AISLYN'S P.O.V

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The question barely registers in my psych before a hard slap covers the side of my face.

My eyes, although heavy lidded, force themselves open just in time to see a knife sever the fabric and cause me to drop to the ground.

I brace myself for the impact, faintly aware that I was going to feel a lot of pain soon.

As soon as my body hits the ground, the world around me loses color and I smile as a warm darkness creeps along the edges of my vision and rushes forward to envelope me in its peaceful embrace.

Home at last.

*******

Cold water chokes me as it invades my nose, ears and mouth. My eyes fly open and I gasp for air. Hard coughs find their way out of my throat and I feel my head thump against the floor every time one of them travels free.

I gauge my surroundings and realization sinks its claws into my skull.

No. No. No no no no no no no.

Oh God, no! I don't want this. I don't want to be alive.

"I know you're awake." A deep baritone vibrates along the walls of my skull. "Sit up. We need to talk."

His tone has a commanding note to it, so strong that my body instantly obeys.

I start to leverage myself off the floor using the wall as support. I finally make it and lean against the wall.

I'm in a cell. I can tell from the iron bars standing as a door, the fact that I am in a cold, damp room, and on the floor. The chains around my wrist and ankles are a simple give away.

I try to speak but the words die in my dry throat. I choke instead and begin another coughing fit. I look in the direction the voice came from, but in the darkness all I can make out is his shadowed form, a silhouette that somehow sends fear coursing through me.

"Get her some water to drink, include some ginger and lemon. Apply some aloe vera gel to the scratch around her neck, get her some food and vitamins." The man with commanding voice turns to look at me before he finishes. "She would need all of her energy for what we're about to discuss."

"Yes, Sire." The guard he was talking to responds and hurries out.

I watch in bewilderment as the man pushes away from the wall and walks out into the darkness that extends from my cell to the front of it.

I don't see any part of his features, and I can't even speak. I lean against the wall and sigh wearily as my eyes slide shut.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?

When the guard returns with everything he was asked to provide for me, he slides them over to me from a respectable distance and orders. "Eat up. His lordship would be back soon to question you."

I pull the loaded tray to myself and lift the glass of water to my lips, gulping it's chilled, refreshing content like my life depends on it.

"Where am I?" I ask as soon as I put the cup down. My voice sounds scratchy even to my own ears.

The guard simply looks me up and down, then barks at me. "Eat up!"

I obey and start to eat the food that was provided, not having enough of a taste bud to appreciate the food that smells so lovely.

I finish the entire meal in record time and he steps forward. "Open your mouth."

"Why?" Is he going to poison me? But his master said...

"Open. Your. Mouth. You're not in any place to ask questions right now."

I swallow and open my mouth. He retrieves a golden tablet from the tub in his hand and drops it into my mouth.

"Chew and swallow."

I bite down on the tablet and a burst of flavor explodes in my mouth. Oh my gosh! If this is the vitamin the mysterious man spoke of, then I want more of it.

"Get some rest. His lordship would be here to interrogate you soon."

Interrogate? What did I...?

The guard picks up the tray and stalks out of the cell, locking the bar behind him.

My mind is running a million miles a minute, but I do as he - and my body - says. I lower myself into a lying position and close my eyes. I might as well get some rest.

******

"Who sent you? It's obvious that you've been planted here. I just need to know by who."

"I'm sorry, what?"

It's been three whole days since I was brought here. I've been fed and treated well so far and haven't seen any glimpses of the master. Until today.

"You infiltrated my pack and tried to commit suicide on my lands. Clearly someone sent you here to try and stir up a war."

His voice is so cold and calm. He's speaking like he has all the time in the world and sees no need to hurry through the activity.

"Your pack? Where am I? I have absolutely no idea."

"You don't know where you are? You really expect me to believe you're not here as some sort of spy?"

"No. No. I wasn't sent here by anyone. I came here to die."

"On my pack grounds? How interesting."

"I had no idea that I was in your territory, I swear. I was just... lost."

He smirks. "If that is the case, then tell me what pack it is that you ran away from, and I'd take you back."

My heart leaps into my throat. "I can't do that. I can't go back to my pack."

"What did you do?"

I swallow. "I didn't do anything."

He spins around to face me finally and the air gets knocked out of my lungs. Oh my goodness! This man is divine.

He has a face made of the finest set of gray eyes, framed by a mass of long curly lashes, high cheekbones that are hollow but not sunken, taut jaw and the sexiest chin in the history of existence.

I have never seen a man that looks this good. I'm so lost in the way his eyes sparkle with light and the way his hair pours over his forehead in a curly display that I completely miss the question. He just asked.

"Are you listening?" Warm breathe fans my ear. "Or do you want to be slapped hard to be able to concentrate?"

I jerk back into the here and now, noticing the guard from earlier straighten beside me. "I'm sorry."

The angel in front of me asks in a bored tone. "If you didn't do anything, why are you so afraid of being returned to your pack?"

I open my mouth to speak but he interrupts me.

"If you don't give me the answers willingly, I'd have my men serenade you round the borders of all our neighbouring packs until someone claims you."

He turns around and starts to head out of the room, then he pauses by the door and throws a look over his shoulder. "You won't escape the punishment either way. Here or at home, you would get it."