Chapter 1

Rylan

The bus jostled and jolted as it made its way towards the prison, the bright sunlight streaming through the windows. I peered out, my eyes squinting against the glare. An eerie silence enveloped the vehicle, broken only by the muted conversations of a few prisoners seated behind me. The seat beneath me was worn and uncomfortable, adding to my mounting discomfort. My hands were bound by handcuffs, an unnecessary precaution, I thought, as I had no intention of attempting an escape. I knew better than to try something foolish.

I took a deep breath, my hands trembling slightly, drawing the attention of one of the guards. His gaze was filled with contempt, his disdain for me and the other prisoners palpable. As we neared our destination, the imposing prison complex loomed into view, a stark reminder of my betrayal. My best friend, my brother, had turned his back on me, his self-preservation taking precedence over our bond. It was a bitter pill to swallow, a lesson in the harsh reality that I was alone.

Fear gripped me as I contemplated my future within those walls. The other prisoners, tall, muscular, and intimidating, were a stark contrast to my slight and timid frame. I knew I would stand out, and not in a positive light. Taking another steadying breath, I tried to steel myself for what lay ahead.

Before long, we arrived at the prison. I was roughly ushered off the bus by one of the guards, my shoulders sagging under the weight of my apprehension. I considered shooting him a hateful glance but thought better of it. There was no point in antagonizing those who held my fate in their hands. Instead, I joined the line of prisoners, moving forward with trepidation.

Then, out of nowhere, I felt a hand grab my ass. Instinctively, I tensed, but I knew better than to react. The man behind me, his body a canvas of tattoos and scars, was a formidable presence. I was acutely aware of my powerlessness in that moment.

As the line progressed, we were separated, and I found myself wondering what would come next.

I stood trembling as the guards finished stripping me of my clothes, my skinny frame left vulnerable and exposed.

I thought many things were going to happen here, but I didn"t think they were going to remove my clothes. I knew that I would have to wear an orange jumpsuit, but removing my clothes in front of everybody? Leaving me completely exposed and feeling so bad about everything? That I didn"t think was going to happen.

The cold, harsh fluorescent lights of the prison bathroom gleamed off the pale, scarred skin that I tried so hard to keep hidden.

I loathed it intensely. Wishing I had tanned before arriving here was a passing irritation, albeit minor. In contrast to the challenges I faced, it paled significantly. In essence, it was inconsequential.

My black hair, usually carefully styled, now hung in disarray around my face, partially shielding my brown eyes from the leering gazes of the men around me.

I knew why they were looking at me. It was because I was different. I was probably the closest to a woman they had seen in a long time.

This was it. I was once a free Omega and now was at the mercy of the inmates and guards of Blackrock Prison. And all because of him.

I didn"t think I would ever hate him as much as I did now. My blood boiled just thinking about the betrayal. Once I was out of here — and I was sure I would — he would feel my wrath.

"Look at this pretty little thing." One of the guards, a burly man with a scar across his cheek, stepped forward, running his eyes over my body with a disgusting smirk. "Bet you ain"t used to being without your clothes, are ya, boy?"

I wasn"t, but I also wasn"t thinking about that. I was thinking how much I hated him. Did I think that prison guards were good? No, but I also wasn"t prepared to be humiliated like this.

I bit my lip, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response. I knew better than to anger them; my trial had made that clear. The judge"s words still rang in my ears: "Rylan Nightfang, you have been found guilty of the crime of treason against the pack. Your punishment is to serve a term of twenty years in Blackrock Prison." Twenty years. My heart sank at the thought of spending that much time in this hellish place.

That was why I promised myself I would get out of here one way or another. I was going to try to prove my innocence, but if it didn"t work, I would try to do something else.

"Come on, pretty boy." Another guard, slightly less intimidating but no less cruel, grabbed my arm, his grip tight and painful. "Time to meet your new cellmate. Hopefully, he"ll teach you some manners."

At least they gave me the orange jumpsuit, but it was barely enough. It didn"t really make me feel covered. It was too big for me. It was probably made for the big, burly prisoners in the prison. Yet another reason why I was going to stick out here like a sore thumb.

I stumbled as the guard dragged me out of the bathroom, the rough concrete walls of the prison a stark contrast to the luxurious life I once knew.

I had everything. It was good. I had luxury and so much money available. I could only think that my brother betrayed me so he could have everything I had. It had to be that. I couldn"t think of another reason why he betrayed me.

My mind raced as I tried to push down the panic rising within me. I thought of my family, my pack, and the life I had lost.

I couldn"t stop thinking about how much I was going to suffer in this prison. It was notorious for being the worst in the entire state. Nobody wanted to make this place better. They all thought it was good enough the way it was.

All of this was happening because of Adrian. My former best friend, my brother, had set me up, framed me for a crime I didn"t commit, and now I was paying the price.

I wanted to kill him with my bare hands. If he were right in front of me, I wouldn"t be able to stop myself. My body was shaking just thinking about how much I wanted to do that.

The guard halted in front of a heavy metal door, the small window set into it offering a glimpse of a shadowy figure within. My heart hammered in my chest as I wondered what kind of inmate I would be sharing my space with.

I didn"t want to share space with anyone, but it wasn"t up to me. I just hoped he wasn"t going to kill me. I knew that someone like him could probably sniff out weakness, and I had a lot of it.

He was probably another wolf, I presumed, as Blackrock was a specialized prison for shifters. Because I was a shifter as well, I was taken here. There were prisons for humans. I wished I was in one of those, even though I would stick out even more.

Without a moment"s pause, the guard unlocked the door and forcefully ushered me into the cramped cell, the metallic click of the lock reverberating through the confined space. He showed no concern for my autonomy, merely focused on executing his duty, which currently entailed confining me within these walls.

The figure within stood, and my breath caught in my throat. He was doing push-ups before, but after realizing he had a cellmate, he stopped doing that. He wanted to know who was going to be rooming with him.

This moment was so tense I just wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole.

My cellmate was massive, towering over me with muscles that strained against his orange prison jumpsuit. I immediately thought they should make him bigger clothes.

Tattoos snaked up his neck and disappeared beneath the fabric, suggesting a body adorned with ink. Though I had no reason to pry, I found myself pondering the significance of each mark. Yet, knowing he would never divulge their meanings, dwelling on them seemed futile.

His hair, a deep brown, was cropped close to his head, and intense brown eyes assessed me from beneath thick eyebrows. Just from looking at him, I could tell he was an alpha. And, I was an omega. We shouldn"t have been paired together. There were so many horrible things he could do to me just because I was what I was.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" A deep, gravelly voice rumbled from him, sending a shiver down my spine. I couldn"t place his accent, but it had a hint of a Mexican lilt to it.

He was probably from Mexico and a member of a cartel. This couldn"t be worse. I knew my cellmate was probably going to be a member of a gang, but a cartel mobster? That I didn"t think was going to happen. He was much more dangerous than I thought he was going to be.

I cautiously took a step back, my heart racing in my chest. Sweat was already beading on my skin, the urge to shower overwhelming despite the impossibility of it. I was acutely aware that now wasn"t the time for such luxuries.

I knew nothing of this wolf, and my instincts screamed at me to be cautious. Should I say something? Should I remain silent? The only thing I knew was that everything I did had to be considered at least a few times beforehand. Otherwise, I might endanger myself.

"I-I"m Rylan," I stammered, my eyes flicking around the cell, taking in the two narrow beds, a small table, and a few meager possessions.

There wasn"t much. There wasn"t even enough space for the two of us. He occupied so much space. He needed his own cell, no denying it.

The wolf smirked, and I noticed the hint of a dimple on his cheek. Just as I thought, he didn"t only now that he was the one in charge here, but he also found me funny. It was yet another reason for him to bully me.

"Mateo," he introduced himself.

He didn"t say it, but I quickly noticed the famous Solstice tattoo around his neck. That already told me a lot about him and it wasn"t anything good.

I swallowed, my throat dry. "I"m Rylan," I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. I knew the Solstice name; everyone did. Mateo was a member of the notorious Nightshade Wolves cartel, a pack known for their brutal tactics and illegal dealings. Fear prickled at my skin as I realized the company I now kept.

Things were definitely getting worse. Not only was he a gangster and a member of a cartel, but he was also with the Nightshade Wolves. I had heard so much about them. I had to be even more careful around him.

"And the rest of your name?" he inquired, his gaze penetrating mine. Did he really want to delve into that as well? It felt as though he were scrutinizing me, assessing my entirety.

"Nightfang," I answered, even though I didn"t want to. I realized that the less he knew about me, the better.

"Nightfang, huh?" Mateo raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "That name carries some weight "round here."

I flinched, knowing the truth of his words. My pack, the Nightfangs, held a certain amount of power and influence, but it was all built on a foundation of lies and corruption. Lies that I had helped perpetuate until Adrian had turned on me.

Everything about my family was built on lies. Maybe that was the reason why Adrian betrayed me. I was trying to change it, trying to do something better, but I couldn"t.

"It wasn"t me," I blurted out, my eyes pleading with him to understand. "I didn"t do what they said I did."

I didn"t know why I said that. It wasn"t like he accused me. On top of that, I didn"t think it was going to change anything. If anything, it was only going to make everything worse.

To my surprise, Mateo chuckled, a deep sound that seemed to fill the small cell. The weight of his presence was undeniable. Even if he were somewhere else and the place was bigger, I would still only be looking at him because he stood out in a good way. Everybody was afraid of him.

"Innocent, huh? They all say that." His eyes glinted with a hint of humor, but only because he found me so funny. I wished I wasn"t. I was out of my element. I couldn"t even do anything to change his mind about me. Even if there were something I could do, it wouldn"t work.

"I am," I insisted, my voice stronger this time. "Adrian set me up. He was my best friend and brother. I would have done anything for him, and he knew it." My voice cracked as I thought of the betrayal, the pain still fresh.

The only other reason why the betrayal happened was because I trusted him so much. I should"ve done something. I should have realized it was going to happen. When I noticed something was amiss, it was already too late.

Mateo"s gaze softened, and he took a step forward, closing the distance between us. I took a few steps back. The first thing I thought he was going to do was hurt me. Right on my first day here, my cellmate was going to hurt me. It couldn"t get much worse than that.

"I know all about family, about the things we do for them." His voice was quiet, almost gentle, and I sensed there was a story there, one that perhaps mirrored my own.

And yet, he wasn"t going to tell me anything. He didn"t have a reason to do that.

I nodded, my eyes downcast as I struggled to keep the tears at bay. "He used me," I whispered. "And now I"m paying the price."

And I didn"t think Mateo believed me. Why would he believe me, anyway? There was no reason he should. Not without evidence, anyway.

"Seems like you"re paying for more than just your own crimes." Mateo accused and I dared to meet his gaze again. It was probably the bravest thing I was going to do in a while.

"It"s the way of the world, little omega." He took another step closer, his presence overwhelming in the confined space. "And it"s also the reason why you"re here with me."

I anticipated a different response from him, but instead, he simply turned away and resumed his push-ups. As I stood there, observing him, my body trembling and my mind racing, I realized there was much to contemplate, and none of it seemed good.