The Gift chronicles novel Chapter 1

Book 1 Chapter 21

The next few days in the cell went by painstakingly slowly. Believe it or not, prisoners aren't usually provided with entertainment. To pass the time, I worked out (as much as I could being shackled) and continued to think of a way to escape.

On day 10 of being imprisoned, I was doing push ups when Alpha Cain came to visit for the first time since he yelled at me for not eating. I still continued to only eat a few bites of the food he brought before sending it flying off of the ledge.

Today, he personally brought me the food. He opened the cell door, carrying the tray, and looked at me, careful to hide any emotions he may be feeling in his eyes. Unfortunately for him, I could feel his overwhelming despair through the mate bond, and the feeling of it almost consumed me like a tidal wave. The mate bond was getting stronger every day, despite the fact that I hardly saw him, and it was making my wolf become stronger. I kept my wolf submerged at all times, and I didn't like the fact that the mate bond pushed her into being less submissive to me.

Still looking at me blankly with his obsidian eyes, I held eye contact with him while continuing to do my pushups. He sat down next to me, setting the tray beside him.

"Why are you working out, little mate? It's not like you need to be fit while you remained trapped in this cell." He tried antagonizing me, but I ignored him, not breaking my pace.

"My guards tell me you workout for hours a day, but hardly touch your food. You look sickly," He continued, not mincing his words. "You look under 100 pounds. I could snap you like a twig."

Unchain me and we'll see just how easily you could take me, Alpha. I mockingly retorted via mindlink.

"Oh trust me, I want to take you, Luna," he mimicked my mocking tone. "Just not in battle."

I snorted at his lewdness, knowing what he was implying, but didn't let it stop my workout. He was right about me losing weight though. I had always been lean, but know, my ribs jutted out and my spine protruded sickeningly out from my back.

He suddenly grabbed me, and I gasped in surprise as he pinned me on the ground. "You're weak now. How about you do yourself a favor and eat all of the food I brought, and we can bring you back to your normal strength."

I smiled sweetly at him, and used all of my strength to flip us so I was on top. I may have lost weight, but you doubt my strength, Mate. His eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he easily flipped us again so he was back on top. "Maybe one day I'll let you be on top, Ares, but today is not that day." He flashed his canines at me, his eyes darkening at the thought. I tried struggling underneath him, but he was careful not to underestimate me again.

His hands were unyielding in pinning me down, and his knees on both sides of my waist limited my thrashing. I relaxed my muscles, not putting any force against him. He must have learned my trick, and didn't let up any of his power against me.

We stayed in that position, his black eyes holding mine. I didn't blink, and neither did he. I was suddenly hyper—aware of our positioning, and the mate bond tugged at my soul, bringing my wolf forward.

Alpha Cain's eyes flashed wickedly, darkening as his wolf fought for control, as did mine. "Your eyes are usually a stormy grey, but when your wolf tries coming to the surface, they turn silver like a nickel," he mused, lowering his canines to my neck.

I breathed in sharply, wondering if he would mark me again. Alphas tend to like to reinstate their claim on their mates more than normal wolves. I speculated it had to do with Alphas being more in touch with their wolves, and Alpha Cain was the more in sync with his wolf than all of the other Alphas I had ever met before.

My wolf almost regained total control for the first time in years as Cain's wolf called out to her. Suddenly, Alpha Cain pulled away and threw himself against the back wall of the cell, leaving me on the ground gasping for air, shoving my wolf down.

"Don't excite my wolf for your amusement, Ares." He warned angrily as my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "If your wolf surfaces, he will take control and complete the mating." My eyes widened in realization. If my wolf had control, she wouldn't hesitate to let him do anything he wanted, and we both knew it.

"Eat your food. I'll be back tomorrow to check on you. Unless if you're ready to submit and come home with me now?" He asked, already knowing my answer.

I flipped him off and spat at his feet as I sat up. He shrugged, unbothered, and crossed the room, exiting through the door, locking it behind him.

I ate a couple bites of the food he brought, then shoved it through the slot.

I sat in the corner of the cell, resting my head in between my knees. I felt genuinely fearful of how close my wolf was to gaining control, and vowed to never let Alpha Cain have that power over me ever again. What was the mate bond doing to me?

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The next day began as all of the others. One of Alpha Cain's mutts injected me with wolfsbane, I pretended it hurt, he looked at me sympathetically before leaving, I snarled at him threateningly, he left in fear, blah blah blah.

I was about to lay back down in the corner for a nap, eyeing the fur pelt in the opposite corner. I was tempted to use it as a blanket, it was extremely soft after all, but I didn't want the Alpha to take it as a sign of weakness or acceptance.

I wrapped my cloak tighter around me, thankful for the little warmth it brought. The prison was colder than usual today, and I had a feeling it had to do with Alpha Cain's desperation to break my resolve.