"Eden, I brought you food..."

Oh crap.

Baylor walks in carrying a paper plate and I quickly use my body to hide the fraying rope on my left wrist.

Fortunately, he doesn't seem to notice the rope and instead focuses on my face. His eyes appear darker than normal as he sets the plate down in front of me.

"How are you?"

I don't answer him, not really feeling up for a casual conversation. In all honesty, my ribs hurt and my head is pounding, but it's not like I'm going to tell him that.

"Eat Eden," his commanding voice says, realizing I'm not going to answer.

I look down at the plate in front of me to see a huge greasy slice of cheese pizza. My mouth hangs open unwillingly as I stare in a crazed wonder at the food in front of me.

I remember back before the war I would eat pizza so many days during the week, before sporting events or at teen parties. I didn't even know if pizza still existed.

"Wow," I say. I'm shocked that I've lived so long with absolutely nothing while these werewolves have it all.

"It's just pizza," Baylor eyes me cautiously.

Before he can say another word I'm digging in, remembering to use my right hand and keeping the left one hidden behind my back. It tastes so much better than I remember, and I have to remind myself to eat slowly so I don't choke.

My stomach churns at the rich food I'm not accustomed to and for a moment I think I'm going to be sick. Baylor notices and hurries out the door returning a minute later with a bottle of water.

Not even hesitating, I rip it from his large hands, biting off the cap. I gulp it down, the crisp liquid trickling down my sore throat.

I look down at the plate in front of me and the empty bottle in my hand before slowly bringing my eyes up to meet the dark ones in front of me.

"You ate fast," Baylor says, seeming quite shocked. I just shrug and pray silently that he leaves soon.

"Would you like another slice?" he asks picking up the clean plate and water bottle.

My stomach is almost too full and I'm about to reply no until I realize I might be able to use this to my advantage.

"Yes, I'm still very hungry," I say, lying right through my teeth. "And I'm sorry about how I've been acting towards you. You have been nothing but nice to me and I completely betrayed you. I hope you can forgive me."

Baylor's smile grows bigger and bigger by the minute. "Yes! Of course, I forgive you! You are my mate and I'm so glad you've finally come to realize the mate bond!"

He starts bouncing up and down like an excited child and I just sit there staring in shock. What in the world? Fortunately, before he can realize that I'm totally lying to his face, he's already leaving the room for another slice of pizza.

I only have a few minutes to break the rope before he gets back. I examine the rope once more, seeing how close it is to breaking. A few good tugs should do the trick.

Holding onto my arm, I pull against the rope three times till it finally breaks, sending me falling to the floor.

The wooden floor thumps against the force of my body and I panic, thinking that I've been heard. Springing to my feet, I hurry to stand near the door. I'm ready to strike and run.

I wait quietly, breathing lowly to slow down my beating heart.

In... and out. In... and out.

Where is he?

As if on cue, heavy footsteps pad across the wooden floor and I crouch into an attack position, just as I was taught by Isaiah.

The door swings open and I spring up into the chest of the Alpha, hitting him with all my force. I take him by surprise and he falls back, cushioning my fall.

"Eden, how did you..."

I stand up and stomp my foot down hard against his muscled arm. He lets out a quick yelp and I jump over his sprawled body, running away from my captor.

I find the large staircase and leap down, not even stopping to catch my breath. Behind me, I hear Baylor growling, snarling, and making more angry animal noises.

Serves him right.

I turn the corner at the bottom of the stairs finally seeing daylight leaking through the door.

Almost there.

I just about make it to the door when I'm suddenly grabbed from behind and lifted up into the air.

"NO!" I shout, fighting against the brace-like arms. The arms are unforgiving and tight like a vice, pushing hard against my fractured ribs.

"Let me go! You're hurting me!"

I am led to the base of the stairs before I am tossed painfully to the ground. I cry out in pain as my face smacks the wooden floor and I bit my lip to keep from crying. Before I can get up, my arms are grabbed from behind and brought up straight into the air, pushing the front of my body closer to the ground.

"Alpha, I've got her," the man holding me says and I hear heavy footsteps descending the stairs. I try to look up, but my head is pushed back down and I'm left kneeling.

"Thank you, Andrew," I hear, letting me know that it was the Alpha's Beta who got me.

I should have been more careful

My face is suddenly jerked upward and I stare into Baylor's eyes as he holds tightly to my chin. His eyes are as dark as coal and in them is a hardness that makes me want to run screaming.

"You need to be taught a lesson, little mate," he says to me. He then looks to his Beta and communicates silently. They must be using mind-link.

Almost in synch, both men grab one of my arms and haul me up between them. I gasp, my lungs feeling like they've been split in half.

"Baylor stop! You're hurting me!"

I'm ignored and dragged rather roughly down the flights of stairs towards where I was kept when I first got here. Not wanting to go back to the nasty cellar, I lash out and struggle against the men.

My head throbs and eventually I start to see stars from all the physical exertion. When we get to the cells, I am thrown into one much deeper in the prison than my last one. I had no idea these cells continued further down the hall.

"You will stay here until you learn who's in charge here, Eden," Baylor says while leaving, followed by Andrew. Once they're gone, I start coughing, my lungs feeling like they're about to explode.

I gasp quietly as a slight amount a blood spits out onto the floor.

These werewolves are monsters. I can't stay here any longer.

I rest my back against the floor and close my eyes, hoping to sleep. I'm almost out when I suddenly hear someone call my name from deeper in the prison.

"Eden? Is that you?"

I sit up and swivel my head to see...

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••