Page 44 of Alpha's Revenge Luna

The air is thick and dank, the only light coming from a single, bare bulb. The walls are damp and mold-covered, the only sound being the faint water dripping. I take a deep breath and prepare for whatever is to come. Knowing something more than my nightmares has to have woken me.

The twist of the lock has me turning my head to the stairs, and I lurch upright when I hear the door creak open. As I slowly wipe my eyes to clear them, I can see a figure’s shadow cast on the floor.

My heart races as he nears. I brace myself, ready for whatever might come. Moving quickly, I huddle in the corner, pressing my back against the cold stone walls, when I hear the door close, and his footsteps echo loudly on the stairs. My eyes are glued to the stairs in the far corner.

The tune he whistles makes my stomach twist in knots.

I can feel my heart pounding in my chest as I wait with anticipation.

I am unsure of what will happen next, but I can feel the tension in the air as I watch the figure’s shadow get closer.

The noises I hear as I wait for him to come into view send cold chills up my spine as my mind shifts into overdrive.

The screech of wood on the stone floor makes me cringe when I see him drag a chair across the floor, setting it in front of me. “I warned you not to run, and you did, anyway,” he says before taking a seat.

Despite his imposing size, he still manages to look graceful as he sits.

His grayish-blue button-down shirt is tight against his broad chest and huge arms, doing nothing to conceal the bulk of muscle beneath them.

He folds his arms across his chest, which makes him even more sinister as his gaze bores into me.

I glare at the man who claims he owns me. The man who ruined my life.

“Have you nothing to say for yourself? No explanation?” he questions, and I glance away.

What does he expect, me to run into his arms and beg for forgiveness?

I would rather die. This monster killed my pack, and my family.

Deemed me a liar, a murderer and God only knows what else.

What point is there in defending myself when all evidence in his eyes deems me a killer, a conniving little brat who baited him into letting her out of the room.

Yeah, like I asked Annabelle to toss hot soup in my face.

I almost roll my eyes at the thought. He clicks his tongue in annoyance.

“I may have to pay your brother and grandmother a visit after all,” he growls, leaning forward in his chair, bracing his arms on his legs, and my head turns back to him.

“Where exactly did you think you would go? You have no home to run back to, no family besides that old bitch and that brother who isn’t even yours?” he scoffs.

“He is my brother!” I snap, and he laughs, the sound chilling me to the bone.

“They brainwashed you real good, didn’t they?

” He laughs. The sound is menacing. I refuse to look away, instead glaring at the man who claims I’m his mate.

According to the stories I have heard about mates, they loved and treasured one another, not destroyed one another.

Still, I remember Annabelle’s words, about my sister, about Dion and my parents. Now I don’t know what to believe.

He reaches into his pocket and digs around before tossing a velvet bag at me. “We found your stash,” he growls. I recognize it instantly as the one from the hidden compartment inside my jewelry box.

“Your blood test results came back. Belladonna!” he snaps, my eyes remain on the pills, or what’s left of them.

“You’ve been delaying your wolf,” he tells me, and I stare at the bag. I chew the inside of my lip and glance at him. He nods toward it, and I grab it right away. I exhale with relief upon opening to find my Belladonna still safely tucked inside.

“Now you see why that is an issue?” he questions, standing. He walks over to me, his steps calculating, and each one threatening as he prowls closer.

Alpha Dion watches me, daring me to deny his claims. He holds his hand out for the bag, but I refuse to hand it over.

He clicks his tongue. In the next instant, his hand grasps my hair, and I cry out, tears streaming down my face as he jerks my head back painfully.

My hair pulls from my scalp, and I whimper.

“You won’t be taking that anymore, love. How are you supposed to give me an heir if you don’t shift?” he sneers.

I shake my head, despite the pain it causes me to do so. “You have three days, and if you haven’t shifted by then, you’ll still be taking my knot,” he growls.

A whimper escapes me, and tears prick my eyes. “I initially gave you an entire month, and you’ve been delaying your wolf all along. We had a deal. You broke it, and now you’ll pay the consequences for it,” he growls, shoving me back.

Consequences? When he stands, I panic. He turns around to leave, and the chains rattle loudly as I scramble forward, needing to know what he means.

“Wait…wait,” he ignores me, moving toward the stairs, and my mind instantly returns to my grandmother and brother.

“Dion, please!” I yell, and he stops. His entire back stiffens, and he turns around slowly, but the expression on his face is one of boredom. “You dare speak my name, after what you’ve done?” he growls.

“Don’t hurt them,” I plead, and his eyes flash black, then return to their eerie golden-red color. He laughs and shakes his head.

“I don’t intend to hurt them, love. I’m going to kill them,” he tells me. And my heart thumps erratically in my chest. He turns, and I jump to my feet and attack him, only for the chains to rip me back at the last second. He sighs loudly while I gasp for breath, having winded myself.

Despite my fear and anger, he remains calm and unfazed by my attempt to attack him. He simply sighs as if my defiance is nothing more than an annoyance. This only serves to heighten my fear and desperation as I’m reminded of how powerless I am.

“You were warned about what would happen if you defied me, all along you’ve played me, let me believe you had no wolf, killed my men, and then Annabelle, why should I believe anything you say?

” he says to me as I sit up. My entire body aches, and I glare at his back as he turns for the stairs once more.

Spotting the velvet bag where I dropped it.

Scrunching it up in my hand, I throw it at him.

It hits him in the back, and once again, he stops peering down at it.

I watch as he crouches and picks up the last of my herbal pills. Tears run down my cheeks, and I sniffle, wiping my eyes with my hands.

“I won’t take them, I promise,” I beg him.

“You promised you wouldn’t run, too,” he retorts, and I drop my gaze to the floor.

“I’ll behave this time, I swear. Please,” I beg. My voice sounds as defeated as I feel, making me feel more pathetic when I hear his footsteps as he comes closer.

“And I should just take your word for it when you have proven yourself to be a liar?” he asks. I say nothing when he crouches in front of me.

“So, how would I know you’re telling the truth this time?” I look at him, his piercing eyes boring into mine—my lips tremble.

“Please, I’ll be good. I won’t suppress my wolf. Please, I will complete the shift on the next full moon.” I beg, reaching for his hands. He stares down at my shackled wrists and my hands that grip his.

“The next full moon is another two weeks away, and I’m done waiting!” He snarls, jerking his hands out of mine. He growls, forcing his menacing, cold aura over me.

“You’ll shift. If not, I’ll tear you in two when you take my knot.” He grabs the back of my neck. His lips crash down on mine hungrily, and sparks dance across my skin when he pushes me back. I whimper, feeling his hot mouth assaul t mine.

As he shoves me back onto the filthy mattress.

I struggle beneath his weight, trying to shove him when he snarls angrily.

I bite him hard, my teeth tearing through his bottom lip and his blood washing over my tongue when he jerks away.

His hand connects with the side of my face instantly.

Searing hot pain envelops my face, and I clutch my cheek.

A sob tears out of me, and he pushes off me.

“You’ll complete the shift in three days. Three fucking days and if not, I’ll take you by force,” he snarls angrily, wiping his bleeding mouth on the back of his hand. He looks at his hand, his eyes flickering.

“I can’t shift in three days. The belladonna won’t be out of my system. You’ll kill me if you knot me,” I whisper. He growls, angrily.

“How much have you taken, and for how long?” He snaps at me. I drop my gaze to my hands, fiddling with my fingers.

“How much?” he booms, making me flinch.

“Every day since I got here,” I whisper so low, fearing his reaction.

“Since you got here?” He growls. I cringe at his aura smashing through me, so thick and heavy. “Every day?” Tears stream down my face as I nod, and the furious growl that leaves him creeps down my spine when he moves to get up.

“No!” I scream as I pounce on him, making him fall back before he can get up, knowing he is going to kill them to punish me.

He hits the ground, and I land on top of him, his hands gripping my shackled wrists.

He catches me effortlessly, and I know he is stronger than me, but I’m determined to do whatever it takes to protect them.

“Choose your next move wisely, little mate, for it may be your last,” he snarls angrily, peering up at me.

The menace in his gaze and his harsh words prove he will go to any lengths to punish me for my so-called wrongs.

His strength is proof of how easily he can.

His growl is a warning to think carefully before making a move, suggesting he will hurt me despite me supposedly being his mate.

Blinking back tears, I lean closer. He jerks my arms above my head, a threatening growl emanating from him as I hover above him, my legs straddling his waist.