Chapter 134

I sat on the cold floor of my room, my back pressed against the wall. Hours had passed, though I couldn’t tell how many. The night had come, and the only light in the room was from the moon shining through the window. My white dress was the only clean thing I had left after the tea incident. My stomach growled loudly, reminding me I hadn’t eaten. Not a single person had brought me food, and I was too stubborn to ask for help earlier.

At some point, I fell asleep, right there on the floor. When I woke up, it was still dark outside, but the birds were beginning to sing, signaling the start of a new day. I didn’t know what time it was—everything felt like one long, miserable blur. My mouth was dry, my throat burning with thirst. Desperation kicked in, and I went to the door, knocking softly at first, then louder.

"Hello? I need water," I called out, hoping someone might hear me.

Silence. Not even a footstep.

I slid down to the floor again, my back resting against the door this time. I didn’t cry, but I felt like I could. The loneliness pressed in, making the room seem smaller. Time crawled, and I just sat there, watching as the sunlight slowly began to fill the room.

After what felt like hours, I heard footsteps. Heavy ones. I scrambled to my feet, moving away from the door. My heart raced as I waited. The lock clicked, and the door swung open.

It was one of the men who always sat at the table during meals, the older one who seemed to enjoy watching me suffer. His face was blank as he stared at me, but there was something in his eyes that made me nervous.

"I need water," I said quickly, hoping he might show some kindness.

He didn’t. "Follow me," was all he said, his voice cold.

I hesitated, my feet glued to the floor. Could I trust him? What if he was leading me to another trap?

The man narrowed his eyes. "We can do this the hard way," he warned, and I knew he wasn’t bluffing.

I swallowed hard and nodded, following him out of the room. My body was tense, every instinct telling me to run, but I didn’t know where I’d go even if I did.

We went downstairs, the hallway becoming darker and more isolated the further we walked. The house seemed endless, but we finally reached a room at the end of a long, narrow corridor. The door creaked open, and I stepped inside, feeling a chill run down my spine.

The room was dark, only a dim light in the corner. It was small and bare, just a wooden table and a chair. The walls looked old, made of wood like something out of a forgotten cabin. It smelled musty, and the whole atmosphere screamed of isolation. It reminded me of home, but not in a comforting way.

As I stood there, trying to figure out what was happening, Alpha Jeremiah walked in. He wasn’t alone. The redhead, Selene, was with him, along with a younger man who looked exactly like the one who brought me here. Probably his son. The man greeted Jeremiah, calling him "nephew." So, he was Jeremiah’s uncle—his name was Adam.

They all watched me, their eyes cold and calculating. Alpha Jeremiah nodded to the younger man, Elijah, and said, “Lock the door.”

Elijah did as he was told, and I took a step back, my heart racing. I didn’t like this. I didn’t like any of it.

"Sit down," Alpha Jeremiah said, his voice commanding.

I shook my head, my wolf stirring inside me, angry. No, my wolf growled in my mind. He can’t treat us like this. We are a princess.

“I said, sit down,” Alpha Jeremiah repeated, his voice harder now.

I crossed my arms and glared at him. “No,” I said, my voice defiant.

Before I could blink, Elijah was on me, grabbing my arm and shoving me into the chair. I let out a grunt as I hit the seat, shooting a glare at him and then at Jeremiah.

Jeremiah’s face didn’t change. He stood there, watching me carefully before speaking again. “I’ll only ask this once, Astrid, and you would do well to answer me.”

I rolled my eyes, scoffing. “Ask whatever you want,” I muttered.

“Tell me about your father’s territory,” Jeremiah said coldly. “Its weakest points. How many men does he control?”

I froze, my blood running cold. Was he serious? Did he really think I’d betray my family like that? I felt my wolf rise in anger, and my eyes shifted, turning violet with my fury. Selene gasped but quickly regained her composure, staring at me with distaste.

Jeremiah seemed taken aback for a moment, but he quickly recovered.

“I’ll never tell you anything,” I snarled, standing up from the chair, glaring at all of them. “Over my dead body.”

I didn’t see the slap coming. One moment, I was standing tall, refusing to back down, and the next, my face was stinging, and I was back in the chair. Selene stood over me, her hand still raised, her eyes filled with cold satisfaction.

I glared up at her, my hands shaking with anger. One day, I promised myself. One day, I’ll kill her.

Jeremiah’s voice cut through my thoughts. “I’ll ask you again, Astrid. What are the weaknesses of your father’s territory?”

I stared at him, my expression blank. Did he really think I would betray my family, my people, just to save myself? He was out of his mind if he thought that.

I didn’t say a word.

He nodded slowly, as if he expected my silence. Then a cruel smile tugged at his lips. “Very well,” he said. “No food. No water. Not until you’re ready to talk.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, refusing to let him see how much that threat affected me.

He turned to his uncle. “Make sure of it,” he instructed.

Adam nodded, his expression emotionless. I could see in his eyes that he enjoyed this—enjoyed watching me suffer.

Without another word, they all walked out, leaving me alone in the dark room. I heard the heavy click of the lock, and I knew I wasn’t getting out of here anytime soon.

I looked around, trying to find anything—anything at all that might help me escape. But there was nothing. No windows. No way out.

This place was a prison.