Lioness

Chapter 1

*Saturday*

The dungeon was really just a torture room. Beige walls, smooth cement floors and chains hanging from the ceiling. My microfiber armchair sat against the far wall, facing our prisoner. Leo, my right-hand torture expert, awaited orders patiently.

"Wait until my clan finds me! You'll regret this you dim-witted cat!" Jason Montgomery yelled. The chains wrapped around his wrists rattled as he got riled up. I wish the sedatives worked a bit longer. I plastered a grin across my face.

"You see, my little one, your clan needs a lesson on trespassing our grounds. Just because I'm the new leader of the Oak Pride doesn't mean that I'll let you mutts run around our backyards." I said calmly, folding one leg over the other on my comfortable armchair. I caressed the soft red fabric and saw his eyes follow my fingers. Rumors were flying around about my insanity, so I usually played it up a bit. It really helped with the fear factor.

The dungeon had an almost cozy feeling to it, save for the lack of windows. The lighting of soft lamps on the four corners of the room provided a soft glow around the room. There was a big walk-in closet on the right side of the room which held various torture devices and medicine that was used to keep our prisoners sedated enough to avoid them shifting into animal form.

"Shall we kill him, Regina?" asked Leo. Ironic, a lion called Leo. A small chuckle escaped my lips before I could stop myself. I shook my head, settled deeper in my microfiber chair with a comfortable sigh. Leo stood beside Jason, our wolf prisoner, with a bloodied knife in his hand. Jason had a few shallow gashes across his chest, but nothing he wouldn't heal. We weren't using silver yet.

Jason's shoulder-length brown hair was matted, stringy almost. He wore boxers, for my "delicate sensibilities" as Leo had called them. I'd rather not have naked men in my dungeon. I liked them bloodied, not naked.

"I think we should challenge our little invaders, don't you, my sweet Leo?" I asked. Leo's eyed widened, his body tensed up. He didn't like the idea, but it was okay. I wasn't about to challenge one of the biggest shapeshifter clans to a war when I was just starting out as the new leader, the new Regina. Yes, Leo meant lion in Spanish and Regina was the official title of the female leader of a lion pride and also my name. Laugh it up.

Jason perked up. This was what he wanted, they'd been looking for ways to poke me into challenging them. They knew we could not be challenged after the Lycanthrope Council, the Pound as most shifters call them, had declared our Pride safe for the next three months. Most of the council were wolves, surprisingly. Everyone in the lycanthrope community knows the wolves are usually the ones who start trouble.

"You won't stand a chance! We'll feast off the meat of your weakling clan!" He yelled, once again rattling his chains. I stood quickly, marched up to him and slapped him. I was surprised at my own speed, as I think Leo was by his gobsmacked expression. The sting of the slap left my palm red.

"Stupid mutt. You don't even educate yourselves! We are not a clan; we are a Pride. Every group has its own name, not that you idiots would care. You only listen to the animals inside. We are more than that." I stated calmly, despite the shaking of my hand. I couldn't lose it like that. I was no longer any other lioness, I was the leader.

I took a deep breath and found myself calming down quickly. I took a seat on my chair once again, folding my right leg over the left in a lady-like manner. Or as lady-like as I could be with ripped jeans, bloody white tee shirt and black Converse.

"It doesn't matter, they will find me and kill you all." He whispered angrily. I laughed, full-throated and head back. He was truly an amusing prisoner. I turned towards Leo and gave a small nod.