Prince Ryker

Chapter 1

Hurring down the dusky passageway I made my way down to the musty dungeons. Keeping close to the walls I made sure that I was as invisible as possible. Ducking into the shadows, and holding my breath as I passed each guard. Even so I can still feel their gazes sweep across my body. At every glance the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Pushing down my fear I pick up my pace down the passage.

As an omega I am the lowest ranking pack member and therefore I am subjected to dealing with all the hate from the rest of my pack. Quite often I am literally used as their punching bag. My body still aches from the bruises I gained a few nights ago when I went to get a drink in the middle of the night. I knew I should have never left my room. But it's my fault in the end and I absolutely deserve it. I am the week link in the pack, I can't shift. I never have been able to. Most wolves are able to shift by 5 at the latest 7. But here I am at 20 not even a slight shift. When I was 10 and still hadn't shifted my parents had abandoned me to the rouge pack I am in now. I was too much of an embarrassment for them to have in their pack. So they just left me here and I have been here ever since. Sure I had thought about running away, but where would I go? No other pack is going to want a broken wolf like me. Who knows how they would treat me. It could be so much worse than what happens now.

Pushing back my memories I focused on my current task. Tucking a strand of my long blonde hair behind my shoulder I made my way into the hall dungeon. This far down there weren't any guards, as the only way to escape is through the main passage. Pulling the heavy metal door back I entered the hall of cells. The only sound that accompanied me was the door clicking shut behind me. Slowly I made my way down the short hall to the last cell. It was currently the only occupied one.

Bending down I placed the tray of food on the ground. All it held was so watered down oats and a single cup of water. I looked up to make sure he wasn't near the bars. I pushed the tray into the cell. When the man had first arrived he had been so angry and violent. His glowing steal colored eyes use to shine with anger. His once tanned skin now was dull and pale. Eyes as dim as the cell itself. With bags all but permanently marked his face. The first few times I ever brought him a tray he would throw it right back out of the cell. Not even bothering to look at it. But the forth time he did it the tray hit me in the ribs where a cracked one had barely mended. The force of it had knocked me to the ground. Because of the noise the guards had come in, but not wanting to cause the man any other pain I told them I had tripped. I think that's when he stopped being so angry towards me.

Now I watch as the man slowly stands, bracing himself on the cold stone wall. A grunt of pain escaping his lips as he rises. The man's back and chest were absolutely covered in a coating of dry blood and dirt. What was left of his clothing was in shreds. Slowly so slowly he made his way to the bars of the cell. There he fell to his knees and shoveled the oats down quickly, then chased them with the small cup of water. When he was done he fell back to his behind. Sitting across from me his blank eyes met mine as I bent to pick up the tray and cup he had pushed halfway back through the bars. But as I went to pull it away a cool hand reached out to mine. His fingers ran across the bruise covering my wrist. At the contact instantly tingles ran though the spot and continued up my arm.

Lurching back at the contact I fell backwards landing with the tray in my lap as the cup rolled across the ground. The man's hand still lingered for a moment longer outstretched to me, till he slowly backed off. "You bring me food every day at the same time, and it's always the same thing. But yet every day there is always a new mark on you. Some new scratches. Who does this to you? Why do they hurt you too?" The man asks his voice full of ice.

Picking up the tray and cup quickly I rise. "It's nothing, I am just clumsy." I say not wanting to admit to this man how weak I truly am as an omega. But it shocks me more than anything that he is speaking to me. He has been here for weeks if not months and this is the first time he has ever said a word to me. But I guess he isn't done shocking me for the day yet because he continues speaking to me. "What is your name?" Not giving myself time to think about the consequences of talking to him I answer. "Rosalyn."

"Rosalyn" He says in a husky tone. "Who are you, are they holding you captive as well? Is that why they are beating you?" He asks. Not answering him I reply with my own questions. "Who are you? Why are you being held in the dungeons? Why are they torturing you? What did you do to them?"

"Ryker thats my name." He answers. I wait a moment to see if he will answer any of my other questions but he doesn't. He just stares at me as if waiting for something. After even more time passes he raises a dark brown brow clearly surprised at something. "I must be going, they will wonder why I am taking so long." Turning to leave, I leaned to a halt as he grabbed my arm. Once again the tingles flood my body spreading from the point of contact.

Ryker pulled me towards him so that I was pressed against the bars. Fear lurched through me. What was he going to do? Would he just kill me out of spite? My heart pounded in my chest as his other hand came up. But Ryker didn't hurt me; he merely slid his knuckles across my cheek where a bruise was just starting to yellow. The touch was so soft but I could feel just how cold he was. Looking into his eyes I got lost in them for a moment. What I once thought were vacant eyes now had a quiet spark growing in their depths. Ryker is quite beautiful now that I can truly look at him. Even with his long black hair tied covered in grim he still manages to make it work.

He is so utterly huge compared to my small five seven frame. Ryker has to be at least six five. If not taller, his hand alone could cover my face. His soft gaze holds mine as he pushes a strand of my hair back. Running a light touch over my jaw. "Why do they hurt you flower?"

"It's my fault, I am broken. I'm not even a real wolf, I can't shift."I blurt out my gaze casting down to the floor. I listened to Rykers surprised inhale, he paused for a moment before speaking again. "You are a wolf, no shifter is the same, you may just be coming into your powers late." He said in a hopeful voice. Keeping my head lowered I shook my head. I had once thought the same, had hoped the same but after so many years, I have come to terms with never shifting.

Pulling away from him I backed away. "I must go." Without waiting I turned and left the cells, hurrying back to the kitchen to continue my work. Yet even now I could still feel the trace of his fingers on my skin and the fire they left behind. 

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Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed! Please comment and vote!! I love to read all of your comments and I will try to respond to as many of them as I can! And if you have any ideas for the story please let me know! I would love to have your input! I will try and update as often as I can but I and working on many stories and I and very busy! Thank again for reading! Love you guys!!