My Female Alpha

THIRTY TWO

tw: mentions of rape and assault

lenora

Not many know there's a basement to the pack house. The door is located in the library behind a moveable shelf, and rarely anyone comes in here these days. Denver pushes it open as I approach. He picks up a gallon jug of water from the floor and then we cross into the unfinished space. I hold my breath as long as I can. It smells like body fluids and body odor. The rest of the pack house is mostly oblivious. Thick, soundproof walls keep the sounds and smells trapped here like lost souls.

We take several stairs down and turn a few corners before reaching the open basement. It is as big as one floor of the house but completely open except for support beams. Fifteen mattresses line the walls. Six of them are occupied by figures shackled to the floors. I pull on the string hanging from the ceiling for the light. It blinks on. All the bodies hiss and twist away from the brightness.

I look over them as I approach. Four males and two females. I don't recognize any of them, which is when I realize I was looking for Ara. I shake off the annoying thought.

"Who is thirsty?" I say.

They all sit up, blinking against the light.

"Tell me something and you'll get a sip."

They are quiet. Who will betray the others first? I smile darkly and cross my arms.

"I'll tell you something," one of the men says. I look at Denver and he walks closer with the jug of water.

"Speak," I command.

The rogue glances between us. His face is dirty and scratches still marr his arms and chest where the wounds aren't cleared enough to heal. Wolves rarely die from infection because of our healing abilities, but if one prolongs a wound from closing for long enough, it can happen.

"Well, I bet you have a big cock under those jeans. Certainly some hot balls in the least. Alpha," he says mockingly.

Some of the others laugh. Until I laugh, slowly and sinisterly. Then they all fall silent. I move to the mattress where he sits and smiles at him. The gesture is empty. A flash of fear crosses his face before he stones the expression.

"How cute," I say. "Yet another misogynistic asshole. Who is the one chained here again?"

And before he can blink, I have whipped my hand across his face. His head snaps to the side and a tooth flies out, bouncing off the wall. He groans. As he faces me again, I slap the other cheek. Rage bubbles inside me but I force myself to hold back. If I think of all the alphas and packs they have already ruined, I will murder every single one of these rogues and not get any answers. We can't have that.

The rogue spits a mouthful of blood onto the mattress. His eyes reach up to glare at me. Turning towards the others, I splay my hands.

"Does anyone else have something unhelpful to share?" I ask. "Because it's been a long time since I've had a punching bag and I am ready to go for hours."

They are all quiet. A woman—well, a girl really—is the first to speak now.

"We won't tell you anything," she says.

I cross over to her. "Why is that? Hmm?"

"Why would we? You're going to die. Every alpha is going to die."

"And who are you working for that is telling you this will happen? Is it one person? A group of people?" I leer down at her, my eyes hot as coals. "You are being dictated just like any other pack wolf. You are just a pawn. You're all sad little wolves who banded together because you left the lifestyle you were made for. You've gone from one pack to another and this one . . ." I laughed. "They don't give a rat's ass about you. You are going to die here. In the darkness. No one is going to know. We'll burn your bodies so all that's left is ash. And all for what? You haven't accomplished anything."