our cells. The incident made the guards shackle me to the wall.

I didn't struggle with the chains or jerk them angrily like I always did. Instead, I let the darkness engulf me, allowing myself to drown in the sea of my emotions while I sought solace in my sleep, except I couldn't find peace in my sleep either as my demons came in hundreds.

The sound of footsteps and rattling chains jolted me from my deep slumber.

My eyes greeted the almost broken bed and I realized that I had slept on the floor, with my head on my knees.

It was still early and my body aches.

Slowly observing everyone's excitement made me more confused as I wondered what was happening today.

The more I tried to think of any event, the more I couldn't figure out the reason they were up and running.

I hugged my knees closer to my chest as a guard broke into my cell. It was rare for a guard to enter my cell except my attention was needed.

My heart thumped loudly in my chest as I thought of what I did wrong. Maybe it was because I attempted to escape last night.

But I had been punished, wasn't that enough?!

"Esmeralda, your attention is needed. Make sure you collect the cleaning equipment on your way out as you will be doing a lot of cleaning today," he said, as his gaze was locked on the chains, trying to relieve me of it.

My attention was needed? Why?

"What is going on?" I asked, looking around as curiosity got the best of me, but he didn't reply. I was about to ask him again when I couldn't hold it anymore but the loud crashing sound of broken plates got my attention.

"If you end up breaking all the plates we will use to serve guests coming to the Moonball ceremony tonight, what will we use?" he yelled at a pup.

I almost jumped in excitement at the person's words.

A glimmer of hope sprang through me, fuelling me.

The Moonball ceremony was tonight!

My freedom was tonight!

Kade

I shut my eyes, slowly tapping my fingers on my thigh, clenching my chiselled jaws as I tried to contain my rage while receiving information from my Beta via mind-link.

A bastard was caught snooping around the pack borders! How unlucky he was.

Successfully Submerging my furious wolf who kept whining and growling in my head, I quickly mind-linked my beta to send him into the dungeon where I was.

Where my captives were taken care of.

I took a long drag on my tobacco, feeling the gush of adrenaline throughout my body that charged me with pleasure and vigour.

"Ahhh," I exhaled slowly, puffing out the smoke in the air with my eyes tight shut.

I relished the feeling and at once I was excited. Excited to execute, to cause a massacre, to wreak havoc.

The swinging and slamming of the door broke my euphoria, causing my eyes to open at once. A small smile broke on my lips as I smelt my Beta fast approaching. He was the only one that could barge into my space without getting torn apart by my irate wolf. I could sense his closeness and I could sense another presence with him.

The smell of sweat and blood suddenly swept across the room, making me cringe my nose in disgust. That moment, I knew it was the spy sent from my rival pack. My Beta, Silvius, had delivered him the way I wanted.

Brutally beaten.

Slowly turning to my Beta who held a man in his late thirties that looked like he was about to pass out any moment, I nodded at him signifying a job well done.

"Alpha," he bowed, before lifting his eyes to meet my gaze. "He was caught trying to—"

I raised my finger in the air, interrupting him as my eyes were fixed on the body of my blood-soaked prey. Suddenly, the excitement I felt died, replacing itself with apathy.

"Take care of him," I said, quite surprised at how dull my voice sounded as I started walking towards the door.

"But why?"

I stopped in my tracks, drawing in sharp breaths as I snapped my eyes shut before opening them slowly. I almost forgot that Silvius was the only one who could question my authority. But not all the time. He was my Beta, my right-hand man. Even if we started as enemies to friends, he had proven to be trustworthy and I trusted him with my life, the same applied to him.

"Don't tell me you just beat him up without noticing the tattoo on his body." I bellowed as my gaze didn't leave the half-dead man. I let my eyes travel from his blood-stained head that made his hair appear sticky as they concealed his face to his badly broken torso as his cloth was ripped apart and then to his twisted knees that couldn't support his legs anymore.

Silvius had done a good job. He had been brutally beaten which made it difficult to recognize him. But I recognized him, and this time, he won't slip off my fingers.

"Don't be dumb. Don't tell me that you didn't see those," I pointed at the mark and tattoo on my prey's body that hid beneath his ripped cloth and blood. "It is crystal clear that even the blind can see it."

"I am sorry, Alpha." Silvius mumbled as I watched him from the corner of my eyes as he scratched the back of his head in confusion.

The sound of my footsteps resonated throughout the room as I walked Silvius with my hands buried in my black leather jacket. I could smell their fears as Silvius' hands won't stop trembling behind his back and my prey won't stop gasping like he had seen a ghost, mumbling pleas that triggered my anger.

I like that. Fear me.

"You know what this means?" I asked, pointing at my prey's ripped arm, maintaining eye contact with Silvius.

"Yes, Alpha. He belongs to our rival pack, the Dark Moon pack. The tattoo says it all," he said, admitting his stupidity.

"This mark here..." I placed my heavy black boot on the left side of my prey's chest, balancing my weight on the leg that pressed his badly injured chest, "means the mark of secrecy." I increased the pressure on his chest, ignoring his screams.

"He will never reveal a word," I angrily crushed his chest with my boot causing him agonizing pain.

"But we can torture him, Alpha. We can make him talk, this time, he might give us some information..."

"We can do nothing!" I yelled, irritated by Silvius' optimism. "He is a trained spy for fuck's sake, he won't reveal a thing," I sighed, looking at his badly crushed chest as he gave his last breath.

"You think you can make him talk by causing him pain? He had gone through hell...Just like..." I paused and looked away as I remembered my days of hell, the days I craved death.

The Alpha of the Dark Moon pack took something from me, something of inestimable value and I will never relent till I watch him give his last breath, together with those he loved.

Make him die slowly and painfully before throwing his carcass to the vultures to feed on.

"Never stop fighting," the last words of my dying father rang in my head as my eyes met with the moon outside the window and a small smile broke on my lips.

"When is the Alpha of the Dark Moon's pack birthday?"

"Tomorrow," Silvius replied as stared at me in confusion, wondering what I was up to. No one knew what I was up to, not even Silvius, my Beta who was my childhood friend.

No, you cannot predict me.

"Great. Tell Gamma Lukas to prepare a lovely birthday gift for the Alpha. The gift should contain the bastard's head and his balls, wrapped in a beautiful foil, with the pack's tattoo on it. Tell him not to forget to wish him a happy birthday." I laughed devilishly, holding my stomach. How interesting this game was.

"That was his favourite spy."