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.

Elorai.

It's a brand new day in captivity, and I'm gazing at the ceiling of my beautiful big room, my mind racing with a million thoughts.

I was woken up by a nightmare at the crack of dawn and have been unable to sleep since then, but I also don't want to go out and meet the men, yet I can't stay in all day.

Letting out a sigh, I step out of bed and proceed to have another shower, clearing my head under the stream of warm water.

I stay there till my skin reddens, then amble out of the bedroom, dry my body, and change into another dress. This time, it's a light blue sundress.

I dry my hair and weave it into a full braid.

I glare at the door, letting out a deep breath.

A knock jolts me out of the trance I seem to have slipped into, and before I can answer, the door swings open, Andre standing at the entrance.

"Good morning, miss," he greets, his voice polite, even as his nostrils flare, his breath quickening.

"Good morning..." I mutter, immediately wary. "Why are you here?" I ask, my shoulders tense.

"I came to ask if you would like to come down for breakfast," he says, his gaze fixed on me.

A muscle ticks in my jaw. "Will the Alphas be in attendance?" I ask, and he shakes his head.

"Then, I'm not coming."

"Should I bring your food to your room instead?" he suggests, and I mull over it for a bit.

"That would be better. Thanks, Andre," I say, a corner of my lips quirking up but not quite forming a smile.

He delivers a small bow and walks out, closing the door behind him.

I sit on the bed, wiggling my toes as I wait for my food. Already, my stomach is grumbling.

The food arrives on a tray after a while, and Andre places it on the table by the bedside.

"Here's your meal..." he announces, his voice gruff.

"Thank you..." I chirp, the delicious scents coming from the dishes he has prepared wafting into my nose.

"You're welcome."

I reach for the tray, plucking a grape from the bunch and popping it into my mouth. The juice spills as I bite into it, filling me with pleasant surprise.

Andre doesn't leave as quickly as I would like him to.

I glance at him to find him flexing his fingers, his jaw clenching and unclenching. His nose has flared even wider now, and there's a wild look in his eyes.

Dread pools in my gut. "Andre... is something wrong?" I ask, being careful.

He doesn't answer. Instead, his fingers reach for my cheeks, trailing down to my chin and eventually my neck.

"You smell so good..." he growls in a guttural voice that sends shivers down my spine. I instantly back away from him, my heart pounding in my chest.

"I think you should leave..." I say, glancing at the door in case I need to bolt out.

He follows me like a hound on my heels. "Don't move away from me..." he snarls, eyes flashing. "Not when your scent is calling for me like this..."

What the hell is he talking about?!

He closes the distance between us once more, his hand going to the back of my neck as he tugs me closer.

"Hey... let me go!" I shout, pushing him away with all the force I can muster. He stumbles backward but quickly regains his footing. The haze in his eyes clears, and he looks around him, his eyes widening as color stains his cheeks.

"I'm... I'm sorry..." he stutters, rushing out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

I glare at the door, my skin crawling.

What the hell is wrong with him?!

.

.

.

I shakily return to my food, convinced I'll only take a few bites from it due to the recent incident, but end up surprising myself and finishing everything.

Andre doesn't return, however, probably too embarrassed to show his face after what he just did. I don't even want to see him either.

But I need to return all these dirty dishes. So I summon all the courage I didn't know I possessed, pick up the tray filled with all the empty plates, and slowly head out of my room, quietly making my way to the kitchen.

The closer I get, the more voices I hear, and they grow louder and clearer. It's Andre, and he's complaining to perhaps the Alphas.

"You don't understand, Alpha. It's hard to resist her once you get close. She smells too good," he groans, his voice filled with frustration.

I freeze, perking my ears so I can hear more.

"That good?" a voice I recognize to be Knox asks.

"That good," he confirms. "It's almost like coming upon a female omega when she's in heat. It's completely bothersome, and it's driving me into a rut."

Quietly, in a more defeated tone, he adds, "I'm not sure I can resist. And I'm still wired from scenting her this morning."

My heart skips a beat at that. Is my scent that potent?

"That's... precarious," Lucas answers, his voice low. "You're dismissed for today, Andre. Go find a woman to lose yourself in. We'll keep an eye on her for now."

"Yes, Alphas," I hear him say, and then footsteps. He must be walking away.

"You, come out of hiding," a voice barks out, and I flinch, almost dropping the tray I'm holding.

I come into view and find all three of them in the dining area, Adaline included. She frowns and scoffs the moment she sees me. I raise the tray even higher.

"Good morning..." I mutter, unsure of what to say.

"You were eavesdropping, weren't you?" Lucas asks and I shrug.

"You guys weren't exactly talking in whispers."

Knox scoffs at that, his eyes filled with intrigue.

Adaline stands to her feet, stalking toward me, and presses her nose against my neck, taking in harsh breaths.

"She just smells like a regular omega to me. I'm a hundred percent sure she doesn't even have a wolf. So why would she have such an effect on Andre?"

Adaline asks, glancing back at the men.

Lucas rises from his seat and walks toward us. I cling to the tray closer to myself, resisting the urge to take several steps back.

Reaching my side, he leans in and presses his nose against my neck, sending a jolt through me.

He grips my hand, holding me still, and starts breathing me in, taking deep lungfuls, while my heart races, threatening to burst out of it's cage.

The rest watch on intently, and Adaline is already scowling.

"She's leaking pheromones," Lucas announces as he steps back, rubbing his nose. "It's similar to the ones an omega releases when in heat, except this is just part of her regular scent."

Ronan's and Knox's eyes widen, understanding flashing through them.

I just look on, confused.

He glances down at me. "Do you know how to block it?"

"Of course not. I don't even know what you're talking about."

Pheromones? Heat? What alternate dimension have I landed in?

"Of course," I hear him mumble under his breath.

"Why isn't it affecting us?" Knox asks.

"Oh, it is. The effects are just so little we aren't paying attention to them. I believe that's the intention. They start out low before they get worse, and we grow unable to resist."

"All the more reason we should get rid of her," Adaline speaks up, her voice assertive. "She was created to cause chaos, to disrupt the Alpha senses."

All three men glance at each other, contemplating her words. I stiffen, unable to keep the terror from rising in my throat. Are they truly going to listen to her and kill me?

"That's a valid point you've raised, Adaline..." Lucas says, walking away from me. "But we still need to study her for a moment longer. We will eventually get rid of her, but not right now." He says, walking back to his seat.

What?

Adaline huffs, rolling her eyes, but goes back to sit down.

My heart still pounding in my chest, I dump the empty tray into the kitchen and hurry back to my room, collapsing onto the bed.

An exasperated breath leaves, cold dread crashing over me like a wave.

Pheromones. Heat. My survival, even now, is not guaranteed because my captors still want to kill me. What kind of twisted life am I living?

I spend the rest of the day locked indoors, and thankfully, no one comes to see me.

The day passes slowly around me, but I just get lost deeper in my spiraling thoughts.

What's going to happen to me now?

That's until the door swings open and Adaline bursts in, looking more agitated than I've ever seen her.

"You shouldn't be in my room..." I say, standing to my feet, my expression guarded.

"You are in a dangerous place, young lady," she begins, narrowing her eyes at me.

Her words hit a nerve, but she's not done.

"Those men out there? They are not protecting you. Hell, they are not even keeping you. They want to ruin you. And they'll do it slowly. You'll push them to the point where they'll be unable to resist and finally snap."

With a snarl, she adds, "This arrangement is a ticking time bomb."

As much as I'd love to refute her words, there's truth in them. I can't be truly safe with these men. They are only biding their time. The signs are beginning to stare me in the face.

She takes a step toward me, and another, till I'm backing away from her.

"My advice? Run away. Run very far away. Or else... I'll kill you myself." She threatens, turning around and leaving without a backward glance, the door slamming shut behind her.

My entire body is trembling.

Gods, what do I do?