The Black Alder Series

It's been almost a week since the attack, and I've been in the dungeons. I got my voice back, but I don't use it. Tomorrow is my birthday, but I wish more than anything that I was dead. The cells here smell like piss and shit. All you hear all the screams of the ones being tortured down here. I try to tune it out. I can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes, all I see is my dad's head. My dad.....It's my fault he is dead... didn't attack him, but he died protecting me... Fresh tears come to me as I try to stay silent. The first few nights in my cell, I was visited by Lynx, who beat me severely, asking me why I did it. I tried to tell him I didn’t. It was mom, but it only pissed him off even more. On another night, David came to taunt me, saying if he was the alpha, I would already be dead. Even slapping me around a few times to prove he can.

Jan only came once. Her visit hurt the most. I was so happy when I saw her, but she looked at me so full of hatred. She punched me in the face and called me a traitor to the pack. I attempted to explain that my mom set it up, but she didn't have any of it. My brother joined her, putting his arm around her, threatening me to stay away from his mate. Wait...his mate? I tried to smile and tell her I was happy for her, but they kicked me in the stomach. The servant brings food out right after they leave barley enough to survive on. I always push it to the side. I can't eat it. The alpha comes into the cells after they tell him I'm not eating and forces it down my throat. My mother is behind him smiling as if she is getting some sick thrill off of this. It's at that moment when I realize just how much I hate her. I vowed to myself to seek revenge for my father. My silent threat must have reached her when she looked into my eyes because her smile vanished. She came in and kissed the alpha, and he left her alone with me in the cell. As soon as she sees he is gone, she smiles again.

" Look at you, exactly where you belong" she taunts. I spit at her

" You Bitch", I told her. "You had my father killed and blamed it on me. For what. To be the alpha whore”. She comes up to me and takes her hand and slaps me across my face, but I don't even feel it. All I feel is hate and this feeling is slowly building up.

" Watch your fucking mouth you little shit. He wasn't supposed to be there, YOU were the target”. I remember her saying that rouge to get me.

"Why," I ask. I've done nothing to you.". She slaps me again.

" You've done EVERYTHING to me “and you will pay. My rouges may not be able to reach you right now, but I will find a way to hand you over and get you out of my life for good" she spats

"Why mom, " The anger is now reached its peak and starting to come out. It gave me strength.

She must have sensed it. She smiled and backed away.

" Oh, dear child, YOU WERE NEVER MY REAL DAUGHTER."

I knew she was telling the truth. She never felt like a mother to me, and we never had a connection. She saw the realization come to my eyes and laughed. She walked away, leaving the cage. When she got to the door, I laughed, she turned around and narrowed her eyes. It was a cold laugh, full of no emotions. Scary, lifeless, powerful and I swore I saw a massive dark aura come around me. She must have seen it too and continued to back away. I spoke

" Hear my words, whore. One day, no matter where I am, or how many years it will take, I will find you, and I will rip your heart out as a tribute to my father, but before I do, you will know the true definition of pain and fear, and you will suffer a thousand deaths before I allow you peace. Head me, mother. Tread carefully. I make this promise to you. The last face you will ever see will be mine.” I was pulsating this dark aura and my mother felt it. She knew I wasn't playing around, and she was scared. However, she played it off with a smirk and walked out, leaving me alone. I realized how quiet everyone had gotten in the dungeon, as if they were hanging on to my every word, but I didn't say anything else. Yet it stayed silent. The guy in the cell next to me spoke.

"What are you?" he asked.

" What do you mean?

"You have a powerful aura around you, yet I don't sense a wolf," he says. I sat quietly for a while since I didn't want to think about it. I just felt myself getting weaker and weaker. Eventually, I couldn't keep myself awake, and darkness overcame me.

It's now been a full week since I've been down here in the dungeon and today is my birthday. My scars are healing up slowly thankfully. My mom has not come back. My brother comes back now and then to hit/kick/slap/burn or whatever he needs to do to let off his pent-up anger. The guy in the cell next to me has been nice. He listens to me when I do talk, but even then, I don't have much to say. Instead, he allowed me to listen to him. Turns out his name is Mark, and he was captured and jailed for hiding money from the alpha to keep the money to feed his family. He told me how the alpha would bring his fated mate to the dungeon and rape her while he watched them chained up. I used to think our alpha was nice, but after what he did to me, and listening to Mark's stories, I can understand why his son David is the way he is. As soon as he told me that, many of the prison mates started telling their own story and I found myself getting attached to these prisoners and their sad stories.

No one asked about my story. Everyone down there heard about the girl who decapitated her father. They also heard my mother's confession, so they all knew I was innocent. It was nice to have someone believe me, even if no one else did. Everyone was silent as they heard the alpha approaching. He stopped at my cell, and stared at me, opened it, then grabbed my arm to walk me out. He was not gentle, and my legs were wobbly from not being able to walk often, so he was dragging me out. One cellmate yelled "Be Strong My Queen’

Alpha Nate growled at him.

" Kill them all" He ordered a pack warrior and all I could hear were the screams of pain as he was continuing to drag me up the stairs. I could tell we were headed to his office. He dragged me past some pack members, some had cruel smiles on their faces, some with complete disgust. My once best friend and brother were among them. Once we reached his office, he tossed me onto the chair. He goes behind his desk to his computer. I decided to stay quiet. I could feel his alpha aura pouring off in waves, but it wasn't doing anything to me. He paid me no attention and we sat like that for about 10 min until his eyes glazed over mind linking someone. A few minutes later, a servant came into the room with grey t-shirt and grey slacks. The outfit of the servant. She gave the clothes to me. " You know what to do" was all he said. She tugged on my clothes, telling me to go with her. I followed. As we walked through the halls on the way to the servant's quarters, I felt a tug in my head. Like someone trying to get through. The pain in my head was searing. I saw the servant about to mind link Alpha when I suddenly asked her not to.

" Please miss," She said, "you need a doctor and I'm on a tight schedule,” she said.

"What's your name," I asked her.

"I am Serene, miss,” she said.

"Just give me a second please Serene," I asked her with a smile,

I somehow knew that wasn't it though, but the pain was starting to let up as I realized I should give in to the pain and that's what I did. I was suddenly feeling better. Better enough to walk. The pain didn't come back, and I just assumed it was from finally seeing a lot of light after being in the dungeons for a week. We arrived at the servant headquarters, but it seemed like we were headed further than that.

"Where are we going, Serene," I asked her.

" Alpha does not want you sleeping in servants’ quarters. He has another room to be given to you". I followed her to what looked like an empty room with a ladder that looked like it led upstairs to a secret shack. She led me into that room. It looked like some sort of small attic with cobwebs all around. It had 1 flatbed on the ground with a thin blanket. I guess this is going to be my new quarter until the alpha kills me.

" Miss, take a shower and then get dressed. I will wait for you" Serene said, climbing down, leaving me to it.

I saw the small bathroom downstairs and decided to hurry up and shower. The shower was small, and the cubby was wooden, but that didn't matter to me. The water seemed to wash away what felt like years of sweat and blood. I felt great when it was done. I followed Serene for the rest of the day as she showed me how to clean the bathrooms in the packhouse, makeup beds, cook, and scrub the walls. Even though I was in the packhouse, I was happy not to pass any of my family.

Though that didn't stop the occasional glares or the laughs when someone " tripped” me. I learned quickly thankfully and kept my head down. I met the other servants, some who were nice to me, some glared at me, and had terrible attitudes. While serving dinner, some members thought it would be hilarious to throw some food at me. I almost retaliated but I heard someone say no, not yet. I looked around but couldn't pinpoint the voice. I decided to shrug it off. It didn't make it any easier than my "mom®, Lynx, Jen, and Marcus, were all there watching my every move. They were all laughing at me too, other than Marcus. His eyes looked like they kept switching between annoyance and .... pity?

I'm not sure, but I decided it wasn't wise to stay and find out, so I left and retired back to my attic. I was so tired. I slouched on my little mattress. It wasn't comfortable, but it was better than the dungeon. Serene gave me clothes to sleep in since I had none and an alarm to keep time. Luckily, my room wasn't too close to one, so it gave me privacy. I laid down and prepared to go to sleep. All of a sudden

You have been through some shit lately.

I got up and looked around, but no one is there. "Who Are You," I asked out loudly.

I am your girl.

My wolf.......

Yes, my name is Snow. I tried to reach out to you, but I had a tough time getting through, almost like 1 had to force my way through a block.

Nice to meet your snow, I'm Elena. Also, yes, I could feel you trying to get through. It hurt terribly.

I know love. Your body is weak but I'm here to help you heal. I saw what happened, and I am sorry. I get quiet, not sure what to say. In my mind, it all still floats in my head as if it just happened in that second and I feel myself tearing up.

Don't cry love. You are so strong; you have no idea. I am so happy to have been paired with you Unbelievably, I've known you way longer than you think. I know mother moon goddess chose well and when she told me about you, I had to come at once. I've been waiting to be your wolf for a long time!

You spoke to the Moon Goddess?

Yes, my love, but we will talk about that later. For now, sleep, and tell no one about me. You don't want to give off your strength and trust me, we are strong. No one here is to be trusted after what happens. The only person we will wait to tell is our mate when we find him on our 18th birthday. Mate won't want a weak thing like us, I tell her. I don't want to get her hopes up.

Our mate will want us. Have patience, my love. I will be here to talk to you every step of the way.

I smiled at that. Can I see how you look Snow? I'm hoping to see her in my head, but I am weak right now, so I know I can't

You will see when the time comes. I promise. Now get some sleep and let me work on healing you. Thank you snow, I told my wolf and I feel myself getting sleepy.

You're welcome my love. Oh, and Elena

Yes Snow

Happy Birthday