Chapter 2 The Lion's Den

SIENNA'S POV

Asher's grip on my wrist was leaving a bruise. He didn't just escort me to his house. He dragged me through the entire pack like a prisoner.

The village was a blur. But it wasn't the buildings that surprised me. It was the silence. As Asher walked, every wolf dropped to their knees. They bowed their heads until their foreheads nearly touched the ground. But their eyes followed me. They didn't look curious. They looked at me as if I were already dead.

"Keep your head up," Asher murmured beside me. "If you stumble, I won't catch you."

"Let go of me," I hissed. I tried to free my wrist. "I can walk on my own."

"I'm sure you can. But I don't trust you not to run."

We arrived at his house. It was a massive, dark castle made of black stone. It looked more like a fortress than a home. He pushed open the heavy doors and dragged me inside.

The doors slammed shut. The room was dark and smelled of pine and old wood.

Asher released me. I stumbled backwards and rubbed my wrist. My chest was rising and falling rapidly.

"You're insane," I breathed. "You're a psychopath."

He turned to look at me. His dark eyes gleamed in the dimness. He seemed completely calm.

"I'm the Alpha. And you, Sienna, are a human who just insulted me in front of my entire pack."

"I insulted you because you were beating a helpless man to death!" I shouted. Anger was stronger than my fear. "What kind of leader does that?"

"A strong one," Asher said. He stepped closer. I backed away until my back hit the door. "The Royal Pack isn't a sanctuary for the weak. It's a hierarchy. The strong rule, the weak serve. If I show mercy, my warriors see it as weakness. And if they see weakness..." He paused. His jaw tightened. "They'll kill me and tear this pack apart."

"So you beat an Omega to make a point?" I spat.

"I beat him because he challenged me," Asher growled. He slammed his hand against the door beside my head. I flinched. He leaned closer, his face inches from mine. "But you... you're a completely different problem."

I could feel the heat radiating from him. That strange pull from the forest had returned. It was stronger now. It felt like electricity beneath my skin. It was terrifying.

"I reject it," I whispered. My voice trembled. "Whatever this bond is, I reject it."

Asher's eyes flashed with pure fury. His hand shot out. He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him.

"No," he warned. His voice was a low growl. "Never say that to me again."

"Or what?" I dared. My heart pounded. "Will you beat me too?"

He simply stared at me. The anger in his eyes slowly faded. It turned into something else. Something hungry.

"No," he said quietly. His thumb brushed my lower lip. "I won't beat you. I'll do something much worse."

He stepped away and turned his back to me.

"You'll stay in the guest room on the third floor. You won't leave this house without my permission. And you'll stay away from the Omega."

"Finley," I corrected him. My voice was cold. "His name is Finley."

Asher glanced over his shoulder. His eyes narrowed.

"The Omega is a snake, Sienna. He's been plotting his revenge against me for years. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from him."

Revenge?

The word stuck with me. The boy I'd seen on the ground didn't look like a snake. He just looked broken. But I suppose broken things are the most dangerous.

"Take her to the third floor," Asher ordered into the shadows.

Gage Hudson stepped out of the darkness. The red-haired warrior looked at me with a mixture of pity and warning.

"This way, miss."

I followed Gage up the stone staircase. I felt as though I'd just jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire. Asher was a monster. But the entire pack was full of them.

We reached the third floor. Gage opened the door. The room was actually quite beautiful. But it was still a prison. He checked the windows before turning to leave.

"Gage," I called.

He stopped at the doorway.

"Does he always do that? Beat the Omegas?"

Gage paused, his hand resting on the doorknob. For a second, he almost seemed human.

"Finley isn't an ordinary Omega, miss," he said quietly. "He's a ticking time bomb. And the Alpha knows it."

Before I could ask what he meant, Gage closed the door.

Click.

The sound of the lock echoed through the room.

I walked towards the window and looked down at the dark village. Somewhere below, Finley was lying in a medical bed. Broken and bleeding. And I was trapped up here with the beast who had put him there.

I pressed my hand against the cold glass. I wanted to save him. But what if saving him only gave him a reason to live... and a new target to destroy?