Chapter 149

I couldn’t tell how much time passed, but eventually the door opened, and Jeremy appeared with a plate of food in hand. He gave me a warning look, and I was smart enough to cower in the corner as he closed the door. There was something about him that made me uneasy, even if I much preferred his presence over Alyx’s.

He set the plate down in front of me, then took the chair for himself. He turned it around and sat with his arms propped on the backrest. A slightly curious expression crossed his face as I pulled the plate slowly toward me.

I was starving, but I didn’t know if I should trust the food.

“We didn’t poison it,” he said, as if he’d read my thoughts. “Like I said before, we’re not going to hurt you. We need you.”

“Sorry if I don’t believe that.”

He shrugged. “Starve to death then. It’s not like you’re getting out of here anytime soon.”

I considered him. He was right. I couldn’t go forever without eating or drinking anything. If I wanted to find a way out of here, I had to keep my strength up.

I drank some of the water first, reveling in the feel of the cold liquid on my dry throat. He’d brought me a ham sandwich, and I dug in right away.

“See, it’s not so bad.”

It tasted great but I’d never admit that to him.

“Where’s Alyx?” I asked around a mouthful of bread.

He grimaced at the sight but didn’t comment on it. “Busy.”

“That’s descriptive.”

He smiled.

“Is it your job to look after me now?”

He shook his head. “No, I have better things to do.” Ouch. “You belong to Alyx.”

“I don’t belong to anyone,” I snapped.

He just laughed. His dark hair fell into his eyes, and his expression softened. When he laughed, he seemed almost nice. Almost. I knew he was laughing at me.

It was startling how much he looked like Alyx. They could have been twins. I wondered if they had more brothers, but I didn’t want to ask.

I finished the sandwich. His face resumed its bored expression as he watched me. When I was done, I pushed my plate toward him and crowded back against the wall.

“You’re a fascinating creature,” he said. “Hidden away in your tower for so many years. Tell me, Princess, how does it feel to be out in the world? Not what you expected?”

I didn’t know how to respond. He was studying me, and I suddenly felt like a creature under a microscope. Not a person. Not some with feelings, or fears, or hopes.

“My brother’s looking for me,” I said. “My boyfriend, too.”

“We’re not afraid of either,” he answered. “They’ll never get in here, no matter what they do. I wouldn’t hope too much for a grand rescue.”

“Isn’t that what happens in fairy tales?”

He laughed again. “Is that what you think this is?”

I shook my head. More like a horror story.

He got up and shoved the chair away. It scraped across the floor, and I flinched back against the wall, eyeing him warily. The voice in my head rose as he took a step forward, and my claws descended. He watched my hands as he bent down to pick up my plate.

“I can do that too,” he said, his eyes flashing gold. His claws appeared, then disappeared. He growled low in his throat, and I flinched.

It took me a few minutes to get mine to go away. He watched the whole time, his expression inscrutable. When I finally calmed down enough to get them to retract, he was smiling. “You need to learn self-control,” he said.

“No shit,” I muttered.

A dangerous look crossed his face, and I held my breath. In a flash, it was gone again. It happened so quickly I could have imagined it, but I didn't think so.

“Someone else will bring you dinner,” he said. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

He left me alone. The moment the door closed behind him, my shoulders slumped. Tears pricked at my eyes, then rolled down my cheeks. If he was right, if there really was no way in here, then I couldn’t rely on Jack and Matt to save me. Either I found a way out on my own or I was trapped, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to find out the real reason I was here.

I got up and tried to open the door. It seemed to have some sort of touch-ID handle. It wouldn’t open under my hand, though it opened for both Alyx and Jeremy. I slammed my hand against the door, putting all my strength into it, but it didn’t even rattle.

My hand throbbed.

“Let me go!” I shouted. No answer. “Please!”

I screamed and clawed at the door until my voice was hoarse, and there was blood on my fingers. Finally, I slid to the floor with my back to the wall. The wounds in my hands began to knit back together almost immediately. Another werewolf perk I’d have to get used to.

I wanted Matt. I needed him. Tears rolled down my face, and I pulled my legs to my chest, burying my face against my knees. I didn’t know who I was, even what I was. I barely knew anything about being a wolf, and now the only people I had to help me were a family of psychopaths, hell-bent on starting another war.

Time passed, but I had no windows, no way of keeping track of the passing minutes. It felt like days passed, yet it also felt like only seconds before the door opened again and a boy I didn't recognize stepped through the door. He closed it behind him, watching me with a cautious expression.

“Dinner?” I mumbled.

He put the plate down in front of me and took the seat Jeremy had sat in earlier.

I pulled the plate toward me and eyed him curiously. He looked young. A few years younger than me, at least. He had chestnut hair and pale blue eyes. Freckles crowded his pale face and covered his arms. He was tall, and somewhat muscular, but he clearly hadn’t grown into himself completely yet.

“How old are you?” I couldn’t help asking.

“Seventeen.”

“That’s young.”

He shrugged. “We’re all young at some point.” He nodded at the food. “You should eat.”

He’d brought me a plate of mashed potatoes, green beans, and chicken. A large glass of water and a small brownie were also on the plate.

“I guess you guys aren’t trying to starve me,” I said around a mouthful of chicken. Now that I was looking at him, I could see the slight resemblance to Alyx and Jeremy. They had the same slanted smile and down-turned eyes.

He cocked his head. “Why would we?”

“I don’t know. Isn’t that what people do to weaken prisoners?”

“You’re not a prisoner.”

I looked around at the dim concrete room. “You could have fooled me.”

He turned, noticing the blood on the door for the first time. “That was silly,” he said. “You should conserve your strength.”

I just shrugged and continued eating.

“You’re the Maiden. You’re important to us. This is just a precaution.”

“Oh?”

“You’ve been raised by a wolf hater. Sorry if we don’t trust you immediately.”

“Fair enough.”

He was my favorite of the brothers so far. He didn’t have the same glint in his eyes that his older brothers did. I still didn’t know what Alyx or Jeremy were capable of, but they scared me. This one just seemed like a normal kid. A normal kid with a very fucked up family.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Noah.”

“I’m Celeste.”

“Yes, I know.”

We sat in silence as I finished the rest of my plate. His eyes never left my hands. They’d given me a plastic fork and knife, but they clearly weren’t taking any chances. The minute I was done, he took everything from me, his movements cautious.

He made it to the door before I stopped him. “What do you want from me?”

He glanced over his shoulder. “Me? Nothing.”

With that, he opened the door and left me alone. I jumped when it slammed shut.