The following day, I was in the courtyard with Alana and Josie, going on a stroll before I had to ready myself to meet the pack as their Luna. I was petrified, but there was no way out of it. Gabriel would not take any more of my excuses now that I was eighteen, as promised.

I couldn't even see Ava and Jaxon to cry my frustration out to them, because the girl had found her mate and was busy with him, whilst the pack kept Jaxon occupied. They were both aware of my struggles, but there was nothing either of them could do. Jaxon tried to visit me as much as he could, and Ava prayed that I found my mate before I could become Alpha Gabriel's Luna.

I was so immersed in my thoughts that I hadn't realised I was now alone. The sisters were nowhere in sight which was odd. They were always glued to me usually.

"Are you sure that's her?"

An unfamiliar male voice made me freeze. The courtyard was reserved for the girls in the pack house, it was prohibited for anyone else. The thought made me panic.

"Hmm," another voice filled the area. "She's the only one here, so I guess?"

Turning around, I came face to face with two very tall males. The taller one, had black hair and golden brown eyes that were looking at me directly. The latter and slightly shorter, had golden soft curls. His blue eyes were searching mine for something, but I wasn't sure what.

I didn't know who they were or what they were doing in the courtyard.

I frowned.

The two men glanced at each other quickly, before the taller one nodded. "That's her."

Before I could even think twice, one of them had wrapped their hand around my mouth and was pulling me along with him. What the heck. I urged for my Wolf to dominate, but before she could react, my vision deteriorated. The feeling of being carried was the last thing that I was aware of before darkness consumed me.

My eyes fluttered open, meeting with an unfamiliar ceiling. For a moment, I was confused as to where I was. When my eyes met with the now-familiar pair of boys, I panicked when memories of them taking me from the flower garden came rushing back.

My breathing hitched as I took in my surroundings.

There were bars separating the two men from me, and I was placed on a bed that was the only furniture in the cell.

"You're awake," the dark haired boy stated.

I squinted my eyes in an attempt to see him clearly since it was so dark.

"Where am I?" I croaked, my throat dry.

"Somewhere where your pack is not," the curly haired boy taunted, but there was no amusement behind his words.

"Why am I here?" I whispered, my throat burning.

"Let's see," the dark haired boy said, coming closer to the metal bars. "Your Alpha won't back away, what other way to stop him than taking his mate?"

I snorted at his words. "Is that what you really think?"

There was no way Gabriel would settle feuds over me. Not possible at all. If anything, a mere Wolf like me would die uselessly.

The boy narrowed his eyes at me. "You underestimate the love for a mate."

My eyes met his, and I should have been scared or worried, but sadness was all I felt. His words stirred something within me. After Gabriel had forcefully tried to take me as his, it had shattered all my hopes to meet my mate.

"What's your name?" The curly haired boy asked.

"Lyra," I responded, truthfully. "Where am I exactly?"

"It would be too easy to tell you," he replied. "If we tell you now, your Alpha mate will find you and it will be no fun for us."

"Your Alpha is one selfish prick," the other boy spat, surprising me completely.

"You do realise holding me hostage is pointless, right?" I told the pair, glancing between both.

The curly haired boy shrugged. "Didn't seem like it with how your Alpha reacted to us taking you."

My brows furrowed at his words. "What?"

"He's sent out a search warrant for you," the boy explained. "The things Wolves do for their mates." He faked a shiver.

The dark haired boy snarled at him. "Adam, watch your words."

The curly haired boy, Adam, lowered his head slightly. I didn't understand but didn't question it.

After all, I didn't understand any of this. Being held hostage in an attempt to make deals with Gabriel? That was absurd to me.

"You said your name is Lyra," the boy who's name I didn't know turned to me. "Surname?"

"Does it matter?"

He growled at my response. "I wouldn't have asked if it didn't."

"Dane," I casually said.

"Lyra Dane?" he questioned, as if the name rang a bell.

"As in Joseph Dane's pup?" Adam chimed in, shocked.

"She can't be," the other boy muttered.

At the mention of my father, I froze. "How do you know my father?"

"Dyami," Adam whispered, turning his gaze on the other boy.

The other boy, whom I assumed was Dyami, guarded me. "That isn't important."

I wanted to know about my father. "It's important to me."

Dyami brushed me off and changed the subject. "That's not my problem. And tell your mate he won't find you that easily."

"Stop calling him that!" I cried. "He's not my mate!"

Anger cursed through me. I hated how I was being passed around and used for their entertainment. Who were they to use me to settle their feud? The emotions that I had been suppressing for the past few years were suddenly surfacing.

And for some reason, I felt more confident around these two men despite them holding me hostage. Maybe it was my Wolf, but I felt a sense of power.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Dyami asked, his arms crossed and head cocked to the side. He seemed amused.

"He's not your mate? That doesn't even make sense," Adam questioned.

I exhaled, loudly. "God, are you two always this annoying? Alpha Gabriel is not my mate."

"He sure is. He's searching everywhere for you. If you weren't his mate, he wouldn't go to these lengths."

I glared at Dyami, he was annoying. "Believe what you want, but I am not destined for him."

The pair both searched my face for something; as if to see if I was lying, but I didn't back down.

"Why would he claim you as his if you aren't his mate?" Adam asked, confusion evident on his face.

"That makes no sense. She's lying," Dyami accused.

I looked at the latter boy, dumbfounded. This was the reason that I had never told the sisters in the pack house of my true feelings because no one ever believed me. It was frustrating.

"Unless," Dyami continued saying, narrowing his eyes at me.

I raised a brow at him, awaiting to see insight in to the conclusion he had reached.

"Unless it's true and he knows," Adam interjected, turning his gaze to the dark-haired boy.

His words only served to confuse me further. "Knows what?"

"Nothing of interest to you. Leave it for us to handle," Dyami remarked.

Adam was stood in place with a pokerface on. I didn't understand what was going on. "If that's true..."

I couldn't understand whether he was speaking to me, to Dyami or to himself. He looked pale.

"Can someone explain what is going on?"

Adam ignored my question, as expected. And Dyami wasn't interested either.

"We don't owe you an explanation. Your Alpha should have filled you in as your mate."

I snarled at him. "I already told you that he isn't my mate."

"Feisty," he cooed. "That attitude isn't going to work here."

My Wolf growled at the boy. Although, I didn't know how to communicate with her properly, I knew she was angry. I could sense the power she radiated.

"We need to speak with Xander, let's go," the dark haired boy told the other one, nudging him to bring the latter boy back to life.

The pair were turning to leave, but I shot up from the bed and ran toward the bars. "Wait!"

That caused both of them to stop and turn back. Dyami growled, "What!"

"How long have I been here?"

"Not long," I was surprised when Adam responded. "We have to go, but we will be back later."

His answer was too vague for my liking. "And how long am I going to stay here?"

Dyami ignored me completely and continued walking away. Jerk.

Adam shrugged, "I can't say. But we won't hurt you, if that's what worries you."

"Can you at least tell me where I am?"

He seemed like he was going to say something, but before he could utter a word, Dyami's voice echoed throughout the building as he shouted for the boy.

"Adam, let's go!"

Adam shot me an apologetic look. "Sorry, I can't tell you. You're not in your territory, that's all you need to know."

It didn't take a genius to figure out where I was. If I wasn't in Pale Moon and was held hostage by Wolves that wanted to get back at Gabriel, then I had to be in Silver Crescent. The two packs hated each other. I couldn't care less about either. They were both making life hard for me.

"Oh, by the way," Adam said over his shoulder. "Don't try to escape. These bars will only hurt you."

With that, he walked away, leaving me clinging on to the black metal bars. I plopped myself on to the floor and started thinking about my father.

At the mention of his name, every emotion and feeling that I had suppressed came back. He had left us when I was only little, and I couldn't remember him. My mother had never talked about him either.

After a while of pondering, I decided I should try to escape. I wasn't sure where my confidence came from, but I actually thought I could break the metal bars.

Being held hostage meant that I would eventually have to return back to Gabriel, and as nice as he was to me, I didn't want to marry him. I didn't want to be his Luna.

I got up from the hard concreted ground and backed away from the bar to figure out a way to shift in to my Wolf. Trying everything that I could, I was left frustrated and disappointed when nothing was happening.

My Wolf was not engaging, or I was doing the whole thing wrong.

Please work, I silently prayed and closed my eyes shut as tight as possible.