I keep passing in and out of sleep along the way through the forest, comfortable on Onyx's hot shoulder. As the forest becomes more open... I can hear police sirens, blaring and the red and blue lights go in and out of focus.

I think I spot Carmen's long blonde hair as she tumbles toward the police.

A pack of Lycans has promptly disappeared with their insane speed, clearing the scene of bodies.

I think I spot Doctor Vos – alive, with the police. He stands without a scratch.

Before we get too close, Onyx starts to run in another direction.

I lay my head down as I relax over his shoulder, giving into this exhaustion as the adrenaline finally dies.

And so does my mind.

****

I assume it's not too long later, and most certainly the same night as I wake up disoriented and still fairy tired. My tongue is like sand paper. I'm frickin' parched. Thirsty. So. Thirsty.

As I lie on my side, I hear a rattle of a chain link, and a weight around my neck.

The first thing I spot in the darkness, is a bowl of water in front of me. I immediately lean over to start lapping up the H2O.

I almost face plant into it, I'm so damn thirsty!

I open my lips and suck as much as I can up, whimpering uncontrollably when the bowl is empty.

Why was there hardly any water in this bowl?

I didn't even care that it was a bowl!

I just felt distraught it was empty. I finally look upward, eyes foggy, in and out of focus as I blink multiple times to see straight. I feel... weird. All of me. I can't describe it, other than; I'm eerie, and everything else is too.

I get the shock of my life when I see I'm not alone in this dark space.

I'm in a den? I think?

The room is almost pitch black, but fairy lights line the walls. Light hellish music plays.

The room is full of Lycans parading around their human pets. Naked happy females crawling around on leads.

It seems to be some kind of event. They're showing off how subservient the females are. I watch from the position I'm in, by one of the walls – chained to a loop.

Eventually I notice some kind of... King Lycan, sitting on a raised throne. No, the Alpha.

Onyx sits above them all.

The females are walked by him on purpose... and they have to lick his paws as they pass, between the toes.

Something inside me rages like a forest fire.

I sit up, and I glare over.

Everything human about me just flits away. All that is left is a possessive overreaching need to feel like the only one.

My heart rate increases, I feel – rejected.

But for that moment, as such despair ravages through my gut, Onyx looks directly over at me. Did he sense it?

Our eyes lock. Crimson to hazel.

Onyx bares his fangs at me, some kind of smile. The drool ignites and the interaction is brief.

"Bring me Silvia," Onyx commands the room, an easy command.

All the attention swiftly turns to me. As each Lycan looks over at me, one free one, alone and without a servant – comes over to grab my lead.

He drags me over. There is nothing polite about this. I struggle not to feel choked.

It takes me a few moments to realise I'm inside the Onyx Lycan Nightclub. I recognise the exit.

I only seem to understand what's happened when I'm dropped at Onyx's feet, and the chain lead falls to the ground.

I sit up again and touch the gold spiked collar around my neck.

I wish I could move it, but it's huge and it's heavy and unlockable by my hands alone.

I look over my shoulder and all Lycans are watching, some titling their heads curiously at me.

As I look back to Onyx, he is no doubt watching this ravaged, small bruised human, with long blonde hair in tatters – looking up at him with doe eyes.

But really, I am entranced and disgusted at the same time.

The disgust was not because he was a Lycan.

It was –

"Lick my balls, pup," Onyx commands me next, smiling provocatively.

It was that, that disgusted me. The arrogance of being a master.

Using my lust and desire for him, to humiliate me like I was also nothing but a pet.

I stay where I am.

Onyx slowly starts to drop his smile, switching it out for an intense, curious, strange glare. He leans forward, over his large muscled legs toward me, as his wolf head gets closer, I feel like I could be a meal any moment.

I stare up at him, knowing he wants an answer as to why I've hesitated.

My smart mouth wants to say some bad, bad things.

But I know better.

He was a professional. So I would be too.

"We made a deal, my virginity – you took one of them, it still counts. Now I am free, aren't I? To go?" I ask it as respectfully as possible, keeping my eyes on his monstrous ones, "Please?"

"Yes," Onyx responds provocatively at that, tilting his head slowly the other way, "...you're free to go...," he drawls it out slowly. A monster talking to his food.

I tilt my head in a small nod.

I barely contain a gasp as his rough helper reaches down to grab my neck and collar, abruptly taking it off me. At least I'm not choked this time.

It comes off with the lead.

Free at last, I immediately stand up while I have the chance, in a room full of these 8-ft beasts watching my every move.

Looking around, the females acting like dogs – looked very pleased to be here.

And I get the feeling this is a privilege. At least in their minds it is.

I turn slowly back to Onyx, looking past him toward the exit. It's barely lit. But I see it, eyes lasered to my escape route.

Onyx is not looking at me, he's looking at everyone else.

I keep up my chin, holding back a strange feeling in my throat. Why did it always start in my throat?

As I pick up the courage to walk past his throne – perhaps a little too close, Onyx's claw extends, in a sneaky fashion.

It scratches my waist, along my hip – and draws blood.

I stop walking to stare at the damage, which bleeds... with no pain.

In slow motion and too petrified to understand what it means, I lick my finger and try to wipe off the wound. Only to find a black mark.

There is no cut, it's healed the moment it opened. Almost a tattoo, but more a black curse.

When I look to the side of Onyx's head, he still refuses to acknowledge me.

This feels like a dream.

I'm dehydrated and starving, in a room with no light, full of monsters and slaves and a Lycan Alpha.

His mark says he'll remember me.

But I have something else to say.

"You'll never have me again," I tell him straight, not to mock him, but to make it plainly known it was my blunt and stubborn intention.

I expect Onyx to react.

If anything, I see his ear twitch. But... nothing. Nothing else.

I turn again and I walk for the exit. I steal a coat by the racks, to cover my nakedness, and as I slip out I glance back one more time.

A mistake? Not by me.

Onyx has looked back at me too.

No fangs.

No snarl.

A hopeful, wolfish look – lonely.

It's brief, almost an illusion before the fangs come back out. More violent than any other time before. This time he's lips are screwed up with rage. I see the true monster in that moment.

I immediately slam the door shut.

I run the moment I spin around.

Before I think twice.