21

We weren't in the section of the prison I was sitting in when I arrived, but the cells here looked the same. These were large holes in the walls secured with iron bars.

The only light in the long corridor came from a few torches that danced their glow on the stone walls.

Thomas slowly led me deeper and deeper into the mountain. So far, all the cells we've passed have been empty.

Inwardly I hoped that the other cells would also remain empty, but actually I knew better.

After a while the path forked and Thomas stopped. "Left is human cells. Traitors or rule breakers go there." my brother explained to me with a carefree smile on his thin lips.

"Does that happen often?" I asked surprised.

"Traitors, luckily, not that often. There was a small group of us who felt that they should lead us. Fortunately, we were able to settle the matter fairly quickly." my brother replied, still cheerful.

"Get out of the world?" I asked hotter.

Thomas just looked at me intently and nodded.

"Anyway,..." he continued his explanation after a short clearing of his throat "... on the right are the cells for the wolves."

"The Wolves?" I interrupted him again. "You mean you're keeping several of them captive here? They can easily break the bars and kill us all?!"

Though my views on wolves had changed since I knew Cyrian, I didn't want to face angry wolves who had been caged. I probably wouldn't survive that.

"Yes, I'm talking about several wolves we're keeping captive here, but don't worry they won't and can't harm us." Thomas explained with a big grin. The glint in his eyes told me that his calm on the subject could not bode well.

"Throughout the cave here grow herbs and plants that help us keep the powers of the wolves in check. The smell of wolfsbane weakens them and these small unassuming tendrils" he gestured to some leaves snaking up the wall "are called boreas -Herb. They keep the werewolves in their human form. We also put the stuff in their food. There are plenty of natural repellents against wolves. We experiment with them in our labs."

I just nodded. I didn't know what to say to that and my throat was so dry that I probably wouldn't have gotten a word out anyway.

"But the best thing is the wolves, who let themselves be locked up here voluntarily and would come back again and again." Thomas continued his speech and followed the corridor to the right.

I looked questioningly at my brother. What wolf would let him do that voluntarily?

"Wolves are really hard to crack, you know? They heal quickly and are very faithful and loyal. But they have one weak point, their soulmates. Luckily, a few wolves found their way here looking for their mates. They did really found their soul mates here and since they would do anything for them there really is no better leverage.It also allowed us to perpetuate the myth that we are a rebellious wolf pack. We just send one from out the lovesick idiot in her wolf form."

The smile on Thomas' face was definitely diabolical and scared me incredibly. I'd learned in the past few days that he had almost no moral boundaries anymore, but exploiting the bond between a wolf and his soulmate was particularly unscrupulous. But maybe it just seemed that way to me because I was suffering from the pain of the Mate Band myself.

"It wasn't that long ago that we got a new addition who also has his mate here. That was very lucky, thanks to him we managed to get you out of the damn city."

It was quiet for a moment. There were so many questions floating around in my head and I just couldn't decide which one to ask.

Completely lost in thought, I almost bumped into my brother when one stopped in front of one of the cells.

"Lexa, may I introduce our new addition that brought you here."

At first I didn't recognize anything in the darkness, but then Thomas held a torch a little closer to the cell and my eyes slowly began to recognize the figure sitting on the floor.

Typical of a wolf, the man was tall and powerfully built.

My eyes became more and more used to the light conditions and enabled me to recognize the stranger better.

It wasn't until I saw the blue eyes, hard features, and red hair that I realized this was no stranger.

It took me a moment to sort out the acquaintance. I had only seen him once before, but when I realized where I knew the giant from, it was like jumping into a cold lake.

Startled, I flinched and stiffened.

I had met the wolf before me with Cyrian back when he was about to introduce me to his pack. The redhead had made a comment and Cyrian had attacked him.

And now he was here. Trapped behind ridiculously thin metal bars that couldn't stop him.

I took a step back and waited to see the disgust and anger in his eyes that he had shown me the last time.

But none of this was reflected in the ice-blue eyes. No hate, no anger and no aggression, there was only emptiness.

That emptiness in his eyes reminded me of something. She reminded me of my eyes. Every morning I looked in the mirror and found the same expression.

It wasn't indifference, it was the painful knowledge that a part of you existed, a soul mate, yet unattainable.

I look thoughtfully at the woman, who was a few years older than me, while she is busy doing the dishes. We stand next to each other in silence. Almost mechanically, I grab the wet dishes and dry them with a piece of cloth.

As soon as I saw my brother's wife for the first time, I realized what a beauty she was. Her golden locks gently caress her heart-shaped face, complementing her amber eyes well.

But the more often I looked at her, the more I noticed small details that didn't fit the young woman at all. The dark shadows under her eyes emphasized the dullness of her eyes. She smiled a lot, but it never seemed real.

She seemed to be getting worse every day, but when I asked her about it, she deftly deviated from the subject. I also dropped the subject, we hardly knew each other, why should she tell me what is bothering her?

But now, as we stand silently next to each other and do the dishes, a thought slowly forms in my head.

At first it's just a ridiculous little suspicion, but the more I think about it, the more likely my suspicion seems.

At some point I can't take it anymore. Without further thought, the question escapes my mouth: "You have a mate".

It's only when I say it that I realize it's more of a statement than a question.

Startled, Kate interrupts what she is doing, the glass she is washing up almost slipped out of her fingers.

"What?" she murmurs hotter.

Her tone alone makes me realize I must be right.

"Today I was with Thomas at the cells where the wolves are sitting, who found their mate here." I reply soberly.

"That does not have anything to do with me." Kate explains in a hard voice, but I hear the pain behind it and I'm aware of the lie.

"I know the look in their eyes. The wolves in the cells have it, I see it on me whenever I look in the mirror and so do you." I murmur, gazing into my sister-in-law's amber eyes.

"Does he know?" I ask for a moment of silence.

"Thomas?" she asks. "No."

At least now I knew that my assumption was true.

I see tears forming in Kate's eyes and her hands starting to tremble. "You're going to tell him, aren't you?"

I immediately shake my head. After all, I knew exactly how she felt. Growing up knowing that wolves were pure evil and then suddenly feeling this affection.

"Do you love my brother?" I then ask quietly. I don't even know what answer I'm expecting or why I even want to know.

"Yes or no. I don't remember. I always loved him, really. My wedding was the happiest day of my life. Along with Nero and Joffrey's birth. But somehow everything is different now."

Desperate, Kate runs her fingers through her golden curls. I notice that she suddenly looks a lot older to me.

"Do you miss your mate?" Kate looks at me questioningly.

I don't know what to answer. Of course I missed Cyrian, but talking about it only made it more real and therefore more painful. I just decided to nod.

Just as I was about to open my mouth to ask another question, I hear the familiar sound of the front door. I hastily turn back to the wet dishes and Kate does the same.

Thomas enters the kitchen with Nero and Joffrey. He greets Kate with a quick kiss on the lips and grins, tousles my hair.

Kate and I smile back and say hello. Joffrey disappears again relatively quickly and Thomas also withdraws. Only Nero stays in the kitchen and watches us critically.

He can't possibly have heard us, but something doesn't seem to please him. However, the dark-haired boy has been watching me with eagle eyes since my arrival.

"Are you all right, sweetheart?" Kate then asks when she notices how her son is staring at us both.

Nero just nods and disappears from the kitchen. Unlike his brother, he never speaks very much.

I exchange a quick look with Kate before we continue to wash the dishes like nothing ever happened.

But for me, this conversation changes everything. Kate could be a real ally, she's like me.

But there still remains a problem. I do not know what I want. Even if I find people here who are on my page, what am I trying to achieve anyway? Do I want to go back to Cyrian? Even if I could do it, everyone here would die for it.

But I couldn't ally myself with the people here against the wolves either. Just the thought of cheating on Cyrian made my heart twitch painfully.

What do I really want?

A soft sigh escapes me. I wish I knew, 'cause I'm gonna have to make a choice. But before that, there is a much more important event to come. In a few days it will be decided whether I will become the new leader or whether I will die.

I didn't know where my fighting spirit came from after all this time, but suddenly I was sure that I wasn't ready to leave this world yet.

I took a deep breath, ignoring the worried look from Kate, who was silently watching my inner struggle.

A small grin crept onto my lips. It was finally time for me to do something. I could no longer ignore what was happening here.

I needed a plan, I needed allies, and I needed Cyrian.