Chapter 2
The slave pens were bone-chillingly cold at night.
They tossed me into a cell with nothing but a patch of straw.
Freezing water trickled down the stone walls, and the winter wind cut straight through the iron bars.
I curled into the corner, shivering from head to toe.
How was Leo holding up?
The cellar back home was even colder than this place.
No suppressants, no blankets.
He wouldn't last long on his own.
Footsteps echoed down the stone corridor.
Selena appeared outside the bars, wrapped in a thick cashmere shawl.
Two guards opened the cell door for her.
She stepped inside, pinching her nose in disgust.
"Look at you, Ella. The once-mighty Luna, reduced to this," she sneered.
I shut my eyes, refusing to give her the satisfaction.
"What are you doing here?
"Come to gloat? You've seen it. Now get lost," I snapped.
Selena let out a mocking laugh.
"I came out of the kindness of my heart."
She pulled something out of her pocket.
It was my phone.
"Here," she said, tossing it onto the straw.
"Kyle figured there might be clues about your lover on here, so he had me go through it.
"Shame. Nothing but spam and trash," she said.
I scrambled forward, grabbing the phone off the floor.
The screen was spiderwebbed with cracks, but the display still flickered on.
I needed to call Maya Green.
I had to tell her to check on Leo in the cellar.
Seeing the sheer panic in my movements, Selena raised her boot.
She slammed her stiletto heel straight down onto the back of my hand.
Pain tore through my skin, forcing a scream from my throat. "What the hell are you doing?"
Selena ground her heel deeper into my flesh.
"Did I give you permission to touch that?
"Slaves don't get phone privileges," she scoffed.
I yanked my hand back with everything I had, leaving behind a bloody hole.
Ignoring the throbbing pain, I pulled the phone against my chest.
"Selena, don't push it," I snapped.
"Push it?" Selena sneered.
She suddenly crouched down and grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking my head back.
"Haven't figured it out yet, Ella?
"This is Kyle's territory.
"I'm the one he's about to mark as his Luna.
"You're nothing but a bitch who let some random mutt knock her up."
She snatched the phone from my hand.
"Give it back!" I screamed.
I lunged forward to snatch it.
Selena hurled the device violently against the stone wall.
Bang!
The phone shattered, plastic and circuit boards exploding across the floor.
I froze, staring numbly at the wreckage.
My last hope was shattered.
Now I had no way to contact Maya.
Leo, what was going to happen to my boy?
"You crazy bitch!" I scrambled to my feet and threw myself at Selena, locking both hands around her throat.
"I'll kill you!" I snarled.
Selena didn't dodge or fight back.
Instead, she threw herself into my hands and let out a bloodcurdling shriek. "Help. Somebody help! Ella, stop, you're choking me!"
The cell door was kicked open from outside.
Kyle stormed in, fury blazing in his eyes.
He grabbed my shoulders and hurled me against the wall.
My back crashed against the solid stone, the impact knocking the wind completely out of my lungs.
"Kyle," Selena whimpered. She collapsed onto the straw, clutching her throat and weeping.
"I only wanted to bring her a blanket.
"She lost her mind. She tried to strangle me," she whined.
Kyle helped Selena to her feet, shielding her behind his broad frame.
"Ella, are you trying to get yourself killed?" he snarled.
I leaned against the wall, gasping for air.
"She smashed my phone.
"That was mine!" I shouted.
Kyle glanced at the wreckage on the floor.
"It's a piece of plastic.
"You attacked my mate over some cheap junk?" he hissed.
Mate.
The word drove into my chest like an ice pick.
"She's not your mate.
"Our bond isn't broken yet," I rasped.
Kyle cut me off. "It will be soon.
"The second I drag your lover out and butcher him in front of you, I'll sever every last piece of you from my life."
He pointed sharply at the cell door.
"Now, get out.
"Go kneel outside in the snow.
"Stay there until Selena decides you've suffered enough," he barked.
I stared at him.
"It's four below out there. You're trying to freeze me to death?" I snapped.
Kyle's face remained cold as stone.
"You survived five years playing human, didn't you?
"A little cold won't kill you," he snarled.