Chapter 2

Octavia:

You know when you're lying in bed and you suddenly feel like you're falling? Well that's exactly how I felt. As if I was falling continuously into an endless hole. It felt so strange. It's like I was trapped. I couldn't move or speak. I just kept falling for what seemed like days.

Until finally, it stopped. I think I hit the ground.

My ears began to ring, the deafening silence didn't help whatsoever. I opened my eyes slowly, only to be exposed to darkness. For a moment I couldn't tell if I had actually opened my eyes. When they finally readjusted I looked around carefully, I wasn't in a hospital room but there was hospital equipment in here. I was attached to an IV and an oxygen tank along with a heart monitor.

I try to readjust my vision and scanned the room once more, it seemed large and extravagant. The white walls were complimented by the dark wood floors. The bedding was a dark grey, accompanied by white and light grey pillows. There were lots of greenery in the room as well. The curtains were drawn on the large floor to ceiling windows allowing a lot of natural moonlight in.

I looked over at the clock that sat on the beside table. It was two o'clock in the morning, that explains the deafening silence. I looked around once again. Where the hell am I?

The last thing that I remember is falling asleep in Ajax's truck. I removed the IV and the heart monitor as I sat up in bed. Wait... if I was hooked up to hospital machinery that means something happened. Did I actually fall into a coma? How long has it been?

I immediately stand up and look down at myself. I was dressed in a simple white sleeping gown that stopped just above my knees. I quickly walked over to the walls and searched for the light switch. My hands roamed on the walls for a few minutes until I found it. I flinched immediately at the bright lights, throwing my arm above my eyes to shield them.

Once they adjusted I looked around the room again. There were three white doors, one next to the light switch and two on the opposite wall of the large widows.

I open the two adjacent to each other first. The first was a closet, a large one at that. It was filled with clothes and shoes. I was confused as to why there were women's clothes and shoes in there. Who's room was this? Why would they put me in some random girl's room? I pushed those questions to the back of my mind, reminding myself that I had more important things to do. For one, figuring out a plan to get out of here without being detected.

I opened the door next to it and switched the lights on. A bathroom. I immediately went for the mirror. I had too see what I looked like. What if I was old? I didn't know how long I'd been in a coma for. I mean I felt fine but I am a werewolf, we age nicely.

I was relieved when I found my nineteen year old self staring back at me in the mirror. My skin looked vibrant and nourished. My green eyes seemed as though they were glowing and my chocolate brown hair fell in waves down to my waist.

Someone had to been taking care of me. My nails were cut and painted with clear polish. My legs feel freshly waxed. There's no way someone wakes up from a coma looking like this. But who had been taking care of me? It couldn't be Ajax. He is a cruel monster who probably doesn't give a damn about me.

I have to get out of here.

I exit the bathroom and go for the last white door. I grasp the sliver door knob and slowly twist it, making as little noise as possible. I open it just enough to peek my head through. There was a long dark hallway, lit by dim candles every few feet or so. I open the door a little more and slip my way into the hall, constantly looking back and forth to make sure that no one was coming.

I close the door behind me and head to one of the tables that held a candle. I pick it up very cautiously, looking behind me every few minutes. I felt extremely vulnerable and paranoid. I have no idea where I am or how to get out. I don't want to get caught. Only the moon goddess knows what Ajax might do to me if he catches me trying to escape.

I take in a deep breath trying to calm my nerves. I quietly move down the hall while holding the candle in front of me. For a moment it seemed like it would never end, until finally I found a stair case.

It gave me the option of going up another floor, but obviously the exit would be on the first. I prayed the steps wouldn't squeak under my weight. I gently took the first step and to my surprise it was silent. I continued carefully until I reached the bottom, clutching onto the railing as if my life depended on it.

The first floor was pitch black and I was suddenly grateful that I brought along this candle. I was lead into a foyer. There were floor to ceiling windows on either side of a large wooden door. It was dark outside, the moon only shining on the backside of the house. That's where the room I was in must be. I crept over to the large door. Something felt wrong. It shouldn't be this easy. Ajax isn't foolish enough to not have guards looking out for me. Or maybe he is? No. He must've let his guard down knowing that I was in a coma for goddess knows how long. They probably weren't expecting me to awake so soon.

I grab the brass handle of the large door, afraid of what waited on the other side for me. Probably no one, but I knew that guards would be patrolling the border line and it would be a bitch to get out of his territory. I had to try though. I wouldn't just bow and do everything that monster said. I had to try.

I unlocked the door and swung it open preparing to launch myself into the night. The gust of wind that blew past me took out the candle but it was no use to me anymore. I dropped it as soon as my feet hit the grass, but as soon as they hit the grass something hit me. It was large, hard and warm. Heat, anger and power radiated off of it... or should I say him.

His large hands gripped my shoulders as he pushed me into the dirt. "Oh Octavia," He whispered in my ear. "Did you really think it'd be that easy?"

I gasped, trying to regain the breath that was knocked out of me with the force of his impact. "Yes," I mumbled in between the coughing from the lack of air in my lungs.

He pulled me up harshly by my hair. "Well, that is incredibly fucking stupid of you." I winced as he began to drag me back up the steps and into his home. "Lucky for you, I like to take late night walks while the moon is at its best."

I growled out a bit as I tried to free his hand from my hair, he only pulled harder. He brought his face to mine. His deep blue eyes dug into my green ones, "You better start showing me some respect or I will make your life a living hell." He spat.

I glared at him and didn't say a single word. He was angry but had an oddly calm aura that surrounded him. It's like he knew I would try to escape. Did he suspect I would wake up tonight? There's no way.

He finally let go of my hair and I let out a relieved sigh, which he seemed to ignore because he harshly grabbed my upper arm and pulled me back to the room I was in before.

He tossed me inside and stood in the doorway, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. I stood a few feet away from him, and mimicked his actions. Only he looked like a powerful Alpha, while I looked like a stubborn child who just finished playing in the dirt.

"Clean yourself up and go back to sleep. Cipher will deal with you tomorrow." He slammed the door shut without another word. Dick.

Who is Cipher? I suddenly became a little scared. Why wouldn't he "deal" with me himself? He's going to send some random stranger to deal with me? I stumbled over to the bathroom and stripped myself of the night gown and panties I was wearing.

I wish I would've asked him who had been taking care of me. It certainly wasn't him and if it was I would be so beyond embarrassed if he saw me naked. I fiddle with the shower until the water is nice and warm. I comb through my hair and remove any of the tangles that Ajax created with his fingers.

I jumped in the foreign shower quickly, I just wanted to fall backwards into bed and never wake up again. I came out smelling like strawberries and coconut. Two of my favorite scents... I wonder if he knew that...

I wrapped a large fluffy white towel around my body and one around my hair before going into the closet. It was ginormous and it took me ten minutes to find where the pajamas were kept. Although it didn't take me long to realize half of these clothes were mine from back home. He must've sent someone to go and get them along with a few another things because there was a cardboard box in the corner labeled with my name.

I ignored the clothing and opened the box, my curiosity getting the best of me. I ripped the tape off and unfolded the top. Inside laid a bunch of sentimental nicknacks and family photos. I wanted to cry at the sight of my beautiful family, it had felt like an eternity had gone by since I last seen my father and mother. I placed the things back in the box, my heart began to feel heavy. I dressed myself in my favorite pairs of pajamas that I always wore back home. It was a purple short sleeve button up top with shorts which both had yellow duckies scattered a crossed them.

I exited the closet and turned all the lights off. I slipped into the large bed and covered myself with the blanket. I wasn't even going to try to escape because I could hear the calm breathing of someone standing outside my door, a guard most likely. I turned on my side and fell asleep to the beautiful glow of the moon.

***

"Jesus Ajax, when you're going to learn to respect women? You can't treat the future Luna of your pack like some rogue slut!"

"She's fine, okay? Also I am the Alpha and I sure as hell can do whatever it is that I please. I barely know the girl, so therefore she could possibly be a slut."

The sound of a smack resounded through the halls as I peacefully listened in on the conversation. I keep my breathing even and my eyes closed. I couldn't believe what was going and that Ajax could think such horrible things about me.

"That is our Luna. If you can't respect her then how is the pack supposed to respect you?" She spat. Ajax said nothing before the door knob jiggled a little and the door was opened and closed. There were light foot steps that crept over to the side of the bed, where I lay. I focused on my breathing, trying to make it as believable as I could.

"Octavia," She placed her hand on my shoulder and rubbed it soothingly. I turned to face her. Her deep blue eyes were identical to his. Dark, almost black waves fell around her shoulders. Her skin was flawless and pale against her red lips. It was immediately clear that she was related to Ajax. Which explains how she can talk to him in such a manner without being punished.

"How are you feeling?" She smiled widely as she helped me sit up from the bed. She examined me quickly to make sure there were no visible signs of injury.

"My head hurts a little," My voice came out hoarse. "And my shoulders also feel sore." She nods her head, with look of confusion written on her face.

"The bastard said he didn't even touch you." She mumbled angrily and she went over to the bathroom and started the shower. I got out of bed and slowly followed her into the bathroom.

I stood in front of the mirror and unbutton my pajama top enough to pull it over my shoulder and down my arm a little. There were large light green bruises that had been healing over night but still visible. I choked back my fear. This man was absolutely crazy, and he had no problem harming is mate.

"Don't worry Octavia. He won't hurt you again." She gathered up my hair and tucked it neatly into a bun. I stared at her through the mirror, startled at the care she was showing me. How could she be so kind and her brother so cruel?

"You can't truly believe that." I whispered.

Her gaze met mine in the mirror, "I want you to come to me whenever you need help or someone to talk to. Do you understand?"

I nod my head silently. I break eye contact with her, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. She must've been the one taking care of me all along. She must be Cipher.

"Good, now get in the shower. Your clothes will be laid out on the bed and I will be down stairs in the kitchen. Find me when you're done." She left without another word.

I brushed my teeth quickly, before undressing and relieving my bladder. I don't spend a long time in the shower, seeing as it only gives me time to think about how much I miss my friends and family.

I dry myself off and take another glance at my ugly bruises. A shiver runs its way down my spine. A sob threatens to break its way through my throat as my eyes scan over the mark that lays in the crook of my neck. I'm mated. I am mated to a true monster.

I choke back my sob and make my way into the room. I can not show weakness. I am the daughter of an Alpha. I will be strong and fearless. I will look my fear in the face and deal with it. With him.

I slip on the skin tight jeans and light blouse paired along with beige boots. I release my long locks from its bun and run my fingers through it quickly. Taking a deep breath I check myself in the mirror once more. I was afraid, yes, but I will look him in the eyes and pretend he doesn't scare me. We will be equals. We are equal.

I walk down the stairs slowly, gripping the railing for dear life once again. I take in soothing breaths as I eye the door. I could leave. I could try to escape once more. I could feel my wolf become anxious. She does not know Ajax, she only knows that he is our mate and we need him.

I listen carefully for movement in the house, trying to figure out in which direction the kitchen is. I can hear the clattering of dishes and the voice of my mate, along with his sister.

"She's very pretty." Cipher says amongst the clattering of dishes and the hissing of bacon in the making.

"Yes, well she's certainly not ugly." Ajax comments just upon my arrival.

"Gee, thanks." I say sarcastically before I could catch my tongue. He gives me a small glare as I bite on my bottom lip, embarrassed. Cipher merely giggles and invites me to take the seat next to her at the island. She places a bowl filled with diced fruits in front of me.

"Eat up, darling. We've got quite the day in front of us!"

I furrow my eyebrows and pop a few grapes in my mouth. "Why? What are we doing?"

"Well I'm going to show you around, introduce you to a few pack members and our parents of course." Her smile is beaming as she sprinkles blueberries across her pancakes.

I nearly choke on my grapes as the word "parents" slip out of  her mouth. Ajax turns around immediately his hands clenched in fists and his eyes trained on me. I swallow harshly and take a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" Cipher looked panicked as her hand soothingly rubbed my back. On the other hand Ajax looked extremely angry. It was like he was mad at me for choking.

"Don't you think it's a little too soon to meet your parents?" I asked shyly, not wanting to seem rude.

"Are you kidding? They've visited you multiple times while you were unconscious. They're dying to meet you!"

My eyes widen. They did? I look towards Ajax for a moment. Our eyes meet and his blue oceans are still angry. I give him a look of confusion. He has no reason to be angry with me. I turn away from him and back to Cipher.

"How long was I out?" I ask cautiously. I'll admit I was afraid to hear the answer. What if months had gone by and I hadn't even noticed?

"About a week and a half."

I don't react. I just nod and simply eat my grapes and other fruits. A week and a half. I wonder how my family is doing. It's been long enough for my mother and siblings to realize that I'm gone. Father must have told them the truth. Oh how I wish there were a way to get myself out of this situation. To not be mated to the devil himself.

Ajax sits across from me and places a plate of two pancakes and few pieces of bacon in front of me. "You better eat the bacon." He grumbled angrily before digging into his food. He barely even made eye contact with me.

Goddess, I hate him for being so gorgeous. I push the bowl of fruit aside and happily dig into the pancakes and bacon. It was probably difficult to keep me fed while I was unconscious. I am already naturally thin and a bit on the shorter side for a she-wolf. I had yet to meet another she-wolf who was similar in my size, some are thin and lean, like myself. But none are as short as I am.

The average height of she-wolf is five feet and seven inches. I stand at a height of five feet and four inches tall. If I was not the daughter of an Alpha, I would've very well been picked on because of it.

Cipher breaks me out of my trance with the snapping of her fingers. "What are you thinking about?"

I sneak a peak over at Ajax to see if he was paying any attention and surprisingly he was. His elbows rested on the counter top and his chiseled chin rested upon his intertwined hands. His gaze directed right at me. I could feel my cheeks heat up a bit, but it wasn't only because of his stare its also because I was embarrassed with my height.

"Well," I clear my throat as I shift uncomfortably under his stare. "I was thinking about how embarrassingly small I am compared to other she-wolfs." I admit timidly. My cheeks redden even more at the sound of a deep chuckle. I cross my legs trying to prevent the heat that is between them from growing at the sound. I have never heard anything so unbelievably sexy.

"Shut up, Ajax. Don't worry Octavia, you're not that small." Cipher smiles as she tries to feebly reassure me.

"Gee, thanks." I say sarcastically once more, but this time a giggle slipped through. I take another peak at Ajax, an amused look resting upon his face. I hate him. I shouldn't even be laughing. I should be finding away to get back to my family.

"Come," Cipher pulls me up from my chair. "It's like I've said before, we've got a very busy day ahead of us."

Without another word I'm being dragged out into a beautiful summer day. The grass was vibrant and freshly cut, the air was was a bit humid. The sun shined brightly upon us and I almost felt happy. Almost. There's only about a week left of august and I'm sad I didn't do more adventurous things in my free time.

Cipher showed me around the entire pack territory, all the way from the children's playground, to the training centers and also where they keep their prisoners. We didn't go inside, which made me a little curious as to if they had anyone currently locked up in there.

There are a total of three separate mansions on their territory. The first and largest was the pack house, around it were a few single homes. The second largest belongs to Alpha Ajax and lastly, the third one, belongs to the Alpha family. Which is where I assume Cipher is dragging me to now.

It looked identical to Ajax's, just a tad bit smaller. There were only two levels but the design was the same. Large floor to ceiling windows stood on either side of the grand wood door. Cipher grasped the brass knob with out a second thought and ushered me into the lavish home.

"Mom!" Cipher called out. "Dad!"

I closed the door behind me and wanted nothing more to hide behind Cipher at the first sound of foot steps coming towards us.

"Dear, must you always be so loud." A woman chuckled. Her chuckle stopped short once her gaze landed on me. "Oh my, Alexander!" She called over her shoulder. "She's awake! Come see!" She rushed over and immediately embraced me, taking me completely by surprise. It was clear where Cipher got her kindness from.

"You look so beautiful standing here, oh my!" She says pulling back and taking another look at me. I could feel the heat in my cheeks as I whispered a small "thank you".

"Christina, enough you're scaring the poor girl." A man chuckled and pulled Cipher's mother away from me. I'll admit I was a little relieved.

"Hello, I'm Alexander. It is very nice to meet you Octavia." He extended his hand politely and I shook it with a smile. "Won't you and Ajax join us for dinner tonight."

"Sure," I smile, doing my best to hide my confusion. How is it that both of them are so nice and Ajax is an asshole? Alexander was handsome for his age, his olive skin glowed and his light grey eyes were pleasant. On the other hand his wife was a beautiful pale porcelain much like his daughter. Making her lips and eyes stand out. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a neat bun and showed small signs of greying.

"I hope Ajax has been treating you well," Alexander says clearing his throat, a more serious tone taking over. I took a quick glance at Cipher and back to him.

I nod my head politely, "Yes, he even made breakfast for Cipher and I this morning."

Why am I bothering to lie to these people?

"Really?" He asked, his eyebrows raising with surprise and a hint of disbelief. "Well, let's hope he continues to show such care."

"Speaking of the turd," Cipher sighs jokingly, "I shall go fetch him for dinner."

"Cipher," Alexander warns. "Do not put your brother in a bad mood. You know how short tempered he can be."

Christina clears her throat and flashes a smile towards me. "Dear, come and have a seat. You must be tired from walking and touring the pack lands." She ushers me into the large modern sitting room. I don't hesitate to take a seat, I'll admit she's right. My legs feel a bit sore from all the walking. I've been bed ridden for so long, I didn't think I would be feeling like this.

"Your territory is beautiful." I smile, recalling on the other mansions, the fields and beautiful gardens.

"Our territory." Alexander corrects me. "You are now apart of this family. This is your home as much as it ours." I nod as the blush in my cheeks remains vibrant. I had no wish to stay here with the devil himself, but I am truly flattered by the hospitality and kindness of his parents.

"Octavia, I hope you don't mind but I have arranged for that when you awaken your entry ceremony be just a week later."

Entry ceremony? My eyes widen, although I do my best to cover it. I mean no disrespect but I want to go home. If I am to join this pack it means I have to cut all connection with my previous pack. My hand subconsciously travels to my neck. My fingers tracing the mark. It seems as though I keep forgetting I have no choice. I am marked. There is no way out of that. No love. No passion. I'll only have anger and fear to live with for the rest of my life. After all, I am mated to a monster.

"Octavia," She lightly placed her hand on my shoulder, snapping me out of my thoughts. My eyes meet hers and I send her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry if this is all too much, so soon."

"It's okay." I reassured her as best as I could. I was not okay. I would never see my family again. I would never be free again. Goddess knows if Ajax will even let me take a step out of this territory. I am not a Luna. I am not a pack member. I am a prisoner.

"Come join me in the kitchen, love." She says grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the kitchen without waiting for my response. I felt out of place and awkward.

I hoped that Cipher would hurry and return.

Ajax is played by Alexander Dreymon (he's best known for his leading role in "The Last Kingdom" which can be found on Netflix!)

You can also just picture him however you please, he doesn't have to look like that :)

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