Chapter 2 Taken by the enemy

Chapter 1 - Renee

When they stepped out, everything went still. By then, I was already bound. Thick silver chains wrapped around my arms and legs. I could barely move, let alone shift. Not that shifting would’ve helped; I was outnumbered and hurt.

The others had been captured too. A few elders managed to escape during the chaos, but most weren’t so lucky. The ones who were caught were forced to their knees beside me, also bound in silver chains. Some bled; all were afraid.

The tall man and the smiling lady walked slowly to the front, where the elders knelt; the man looked down at them like they were nothing.

“I’m quite a benevolent man,” he said, “and I’m thinking of giving chances to those who are wise enough to take them.”

He walked past each Elder, hands behind his back. “Swear loyalty to me, and you will live. Refuse, and you can go and meet the gods.”

No one spoke, then one of the Elders, an older man named Marcus, spat at his feet.

The woman behind the tall man didn’t hesitate. With a flick of her blade, she slashed his throat open. He fell forward with a gurgle, blood pooling at his knees.

I gasped as another Elder cried.

The tall man didn’t even flinch. He turned to the others and said, “Choose.”

The remaining elders were trembling; one by one they bowed their heads, lowering themselves to the floor. Fear had taken over.

“Good,” he said with a wicked smile. “Throw them in the dungeon for now. Let them think about loyalty in silence.”

Those who bowed were dragged away, screaming. The soldiers kicked and pulled them down the hall. I tried to break free as smoke from my father’s quarters intensified.

“No,” I whispered. “No, no...”

The man in charge stepped forward, reached out, and raised my chin, forcing me to look at his face.

“Luca,” the woman behind him said with a smile. “That’s the daughter of the dead king.”

Dead king?

The words hit me like a blade to the chest. I didn’t want to believe it.

“No,” I gasped, shaking my head. “He can’t be dead; he can’t be.” My voice broke, and I screamed. I fought against the wolves holding me, thrashing and kicking. I didn’t care if they tore me apart.

That same woman stepped forward, her fangs flashing as she moved to strike me down.

“Stop,” he ordered her.

She paused immediately but looked furious.

“Set the house on fire,” the man ordered, his gaze still locked on mine. “Let her watch; her father will have no tomb.”

The woman obeyed. She threw burning torches into the room, and flames exploded outward. I watched in horror as the fire swallowed everything: my father’s home, his legacy, and our memories.

I screamed until my throat burned, then sobbed. Tears soaked the dirt as I clutched the floor, hoping for a miracle, but none came. By the time the fire finally died down, the estate was gone, nothing left but ashes. Luca’s soldiers roared in celebration behind me. The same woman who had tried to kill me stepped forward again. But Luca raised his hand.

“Imprison her,” he said. “I want her to experience hell. Death is too soft a punishment for Conrad’s daughter.”

With the last bit of strength I had, I tried to attack him. I didn’t care if I died trying.

But the chains dragged me back like I was nothing more than a little child pretending to be brave.

The woman laughed and kicked me hard in the mouth. Blood spilled down my chin, and I fell to the ground. I saw it in her face that she hated that she couldn’t kill me but said nothing, stepping aside as the guards dragged me toward the dungeon. Even though I had access to every part of the estate growing up, I had never been down here. Now I understood why.

Many locked away were terrifying murderers my father had sentenced. They eyed me with hatred, maybe for being his daughter or simply because I lived.

But thankfully, the guards had thrown me into the cell with the captured female maids. They treated me with respect; some cried. One with trembling hands brought me a small bottle of water she had hidden. Another tried to clean the blood on my face, even though they had nothing to clean it with, just scraps of cloth and whispered reassurances. I sat against the wall silently. I wanted to cry, to scream, to fall apart, but I didn’t. These girls, both human and wolf, needed someone to look up to, and that was me.

The next morning, the woman from the night before came again.

She stood outside the cell, staring at how the maids were still treating me with care. Then she laughed mockingly.

“Well, isn’t this sweet?” she said. “Open the cell.”

The guards obeyed. She stormed in, grabbed me by the chains, and dragged me out. The maids cried out, but none could stop her. Some fell to their knees; others held onto each other.

She dragged me down the hall with the chain digging into my skin. Then she stopped in front of one of the worst cells, the one with the men.

“Open it,” she ordered.

Inside, the men were already cheering and banging the bars. Some howled. Some laughed. I could see it in their eyes; they were already imagining what they would do to me, and she was smiling.

“Let’s see how royal you feel after this,” she whispered.

Then someone shouted from behind.

“Lucy, stop.”

A man stepped out of the shadows. He wasn’t the leader, but the way the guards reacted told me he had authority.

He walked closer. “What are you doing?”

Lucy turned and gave a lazy shrug. “Luca said she doesn’t die. Doesn’t mean she doesn’t suffer.”

The man looked at the prisoners. Their excitement dimmed as they watched the two of them.

“Trent,” Lucy said sweetly, “This is just fun, huh? Don’t ruin it.”

Trent didn’t smile. He looked at her with disappointment.

“If you put her here,” he said, “and she doesn’t survive the day, who do you think Luca will blame? Them?” He pointed at the inmates. “Or you?”

Lucy sighed and let go of my chains. “Fine,” she muttered.

Trent took the chains, dragged me down the hallway, shoved me into an empty cell, and locked it.

“You’re also a criminal,” I told him bitterly.

He didn’t flinch. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

I stood up slowly, blood still dried on my lips.

“I won’t even sleep,” I said. “Not until I’ve killed all of you.”

He didn’t turn back. He just walked away from Lucy like none of this mattered.

Alone in the cell, my knees collapsed, and I began to cry without even trying.

My father’s face flashed behind my eyes—his lectures, his smile, and the calm nod he gave me the last time we spoke.

My chest hammered, pain blooming like it wouldn’t stop.

“I won’t stop,” I whispered to myself. “I won’t stop till every one of them is dead.”