Daphne's POV

I forced myself to run out of the room with my heart beating so fast. The day was already so bright and I could see everyone so busy as they prepared for their Luna's arrival. So I joined in the preparation without speaking a word to anyone, not even Roxanne whom I hadn't seen all morning.

It was suddenly time and we all waited outside the mansion for Alpha Kian's Luna who came into the compound in a convoy.

Doors opened and the guards that came with her stood in front of each door until Alpha Kian went ahead to open one of the doors then a slender leg appeared. Her shoes was worth my entire life by just looking at them. Even though we were all asked to look down, I couldn't help but fix my eyes on her feet, those shoes.

"How was your flight?" Alpha Kian asked

"Stressful but I'm glad I could make it here in time" she replied. I raised my head to see what she looked like and my eyes landed on my mate kissing her. I quickly shifted my eyes back to the ground and my fingers clenched. My wolf groaned in pain, and I felt my heartburn. I shouldn't have looked.

Roxanne's hand grabbed mine and we both intertwined our fingers together, it was her way of comforting me but it only worsened the situation as the tears rolled down my cheeks.

"My dearest daughter-in-law, we have been waiting for your arrival. Welcome, welcome" The queen Luna smiled as she hugged the lady.

"You're more beautiful in person than in the picture I saw online." She added and I wondered if I'll ever be treasured this way. It was a dream that would never come true.

"Hello, mother-in-law" Her voice was calm and her accent was fluent and classy. There's no way I could have beat her, no way Alpha Kian would have chosen me over her, no way. What the hell was the moon goddess thinking to mate me with an Alpha's son that had gone out of this pack, this country, and had seen the world and so many girls in it?

After a while, the royals went inside while we were ordered to prepare the table for the feast while the couples went for their mating ceremony. Servants weren't allowed to go into the hall where the mating ceremony was done. But when Alpha Kian accepted her, my wolf felt it and my heart sank. I felt the wave of depression swipe through my body. It was horrible, it was painful and I just wanted to stay away and cry.

Two hours later, while the eating and drinking were going on, Mrs Rein ordered me to check the Alpha's room if it was well arranged for the newly mated couples to go in and have their first intercourse.

I went, of course, the room was so different from how I left it this morning. It was beautiful and flawless and words could not express how romantic the atmosphere was. I made my way to the bed, reached for one of the petals on the bed and placed it under my nose to smell it. It smelt nice.

Just as I was about to drop it back on the bed, the door burst open with the two couples kissing each other hungrily and I froze.

"What the fuck is a servant doing here, in my matrimonial room?!" Came the sharp words from Alpha Kian immediately he saw me and broke the kiss. My eyes widened, now he was pretending not to know anything about me.

"I... I... I'm sorry, I was asked to check if--"

"Get the fuck out of my room, bitch!" He roared and I quickly ran past them with the new Luna laughing at me. Her eyes followed me until I was out the door. I held my chest and rushed back to the hall to join the servants to clean the place up.

***

"You! The Luna wants to see you" One of the guards pointed to me and my brows furrowed.

"Me?" I asked to be sure and he nodded.

"Yes, you"

That was strange. The Luna and not the Alpha. I looked at Roxanne who shrugged and asked me to go with them which I did. I was taken to the garden at the side of the mansion. I saw the Luna sitting on the bench, she was dressed so beautifully, her skin kept glowing and her moves were flawless as she looked at me. She waved her hand at the guards to leave and they did.

"What's your name?"

"Good morning my Luna, my name is Daphne, ma"

"Daphne" she repeated, tasting my name on her tongue, "I used to have one Daphne as a colleague back then. Do you know what happened to her?"

"No ma" I shook my head, how was I supposed to know?

"She disappeared. She disobeyed me and suddenly disappeared" She raised her shoulders like she didn't know how Daphne disappeared and I gulped in fear.

"Same thing can happen to anyone that decides to double cross me, Daphne" The way she stressed the Daphne, I could tell that she hated the name because of the Daphne she had once encountered. I didn't say a word, I didn't know what to say.

"I have heard a lot about you. I won't say anything since it's all in the past but I do not want to hear anymore as from today" She finally looked from the flower she had been staring at,

"Stay far away from the Alpha. The next time the same news I heard today, I hear them again, I'll make you disappear. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes ma" I blinked at how bold she was, her threat sent shivers down my body, I clearly was seeing goosebumps on my skin.

"Good. Now get out!"

I turned away and quickly began to walk back into the mansion. My heart was racing, and my fingers trembling from the threat.

I just gotten into the mansion when I was stopped by one of the alpha's personal guards who was always sent to call for me.

"You!" I froze and gulped as I looked at him, "The Alpha seeks your presence now!"

I suddenly began to feel pressed and sweat trickled down my forehead.

I'm doomed.

Daphne's POV

Slap! Slap!

Two resounding slaps rang in my ears, jolting me awake. My eyes shot open in shock, landing on the guards standing in my room. How did they get in?

Before I could ask what was happening, rough hands grabbed me, yanking me from the bed,

"Where are you taking me? What did I do?" I kept yelling in pain as they pulled me without allowing me to walk on my own. This already gathered an audience because I saw the servants pause their work as they watched me getting dragged. They didn't just stand to watch, they followed us until I was thrown to the cold ground.

I didn't need to look up to know whose feet I was kneeling before. The pink, high-heeled shoes told me everything. Luna Cynthia. Her shoes were always the classiest.

"Rise," she commanded.

I scrambled to my feet, my knees wobbling.

"We both had an agreement yesterday, didn't we?" She asked and I suddenly fell back on my knees.

"My Luna, it was-"

"Answer my damn question!" she snapped.

"Yes. Yes, my Luna"

"And yet, you still had the audacity to disobey me."

"No, my Luna! It was the Alpha who-"

Smack!

Her hand struck my face before I could finish. Her sharp nails tore across my cheek, sending a searing sting through my skin. My eyes welled with tears as I felt the warm trickle of blood.

"Beat her until she can no longer move."

Terror seized me. "No! No, My Luna, I didn't do-"

A heavy boot smashed against my ribs, cutting off my words.

"I didn't do anything!" I sobbed, but my pleas fell on deaf ears.

They didn't just beat me. They delivered kicks, punches, and relentless blows down on me like I was a traitor, an outcast.

The servants watched, unmoving. Not one of them intervened. Not one of them could.

By the time they were done, I lay crumpled on the ground, my body throbbing with indescribable pain. Every breath I took felt like knives slicing through my ribs. My vision blurred, the world around me tilting. As the guards walked away, I remained there in the pool of my own blood.

"Help..." I whispered, barely able to move, my voice cracked.

No one made a move. No one dared to help.

Darkness crept in, and I slowly embraced it.

When I woke, my body was heavy, my limbs refusing to obey me. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled my nostrils, I didn't have to look, I knew I was in the pack hospital.

"Shit..." I cussed as I raised my hand and tried to massage my head. I hissed in pain and finally dropped my hand. My face and hands were covered with bondages. I sighed as I recalled what happened that landed me here

A soft shuffle of footsteps pulled my attention toward the door. The doctor entered, her expression unreadable.

"You're awake."

"I am." My voice trembled.

"How do you feel?" she asked gently.

"Weak."

She carefully lifted my hands, removing the bandages. "Your wolf must be weak too. You aren't healing as fast as you should, which is why I had to wrap you up." She smiled faintly. "But you're strong, Daphne."

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Strong? I was nothing but a battered omega.

She continued working in silence, peeling off the last of the bandages. The pain was gone. The wounds had healed. Physically, at least.

"That's better," she said. Then, after a pause, she added, "I have news."

I barely had the strength to care. The only thing I wanted was to ask if she could help me escape. If she could hide me in the hospital until I found a way out of this hell.

But her next words erased every thought from my mind.

"You're one month pregnant."

Everything inside me froze. The words echoed in my skull, over and over.

Pregnant.

Me? A barren omega? Carrying his child?

I struggled to process it as my hand trembled as I reached for my stomach. Alpha Kian's heir...

"Doctor," I breathed, my voice barely audible, "what did you say?"

"You're pregnant, Daphne. One month gone."

A strangled sound tore from my throat-half gasp, half laugh. I was pregnant. Tears welled in my eyes. I had thought I was worthless, unwanted, but... but this changed everything.

The doctor continued speaking, explaining things I barely registered. My mind was spinning. Excitement and fear tangled inside me, an intoxicating mixture of emotions. Would he be happy? Would he accept me?

Of course he would. Alpha Kian would be overjoyed. He had to be.

The doctor placed another IV in my arm, and soon exhaustion overtook me. As I drifted to sleep, only one thought remained.

I have to tell him.

The next morning, excitement bubbled in my chest as I made my way to his wing of the mansion. My steps were quick, my heart pounding; not with fear, but with anticipation.

I barely noticed the absence of guards by his room door and worse, I didn't even think to knock.

"Alpha Kian, I have news-"

The words died in my throat.

My world shattered.

There, tangled in the silk sheets of his bed, was Luna Cynthia.

Beneath him. With him.

Their bodies pressed together in a way that left no doubt. Their heated breaths filled the air.

My breath caught. The room blurred.

They turned to me, their gazes sharp, filled not with surprise, but hatred.

"What the fuck are you doing here?!"

I opened my mouth, but no words came. I couldn't speak or think.

Tears burned my eyes. My hands trembled. Why did it hurt so much?

I knew. I knew.

He was the Alpha. He was bound to sleep with his Luna. Why was I so stupid to think it would be any different?

I turned and ran.

Blindly.

Desperately.

My chest burned with every gasping sob. My vision blurred, but I didn't stop.

I couldn't stop.

Until I slammed into a guard.

"I'm sorry," I choked out, trying to push past him.

But he didn't let go.

"Please... please, let me go..." I begged, but his grip tightened.

Terror flooded me. He wasn't just stopping me-he was dragging me back.

Back to them.

The door swung open again, and I was shoved inside.

I barely had time to process before a vicious slap cracked across my face.

Pain. Sharp. Instant.

The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

Alpha Kian's voice was like ice.

"Lock her up in the dungeon. No food. No water. Five days."

I gasped as I looked at him. "No, Alpha Kian, I didn't mean to! Please, I didn't mean to!" My voice cracked as the guards tightened their grip on me.

Luna Cynthia's angry gaze remained on me, but I didn't have a choice, I had to beg, "Please, please, I didn't mean to. I'm sorry!"

"Get her out of my sight!" The Luna yelled and I tried to pull away with all my strength.

"Alpha Kian, I came with some information. I just wanted-"

"Out!" she barked, her face filled with disgust.

The guards dragged me away like a ragdoll, my heels scraping against the polished floor. No one came to my aid. My cries were swallowed by the silence of the grand hall. Then, a voice cut through the air.

"What's with the noise?"

We had reached the living room when I saw Queen Luna standing at the bottom of the staircase, her sharp eyes assessing the scene.

"She wronged the Alpha and the Luna so we were asked to throw her in the dungeon," one of the guards explained to the queen Luna before I could.

"My queen, it was a mistake"

"Shut up." Her voice was smooth, dangerous. She stepped forward, eyes burning with disdain. "You've been nothing but a disgrace since the moment you stepped foot into this mansion. Everywhere you go, trouble follows. And now?" She scoffed. "Now, Cynthia has finally decided to put you in your place."

I trembled as she leaned in closer.

"I heard you spent some time in the hospital," she whispered. "Now it's the dungeon. Look at your pathetic life. You, your wretched father, and that whore of a mother-you're all filth." She straightened, her expression unreadable. "Take her away. And make sure she's whipped."

My stomach dropped.

"Please," I whispered, my hands trembling. "No, no, no, please!"

But my pleading fell on deaf ears. The guards yanked me down into the suffocating darkness of the dungeon. The heavy door slammed shut behind me. I crawled to the iron bars, gripping them with shaking hands. "Please, I can't stay here!"

The guards ignored me until one of them turned back, a coiled whip in his hand.

"No, no, no," I gasped, backing away. My body collided with the damp stone wall.

"The audacity to challenge the new Luna," he sneered. "Do you feel no shame?"

I barely had time to react before two other guards stormed in, grabbing my arms.

"Hold her down."

"Wait-!" My words were cut off as my body hit the cold floor. One guard pinned my arms, another restrained my legs. I thrashed, panic clawing at my chest.

Then, the first lash struck.

I screamed.

The whip tore through my dress, my body trembled and burned. I jerked violently, my skin scraping against the rough ground. Blood trickled down my spine.

"Please-!"

Another strike.

Then another.

The pain blurred into something unbearable. My screams faded into hoarse gasps. I lost count of how many times they hit me. I only knew that when the last lash fell, I could no longer move.

I lay motionless, my cheek pressed against the cold stone, my breathing shallow.

Darkness consumed me.

I didn't know how long I lay there, or how many days had passed but I felt the cold liquid slash on me.

I flinched, my body too weak to jerk away.

"Get up, you slut. You have a visitor."

A visitor?

My head lolled to the side, my vision blurred, but when I focused on the figure outside the cell, my breath hitched.

"Roxanne?" My voice was barely a whisper.

"Daphne..." Roxanne gasped with her hand covering her mouth, she shook her head in shock. I crawled toward her, my hands shaking as I gripped hers.

"How did it come to this?" she choked out.

A guard's voice cut through our moment. "Three minutes."

I didn't have time to explain everything. I swallowed down my pain and said the only thing that mattered.

"Help me, Roxanne."

"How?" Her hands tightened around mine.

"I can't stay here," I struggled to swallowed, "I haven't had food or water for days. I'm pregnant, Roxanne."

"What?!" Roxanne asked with wide eyes and agape mouth, "You're what?!"

"A month gone," I whispered. "I can't let my baby die in here. Please, tell the Alpha. Beg him. I never meant to interrupt him.... I was just so excited to tell him he was going to be a father." My voice broke. "Please, Roxanne, he has to let me out."

She swallowed hard, "I will. I'll do everything I can. I promise."

I nodded weakly. "And don't tell the Luna."

"I understand."

. Her fingers still intertwined with mine, her forehead against the cell as we both cried together.

"That's enough," the guard barked. "Get out before you join her."

Roxanne wiped her face and stood. Before leaving, she looked at me one last time. "We'll be okay. I promise."

I watched her walk away until she disappeared. Then, I slumped against the cold stone, closing my eyes.

Day one.

Day two.

Day three.

No sign of Roxanne. No sign of the Alpha. No sign of help.

Hunger gnawed at my insides. My body was weak, my movements slow. The only relief came from the morning dew-I pressed my trembling fingers through the high window, gathering tiny drops of water to keep my lips from cracking.

I was ready to eat anything, even the rats that scurried by. I had given up hope.

Then-on the fourth night-the cell door creaked open.

I tried to lift my head, but my body refused to cooperate. Because of how weak I was, I could hardly open my eyes, my throat was dried and my lips cracked.

A shadow moved toward me.

"Who's there?" My voice came out as a whisper, hoarse and filled with pain.

Silence.

Then, a familiar voice.

"Daphne."

My heart clenched.

It was him.

Alpha Kian.

Daphne's POV

The cell opened and the two guards came in and began to pull me out of the cell. I allowed them while I silently thanked Roxanne for finally convincing the Alpha to let me out.

We came out of the dungeon and were pushed into a car. Did they use a car to come pick me up from the dungeon? The dungeon wasn't so far from the mansion so why did they have to use a car? Was it because I was carrying the Alpha's heir?

I entered and rested my head with my eyes closed. The car speed through the pack's land, not heading towards the mansion, something is wrong.

"Where... where are we going?" I asked weakly.

"Shut up. Your chance of asking questions has passed for a long time now!"

I swallowed hard, my heartbeat thudding in my ears, I cannot help but noticed we were passing through the dark forest that led toward the outer edges of the pack's territory.

This wasn't right. This isn't right at all.

I instantly got up, fighting the dizziness as a sense of dread settled in my guts. What's happening?

"Please... what's going on?" I whispered, my voice cracking.

The guard in the passenger seat turned to glare at me. "I said shut up!"

I pressed my lips together and turned toward the window. Tall trees blurred past, their shadows stretching in the moonlight. The car hit a sharp turn, jolting me forward.

It took another twenty to thirty minutes before we finally stopped. They pulled me out of the car and threw me to the ground. I fell down like a sack of potatoes, so weak and tired. My mouth kissed the ground with the metallic taste of my blood but the first thing my eyes landed on was the shoes, those elegant shoes of Luna Cynthia.

My breath hitched. I tried to get up, my body trembling.

"M-My Luna-"

A sharp kick to my face sent me sprawling backward.

My eyes burned as sand and dirt scraped against them. I gasped, my hand flew straight to my bleeding nose.

"Who is your Luna?" Cynthia sneered. "I am no Luna to a useless omega."

I trembled, my body screaming in exhaustion. "Please, ma... I didn't do anything. I am just a lowly omega."

She squatted and yanked my hair up with her fingers, dragging it so hard I felt my scalp pulling out,

"An Omega that's mated to my man, my husband!" she hissed in anger before pushing my head back, "You're not innocent Omega, Daphne. Like I said earlier, I have heard about you!"

My heart stopped.

How did she know?

"I'm sorry" I cried and hiccuped at the same time, "I didn't mean to be mated to him. I told him to reject me but he refused"

A hot slap landed on my cheek, and I whined falling back on the ground.

"Oh don't worry, he doesn't have to reject you no more. You see, I cannot live to hear that Kian has a living and breathing mate so with the permission of Queen Luna, I can kill you and I will tonight!"

"No!" I lay prostrate on the ground as I cried, "Please, please spare my life. I beg you"

"Don't touch me!" Luna Cynthia yelled, "You made a huge mistake not listening to me. You could have quickly run away, left, and never returned but you decided to not only sleep with my man again but to get pregnant for him!"

I snapped my eyes up to look at the woman who had risen up to her full height. How did she know? My mouth opened to ask,

"How... how...?"

No one knew I was carrying the Alpha's baby. Not even the doctor. The only person who knew was-

A movement in the shadows caught my eye.

Roxanne stepped forward.

My body went cold.

"No," I whispered, shaking my head. My voice cracked as I looked at her, begging her to say it wasn't true. But Roxanne wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Roxanne? You?" My voice trembled as I pushed myself up to a kneeing position. My whole body shook, not from the pain but from betrayal.

"How?" My breath hitched, "How could you tell? I trusted you. I told you to keep it to yourself... to tell only the Alpha." Roxanne finally lifted her head, her expression unreadable.

Cynthia smirked, "And not tell me? Not tell her Luna? How could my personal maid keep something so important from her mistress?"

'Personal Maid?' My stomach dropped.

Roxanne was her personal maid?

Cynthia chuckled at my shocked expression, "Would you like to tell her, Roxanne? Or should I do the honors?"

Roxanne gave a small bow, "Whichever pleases my lady."

I flinched at her words. My lady.

That's when I saw it-the small smile tugging at Roxanne's lips.

I felt sick.

"What happened to you?" My voice cracked. "You were my best friend. Why?"

Roxanne finally met my gaze, but there was no guilt-just calm acceptance.

"I was tired," she admitted. "Tired of always defending you, tired of being the only one standing beside a wolf-less omega. No one wanted me. But now? Now, I am respected. I am Luna Cynthia's personal maid. Do you know what that means?"

My heart clenched.

"How could you throw away our years of friendship for that?" I whispered.

"You wouldn't understand," Roxanne said simply and took a step back, distancing herself from me, "I'm sorry."

"You're not," I bit out. My eyes burned with unshed tears, "If you were, you wouldn't have done this."

She didn't respond. She didn't deny it.

Cynthia sighed dramatically,

"Enough of this touching farewell." She turned to me, her gaze glinting with cruelty. "Now, about your fate-"

"Please," I gasped, bowing my head. "The Alpha cannot know about this. If he finds out, he'll kill me."

Cynthia smiled. "Oh, darling... you're dying either way."

"No!" I sobbed, lowering my body in submission. "I'll go far. I'll leave the pack forever. Please-"

A single gunshot rang through the night. I slowly with wide eyes looked down at my stomach that was now clutched by my hands. Hot pain exploded in my stomach, a scream caught in my throat while my breath hitched. My shaky hands pressed against the wound but more blood seeped through my fuingers.

I collapsed to my knees, gasping.

No...

"My baby..."

Before I could fully process the pain, another shot fired. A choked sob escaped me as I hit the cold, hard ground.

Through blurry vision, I saw Luna Cynthia standing over me, the gun in her hand,

"I warned you, Daphne," she hissed. "I make people disappear."

She kicked me but I was too weak to move or whine. The pain was too much, consuming everything that my mind was pulling me toward the abyss.

I heard the sounds of car doors slamming and engines starting before they sped off, leaving me to die.

I lay there, staring up at the night sky, watching the stars blur. My life flashed before my eyes. Every happy memory was with Roxanne. And just like that, they all faded, replaced with nights in Kian's arms, his touch, his scent.

How did my life get this bad? How did I end up like this?

My eyes slowly began to close when I felt arms lift me up from the cold ground of death. I didn't know If it was the moon goddess finally taking her property that came to earth to do nothing but occupy space, not until I heard a masculine voice filed with urgency,

"Hang on. You'll be alright. I'll make sure of it."