Leia opened her eyes, trying to process her surroundings as she slowly sat up. She was in a room on a bed. It was early in the morning.
"Where am I? I fainted at that time," she muttered, recalling what happened last night and quickly got out of the bed. Her eyes widened seeing her clothes. Someone had changed them, and who could it be other than… What was his name?
"Li… Lo… L—ugh, whatever," she grumbled, shaking off her head as she hurried toward the door.
Carefully, she twisted the handle, easing it open just enough to peek outside. Her heart pounded. If this place belonged to werewolves, escape wouldn't be easy. She had to be cautious.
The moment she stepped out, her head bumped against something solid but warm. She lifted her head, and her breath caught in her throat.
It was him.
The red-eyed Alpha.
She stumbled backward in worry when he took a step toward her. Holding her chin, he said, "Forget running away if that's what you're thinking, Leia," he warned her. "I am a man of few words, so listen carefully."
Leia scowled, jerking her head, but his grip was firm.
"You were bought for one reason. To breed pups for me and my brothers," he continued. "Do as you please here, but don't test me. Play games, and you'll only end up being ruined."
"Breed pups?" she chuckled and yanked his hand off her chin. "In your dreams!" she spat. "I refuse to be your broodmare or your brothers'."
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. He actually expected her to bear his pups as if she would ever agree to something so absurd.
"You wasted fifty million on me. That's your problem, not mine," she snapped, jabbing her finger against his chest. Her voice dripped with defiance as she glared up at him. "I never asked you to buy me, Mr. Red-Eyed Alpha."
She wanted to test what kind of person he was. So, she continued,
"You think this is the old world where women bow to men like you? Sorry to disappoint, but I refuse. Try anything like that, and I swear, I'll kill you."
Submitting to him would mean the end of her, and she decided not to do that.
He finally let go of her chin.
But in the next moment, she was back on the plush bed, her legs pushed apart by his knee, his hand resting against her throat. It was not tight, but enough to make her freeze.
A sharp gasp left her lips as it scared her a bit, thinking he would truly force himself on her.
His head tilted slightly, his one eyebrow arching in amusement. "What do you have to say now?"
Leia held his gaze, refusing to flinch.
"Nothing," she said. Then, with a smirk, she added, "You're stronger than I thought," not showing the fear in her.
His brows drew together in a frown. "What—?"
Before he could finish, another voice roared in the room, "Lucien, don't do that!"
In an instant, Lucien was yanked away from her.
Leia sat up, breathing heavily as her eyes flicked to the new figure, a man with the same commanding aura.
She supposed he was Lucien's brother.
"Stay out of this, Kieran!" Lucien snarled with fury. "I've told you before. Don't interfere when I make judgments."
"But Brother, you cannot treat the last she-wolf like this," Kieran argued. He then looked at her and passed a warm smile.
"I apologize on my eldest brother's behalf. I am Kieran Calandrino. You must be hungry, right? I have asked the maids to prepare a delicious meal for you, Leia."
His humbleness shocked her. Were alphas truly talking like this?
She gazed at Lucien, who was getting annoyed. She thought he would burst on both of them, but he didn't. Instead, he walked out of the room, leaving her alone with Kieran.
"Leia, why don't you freshen up? Your clothes are kept over the cupboard there. As for the breakfast, it's almost ready," Kieran told her. He was exceptionally soft, and it made her feel strange.
"What's this place called?" she asked him.
"You are in the Darkmoor Pack. But you are safe here. I can't believe that the last she-wolf is finally in front of me," Kieran murmured. She could sense his excitement, but she didn't like it. He must be desiring her body.
"I want to be alone," she said.
Kieran's smile faded, but unlike Lucien, there was understanding in his gaze. "If you need anything, press the bell here," he said, gesturing toward the small button on the wall beside the bed. Without another word, he took a step back, then turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Leia let out a shaky breath, pressing her fingers against her temple. She was trapped. Escape was impossible, at least for now. But that didn't mean she would sit here quietly and let them do whatever they pleased.
She needed a plan for it.
"There are more than two brothers," she mumbled, the thought alone making her anxious. Her stomach twisted at the horrifying realization that they all wanted to claim her.
"No!" she muttered under her breath, shaking her head. "I won't let them come anywhere near me."
If only she had her phone, she could've called for help. But deep down, she knew even the police wouldn't interfere. In this world, humans feared werewolves, and no amount of technological advancement had shifted that balance of power. The werewolves had evolved just as much.
She exhaled slowly, trying to focus. "First, I need to understand what I'm up against. Kieran, so far, seemed like the kindest one, but I can't make any assumptions yet."
A loud growl from her stomach interrupted her thoughts. She placed a hand over her belly, her body weak from hunger.
*Zei, can you hear me?* she called out to her wolf, hoping for a response.
But she didn't get any reply from her. The wolfsbane was still in her system, dulling her senses and cutting her off from Zei. Three days without food or water had only made it worse.
Slowly, she walked to the cupboard and pulled out a knee-length dress.
As the hot water rushed over her skin, it eased some of the tension in her muscles, though it did little to soothe the turmoil inside her.
She was enjoying her life among humans, doing a job.
It was all her fault. She made the worst mistake of her life. She told her real identity to her best friend—well, not anymore—thinking she would not betray her. But it wasn't one or two years of friendship. She had practically grown up with her, and they were like sisters. However, for some money, she revealed this to the captor who was searching for her.
She closed the shower tap and exhaled deeply. Drying herself, she dressed up, applied a small amount of makeup before heading out of the room to have her breakfast since she needed her strength back.
She wandered her eyes around and saw no one was in the corridor. Looking at the staircase, she took them only to see Lucien Calandrino.