The rattle of chains echoing throughout the chamber woke Jason from his induced slumber. His head still throbbed. An extinguisher to the head? Fuck, his brother was a dick. Trying to move his arms sent bolts of pain shooting down his arms. He tilted his head upward to see his hands cuffed above his head.

He groaned. What was going on here?

Jason tried to pull his left arm's wrist out of the handcuff, only to have it burn his skin even harsher. A patch of angry-looking red rash poked out from underneath the shackles. The harder he fought against the restraints, the more they burned him until he relented. It hurt too much.

Drooping his head between his shoulder in defeat, Jason noticed that someone had also shackled his feet together. He tried lifting his right leg, but the chain anchored to the floor prevented him.

Why am I here?

Jason immediately recognized the dimly lit chamber. He had been here before. It was a ritual chamber, which belonged to the Keeper of the pack. A bloody pentagram encircled him. The witch had placed four black candles at the edges of the pentagram; one in front of him; two at his left and right; and then the last one behind him.

What's that bitch up to?

A table, in the room's left corner held many bottles and flasks, from powders to oils of every magical kind. He shuddered to think about what the witch had planned for him. Was his father really that pissed off at him? Would the Alpha allow the Keeper to harm him? Jason defended himself and his friend from that sicko. He did nothing wrong! And besides, the Collective had chosen her to protect the pack. They would punish her if she dared to harm him.

So why am I here? Jason would have expected to wake up in the pack's dungeon, not the witch's playground. Maybe she convinced the Alpha to let her deal out her own punishment for mauling her nearly to death.

"Fuckin' bitch!" Jason cried out as a spasm pulled his shoulder blades together. He bit down on his lip, fighting the pain.

A laughter bloomed out of the dark corner of the room, scaring the shit out of Jason. A yelp burst from his lips. Amina, a tall and slender woman, no older than twenty, stepped forward. Her black-painted fingernails glided along his ribcage as she walked around him until she faced him. She placed her hands on her hips while her black, soulless eyes sunk into his. She healed quickly. There were no signs of the injuries he left behind on her. Magic, of course.

Jason croaked out. "Why am I here?" He coughed, trying to clear his scratchy throat.

Amina smirked while pushing a few strands of her red hair back behind her left ear. "All in due time, Jason. Don't panic. All will be explained."

Jason scoffed at her remark. She chained him up in the middle of a fucking chamber that was colder than a freezer. The only reason he didn't clench his teeth to pieces was because of his wolf's blood that kept his body temperature in a constant mellow state. Neither too warm nor too cold, just frickin' right.

"What are you up to? If my father finds out he—"

"He'll what?" She raised an eyebrow while a creepy smile crept across her face.

"He'll kick your scrawny witch ass out of this pack," Jason hissed at her.

She laughed with a witch's cackle. Did they teach every witch how to do that? Or was it just her personal demented taste echoing out of her flat chest?

"Your father will do no such thing, unwanted alpha." She strutted forward and pinched his cheek. Jason yanked his head out of her grasp and growled at her. It didn't faze her. "It was at your father's request that I brought you here."

Her words sent a bolt of anger racing through his chest. Should have guessed his father would stoop this low. He probably wanted to stretch out Jason's punishment by recruiting Amina. Countless horror stories haunted the pack house, and they all involved her. The things Amina did to those she hated would put a sadist to shame.

"So you want to take your revenge out on me, bitch?"

"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" she sneered. "No. I'm not that childish. Besides, your little bite mark is already a fleeting memory." She pulled down the sleeve of her black dress, exposing her flawless neck. There was no evidence of his bite mark.

"Then fuck off and release me!" Jason started fighting against the restraints again, ignoring the jolts of pain shooting through his tired body.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." She wiggled her index finger back and forth. "I infused the shackles with silver and wolfsbane. There's no way you're getting out of those."

She turned around and walked toward the chamber door. She opened the door a bit, then turned to me.

"Just relax and wait. Your parents will join us soon."

My parents? That can't be right. My mom wouldn't stand for this! She loves me!

Jason and his father never saw eye-to-eye. Why would they? His father never gave a shit's worth of attention to him. Once Jason's mother gave birth to his brother, his father had accomplished his duty of producing an heir. His older brother was the golden child, and the firstborn. From the time Quinton could walk, their father groomed him for taking over the pack. As for Jason, his father regarded him as an afterthought. The only person who seemed to care about him was his mother. Or so he thought...

***

Hours of torturous waiting with his arms raised above his head left Jason with a numbing pain throbbing between his shoulder blades and arms. What's taking them so long? He didn't have the time or patience to wait for them. But he had to. His thoughts turned to the one person who needed him the most, and he didn't even know if she was alright.

Mallory, his only friend. The crazy girl who stood by his side through thick and thin. The one who didn't care to incinerate her popular social status on a pyre. Jason wasn't popular. Hell, infamous was the word he'd use. The pack hated him.

Jason shook his head. Fuck them all!

"Oz. Are you there?" Jason called out to his wolf. A jolt of pain flashed across his skull, imbedding a burn between his brows. What the hell was that?

"Oz!" Yet again, a bolt of pain crippled him. No answer came from his wolf. Jason began hyperventilating. Where was Oz? Why didn't his wolf answer his call?

Tears began streaming down his face. "Oz... Talk to me, buddy." The only reply he got was another stab of pain. "Ahh!" Jason cried out, struggling to keep his eyes open.

The chamber's door suddenly sprung open. Jason swallowed his whimpers and ignored the soul-crushing loneliness that draped over his shoulders. His wolf never ignored him and never left him alone. The witch must have done something to his wolf.

Through a watery lens, nine people entered the chamber. Blinking them into focus, four robed men and women took their places in front of the black candles. The other five stood in front of them. Both of his parents, his brother, and his mate, Lexi Summerton. His heart fluttered in her presence, even though he wanted to vomit his intestines out. The mate pull. It was a pain in the balls.

"What's going on here?" Jason asked for the last time.

"You'll soon find out, pup," his father spoke in a deep voice.

How did I get myself into this mess?