Silent Defiance

Back in the cold darkness of my cell, my overworked muscles throbbed with a dull, relentless ache.

The brief reprieve ended abruptly when urgent whispers cut through the narrow space. I had barely been off my feet for a few hours.

"The Alpha demands your presence," one of the maids snapped, hovering nervously near the open doorway.

"You need to move right now," another chimed in, throwing anxio