My Ruthless Alpha Mate

My eyes look out across the remnants of the city that had once been called St. Paul. It is now only blackened remains of what use to be with a new city sprouting up in its center. Crumbling buildings scatter across the horizon as vines and trees invade the uninhabited structures. The Arch stands tall, touching the sky, lit only by the blue and yellow lights of New Moon City. However, the landmark is no longer what it had been with a giant chunk missing from the top left side. I wish I would have had the chance to ride to the top before it had been destroyed. In reality, there is a lot of the city I would have liked to see before the Great War.

It has been over twenty years since the war that decimated some of the largest cities on the planet and wiped out half of the population. It's weird seeing and reading about what the world use to be like. The war started when the supernatural community decided they no longer wanted to live in the shadows. It began in Europe before I was born but I was two when the war spread to the states. Everyone began fighting for what they wanted whether it be land, power, freedom, etc. Vampires began feeding on anyone and everyone without worrying about consequences. Werewolves started fighting to expand and protect their territories. Humans turned into hunters. Witches began taking sides. The war spread and soon the whole world had erupted into chaos. I don't remember much about it other than what I've heard or read since I was only three when the fighting finally came to an end. The one thing that everyone seems to agree on is that the earth is much darker now. The entire atmosphere reminds you of death and destruction, of all the lives lost.

Now everyone, at least what is left of them, stick to their own kind. New Moon City is werewolf territory. It is too dangerous to venture outside the city borders now. Small towns got wiped out and have become overgrown. And you never know whose territory you may accidentally cross into. After everything that has happened, no one takes too kindly to strangers and you would likely be unwelcome anywhere you go. It's a shame really. I have always liked the idea of traveling, though admittedly that is when I picture what the world use to be like. Now, it is hard to imagine anywhere being any different than it is here.

I'm sitting perched on the rooftop of an old building. It's my favorite spot to go when I want to get away and find some peace. It gives me the perfect view of what use to be downtown. Remains still litter the landscape, but are broken up by modern skyscrapers that have been built since the war ended. The most prominent is centered among all the others and is several stories taller than the rest. It is owned by the most feared Alpha in the land, Daniel Lopez, leader of the New Moon Pack.

Alpha Lopez rules the city with an iron fist with the help of his two brothers, his beta, and about fifty lieutenants. His father before him, Elijah Lopez, is the Alpha that won the city during the war. He was said to be merciless, killing anyone that got in his way on his path to power. He passed his legacy onto his children. Anyone who defies the family always ends up dead. It's just a matter of time.

"I want to go for a run."

I hear my inner wolf beg as I take in a breath of fresh air. The sun is beginning to set and the sky is changing to a light blue and indigo. "We can't. We need to go help serve dinner," I respond to her sadly. A run would be nice. It has been so long since I've let my wolf out.

"After dinner then?"

I smile at her insistence. "We'll see."

Once I've managed to push myself up, I leap over the roofs of a couple buildings before landing on another one. I open the door and hurry down to the first level and straight into the industrial kitchen. "Where have you been this time Gia?" Ella asks as I hurry to put on one of the long white aprons.

"Oh, you know... the usual places..." I answer her with a mischievous smile causing her to roll her eyes at me. My name is Gianna, but Ella insists on using the nickname she gave me. Ella is in her sixties and is as tough as nails, but she's the closest thing I have to family. She found me wandering around The Bane, scavenging for food scraps when I was three. The Bane is what everyone calls the area that use to be East St. Paul. It is where all the packless wolves live. It is hard to find a pack once you have lost yours. Not only had I lost my pack, but I had just lost my parents when Ella found me. They had died when rogues attacked us shortly after reaching The Bane. Rogues are werewolves that have been exiled and have lost their humanity from being alone for so long. If those of us who are packless didn't have each other, we would likely turn into rogues as well. Werewolves need some sort of pack environment and social interaction, even if it's not a real pack.

Though the packless don't fit in with rogues, we also can't call ourselves a pack. For one, packless don't have a hierarchy the way that a pack does. Packs are typically ruled by an Alpha and a Luna, depending on whether the Alpha has found or chosen a mate yet. Second in command is the Beta and third is called a Gamma. The weakest wolves in the pack are Omegas, much like a normal wolf pack. Those positions are passed down through families since wolves born within a strong bloodline have more powerful auras that demand respect from lower ranked wolves. It is impossible for lower ranked wolves to disobey direct orders from an Alpha, Beta, or Gamma. The packless has a few more experienced wolves that have taken on leadership type roles, unfortunately there is only so much they can do without having an actual title.

"Well you're late missy. You hurry up and get these here rolls out there before we have a pack of hungry wolves on our hands," she remarks as she gestures at a couple baskets of bread sitting on the counter.

I nod to her with a smile and as soon as the apron is tied on, I pick up a couple baskets of rolls and head out. We have created our own little community. It's not much, but it's home. Noise and chatter fill the air when I reach the dining hall as hundreds of werewolves talk and joke with each other. I take the bread to the row of tables where food will be served and set them down before taking my place by one of the large pots filled with soup. The line that had been waiting starts its procession and I begin to ladle out everyone's dinner.

"How are you doing today Gianna?" Mr. Meyer says to me with a smile as he holds out his empty bowl to me.

"Doing pretty good. How about yourself?"

"Still breathing so I can't complain!" We chuckle before he moves along down the line.

"What kind of soup is it today?" A little girl named Annie asks.

"Vegetable beef. Do you want some?" I answer with a grin. Annie always questions what kind we are serving even though it never seems to matter. She never turns it down. She gives me a quick nod and continues on her way as soon as she is served.

It continues like this as hundreds of packless werewolves go through the line getting soup and bread for their dinner. They all know me and make small talk on their way through. I've been working here since I was old enough to hold a ladle. Ella is the one that runs the place. It's hard to find jobs since most of the wolves that live in and around the city treat us like we're the plague. However, Ella was lucky enough to find a werewolf family that lived far enough on the outskirts of town that they hired her to help work their farmland. She uses the money and extra food that they allow her to take to help feed and take care of all the packless wolves that live in The Bane. We do our best to provide two meals a day, shelter, and blankets.

Once everyone has been served, I sit to eat a small portion of my own. Out of the corner of my eye I see someone approaching before my best friend, Will sits down beside me and puts his arm around my shoulders to give me a quick squeeze. "Hey babe! Did you save any for me?"

I roll my eyes and smirk at him as I push the extra bowl over. "How is it that you are never on time?" I ask him with a laugh as he takes in a mouthful of bread before scooping some soup onto his spoon.

"Come on Scar. I'm a very busy guy."

"Uh huh. Sure. Doing what?"

"Oh, you know... sleeping, scavenging, and I even got you something," he says as a smile lights up his face, his hazel eyes shining with excitement.

"Really?" I ask him, unable to hide the surprise from my voice.

"Yep! Here, look!"

He holds his fist out to me as though he is holding something small. I put my hand out for him and he drops it into my palm. It's a beautiful necklace with a delicate white gold chain, a round diamond hanging from it. "Oh my goddess! Will! It's gorgeous! Where did you find this?! Please say you didn't steal it," I exclaim before giving him a pointed look, cupping the necklace to my chest.

He lets out a hardy laugh. "Of course I didn't steal it. I found it in an abandoned apartment. Do you like it?"

"You kidding?! I love it!" I wrap my arms around him and give him a tight hug, making him chuckle once more.

"Good. I'm glad."

I sit and chat with Will as he finishes eating before we part ways and I head outside. "Run?" My wolf inquires excitedly causing me to smile.

"Run." I confirm. I quickly sprint down the alley and transform mid-leap, my paws hitting the gravel before I rush into a thick patch of woods. I love the adrenaline as I race through the forest, feeling the snap of twigs underfoot. I feel so free, so relaxed, so at one with nature. I wish I could experience this more often. Typically, the only time I get to shift is when I'm hunting and scavenging for food that we can serve at the dining hall. I don't usually get to just run around and enjoy a little bit of freedom. Unfortunately, it's already dark, so I can't afford to stay out too long. I head back to the shelter after less than an hour and transform back before getting too close. Grabbing the backpack that I keep hidden in one of the abandoned corners of town, I quickly throw on jeans and a t-shirt.

The walk to the home isn't bad and I instantly go inside to grab a handful of blankets to start handing out. The night is supposed to be a chilly one and our buildings don't have any heating or cooling. I pass them out to anyone who needs them and then head outside to see if anyone out there would like one too. Once my hands are empty, I turn the corner and immediately scowl. A large group of men are hanging out talking and laughing. Several of them have sharp knives out that they are cleaning fresh blood off of. "Hey Gianna baby. You finally decide you want a piece of this?" The werewolf named Hudson Gomez questions with an evil smirk as he comes over to me, throwing an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into him.

"Definitely not," I reply with disgust as I shove his arm away and try to go around him. He quickly sidesteps to block my path.

"I hate this guy," my wolf growls in my head.

"Me too." I answer as a shiver runs up my spine. Most of the people who live in The Bane look out for each other, but Hudson and his gang of thugs only look out for themselves. They are always getting into trouble and picking fights.

"Come on baby. Don't be like that. I'll have you screaming my name in no time," he presses as he moves uncomfortably close to me yet again and grabs my hips.

"Gross. Back off Hudson. I'm not interested," I insist before shoving him away. I begin to walk past and he roughly grab my ass. I quickly turn around, taking the guilty hand in mine and twisting it harshly, making him flinch before regaining his composure. He's clearly trying not to show that he's in pain right now. "I said BACK OFF ASSHOLE," I growl as I allow my wolf to let her power shine through. He immediately steps away from me as he puts his hands up in surrender.

I turn to leave once more, but stop in my tracks as I look down to the other side of the alley. There are screams and growls coming from the opposite end where several of our occupants were chilling out and enjoying the fresh evening air. "Shit!" I hear Hudson say from behind me and I quickly spin on him.

"What the hell did you do?!"

He doesn't bother answering me and only gives me an evil smirk before he and his men scramble to get out of there. I scowl before turning to where I see both wolf and human forms fighting. I quickly run in their direction as my claws elongate into fierce points. I watch as a man in all black strikes down and kills one of the innocent packless men before turning to another. I make a flying leap to attack and am suddenly hit with a strong, overwhelming scent of vanilla and citrus.

"Mate!" My wolf yells in my head.

My conviction evaporates and confusion hits me, but I don't have time to think about what this means. Before I even have the chance to realize what is happening, the unknown man who had been my target spins to face me. We are mere centimeters apart and pain explodes through my stomach. I look down to find a black hilt sticking out of me and crimson spreading out around it. The man drops his hand from the dagger and I look up to meet his eyes. There are so many emotions swirling through his gorgeous sapphire eyes, confusion, shock, sadness, fear, anger. I don't get the chance to contemplate this as I stumble backwards, my consciousness slipping away from me. And then everything goes black.

Daniel's POV

I stand in the corner of the dark hospital room with my arms crossed over my chest. The consistent beeping coming from the machines that are hooked up to my mate are setting my nerves on edge. My eyes stay on her, watching her chest rise and fall with each breath. She hasn't regained consciousness yet and it's eating away at me. She looks like an angel laying there. Her skin is a flawless ivory and her soft curls fan out around her in a fiery red halo. Her body is thin and lithe with gorgeous curves that I am aching to run my hands over. Unfortunately, I can't see her most stunning feature while she sleeps. Her eyes were a gorgeous violet with golden flecks in them. I have never seen eyes like that and I long to see them again. The few seconds where our eyes met was not enough for me. However, I can't forget the fact that she has something to do with what happened this evening.

Half a dozen of my men were killed in cold blood while at one of the local bars. We followed the scent all of the way to The Bane and that same scent is all over my mate. Either she was there, or she knows who was. I'm determined to find out exactly what her connection is before I allow myself to get too close to her. I can't afford to let our mate bond get in the way of justice for my pack. We lost good men including one of our lieutenants. Some of them had mates, families. My pack and I are out for blood and hopefully she will hold the answers. I just pray that she will be innocent. I'd hate to have to kill my mate when I have been waiting to find her for so long.

There is a light knocking on the door and I turn to see who it is. The nurse comes in followed by my brothers Mason and Ethan. Mason took after our mother with lighter hair and royal blue eyes. His skin is fairer too. Ethan and I both look more like our father with dark hair and harsher features. The only difference for me is that I got our mom's sapphire eyes and Ethan got our father's chocolate brown ones. I turn my gaze to catch the nurse eyeing me up with a little smirk before she walks over to check the monitors hooked to my mate. I ignore it and turn to Mason and Ethan as they approach me and Mason speaks softly, "How is she? Any change?"

My eyes shift back to her sleeping form. "No. No change," I respond simply.

They both look over at her. "She really is quite beautiful..."

"Yeah. She is."

"So, are you planning on introducing her to the pack when she wakes up?" Ethan asks, turning his gaze to me.

I scowl. "Of course not. I don't even know if I'm going to accept her yet."

"Seriously? She's your fated mate. Picked specifically for you by the Moon Goddess. You can't just ignore that," Mason argues in a tone that is a mix of both a yell and a whisper as he tries to not disturb the sleeping beauty.

Ethan lets out a scoff at Mason's comment, but refrains from saying anything. We both know what he has against mates. My irritated gaze turns to Mason before I explain, "But I can't trust her. She might have killed my men. I need to find out why."

"Or she may be innocent. I mean look at her. She doesn't look like a cold-blooded killer," he replies back as he waves his hand in her direction as if making a point.

"Shows how much you know. She had been ready to pounce on me with her claws. I think the only reason I didn't wind up dead is that she caught my scent," I stated.

"And you didn't catch hers?" Ethan questions with a raised eyebrow.

"I did... but it was mixed with the scent we had been tracking. By the time I realized that she was my mate, the dagger was already buried hilt-deep in her abdomen."

Bile seems to rise up in my throat as I remember the heartbroken look she gave me as she realized her own mate had stabbed her. And just like before a swirl of emotions instantly invades me. Thanks to the mate bond I instantly wanted her. I want to mark her and make her mine. But now, because of what happened, everything is so complicated. I can't take her as my Luna if she has done anything to make herself an enemy of my pack.

"So, if you aren't ready to accept her, what are you going to do with her?"

I clench my fists as I glare at her. My head and heart are at war right now in regards to this matter. Had she not been my mate she would already be dead. I've always been more of a kill first ask questions later kind of guy. It is only because of the mate bond that I immediately rushed her to the hospital to be saved before she had the chance to bleed out.

Finally, my head wins out. I need to put my pack first right now. "Once she wakes up and is out of harm's way she'll be escorted to the dungeons for questioning."

"Are you sure about that?" Mason asks.

My wolf growls and so do I. "You dare to question your Alpha?" I hiss.

Mason instantly puts his hands up in surrender. "I'm just making sure you've thought this through. Everything she feels, you will feel because of the bond."

I set my jaw in determination and nod. "I'm sure. I know what I'm doing." Mason opens his mouth as if to speak before thinking better of it and closing it once more. He simply sighs and nods, taking my word for it. Between the two of them, Mason is the one most likely to challenge my decisions. He's the next oldest and always asks the hard questions when I need it. Sometimes I appreciate it. And then there are other times, such as now where it just annoys me. I allow another glance at my beautiful mate before turning back to Mason. "I want two mated guards posted outside her door and another two at each of the hospital's entrances. Inform me once she wakes. The only people I want coming in and out of here is the approved medical staff, either of you, or myself."

Mason and Ethan both stand straighter and nod before clearly using our mind-linking abilities to give out orders as I leave the room. I can't stay here any longer or I might lose my resolve. It will be best if I stay away until she is done being questioned. I briskly strut down the hallway and to the elevator and push the down button. As I reach the main floor, I see a couple dozen guards walking into the lobby before fanning out to take their places. "Alpha," two men salute as they approach the elevator that I just stepped out of. I give them a brusque nod before the doors close between us.

*****

The next day is spent in my study as I keep myself busy with business reports and various paperwork. I have not heard anything about my mate all day and am beginning to feel distracted, my thoughts constantly going back to her. "We should go see her. I miss her." My wolf states insistently.

"No. We have work we need to do. Mason will let us know when she wakes up."

"She should have been awake by now. What if something is wrong? We should be there for our mate."

"For the last time, no."

"Why do you always have to be so stubborn?!" My wolf complains.

"I don't know. Why do you?" I counter and my wolf growls at me in irritation. "Fine. If we don't hear anything by the end of the evening, we'll go check on her. Happy now?"

"Yes."

Now that our little argument is finished, I quickly shut off the link to my wolf so I can try to put my focus back on work. It isn't until several more hours and a break for dinner than I finally hear anything. "Daniel, she's awake." Mason's voice rings out in my head. "She is being discharged and then we'll take her to the dungeons. Do you want us to wait for you?"

"No. Go ahead. I'll meet you at the cells."

"Okay. We'll see you there then."

We cut off the mind link and my wolf speaks out. "She shouldn't have to go to the dungeons. She's our mate. We know she's innocent."

"We don't know that. That is why she has to be questioned."

"Then you should be the one to do it."

"No. I can't. I wouldn't be able to do what needs to be done if she tries to hide something from me."

"She wouldn't do that."

"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!" I growl at my wolf in frustration. This is already hard enough on me as it is. I don't need him giving me grief and getting in my head the way he does. He whimpers and backs off, realizing that he has pushed me too far. I don't bother saying anything else as I sigh and cut off our link once more. I stand up and organize the last of my files before leaving my office to head to our dungeons.

I arrive and walk down to the lowest level where all of the empty cells are. No one is down there except for Jacob who I have ordered to take care of her questioning. He is standing against the stone wall opposite of the cells with his hands clasped in front of him and his face looking straight ahead. When he hears my approach, he quickly salutes me. "Alpha."

"Jacob. The prisoner is on her way."

He gives me a gruff nod and we soon hear the clang of the metal door at the top of the stone steps. There is the shuffling of feet and the thudding of boots as they start their descent. I breathe in and catch the heavenly scent of lavender and honey that my mate gives off and my wolf instantly purrs. I can sense him wagging his tail in excitement to see our mate once more. When they reach the bottom landing my eyes immediately meet with hers. For a split second her face displays surprise and happiness, but once she notices my stern demeanor her expression slips away, replaced by one that shows unease and confusion. I keep my expression hard and cold, but inside I feel my heart breaking inside my chest and my wolf whimpers, hating that we are causing that frown that is now on her angelic face.

I clasp my hands behind my back, straightening myself to my full height as I take a step towards her. "What is your name?"

She narrows her eyes at me and mimics my posture, ignoring the pain on her wrists caused by the silver cuffs that have her hands bound behind her back. "What's it to you?"

"I'm the one asking the questions here," I announce through clenched teeth as I try to keep my temper in check.

"Yes. But that doesn't mean I have to answer," she states forcefully back.

I take another step closer to her so that she is forced to look up to meet my eyes. "Answer me! What is your damn name?!" I growl using my Alpha voice.

"Fuck you," she spits back and my eyes widen for a split second, surprised that she was not affected by my Alpha aura. Even the guards had stepped away uncomfortably, but she held her ground and proceeded to curse me without even flinching.

I glare at her, my breathing a bit heavier as I try to keep myself calm. "Take her away," I order the guards as I wave to the cells lined up behind me. Mason watches their backs as they pass me and I don't bother to turn around. Instead, I turn to Jacob. "Treat her like you would any other prisoner. I want to know what she knows."

He nods and I walk away, stomping up the stairs as Mason swiftly follows me. "Do you want to talk about this?" he asks as he hurries to catch up with me.

"No," I state through gritted teeth before slamming the door open and walking out into the crisp evening air. My wolf bursts out and my body shifts before I run off towards the patch of trees nearby. I need to get away and cool off before I lose it.

Gianna's POV

The accommodations in the cells are a far cry from what I woke up to just a couple hours ago. When I had woken up, I had been so surprised to find myself in a warm bed with thick blankets pulled up to my shoulders. I was provided a meal and was able to use a private bathroom to shower and freshen up. The medical staff was friendly and helpful. Even the man that introduced himself as Mason had seemed nice. However, after all my discharge papers were filled out another man came in and placed silver cuffs around my wrists.

The next thing I know I'm being marched down to dungeons that smell of blood, urine, and mildew. My mate was there waiting for me. Hope and happiness had instantly flared up inside me until I registered the cold look on his face. I couldn't understand it. How dare he! He's the one that stabbed me. I haven't done anything to him. I didn't even know him. As far as I knew, he hadn't come to visit me or anything either. He clearly doesn't care about me. By the look on his face, he downright hates me for no damn reason. My wolf of course tried to argue and reason with me. "He doesn't hate us. He loves us. He's our mate!" she had insisted. I had inwardly rolled my eyes at her.

Things blew up fast as both of us clearly lost our tempers and now I'm pacing the small space that I am locked in. Luckily, they had removed my silver cuffs, though there are still burn marks circling my wrists. However, now the bars to my cell are silver so there is no escaping them. The man that had stayed behind to question me hasn't been back since they shoved me in here. I don't know where he went or when he'll be back. All I know is that I need to get out of here.

I can feel my wolf chomping at the bit. She is restless like me. Though, her and I are still on different pages when it comes to our mate. "He must have his reasons for this. Maybe it's all just some misunderstanding. You just need to talk to him."

"For me to talk to him he'd actually have to be here. He left us. Remember?" I push her out, not wanting to deal with her hopeless romantic side any longer. I continue pacing as my eyes wander around my prison. The walls are made of thick concrete stones and there is a line of cells that are surrounded by silver bars. There are no windows so there is no way to know what is on the other side or what time of day it is. I spot a camera in the upper corner of my cell and I'm sure all of the cages are the same way. On the opposite wall on the far left side is a whole display of silver torture devices including handcuffs, chains, collars, and blades of various sizes. There are even spray bottles that look like they have liquid silver in them and a container full of wolfsbane. My stomach churns as I wonder what they will do to me.

After walking circles for what feels like hours, I go lay down on a small pile of straw that I'm assuming is meant to be my bed. As soon as my eyes start to drift closed, I am suddenly hit with a freezing cold liquid that burns my skin. I immediately jump to my feet as I try to wipe the burning liquid from my face. When I look up, I see the man that is supposed to be questioning me. He doesn't say anything. He just sets his now empty pail down and walks away. "What am I doing here?! Let me out!" I call after him. He just continues his way without even looking back at me. Within a minute, I hear the loud clang of the metal door closing behind him. I scowl in the direction that he went and try to ignore the lingering pain that is covering my body. Breathing in, my nostrils burn and I realize that wolfsbane had been mixed in with the freezing water.

My straw bed is now soaked and ruined. I growl in frustration and go sit along the opposite wall. Time seems to move very slowly as I occupy myself with thoughts of The Bane, of escaping, and of my mate. My mind wanders to so many things as I try to distract myself. The thing my thoughts linger on the most is that of my mate. The sexy, low timbre of his voice, his muscular biceps and broad shoulders that stretched the material of his shirt, the light stubble that covered his chiseled jaw.... And of course, his mesmerizing blue eyes. They were bluer than the sky and the contrast with his dark hair and tanned skin seemed to make them that much brighter. I could stare into his eyes for days. If only he wasn't proving to be such an ass. Despite the path of my thoughts, time isn't speeding up. And every time I'm about to fall asleep, I have the same rude awakening I did the first time. I'm not even sure how long this goes on for. Days? Weeks? And during all of this, my mate never comes to see me or check on me. Further proof that he doesn't care.

Everything I have learned about fated mates is a lie. I was always told that they are chosen for you by the Moon Goddess herself. They are your other half. They complete you. Their touch can bring you calm and their presence can make you brave. Your mate will love you unconditionally and you will be stronger together. What a load of crock. All my mate has given me is a dungeon and a brief stay at a hospital. I don't even know who he is. However, at one point I could feel his strong aura coming off him. Typically, that type of power is only for Alphas... though I have no idea why it didn't affect me if that was the case. Plus, the only Alpha's that reside in the main part of the city are the three eldest Lopez brothers, Daniel, Mason, and Ethan. Goddess... please do not let my mate be one of the Lopez brothers. The man that had been in my hospital room was named Mason... Could he have been Mason Lopez? Mason is a common name though, right?...

I pinch the bridge of my nose and lean my head back against the stone wall. All of this is just too much right now. My head is pounding from the lack of sleep and hydration. My stomach is beginning to rumble. I don't even know how long it has been since I last ate or was given anything to drink. Sheer exhaustion is beginning to overtake me and my body feels jittery. This is definitely not how I expected this to go. I rub a shaky hand over my stomach as I begin to look around again. I don't see anything edible down here. Hopefully their plan isn't to just let me stay down here until I die of dehydration or starvation.

More time passes before I hear the familiar clang of the metal door at the top of the stairs. Loud, clunky footsteps can be heard echoing through the stairwell as I wait to see who it is. For some reason, part of me is desperately hoping to see my mate. Maybe he's finally here to set me free, tell me he's sorry. I look towards the approaching sound and am disappointed when my interrogator appears before me. He slowly steps up to my cage and kneels down to eye level. I instantly notice he is holding two glasses of water. I scoot closer to the bars, careful not to touch the burning silver. Instinctively, my tongue swipes over my cracked lips as I eye the refreshing beverage.

"Can you answer some questions for me?" he asks politely, but by the way he is holding the drinks just out of reach means that they are going to cost some answers first. I nod, not knowing or caring at this point what his questions are. "What is your name?"

"Gianna."

"What pack do you belong to?"

"I don't have a pack."

He nods and passes one of the glasses of water through the bars for me to take a drink. The ice-cold liquid feels heavenly as it slides down my parched throat. I involuntarily let out a whimper as gratefulness fills me. I really needed this. After a couple sips, he holds his hand out and takes the glass back. "Where were you the evening of October 14th around seven?"

I don't even know how long ago that was, but I sit and think for a bit before I realize why that night is significant. "I- I had gone for a run. Then I came back and started handing out blankets."

"Where?"

"At the shelter I help run in The Bane."

"Can anyone attest to that?"

I nod. "I would assume so. A lot of people saw me that night."

He gives me another couple sips of water that I quickly gulp down before letting out a sigh. I pass the drink back to him before he continues his line of questioning. "And was your run before or after killing some local wolves?"

My eyes widen in shock. What? What is he talking about? "I- I didn't kill anyone.... Who was killed?"

He narrows his eyes at me and passes the glass back to me. I continue to look at him as if I'll be able to make sense of what is going on by just examining his facial expressions. The water passes my lips, but this time a horrible stinging sensation fills my mouth and spreads down my body. I instantly begin to gag as I bend over on my hands and knees and begin heaving up the little bit of water that I had just drank. My eyes begin to water as I continue to retch up bile. The man stands up, grabbing his two glasses and walks away. All I can manage is to crawl away to a cleaner part of my cell where I collapse and curl up into a ball. Hugging myself tightly, tears begin to slide down my cheeks. How much longer are they going to keep me down here? Why are they doing this?

After some more time passes, my captor comes back down. He walks up and stands right outside of my cell and waits for me to cautiously approach him. Once I'm close enough, he gruffly shoves a wad of fabric into my hand. "Change," he orders. I raise an eyebrow at him before turning my gaze to the material balled up in my hand. With a closer inspection I realize it's a thin, scratchy gown. I look up to see him glaring at me, waiting for me to do as I'm bid. I clear my throat and widen my eyes pointedly, wondering if he'll understand what I'm getting at. He seems to comprehend and turns around, allowing some semblance of privacy. I'm not too happy about this. The cells are incredibly cold, especially at night and this fabric will definitely do nothing to keep me warm. Though I guess as a prisoner, they don't care about my comfort.

Goosebumps cover my skin as I peel off my soiled clothes and put on the flimsy cover-up that I had been given. I clear my throat again, letting the man know that I'm dressed and he turns around to face me. "Stand back. Any sudden moves and you'll be punished. Understand?" he announces harshly. For a millisecond my eyes open wide with surprise before I nod and do as I'm told. This is punishment enough. I don't want to find out what would happen if I were to actually put up a fight. And with the state I'm in there is no way I could win. I can hardly stand on my own two feet without swaying and using the wall for support.

As soon as I'm pressed against the opposite wall, he pulls thick leather gloves onto his hands and unlocks my cell. He gestures at me to come forward and I obey hesitantly, unsure of what is about to happen. He takes my hands and pins them behind my back as he marches me to the other end of the room and into a new cell. My eyes sweep across the small space and my mouth instantly turns dry as though I've swallowed a cup of sand. The only thing in the room is two long silver chains that have cuffs hanging from them. They seem to be on some sort of pulley system so that they can be adjusted. I freeze in my spot and try to step backwards, only to run into the hard chest of my interrogator.

He shoves me forward and I frantically begin shaking my head. "Please no. Please..." I beg before he snatches one of my hands and locks the silver cuff around my bare wrist. I let out a wail of pain before biting down on my lip, trying to keep myself from crying out. "Why are you doing this? I don't understand what this is all about!" I exclaim as he does the same to my other wrist. As soon as I'm secured, he walks over to a lever next to the entrance to the cell and pulls it down. The chains instantly begin to rise and tighten, pulling my arms above my head and out to my sides until I screech in agony. "Please! Stop!"

The man waits until I have quieted down before he approaches me and begins to ask me questions again. "Why did you kill those men?"

"I don't know what you are talking about!"

He tightens the chains a little more.

"Then you know who does."

"No, I don't! Please!"

And the silver tightens more. I can feel the cuffs burning through my skin and tears streaming unbidden down my cheeks. This is pure torture. I don't understand what is going on. I'm too tired and in too much pain to even think straight. After what feels like forever, the man leaves me hanging from the ceiling. When he comes back, he is holding a long whip and I instantly let out a terrified whimper.

"Six men were stabbed and clawed to death at Moonlit Wolf Outpost on Meadows. What do you know about that?" he asks me as he begins to circle me, letting the whip slowly unravel in his fist.

"I don't know anything about it! It wasn't me! I swear!"

There's a crack of the whip and a terrible pain spread over my back.

"The scent was followed back to you. Explain that!"

"I told you! I don't know! But I didn't kill anyone!"

The whip strikes my back again and I scream out.

"You know! Think!"

And I'm hit again.

This continues as I beg and plead to no avail. At one point I am bawling and hyperventilating, unable to take anymore torture. He seems to realize that he won't get any information out of me while I'm like this and he pushes the lever back up, loosening the changes so that I'm dropped to the floor with a thud. The man unhooks the cuffs and throws them to the side before leaving me behind in the cell. I stay curled up on the floor, my cheek pressed against the cold concrete. I'm unable to make myself move, everything aches. Black dots creep into my vision and eventually I am overcome by darkness.

Daniel's POV

Work has taken over my life. Day after day I have been in my office trying to keep myself occupied. I have felt the fear and confusion and anger of my mate. I've felt the hunger and exhaustion, my skin burning. And now, as I am trying to comb through financial reports my wrists feel like they are on fire. I clench my fists when my back suddenly feels a stab of pain. My eyes stare down at a point in front of me as I begin to focus on my breathing, willing myself to concentrate on something else, anything that will distract me from my mate's pain.

As I'm still trying to regain control of myself, there is a knock on my door. "Come in!" I call before the door opens and a familiar blonde struts in. Her tight skirt hugs her hips and thighs, going down to her knees and one too many buttons are undone on her blouse, allowing anyone to see her cleavage and black lace bra. She walks over and sits down on the corner of my desk like she thinks she belongs there. I look up at her, not trying to hide my annoyance. Unfortunately, she doesn't pick up on it. "Nicole," I say in greeting. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Do I need a reason to come and visit you Daniel baby? I've missed you! I haven't seen you in over a week!" she exclaims as she reaches out and caresses my cheek before sliding her hand around the back of my neck.

I remove her hand and nod as I look at the stack of papers on my desk. "Yeah. I've been busy."

"Too busy for me?" she asks as she pushes out her lower lip and gives me a pouting look. Then she gets up and slowly starts to walk around me. "You just need to relax baby. Let me help you with that." She stops behind me and puts her hands on my shoulders as she begins to massage them. Her hands then slowly start moving down my chest when another stab of pain strikes my back. I immediately jump up from my seat.

"Dammit Zoe! I don't have time for this!" I take a couple steps away from her and turn around before she walks up to me again.

"What's your problem babe?" She presses herself up to me and puts her hands on my biceps. I place my hands on her hips and gently push her away before sighing.

"I just can't do this right now Zoe. I need to get back to work."

She pouts again. "You can't take a break? Not even twenty minutes? I can make it worth your while."

I give her a tight smile, hiding the disgust that I now have at the idea of doing what she has in mind with anyone other than my mate. "Sorry. No. I need to get this done." I gesture to the waiting heap of files. Technically, I'm ahead of schedule since I've spent so much time working lately, but she doesn't need to know that.

"Okay baby. I get it. I'll see you later." She wraps a hand around my neck and pulls me in before kissing my lips. I allow it but can't help but to picture my mate instead. If I decide to accept her as my mate I'll need to let Zoe know that whatever we were doing is over now. I pull away and walk back towards my desk as she lets herself out, closing the door behind her. What am I going to do? I place my hands on my desk, leaning over it as I inhale deeply. A biting pain leaps from my back again and the breath falls from my lungs. My chest aches like never before.

"It's because you want our mate. You know she is hurting and you hate it," my wolf says in my head. It's the first time I've heard from him since leaving our mate in the dungeons. He still doesn't agree with me, but it needed to be done. Unfortunately, I haven't heard anything from Jacob about how her questioning is going. By the way I was feeling the strike of the whip, I'd assume it hasn't been going well. I should have been checking in with him, but I've been avoiding it. I knew that he would come to me if he had found out who the guilty party was, but I didn't want to know what my mate has been going through. I don't know if I would have been able to follow through if he gave me any of the details.

I slump down in my chair as I heave out a sigh and scrub a hand through my hair. Looking down at my reports, I realize that there is no way I'll be able to concentrate anymore. I pick them up and place them in a drawer before locking it and heading for the door. After securing my office, I walk to the elevator and swipe my ID card before hitting the button for the top floor. Our office building doubles as our pack house. The top two floors are mine and below that is a floor of conference rooms that are rarely used by anyone except me. I like having my privacy and only my siblings and beta have access to my living quarters. Below that each of my siblings and my Beta have their own floor before there are two levels dedicated to pack members. My office, along with Mason's, Ethan's, and my Beta Luke's are all underneath that. It doesn't take long before the elevator is letting me out into my entryway. I toss my keys onto the table sitting by the front door and walk over to the wall of windows that lines my living room. I can see all of New Moon City. The streets are busy as everyone else goes about their evening, completely oblivious to my inner turmoil.

Eventually I go to take a shower, throwing on a pair of sweatpants before climbing into my king-sized bed. I bend my arm behind my head as I stare up at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to take me. "How can you lay here like this while our mate is being tortured?" my wolf growls in my head.

"Will you just shut up! You don't think this is eating me up?! I would give anything to have her here with me?"

"Then go get here! What are you waiting for?!"

"Jacob is trying to get answers out of her about what happened," I answer, though I've begun to lose my resolve.

"It's been over a week. Maybe she doesn't know anything. Are you just going to leave her down there forever?"

"No..."

"Then how long Daniel? Two weeks? A month? A year?" My fists clench and I try to push my wolf out of my head, but this time he won't allow it. He refuses to be ignored any longer. "It's been long enough. If Jacob hasn't gotten anything out of her then he's not going to. Her wolf is getting weaker.... I can feel it." I squeeze my eyes shut as pain grips my heart. "Go to her."

When I open my eyes again it is with a new sense of determination. My wolf is right. I can't do this any longer. If Jacob hasn't gotten anything out of her so what? At least I tried. Now I just want my mate. I throw my covers back before slipping some socks and shoes on. Grabbing a t-shirt from my dresser, I pull it over my head and hurry towards the exit. As I head through the door, I pick my keys up from where I left them not even an hour earlier. The dungeons are below the basement, so I swipe my card for access and push the button with the letter B on it. From there I must take the stairs.

The ride down seems to take forever, both me and my wolf are impatient. Goddess, I hope she doesn't hate me. "Come on, come on," I complain out loud as I watch the numbers slowly counting down above me. Finally, the elevator dings and I rush out before running down a long hallway and opening the metal door that leads to the cells. When I reach the bottom, I spot her lying on the cold, concrete ground with her back towards me. The back of the thin, woven cover she is wearing is torn to shreds and she is covered in blood. My breath stills as I watch her. She isn't moving a muscle.

I turn to Jacob. "Is she..." I begin, unsure of exactly what to ask.

"She passed out about an hour ago. Hasn't wakened since," he answers.

"I'm taking her with me. Unlock the door," I remark as I straighten my back, trying not to show how much the sight of her is killing me right now. He nods and does as I say. When the door swings open, I take a step toward her before Jacob grabs my shoulder.

I turn to look at him. "Her name is Gianna," he states softly as he looks down at her still form.

"Gianna..." I whisper back. "That's pretty. It suits her."

He nods before continuing. "She doesn't seem to know anything sir."

I sigh deeply as I look at my feet. Then my gaze wanders to her. "Thanks Jacob," I reply without even looking back at him. I sense him step away until he's against the opposite wall as I kneel and scoop Gianna into my arms. I cradle her against me as I make my way back up to my living quarters. I walk down the hall to one of the guest bedrooms and carefully lay her on her stomach. Reaching over, I turn on one of the bedside lamps and gently peel back the scraps of her rags, revealing the long open slashes left on her fair skin from being whipped.

She is still passed out, so I quietly go to the en suite and rummage through the cabinets before I find the first aid kit. Once I've found it, I bring it out and sit on the bed beside her. She has an arm curled up under her so that a fist is tucked next to her chin. Her eyes are still closed and her red curls are partially hiding her beautiful face. I take out a cotton ball and wet it with antiseptic before I begin dabbing it softly against her injuries. She lets out a whimper of pain and her eyebrows furrow, but she continues to sleep. My chest tightens as I continue my work, next I gingerly apply bacitracin to each of the wounds. Finally, I place a thin layer of gauze over each and lightly blow on it. A shiver seems to run up her spine and my eyes travel up her and back to her face. Her eyes remain shut, but she looks more relaxed now and a slight smile seems to be placed on her lips. I reach for the covers and pull them up over her legs before leaning down and kissing her temple. "Goodnight Gianna."

Gianna's POV

Sunlight filters into my room and I lay my arm over my eyes with a groan. Wait a minute? Where is the sunlight coming from? And... am I in a bed?... I remove my arm and peek out with one eye as I adjust to the bright light that surrounds me. Suddenly I'm sitting up, both eyes wide open as I take in the gorgeous room that I'm in. How did I get here?

Long velvety drapes frame a huge arched window. The walls are a light gray and are adorned with canvases displaying beautiful abstract designs that bring in some color. There is a large white dresser with a gigantic decorative mirror hanging above it. I'm sitting in a king-sized bed with deep, wine colored sheets and a lavender duvet. There is a sitting area with two comfy-looking white armchairs with a small round table sitting between them, a vase of pink roses positioned in the center. The exquisite hardwood floors are covered by a Persian rug that lies in the middle of the room.

I throw the covers back before dangling my legs over the edge of the bed. Stretching and flexing, I take stock of my injuries. My body aches but not as bad as I expected it to. I carefully step down, my feet landing on the rug before I walk over to one of the doors to the room. Opening it, I find a large walk-in closet, complete with a tufted stool and a full-length mirror. There are about a dozen outfits hanging in it along with several pairs of shoes. However, it is still mostly empty. I leave the closet and open the door next to it, finding a beautiful bathroom with a walk-in shower and stand-alone bath big enough for two people. I turn to the mirror above the sink and my eyes widen. Walking slowly closer I examine my dull, dirty red locks and the pallor of my ivory skin. My eyes are sunken and I look sickly compared to my normal appearance. I've always been on the thinner side, there isn't exactly an abundance of food in The Bane, but now I look almost skeletal.

Turning around, I examine my back. It has clearly been cleaned of any blood and the wounds are now mostly healed with thin strips of gauze over them. I wonder who did this. Why am I not in the dungeons anymore? I reach my arms around to try and peel the gauze off, but I struggle to reach. With a sigh I turn around, trying to figure out a solution. I spot another small door and open it to find towels. A shower would be nice and would help with removing my bandages. Quickly picking out an outfit from the closet, I go back to the bathroom and adjust the water until the room begins to fill with steam. I climb in and the hot water instantly relaxes my sore muscles causing me to exhale in relief.

I take my time as I lather up my hair and body, standing under the shower-head as water runs down me. I don't know how long I'll be able to access such nice accommodations, so I might as well make it count. When I walk out of the bathroom, toweling my hair off, I freeze mid-step. Sitting in one of the armchairs is my mate. He instantly sits up straighter as he sees me and I narrow my eyes at him. "What are you doing here?"

The corner of his mouth quirks up as he gestures to a tray of food on the table beside him. My eyes widen at the smorgasbord lied out in front of me, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, fruit, the works. My eyes dart to him then back to the food before I sit down in the chair opposite him and begin digging in, moaning in satisfaction. His eyes darken at the sound before he regains his composure. "Be careful," he begins. "You eat too much too fast after not having anything you're going to end up regretting it later."

I nod and place the food back down on the table, forcing myself to take my time. My hands begin to fidget in my lap as I look down at them, chewing slowly as I can feel his eyes on me. Finally, I can't take the silence any longer. "So... umm... thanks for the food," I reply as I pick up a strawberry and take a bite.

"You're welcome," he says simply, continuing to stare as if he finds me somehow fascinating.

I nod while I avoid his gaze. Instead, I choose to observe my fingers as they twist around each other. He still doesn't speak so I let out an exasperated sigh before turning to him. "What am I doing here? How did I get here?"

"I brought you here. You are in a guest room of my penthouse," he answers. He seems to be watching me, figuring out how I'll handle the situation. I'm not sure what to think of it. Is this a game to him?

"Okay, but why?"

"Because I wanted to."

I scowl at him. His short responses are making me increasingly more irritated. "Well it wasn't long ago that I was in the dungeons getting tortured because that's what you wanted. Are you always this indecisive?" This time his eyes narrow at me. So, he's getting angry now? I can't help but to let out a scoff as I swiftly stand up from my seated position. I begin pacing across the room as I try to wrap my head around everything that has happened lately. "Do you just always do what you want without any regard for the consequences?"

He stands up, his face set in a stern, intimidating expression as he steps towards me. I instantly step back. I don't know this man. I don't know anything about him. All I know is what I have gone through since meeting him and so far our relationship doesn't look promising. This can't be my mate. "I don't even know your name..." I state softly as though I'm talking to myself.

"I'm Alpha Daniel Lopez."

My breath hitches and I gulp the air back down as I nod with widened eyes. This can't be happening. I've heard so many stories about the merciless Alpha Daniel Lopez. After what he just put me through, his own mate, I have a feeling that most of the stories are true. And they aren't exactly heart-warming, far from it. I take a moment to compose myself and find my resolve before I turn to him and look him dead in the eyes. "I, Gianna Garcia from the packless, reject y-" I begin before he approaches me in one large stride and grabs me by the elbows, pulling me to him so that our noses are mere centimeters apart.

"No."

I stare up at him for a moment, searching his eyes as though they will give me answers. His eyes are darkened as though his wolf is trying to come to the surface. Anger seems to be rolling off him in waves as he holds me close enough to him that I can feel his shallow breath on my face. The sting of tears appears in my eyes as I try to understand why he won't let me reject him. He clearly doesn't want this, doesn't want me. "What do you mean no? Why not?" His gaze drops and his eyes move as though he is desperately thinking for an answer. "Tell me Daniel! Why not?!"

"Because I won't let you go. Not yet."

"Not yet? So you will? When?"

"Are you really in that big of a hurry to leave me?!" he growls, his grip on me tightening.

"I'm just trying to understand! Stop speaking in fucking riddles and just explain why the hell I'm still here? Tell me why you stabbed me, saved me, and then had be thrown into your damn dungeons! It doesn't make any sense to me!"

He drops his hold on me and walks away a few paces as he scrubs his hands through his hair agitatedly. When he turns back to face me, he lets out a deep sigh and reaches out his hand to take one of mine. I instinctively pull away and watch as his eyes seem to flicker with pain and sadness and what I think is possibly regret. "Please," he begs as he continues to hold his hand out for me to take. "Can we just sit down for a moment and talk. I promise I'll explain everything."

I don't take his offered hand, but I nod and walk back over to my seat. He inhales and bobs his head as though accepting defeat before he comes and sits opposite me. He leans back and drags a hand over his face, rubbing at his eyes and I begin to see how haggard he looks. It doesn't seem like he's been getting much sleep. "I'm not even sure where to begin..."

"How about from the beginning? Why did you and your men attack the packless?"

"We didn't—" he starts before I cut him off.

"You did."

He shakes his head in exasperation and continues. "Six of our men had been at one of the local bars when they were brutally killed. We followed the scent back to that alley."

This time my head moves back and forth. "I knew those men you killed. None of them would have done something like that."

He shrugs. "Maybe not, but someone from the packless did. We picked up multiple scents and all of them led back there." I shake my head again, trying to make sense of this information before he continues. "One of those scents had been all over you."

I tilt my head to the side and furrow my brows. "What exactly was the scent?"

He closes his eyes and his nose scrunches up as though he is remembering it. "Earth, sandalwood, and whiskey." Suddenly, his eyes open and narrow at me. "It was male...". My brain seems to be working a hundred miles a minute. That smell.... Where have I smelled that scent before?... "Were you with someone? Do you have a boyfriend or something?" he asks out of nowhere, distracting me from my thoughts. My eyes shoot over to meet his and see they are dark and his hands are gripping the armrests tightly.

"What?! No!" I quickly respond, startled by his severe reaction. I've always heard that Alphas tend to be more territorial and possessive. We haven't even accepted each other and he is already about to rip the chair to shreds at the thought that I had been with someone else the evening we met.

"Then why did you smell like him? He had to have had his paws all over you..." His eyes roam over my body as he pictures some unknown man touching me in the way that only my mate should. His lips twist in anger and disgust at the thought and I know that I need to speak up before he does anything drastic.

"Daniel, I help out at the homeless shelter. I know all the packless. There is no telling how many people I was around. Maybe I bumped into them or gave them a hug. I don't know, but I promise you that I'm not seeing anyone."

He nods, seeming reassured by my response as his tall, muscular body relaxes back against the chair. We sit there in silence as my mind goes back to working over the details. Suddenly, the answer hits me like a freight train. Hudson. That bastard. I immediately try to control my facial expression. I can't tell Daniel who it was. I don't want him going back to my home and wreaking havoc like last time. I don't want any more innocent bystanders to wind up dead on his quest for Hudson. I'm going to have to take care of that jackass myself. I don't want any more unnecessary bloodshed. While working this out, I forget that Daniel is right there watching me, glaring at me. "What?" I ask innocently.

"You know something..."

I take in a deep breath to calm myself and steady my heartbeat. "I'm sorry, but I don't. I promise to look into it when I go back home though..."

"What do you mean?"

I give him a confused look. "I'm going home...?" I state, though it comes out sounding more like a question.

"No. You'll be staying here," he replies sternly.

"Umm... excuse me, but no I won't be. There are people who depend on me. I need to get back there. They probably all think I'm dead right now," I insist as I stand up again.

He does the same and positions himself in front of me. "Gianna, someone from The Bane killed six seasoned wolves in cold-blood. There is no way I'm letting you go back there. Once the threat has been dealt with we can discuss the possibility of you continuing to work there or whatever." His tone is firm, leaving me little room to negotiate.

"You won't LET me go back??? I'm a grown woman. I can do whatever the hell I please! You are not my keeper!"

"Please Gianna. I don't want to argue about this right now. Just let me deal with it and we can come back to this discussion some other time."

"But..."

"ENOUGH," he barks, causing me to instantly close my mouth. I can feel his Alpha aura. It doesn't seem to affect me the way it should, but I can still tell that I shouldn't push him further.

I huff in irritation. "So, what do you expect me to do all day then?" I ask with a sigh of defeat.

"For now, you'll stay here."

"What?! Why?!"

"Because you clearly know who the guilty party is and either you don't know it and could be in danger or you do and you are lying to protect him. Either way, I can't trust you to be out there right now."

"Seriously Daniel, let me help. I know all those people that live there. Just let me do some digging. I can get answers for you and no one has to get hurt."

"You go digging and you'll be the one getting hurt. That's out of the question. The answer is no. End of discussion."

"No, it's not. You can't just go around telling me what to do."

"I just did." I glare at him harshly with my fists clenched by my sides. I can just imagine smoke coming out of my ears with how angry I am right now. He must be the most stubborn, bossy man I have ever met. Before I can argue further, he gestures towards my bedroom door. "If you need anything my bedroom is at the end of the hall and my office next to it. Otherwise, if you go the opposite direction you'll find the kitchen and living room. Feel free to explore, but you'll have to stay on this level. The elevator requires an ID in order to function."

He presses a light kiss to my temple and I can't help but stand there dumbfounded. I hear the door close behind me and heave out a sigh. I may not be in the dungeons anymore, but I'm still a prisoner. I need to get out of here. I need to get back to The Bane before he takes more men there and tears the place apart.

Whatever I decide to do, I'll need to be quiet about it. If he figures out what I'm trying to do, I'll lose even more of my freedom. I decide to stay in the confines of my room and walk over to the large window. There is a hooked latch on it that I quickly unfasten and open the window up wide to find a small Juliet balcony. This high up it's ice cold and windy. The people below look like ants and I breathe in deeply to calm myself. I must be at least forty stories up. I look in both directions and see that there is a small ledge that wraps around the building. It is only about six inches wide, but I can see a spiraling staircase tucked into the exterior wall just a few yards away. A fire escape. I frantically look around to see if there is a way for me to get over there without falling to my death. There are ridges along the stone wall. I can hold onto one with my hands while my feet use the ledge. It will be risky, but as far as I can tell, it's also my only way out of here.