I don't remember at what point in time I had regained control of my body, but when I did, I wasn't in the forest anymore.

Elvia?

There was only silence in my head now. My body was sore, almost as if I had been cramped in a tiny box that had stopped my blood from circulating. I was also not a wolf anymore; I felt smaller, so much smaller and vulnerable.

I opened my mouth, but my lip started trembling and when I gasped at how much the action hurt, I noticed the cloud of air that left my lips.

There was nothing but a ray of light coming from the small rectangle carved into the right of the room - if you could even call it a room.

Everything was made of cement and if I squinted hard enough, I could see the patches of dirt that covered the floor in random spots.

I pushed my hair out of my face, and that's when I heard the sound of metal hitting metal. My wrists and ankles were being weighed down by thick chains that were connected to the other side of the room. There were bruises underneath them and all over my torso and legs. I was naked.

Slowly, I stood up, using the wall behind me for support when my legs stumble on from the weight of the chains. I felt so numb and weak and cold.

My lips burned from how dry my mouth was and my eyes ached from having them shut so tightly.

What now?

I dragged my feet as I crept over to the small window and noticed I could put my hand through if I wanted to. I stood on my toes, wincing at how much it hurt to put all my weight on them; wouldn't have been surprised if they broke all at once.

There was nothing outside except a hallway with bright lights hanging from the very top of it. They were so bright, I had mistaken them for the sun.

I looked around the perimeter of the window and noticed there were lines surrounding it; they were there as if it were a door, but there was no type of handle or doorknob that would confirm that.

Soon, there were footsteps echoing the hallway, and I retreated until I was back against the wall again. My head was pounding, or maybe that was just my chest.

There was a slight shuffle before there was a male looking at me through the small window. He looked as if he was here so that I'd pay my dues.

I turned my body away from him, wanting to cover myself from his glare.

"Don't act scared now," he muttered between his teeth as he pushed the door open. It only opened from the outside.

My eyes flickered down to his balled fists and then up to his clenched jaw.

"Alright, Brandon," there was a hand that pushed him aside before another male stepped into the room.

Abe.

He stepped into the room, but when he glanced down at my body, his eyes widened and his face paled. He cleared his throat before he looked over his shoulder, "Bring her some clothes."

"What," I mumbled as I rested my head against the wall. "You've never seen a naked girl before?"

The guy named Brandon stepped around Abe, pointing a finger as he growled out, "Shut your mouth."

So it was true. Wolves with mates weren't allowed to get sexually involved with anyone else in any way, or it'd weaken the bond with their mates. Alphas, in particular, had to obey that rule or their child with the Luna wouldn't be as strong. And if the child wasn't strong, it could leave room for other wolves to try to attempt to take over the title.

Nathan had tried to explain it to me before, but I hadn't been paying much attention to his words as I had to his lips.

I couldn't help the humorless laugh that resounded all over the bare walls as I shook my head, "I don't have to listen to you..." My eyes went back to Abe. "Or him."

Brandon breathed in deeply, but before he could bite back, Abe pushed him back, "Not necessary. The effects of the wolfsbane are still in her system."

I perked up at the unfamiliar name in confusion, "Wolfsbane?"

"Brandon, clothes. Now," Abe ordered as he walked closer to me. Brandon sent a glare my way before turning around and doing as he was told.

There was something different about Abe. He seemed tired, almost as if he had stayed up for a long time and then ran a marathon.

"What's wolfsbane?"

He didn't answer my question. He simply came face to face with me and stared as if he was searching for something, but it seemed he didn't know what.

My face snapped to the right before I felt the hot wave burn my cheek, making my eyes sting and my ear ring.

I looked at him with my lips parted in shock.

He wrapped his hand around my neck and pushed me impossibly further into the wall, "Disrespect me again and you're gonna get it worse, you understand?"

I was struggling to swallow, but I managed to nod my head in exchange for his release. He didn't let go right away. He watched his hand as he squeezed tighter, and then his gaze flickered down my body before they came back to my eyes.

I coughed a few times before regaining my breath after he finally stepped back.

"Wolfsbane is poison for wolves. It helped the other pack members hold your wolf down when you were out there."

There was a flash of panic that vibrated against my skin. Had I lost Elvia?

He must have seen the look on my face because he said, "You'll be down here for a while longer while your wolf heals, so you continue the competition.

Continue the competition?

I frowned at him in disbelief, "Are you serious? What makes you think I want to continue in that shit show?"

Abe raised in eyebrow, silently ordering me know to correct my words.

"I'd rather be stuck down here."

He smiled, but it wasn't a happy smile because the laugh that followed it was almost mocking me, "You think you have a choice?"

I looked at him, wondering if at any point he'd say he was joking, "There's always a second choice."

Abe pursed his lips at me and then shook his head, "Not for you there isn't."

"Oh, so what -" I scoffed. "You want me to continue, so that I'd fight other girls who are genuinely trying to fuck you?"

He crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head, "What were you trying to do then?"

I opened my mouth, but I ended up looking down at my feet.

"I asked you a question, didn't I?"

My teeth bit my cheek before I answered, "I was trying to change something that ended up being far bigger than me."

I didn't want to look at him anymore. I wanted to go back to Sam and Liz and my parents.

"Which was what?"

I shook my head. I didn't want to speak to him, but when his hand ran up my stomach and threatened to wrap around my neck again, I spoke, "Everything. I hate your stupid pack and everything you do. It does more good than bad.

My eyes were staring into his, silently screaming at him to see everything wrong with the Crystal pack.

"So you think you've got what it takes to run a whole pack, huh?" He challenged. "You think that you've got it all figured out - that you're better than me, right?"

"I didn-"

"You're gonna win."

The wheels in my head stopped turning as I stared at him dumbfounded.

"What?"

Abe smirked, looking at my lips before responding, "You're going to get back into the selection and you're going to win." Now I was really confused. Why did he sound so confident with that?

"How do you know tha-"

His hand wrapped around my neck, but he wasn't applying any pressure, "Because if you don't, I'm going to murder your family myself."

My body felt impossibly colder and my mouth went dry. He stared into my wide eyes before he smiled.

"Yeah," he said. "You're going to do everything you can to win because I want you, Jamie," he whispered against my chin before planting a soft kiss on my neck. "Something about you makes me wanna fuck the shit out of you."

He had hit me, choked me, and then threatened me, but he wanted me? He wanted to fuck me?

I felt my hands shake as I gritted my teeth, "Sick fuck," I bit before pushing him off me.

"What did you say to m-"

"Alpha," Abe clenched his jaw. "Here are the clothes you wanted."

Abe bit his lip as his eyes shone in anger, but he kept his calm, "Give them to her, and leave the keys to undo her chains."

I was staring at Abe even when my arms were shoved with the pile of clothes.

I looked down at the key as Abe and Brandon stepped out of the room.

"Good luck," Abe said before shutting the door behind him.

Asshole.

A/N: Don't forget to vote if you enjoy this story so far, and leave a comment with any thoughts/predictions for more dedications.

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