Aurelia's fingers traced the edges of the collar in the dim light of her chambers. The touch was soft, almost reverent, but the frustration and pain pulsing through her neck couldn't be ignored. She had spent hours pretending to rest, lying still in the heavy silence of the room, only to be consumed by the ever-present throb of the cursed object. It wasn't just a collar—it was a prison. A shackle. It was as if it had been forged not only to restrain her wolf but to bind her spirit, her freedom, her very will. And for the first time, Aurelia realized just how suffocating it was.
Her fingers skimmed over the smooth surface, careful not to make a sound. The guards stationed just outside the door were vigilant, and the last thing she needed was to draw their attention. The collar burned whenever her emotions flared, like it fed on her anger, her fear, and her desire to break free.
But there was something else—something she couldn't quite name. It wasn't just a suppressor. It was an enigma, ancient and dark, something far beyond the primitive magic of the Ironfang clan.
She shifted slightly in bed, angling herself so she could see the faint runes etched along its surface. The designs weren't familiar, not from any iron-working tradition she knew. They were too intricate, too precise. Too… old.
"What kind of magic is this?" she whispered under her breath, the question hanging in the air like a promise.
A sudden sound at the door made her freeze. She quickly pulled her hand away from the collar, trying to mask the unease flooding her chest. The door creaked open, and Aurelia's heart skipped a beat. She had barely enough time to hide the tension in her face as Mira entered the room.
"You're awake," Mira said softly, her voice laced with concern. She stepped inside, her eyes scanning the room for any signs of trouble.
Aurelia nodded, not trusting her voice. Mira, one of the few servants who didn't look at her like she was a prisoner, always managed to slip into the room as if she were part of the shadows. Her presence was a silent comfort, a break from the constant prying eyes and the suffocating silence of her captivity.
"I brought you something to eat," Mira continued, setting a small tray down on the table in the corner with quiet efficiency. Her fingers brushed over the delicate porcelain cups, the motion almost mechanical. "But I thought we might have a quiet word first."
Aurelia's gaze flickered to the tray of food but quickly returned to the collar around her neck. Her mind was still reeling, turning over the mystery Mira had hinted at when she first arrived. She needed to know more, needed to understand what was truly happening to her. This collar wasn't just a device for subjugation. It was something darker.
"What about?" Aurelia asked casually, masking her curiosity with a careful nonchalance. She didn't want Mira to think she was too eager for conversation, especially when it came to this.
Mira's eyes darted to the collar around Aurelia's neck, and for the briefest moment, Aurelia could see the hesitation in the other woman's eyes. Mira's gaze was soft, filled with an understanding that made Aurelia's chest tighten. She hadn't meant to make it obvious, but it was clear that Mira had noticed. The woman had a knack for seeing through the walls people built around themselves.
Mira lowered her voice, stepping closer to Aurelia. "The collar's not what it seems. It's not just to control you."
Aurelia's pulse quickened. She knows.
"I don't…" Aurelia trailed off, unsure of how to frame the question. "What do you mean?"
Mira hesitated, her hands wringing nervously. "There's something darker about it. Something you won't understand yet, but I've seen it before. Only… I didn't think it would ever be used on someone like you."
Aurelia's heart pounded in her chest. "What are you talking about?"
Mira leaned in closer, glancing over her shoulder nervously, as if making sure no one was listening. "It's an old magic—something far beyond anything the Ironfang clan uses. It's not just designed to suppress your wolf. It binds you in ways you don't understand. I've heard whispers… it's a prison. One you can't escape easily."
Aurelia swallowed, her fingers tightening around the edge of the bedpost as the words sank in. A prison. The thought was chilling, but it made sense. The collar had always felt more like a cage than a simple tool of control.
"So, what? I'm just supposed to sit here and wait? Until it kills me?" Aurelia's voice trembled, not from fear, but from the rush of raw emotion that surged through her.
Mira's eyes softened with pity, but there was something else in them. Something… urgent. "No. But you have to be careful. If you fight it too hard, it could do more than just drain you. It could break you. And they'll make sure you stay broken."
Aurelia met Mira's gaze, her mind racing. This was worse than she'd imagined. The collar was more than just a symbol of her captivity—it was a weapon designed to destroy her from the inside out.
"Why are you telling me this?" Aurelia asked, suspicion creeping into her voice. Why would Mira risk everything to tell her such dangerous truths?
Mira's eyes flickered away, her hands nervously smoothing the fabric of her apron. "Because… there's more at play here. Kaelen is dangerous, but the collar isn't just his doing. Someone else has a hand in this. Someone higher up than even him. I can't say more."
Aurelia's mind spun. She needed answers. She needed to understand the full scope of this web she had found herself tangled in. Kaelen, the brooding Alpha, was a part of it—but who else? And what was their true game?
Before Aurelia could ask more, Mira straightened, wiping her hands nervously on the hem of her apron. "I shouldn't be talking to you about this. You need to be careful, Aurelia. Don't trust anyone here."
The words stung more than Aurelia expected. She had thought that maybe, just maybe, she could find some ally in this place. But Mira's warning cut through that hope like a knife.
Mira paused at the door, casting a final, lingering glance at Aurelia. "Just… stay alive. You'll figure it out. You always do."
Aurelia didn't have time to respond before Mira disappeared, leaving her alone with her thoughts. The silence that filled the room was deafening.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of forced politeness and careful observation. Aurelia pretended to comply, eating the food they offered her, keeping her mouth shut, and watching the court unfold around her. She watched Kaelen, watched the way his eyes darkened when he caught her gaze, and how quickly he turned away. It was all part of the game.
But Aurelia's mind never stopped. She was plotting. She had to be. Every moment spent here, every second she was bound to that collar, was a second she was losing. And she wasn't going to lose her chance for freedom.
When the lights dimmed and the guards outside her door relaxed, she knew it was time.
Aurelia rose from the bed with practiced quietness, her heartbeat quickening. She moved across the room, her eyes scanning every inch of the stone walls. Her hand brushed against the cold surface, searching for any irregularities. She knew there had to be something.
Her fingers ran over the stone, feeling for anything that might give way. Her pulse raced in time with her thoughts, each beat echoing in her ears. Mira's warning rang in her mind, but it only fueled her resolve. She had to get out.
And then, her fingers found it.
A slight indent in the stone.
Aurelia's breath caught. She pressed harder, and the stone shifted, revealing a narrow tunnel leading downward, into darkness.
A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, a glimmer of hope in the otherwise bleak situation. She didn't know where the tunnel led, but it was a way out.
With one last glance toward the bed—her cage—she took a deep breath and stepped forward, into the unknown.
She wasn't going to wait any longer.