I pressed my back against the mansion's wall, holding my breath as the guards passed by. If they caught me, it would be a disaster. I needed to leave needed to get far away from here. I needed to be free from that Alpha by all means and this was the only way I could protect the child growing inside of me.

It had been a week since the Alpha's punishment, and I had spent the time carefully planning my escape. The Alpha hadn’t bothered me since then, and I was grateful for that at least.

I watched from my hiding spot as the guards passed and the night grew darker, I began to creep through the small bushes in the area, careful not to make a sound. My goal was the secret escape route I had found a small opening that no one else knew about except for me and a few other maids that were my friends. Security around the mansion had tightened since my last escape attempt, but this time, I was determined not to let anything stop me.

I hid in the bushes, waiting for the main light to turn off so the area would be darker. After a few seconds, the light went out, and I moved cautiously through the shadows. I was almost at my secret escape opening when a voice stopped me cold. "Where do you think you are going?"

I froze, cold sweat dripping down my forehead. Slowly, I turned to face her, and to my horror, it was Veronica. What was she doing in this part of the mansion? Hardly anyone ever came here, so if she was, she must have known about my escape plan. Why is she always spying on me and why does she want to ruin my life further?

Veronica walked towards me, a smile on her face as if she were already relishing the thought of my coming punishment. I just know she is going to report me to the alpha and this night is not going to end well"It seems that almost freezing to death wasn't enough for you, was it? Why are you trying to escape again after what you went through last time?"

If I didn’t know better, I might have thought she was concerned for me, but that wasn’t the case. Her eyes gleamed with excitement at the thought of me suffering another punishment. Desperate to find the right words, I began to speak, my voice trembling with panic as I glanced around to make sure no guards were coming. "Veronica, please, just let me go. Pretend you didn't see me tonight. Please, let me go.”

"Why?" she asked, a smile playing on her lips as she crossed her arms. "What exactly are you trying to escape from? You are the Alpha's favorite, aren’t you? The only woman who gets to sleep in his bed, in his room. The only one he lets kiss him, the only one he actually thinks about, even when his other mistresses are bouncing on his cock. So what is it you are so afraid of? Many would die to be in your shoes. You are very ungrateful you know and I think you deserve every punishment he gives to you"

"You don't get to talk unless you have actually been in my shoes, Veronica," I snapped. "You wouldn't know what pain and suffering feel like unless you have experienced it yourself. I am trying to escape, which means you can finally be in my shoes and let us see just how much you like it." The fact that I am his favorite only makes things worse for me. The fact that he wants me more than the rest makes it worse. "Look, Veronica," I said, trying to keep my emotions in check, "if you let me go, you can have him all to yourself. You won’t have to worry about me anymore.”

"Is this why you are trying to escape?" Veronica suddenly asked, showing me my pregnancy test. My heart skipped a beat.How exactly did she find that? This is bad. She smiled to herself before adding, "Imagine what he would do to that thing growing inside you when he finds out. Isn't that something to look forward to? I mean, I want to have Alpha mark all to myself, but the thought of seeing you suffer might just outweigh my desire for him. Besides, the punishment will never stop. Sooner or later, you will die from it, and then he will be all mine."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized what Veronica was planning. She smiled wickedly, about to call for the guards, but I acted on instinct. I lunged at her, tackling her to the ground and clamping my hand over her mouth to muffle her screams.

She struggled against me, but adrenaline rushed through my veins, giving me strength. I glanced around frantically and spotted a large stone. Without hesitation, I grabbed it and struck her on the head. Veronica fell unconscious immediately, her body going limp under me.

I discarded the stone, my mind racing with the gravity of what I had done. There was no turning back now; if I got caught, it was over. I squeezed through my little escape hole, bursting out into freedom or so I thought. I was still within Alpha mark's territory.

I started running in the thick woods as fast as I could, my heart pounding in my chest. I prayed that no one had discovered Veronica's unconscious or desd body yet, I wasn't sure if she was alive or not.

The distant howls of wolves sent a shiver down my spine. They knew I had escaped and now they are after me. The fastest wolves in the pack would be on my trail soon. I had to keep moving. Panic rushed through me, almost too much to handle. I wanted to hide, but that wasn't an option. The pack had the best trackers; they could smell me from miles away. I had to keep running, no matter how desperate the situation felt.

My baby I had to do everything I could to protect it, even if it meant dying in the attempt. Anything was better than letting this innocent life be born into a cruel world where its psychotic father would kill it without a second thought. I ran through the woods, not daring to look back, branches scratching against my skin as I sprinted as fast as my legs could carry me.

The howls of the wolves grew louder, closer, signaling that they were catching up. Adrenaline surged through me, pushing me to run faster despite the fact that I was already getting tired. The growling of wolves behind me pushed me to keep going forward, I just wanted to escape by all means.

I pushed through the thick forest, my legs aching from the rough terrain, until I had to stop abruptly, my heart beating very fast. Before me was a cliff, and below it, a big ocean stretched out. I didn't recognize this place had I taken a wrong turn? A cliff.

I turned around to find another direction, only to jump in fear as five huge wolves appeared from the thick jungle behind me. I slowly backed away, feeling trapped between the wolves and the cliff. Then, Alpha mark appeared, his usual cold expression on his face. Seeing him there, knowing he had come out himself to catch me with the other wolves, filled me with fear. I was doomed; he would make me suffer unimaginable pain if I go back with him.

"Why do you keep doing this, Seraphina?" mark asked calmly, though I knew countless punishments were running through his mind. "I told you I hate punishing you, but when you do things like this..." He trailed off, simply staring at me.

I glanced at the cliff behind me, then back at him. He stood there, the wolves beside him growling, ready to attack or drag me back home. It was a full moon, and they were at their strongest. Even if I tried to escape to the left, they would catch me within seconds, probably tearing me apart.

"Please, Alpha," I begged, tears streaming down my face. "Please let me go. I don't want to be with you anymore. I want to leave." I didn't know how else to plead or what more to say. I just wanted to run away, as far as possible, and never look back.

"Your only escape from me is death, Seraphina," he said, his eyes locked on mine, cold and emotionless. "And you know I won't let you die, no matter what." His voice was calm, and that made it even more terrifying. This guy was a psychopath. He was sick and he needed help!

Alpha mark rarely showed any emotion, which only made him more frightening. You could never tell if he was angry, upset, or pleased; it was always the same blank expression, hiding whatever evil thoughts lurked in his mind. Everyone feared him, not just me. There was a reason his pack was the most powerful because they had a leader ruthless enough to kill anyone he considered a threat.

I glanced back at the cliff, my eyes filled with tears, my body trembling. I looked at him again, my voice shaking as I asked, "You are never going to let me go, are you?" He stared at me coldly, silent for a moment before finally speaking.

"Even if you go to the deepest part of hell, Seraphina, I will find you," he said, and my heart immediately dropped. I took a step back, realizing there was no escape and knowing what I had to do. I nodded, taking a deep breath, tears falling uncontrollably down my face.

"mark..." I said, calling him by his name for the first time, a little bit of emotion crossing his face before he went back to his normal cold emotions. “I am going to the deepest parts of hell now," I said, stepping back again. He knew what I was about to do, but his expression remained the same. "A place so deep that you won't be able to find me."

"Don't do that, Seraphina," he said.

"mark," I said, taking another step back. "I, Seraphina the Nameless," the nameless was a title I was given back home because my father refused to give me his last name and that was due to me being a female and also an omega, to him I was nothing but a complete embarrassment "reject you as my mate." With those words, I fell backward without even hesitating, allowing myself to fall into the water below as I closed my eyes, feeling the wind rush past me as I fell down the cliff.

I had meant it when I said I would either escape or die trying. As I fell, the thought of the underworld felt like a welcome release, promising freedom from Alpha mark. Though I was falling to my death, a smile spread across my face. This wasn't the end I had hoped for, but it felt fitting. I hit the water, the impact sending pain through my body, and I began to sink. Just like that, I was free from the monster named mark. Just like that, I was on my way to the afterlife.

Goodbye, Alpha mark…

"Get that away from me!" I growled, angrily slamming the cup against the wall. The maids flinched, obviously afraid. Their constant mistakes were always getting on my nerves.

I rubbed my temples, trying to soothe the growing headache. I searched for the right words but found none. The terrified maids quickly dropped to their knees, hurriedly gathering the shattered glass before scurrying out of the room, panicked and unable to handle the situation properly.

I sighed as I relaxed into my chair, trying to calm my frayed nerves. It surprised me how I had gone from a man who barely showed any emotions to someone who was always angry, and it was all because of her. Ever since she left that day, ever since she disappeared completely, I have been like this.

It's been five years since her disappearance, but I still don't understand why I still feel this way. I showed her I cared, so why did she leave, just like everyone else in the end? I didn't understand. I remember jumping into the water immediately after she did that night, hoping to rescue her, but she was nowhere to be found. It was as if she had completely vanished, not even a body left behind.

"Here are some pills for you, Your Majesty," one of my doctors said, handing me the medication. I looked at him for a moment before taking the pills to ease the migraine.

"How often do you think about her?" my doctor asked curiously. I remained silent, thinking hard about the situation before I answered.

"Barely a day goes by without thinking of her multiple times," I answered. The doctor sighed, relaxing in his chair as he adjusted his glasses, seemingly searching for the right questions to ask. I knew a psychiatrist couldn't solve my problem, but sometimes I found myself interested in their questions, pretending they understood my issues and could find a solution. But my problem ran deep; no solution could be found in a thousand years. I was already bored of this session and didn't want to answer any more of his questions, so I looked at him and commanded, "Leave."

The doctor, aware of my temper, didn't say anything. He simply rose and left my study. I sighed, settling back into my chair, when a knock came at the door. The person entered the study, bowing slightly before walking towards me and placing papers on my table most of them concerning council matters and work.

"When is he coming again?" I asked, to which the woman replied.

"Today, sir," she replied, nodding before quickly leaving the room, not wanting to risk provoking my anger. I wasn't angry at that moment; the pills I had taken earlier had calmed me.

But then again, he was coming my twin brother, Ryker. Our relationship wasn't perfect, but it wasn't terrible either. He had left the pack by choice, uninterested in being king, and had since become a Lycan. Today was the memorial for the man who was supposed to be our father, and since the council deemed it necessary, we had to hold one for him.

A slight knock on the door was followed by Veronica entering the room. My eyes traveled up and down her frame as she smiled and reached for the strap of her dress. "No," I said, rising to my feet and walking towards her.

Without warning, I bent her over the table, her body colliding with it forcefully as she winced gently in pain. I lifted her dress and entered her abruptly, making her wriggle whether in pain or pleasure, I couldn't tell, and frankly, I didn't care.

"I thrusted into her hard, all the while picturing Seraphina in my head. No matter how many women I slept with, none of them were her, and certainly not the one I was with at that moment. Feeling frustrated, I withdrew from her and said, 'Get out.' She didn't argue, quickly adjusting herself and leaving the room. At least this one wouldn't try to escape like Seraphina.

I went to the bathroom to freshen up, sighing as the cool water from the shower flowed down my skin. Afterward, I dried off and slipped into the first black outfit I could find.

I strolled out of the study and into the main living room, where the memorial ritual was already being done. The council members were gathered, and I quickly joined them, everyone paying their respects as we performed the ritual together.

'Your brother isn't here yet,' Councilman Richard, an old friend of my father, said. I didn't respond immediately. He pressed further, saying, 'Did you know he is to be married soon?'

'Marriage?' I asked, turning toward Councilman Richard.

'You didn't know about it?'”

"It's not like Ryker and I are close. Why should I know?" I asked coldly and dismissively. The councilman sighed and said,

"We don't know who she is for sure, but there are rumors. She's no ordinary woman." He paused before adding, "I have heard neither you nor your brother have ever believed in marriage, but now he's suddenly eager to wed. Doesn't that seem a bit suspicious?"

"Why are we talking about my brother?" I asked, growing more impatient by the second.

"I just think something's going on. He's up to something, so I suggest you be careful," the councilman advised. I didn't respond, eager to end the conversation, but his words remained in my mind. Ryker never believed in marriage, just like me, and he was a sadistic bastard too maybe even worse than I am. Who is the unlucky soul getting married to him?

We soon finished the memorial ritual, and I mingled with some of the high-profile guests. The maids served drinks as we chatted throughout the night. "Want a drink?" a familiar voice said behind me, immediately irritating me as I knew who it was.

Ryker stretched a drink toward me, a smile on his face. I stared at him coldly. "Don't worry, I didn't poison it," he said. I scoffed, taking the glass from him and downing it in one go. "What if I told you I did poison it?" he asked with a smirk.

"What death can a poison bring that we haven't experienced a thousand times over?" I replied, and he understood what I meant. He smirked and extended his hand for a shake, which I took, saying, "I heard you are getting married to someone powerful. Who is she?”

He looked around as if searching for something before saying, "Oh, she'll be here soon. If I told you who she is, you would be shocked and wonder how I got her to be mine."

"I see... can't wait to see how special she is," I replied, taking a glass of wine from a maid and sipping it. Ryker continued to scan the room before his eyes settled on someone, a smile spreading across his face as he said, "Look, she's finally here."

I smirked, turning in the direction he indicated, ready to see who would be foolish enough to marry Ryker. My eyes locked onto a woman walking confidently, a small smile on her lips. The wine glass slipped from my hand, shattering on the floor as I stared in shock. It couldn't be. Was I thinking about her so much that I have started imagining things now?

She and my brother hugged lightly before she turned to me, still smiling. She looked different her hair, body, clothing everything about her had changed. She no longer appeared innocent or pitiful; she seemed like a brand new person, having an aura that was nothing like the innocent little omega she once was. But one thing hadn't changed: her scent. No matter how many expensive perfumes she wore, I could still smell her. She was really alive. Seraphina was really alive.

She turned to me with a smile, and Ryker immediately introduced her, saying, "Meet my brother, the Alpha of this pack. Alpha, meet the woman I am to marry. Isn't she beautiful?"

"Oh, we have met before. He and I go way back," she said, glancing at Ryker before turning to meet my eyes.

"Long time no see, Alpha mark.”