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"Silos is going to assume the Alpha position of our pack..." Quinn's voice trails off as she sits with her back against the outside of the holding cell, mine pushing against the bars to match her own. She speaks quietly, leaning her head back and stating, "I overheard him in your father's office. He was talking to a few warriors, ones that are loyal to him, and how to get others on board in making the pack believe you are not of sound mind or fit to lead."

I release a sigh and reply, "I don't want to lead."

Quinn tilts her head to the side and asks, "You'd rather see Silos lead?"

"What difference does it make?" I lean forward, gathering myself onto my knees before rising. Glancing down at Quinn, her chin lifts, and her eyes capture mine, "We killed innocent lives, Quinn."

Quinn nods, understanding where I am coming from. She rises to her feet, grasping the cell bars before stating, "Though, in the eyes of the pack, we killed rogues. No one believes anything we say, because Silos had those who favor him get rid of the evidence." She pauses a moment, averting her eyes while whispering, "If we hadn't said anything, we'd have been regarded as heroes for stopping a hybrid threat."

"You and I both know otherwise," I scoff at her, taking a few steps away, "I'm not going to lie...what is right, versus what is wrong...it doesn't matter to those who don't understand the whole situation," I can hear the door to the basement opening, so I hurriedly whisper, "no matter what others will say, we are the ones who have to live with the actions we took."

"I know," Quinn's features shift, sadness overwhelming her.

Footsteps are nearing down the hall, breathing out slowly as I now know we are no longer safe speaking aloud.

If what you say is true though, you need to get a message to Alpha Victor or Luna Lucinda.

Quinn's eyes widen because what I ask of her is a lot. She's hesitant though, Silos' voice resonating off the walls as he orders, "Get back to your post, tracker."

Quinn lowers her head and replies, "Yes."

A second later, a scream is torn from her lungs. Silos snatches the front of her jacket, lifting her a few feet off the ground before he slams her back against the metal bars. Quinn gasps, Silos snarling, "That's Alpha, to you."

"Let her fucking go!" I slam my entire weight against the bars, and it jars Silos' hold for a moment, his grip faltering before he drops Quinn to the ground. She's terrified of what he could do to her, watching as she scrambles to her feet and takes off down the hall.

At least she's safe...

...for now.

"Didn't your father tell you that your mouth isn't going to get you anywhere?" Silos glares at me, watching the way I hold my ground near the bars.

"Why are you doing this?" I release a sigh of irritation.

Silos' presence rises as he informs me, "You lack the proper judgment to make calls in keeping this pack safe," he pauses a moment before explaining, "therefore, I'll be leading this pack."

"If that's how you want to play this, then fine, my purpose here is blurred between lines," I'm opting to be offered the option of becoming a rogue, leaving behind all the chaos which has unfolded since my father's passing.

Silos' irises shift, golden ones replacing a moment later as a sneer crosses his lips. He tells me, "Oh, your purpose is yet to be fulfilled."

"What are you talking about?" I rub my forehead.

"Your usefulness is in producing and continuing an Alpha line," my blood runs cold as his intentions set in, "so when you're in heat, which shouldn't be more than a day or so considering your previous cycles, you'll conceive with me a pup."

"In what world do you think I'd ever let you have me?" I glare dangerously at him, my wolf's haunches rising at the threat before us.

Silos retorts, "That's what wolfsbane is for," my jaw becomes slack, a chuckle leaving his lips, "don't worry, I'll let the pack know you're staying down here for your own protection."

"You're a fucking bastard!" It's funny, seeing how he staggers a few feet back when I slam my hands against the bars. He can't handle me, not without advantage and I seriously doubt the entire pack will believe him. There are those who might have gone along with keeping me in a holding cell for one night, to calm down and see reason, but it's a whole other level if he attempts to spout his lies to those who are loyal to me.

Silos tosses over his shoulder as he walks away, "Goodnight, Luna."

"Keep one eye open while you sleep," I mutter under my breath. When he comes back to put cuffs on me, it'll be the last time I can do anything about my situation. I just pray to the Moon Goddess...

It was a rough night to fall asleep, already beginning to feel dull aches and pains here and there, but I won't allow myself to show what it's doing to me. I'm awoken at the early hours, when I hear someone cursing and screaming before a holding cell door is thrown open next to mine, a body landing in it. I groggily rub my eyes, lifting from my side to see the door slammed and locked shut, though I recognize his voice...

"Fuck you! You'd really-"

"No one cares what you think," a snarky reply from one of the warriors, Revelin, cut's his voice off, hearing him walk away without another remark.

"Alon?" I ask, furrowing my brows as I see the gamma shift from holding the cell bars to looking in my direction.

Alon Spiros...

Alon doesn't stay seated long, moving to the bars I sit behind while looking me over, "Luna!" He gasps, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Alon, why are you down here?" I'm confused, seeing the condition he's in, I'd say he was in a fight, won, but then a cheap blow was landed to the back of his head.

"Luna Laura, there are many that are unsettled with what Silos is attempting to do..." his voice trails off, furrowing his brows as he asks, "...he hasn't...done anything?"

I shake my head and release a sigh, "No," it's not reassuring, because I feel the pain starting out as a dullness in my abdomen, heat trailing beneath my skin. Silos has been around my entire life, he knows...

Alon samples the air, asking, "Are you-"

"Not entirely...yet," I lift away, rising to my feet before walking around.

Quinn?

I don't receive a response, fear spiking within me. If Alon is here, there will be few who stand against Silos as he takes over this pack. I don't care to lead, wanting to walk away silently...but I won't allow him to use me for his gain.

"How far did you think you'd get?" Revelin comes through the doors, dragging a body across the hall floor. It's a few moments later, after they round to the holding cells, that I see it's Kylar Lann, the best male tracker we have...

Kylar failed...

Quinn's voice slips through my mind.

I've told many about what Silos plans to do, but they're either in denial that he'd do anything without consent...or they try to leave the territory to get to Alpha Victor.

"You're sick to follow Silos' lead," Kylar snarls before he's thrown into the holding cell on my other side. His back hits the ground, but he's on his feet almost quicker than Revelin can react. It shows though...

...strength versus speed.

Kylar is punched in the face, his body sent spiraling back against the wall. His head cracks against it, a groan leaving his lips while Revelin sets in place the lock. Revelin turns to leave, though he pauses in front of my cell for a moment, breathing in my scent before he chuckles, "The Luna is in heat..." I can see the lustful, wanting look lingering in his eyes, but he turns away and states, "...I'll be sure to inform Alpha Silos."

"He's no Alpha," I retort, though I double over, wrapping my arms around my abdomen before collapsing to my knees.

The fuck it's set in so suddenly.

Does the Moon Goddess wish to punish me for taking the life of a child?

After Revelin has left, I hear Alon asking, "Kylar?"

Kylar rubs the back of his head as he sits up, glancing at first to me and then to Alon. He shakes his head and acknowledges to me, "Luna..."

"How far did you get, Kylar?" I arch a brow, wondering if it can be of useful information for Quinn.

Kylar folds his arms across his chest, pouting somewhat as he states, "Within a mile of the southside."

A few more miles, and he would have reached Nightshade Prowler Pack territory...he could have then cut southwest and reached Alpha Victor in Imperial Stars Pack territory.

"What are we going to do?" Alon releases a defeated sigh, pressing his forehead against the bars.

I don't know...

Silence grows between us, the day passing while I find myself going in and out of sleep. My forehead burns, curling into a ball on my side as I groan quietly, the pain raking through my body. Their voices are soft next to me, Kylar and Alon continuing to get me assurances, that everything will be okay, but I feel as if I'm slipping away.

Laura, they're coming.

My eyelids blink open furiously, slowly getting onto my knees.

"Luna?" Alon asks, seeing the way I'm moving quickly.

Quinn, you're going to need to kill them when they come down here. Whether or not I wear the shackles, we need to try to run as far away from here as possible and get help.

We'll die.

Perhaps...but it's better than the life Silos will impose upon our pack.

I can hear the lock coming undone on the door leading down to the holding cells, breathing out sharply as I grimace at the pain. Putting everything in the back of my mind, I allow my wolf to shoulder some of the onsets of pain while relinquishing partial control of my senses. If I'm to make any sort of run or fight against Silos, it'll need to be with a clearer head.

Silos isn't the first to enter the room, but Revelin and Sarick move ahead of him. They each hold in their hands a gun, splitting off before they stand before Kylar and Alon. With their guns raised, my fear spikes, but not before Silos comes into the room and stands before me.

Silos' eyes are lit with determination, holding in his hand a pair of wolfsbane infused shackles. He gives me my options, laying them out so I understand the consequences of my actions, "Put these on yourself, or I'll have your allies executed."

He tosses the cuffs through the bars, staring at me hard as I weigh the nonexistent options. Releasing a sigh of irritation, I crouch down and reach for them.

Be ready to m-

Red Like Roses🌹
~Kay

⊰♥⊱To Be Continued⊰♥⊱

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