Rise of the Dark Alpha

~ SASHA ~

"I'm going to do better than tell you," Nick said, his voice low and gruff. "I'm going to show you." Then he turned on his heel and started walking again. "Come on," he called back to her without turning to make sure she was following. "The Arena's just up here."

Sasha looked around, at the cages, and the unknown materials they were made of. It was all so surreal. And with each step they took, the picture just got darker.

She wanted to cry, and throw up her hands and run away. She wanted to make someone else deal with this. Put it on someone else's shoulders to figure out how to get around such an insurmountable enemy. But she knew she couldn't.

So, feet heavy with dread, she trotted after Nick, catching up with him before he reached the end of the wide stable corridor.

When they reached what she'd initially thought was a wall at the end, with some signs on it, Nick still didn't turn to look at her, but he started explaining as he lifted his card to the sensor at the end of the last cell, and suddenly the wall began to softly rumble.

"When the females are almost ready to mate, they're brought here to the stables, then when their day comes, we bring them in here," he said, watching the massive wall slide back. Sasha swallowed convulsively as the doorway widened to reveal an almost circular area right behind it. It really did look like an arena: Thick sawdust covered the wide circle which was bordered by high walls made of that terrible material again. But behind those walls, rows of seats rose almost to the high, arched ceiling on three sides. As they stepped inside, Sasha craned her neck to look around. There was nothing but seating—bleachers—around the arena to her sides and behind her. But straight ahead a large box, like something she'd seen at sports stadiums—with walls, and massive window at the front, and its own lighting. Probably other things inside it, too, but she couldn't see anything except that it existed.

This was a… viewing room?

Nausea pushed at Sashas throat. She had to swallow again and again.

"Why do you need all these seats?"

Nick looked around. "Oh, that's not for the breeding," he said casually. "We keep as few people involved in that as possible, so we don't interrupt the process. We have other kinds of gatherings and events here. It's a functional space."

Sasha wanted to ask, but before she could find the courage, Nick ushered her to the right where a sensor was installed flush in the circular wall. He held his card to it until the beeped, then clicked, and a portion of the wall swung out a few inches. He led her through to a stairwell on the other side, pulling it closed behind them until it clicked.

Soon they were seated in front of the large room that was walled in at the top. Sasha could see a couple people moving within it, but they hadn't turned on the lights, and it was shadowed.

"Stay as quiet as you can," Nick said, his voice lowered as Sasha became aware of sounds underneath the floor of where they sat. "These two are coming from the other barn. They're a little more sensitive. We don't want to disturb them."

Sasha just nodded, but found herself biting the inside of her cheek as another section of wall directly below where they sat, swung out wide and a moment later a massive wolf padded out, swinging its head left and right, then trotting a circle, sniffing the walls, ears forward and tail low.

"That's the male," Nick whispered. "He's looking for her. But they bring him in first so she won't get distracted by the handlers."

Sasha felt the frown pulling her face down. She didn't know what to say, because the wolf, though not as dark or as large as Zev, still reminded her of when he'd shifted in front of her. The thick, shaggy shoulders, the markings on the face. The eyes—this wolf's eyes were gold, though—that seemed to catch everything, and dismiss it, and move on.

This had been Zev. For three years. This was what they'd put him through.

There was another sound, a high whine from under the bleachers, then another wolf emerged from the wall. Far more cautious—she walked, rather than trotted. She was smaller, and a strange blonde-brown. But her tail and ears were high and although she crept in, looking back and forth, obviously searching for enemies, when she caught sight of the male, she stopped dead.

Then, with a small huff, she darted forward.

Sasha stayed there, stomach churning with nausea, mind trying desperately to absorb what was happening as they watched the two dance and flirt. The male following her, brushing against her body, attempting to mount her more than once. She would dance forward, even growl or snap at him. But always return as soon as he stopped.

She was flirting.

Sasha didn't know what to make of it. To her eyes, she watched a wildlife documentary. Two animals acting on instinct, drawing closer to each other, until finally…

Sasha turned away when the female lay didn't run from him, when she lifted her tail and stayed her ground.

This wasn't just animals. She knew that. There were human minds inside those bodies. Hearts with feelings and fears and…

And Zev had been here. Done this. With countless females.

Suddenly the soaring ceiling and echoing space didn't matter. She felt it all closing in on her. The small yips and growls from the arena spiked her nausea until she gagged.

"I'm going to be sick," she whispered, covering her mouth and swallowing hard. "I have to get out of here."

Nick looked at her, watched her almost lose her stomach when the male yipped again, then muttered something and got to his feet, leading her along the aisle, hurrying as she pleaded with him. But it was too late. Much too late.

She was years too late.

And her body rebelled against the thought.