The cell was colder than Sarah had anticipated, the stone walls leeching the warmth from her body. A single sliver of moonlight filtered through a high, barred window, casting faint silver patterns across the floor. She wrapped her arms around herself, fighting off the chill and the fear gnawing at her insides.  

Every sound echoed in the silence—the drip of water from an unseen source, the distant rustle of leaves, and the occasional growl that sent shivers down her spine. She wasn’t alone.  

Footsteps. Heavy, deliberate.  

Her heart raced as the sound grew louder, each step like a countdown. When the door creaked open, the figure that filled the doorway seemed larger than life. It was him. The Alpha.  

He stepped inside, his golden eyes glowing in the dim light. Even in the muted shadows, his presence dominated the room, radiating an energy that was equal parts alluring and terrifying.  

"Why am I here?" Sarah demanded, her voice trembling despite her attempt at defiance.  

The Alpha tilted his head, studying her with an intensity that made her feel like a specimen under a microscope. "You're not like the others."  

"The others? What others?"  

His lips curved into a faint, humorless smile. "The others we capture. They break. They beg. But you..." He crouched before her, his eyes boring into hers. "You defy."  

Sarah’s pulse quickened. There was something dangerous in the way he spoke, like a predator playing with its prey. Yet, beneath the menace, she caught a flicker of something else—curiosity, perhaps? Or something darker?  

"You can't keep me here," she said, forcing strength into her voice. "People will come looking for me."  

The Alpha chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that sent goosebumps racing across her skin. "Let them. They won’t find you here. You’re in my world now, little human."  

Anger flared in her chest, momentarily eclipsing her fear. "I'm not some trophy for you to parade around. If you're going to kill me, just get it over with."  

At that, the Alpha’s expression shifted, the humor draining from his features. He leaned closer, so close she could feel the heat radiating from his body. "If I wanted you dead, you’d already be buried beneath the earth you ran through."  

A lump formed in her throat. She wanted to recoil, but her body refused to move. His proximity was overwhelming, his scent a mix of earth, pine, and something wild she couldn’t place.  

"Then why am I here?" she whispered.  

For a long moment, he didn’t answer. His gaze swept over her, and when he finally spoke, his voice was softer but no less commanding.  

"You’re... different. There’s something about you I can’t explain." His brow furrowed, as though the admission pained him. "And until I understand it, you stay alive."  

The words hung in the air between them, heavy with unspoken meaning. Sarah swallowed hard, trying to process his cryptic response.  

"Great," she muttered, her sarcasm a thin veil over her fear. "Glad to know I’m a science project."  

He smirked, the faintest trace of amusement returning. "Careful, little human. Your tongue might get you into trouble."  

Before she could respond, he stood abruptly, his towering form casting a shadow over her. "Rest. Tomorrow, we talk."  

"Talk about what?" she called after him, but he was already at the door.  

He paused, his hand on the frame, and without looking back, he said, "Your place in this world."  

The door closed with a heavy thud, leaving Sarah alone once more. Her place in this world? She hadn’t asked to be part of it. She wanted out, back to her life, her normalcy.  

Yet, as she leaned back against the cold wall, her thoughts were haunted by his golden eyes, the low rumble of his voice, and the strange pull she felt toward him.  

She should have been terrified. And she was. But mixed with the fear was something else. Something she didn’t dare name.  

Somewhere outside the cell, the pack howled in unison, their cries echoing through the night. And though she couldn’t see the moon, Sarah felt its pull—an ancient, primal force that made her wonder if she was truly as human as she thought.  

As the howls died away, one thought consumed her.  

What was it about her that had captured the Alpha’s attention? And what would happen when he found out?