Chapter 2

Diana's POV

"Follow me and stay quiet." Rowan grabbed my hand and pulled me toward a narrow opening in the back wall of the cell. "There's a tunnel system that runs under the entire pack house."

Vivian squeezed through the opening first and I heard her gasp when something sharp caught her arm on the rough stone. Blood started dripping down from a deep cut that ran from her elbow to her wrist.

"Vivian, you're bleeding!" I reached for her arm but she pulled away from me.

"It's nothing." She pressed her hand against the wound to stop the bleeding. "Diana is all that matters right now."

"We need to bandage that before you lose too much blood," Rowan said quietly.

"I'm fine." Vivian shook her head and continued to move. "We don't have time to stop now."

The tunnel stretched on forever and my legs started shaking from fear and exhaustion. Cold water dripped from the ceiling and soaked through our clothes while we walked through puddles that splashed up to our ankles.

"How much further until we reach the forest?" I whispered to Rowan who was leading us through the tunnels.

"Maybe another ten minutes if we keep this pace." He squeezed my hand reassuringly.

"We're almost to the forest border." He turned back to look at me and his face was covered in dirt and sweat. "Once we reach the trees, we can head toward neutral territory."

My heart started beating faster because for the first time since this nightmare began, I actually believed I might escape. The thought of running away with Rowan and starting a new life somewhere far from here filled me with hope.

I couldn't believe that Vivian and Rowan had risked everything to save me from Alpha Kieran.

"Thank you both for doing this." I looked back at Vivian who was still bleeding from her arm. "I know how dangerous it is to go against my father's orders."

"You're my sister, that's what family does." Vivian looked directly at me with genuine care . "I couldn't let them take you away like that."

"And you're my best friend," Rowan added. "I'm not letting anyone hurt you without a fight."

Finally we reached a wooden ladder that led up to a metal door. Rowan climbed up first and pushed the door open slowly to check if anyone was waiting outside.

"All clear," he whispered down to us. "Come on."

I climbed up after him and found myself standing in the middle of thick forest . The fresh night air felt amazing after being trapped underground for so long.

"We made it to the border!" I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. "I can't believe we actually escaped!"

"Don't celebrate yet." Rowan grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the tree line. "We need to get as far away from pack territory as possible before dawn."

We had only taken a few steps into the forest when bright lights suddenly blazed from every direction around us. I threw my hands up to shield my eyes from the blinding glare.

"Look what we have here." My father emerged from the group of warriors and walked directly toward us.

Pack warriors came from behind trees and surrounded us with weapons drawn. There had to be at least fifteen of them forming a tight circle that blocked every possible escape route.

"How did they find us so fast?" I grabbed Rowan's hand and pressed my back against his.

I stepped forward and held my hands up in front of me. "Just let Rowan and Vivian go, they were only trying to help me!"

"Actually, Diana, there's something you need to know." Vivian walked away from us and moved towards my father.

"Vivian?" I stared at her in complete confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Alpha Marcus, I tried to stop them!" Vivian suddenly ran toward my father with tears streaming down her face. "They attacked me when I tried to talk them out of escaping!"

She held up her wounded arm as evidence and my father examined the deep cut with concern in his eyes.

"My brave daughter." He placed his hand on Vivian's shoulder gently. "You did the right thing by coming to me immediately."

"You're lying." I shook my head and backed away from her. "You helped us escape!"

I stared at Vivian in complete shock because nothing made sense anymore.

Vivian walked back over to where I was standing and leaned close to my ear so only I could hear her whisper.

"I told Celeste about your little escape plan before we even left the pack house." Her voice was cold and mocking. "Did you really think I would save you? How pathetic. Rowan will be gone forever, and no one's coming back for you - not even your own family cared enough to keep you safe." She let out a soft, cruel laugh. "You're completely alone now, dear sister."

"You betrayed us." I whisper because I couldn't breathe properly after the revelation.

Vivian stepped back and walked over to stand beside Celeste who had appeared next to my father.

"Rowan Sterling," my father announced in his Alpha voice. "You have committed treason against pack authority by interfering with official business."

"Alpha Marcus, please." Rowan stepped forward with his hands raised. "Diana doesn't deserve this fate. She's your daughter!"

"She's an embarrassment who has brought nothing but shame to my bloodline." My father nodded to two of the warriors. "Take him to the border and make sure he never sets foot in Black fang territory again."

"Rowan Sterling," my father's voice came out loud. "You are hereby sentenced to immediate exile from Black fang territory for treason against Alpha authority."

"No!" I screamed as the warriors grabbed Rowan's arms and started dragging him away from me. "Leave him alone!"

"Diana!" Rowan fought against the men holding him but they were too strong. "I'll find a way to come back for you! I promise I'll find you!"

I watched helplessly as they dragged my best friend into the darkness and his voice faded until I couldn't hear him calling my name anymore.

"Load her into the transport vehicle." My father turned his back on me and walked away without another word.

Two warriors grabbed my arms and forced me toward a black van parked on the road. I didn't fight them because all the hope had drained out of my body when Vivian revealed her betrayal.

I had spent my entire life believing that despite everything, my stepsister might care about me just a little bit. Instead, she had really planned this betrayal from the beginning, or had she changed her mind at the last second? The wound on her arm was real, but had she cut herself on purpose to make her story more believable?

The van doors slammed shut and locked from the outside while the engine started. I pressed my face against the small window and watched my childhood home disappear behind the trees.

"So you're the famous Diana Ashworth." One of the guards sitting across from me looked me up and down with disgust. "Alpha Kieran's new breeder."

"How long until we reach Shadowmoon territory?" A guard asked.

"About six hours through neutral lands if we don't hit any rogue attacks." The driver pulled out a bottle of water and took a long drink. "Better enjoy the peaceful ride while it lasts, princess."

The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror. "Hope she's ready for what's waiting for her there."

"I heard Alpha Kieran's last breeder lasted six months before she disappeared." The guard turned around in his seat to look at me. "The one before her made it almost three months."

"What happened to the last one?" I asked from where I sat curled up in the corner.

"Alpha Kieran got bored with her after six months." The guard turned around in his seat to look at me. "Nobody's seen her since then, but there are rumors about what he does with girls who stop being useful."

"Some say he feeds them to the wild animals in the dungeons," the driver added while keeping his eyes on the dark road ahead. "Others think he just dumps them in neutral territory for the rogues to find."

I closed my eyes and tried to block out their cruel laughter. Rowan was somewhere out there in exile because he had tried to save me. The guilt felt like a heavy weight sitting on my chest and making it hard to breathe properly. Vivian had betrayed us both for reasons I still couldn't understand.

The van drove for what felt like hours through the dark night. I must have fallen asleep at some point because when I opened my eyes again, sunlight was streaming through the small window.

"We're entering Shadowmoon territory now," the driver announced as we passed through iron gates.

I watched pack warriors patrolling the walls with weapons. This place looked more like a prison than a pack house. The van finally stopped in front of a large stone building that looked cold and unwelcoming.

The back doors opened and rough hands grabbed my arms, pulling me out onto the ground. My legs were stiff from sitting for so long and I stumbled as they forced me to stand.

A tall man with dark hair and cold gray eyes walked toward us. From the way the guards straightened up and showed respect, I could tell he held a high position.

"This is the girl Alpha Marcus sent?" he asked the guards.

"Yes, Gamma Kane. Diana Ashworth, as ordered."

The man looked me up and down like I was nothing more than an object. His expression showed no warmth or kindness.

"Take her to the prison cells," he ordered the guards. "The Lycan King will be ready for her soon "

"Leave me alone!" I screamed, trying to pull away from the hands that held me. "Let me go!"

Gamma Kane stepped closer and smiled coldly.

"Welcome to your nightmare, breeder.”