IT'S EARLY the next morning when someone bangs hard on the metal door, instantly making me wide awake. "Rise and shine, rogue!" A muffled voice yells. I recognize it as the girl who brought my dinner last night. "You've got a big day of sitting in a cell ahead of you."

A small snarl is aimed at the door as I glance to the window across the room. Annoyance flashes through me. There's barely any light outside. The sun isn't even making a peek on the horizon. They must really like their early mornings.

With a grunt, I sit up on the cell's uncomfortable, shaggy mattress and swing my feet over the edge. The thin blanket falls to the floor, but I ignore it, not bothering to pick it up. Instead, I look at my wrists, examining how the shackles have already rubbed them raw and how they bite into my skin. I wince.

The girl's voice draws my attention back to the door. "I thought you would like to know that Alpha Sebastian will be out of the territory today. He has some alliance matters to attend to with a few of the surrounding packs." The girl's eyes appear in the small window on the door, and in them is a smug look. "He won't to be in to visit you at all, and that means no one's here to save you. Looks like it's just you and me."

"Great," I mutter, sliding off the bed to sit on the floor. I wish Sebastian had gotten these chains off me already, so I could be ripping that door from its track and tackling that self-righteous bitch to the ground. "Why don't you come in here so we can get better acquainted?"

She lets out a snort. "You have got to be kidding me. It was hard enough for me to step into the same room with something as lowly as you. Why the hell would I want to get to know you any more than I already do?"

I give her a malevolent smile, my blue eyes filling with a sort of evil mirth. "Oh, honey, I have my very, very good reasons. I'm sure you would love for me to tell you, but you seem to be too high on your high horse to want to hear them. It's not like I was a Future Beta or anything." The sarcasm in my voice cracks like a whip between us, thick and strong.

I watch her gaze darken as she grunts. "Says the ex-Future Beta." She enunciates the ex. "At least our Future Beta hasn't let his Charge die, or get injured, for that matter." For the second time since I've been here, someone takes a stab at Will. My hands clench into fists at my sides, turning my knuckles white. My jaw clenches hard, so much that I feel my teeth might break. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I hit a nerve?" I can just hear the smirk in her voice and it makes me want to smack it right off her face.

"I can't wait until I'm out of these chains," I growl, glaring up at her with the harshest look I can muster. "Because once I am, I can guarantee that I am going to take your ass to the floor. No one is going to get in my way of doing that. And I can tell you now that Alpha Sebastian isn't going to let anyone stop me, especially if he hears the way you're talking to me right now. I'm sure he wouldn't be too happy himself. So, why don't you just scurry off to your dirty, little guard's post and stand at attention until your Alpha comes back to visit me?"

Her eyes grow even darker as I speak, and they go black after I say my last sentence. She snarls, but doesn't make a move to open the door. Instead, she turns on her heel and storms away, probably back to her post. Smart move.

The next time Sebastian comes to visit, I'll be sure to ask her name. I'll be sure to ask him to tell me about her, that way I can get inside her head. I will try and take her down mentally, that way I won't have to waste my time doing that physically. Honestly, it's not as fun, but it's just as satisfying.

The rest of the day goes by very slowly. Only the occasional visit from the bitchy guard to bring me my food makes the day exciting with our back and forth banter. Back in my old pack, everyone was respectful to me because of my title, so I never had anyone really be rude to me the way this girl is. I must say, though, it's amusing to have someone like her to fight with.

I caught a glimpse of Troy and Ian once or twice through the window on the door; they ignored me when they passed by. Troy probably hasn't forgiven me for threatening to rip out his tongue, and seeing as Ian is his Charge, he probably hasn't either.

One good thing that I found out today is that I do have a good view of the dueling pits at the pack's training grounds from my cell's outer window. I enjoyed watching the shirtless men train, watching their muscles work. To tell you the truth, I'm still ogling over them. They have been training all day; I'm surprised they aren't tired yet.

Sebastian wouldn't want my view to be so spectacular. Those tan, well-muscled men working hard to increase their hand-to-hand combat skills. It's very attractive; no exaggeration needed. I mentally laugh at the sight of Sebastian being jealous; I can't see it very well, but I know he'd do it.

Alpha's are a lot more protective of their mates than any other werewolf, and they would do anything to keep other males from gaining their attention. He'd probably order me to a windowless cell, board up the window from the outside, or whisk me away and hide me in his room.

At the thought of my future mate, I turn from the window, abandoning my post of watching the evening training. The sun has finally started to set, the sky turning a beautiful, blazing orange as the edge of the sun kisses the horizon. I glance at the ramshackle bed, then at the gleaming, metal door. I can't help but wonder when Sebastian will return. The girl said most of the day, and most of the day is gone. I glance at the door again and a small ache appears in my heart.

Stupid mate bond. Why did Sebastian have to choose me? Why does he even want me as his mate anyway? I'm a rogue, an ex-Future Beta that got her Charge killed by being dumb enough to believe that he could make it through that course. My mood instantly sours as I trudge towards the bed. I slump onto it, resting my back against the wall.

I know it'll be hard to do, but I really need to forget about Will. Thinking about him and the way he died is only going to cause me pain. Hopefully, Sebastian and his pack can help me with that.

A small lump starts forming in my throat, more because of the frustration towards myself than at the thought of Will. I swallow hard, making the lump disappear. There's no time for weakness, especially when that guard is watching me like a hawk for anything she can use against me.

I settle onto the bed, grabbing theblanket from the floor and tossing it over me. The thin and tattered, cottonfabric does nothing to block the slight chill in the room. I glance towards thewindow, where the day's light is fading. My gaze returns to the metal door. Ifall asleep a while later, watching and waiting for it to open.