Chapter 9

• ALIYAH
• "Let me go!"
• I woke up screaming, my body shaking and trembling in fear. I looked around, realizing I was in an unfamiliar, beautiful room. There was a bandage on my neck.
• But my wrists were bound together with what appeared to be handcuffs. I could feel the cold metal biting into my skin as I struggled against it. The chains rattled noisily as I tried to free myself from whatever force was keeping me here.
• My eyes darted around the room, taking in everything from the elaborately carved wooden bedpost to the ornately decorated walls that encased me. But there was nothing familiar about this place. Nothing that brought me any comfort or familiarity whatsoever.
• Then it hit me: Brayden had taken me somewhere else and put me under his control.
• Just then, the door opened. I tried to hide my naked self under the sheets but it was impossible. I was trapped on the bed, waiting for the worst thing that could happen to me. My heart was weeping as I realized that even death could not save me from Brayden's wickedness.
• But then I was shocked when a different façade of a man entered. He was dark-haired and his smiling eyes were hazel. I had to gulp as the familiar alluring cologne filled the air, hitting my nostrils. And those same graceful and agile movements sent me back to the memory of where I had first seen him.
• Ashton, I chanted his name in my thoughts.
• "I'm glad you are already awake," he said, and I blinked, struggling with his words. "You have been out of it for a while now."
• His voice was tempting. It had the same beautiful smoothness that sent my heart into a fervor, but now I knew better than to trust him.
• "Where am I?"
• I stared at him and waited for an answer. He came closer, sitting beside me on the bed. He flung one arm over my shoulders.
• "You have been through a lot, babe," he told me, using the name that Brayden was so fond of calling me. "You fainted after he ran away and left you alone. You have to understand that we had to do what was best for you. You are safe here," he said, his voice soothing. "This is a private facility where we are taking care of you."
• "He's not dead, is he?" I asked, my eyes staring at him.
• "Of course not. He's fine. As a matter of fact, he asked me to keep you safe."
• "Don't make me a fool. Brayden wants nothing but the worst for me!" I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs and tell him that I didn't believe him, but I was not that strong. I was frightened, and it made my tongue feel like lead. I felt trapped in this space, locked in this room with no chance of escape. And I had no control over my fate. "He killed my grandmother, and now he will never stop until I'm dead as well. Now open this thing up and let me go!" I lifted my hands up, wincing as the metal cut into my flesh, drawing fresh blood.
• "I will release you, but not now." You still have to observe."
• "Why do I have to be observed?" I questioned, pressing myself against the headboard, attempting to separate myself from him and cover myself with the blanket.
• "For the possible effect of the bite, Aliyah," Ashton said, coming to his feet and hovering over me, waiting for me to give in. "You've been bitten by someone with an alpha's blood. So, I have to put you in chains temporarily to ensure everyone's safety."
• My heart suddenly seemed to fall into my stomach, and I shook my head, my long hair falling around my face as I struggled to get to my feet. The shackles were digging into my ankles and wrists, cutting into me. I could feel blood running down my arms and legs, covering the sheets on the big bed I was in. The shackles were linked to a chain that was placed on the floor.
• "I'd rather die than live to become a monster like him, like your kind! All of you werewolves are monsters!"
• "I understand your fear and anger towards my kind, but not all werewolves are monsters. And as for Brayden's madness, I did what I had to do to protect you from his uncontrollable transformation."
• "Why don't you just kill me?" I screamed, my gaze fixed on him. The cuffs tightened with every movement I made.
• "As I previously stated, you will be of great use to me, which is why I saved you from Brayden's madness. So, the least you can do is thank me."
• "He will kill you for this. You think you can keep me here? Well, no!" I tried to make a run for the door, but as soon as I pulled on the chain collar, it suddenly made a loud buzz, and my body went airborne, flying back onto the bed. I didn't know what was happening. My mind was spinning as my head hit the solid mattress. Nausea abruptly came over me, my body contorting in pain and fear.
• "Oh no, you won't try that again." He smiled, watching my writhing body with a smile on his face. Then he took a seat beside me on the bed. "You will serve a purpose here, that's why I have to take care of you myself," he explained. "But for now, we have to test your blood before we turn you loose." He reached down into his pocket and took out a small syringe.
• I shook my head and lifted my hands up to shield myself from him. "No! Stop!" I shouted, and he pressed his hand down on my arm, holding me down against the bed.
• The needle pricked at my skin, drawing a stream of blood from my arm. He held it up and examined it with a smile. "You are pure, aren't you?" He laughed, his eyes running over my curvy body. "No doubt about that."
• I felt the blood being drawn out of me. I watched as it dribbled down my arm into a small glass tube. He took a photo of it with his phone and then placed the glass vial on a small metal table beside the bed. Then he just stood there, watching my body.
• I tried hard to look away from him, but I couldn't. I knew if I looked him in the eye he would see my fear, so instead I focused on the bed sheets, trying to pretend that he wasn't there. But his eyes still bore into me and each passing second felt like an eternity.
• He broke the uncomfortable silence with a question. “You must be wondering why I have chosen you." He shifted on the bed and leaned towards me, his voice low and threatening. "The truth is I need something from you; something that only you can provide."
• My heart raced as he spoke and my mouth suddenly felt dry. What did he want? Was it something dangerous? Whatever it was, I knew I had no choice in the matter; whatever he asked for, I had to comply or risk being killed or worse. "What is it that you want from me?"
• He smiled and his gaze softened as he looked at me. "Blood," he said simply. "Your blood." Then before I could protest or ask any questions, he stood up and moved away from the bed. "You'll be good to go soon." He left the room.
• I sat there in bewilderment trying to understand what was happening. Was he planning on using my blood for some kind of ritual or spell? Or maybe even to create a new breed of werewolves? There were so many questions running through my head as my mind raced trying to make sense of all this craziness.
• This can't be real. This can't be real!
• Eventually, my muscles weakened and all I wanted was just to sleep until this nightmare was over. Unfortunately, sleep refused to come easy as my mind kept going back over everything that had just happened; not just tonight but all of it; Brayden's transformation, being taken prisoner by this man who claimed to be saving me…everything seemed too surreal and terrifyingly real at the same time.