Trapped in Shadows

Leah's POV

“You’re sweating Alpha,”Marcus pointed out, his tone doubtful as his eyes shifted back to Keah. “And breathing like you’ve just fought a pack of rogues. Are you sure there’s nothing else going on?”

Keah’s lips curled into a forced smirk, a touch of his familiar arrogance returning back to his face. “Tending to wounds isn’t exactly a pleasant experience,” he said smoothly. “Leah’s methods are… unconventional. But very effective.”

Marcus didn’t look convinced. He crossed his arms over his chest, his sharp eyes darting between us. “If you say so, Alpha. But something seems… to be wrong.”

Keah’s expression hardened, a warning flickering in his eyes. “Is there a reason you’re here, Beta? Or did you come here  just to question me?”

Marcus hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. “The pack’s community Deltas are already seated and waiting for you to join them soon. That's what I came to inform you.”

Keah gave a slow nod. “I’ll join them shortly. Thank you for informing me.”

Marcus hesitated for a brief moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he were trying to piece together a puzzle. But finally, he stepped back, his posture easing slightly. “Alright. I’ll be downstairs if you need me.

As Marcus turned and walked away, Keah closed the door behind him with a soft click. The tension in the room was palpable, the silence stretching out uncomfortably.

I dared to a glance at him, my heart pounding as I waited for his next move. His shoulders were still tense, his breathing uneven as he turned to face me.

“Do you still emember what I said?” He warned, his voice low and dangerous. “Not a word. Do you understand?”

I nodded slowly, my throat too constricted to speak.

The room felt suffocating, the weight of his threat pressing down on me like a physical force. I wanted to run, to scream, to escape this nightmare—but I knew there was no way out. Not yet.

And as I stood there, the fear and hatred burning within me, I couldn’t help but wonder how much longer I could endure this. How much longer before I broke?

The moment Beta Marcus shut the door behind him, I barely had the chance to release the shaky breath I'd been holding when Alpha Keah turned to face me. His cold, calculating gaze locked unto mine, and I fought the urge to step back. I hated that I felt small under his face, hated that his presence filled the room like a thunderstorm waiting to strike.

"You," he commanded, his voice sharp enough to cut through steel. "Follow me."

I blinked at him, and I stood still, but the dangerous spark in his eye warned me against hesitation. Clenching my fists at my sides, I forced my feet to move. My heart pounded with every step as I followed him out of the suffocating room and down the dimly lit hallway.

We passed several pack members who stopped to bow their heads to the Alpha in respect as we walked by. Their eyes lingered on me, filled with curiosity and faint judgment. I kept my gaze forward, refusing to let their silent observation intimidate me more.

Keah halted in front of a door at the far end of the hall and swung it open without a word. He walked inside, his broad shoulders filling the doorway, and motionned for me to enter.

“This is your room,” he said with a low voice, his tone lacking any emotion.

I glanced around the space. It was modest, with a small bed tucked against the wall, a wooden

dresser, and a single window that faced the thick forest surrounding the pack's territory. It wasn’t luxurious, but it was a far cry from the tiny herbalist shop I had back home.

"You’ll be staying here," he continued, his voice pulling me back from my thoughts. "Until you’ve treated and cured me. And don't forget to prepare the herbs you’ll use on me tomorrow."

I bristled at the commanding tone in his voice, my anger burning just beneath the surface. He made it seem as if I was some sort of servant, bound to his every whim.

"Pack your bags and the herbs you brought in here," he ordered, his eyes narrowing. "Everything you need will be brought here."

I crossed my arms over my chest, my defiance sparking despite the fear still clawing at my insides. "I’m not staying long," I said, my voice cal, though my heart raced as his eyes darkened. "And what happened earlier? I don't want it to happen again. Do you hear me?"

Keah’s lips curled into something like a smirk, but there was no humor in it—only danger.

"Do you really think you can tell me what will and won’t happen in my pack?" he asked, stepping closer until he towered over me. His closeness made my skin crawl, but I refused to back down.

I met his gaze, my anger boiling over. "The agreement was for me to treat you, Alpha," I spat, my voice dripping with venom. "Not for you to turn me into your sex slave. You’ll suffer for what you did, mark my words."

His smirk disappeared, replaced by a deadly calm that sent chills down my spine. "You think you have a choice?" he asked, his voice low and menacing. "Let me make something very clear to you, Leah. You are under my control now. You don’t leave until I say so."

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as his words sank in. Every instinct screamed at me to fight back, to lash out at him, but I knew it would only get worse. He was the Alpha, and his power was absolute here.

"I am not your prisoner," I managed to speak, my voice shaking despite all my efforts to remain strong.

"Oh, but you are," he replied, his eyes gleaming with a mix of arrogance and malice."You just haven’t realized it yet."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked toward the door. "Prepare the herbs," he threw over his shoulder. "I expect them to be ready by tomorrow morning."

He left the room without another word, the door clicking shut behind him.

For a moment, I stood still, my mind racing as his final words echoed in my ears. My room. My prison. I stared at the small space around me, the walls seeming to close in with every passing second.

I sank onto the edge of the bed, my hands shaking as I buried my face in them. I hated him. I hated this place. But most of all, I hated the helplessness that had taken root inside me.

This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

I sat up, my determination hardening as I stared out the window. The moon hung high in the sky, its pale light casting long shadows across the forest floor. I didn’t know how, and I didn’t know when, but I would find a way out of this. And when I did, Alpha Keah would pay for what he’d done.

But for now, I would bide my time.

I rose from the bed and began unpacking my bag, laying out the herbs and tools I’d brought with me. As much as I hated him, I knew I had to play his game—for now. If I showed my defiance too openly, I’d only make things worse for myself.

As I worked, a plan began to form in the back of my mind. It was risky, and the chances of success was tiny,  but it was better than doing nothing.

I glanced at the door, half-expecting him to burst back in at any moment, but the hallway remained silent.

Good. Let him think he’d won for now.

I would survive this. I would find a way to escape. And when I did, I would make sure Alpha Keah regretted ever crossing me.

The moonlight cast a faint glow across the room, and I allowed myself a small, bitter smile.

This wasn’t the end. It was only the beginning.

Alpha keah's POV

The sound of my boots echoed against the stone floor as I walked down the dimly lit corridor. The weight of the air around me matched the heaviness in my chest, though I refused to let it grow.

The pack was waiting. The Deltas are already seated in the war chamber, eager to discuss the border patrols and potential threats. Yet, for the first time in years, my focus wasn’t entirely on my pack or its safety.

It was her.

Leah.

The moment her defiant eyes met mine, a crack had formed in the armor I’d spent years fortifying. The anger, the audacity she exihibited, should have driven me mad. She was human. Weak. A species brought to its knees by our kind. And yet, instead of breaking under my command, she stood tall. Her voice, sharp as a blade, rang in my ears: “What happened earlier? Shouldn't happen again.”

A low growl skilled from my lips as I pushed the memory aside. I had no time for distractions, especially not from a mere human herbalist. But no matter how hard I tried, her scent lingered in my mind—wildflowers and rain, bright and out of place in the confines of this packhouse.

The spark I’d felt the moment she was dragged before me was impossible to ignore. It had started as a flicker, faint and brief, the moment the soldier dragge her into the room. I’d been prepared to issue punishment for her defiance, her refusal to obey commands like the others. But then her eyes locked onto mine, and something that felt like a spark igniitedwithin me.

Could she be my mate?

The question struck like a lightning bolt. My hands curled into fists at my sides, and my jaw clenched tightly. No. It wasn’t possible. I couldn’t be mated to a human—not after everything their kind had done.

The war had left scars on all of us in this pack. Humans had dared to challenge the strength of werewolves, seeking to claim our territory that was never theirs to begin with. They fought with fire and steel, waging a war they could never win. But their desperation made them dangerous. My pack suffered losses, something that could never be replaced.

And then, they took my parents.