Mated To The Blood Alpha

Esmeralda

I huddled up in my cell, hugging my bruised knees that touched my chest and burying my head between my lap.

I was afraid.

Afraid to look back at the gross darkness that overwhelmed me. By the moon goddess, I hated dark places but no amount of pleading will make my master change his mind.

"Your kind belongs to a cell, shackled against a wall with no freedom!" he had said before ordering his guards to shut me up in the darkest part of the cell, hijacking the little freedom and illumination I had.

I longed to be anywhere, anywhere apart from this cold, barren, empty room of darkness, save for my one bunk bed and a few used plates and cups laying on the cold floor. The only time I had the privilege of leaving my cell was when I wanted to use the restroom as the restroom was detached from my cell and when I was ordered to work for the pack, to assist in cooking, cleaning in preparation for the pack ceremony.

I missed my family. Even if my stepmother hated me with passion and my half-sister wanted me dead, at least, they made me feel better and complete. I wish I could turn back the hands of time to see my parents one last time. To hold them, talk to them, to feel them one more time, but that wasn't going to happen as they were already dead, brutally murdered by my jealous half-sister who got mad because I possessed certain powers and she didn't.

I spent all my life running and hiding from my half-sister who labeled me as her sworn enemy, vowing to take my life at any slightest opportunity. But that won't be happening anymore as she was already taken care of. This time, I hope it was permanently as I was tired of the unending game of running and hiding. Running and hiding got me to where I was.

I needed someone to tell me that I would be okay and I would scale through this phase. Maybe my mate, but that was almost impossible as my wolf was weak. Identifying him will be difficult except he identifies me, but that will not be possible either because I rarely leave my cell except when my attention is needed.

My beloved parents would have been in the rightful position to tell me this but they were no more, leaving me behind in this cruel world. Every day, I craved death to deliver me to them as I was miserable without them. Though they were faced with challenges, they didn't fail to tell me how I was the best thing that happened to them and how much they loved me.

The sound of footsteps and rattling chains jolted me from my long train of thoughts. This time, I was brave enough to look in any direction without getting scared by the darkness as I could feel a presence within my cell. I knew it was the guard, even if I couldn't see him, I could feel him.

"I need some water," I cleared my dry throat, "please."

I grabbed the nearest cup laying on the ground and stretched it out to him. Instead of attending to me, he simply continued with the chain, preparing to lock me up with it, taking my freedom. I thought I won't be shackled tonight but I was wrong, a wolf's memory was sharp, never forgetting anything.

"It's been days, I just want some water."

"It's just three days, you weak omega. You can survive five," his hoarse voice reverberated throughout the room, spitting hatred.

What?! He was planning on keeping me thirsty for two more days?! Three days without water was like hell and I don't think I will survive another hour without it as I was badly dehydrated.

"But I could die..." my voice quivered as tears ran down my pale cheeks.

"You don't know how much we wish for that to happen," he smirked, making me gasp.

I was almost surprised at the level of hatred he had towards me. It was no news that everyone in my pack hated me for many reasons. I was a weak omega who couldn't shift, I was conceived as a result of a mistake, I was a bastard, and I was the reason my family was wiped out.

"Please," I sniffed, closing my eyes, preparing myself to accept whatever comes next.

I snapped my eyes open as a bottle hit my forehead, searching the ground frantically because my vision wasn't sharp in the dark as the rest of the wolves, my hands came in contact with a plastic bottle. My joy knew no bounds when I figured out it was bottled water. I wasted no time opening the bottle and draining its content in my mouth, allowing it to revive my dying organs.

"Thank you," I mouthed to the guard who squatted before me, selecting the chains he would use in shackling me to the wall.

I stared at the red marks on my body given to me by the chains and tears dropped from my eyes. It was as if my arms and ankles knew what would happen next and they were protesting against it. I needed to help myself.

"Stretch out your hands, Esmeralda," the guard ordered, bringing it closer to my hand as the annoying sound it made disrupted my thoughts.

I needed to get out of this place, I needed to help myself. I looked at the guard who was busy with the locks of the chain, then I looked back at the chains laying on the floors waiting to come in contact with my skin before my gaze landed on the door of my cell.

I smiled mischievously.

I need to get the hell out of here.

But I needed a plan. Fuck.

I mentally slapped my forehead as I began to rack my brain, thinking of a way to escape without being caught. I wanted to end the pain and suffering and live free like other wolves in the pack.

Think, Esmeralda!

They won't let me out of the cell except when I want to use the restroom.

That was it!

I cleared my throat and placed my hand on my extremely flat belly, pretending to be in discomfort.

"Please, I am pressed, I want to use the restroom."

"Seriously? I gave you water and now you are pressed?" he barked at me like an angry dog but I simply ignored him. Getting out of here was the only thing on my mind and I won't let anything ruin it.

Without warning, he yanked me up by my hair and led me to the restroom, patiently waiting outside while I did my business.

When I was done, I searched frantically for an escape route but there was none. The only window that hung above me was too small for me to fit in.

I opened the door and followed him behind as he led me to my cell without glancing back at me or holding my hands. After talking a few steps I stopped in my tracks, watching if he would take note but he didn't as he was consumed with the chains in his hands.

Slowly, I turned away from him, dashing from the hallway to anywhere my legs carried me. Running fast like a wild beast seeking freedom.

Now was my only chance of freedom!

Esmeralda

"Get in, will you?!"

I jumped in fright, holding my chest with my frail hand as the guard on duty yelled at me, indicating that I should enter the cell once again. My cold dark cell.

My blood rippled at the thought of losing my freedom because I was weak, I couldn't shift to activate my super speed. My speed was no match for him as he caught me effortlessly. My screams, wails and kicks had no effects on him as he dragged me to the cell.

A glare from his ugly scarred face sent shivers down my spine, making me look away in fear almost immediately, biting my fingers nervously. Those ugly sharp eyes that shot daggers at me, piercing through my soul, threatening to make me pee in my pants. If looks could kill, I would be dead.

With shaky knees, I stood at the entrance of my cell with my hand still clutched tightly to my chest as if to protect it from him. Torn between two options, I flickered gaze from the murky cell that was impossible to get a glimpse of the whiteness of one's tooth to the room I dreaded the most, the correction room.

My gaze swept past the first few rooms and landed on a door that was made with heavy iron bars, while some iron ran vertically, some ran horizontally on it, just like the bars at the entrance of my cell.

Big, thick, rusted, ice-cold bars.

I shivered at the thought of the rusted, cold iron bars coming in contact with my skin. I took two steps away from the iron door at the entrance of my cell. It was like I could feel its impact already.

A huge wooden slate hung at the top of the iron bars, wired firmly to it. 'Correction room' was spelt on the slate, inscribed boldly on it. The right name should be punishment room or the room of torture. Correction room was way too fancy for it.

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I made a mental picture of the interiors of the room.

No!

I didn't want to be there, not after encountering the horrors in that room. But I knew if I wasted more time, I would be in there, screaming in pain, gnashing my teeth in regret. Garry would waste no time shutting me behind the heavy bars of the correction room, my screams were like music to his ears. He hated my guts, I wish I knew why.

"Don't make me repeat myself," he said in a dangerously low voice.

Think! Think fast!

I said to myself, as my mind raced across many thoughts. I knew he was running out of patience and I knew what came after it.

Punishment!

As much as I dreaded the correction room, I didn't want to be in my cell. I was sick of being shackled from head to toe, sleeping in an uncomfortable position as the heavy chains clung to me like a second skin.

Think!

But I couldn't think, it was as if the presence of my cell and the correction room was suffocating me. I couldn't go to my cell and the correction room was a no-go area for me either. As much as I didn't want to be punished, I didn't want to be engulfed in total darkness, overwhelmed by my unending nightmares either.

I needed help, I needed to be free from unending pain and torture, I needed illumination and freedom like the rest of the members of the pack.

Was that too much to ask?

It was not my fault that I was an omega, the name that the rest of the pack had called me. But I knew I was not. I remembered my dad telling me how powerful I was, but it was useless because I couldn't see any power manifesting. I almost thought my father was lying to me but I knew he wasn't the type that tellstell lies.

I summoned all the courage I had left in me, clearing my dry throat as I found my voice, "Please, can you help me fix the light in my cell?" my voice came out weaker than expected.

One look from him almost made me pee in my pants, this time, I wrapped my hands around my small frame as if protecting myself from him.

"What I mean is, can I get another cell? A more comfortable one," I looked away from him, looking at my cell. "I don't like it here anymore."

I closed my eyes and bit my trembling lips, hoping for a positive reply, but he didn't make a sound. It was as if I was invisible and he couldn't hear me. We stood staring at my cell for another irritating minute, I was scared but I knew I had to speak up.

"Uhm, sir..." I reluctantly tried to get his attention again but he didn't let me finish talking before he yanked my hair hard, dragging me away from my cell as I screamed in pain, trying to rescue my hair from his strong grip.

It was a useless fight as my strength wasn't match for his and I could feel the strands of my hair pulling from my scalp.

I kept crying and screaming in pain as he threw me against the hard wall, making me fall to my knees immediately.

"Say what Garry, this thing ordered me to change her cell," he let out a burst of deafening laughter, trying to get the attention of the second guard on duty, Garry.

"She said she doesn't like it in there anymore," he leaned on a door for support as he let out a burst of more deafening and annoying laughter, making me stop crying for a minute.

What was funny?

"The guts!" Garry's angry voice resonated throughout the room, seizing my breath. I couldn't see him as the room was dark but I could tell that he was close and he was pissed by my actions.

"She even tried to run away."

This time, his voice was deadly and I knew he wasn't going to take it easy on me.

I knew I needed to defend myself, else, Garry would deal with me mercilessly. I didn't know why the guard left me at Garry's mercy knowing Garry hated me with passion. He hated me just like the rest of the pack hated me, for no reason.

"I swear by the moon goddess, I didn't order him, I pleaded with him. Please believe me..." I pleaded, wiping the tears on my face with trembling hands as I glanced around the dimly lit room, checking for Garry.

"So he is lying?" he let out an angry growl, causing me to jump in fear. I knew I was in deep shit and nobody could save me.

"I didn't say that, I was just pleading with him, not ordering him," I replied sharply, regretting my words immediately as I realized that I had fallen into Garry's trap. I shouldn't have answered his question, that made him dangerously angry.

A heavy slap landed on my cheeks, causing my ears to ring violently. I bit my lips, trying not to let out a sound as I was close to tears.

"You'll learn." Garry growled, looking at me with raw hatred. "Take her to the punishment room," he pronounced my judgment, walking away immediately, making me wish for death instead.

Esmeralda

"No! Please," I cried, clinging to his leg as he dragged me into the correction room with a firm grip on my hair. I kept my gaze locked on his face, hoping he would see how remorseful I was and reverse his judgement but his eyes were solely fixed on the door of the room with a sinister look plastered on his face.

I was done, I knew it.

Hiding quickly in my spot to delay my punishment, I glanced around the familiar room with teary eyes to see Garry walking toward a shelf. The shelf contained a lot of instruments of torture, to break people that broke the rules.

People like me.

I watched Garry patiently like a hawk watching its prey as he selected some instruments that he would use in torturing me. But he suddenly stopped, moving away from the shelf with transparent glass to the whips displayed on the wall. I watched as his hands carefully selected the horsewhip.

The horsewhip!

The whip I dreaded most!

"No! Please, don't use that on me," I screamed immediately, mentally scolding myself for giving my hide-out away.

"This will do, this will restore you to your default settings and make you stop attempting to escape because you can't," he chuckled loudly, with his eyes solely fixed on the whip as he caressed it gently.

"Please, I promise to be good," I pleaded but it fell on Garry's deaf ears as all his mind was centeredcentred on beating the hell out of me.

His heavy footsteps sent me hiding beneath the huge wooden table, curling up into a ball to avoid being fetched out by him but he caught me before I could hide further, yanking my so hair hard that I could feel some strands pulling off as he flung me to the table, making my cracked lips kiss its cold, hard surface.

Tears escaped my eyes as he worked the chains into my small hands, leaving me hugging both sides of the table, helplessly.

"Count with me."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, preparing for the worst. I knew the worst was coming.

I looked away from his hardened face, resisting the temptation to look around. There was nothing new to look at except instruments of torture and tools for corporal punishment, making me close my eyes, anticipating the whip.

Crack!

The whip sounded, travelling through the air till its sharp edges came crashing on my back. I screamed in pain, shutting my eyes almost immediately as I tried to yank my hands off the chain with force to caress my bare back but I couldn't as I was trapped to the table that restrained my movement.

"One." My cracked voice sounded almost like a whisper as I struggled to prepare myself for the subsequent lashes, but he didn't let me recover from the pain of the first one before he greeted me with the second, third and fourth lashes, making me hate my life.

Surrendering to the torture and pain that travelled throughout my back, I laid still, like I have been thrown into a pool of ice-cold water, waiting for him to be done with me. I was sure my back would be in a deep shade of red by the time he was done lashing me.

"Thirteen." I sniffed, biting my trembling lips, praying silently for him to be through with me as I was on the verge of passing out.

"Your crocodile tears mean nothing to me, you ungrateful weakling. After sheltering you and giving you a life, you want to escape so that you can end up like your psychopath sister who kills people for fun?" he barked without sparing any seconds before he lashed me hard.

I could swear by the moon goddess that he was surprised when I didn't react to the whip. I was too weak to even move a muscle.

"Fifteen." My voice came as a whisper that could only be heard by paying maximum attention.

My joy knew no bounds when he leaned closer to me, unlocking the chains that held me bound and lifting me to my feet.

"Get out!" he growled, watching my every move as his eyes didn't leave my body.

"This would be the last time you try to escape, else, It will be my pleasure to welcome you into the world of pain," he said as an evil smile played on his lips, making me stagger in fear.

I couldn't feel my back for some seconds as I walked down the path leading me to my cell once again.

The cold dark cell that I tried to run away from.

Each time I tried to run away from it, I found myself back to it again.

Back to my unending nightmares.

I felt defeated.

Maybe I should give up since I couldn't help myself.

Maybe I should accept my fate since I couldn't run away from it.

Maybe I should start seeing the cell as home since I would be spending my forever there.

Maybe I deserve the punishment as I was not satisfied and I tried to escape.

I let my tears pour freely from my eyes as I watched the guard shackle me to the wall, limiting my movement, leaving me broken that the presence of the thick darkness that surrounded me didn't have any effect on me.

It reminded me of my first encounter in the punishment room when I was caught trying to escape during the Moonball ceremony.

My best friend and I had been dealt with mercilessly before being thrown into our cells. The incident made the guards shackle me to the wall.

I didn't struggle with the chains or jerk them angrily like I always did. Instead, I let the darkness engulf me, allowing myself to drown in the sea of my emotions while I sought solace in my sleep, except I couldn't find peace in my sleep either as my demons came in hundreds.

The sound of footsteps and rattling chains jolted me from my deep slumber.

My eyes greeted the almost broken bed and I realized that I had slept on the floor, with my head on my knees.

It was still early and my body aches.

Slowly observing everyone's excitement made me more confused as I wondered what was happening today.

The more I tried to think of any event, the more I couldn't figure out the reason they were up and running.

I hugged my knees closer to my chest as a guard broke into my cell. It was rare for a guard to enter my cell except my attention was needed.

My heart thumped loudly in my chest as I thought of what I did wrong. Maybe it was because I attempted to escape last night.

But I had been punished, wasn't that enough?!

"Esmeralda, your attention is needed. Make sure you collect the cleaning equipment on your way out as you will be doing a lot of cleaning today," he said, as his gaze was locked on the chains, trying to relieve me of it.

My attention was needed? Why?

"What is going on?" I asked, looking around as curiosity got the best of me, but he didn't reply. I was about to ask him again when I couldn't hold it anymore but the loud crashing sound of broken plates got my attention.

"If you end up breaking all the plates we will use to serve guests coming to the Moonball ceremony tonight, what will we use?" he yelled at a pup.

I almost jumped in excitement at the person's words.

A glimmer of hope sprang through me, fuelling me.

The Moonball ceremony was tonight!

My freedom was tonight!