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Connor stepped forward and shoved the bottle into Beatrice's face.  The liquid sloshed around inside the green glass, while Beatrice stared at it was vile of poison. I looked over at Benedick, who was slowly opening and closing the hand not supporting Beatrice.

Please do not hit him. I pleaded inside my head, while I fought my own urge to do just that.

The Alpha looked over his shoulder and made a motion for someone, that I could not see, to step forward.

Two more faces appeared at the top of the stairs moments later. They belonged to none other than Alpha Christopher and Alpha Damien.

"See gentlemen, even though the Lunera in the program receive special treatment, like getting escorted by my own son," The Alpha nodded towards us. "They are still punished when they step out of line."

Connor turned his face up towards the Alpha. "What do you want me to do with her, Alpha?"

"Anything you want Conner. Surprise us with some creativity."

Alpha Christopher let out a small laugh. "Shouldn't you pick the punishment yourself Alpha?"

The corner of Alpha Luca's mouth twitched. "Why would I need to when my man is more than capable."

"Well if I were to also copy your program, as you so desperately want me to do, I would want to be very hands-on with it. So, if I see that the Alpha that started it can't come up with something as easy as a punishment, I might start thinking that it's more work than it is worth."

The Alpha looked back at Beatrice, hesitated only a moment before saying. "If you wanted wine so bad, have some 117. Have all of it, every single drop. And then after you had that bottle have another, and another. Until you've had enough wine."

"Yes, Alpha," Beatrice replied and each note in her words shook with fear. Her auburn curls stuck to the thin sheen of sweat that covered her face.

"Grayson... are they going to kill her!?"

"I know it sounds bad, but the Alpha won't let her die. If you ask me, she's getting off easy being punished like this.  She would have done far worst to her behind closed doors."

"Connor, open the bottle for the lady."

"Yes, Alpha." Conner held out his hand. His nails darkened, while they began to narrow, grow, and elongate into claws. With his transformation complete, he jammed one into the cork and yanked it out in one swift, fluid motion. Connor held the open bottle towards Beatrice.

Beatrice reached towards it with a trembling hand.

"Wait," the Alpha said. "You opened it for her, the least she can do is get it from you herself."

"Couldn't agree more, Alpha." Connor took three backward steps.

"Come get it number 117," he sneered.

Beatrice and Benedick exchanged looks and began to inch forward together.

When they were almost to them, Conner abruptly reached out and shoved Benedick's shoulder hard.

Benedick stumbled and Beatrice crashed to the floor with a loud bang.

"The Alpha didn't say for you to come to get it, 55, he said for number 117 to come and get it."

"He's right 55, go stand with number 23 and 34. Now."

Benedick looked down at Beatrice who was slowly trying to get to her feet, then at the Alpha, and then back to Beatrice.

Grayson stepped away from me and the next instant, he had grabbed Benedick by the front of his shirt and shoved him towards where I and Caesar stood. Benedick lost his balance and fell at my feet, nearly knocking me over in the process.

"You Lunera seemed to have forgotten your places. You listen to what the Alpha commands!" Grayson growled

"What was that?" I demanded inside my head.

"Trust me, I just saved your friend from worse."

"By throwing him across the room!? He just hesitated because Beatrice is hurt? He would have listened and obeyed."

"Doesn't matter, especially with the other Alpha's watching, even the smallest signs of resistance will make him look weak. But me, his heir, reinforcing his words makes him look strong." Grayson turned towards Connor.

Connor was grinning disgustingly from ear to ear.

He then turned his eyes downward to look at Beatrice who had managed to stand, although barely. She took one shaky step than another before she finally reached him. She reached out and manage to take the bottle before collapsing to her knees.

She held the bottle up to her lips and began to drink. Small streams of red began to run down the side of her face, and stain the front of her shirt but she did not stop. She only stopped to take a few small breaths of air. She set the bottle down on the ground beside her and looked up at the Alpha.

"Enjoy your wine?" the Alpha asked.

Beatrice cast her green eyes down on her lap. "Yes, Alpha."

"Good, because I think one bottle is sufficient."

"Carole?" the Alpha called and he the red-headed women suddenly appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.

"Yes, Alpha."

"Take them to the basement, if they are going to act like thieves, then they will certainly be treated like thieves."

The basement!? Oh god, how long were they going to make us stay there?

"Make sure to place them in cells far apart from one another. Their things will be brought to them tomorrow."

"Certainly..." she glanced down at Beatrice and grimaced.

"We can carry her," Caesar offered.

"Yeah, good idea...I mean only if the Alpha also thinks it's a good idea," she called up, but the Alpha's had already turned away from the railing.

Grayson and Caesar walked over to Beatrice and propped her up between them. Already Beatrice's eyes had begun to grow hazy, and her steps weak from the effects of the entire wine bottle she has just downed.

"Yes, that should be fine Carole," Grayson replied and walked towards the double staircase and began to ascend them. I didn't see him reach the top, because I was already being ushered towards the direction of the basement.

Carole led us into the kitchen, which had to be at least 5 times bigger than the kitchen at the Barn, and up to the massive wooden doors in the basement. She yanked them open and together, to reveal a dark staircase barely illuminated by fluorescent bulbs, hanging above us on exposed wires on the ceiling. It was the same type of lighting that lit the entire basement. We began to descend into the dark and damp basement.

I was the first to be placed into a cell. The cell walls were clear and soundproof. Carol closed and locked the door behind me, and continued down the seemingly endless hallway with everyone else until I lost sight of them. And as far as I could tell, I was now alone. None of the other cells surrounding me appeared to have anyone inside of them. I was alone, finally.

I walked over to a mattress that had been placed on the floor and laid down. I slipped off my parks and curled myself into a ball under it and began to cry.
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"Aurelia," Grayson said gently.

We were standing in the middle of a stone square. Around us, lights sparkled in the warm air.

I looked around, dazed in confused wondering how I had gotten from the basement to here before I realized I was still in the cell. My mind was just now inside Grayson's dream.

"I'm surprised you were even able to fall asleep in that awful place," Grayson mused.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"You tell me," he said and grabbed my shoulders and spun me around until I was gazing at a mess of crisscrossing metal beams.

"Paris?"

"Oui! So shall we start exploring the city of love?" he asked and grabbed my hand, which I promptly yanked out of his grasp.

"No," I replied, and turned and walked away into the night.