"Wakey wakey, sleepy head."

Something cold touched my cheek. Not water this time. It was a rough masculine finger.

The Rogues.

"Time to make money."

I tried to move. My body ached really badly.

I opened my eyes quickly, but the light almost blinded me, causing me to shut them almost as fast as I opened them.

This wasn't my room or any place I was familiar with.

I looked down and realised that there were chains on my legs.

My wrists were tied as well, the ropes were so thick and tight that they were even hurting my wrists.

A man with scars across his face crouched in front of me.

"She's awake," he announced.

His hands grabbed my arms and hauled me up. I cried out in pain. Every part of my body was aching, but no one was listening to my cries cause they obviously didn't care. They dragged me outside.

The sun was too bright outside; it looked like it could burn down a forest.

"Where are you taking me?" I cried, exhausted.

They pushed me forward without an answer.

 Soon, we arrived at a vast open spa, like a market. I could only see men there, dozens of them.

My stomach turned.

"Bring her here," the man at the centre shouted.

They tossed me roughly towards him, and he grabbed me by my hair.

"Gentlemen," he said loudly, spreading his arms. "We've got something special today."

The men cheered.

My chest tightened.

"This," he grabbed my chin and forced my face up, "is prime breeder material."

I shook my head hard. "No!"

He slapped me.

The sound echoed in the air. The tears I had been holding back suddenly began to fall without my permission.

"She's young," he continued as nothing happened. "Strong bloodline. Former Beta's daughter."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"She has no wolf," another man called out.

The bald man laughed. "Exactly. That's why I've brought you this sweet offer. She's easy to control, untouched by any man. And most importantly, no one would lift a finger if she dies."

I felt sick.

"She'll give you pups without fighting back," he said. "And if she does?" He shrugged. "Beat it out of her."

The men laughed once again, sounding like drunk fools.

The tears continued to roll down my face despite my efforts to hold them back.

"Let the bidding begin," the bald man announced.

"A hundred and fifty dollars."

My head snapped up. Really? Is that how worthless I am?

"Two hundred and fifty."

"Five Hundred."

I stared at the ground, too ashamed to look up.

"Five hundred dollars... going... going?" Any one

"One thousand dollars!"

The bald man grinned. "Ah. A serious buyer."

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Goddess... please.

"One thousand five hundred," another voice cut in.

The crowd turned.

The bald man's eyes gleamed. "One thousand five hundred dollars going once..."

"Two thousand dollars," another man barked.

"Going once... Going twice... Going thrice. Two thousand dollars? Going..."

The crowd kept silent. I wasn't worth more than $2,000 to them.

The bald man swallowed. "Sold!"

Just as I was drowning in my sorrows, I sensed a smell. That smell.

I looked up and noticed a new person, who was covered up in a way that one couldn't see his face.

The hooded man looked towards me. Those eyes. They looked too familiar, but my brain was too tired to process anything.

"I'll take her, name your price."

 The bearded man who bid the highest suddenly lost his smile.

"She's mine," the bearded Alpha snapped, throwing cash onto the platform. "If you wanted her, you should have come before the bid ended."

The hooded man turned to meet him.

"I'll double whatever you paid. No, Triple."

"She's already bought," the $2,000 man growled. "Back off."

For a moment, I thought they might kill each other right there.

Then the hooded man stepped back.

"Very well," he said quietly.

My heart sank.

The strong hands of my buyer grabbed me and pulled me off the platform. I stumbled and nearly fell.

He shoved me into the trunk of his Hilux like an item purchased.

The engine roared to life.

As the door slammed shut, I caught one last glimpse of the hooded man.

He was staring intensely, and he remained that way till I could no longer see him.

I curled into myself as much as the chains allowed.

This is it, Louisa. This is how you end.

The road was rough. Every bump caused me serious pain. I could hear my buyer and his guards discussing how long I'd last.

"One pup should be enough to send her to her grave." One said loud enough for me to hear.

I stared at the floor of the trunk in disgust.

The car suddenly came to a stop.

I didn't know what was going on inside there, but it sounded brutal. Their screaming and growls filled the air like they were being attacked.

"You!" I heard one of the men say, followed by the shocked gasps of others.

"Please don't kill me!" Another cried.

Can this day get any worse? I cried as I began to shiver where I was lying. The fact that I barely knew what was happening back there left me more on edge.

The vehicle shook with fear and the sound of unanswered pleas. The struggle between the men back there and whoever attacked them.

Tears flowed freely from my eyes. My breathing was very heavy as I struggled to roll out of the trunk. Maybe just find an escape. The chains and everything made it so hard for me.

"Goddess, please!" I cried.

Soon, the car came to a stop; the struggle had come to an end.

Still, there was no peace in my heart. I soon heard the sound of boots approaching from the back.

I closed my eyes like it could shield me from whatever was to come.

I heard the sound of the trunk opening before I felt someone pull me towards the edge.

"Please, I'm not one of them," I cried. "I beg you, don't kill me."

I finally opened my eyes when I noticed that he was losing the ropes on my hands.

It was the hooded guy from earlier.

 I sniffed back my tears, though my body was still shaking. "Who are you?" I asked.

He said nothing; instead, he went towards the front of the car. When he came back, he was with the key to the chains on my leg.

"Why are you so interested in me?"

He let down his hood.

I froze.

"Your majesty..." I muttered in shock.

I still couldn't believe my eyes, this can't be real.

"Your majesty?" I called once again as if calling it more would make it seize from being reality.

Why would Alpha Reynolds want to save me? The same man who reduced me to this condition by taking out my only shield.

"Why did you save me?" I asked.

He didn't reply,

"Why do you want me, your majesty? Why did you save me?" I was ready to continue piling my questions, but his deep voice interrupted me.

"Come with me!" He said, already making his way to lift me in his arms like a bride.

"I'm sorry your majesty, but I can't come with you." I sounded a bit too rude.

"You don't have a choice, Mate!" That word made my heart pound even louder.

I could feel the dread settling in the lower part of my stomach.

"That... That's not true." I managed to say, shaking my head. "You're not my mate."

"You'll realize soon enough." He said ever so plainly like he was talking to a child who had not yet understood the dynamics of adulthood.

"For now, it's safer if you come with me."

I snapped. "Safe? How is that?"

"You're the reason all of this is happening to me in the first place. You took my father away from me, my life. My everything. This is all your fault. I'd rather die than to go anywhere with you." I couldn't hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

All my tantrum seemed like child play to him, cause the next second, he pulled me into his hands once again.

"Let go of me!" I kicked, struggling with him as I hit his chest.

 He just held me firm, not willing to release me. I bit the closest place my teeth could find.

"Trust me, you don't want to get on my bad side."

My breathing fastened even more, I don't know what made me do that, but I was more surprised at what I said after.

"What would you do?"

"Kill me like you killed my father and them?" I said as we passed the car where the bodies lay.

He finally dropped me in the passenger seat of his car which was just at the front of the Hilux. Before he could turn and make his way to the driver seat, I fled the car, running barefoot across the major road.

I kept looking back to see if he was following, but surprisingly, he just stood in front of the car like a parent who was tired of stopping  their child from being naughty. Now they just allow you do whatever you want. But that was too easy to fall for.

Why was I bothered by the fact that he wasn't chasing me.

Instead of letting the thought cloud me, I face my front and increased my pace. I had no idea where I was going or if it was safe. I just needed anything to get away from him.

My chest burned as I ran. I was already tired for real. The road seemed unending with no corners to turn and just escape

 Stones began to pierce my feet, but even at that, I didn't stop. Fear pushed me forward harder than pain ever could.

The pain in my leg was becoming unbearable but I just couldn't afford to stop running.

I looked back once again, he was no longer in sight. Could he have given up?

My question soon got answered by the sound of the vehicle approaching me.

Once he got close enough, he said. "Get in!"

This time around, it wasn't a negotiation. It was an order.

Regardless of what it was, I ignored him and kept on walking.

"I'm done playing nice!"

 He stormed out of the car, I quickened my pace. "Get away from me," I said weakly.

But he caught me anyways and dumped me in the passenger seat.

I could feel the heavy thumping of my chest as he moved closer to buckle me in with the seatbelt.

 Why is my heart beating so fast?

His body was so close to mine that I could feel the heat of his body on mine. As he lifted his head, I froze at the closeness that had become too suffocating. It was as if the air had been sucked out and now I was left with just his cologne.

"You've tested my patience enough already, so just sit quietly there and don't do anything that you'll regret."

He locked the door with the key in his hands so I wouldn't run again. And then he

Unlocked it as he got to the other side and got in too. 

The ride was quiet and almost seemed unending but finally we got to the very big gates of the Alpha's palace. The most secured place in the pack.

The guards bowed and then rolled the gate open for us to go in. Once we parked, the doors were opened for us, gently reminding me of what my life used to be.

The Palace was a three storey building spread across a very vast space. Despite the fact that I had been here before, I was still wowed at the carefully carved regal werewolf designs of the palace.

In all my years of being, this should be the second time I'm finding myself here. The first time was when I visited with my father.

The guards and everyone around bowed as soon as we stepped out.

"Prepare a room for my guest." He said walking quickly into the house while I was left leaping behind him.

"Yes, your majesty." The replied with a bow.

As much as they tried to honour me as the Alpha's guest, I could see the looks on their faces as they scanned me from head to toe.

Everything about this place screamed wealth, the art collections, I recognised to be worth over millions.

"You can stay here for the time being." One of the maids led me to the very spacious living room.

This time, even before they could judge me, I judged myself. Because look how fine and shiny the whole place was. I felt like a dirt being spotted out by the chandeliers just above me.

 It didn't even take up to ten minutes later, they called me in and said that the room was ready.

The room was almost twice my room back in my Beta's daughter era. It was painted in white with flowery curtains going from up to down.

"Call me if you need anything." The maid said before leaving me, even though she sounded hesitant.

I took a little more time to stare at the place. It felt so undeserving.

Why did he bring me here cause I'm not falling for that mate bullshit?

There was a walk in wardrobe but nothing was in it yet, just robes and towels. That reminded me that I had to take my bath.

 The warm water rolled carefully down my back, alerting me of every place I had an unhealed bruise. They were a lot that I even lost count.

"Goddess!" I said softly as I let myself experience peace for the first time in a long time.

"Was it the rogues?" A voice said behind me.

My mind switched from peaceful to defensive. That aura.

 He stood there at the entrance of the washroom like it was a normal thing to walk in on someone naked.

 I covered  myself with my hands, "What the heck is wrong with you?"

"I asked you a question?" He said, ignoring my complaint.

"Did the rogues do that to you?" He asked, eyes roaming my body.

"No! Now get out!" I yelled.

I struggled to reach for the towel.

He didn't even move an inch, just kept watching me as I wrapped myself up.

"What do you want?" I asked in frustration.

Instead of giving me a reply, he took his phone, his eyes never leaving me. "Get the Pack doctor!"

I'm not sure it was up to five minutes later when I heard a knock on the door.  The doctor is here.

Throughout the time she was attending to me, his eyes never left my body. It was so uncomfortable knowing that he was watching me really closely.

Once the doctor was done attending to my wounds, the door went shut, leaving just the two of us once again.

For a moment, neither of us said anything. I just kept trying to avoid his gaze.

Then finally, "Being an Alpha mate requires a lot of things." He started. "And so I'm going to warn you just this once. Make sure you're not seen doing any of the things I'd be mentioning."

"First of all, I'm... not... Your... Mate."

"Number one," He stood up from the chair and began approaching me on the bed. "You don't leave this palace without my permission."

"Two."

"You don't come to me until I summon you."

"Three." As he continued, he kept coming closer.

"You're not allowed to be with other men. You belong solely to me."

"Four." There was no longer space between us and my chest was pounding really hard at the closeness.

"Whenever I want you, you come. No matter what time of the day it is."

"Understood?"

I didn't reply. My voice betrayed me. The heat rising in my body made it impossible for me to focus.

He lifted my chin, my eyes meeting his. "Understood?" He dragged the word this time.

Everything in me was screaming against this dangerous man, but the only words that managed to fall out of my mouth, "Yes, your majesty."

My body was stiff as hell even after he let go.

No Lou... You can't be craving him, he's your enemy.

The door clicked shut, and for a long time, I just stood there staring at the wood. My skin was still prickling from where his fingers had touched my chin.

"How dare he!" I hissed at the empty room.

I turned and caught my reflection in the massive, gold-framed mirror. I looked like a ghost. My hair was matted, my face was pale, and the bruises on my neck-the ones left by the rogues and the months of Piper’s cruelty-stood out like ugly stains. This man, Alpha Reynolds, had the audacity to give me rules? To tell me I belonged to him?

He was the man who had ordered my father’s head to be taken! He was the reason I had been eating scraps off the floor for a year!

"I will never be yours," I whispered to the mirror. My voice was shaking, but my eyes were burning with a hatred that felt like the only thing keeping me alive.

I walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. The mattress was so soft it felt like it was trying to swallow me whole. It was a trap. Everything in this palace was a trap designed to make me forget that I was a prisoner. I looked at the walk in closet. It was filled with silks and fine wools, none of which belonged to me.

Suddenly, the door swung open without a knock.

I jumped to my feet, clutching the towel tighter around my body. A woman with a sharp face and her hair pulled back into a tight, painful-looking bun walked in. She was followed by two younger maids who were carrying a tray and a heavy garment bag.

"So, this is the little stray the King brought home," the older woman said. Her voice was like sandpaper. She didn't bow. She didn't even smile. She just looked at me with pure disgust.

"Who are you?" I demanded, trying to find the voice of the Beta's daughter I used to be.

"I am Mrs. Gable, the head housekeeper. And you," she stepped closer, sniffing the air as if I smelled like trash, "are a mess. The Alpha King expects you downstairs in an hour. He is hosting a private meeting with the Delta warriors, and he wants you there."

"I’m not going anywhere," I snapped. "I’m not a circus animal for him to put on display!"

Mrs. Gable laughed, a cold, dry sound. "You think you have a choice? Look at yourself! You are covered in the filth of the Hillstone Pack. If you show up looking like a beggar, it reflects poorly on our King. Girls, get her ready. Scrub her until she’s red if you have to."

"Don't you touch me!" I screamed as the two maids approached.

One of them grabbed my arm, and I instinctively shoved her back. She stumbled, her eyes widening in shock.

"How dare you!" Mrs. Gable stepped forward and slapped me across the face.

The sting was immediate. My head snapped to the side, and the copper taste of blood filled my mouth. I froze. The room went silent.

"You are a guest by the King's mercy only," Mrs. Gable hissed, her face inches from mine. "But to us, you are the daughter of a traitor. Don't think for a second that those fancy silk sheets change who you are. Now, get in that tub before I have the guards hold you down."

I felt the tears prickling my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not in front of them. I climbed into the bathtub, the hot water stinging the open cuts on my back. The maids were rough. They scrubbed my skin with harsh sponges, pulling at the tangles in my hair as if they were trying to rip it out. They didn't speak to me. They talked over me, whispering about how "the King must have lost his mind" and how "she won't last a week."

When they were done, they practically poured me into a dress. It was a deep, blood-red silk that clung to every curve I had. It was beautiful, and I hated it. It felt like wearing the blood of my enemies.

"Move," Mrs. Gable ordered, pointing toward the door.

I walked down the grand staircase, my legs feeling like lead. The palace was buzzing with activity. Guards in polished black armor stood at every corner. As I reached the bottom, I saw a group of men standing near the entrance to the grand dining hall. They were laughing and talking loudly, the scent of Alpha and Beta pheromones filling the air.

My heart stopped.

There, standing in the center of the group, was Jude.

He was wearing his Delta uniform, looking proud and powerful. He was leaning in, whispering something to a beautiful woman who was giggling at his words.

"Jude?" The name left my lips before I could stop it.

The group turned. Jude’s laughter died instantly. His face went through a dozen emotions in three seconds-shock, fear, and then a strange, twisted kind of guilt.

"Louisa?" he gasped. He stepped toward me, his eyes roaming over my red dress. "What are you doing here? How did you get out of the cells?"

"The King brought her here, you idiot," a voice boomed from behind me.

I turned to see Alpha Reynolds walking down the hall. He looked terrifyingly handsome in a black suit that made his eyes look like molten gold. He walked straight to me and placed a heavy, possessive hand on my waist.

I tried to flinch away, but his grip was like iron.

"Jude Blackmore," Reynolds said, his voice dropping to a dangerous octave. "I believe you know my mate."

The entire hallway went dead silent. You could have heard a pin drop on the marble floor. Jude looked like he was about to faint. His mouth hung open, and he looked at me as if I were a ghost.

"Mate?" Jude stammered. "No... that’s impossible. She’s... she was my mate. But she’s wolfless! She can’t be your mate!"

I felt a surge of pure, unadulterated rage. "I was your mate, Jude! And you watched while Piper treated me like a dog! You watched while they beat me! You did nothing!"

"Louisa, I... I had to," Jude whispered, looking around nervously. "The pack... the laws..."

"The laws?" Reynolds stepped forward, pulling me flush against his side. The power radiating off him was so intense that Jude actually took a step back. "The law says that if a man fails to protect his mate, he forfeits his right to her life. You rejected her, didn't you, Delta?"

Jude swallowed hard. "She asked for it! She wanted it!"

"And you were happy to give it so you could crawl into Piper Gilbert’s bed," I spat, my voice cracking with emotion. "You are a coward, Jude. You always were."

Reynold’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Jude. "It seems my mate has a history with you. That’s unfortunate for you. Because now, every time I look at her bruises, I’m going to think of your face."

"Alpha King, please," Jude pleaded, his voice trembling. "I didn't know she was yours! I would have never-"

"Silence!" Reynolds roared. The sound vibrated in my chest. "You will serve us tonight at dinner. You will stand behind Louisa's chair, and you will witness exactly what you threw away. If you drop so much as a fork, I will have your head on a platter."

"Please..." Jude whispered, his face pale as death.

"Go!" Reynolds commanded.

Jude scurried away toward the dining hall, looking like a whipped dog. I stood there, my breathing heavy, my heart racing so fast I thought I might pass out.

I turned to Reynolds, ready to scream at him for using me to play his power games, but the words died in my throat. He was looking down at me, and for a split second, the coldness in his eyes was gone. There was a flicker of something else-something hot and hungry.

"You look beautiful in red, Louisa," he murmured, his thumb brushing against the skin of my waist. "It matches your fire."

"Don't touch me," I whispered, though my body was betraying me, leaning into his warmth. "I hate you. I hate you more than I hate him."

"Good," he said, a dark smirk playing on his lips. "Hate is a very passionate emotion. I can work with hate."

He began to lead me toward the dining hall, but I stopped him.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, looking him in the eye. "Why involve Jude? Why show me off?"

Reynolds leaned down, his breath warm against my ear. "Because everyone needs to know that the little maid they stepped on is now the Queen of this palace. And because I want Piper Gilbert to find out that everything she stole from you is about to be taken back with interest."

I shivered. He was a monster, a beautiful, deadly monster. And as we walked into the dining hall where Jude stood waiting with trembling hands, I realized that my revenge had finally begun. But at what cost?

As we sat down, a guard entered and bowed deeply.

"Your majesty, a message from the Hillstone Pack. Beta Gilbert and his daughter, Piper, are requesting an audience. They claim you have stolen property that belongs to them."

I gripped the tablecloth so hard my knuckles turned white.

"Stolen property?" Reynolds laughed, a sound that chilled me to the bone. "Tell them to come. Tell them I have something I want to show them."

He lo