Page 19 of Alpha Fate

Fang snorts and jerks his shoulders up. “Think what you like. I’m keeping my nose out of all of it. None of my business.”

“Coward,” Tank taunts him.

“At least I’ll be a living coward. Rack catches you messing with his breeder, you’re as good as dead.” He turns away, flicking a hand dismissively. He makes for the door, and suddenly, I’m alone with the other male.

He stands there, running his eyes over me. “Pity you’re a reject,” he says eventually, nudging me with the toe of his boot.

My lip curls as I snarl at him. If I could bring my wolf out, he wouldn’t be so smug anymore. I think he guesses what my thoughts are, because his mouth twists into an ugly smile.

“Won’t be long before we knock the sass out of you, bitch. Let’s start by keeping you a little thirsty, shall we?” He kicks away the water bowl they’d set down when they came in earlier. Water splashes across the floor. I don’t bother looking at it. I wasn’t planning to drink, it anyway.

“We’ll see how you feel in a day or so.” He rolls his shoulders as he walks away, locking the door behind him. I wait until his footsteps have faded into silence before I allow the tension to ease from me.

How much longer?

How much longer am I going to be able to take this? They said I’d been here weeks. Weeks! I don’t want to believe it, but it’s probably true. When I run my fingers down my sides, I can feel every one of my ribs. As I slump back, the ridges of my spine bite painfully into the cold stone of the wall. And now that I’ve gone over a day without eating at all, my belly feels like it’s hollowed out.

But this damn thirst.

It feels unnatural. Probably my body dealing with whatever toxins are flooding my system. I pull in a breath and shut my eyes. It was almost easier when I was semi-conscious. At least then, I didn’t have to fight off the fear that clarity brings.

I roll my head back, letting it rest against the wall as I will my mind to settle.

It’s how I’m still sitting when I hear the door open again. I stiffen at once. They don’t normally come so often.

Is it Tank?

I brace myself, anticipating his taunting voice as the cell door swings open.

It’s not him. In fact, I’ve never seen this male before. He’s tall, like most of them, but moves with a smooth stealth that makes me wonder what he’s here for. As if to confirm my suspicions, he glances over his shoulder watchfully before stepping in and walking right up to me. He holds out a cup.

“Water,” he says. I frown in confusion. They just brought me water. Why is he bringing more? “It’s safe to drink.” He looks over his shoulder again. His dark hair is shot through with silver strands at the temples. He’s a little older than the others; fine grooves bracket his mouth, which flickers into a half-smile.

“What do you want?”

“To help.” He presses the cup toward me. “I know what those fuckers have been doing to you. You can’t touch the stuff they bring you. It’ll mess you up.”

“I know,” I mutter. Though I don’t see why this should be any of his concern.

“Drink it. At least it’ll keep you going a while longer.” The cup is still hovering inches from my face. Every cell in my body feels like it’s straining to reach it.

Goddammit!

I can’t decide what to do. If I drink it, and it’s okay, I’ll keep going a little longer, as he says. And if it’s drugged, what difference would it make? I’ve been in and out of consciousness, anyway.

Except if Gage comes back, I’ll be in no condition to get out of here.

Shit, shit, shit!

“It’s not drugged. You’ll stay conscious,” he says, echoing my thoughts with uncanny precision.

I stare at it. He stands, unmoving, still holding the drink out. Throwing caution to the winds, I reach for it and raise the cup to my mouth. I keep my eyes trained on him as I take a mouthful.

Oh, God, yes!

It’s cool and clean-tasting. Not like the muck they’ve been bringing down. I gulp thirstily, not stopping until the cup is empty.

When I’m done, he takes it from me. “Can’t leave this here. If they find it, they’ll know something’s up.”