But the days that followed were a blur. The food they brought was barely edible, and the constant fear of the crowd’s hatred kept me on edge. I spent most of my time in a corner, shivering from the cold, my mind replaying the events of that night over and over again.
On what I thought was the fifth day, I heard familiar footsteps approaching.
"Ariana?" Cynthia's whisper came through the bars.
I crawled to the front of my cell. "Is anyone watching?"
"No, I made sure." She quickly passed some bread and dried meat through the bars. "I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner. They caught me twice trying to bring you food."
I devoured the food, trying not to cry at the first real meal I'd had in days. "Thank you," I managed between bites.
"Owen's ceremony is tomorrow," Cynthia said, settling down on the other side of the bars. "He'll be crowned Alpha."
My heart leaped. "Tomorrow? Then I'll be free soon?"
"That's what he promised, right?" Cynthia's voice held something I couldn't quite read. "Ariana... are you sure about all this? Something doesn't feel right."
"He loves me," I insisted. "He's my mate. Once he's Alpha, everything will be different. The pack will have to accept me when I'm their Luna."