Mia's wrists burned from the iron shackles as the guards dragged her back through the fortress. The cold stone scraped at her bare feet, and her arms ached from the rough grips of the rogues hauling her forward. She didn't fight them, but her green eyes burned with defiance, her jaw set tight despite the fear twisting in her gut.
They didn't speak, but their silence was worse than any mocking taunts. She had defied them, humiliated them by daring to escape. And now, they were going to make her suffer.
When they reached the center of the dungeon, the rogue leader was waiting for her. His glowing yellow eyes gleamed with cruel amusement, and a twisted smirk played across his lips.
"Well, well," he drawled, stepping closer. "The little lamb has teeth. You really thought you could run from us?"
Mia glared at him, her chest heaving with anger. "I'll never stop trying."
The leader's smirk widened, and he leaned in, his voice low and mocking. "Oh, you'll stop. I'll make sure of it."
Straightening, he gestured to the guards. "Take her to the pit. Let's see how long she lasts."
Mia's stomach dropped. She had heard whispers about the pit—a place meant for the strongest men, a place of brutal labor and endless suffering. No one who was sent there came back the same.
The guards yanked her forward, dragging her deeper into the fortress. The air grew colder, heavier, and the faint sound of grinding machinery filled her ears. When they finally stopped, Mia found herself standing at the edge of a massive cavern.
The pit was a monstrous place, dimly lit by flickering torches mounted high on the walls. Massive gears and chains hung from the ceiling, grinding and clanking with deafening noise. Men—hulking, scarred figures with hardened faces—worked tirelessly, hauling heavy loads and turning enormous wheels. Their bodies were covered in sweat and grime, their muscles straining under the weight of their labor.
Mia's breath caught in her throat as the guards shoved her forward.
"Welcome to the pit," one of them sneered, his voice barely audible over the noise. "This is where you'll learn your place."
They unlocked her shackles and threw her toward a pile of rocks. "Get to work," one barked. "Or we'll make you wish you had."
Mia staggered but caught herself before she fell. Around her, the men paused in their work to stare, their faces a mixture of surprise and disdain. She was the only woman here, and it was clear they didn't think she belonged.
But Mia didn't care. Straightening her back, she squared her shoulders and glared at the guards. She had survived the dungeon, the chains, and the wheel. She would survive this too.
******
Far away, in the heart of the Silver Moon Pack's territory, Alpha Darius sat in his grand hall, his brow furrowed in deep thought. The fire crackling in the hearth did little to warm him, and the laughter of his wives echoed hollowly in his ears.
Darius was a man of power and pride, his gray eyes sharp and calculating. He had led his pack with strength and authority, but there was one thing he had failed to achieve: an heir.
He had taken wife after wife, each one more beautiful than the last. But no matter how many women he married, none had borne him a child. It was a secret he guarded fiercely, but within the walls of his home, it was a constant source of tension.
His newest wife, a timid young woman with soft features, approached him cautiously. "My lord," she said, her voice trembling. "The oracle awaits you."
Darius's jaw tightened. He had avoided this moment for years, convinced that his strength alone would be enough to secure his legacy. But as the years passed and his home remained silent, he knew he could no longer ignore the truth.
The oracle's tent was dark and filled with the scent of burning herbs. The old woman sat cross-legged on the floor, her milky white eyes unseeing but all-knowing.
"Alpha Darius," she rasped, her voice like the rustling of leaves. "You come seeking answers."
"I do," Darius replied, his voice steady despite the unease curling in his stomach.
The oracle tilted her head, as if listening to something only she could hear. "You have taken many wives, but none have given you a child. Do you know why?"
Darius's fists clenched. "That's why I'm here."
The oracle's lips curled into a faint smile. "You already know the answer, Alpha. You abandoned your blood. The daughter born of your first union—the child you cast aside—is the key to your legacy. Without her, you will never have an heir."
Darius's chest tightened, memories he had buried long ago rising to the surface. The woman he had loved in his youth, the daughter she had borne him, the decision he had made to send them away when his position as alpha had been threatened.
"That was years ago," he said, his voice low and strained. "She's gone. She's—"
"She lives," the oracle interrupted, her milky eyes locking onto him. "But she is lost, trapped in a place of darkness and despair. If you do not find her, Alpha Darius, your line will end with you. And your name will be forgotten."
The words hit Darius like a blow. He stared at the oracle, his mind racing. Could it be true? Could the daughter he had abandoned still be alive?
"Where is she?" he demanded, his voice rough.
The oracle closed her eyes, her expression serene. "Follow the shadows. Seek the fortress of the rogues. There, you will find her. But beware, Alpha. The path will not be easy, and the daughter you abandoned is no longer a child. She is strong. She is angry. And she may not forgive you."
### Back in the Pit
Mia's hands bled as she hauled another heavy rock to the pile, her muscles screaming in protest. The men around her worked in grim silence, their faces hard and unyielding. Some cast her wary glances, but none spoke to her.
She didn't care. She didn't need their approval. All she needed was to survive.
As she pushed herself harder, her mind drifted to Garrick. She thought of his promise, of the determination in his eyes as he swore he would come back for her. She thought of the Silver Moon Pack, the family she had never known. And though she didn't know it yet, her father, Darius, was beginning his journey to find her.
Her past was full of pain and betrayal, but Mia knew one thing for certain: she wasn't done fighting.
Not yet.