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?

Elorai.

I'm unable to sleep that night. I keep tossing and turning, Adaline's words replaying in my head like a broken tune. The alphas haven't come to see me, much less dissuage my fears, which only tells me that what Adaline warned about is something they will eventually do.

I don't want to wait to find that out.

I slide off the bed, pacing around the room to see if I can find something I can use as a rope to get me down.

I want to escape from here. I don't know if I'll succeed, but I'd rather fail than not try at all.

My gaze falls on the bedsheets, and I pull them off the bed and begin ripping them, forming long strings.

When I tie the ends and suspend them from the window, they reach the ground. A breath of relief escapes my lips.

This can work.

I bring it back up to secure the knots and finally tie one end of the makeshift rope to a secure structure I know won't move, then throw the other end outside the window, testing it out again.

Satisfied and partly certain it can carry my weight, I start climbing down the window and using the makeshift rope to guide me down.

The entire endeavor is nerve-wracking, and I keep having the terrifying thought that I'm going to slip and fall, but thankfully it doesn't happen.

I make it to the ground and sigh as my legs make contact with the soft earth.

Looking around me, I check if anyone has seen me yet, and when I confirm no one has, I bolt into the gardens, trying to make it to the gate and, hopefully, escape.

My heart is racing, my blood is roaring, but I don't dare look back. This is my first taste of freedom.

I didn't even know I was caged until those monsters showed up and claimed me.

The cool air whizzes past my ears, and I realize I want more of this.

This freedom.

I make it halfway out of the compound when a hand yanks me back, another clasping over my mouth, muffling my screams.

"Now, where do you think you're going?" a voice growls against my ear, and my eyes widen, terror slicing through my gut.

It's Knox.

My voice is muffled against his hand, and he resumes carrying me away, back into the house.

No! I don't want to go back in there!

He doesn't take me into my room like I expect him to. Instead, he slams me against the wall in the hallway, his body pressed against mine.

I feel the heat radiating off his body, and it makes me shiver. This man is menacing.

I finally manage to pry his hand off my mouth. "Let go of me!" I scream, thrashing my legs. He renders those immobile as well.

"I believe I asked you a question first," he growls, his breath hot against my face. "Where do you think you're going?" he growls, punctuating the words.

Why does he want me to spell it out for him? Of course I'm trying to escape!

"Let me go!" I yell again, struggling to get free. He lets out a derisive chuckle, pressing himself harder against me.

"You were running away, weren't you?" he snarls, his face moving to the side of my face, his warm breath tickling my earlobe. "Weren't you told that was a bad idea?"

My heart starts to pound at the threat in his words, but I don't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me so terrified.

Knox brings his face closer to the crook of my neck and proceeds to sniff me, breathing me in.

"Lucas wasn't lying..." he growls, his voice thick with hunger. "You are leaking pheromones..." He pulls back to glare at me, need blatant in his eyes. "And they smell divine."

I stare at him, appalled by his actions, but he resumes breathing again, his tongue darting out to lick the sensitive spot below my neck.

I gasp, a shiver running down my spine.

A low rumble starts in Knox's chest as he resumes stroking that area with his tongue, sensations spreading through my body from that point.

What the hell is he doing? I don't understand any of this.

"Knox! Let me go, please!" I cry out, still struggling, but he doesn't relent. If anything, his exploration has gotten wilder, as he's now peppering kisses all over the exposed skin on my neck.

It feels like this morning all over again, except this time, this male has no intention of stopping what he's doing.

Panic begins to bubble within me, and I want to get him off before he does anything drastic.

"Help me!" I cry out, pulling at his hair in an attempt to dislodge him. "Help me, please!"

Knox goes on to grab my waist, his hips grinding against mine as his tongue continues with its wicked lashes across my neck, nipping the skin as he ventures elsewhere.

For fuck's sake, what is he doing?!

I hear heavy footfalls coming closer, and before long, Ronan and Lucas show up, pulling Knox away from me. He struggles, but they easily overpower him and pull him back. I crumple to the ground, completely shaken.

For a tiny, fleeting moment, I'm glad they came to help me.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Ronan growls as he hits Knox on the shoulder. "You said you were going on a run!"

"She tried to run away!" Knox snarls back, and they snap their heated gazes at me. I cower, looking away.

"You... did what?" Ronan mutters, but he might as well have screamed it, because I tremble.

"I..." I start to speak to defend myself but quickly give up.

His hand reaches for my neck, and he pulls me up with it, his grip not strong enough to crush my windpipe, but enough to make me gasp for breath.

"I told you, no funny tricks! Why didn't you listen?!"

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." I croak out, now attempting to get his hand off.

Lucas just stares at the scene unfolding in front of him.

He lets me go, then proceeds to drag me into my room by my arm, the remaining two following behind them.

"Stop it! I'm sorry... Let me go, please," I force out through ragged breaths, my terror at an all-time high now.

I'm hauled back into my room, and Ronan immediately spots the makeshift rope I used in escaping. He lets me go to give a mirthless laugh.

"Seriously," he says, glancing back at me with venom in his eyes. I shrink back further.

"We've been too lenient with you. Time to show you what happens when you disobey orders."

He growls, lifting me up from the ground and throwing me over his shoulders.

Horror settles in my gut. Where is he taking me?!

"Ronan! Stop, please! I'm sorry!" I cry out, thrashing against him, but he just keeps marching ahead, his grip on me unyielding, stopping me from wiggling free.

He takes me to another room, devoid of all decorations, with barred windows, dropping me roughly on the ground.

Even the air feels stale and musty, an indication that no one has been here for years. "Here is your new room. You'll stay here until you learn proper manners and obedience!"

I whimper, tears burning my eyes.

With a scoff, he turns around and locks the door after me, keeping me in the dark.

"Ronan, please!" I cry out, rushing toward the door and banging against it. "Let me out!"

I hear nothing. No footsteps. No voices.

I keep banging until I have no strength left in my hands and slump to the floor, my chest tightening with every second that passes.

My gaze becomes blurry.

A sob hangs in my throat.

I bury my face in my hands and let it out.

Soft, agony-filled sobs.

.

.

.

Knox.

"Fuck, her scent won't come off me..." I groan as I wash my face and lips for the umpteenth time, trying to get rid of the taste of her skin on them.

Lucas stares at me and scoffs, rolling his eyes. Ronan has refused to return since he locked Elorai in the room she can't escape.

I breathe again, and there's her scent, lingering in the air. A frustrated groan spills from my lips.

"It's like a damn aphrodisiac. It just won't leave!"

"All the more reason you should have stayed away. Why were you sniffing her like that, huh? Didn't you hear what I said about her leaking pheromones?"

"I just wanted to confirm it, damn it. I didn't feel it the first time we met her."

Lucas groans, an exasperated sigh spilling from his lips as he leans back in his chair. "Maybe we did. We were just too on edge to notice," he mumbles.

I rub my nose again, still trying to get rid of it. I'm already hard as hell, and I know going to sleep with a boner as hard as what I'm carrying will only result in painful blue balls and an even worse headache.

"God damn it... I'll need a whore or ten to get rid of all these effects."

"Well, good luck with that. You better get started."

"Fucker," I groan, narrowing my eyes at him. "Acting like you're better than us."

He shrugs, a corner of his lips tugging up. "Well, I'm not as stupid as you."

I want to retort but decide against it. I need to sort out this damned arousal rushing through my veins.

With a huff, I turn around and walk away.