I refused, and I lost my bed.” She shrugged and pouted. “It was a real nice one, too.”
I grinned. “Don’t worry, we’ll get us one each. Better than the last. You just tell me what I need to know.”
She gave me a weighing stare, then nodded. “Yeah, ok.”
I listened to Charlie very closely as she informed me about the east, north and south alphas and their packs. The alphas had their pick of the strongest prisoners. Becoming a member of a pack was the same as in the outside world, except it was no holds barred for challenges. The Prime didn’t stop challenges, and if they were to the death, no one seemed to care. But his word was law. If he said roll over, you did. If he said jump, you asked how high.
I snarled. Dominance from an alpha male, or any male had never worked well on me, probably because I hadn’t been born a pure shifter. I saw no reason to change my attitude and allow it now. Even Connor, who I’d suspected was powerful enough to become a Prime someday, hadn’t been able to force his will on me. Perhaps that knowledge made me reckless with my safety, but I would not be dominated by any male—human, shifter or anything else. Being kidnapped and shoved in here was bad enough.
We ditched our trays and bowls and sauntered into one of the gen pop halls.
“What’s the deal with power in here?” I asked as we found a wall to lean against. “Who does deals? Gets things?” I finger brushed my hair, not giving a shit that it looked the most bizarre it had in years. The top few inches were a shade of fiery red that looked totally dyed and the bottom was still dyed a bright blonde. Even Som’s glamour had needed a little help every now and then.
Charlie chuckled. “Oh, there are plenty of people who can deal in flesh, but if you’re thinking of anything else...don’t. The guards come down hard on anyone in gen pop trying to trade with them for goods from the outside, and the Prime stomps on anyone from the packs who try it. There is no outside world for us now. This is it.”
“Yeah, but why? I don’t get it. I’m here without a trial and I’m guessing most other people are, too. What’s the deal with this place? Why are we here?”
Charlie chewed her bottom lip. “Not sure, but it has something to do with the packs and the females that disappear every month.”
“Hmm, sex trade?” It seemed a long shot though. Dealing people for sex was done outside prisons everywhere in the world. This would be a bloody expensive set up just for that.
“Can’t see the point in locking us up for that.” Charlie echoed my thoughts.
Too wound up to stand in one place, I wandered away. Exploring the wings, or at least the entrance to the pack wings, was on my agenda for the day.
Charlie followed me. “The women in gen pop can belong to a pack. If a pack agrees to accept their request, they get a pack mark, and even if the pack doesn't claim them as a full member they can enjoy its protection, they just can’t go with anyone from another pack, or live in the pack’s wing.”
“Why not?”
Charlie shrugged. “Don’t know. Too many people? Who knows?”
I gave her the side eye. “Why don’t you do that then? It seems like a safer way to live.”
“Nah, I don’t do men. I’m strictly a women only gal.”
“And? Don’t the packs have gay women?”
Charlie shrugged. “Not that many, and the males in the packs generally don’t want to see women together.”
I rolled my eyes at their misogynistic bullshit, but kept my mouth shut. I didn’t know enough about this place to understand or openly judge.
At the far end of the hall was a large doorway. Four large, hardass males stood guard. I slowed and leaned against the wall, intrigued. They let people in, checking the backs of their hands or their necks for what I presumed were pack marks.
“What’s in there?”
Charlie shrugged. “Some sort of training gym. It’s not for us gen pop trash. I tried to get in a few times and was thrown out on my ass. It’s not worth the hassle.”
I wasn’t sure about that. Flashing her a grin and a wink, I prowled closer, inhaling the stink of sweat and blood that drifted out of the doorway. I stopped and