The alpha grabbed our wrists and slammed us forward. Her grip tightened.
"You're coming with me," she said coldly.
She shoved us into a cell. I collapsed to the stone floor and watched as she locked the iron door, still holding onto my sister.
"Wait, don't hurt her! She didn't do anything!" I hung onto the bars, throwing myself between the door and Lily.
"Aww, you care about her?" the alpha sneered.
"Lyra, I'm scared," Lily whimpered.
"You should be," the alpha said, voice empty.
"I swear if you hurt her I-" My voice cut off.
"You'll what? Kill me? From behind that cage?" She laughed low and sharp. Her fingers tightened around Lily's wrist. A cut opened; crimson blood seeping through her claws. Lily flinched.
"I'm taking someone important to you," the alpha said, eyes gold. "Just like you took someone important from me."
I swallowed hard, panic rising in my throat. "Lyra!" A hollow voice called down the corridor. The alpha turned, wiping her hands.
"She's innocent!" I snapped, meeting her gaze. "I attacked you. Not her."
"Do you take me for a fool?" She spat. "Of course you were the attacker, what child could manage that?"
"Listen, you lousy dog. You can't keep me here forever. Our father will know we're missing and he'll leave nothing but a trail of blood.
She growled, hand banging against the bar. "Watch your mouth princess. You can't keep rambling about your father. He's weak now from the holy water."
Rage boiled within me. I spat at her. The wet sting on her cheek made her stumble.
"You're going to regret that," she said, wiping my spit away. "I'll leave the door open so you can hear your little sister cry."
"Oh, and one more thing-" She added. Before I could breathe, a cold spray hit my neck. Holy water fizzled against my skin like acid. My limbs had weakened. My breath shuddered.
"Enjoy the holy water," the alpha said, and her footsteps faded.
Alone in the cell, I pounded the iron door with trembling fists. "Lily!" I screamed. "Lily, can you hear me?" No reply. My breath started to stutter. My chest tightened. My hands shook. The panic rose from my stomach up into my throat. Nausea rolled through me. Sweat dripped from my brow. I tried to count my breaths but the air felt thin and heavy, like the room was closing in.
"L-Lyra." Lily's voice came, raw and far away.
"Lily!" I tried to rise, but the holy water had weakened my legs. I crawled and collapsed again. It felt as if the world had titled.
"Lyra," Lily coughed violently. "I think those silver mists got in my lungs. It's hard… hard to breathe. Why would dad make a weapon that hurts us too?"
"My phone-" My hands fumbled in my pocket. My fingers fumbled it open… dead. No charge, no signal.
"Lily… do you have your phone?" I gasped.
"N-no," she whispered. "I left it at home."
Nothing but guilt. If I'd stayed with dad none of this would have happened. My chest ached with a weight that wasn't just pain; it was a crushing, agonizing sorrow.
"It's my fault," I choked. "If I hadn't-"
"No, Lyra," Lily coughed. "It isn't-" Her voice thinned.
"Lyra," she called again, voice breaking. "I don't think I can-"
"Stay with me!" I begged, coughing as well. Pain on my side. My vision began to haze. I pressed my back against the cold wall and tried to breathe. Breathe in for three, hold for one, and out for four… anything to keep the panic from consuming me.
Footsteps and voices echoed outside. The alpha's shadow fell across the doorway as she stepped in.
"I came to check on you," she said, leaning against the frame.
"You can keep me here as long as you like. Just release Lily. She did nothing." My voice broke.
"How about no?" She answered, amusement curled in her tone.
"All she wanted was to see outside. She loved everyone. She won't after tonight."
She leaned in close, eyes bright with cruelty.
"You vampires disgust me. I don't care if your sister dies. You took someone from my pack; you hurt my people. Enjoy the cell while you still can. I've always wondered what vampires taste like." She turned as the door shut with a loud thud that echoed.
I crawled towards the bars, each movement taking an ounce of my strength. Lily's breaths came as tiny, strained gasps. My vision blurred. I dragged myself to the wall placing a hand there.
"I'll get you out," I promised, though my voice felt like a faint whisper.
Something blurred in the doorway. A female figure with peach colored hair. Hands lifted me as if I weighed nothing.
"Shh. Easy now, children. I've got you." She said, then everything went black.