Contract With The Alpha King by Brey Mitchylle

Chapter 51

Fiona sat on the cold stone floor of the dungeon, her back resting against the rough wall. The air was heavy with a smell that she couldn't quite recognize. The only light came from the dim fire flickering along the walls, casting long shadows that made the place feel even more foreboding. The dungeon wasn't wet, but she could hear the distant sound of water dripping somewhere. It was unnerving.

She glanced around at the rows of cells that lined the walls. She immediately noticed most of them weren't empty. Faces stared back at her, some hollow, others filled with suspicion or indifference. She was inside one of the cells now, the guards having left her without any cuffs. Fiona looked at the thick bars that surrounded her.

They were large and coated with herbs-specific ones that could harm any werewolf. Touching them would cause immense pain, even for her. She kept her distance, knowing the consequences of getting too close.

She hugged her knees to her chest, trying to stay calm. How did it come to this? She was only trying to help. The accusation, the detainment-none of it made sense. Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice that echoed from a few cells down.

"Why are you here, girl? You don't look like you belong in a place like this."

Fiona blinked and turned her head, scanning the dark cells with her keen eyesight. Two cells away, she spotted the man speaking to-her. He was shackled against the wall, his wrists bound with chains, and his body slumped as though the weight of the metal had taken its toll over time. His voice was raspy but carried a strange sense of curiosity. He had long matted hair that covered most of his face.

"I don't know," Fiona admitted quietly.

The old man chuckled softly, though there was no humor in it. "Just like most of us," the man said.

Fiona frowned, her eyes still on the man. "Why are you here?"

"Ah, now that's a story for another time," he rasped, shifting slightly against his restraints. "But let's just say this isn't the first time I've seen someone like you down here-a maid, servant, an omega-wrongfully accused, caught in the politics of the court. How is the court outside? I heard they already started the Rite of Kings, despite having it earlier."

"Hey! Shut up!" another voice chimed in.

came from a younger man, his body covered in tattoos that twisted and curled along his arms and neck. Unlike the older prisoner, he wasn't chained to the wall. He stood casually at the bars of his cell, watching her with a

younger man said, his voice low but clean. "That old man's been in here longer than anyone. No one knows what

sure what to believe, but it was clear that this place was filled with dangerous people. Any one of them could turn on her at any

the stone walls. Fiona's heart skipped a beat. Almost immediately, the hairs on

man was unmistakable. Fiona had felt something like it before, but never this strong. It was the presence of an Alpha-raw, powerful, and overwhelming. The air felt heavy, pressing down on her chest, making

wrapped around the entire dungeon, and no one dared to speak. Even the younger man, who had been so bold moments before, took a cautious step back from the bars of his cell, his smirk fading. Fiona's

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Chapter 51

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though the very air had been drained of life, leaving only the oppressive power of the Alpha. Then, as suddenly as it came, the growl

head back against the cold wall, trying to push away the oppressive feeling in the dungeon. Her mind drifted to Queen Lyanna's words. The questioning would start in an hour,

footsteps echoed through the dungeon. She looked up to see one of the guards approaching her cell. He placed a small plate with bread and a cup of water just outside the bars. "Eat," he

place. The guard's eyes narrowed when she didn't move. "Don't test

for the cup of water first and drank it in one go, her throat dry from the stale air of the dungeon. But as soon as the water slid down her throat, she felt a sharp, stabbing sensation. Panic rose within her as the pain

Poison.

began to spread, but as her panic flared, a thought cut through the fear. Poison? No. Poisoning her in this place didn't make sense. It would be too reckless. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to clear her throat. The burning sensation began to subside, though the discomfort lingered. Slowly, she

to expect a reaction-panic, desperation but when none came, he let out a snort of disappointment and finally walked away. Fiona waited until his footsteps faded into the distance before allowing herself to sink against the wall, her mind

been trained to detect subtle changes in her body, and whatever she had ingested was