Chapter 8 The Alpha's Prey

Camila

I sat on the floor of my cell, feeling hopeless about escaping. The security in the dungeon was strict, with guards closely monitoring our every move. Their expressions were cold and filled with animosity towards us as if we had committed an unforgivable offense. I couldn't understand why we were being held captive by that lunatic.

After a few minutes, three guards entered the dungeon and unlocked all the cages, releasing us. I rushed towards Sia, hoping to stand by her side. I reached out to examine her bruises, but she pulled away and looked at me, her face scrunched in disgust.

"Stay away from me, Camila. I want nothing to do with you anymore," she said, distancing herself from me.

"We should stick together and get out of here," I insisted, moving closer to her.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I would trade your life for my safety without hesitation. I don't care if you live or die," she said, her eyes filled with hatred as she walked away from me.

I tried to follow her, but a guard pulled me back, blindfolded me, and did the same to all the other prisoners, causing me to lose sight of Sia.

"Take them to the field and if anyone attempts to resist, kill them," a chilling voice commanded, sending shivers down our spines as we were forced out of the dungeon.

The icy wind brushed against my skin, carrying the scent of burning wood and the sound of birds chirping. We were guided to an unfamiliar destination.

'Where were we?' I wondered, stepping on dry leaves and feeling long grass brushing against my skin, indicating that we were in a forest. The sound of my heartbeat echoed in my ears, accompanied by distant wolf howls.

'I couldn't believe we were walking to our deaths with our hands tied.' Sweat dripped down my forehead.

After two hours of endless walking, we were told to stop. The prisoners began huddling together, pushing and shoving to avoid being the first to die. I stayed put, my thoughts consumed by Sia. She was full of life and didn't deserve this fate.

"Silence!" The commanding voice rang out, and the air grew still like a graveyard. The scent of roasted meat and wine wafted through the air, accompanied by the slow beat of drums. It felt like we had interrupted a ceremony.

I felt someone standing in front of me, and then that familiar smell hit me again, and I tilted my head, trying to place it. Suddenly, I remembered. It was Lan, the lunatic.

He grabbed my hand and declared, "Alpha Zedex, I want her as my slave!"

My heart raced as I realized the danger I was in. 'That name...did ring a bell. Where had I heard it before?'

As the blindfold was removed, I glanced around and saw darkness all around, except for the bright flames from the burning wood on the ground illuminating the field. When I looked away, I was met with the most chilling stare I had ever seen.

Memories I had tried to bury resurfaced, threatening to overwhelm me. His piercing amber eyes held me still, and I felt the ground beneath me tremble.

How could fate be so cruel?

The masked man who had been haunting me in my dreams now stood before me, his eyes filled with a mix of anger and recognition.

"A-Alpha Zedex," I whispered, my voice barely audible. My hand started to sweat, and I felt the trees around me threatening to close up on me.

"Where is my ring?" he snarled, his voice dripping with venom.

"I-I...." I stammered, my words trailing off as I struggled to find the right thing to say.

His intense gaze bore into me, making me gulp nervously as I stared blankly ahead.

"Where is my ring?" He growled, his eyes filled with anger and frustration. "Where is it?" His control slipped as he advanced towards me, shoving me roughly to the ground.

"Ouch!" I cried out in pain, feeling my ankles twist.

Ignoring my distress, he knelt and yanked on my hair, causing searing pain to shoot through my head.

"Oww!" I whimpered in agony as tears welled up in my eyes, streaming down my chin.

The man's cruelty was overwhelming, and I couldn't help but sob as he continued to pull harder, the pain spreading like a shockwave through my body.

He loomed over me, his large body casting a threatening shadow over me.

"Do you believe you can enter here, feigning innocence?" Alpha Zedex's voice was filled with venom. "You're the puppet of the wolf hunter, to steal from me again?"

I shook my head, "I-I did take the ring, but not for the reason you think." I finally found my voice to defend myself; my brows furrowed as I wondered what he meant by wolf hunters.

'How could I tell him I sold his ring without him hurting me more?' I thought, the fear of his wrath paralyzing me.

The other prisoners, still blindfolded, remained unaware of the violent scene unfolding before them. However, I knew they felt it because of how they kept pushing themselves in panic.

I looked away towards the large crowds, consisting of people of all ages, including children, who were all staring at me with emotionless expressions, showing no pity. They stood silently, some with clenched fists and smirks of satisfaction as if they were also afraid of him.

Fear crawled on my skin; I swallowed hard as he approached me, his eyes filled with intense hatred. I started moving backward, my back scraping against the ground.

"I can't drag Pa Ceca into this. He already paid me for the ring; I can't involve him now. I just have to..." My thoughts were interrupted as Lan suddenly appeared in front of me, blocking Alpha Zedex from getting any closer.

"Brother, she's my slave now. Remember, you approved," Lan said, glaring at me while facing Alpha Zedex.

'So, they were brothers?' I thought. Realizing they were brothers, I couldn't help but think they shared the same temperament.

I remembered my encounter with Lan in the dungeon and couldn't decide who was worse between them. All I wanted was to escape from Alpha Zedex, and if Lan was my only option, I was willing to take it at that moment.

Desperately, I clung to Lan's leg, holding on as if my life depended on it.

"Lan, move aside," Alpha Zedex grumbled in a low voice, his intense gaze fixed on me.

"Brother..." Lan whined like a baby, surprising me, and I quickly let go of him to make sure I hadn't grabbed the wrong person. Wasn't he the one acting so cruel in the dungeon some hours ago?

Lan's eyes flickered with a mix of anger and curiosity as he gazed at me one last time; his expression was a stark contrast to Alpha Zedex's cold calculation. Without further protest, Lan silently walked away, leaving me feeling like my world was crumbling before my eyes.

"If she's the hunter's pawn, let's kill her!" the crowd shouted.

Alpha Zedex raised his hand into the air, causing a grave silence to fall over the field as he fixed his cold gaze on me. As I turned, I noticed each guard placing a long dagger at the neck of every prisoner. My eyes met Sia's, and she began to sob.

"Their fate now rests in your hands. Any bloodshed here will haunt you for the rest of your days," he threatened sternly, his hand clasped behind his back as he paced back and forth.

My heart pounded, and sweat dripped down my chin. How could he have been so merciless? It was clear that the ring held significant importance to him.

I couldn't believe this was the same man I had a one-night stand with-the man who had been charming and loving in the club and bed. How could I have been intimate with someone so inhumane, who treated human life as disposable?

In a split second, he snapped his fingers, and one of the prisoners fell dead, blood spilling everywhere. I was shocked to the bone as we were left with fifteen prisoners in total.

The crowd erupted into a loud scream, dancing in excitement and chanting, "Kill more!"

I wondered who these people were.

"One down. Where is my ring?" he asked again, raising his hand, ready to snap, a wicked grin on his face.

Suddenly, a guard brought Sia and a young guy forward and placed a dagger at their necks. Seeing this, I felt life almost leaving my body as Sia cried out, "I don't want to die. Save me, Camila."

Her desperate plea brought back memories of her betrayal, and I felt torn.

"You have 1 minute." His grin grew wider, and his gaze was chilling and dangerous.

I stared at Sia and the young guy in front of me, on the verge of death; I could hear their heartbeats pounding rapidly, and sweat streaming down their faces effortlessly. The guy was already peeing on himself, his leg shaking.

Alpha Zedex snapped his fingers, and the guy dropped dead, blood spilling everywhere.

"5 seconds!" He raised his finger again, ready to snap.

'I would trade your life for my safety without hesitation. I don't care if you live or die,' her harsh words from the dungeon echoed in my mind, leaving me unsure of what to do next.

He finally snapped his finger...