After I Torched Alive, My Alpha Went crazy novel Chapter 122

A dull ache throbbed through my skull as I blinked my eyes open, struggling to shake off the fog in my mind. The room around me was pitch black and silent, the kind of silence that clings, that feels unnatural. I tried to reach for Tina, my inner wolf, hoping to feel her strength and guidance, but I was met with emptiness. Her presence was missing, and that absence filled me with a bone-deep chill.

I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself as horrible thoughts filled my mind. I remembered the news I had read about missing female werewolves, how they were sometimes sold to the Dark Kingdom where their organs were removed or, even worse, forced into lives of sex slaves. A shiver of fear ran through me, an intense dread almost forcing a cry from my lips.

Then I thought of Cyrus, and my heart twisted painfully. Was he safe? Had he made it out of the plane, or had they taken him, too?

That’s when I noticed the restraints. My wrists and ankles were bound, but not with chains or cuffs, it was something softer, smoother. Ribbons? It didn’t make sense, but whatever it was, it was slick and strong. I squirmed, pulling at the bonds, feeling them slip just enough for me to free one wrist. With my fingers finally free, I yanked at the other bindings until they fell away, freeing my legs as well.

I stood slowly, feeling a slight tremor in my legs from the disorientation. The air was thick and damp, a metallic tang filling my nose. And then I heard a scream, raw and ragged, tearing through the darkness.

My breath hitched, and I froze, straining to listen. The scream was close, and following it, I heard the unmistakable sound of a belt striking flesh, followed by another sharp cry of pain.

I forced myself to breathe, to focus. That scream sounded close, but without any light, it was impossible to tell exactly where it was coming from. I crouched, moving silently along the wall, feeling the cold, rough stone beneath my fingers. There had to be a door, a crack, anything that would give me a way out of this nightmare.

But the walls were seamless, offering no escape. Panic bubbled in my chest, but I clenched my teeth, swallowing it down. I couldn’t afford to lose control, not now.

Another scream echoed, this time weaker. I wanted to run toward it, to help whoever was suffering, but I knew I had to find a way out first. The darkness pressed in on me, suffocating and cold. I inched forward, my hands tracing the wall, praying for any sign of an opening.

I took a deep breath and moved cautiously. The place was vast, a mansion of some sort, and the walls were decorated with rich tapestries and intricate woodwork. Everything screamed luxury. This was no place for rogue wolves. I had been locked away in what seemed to be a posh pack’s territory, far from the harsh climates I had expected. The air here was fresh, pleasant even, unlike the brutal, arid winds that tore through the fringe territories I knew so well. Everything about this place was wrong, starting with the fact that I was being held here against my will.

Thankfully, Tina returned as soon as I stepped out of the room, and I could feel her sharp hearing taking over. She could hear footsteps long before I could and kept alerting me."Stay focused, Grace," Tina’s voice echoed in my head. She was the only one I trusted now. I stopped, holding my breath, listening closely. Tina’s warning came through again, sharp and urgent. "Patrol up ahead. Around the corner. Move now."

Without a second thought, I shifted into a lighter step, moving swiftly and silently, following Tina’s guidance as she tracked the patrol. I took the turn just in time, my back pressing against the cool stone wall, holding still as the guards passed by. Their footsteps echoed in the distance, but they never saw me. Tina had been right. My pulse raced as I waited for the all-clear signal, my senses heightened. After a long few moments, Tina’s voice was back. "You’re safe for now."

I rounded a corner and froze. Ahead, I could see a small tourist booth, the kind they set up near gates and exits to give information. It pointed in the direction of the exit, and my heart skipped a beat. The gate was so close. I was almost there. But just as I started to move toward it, something caught my eye, a figure, standing off to the side, almost as if he were waiting for me.