Chapter 16

• Restlessness gripped me, pinning me to the edge of the bed, eyes locked on the door. My stomach had already growled more times than I could count, reminding me that I hadn't eaten in... well, I wasn't sure when. The apple the old woman had given me earlier during the so-called "beautification" process had barely dulled the gnawing hunger.
• That nagging voice in the back of my mind kept insisting that I was safe with Alpha Stefano. But the rational part of me wasn't buying it. Antonio's words echoed in my head too, only fueling my unease. I'd already checked the windows and other escape routes twice, and I knew my chances were slim to none, especially without a weapon. This place was built like a fortress, complete with magical wards and soldiers patrolling every wall. I might have had a better shot at surviving the middle of a battlefield than escaping from this third-floor room.
• My stomach growled again, and I felt my head starting to spin. I needed food before exhaustion fully set in, leaving me too weak to even move.