Chapter 4 DUÑGEON

HAILEY

As the warriors pulled me into the thick jungle, their hands clutching me like iron chains, my legs shook. My bare feet scraped the hard ground as I stumbled over sharp pebbles and roots. Behind me, the eerie darkness of the tall trees engulfed the reassuring brightness of the neon lights of the human settlement. "Please," I pleaded in a raspy voice. "You're not understanding-" The taller warrior yelled, "Save it," in a contemptuous and icy tone. "Thomas will make the final decision regarding you." Thomas. I was overcome with terror at the mere mention of the word. As Alpha, Thomas was everything the pack admired and feared: ruthless, fiercely traditional, and uncompromising but a coward and manipulator behind it all. Defiance was not tolerated by him. My behaviour would be considered betrayal. I could hear Amenia's stern but reassuring voice stirring in my head. "Remain strong Hailey. We will overcome this. I wanted to believe her, but I was too terrified to react. It felt like I was marching toward my demise with every step I took toward the packhouse. As they pulled me farther into the jungle, the warriors remained silent. My stomach turned when the packhouse silhouette appeared, looming and menacing against the night sky. Long shadows were produced by its dimly lit windows, giving the impression that the edifice was alive and observing. My senses were assaulted by the familiar smells of pine and woodsmoke as they pushed me through the back entrance. It still smelled like home, which I detested. The sound of their footfall reverberated through the deserted hallways. Members of the pack peered out of their rooms, raising whispers. "The human town was where she was." "Is she even aware of what she did?" "Thomas will use her as an example." Their accusing gazes pierced my soul. Even though my head was lowered and my cheeks were burning with embarrassment, I was unable to ignore what they were saying. I was pulled into Thomas's study by the warriors as they flung open the doors. His broad shoulders were bent over a map that was spread out on his enormous wood desk. He commanded the room with an air of unadulterated power. His face clouded when he looked up and noticed me. "What do you mean by this?" he asked.His voice was deep and menacing as he hissed. Stepping forward, the taller warrior bent his head. We discovered that she was employed in Alpha, a human settlement. She was moving covertly behind the pack. Thomas stared at me with his piercing blue eyes, a mix of incredulity and rage. "Is this accurate?" Nothing I could say would undo what I had done, but my mind raced for an answer. "Yes," I said in a scarcely audible whisper. There was an oppressive hush in the room. Thomas's hands squeezed into fists and his jaw grew taut. "Are you even aware of what you did?" With controlled anger, his voice soared. "You've put the whole pack in danger! If the people find us- "They won't," I cut in, my voice beginning to sound desperate. "I used caution. Nobody has any suspicions. He interrupted me and angrily said, "You disobeyed my orders." "You disregarded this pack's rules. You disgraced all of us. Even though his words hurt, I felt angry as well as guilty. "I had no other option!" With a shaky voice, I shot back. "I was unable to be here any longer. I- "You couldn't stay?" he said in a poisonous tone. He stepped forward, taller than me. Do you believe that this is a personal matter? Do you believe that putting all of our lives in danger is justified by your selfishness? My eyes pinched with tears, but I fought the need to cry. I muttered, "I just wanted a chance to be free." Thomas's lips curled into a scowl as his face hardened. "Freedom? Even the meaning of that is beyond your comprehension. He looked to the warriors. Take her to the dungeon. I felt my heart sink. "No!" Panic swept over me as I sobbed. "Please-I'll do anything, Thomas!" "Silence! There could be no dispute as his shout reverberated across the room. The warriors grabbed me by the arms once more and pulled me out of the study. The pack members in the hall looked on in quiet, their expressions a mixture of sympathy and loathing. I tried to pull away, but it was no use; their hold was firm. I had anticipated the dungeon to be harsh and frigid. It smelled of mildew and misery, a labyrinth of wet stone walls and iron bars beneath the packhouse. The heavy door slammed shut with a finality that made my stomach turn, and the warriors pushed me into a cell. Before departing, one of them declared, "You'll remain here until the Alpha determines your punishment." My back was against the rough stone wall as I dropped to the ground. The fact that I was alone, helpless, and completely at Thomas's mercy struck me like a tidal wave. The deafening silence was broken by Amenia's voice. "Hailey, we'll make it through this. Don't underestimate your strength. Tears were flowing down my cheeks as I hid my face in my hands. I muttered, "I don't feel strong." The darkness made time hazy. I sat in the cold for hours or maybe days, my body hurting from hunger and the relentless cold. The incessant drip of water and occasional movement of rats were the sounds that kept me sane.

When I hear the creaking sound of the cell opening, my heart leaps with hope and fear.

Thomas walks in, his expression as cold and unyielding as the walls around me.

"You've had time to reflect on your actions", he said in a detached voice. "Now you"ll face the consequence.

The ground trembled beneath me as I forced myself to stand. "Please, Thomas-" He stopped, his eyes narrowing, and said, "You meant every step you took towards the human town." "And you will be held accountable." Again, two warriors stepped in and took my arms. From the dungeon, they led me into the grand hall, where the entire pack was assembled. Their judgemental looks stabbed me, and I could feel their feelings weighing heavily on my chest. Thomas entered the elevated platform with a commanding presence that cut down on the muttering of the throng. "Hailey has betrayed this pack," he proclaimed. By breaching our laws, she endangered our lives. For her actions, she ought to face consequences. I had a sense of foreboding. Thomas turned to me and said sternly and decisively, "Until I make a decision regarding your destiny, you will stay in the dungeon." As the soldiers pulled me back, my heart sank deeper with each step, and the heavy door banged behind me as I was once again welcomed into the cold, dark cell. I collapsed on the wet floor, feeling exhausted and hopeless, but a flame of defiance blazed in my chest despite the darkness encroaching. "I won't let them break me." Amenia's calm, unflinching voice echoed in my mind, "They'll make an effort. However, they underestimate our strength. I closed my eyes and vowed that this would not be my demise, whatever Thomas's plans were, they would not break me.