Chapter 3 Chains of Blood and fire

The heavy wooden door slammed shut behind the Alpha, reverberating through the cold, circular , stone room like the final sound of a death bell. Sera sat huddled on the floor, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees as the harsh cold air bit through the thin fabric of her clothes. The darkness of the night was consuming the room , save for a single shining torch mounted just outside, its dull light casting faint shadows through the narrow cracks beneath the door.

Her body trembled, not just from the cold air, but also from the weight of everything that had happened in the last few hours , the attack on her pack, capture, the ruthless strength of the Alpha, and most of all, the relentless pulse beneath her skin. The mate bond. The invisible chain that tied her soul to his, burning with urgency and an intensity that left her both dizzy and disoriented.

Sera swallowed hard, biting back a scream of frustration as tears threatened to fall. She pressed her hands against the rough stone floor, grounding herself as the thump of the bond grew louder, invading and interrupting her thoughts like a wildfire. It was unlike anything she had ever felt , raw, consuming, impossible to resist. She was trapped not only by iron and stone but by her thoughts and by the very essence of the Alpha who claimed her as his.

No. I won't belong to him. The words echoed like a mantra in her mind, she had made a resolve to fight , But the bond was relentless. It whispered promises, threats, and an ancient hunger that reached deep into her core. Somewhere beyond the heavy wooden door, she felt his presence , strong, dark, and terrifying. He was her captor, but he was her mate, and the force that threatened to unravel everything she believed about herself.

She closed her eyes tightly, trying to block it all out. But the loneliness pressed in from all sides. Memories of the lush forests of Vine , the comforting smell of pine, wildflowers and the chirping of the birds , her home ,her pack, her family. Thoughts flooded her mind, taunting her with their beauty and freedom. Here, in this damp, cold cell, everything was stripped away. And She was reduced to a prisoner.

The pain from her wrists, raw and bruised from where the ropes had cut into her skin, pulled her back to the present. She flexed her fingers, trying to push away the numbness spreading through them. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, but her pride kept her from reaching for the small bowl of bread and water at the corner. She refused to let them see weakness in her.

Hours dragged by in a suffocating silence broken only by distant echoes, the murmur of voices, footsteps sounding through the stone corridors, and the faint crackle of fire and wood somewhere beyond the walls.

Then the door creaked open again, and the heavy silhouette of the Alpha appeared in the dim light. His presence filled the room, suffocating in the intensity. His eyes, sharp and unyielding, locked onto hers.

Sera refused to look away, staring straight at him.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice trembling but defiant.

He stepped closer, the shadows of the light flickering across his face, revealing the faint scars that mapped his brutal past. "To remind you," he said smoothly, "that you belong to me."

Her chest tightened at the possessiveness in his voice. "I'm not yours," she said, her voice steady despite the fear twisting her insides.

He crouched down to her level, close enough that she could feel the his heat of his body. His fingers reached out to brush a loose strand of hair from her face. The touch was electric and invasive as if he was marking his claim onto her very skin.

"The bond is not a choice, Sera," he said, voice low and fierce. "It's ancient and It's binding. You are mine by right , by destiny." He said calmly, his eyes starring straight into hers.

Her heart pounded painfully against her ribs. She had heard whispers of the mate bond in legends and stories . It was a force that tied two souls together, unbreakable and eternal. But to be caught in its grip without consent... it was a nightmare she never imagined.

"I don't believe in your destiny," she whispered, tears prickling her eyes.

He smiled, but it was cold. "You will."

.....

As the night deepened, the sounds of the rogue camp increased outside her cell , the rough laughter of warriors, the scrape of blades, the crackle of firewood burning in iron pits. The world she had been forced into was nothing like the peaceful forests of Vine. Here, survival was harsh and brutal. And every shadow promised danger.

A burly guard appeared moments later, his heavy boots echoing against the wooden floor. He tossed a bowl of stew and some hard bread into the corner without meeting her eyes.

"Eat," he grunted before leaving.

Sera stared at the food, hunger gnawing at her, but her pride kept her rooted to the spot. She knew this wasn't no kindness , it was control, a reminder of her captivity.

But she also noticed the guard's hesitant glance toward the Alpha's room just down the hall, the subtle way he flinched as if fearing what lay beyond Those doors.

There was fear even among the captors.

She let the stew cool before slowly taking a sip, the warmth spreading through her body like a small mercy. As she ate, she listened carefully to every sound, every whispered conversation through the cracks in the walls was a thread she could follow. She would learn their weaknesses, their secrets. She would not remain a prisoner here forever.

The bond pulsed again, stronger this time , a blazing fire she could not ignore neither could she escape. It carried his voice, a low whisper inside her mind.

"You will learn to serve... or you will suffer."

Sera's hands curled into fists. She refused to break under his threats no matter what. Somewhere deep inside her, a fierce spark of rebellion was ignited.

I am not yours to command.

She pressed her back against the cold stone wall, closing her eyes. The pain, the fear, the burning bond , they were chains holding her down. But chains could be broken.

I will find the key.

The Alpha visited her often, each time a test of her will and resolve. He told stories of the prophecy , an ancient tale of a Luna with fire in her blood who would survive the rogue world and change it forever. He believed she was that Luna, the mate destined to rule by his side.

Sera's mind spun with questions and dread. Was she a pawn in a game far bigger than herself? Or was there a chance she could rewrite the fate they tried to force upon her?

She fought to maintain her identity, clinging on to every memory of Vine, every lesson from her past. The forest had taught her resilience. The river had taught her flow. And now, in the darkest prison, she was learning something new, the power of her own spirit.

.....

One night, when the camp was quieter, Sera heard whispers beyond her door. Some voices she recognized , the guards plotting, their voices laced with fear and resentment. They spoke of a rebellion stirring and brewing among the prisoners, whispers of allies hidden in shadows.

Hope stirred in her chest. Maybe she was not alone. Maybe the chains binding her could be shattered , not just by strength or magic, but by unity.

With that thought came a new resolve.

The mate bond might link her to the Alpha, but it would not own her soul.

She would endure the fire. She would break the chains. And she would rise and be free from this bondage.

As morning came, the first light seeping faintly under the door, Sera stretched her stiff limbs and sat up, the hunger in her belly a dull ache, but her heart was steady. The rogue world was unforgiving , but so was she.

She would survive.

And one day, she would be free, her resolve was strong but there was doubt in her heart.