Chapter 1

Freya's POV

I woke up to the cold, hard surface of the concrete floor beneath me. Frowning, I slowly scanned my surroundings.

I was in an unfamiliar place-a cold room enclosed by thick iron bars. A chain was fastened around my ankle, as if they thought I might somehow escape through the heavily secured bars surrounding the place.

I pressed a hand against my forehead when I felt a slight throbbing pain. I tried desperately to recall what had happened before I woke up in this dark, unfamiliar place.

Airplane. Engine malfunction. Vast ocean. Terrified screams. We were crashing!

A shiver ran down my spine as the memories came flooding back. My heart began pounding violently, overwhelmed by a mixture of anxiety and fear. I placed a hand over my chest, trying to calm my racing heartbeat.

Am I dead? Am I in hell? Then why isn't there any fire?

"Am I... alive?" I whispered to myself, inspecting my body for any wounds, injuries, or broken bones.

I noticed the man standing outside the iron bars briefly glance in my direction. I swallowed hard. I had absolutely no idea where I was, but at least I was still alive.

I pushed myself off the filthy floor and brushed the dust off my clothes. I felt like I was covered in layers of dirt.

"Where am I?" I asked the guard standing outside my cell.

He didn't even bother responding.

"Hey, kuya! Are you deaf? I asked where I am!"

The man finally turned toward me, only to raise an eyebrow before looking away again.

Oh, so he's a snob?

I let out a frustrated sigh. Maybe the guard was mute. Or perhaps he was some kind of machine that needed a coin inserted before he could move or speak.

Feeling defeated, I sat back down on the floor and leaned against the wall. I stared blankly into space, allowing my mind to wander through every possible explanation for why I was still alive and where exactly I had ended up.

My attention shifted toward the entrance when the cell door suddenly opened. A muscular man stepped inside. I noticed the guard slightly bow his head in respect toward the newcomer.

I quickly stood up from the filthy floor. Judging by the guard's behavior, I could tell that the man who had just arrived held some kind of authority.

I discreetly studied him as he approached. He seemed quite handsome, although I couldn't get a proper look at his face because of how dark the place was. Besides, my eyesight wasn't exactly the best.

Thanks to all those hours I spent staring at computer screens and reading books during college.

"Is the captive awake?" His deep, baritone voice echoed through the confined space, making me feel slightly uneasy.

"Yes, Beta," the guard replied.

My eyebrows shot up.

Beta? What a weird name.

"Um... hi?" I greeted awkwardly as the newcomer entered my cell.

The man looked me up and down. For some unknown reason, I suddenly became self-conscious. I knew I probably looked like a homeless person right now, considering the amount of dust covering my clothes and body. I also had no idea how long I had been unconscious.

"Who are you? And where am I?"

The questions slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.

I felt a little intimidated by the way he was staring at me, although I somehow knew he wouldn't hurt me without a reason.

A smirk slowly formed on his lips.

"Don't you think we're the ones who should be asking you those questions, young lady? Who are you, and what are you doing in our territory? Are you a spy?"

My forehead creased at his question.

"A spy? Territory? Do I look like a spy to you?"

I shot back at him.

"Fair point. No pack would send such a weak spy into enemy territory. It would be more reasonable to assume that you're a runaway slave from another pack. However, it's strange that I can't detect even the slightest trace of another pack's scent on you."

"What? What pack?"

I raised an eyebrow at him once again.

Which is it? Did I end up in some ancient settlement or in a hideout full of lunatics?

I couldn't understand a single thing he was saying.

The man sighed at my reaction.

"Where did you come from, then?" he asked calmly.

I paused for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts.

"I was on a plane heading back to the Philippines. I had just come from Switzerland," I answered.

The man's eyebrows rose slightly. He didn't say anything, but judging by his expression, he seemed completely unfamiliar with the places I had mentioned.

I suddenly felt helpless.

Oh, God. Where exactly am I?

Since he remained silent, I continued explaining.

"I honestly have no idea. The last thing I remember was being on an airplane when its engine suddenly malfunctioned. Everyone started panicking, and then the plane crashed. After that, I don't remember anything."

My explanation only caused the Beta's eyebrows to rise even higher.

"An airplane? It sounds like you're referring to some rather unusual form of transportation."

My mouth fell open.

"Don't tell me you've never seen an airplane before?" I asked in disbelief.

"An airplane? You know, the thing that flies in the sky?"

I tried explaining, but all I received in return was an amused smile.

Seriously, where the hell was I? Why did this place seem so far behind civilization?

"Your homeland sounds like an interesting place," he remarked with a nod.

"Can you please let me go now?" I asked, trying to sound hopeful.

My hopes immediately crumbled when he shook his head.

"You will remain here until the Alpha decides what to do with you."

With that, he turned around and walked out of my cell.

I leaned against the wall, watching him disappear from view. I suddenly felt so weak and helpless. I couldn't explain it, but there was something strange about this place.

Where exactly am I?

Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep while lost in my thoughts.

I was awakened by the sharp screeching of metal against metal, signaling that my cell door was opening.

I slowly sat up as the Beta entered once again.

"I assume you're hungry, so I brought you something to eat," he said, placing a tray of food in front of me.

My eyes immediately landed on the grilled meat and fresh fruits arranged on the tray.

"Are you sure this isn't poisoned?" I asked bluntly.

The man let out a quiet chuckle, as though he found my question amusing.

"Believe me, if we wanted you dead, I would rip your heart straight out of your chest and feed it to the vultures."

Instead of looking frightened, I simply frowned at his response.

Seriously? What a brutal imagination!

"There's no love potion in this either, right?" I added, picking up a piece of grilled meat and taking a bite.

It was delicious, actually. Too bad it was difficult to appreciate good food while being locked inside such a dark and filthy cell.

The Beta merely shook his head at my question.

"You're beautiful, but I'm certain the woman destined to be my other half is far more beautiful. My mate," he replied with a smug grin.

I paused for a moment.

Mate?

As a bookworm, I was quite familiar with that word. It was commonly used in two particular genres of fiction: werewolves and vampires.

I didn't bother responding and simply continued eating.

But now, everything he had said earlier was beginning to make sense-or at least, I was starting to connect the dots.

Beta. Pack. Mate.

My brain refused to accept what those words seemed to imply.

No matter how much I thought about it, the possibility seemed utterly ridiculous.

Unless I'm on the set of Twilight.

"Beta? Is that your name?" I finally asked, breaking the deafening silence.

I needed to clarify a few things. Because if my suspicions were correct, it would mean that the people around me weren't exactly human.

"Vincent. That's my name. Beta is my title within this pack," he answered.

I placed the remaining meat back on the plate, picked up the glass of water, and took a sip to ease the strange uneasiness in my chest.

Then I gave him my most serious look.

"Let me guess. You're a werewolf related to Jacob, and I'm somehow on the set of Twilight?"

I asked jokingly.

If this was some kind of joke, it wasn't funny.

Vincent met my gaze, seemingly contemplating whether he should even bother answering my question. His eyes narrowed slightly.

I felt a sudden wave of anxiety at the thought of what he might say next, but I needed to know where I was.

"Are you saying that you're not a werewolf?" he asked in return.

But somehow, his question was already confirmation enough.

I weakly leaned back against the wall.

So that's why their presence felt so strange.

I covered my face with both hands.

Oh, gosh! Where the hell am I?

"Vincent, are you telling me that you're a werewolf? As in... an actual, real-life werewolf?"

I repeated, still unable to believe it.

Vincent looked as though he couldn't decide whether to laugh or get annoyed by my questions.

"Do I look like I'm joking to you?" he replied, raising an eyebrow.

I didn't want to believe him.

Those things aren't real. They're just fictional creatures.

Unless...

Unless he actually transformed right in front of me.

Yeah, right! I'd only believe it if I saw him shift with my own eyes.

I fell silent for a moment, contemplating the possibility. Then, suddenly, my eyes lit up as an idea struck me.

The greatest weakness of werewolves!

Silver!

I quickly rolled up the sleeve of my shirt and unclasped the silver bracelet around my wrist.

Waving it in front of Vincent, I watched as he immediately sprang to his feet in surprise.

His gaze sharpened, and his eye color began to change.

From dark brown to a silvery yellow.

A loud growl echoed throughout the small room, making my eyes widen in terror. His canines were now clearly visible, confirming everything I had suspected.

I immediately shoved the silver bracelet into my pocket and raised both hands in surrender.

"Easy, Vincent! I was just checking if you were telling the truth!" I explained nervously.

I noticed him taking a deep breath, seemingly trying to calm himself down. Moments later, his eyes gradually returned to their original color.

"Watch your actions, young lady. My wolf is aggressive, and what you just did was considered a threat to him."

With that, he turned around and left the cell, abandoning me once again.

I was left sitting there, overwhelmed by fear and confusion.

But this time, I was certain of one thing.

I was no longer in the same world.