Imprisoned by the Alpha King

The King's Birthday(2)

Mara wiped Kira's hand clean, causing her to scream in agony. She had no idea the king would step on her with his thorny boot. He appeared out of nowhere and noticed her touching the sculpture. Kira had touched it because she was drawn to it and felt a connection, not realizing the consequences. As a result, she and her friends were forced to kneel until sunset as punishment.

It was the price they paid for interfering with the king's property.

After hours of kneeling, they were finally released and taken to a separate cell within the mansion. Inside, they encountered two other humans who were in a similar situation.

"Don't ever pull a stunt like that again," Emily warned Kira as the guards locked them in the cell and left them alone.

"Don't blame her," Mara retorted, tending to Kira's injured hand. "She merely touched a sculpture, without even scratching it!" Mara hissed and rolled her eyes in frustration.

"Did she touch the Sculpture of the King?" Sandra, one of the humans they met in the cell, inquired. "How did she get away with touching the king's sculpture?" she asked, puzzled.

The girls exchanged shrugs and uncertain glances. None of them could answer Sandra's questions. They couldn't comprehend why Kira was spared. "The last person who approached the king's sculpture was beheaded, yet she touched it and is still alive!" Felicia, the other human, exclaimed, smiling at Kira. "Perhaps the king has something in store for you," she mused.

"He broke my hand," Kira wailed in agony as Mara wrapped a cloth around her injured hand. "All because I touched his stupid sculpture," she cursed the king.

"Be careful what you say here, little human," Sandra cautioned. "The king has eyes everywhere, and..." she paused, clearing her throat as footsteps approached. As two guards checked each cell, the dungeon fell silent. When they reached the girls' cell, they all pretended to be asleep.

"Stupid humans! They will die tomorrow," one of the guards remarked, with the other nodding in agreement. After counting the prisoners, they left the cell. The girls waited until they heard the guards' footsteps fade away, then opened their eyes and confirmed they were gone.

"What do they mean by saying we'll die tomorrow?" Kira asked, concerned.

"It means we're going to die. Tomorrow is the king's birthday, and everyone in this cell is forced to fight to the death in order to survive," Felicia explained.

"How barbaric! The king should be held accountable for this!" Kira exclaimed.

"Stop talking, little kid!" Emily chastised. "You've been running your mouth since you arrived, so if you don't have anything useful to say, just be quiet," she warned.

"Sorry," Kira apologized, shifting her gaze away and swallowing a lump in her throat. Tears welled up as she thought about her father and the loved ones she left behind in her world. Mara placed a comforting hand on her back, but they remained silent.

The others continued discussing the king's birthday and their survival plans. "Is there any way to escape?" Emily asked.

"You die if you try," Sandra replied. "I've been here for ten years, and those who attempt to flee are either killed by having their hearts ripped out or beheaded. Don't attempt to escape," she warned, leaning against the cell door.

"How can I survive then, if I can't escape? I'm going to die either way!" Emily sobbed, biting her lower lip. "I shouldn't have ventured into those woods," she cried, covering her face to hide her vulnerability.

"My husband and kids are going to be all alone now," Phaedra sniffled, wiping away her tears.

"Forget about your past and focus on tomorrow, because it could be our last day," Sandra reminded them before lying down, closing her eyes, and accepting her fate.

"I'll keep you safe, no matter what happens tomorrow," Mara whispered to Kira.

Kira looked into Mara's eyes, puzzled by the sudden affection. She wondered why Mara had made such a promise. "You remind me of my friend back in the human world," Mara explained as she lay down on the ground. "Everything will be fine," she reassured Kira.

"I hope so," Kira replied quietly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The girls were abruptly awakened by the loud ringing of bells and the creaking of cell doors. Kira winced beside Mara, accidentally hitting her injured hand against the ground. "Ouch," she exclaimed. "Take it easy," Mara stood beside her and blew air onto her hand. "You're crying over a hurt arm when I was electrocuted just for crying in front of the king," Sandra explained to the girls, who looked at her in astonishment. "Avoid the king at all costs. He is ruthless and doesn't care about anyone's feelings," Sandra warned as she walked outside the cell, joining the others from different cells. "Stay behind me at all times," Mara instructed Kira, who nodded in response. "If anything happens to any of us, let's promise to remember each other," Mara hugged Kira and ran her hand through her hair.

"Yeah," Kira said, grasping Mara's hand as they exited the cell. They walked down a long corridor with other prisoners who seemed to have spent their entire lives in the dungeon. There were at least thirty of them, most looking sickly and undernourished, as if they hadn't been fed in days. Kira observed each of them, puzzled by the king's deep-seated animosity towards humans. While she found the king to be a work of art and felt drawn to him, she also saw him as a heartless tyrant for imprisoning humans who merely crossed into their territory. They walked for five minutes until they reached a gate that swiftly lifted. As they walked out, they entered an arena filled with thousands of people. "Wow!" Kira exclaimed, taking in the vast crowd. Her gaze eventually settled on the king, seated high in the center of the arena, accompanied by an elegantly dressed woman in green. "He has someone," Kira reasoned, still staring at him until their eyes met. They locked gazes for a few seconds before Mara pulled Kira away from the others. In that brief moment, Kira felt another inexplicable connection to the king and had the urge to touch his handsome face.

"Welcome," a voice echoed through a megaphone. "Today is the king's birthday!" announced a middle-aged man standing in the center of the arena, flanked by guards. "Humans captured by the Gamma have been used as sacrificial entertainment for the king for years."

"Entertain the king," Mara whispered to Kira. "This is insane. What kind of person takes pleasure in killing others?" she pondered.

"Someone who believes he has absolute authority," Kira replied, raising her gaze to the king, who never once took his eyes off her. He had been watching her intently since she entered. "What exactly is happening here?" Kira's heart raced as she felt the king's piercing gaze. "Why is he staring at me like that?" she wondered.

"Three rogue wolves will be unleashed against the unarmed humans," the middle-aged man declared, bursting into laughter. The entire arena joined in the laughter.

"What are they laughing about?" Phaedra asked Sandra, who stood beside her. "They find pleasure in our deaths because they consider us weak. Our impending demise amuses them," Sandra said and pointed forward. Three wolves, standing about five feet tall with red glowing eyes, emerged from the gate opposite them. Growling, they circled the humans like predators stalking their prey. Kira clutched Mara's hand tightly as the wolves threatened to tear them apart with their sharp fangs. The arena fell silent as everyone watched, anticipating which human would be captured and torn to pieces by the savage wolves.