Elorai.

I stare at them, unable to believe what they had just said.

"Coming with you?" I repeat, the words sounding foreign to me.

"Yes, what do you mean she's coming with us?" another seconds.

"Think of what we would be losing should we choose to. She's the only successful experiment from those damned vermin, and now we're seeing the results of what they have probably spent decades researching about us. We need to know what they've uncovered."

They all turn to stare at me, contemplating his words.

"You're right..." the first man growls, rubbing his chin. "We can't kill her so quickly yet."

An unfamiliar feeling spreads in my chest-one that tells me this will not bode well.

"She's coming with us?" the final one, who's been smirking at me since we met, finally speaks.

"Yes..."

"Nice..." he growls.

"No, I'm not going with you. You'd have to kill me here," I speak up with a confidence I don't feel.

One turns to me, his gaze narrowing. The temperature drops a thousand degrees, and I shiver. Still, I hold his gaze.

"I said you'd have to kill me here. I'm not going anywhere with you."

He laughs. There is no mirth in it. "What makes you think you have any say in how you live or die, you abomination?"

His words sting, but I don't cower. "I don't care. You already killed the people I cared about. You might as well kill me too."

"I will not waste time exchanging words with this... thing. Let's go," he orders, walking ahead.

The third one reaches for me, but I scramble away, fury flowing through my veins. How dare they!

They don't care. They pull me along anyway, weaving their way through the carnage they left behind.

"Let me go! You bastards, let me go!" I scream as I'm dragged along.

Eventually, they have enough.

One turns to me, pinches my neck, and everything goes black, unconsciousness claiming me.

.

.

.

When I finally come back to consciousness, it's in a small room, devoid of any windows and functioning light. A relentless headache assaults my head, my stomach rolling with nausea. I stay still for a moment, letting the worst of it pass before slowly sitting up on the concrete bed.

What happened?

Just as I ask myself that question, the memories roll in, and a shudder ripples through me. My facility was burned to the ground, my scientists killed-including Penny.

The monsters that captured me-they are the ones who knocked me unconscious. Anger flares within me.

I glare at the door, and as if on cue, it opens, the three men walking into the room, still looking as vicious as ever. Their gazes fix on me, and I tense, my shoulders curling into themselves.

The tiny room doesn't feel so tiny anymore. In fact, I don't think there's any air in it at all.

"Where am I?" I mumble under my breath, glaring at them.

"With us."

"I don't want to be anywhere near you," I spit.

"You have no choice now," another responds, a bored expression on his face.

"You're sick if you think I'll just behave and let you do whatever you want with me."

"What makes you think we're letting you be? We'll find out what those doctors did to you, and we'll have fun with it. In the meantime, get comfortable."

"By the way, in case you're curious, my name is Knox," the smirking one adds.

"Lucas" the uninterested one quips. They both glance at the unsmiling one. "He's Ronan."

"Goodnight," he grumbles, and they leave the room without another word.

The door slams after them, and I flinch.

The fear I hid away finally bubbles to the surface, and I tremble, my fingers and toes growing cold.

What's going to happen to me now?

.

.

.

Ronan.

We return back to a more open area, our steps uniform, the tension around us thick and oppressive.

"The council will find out we didn't kill her and come after us," Lucas points out, giving me a sidelong glance.

"That doesn't matter," I grit out, eyes narrowed. "As long as we kill everyone else. The pack included."

Knox stares at me. "The pack?"

"Whiteforn Pack. They are the ones who have been working with the humans in the first place, supplying them all those omegas. They all need to go," I explain.

He nods in understanding.

"You said everyone else. We won't leave one of those scientists alive to explain to us what they did to the girl?" Lucas queries.

"That's something we can figure out on our own. Everyone else is dying. We should go. We have no more time to waste."

Lucas lets out a sigh, but shrugs in agreement.

We turn to the werewolves standing guard at the underground bunker we've placed her in.

They immediately bow their heads as we approach, tension radiating off them. "We leave her in your care. Guarantee her safety."

With a snarl, I add, "Should anything happen to her, you're as good as dead."

He nods too quickly. "Yes, Alpha." He rushes out.

"Good." I move forward, stepping into the dense forest ahead of me. My wolf, Roco, snarls, ready to pounce.

"Let's go," I order.

We disappear into the forest.

.

.

.

Elorai.

I don't know how long I stay locked in this empty room. It could have been minutes, hours, or even days. I have no idea.

All I know is that I'm slowly going crazy.

The walls seem to be closing in on me, the air smells rotten, and I keep getting flashbacks and nightmares from my time at the facility.

The time my life was completely ruined.

I pace around the small room, occasionally banging on the door, begging to be let out. If anyone is listening, nobody cares.

A strange thought takes me. Maybe I've been left to die.

I exhaust myself with worry and fall into a dreamless sleep, only to be awoken by a frightful nightmare that leaves me shaken.

I want out. I need to leave this place. I miss Penny.

After what feels like an eternity, the door finally opens. The trio waltz in again, but this time, they reek of blood. It makes my stomach churn, and I have to resist the urge to retch.

"Hi, Lo. Did you miss us?" Knox asks, a wild smirk on his face.

"Why would I miss monsters like you?!" I spit back, feeling rage seep into my bones.

"Your words hurt, runt. Who are you calling monsters?" he says with a chuckle.

I try to appear intimidating, but it doesn't work out the way I envisioned. "You are the monsters. The scientists were right to want to get rid of you all."

At the mention of the scientists, the trio's whole demeanor changes.

Their eyes flash, a snarl spilling from their lips.

"What did you say?" Ronan asks in a quiet voice. Too quiet.

"The scientists were right to get-" The words have barely left my lips when I'm slammed against the wall, nails digging into my neck.

I choke and struggle, white spots dancing in my vision.

"You'll pick the humans over us?" he snarls, his eyes turning into slits.

I don't answer. I'm too busy trying to get rid of the hand wrapped around my throat.

He gives a derisive chuckle. "You're mistaken. Those vipers are the true evils. And you are a victim." he growls, eyes shining like the sun.

"No!" I gag out, still flailing my limbs. The remaining two watch on, making no move to help me out of his hold.

Idiots.

"They took good care of me!" I shoot back.

"Explain the scars on your body, then," Lucan cuts in, staring at the cut marks littering my arms. He narrows his gaze on me. "Because I guarantee you, we didn't do that."

Ronan loosens his grip on my throat so I can answer. "I got them when I fell."

Knox guffaws. "What a cute little lie."

Something about their reaction sends a pang through me, making my irritation flare even hotter.

"We'd get you out of here, but we don't know if you'll behave," Lucan continues, his voice level.

I stop struggling. I want to get out of here. "I'll behave."

They stare at me for a moment, confirming my sincerity. Once they find what they're looking for, they look away.

Ronan removes his hand, and I crumple to the ground, gasping for breath.

My entire body floods with relief.

Knox lifts me over his shoulder, his hand firm on my back.

I'm tempted to protest but quickly change my mind. I don't want to attract more trouble.

They step into the woods. The smell of fresh earth and moss invades my nostrils, and I gasp.

It's so peculiar... and it's something I've never smelled before.

"Hang on tight," Knox growls, his hold on me tightening.

My eyes widen in confusion, but a scream rips from my throat as we zip through the forest.

What the-?!

Elorai.

We run through the forest for what seems like hours, their speed incredibly fast.

I cling to them for dear life, my heart in my throat even as thrill rushes through me.

For a moment, I take time to marvel at it.

How do they keep going without getting tired? And still in their human form as well.

After what seems like forever, they finally roll to a stop at a gated mansion, still nestled in the forest.

I stare at the large building in front of me, my heart beating out of my chest. In the cover of the night, it's as terrifying as it is breathtaking.

Knox lets go of me, and I slide down from him, finally landing on my feet.

They walk toward the door, and it opens on its own accord, letting us into the huge estate.

Walking in their midst, I look around me, my heart racing in my chest as I take in the well-manicured gardens and the water fountain sitting in the center of the field.

Straight out of the pictures, that one.

Beautiful, yet so incredibly eerie.

My fingertips grow cold with nervousness, and I have to swallow to wet my dry throat.

The trio keep leading me into the house, knocking on the grand oak doors at the entrance.

The doors soon open, and a lean, aged man steps out in his immaculate suit.

"Welcome back, Alphas..." he greets with a low bow, widening the door as he gestures for us to enter. They acknowledge him with a nod, stepping into the large hall downstairs. The door slams shut after them.

I flinch.

"How was your mission?" he asks, still not noticing me.

"It went fine..." Ronan answers, his voice devoid of the usual hostility.

That's when his gaze drops to me. I tense, not used to being around such huge, mean-looking figures.

His eyes widen, his nose flaring as he draws in a scent. In an instant, he's reaching for me, a growl ripping from his throat.

Knox pushes him back before his fingers can graze my skin, letting out a growl of his own. That snaps the newcomer from the trance he must have slipped into.

"What was that?" Knox snarls, his gaze heated.

The latter flushes, embarrassment coating his features. "I apologize. Her scent called to me, that's all. It's... alluring," he murmurs, his gaze fixed on me.

My heart skips a beat. All three look at each other, puzzled.

Lucas presses his nose against my neck to sniff me. His confusion deepens. "Sure, she smells good, but that's not enough to trigger that reaction."

"Doesn't matter..." Ronan cuts in, clearly peeved. He stands between me and the newcomer. "She's off-limits, Andre. Get that through your skull."

"Yes, Alpha... I apologize," he adds, his voice tinged with remorse.

Knox lets him go, still giving him a wary glare.

"Prepare her a room," he orders, his gaze still narrowed. The latter instantly runs up the stairs, disappearing out of sight.

I look around, rattled by the incident.

"Come with us..." Lucas says, walking forward. I fall into step behind him, the two following behind me.

We arrive at a long hallway, filled with several doors on either side. Ronan walks into one and opens the door, letting me in.

It's a bedroom.

That shouldn't be surprising. I have had beds before. But somehow, this one is.

It's a four-poster bed, sitting in a large room, with a soft rug on the floor, large windows overlooking the landscape, and multiple doors around that lead to God-knows-where. It's beautiful, to say the least.

"Where are we?" I ask as I walk into the room, my gaze darting around to admire the interior decoration.

"Our abode," Lucas answers, leaning against the doorframe. "And this is your room."

"It's big..." I mutter, glancing back at them. "I'll be staying here now?" I ask, wrapping my hands around myself to ward off the cold that seems to have settled into my bones.

He walks forward instead, opening the doors in the space. "Here leads to the bathroom. That's the closet. There are clothes for you. Hardly your size, since you're thin as hell."

I bristle. His words sting.

He turns to me. "Get comfortable. And join us when you're ready."

"No funny tricks..." Ronan growls, his voice coated with steel. "You try to escape and we'll catch you, and I promise you won't like the consequences," he adds.

With a menacing glare, he turns around and leaves with his companions, shutting the door behind him.

I tense, the silence deafening.

I look around me for a moment, then out the window, surveying my surroundings.

The compound is huge, and after those towering walls is an unending forest.

Can I escape from this place? We'll have to find out.

I proceed to explore my room, checking the bathroom, marveling at the marble tiling and clean lines. It's sophisticated, giving that old yet modern feel. Next is the closet, and like Lucas has said, it is filled with clothes.

I've never had this much selection before. I usually wear the same overalls in the facility.

I pick a pale pink dress out. It's rather short, but I'm curious to try it.

I lay it on the bed and move to the bathroom to have a bath. I'm still reeking of blood.

Figuring out the faucets is a battle on its own, but soon hot water starts flowing, before slowly transitioning to warm.

I step under the shower, use a ridiculous amount of bathing soap, and wash my skin till it prunes.

I step out of the shower then, hair soaking wet, and wrap a towel around my body.

Walking back to the bedroom, I dry my body and do my best with my hair before slipping into the dress. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I'm a bit stunned.

I've never seen myself look this way before. This... normal.

The blue overalls given to me by the facility always washed me out and made me feel like a sore thumb.

Why didn't they ever get me a dress?

Too late to think about that now. It's been burnt to the ground.

With a sigh, I glance at the door. A part of me wants to stay in this room and never get out, but I don't want to give anyone the satisfaction of feeling that I'm afraid of them.

So, I walk out the door.

The hallway is empty. That's expected, but I still move anyway, taking the route we followed when they took me to my room.

I soon hear voices and follow them.

I arrive at the dining area, all the alphas discussing amongst themselves.

They see me and stiffen, eyes and noses flaring slightly. The temperature in the room drops several degrees and I shiver.

I linger at the entrance, torn between walking in and going back into my room.

Lucas is the first to react. "You're in time. We are just about to have dinner. Have a seat."

Knox is too busy leering at me, dark interest in his eyes, jaw clenched.

I swallow the lump in my throat, taking slow steps into the room and sitting across from them.

"You're integrating well," Ronan murmurs, his gaze still narrowed at me.

I glare at him.

"What would you like to eat?" Lucas asks, breaking the tense silence in the room.

"Crackers and peanut butter," I answer without missing a beat.

"Crackers?" Knox repeats.

"You'll have steak," Lucas deadpans, and turns towards another door. Andre walks out of it, much more composed.

"Serve her steak," he orders. The latter bows and disappears into the kitchen.

It's at the tip of my tongue to refuse, but I've never tried steak before, so I keep mute.

Within moments, my food is brought before me and the smell wafts up my nose. My mouth instantly waters, my stomach growling louder than I've ever heard it.

I grab a fork, dig into the chunk of meat before me, and shove it into my mouth.

My taste buds explode.

It tastes delicious.

Eyes widening, I barely chew before I swallow the chunk in my mouth, taking a bigger bite.

The men just keep watching me as I scarf down what's in front of me, till the plate is empty.

They both stare at me, intrigue written on their faces.

"Would you like some more?" Lucas asks, and I nod, doing my best to keep my eagerness down. He waves Andre over, and the latter presents me with another plate of mouthwatering steak.

I immediately start eating.

Ronan is about to speak when a sound cuts through the silence. I tense, unfamiliar with it, but Lucas frowns.

"We're not expecting anyone," he growls under his breath, alarm woven into their features.

"I'll go check who it is..." Andre offers, hurrying out of the dining area. They all watch him go, but I return my attention back to my food, quietly enjoying it.

Footsteps approach, and Andre shows up with a beautiful lady by his side. She sees the men and beams.

"Good morning, Alphas. I see you're back from the mission," she says with an easy smile on her face.

"We weren't expecting you to see us so quickly, Adaline," Lucas mutters, subtly relaxing in his seat.

"Let's just say, I missed you all," she replies, still giving them that easy smile.

Ronan's expression doesn't change. If anything, it seems to have grown darker.

Adaline looks across the room, her gaze dropping on me. The smile disappears instantly.

"Who's this?"

Elorai.

At Adaline's question, everyone falls silent, just staring at each other. I keep chewing my food, unsure if I should respond.

It particularly wasn’t directed at me.

She huffs at the silence, wearing a strained smile. “She must be the new plaything you picked up, right?” she asks, glancing at the men.

That strikes a nerve. I frown. “I’m not a plaything.”

She glares at me, eyes narrowed to slits. “Then what are you?” she grits.

I don’t answer, just take a bite of my steak.

I watch as her color starts to fade, realization dawning on her face. “Ronan, she isn’t the target the council ordered you to kill, is she?”

Nobody answers that question either. Knox looks away, rubbing the back of his neck, Lucas lets out a deep breath. Their silence and demeanor are answer enough for her. She gasps.

“She’s supposed to be dead!” Adaline cries, her expression turning panicked. “You were supposed to kill her! Why didn’t you?” Her gaze snaps toward me again, venomous. “Why did you let her live?!”

“Shut the fuck up, Adaline…” Ronan growls under his breath, his jaw clenched.

She shakes her head instead. “No, this isn’t right! You’ve disobeyed a rule. You’re supposed to kill her, not let her live!”

“Shut the fuck up!” Ronan snaps, shooting to his feet. Adaline stumbles backward, fear all over her face. Ronan is furious now.

He must have done something, because she goes down on her knees, groaning in pain and writhing. Even Lucas and Knox seem uncomfortable, visibly struggling as they sit.

“We didn’t kill her, so what?” he asks her, tilting his head to the side. “Is there anything you want to do about it?”

“She’s a weapon!” Adaline chokes out, doing her best to meet Ronan’s gaze. “She was created to ruin us. To expose us in public and have us killed. If you let her live, she will do just that!”

I grow puzzled at her words. Me, a weapon?

“It is still none of your business. I decide whether she lives or dies, not you. Do you understand?!” he roars.

“You’re making a mistake,” Adaline spits. She crumples even further, wincing in pain.

“Do. You. Understand?” Ronan growls.

“Yes… yes, Alpha… please!” she cries out in panic.

Ronan finally stops tensing and settles back into his seat. Adaline’s struggles cease, but she’s still curled up on the ground.

“Get out…” he groans, and I watch as she picks herself up and scurries out of the dining hall.

“You should take it easy with the alpha’s will. You know how bothersome it gets for us,” Knox grumbles, clearly irritated.

Ronan ignores him.

His gaze returns to me, and his eyes narrow. “You truly are unaffected by it,” he murmurs, the earlier rage nonexistent.

“Unaffected by what?”

“The alpha’s will. Pheromones,” he mutters.

I shrug, taking another bite of my steak. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I stare at the ground where Adaline once lay. “Why did she call me a weapon?”

Ronan furrows his brow. “You still haven’t figured it out?” Knox asks.

I shake my head. “No.”

They all turn to me again, staring. Goosebumps spread across my skin, but I meet their gaze.

“You’re done eating,” Ronan notes quietly, glancing at my plate. “Go to your room,” he orders.

I want to retort. Snap at him. But the image of Adaline writhing on the ground quickly makes me change my mind.

“Fine.”

I pull away from my seat and head back to my room.

The journey is a bit long, and I almost get lost a couple of times, but I make it eventually.

Closing the door behind me, I sag against it, a sigh escaping my lips.

I don't want to continue living with these men. They seem terrifying, and there's no telling what they will do to me the longer I stay here. Their cryptic gazes are already giving me chills.

I walk toward the window, gazing out into the night sky. The forest beyond the walls is calling to me, and for a moment, I wonder if I can truly escape from here.

I could climb down the window, but it's a far way down, and I don't see any rope in this room.

Gnawing at my lower lip in frustration, I let out a huff. In due time.

All in due time.

.

.

.

Adaline.

Pacing my bedroom, I bite at my fingernails, ignoring the dull throbbing in my skull—an aftereffect of Ronan using his alpha will on me.

I can't believe this. That wench is supposed to be dead. They were supposed to kill her. Why did they let her live?

Why are they all protecting her? This is all so wrong.

A knock sounds at the door. I whirl toward it, half expecting it to be Ronan, coming to apologize. But the door pushes open, and Lucas walks in instead.

My anticipation gives way to disappointment.

"Are you alright?" he asks, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed and gaze fixed on me.

"I'm fine..." I mumble under my breath, looking away from him, still thrumming with anger. Then I snap my gaze toward him. "You didn't say anything back at the dining table concerning that lady."

"You didn't give anyone a chance to speak."

"Why did you keep her alive?"

He slowly walks into the room, his footfalls heavy. "So we know what those humans did." He cocks his head to the side, his expression turning grave. "How much they know and what they've uncovered. That way, we can better protect ourselves."

"You can do that with her corpse!" I snap vehemently.

Lucas shakes his head. "It's not the same. We need to study her while she's alive."

I frown, pacing around the room once again. "The council will find out about this. You know they will punish you three if they do, for defying their orders."

"They won't if you don't tell them," Lucas states, gazing squarely at me. "You won't tell them, Adaline."

I bite my lips, swallowing back a retort. They want me to play along? Let that abomination continue to live? Over my dead body.

As if reading my thoughts, Lucas tenses, his gaze becoming sharper. "Adaline... You know better. This isn't any of your business."

"But I can't be idle, Lucas!" I finally snap. "What you're taking is a risk. She's a threat to every living werewolf the longer she's alive! You of all people should know that!"

Besides, let her live so she can snatch them away from my hands? Not on my life.

Lucas scoffs, already irked. "She won't be a threat away here. We live far enough, and we have no plans of letting her out of our sight. You don't have to worry. Just let her be and look the other way."

My jaw clenches as I gaze down at the ground.

I don't want to let this go. I can't let this go.

"I know what you're thinking. Don't do it," Lucas says in a grave voice—a warning and a command. "Do not bother the girl..." He growls, walking out of the room and slamming the door behind him.

I glare at the closed door, snarling.

To hell with that.

.

.

.

Unknown POV

A clothed figure stands before a monitor screen, looking at the data presented to him from his countless experiments, when his phone rings.

He pulls it from his coat pocket and answers, pressing it to his ear. “Yes?” he says, his low voice echoing in the silence.

“Sir, the first lab has been discovered and destroyed. Everything was burned to the ground. The successful is gone, sir,” the speaker announces, his tone somber.

The man in the coat tenses, his lips drawing into a thin line. “Is she dead?”

“That, we cannot confirm. No body was found.”

He lets out a slow breath. “Okay. Lay low for a while. Let the dust settle.”

“Yes, sir…” The call ends, and he slips the phone back into his pocket, returning his attention to the data in front of him.

Once he’s satisfied with what he sees, he leaves and walks into another section of the facility, where a male figure lies unconscious and pale.

Heart monitors beep steadily behind him.

The corner of his lips quirks, but it doesn’t quite form a smile.

“Almost ready…” he growls under his breath. “Those damned werewolves—we’ll get rid of you all. Don’t worry.”

It’s only a matter of time.