IVY’S POV
The guards threw me into the dungeon cell so hard that I hit the stone wall and slid to the floor. The metal door slammed shut behind me with a loud clang that echoed through the dark corridors.
"Welcome to your new home, slave," one of the guards laughed before walking away.
I sat on the cold, damp floor trying to catch my breath. My ribs still hurt from where Darius had kicked me earlier. The cuts on my palms from grabbing his silver sword were still burning.
I looked around my cell. It was barely big enough for me to lie down. There was no bed, no blanket, just stone walls and a small bucket in the corner. Water dripped from somewhere above, making a steady drip, drip, drip sound that was already driving me crazy.
At least it was better than the forest prison. At least there was a tiny window near the ceiling that let in a little bit of light.
I was just starting to settle against the wall when I heard footsteps coming down the corridor. Heavy boots on stone. My heart started beating faster.
"Open the door," came Darius's voice.
The metal door swung open and Darius walked in, followed by another man I recognized as Silas, his second-in-command. Silas was almost as cruel as Darius, but he was smarter about it.
"Well, well," Darius said, looking down at me. "How do you like your new accommodations?"
I didn't answer. I kept my eyes on the floor.
"I asked you a question, slave," Darius said, his voice getting dangerous.
"It's fine, Alpha," I whispered with my head bowed.
"Fine?" he laughed. "You hear that, Silas? She thinks a dungeon cell is fine."
"Maybe she's used to living like an animal," Silas replied with a smirk.
Darius walked closer to me. I could smell the leather of his boots and the metallic scent of weapons on his belt.
"You know what's not fine?" he said. "The fact that you attacked me in front of my warriors."
"I'm sorry, Alpha Darius," I said quickly. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
"But you did hurt me," he continued. "And then something very strange happened."
I looked up at him. His brown eyes were studying my face carefully. Curiosity took over his expression.
"Tell me, slave," Darius said slowly. "What exactly did you do to me that made my wound suddenly heal?"
I stared at him blankly. "I don't understand what you mean."
"Don't play stupid with me!" he barked. "My neck was hurt, and there was blood. But then you touched me and it was gone. Completely healed. How?"
"I... I don't know," I stammered. "I just wanted to help."
"Liar!" Darius roared.
Before I could react, he grabbed my throat with both hands and slammed me back against the stone wall. My head hit the rock hard and stars exploded behind my eyes.
"Tell me now," he hissed, his face inches from mine. "You have hidden healing powers, don't you?"
I couldn't breathe. His fingers were pressing against my windpipe.
"I... can't... breathe," I gasped.
"Answer me first," he said, not loosening his grip.
"I don't know!" I choked out. "I swear I don't know what happened!"
He held me there for another few seconds before finally letting go. I slumped to the ground, coughing and gasping for air.
"You're lying," he said coldly. "But I'll find out the truth eventually."
"Alpha Darius," Silas said quietly. "Maybe she really doesn't know. Sometimes powers awaken without the person realizing it."
"Maybe," Darius agreed. "But I don't trust her."
He looked down at me with pure hatred.
"Is that why you think you can question me?" he asked. "Is that why you refused to answer me when I asked you a question? Because you have some kind of magical power?"
"No, Alpha Darius," I said, still rubbing my throat. "I would never question you."
"Good," he said. "Because when next you try to stand up to me, I am going to order your execution. That is what you deserve anyway for being a traitor's daughter."
"I'm not a traitor," I whispered.
"Your blood says otherwise," Silas added with a cruel smile.
Just then, running footsteps echoed through the dungeon corridor. A guard rushed in, breathing heavily.
"Alpha Darius!" the guard called out urgently.
Darius's attention shifted from me to the guard. I sighed heavily with relief.
"What is it?" Darius demanded. "This better be important."
"It is, sir," the guard panted. "News has come in from our scouts."
"Well? Spit it out!"
"Kade, the successor of the Fenrir, is coming to our pack territory," the guard announced.
The temperature in the cell seemed to drop ten degrees. Darius and Silas exchanged dark looks.
"When?" Darius asked sharply.
"He is on his way and would be here anytime from now. Our scouts spotted his advance party at the northern border."
At the mention of the Fenrir, my mind raced back to my father's words. I remembered clearly that my father had made mention of the Fenrir empire. He had talked about them constantly in those last few weeks before his execution.
"Without the Fenrir's protection, we're nothing," my father had said. "Everyone against the Fenrir is bound to vanish."
I had no idea who they were back then, but I was sure they were good people. The Fenrir were the reason why my father was tagged a traitor and beheaded. It was because my father had tried to form an alliance with the Fenrir that Alpha Crane had called him a betrayer of the pack.
"Interesting," Darius said slowly with a smirk. "Very interesting."
"What are your orders, Alpha?" the guard asked.
"Double our border patrols," Darius replied. "I want to know exactly when Kade arrives and how many warriors he brings with him."
"Yes, sir."
The guard turned to leave, but Darius called him back.
"And send word to the other allied packs. Tell them the time has come."
"The time for what, sir?" the guard asked.
Darius smiled coldly. "The time to prevent the prophecy from coming true."
My ears perked up. Prophecy? What prophecy?
"Prophecies only come true if you let them," Darius continued with a smirk. "If we kill Kade before he can claim his birthright, the prophecy dies with him."
At the word "kill," I gasped loudly before I could stop myself.
Darius stopped pacing and stared directly at me. His eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Something wrong, girl?" he asked.
"No, Alpha," I said quickly, lowering my eyes.
But he kept staring at me for a long moment, like he was trying to read my thoughts.
"Hmm," he said finally. "Come, Silas. We have preparations to make."
"What about the girl?" Silas asked, glancing at me.
"She stays here," Darius replied. "At least until I figure out what to do with her... special abilities."
They walked toward the cell door, but Darius paused at the threshold.
"Oh, and Ivy?" he said without turning around.
"Yes, Alpha Darius?"
"If I find out you're hiding anything else from me, execution will be the least of your worries."
With that threat hanging in the air, he walked away, leaving me alone in the darkness of my cell with my racing thoughts and the terrible knowledge of what he was planning.