The night outside the window was as dark as the abyss in my heart, heavy and unrelenting. I was just about to settle in for the night, allowing my attendant to help me prepare for bed, when the door to my room was flung open with a force that made me flinch.

Harlan Mills stood there, his figure slightly unsteady from the alcohol in his system. His presence was commanding, even in this state, and his sharp, predatory gaze swept over the room. Without a word, he dismissed my attendant with a flick of his hand, his Alpha aura radiating authority that no one dared to defy.

My eyes caught the fresh marks on his neck—bold, unmistakable signs of intimacy that he made no effort to hide. The scent of another woman clung to him, a sickly sweet floral aroma that made my stomach churn. It was Robin’s scent, and it was impossible to ignore.

It didn’t take long for me to piece together what had happened. He had come straight from Robin’s arms, yet here he was, standing in my room, his Alpha aura crackling with an intensity that made the air feel heavy. Why? He had always treated me with disdain, as though my mere presence was a stain on his reputation. So why now, in the dead of night, was he here?

I schooled my expression into one of calm indifference, though my heart was racing. “Alpha, you’re drunk,” I said evenly, gesturing to his personal guard who stood at the door. “Help him to his room.”

But the guard didn’t move. Under Harlan’s icy glare, he quickly exited the room, closing the door behind him with a finality that sent a shiver down my spine.

Before I could react, Harlan’s hand shot out, gripping my wrist with a force that made me wince. He pulled me close, his lips curling into a cruel smirk. “Felicity,” he said, his voice dripping with mockery, “you’re acting so coy now. Isn’t this what you’ve been waiting for? For me to finally touch you? And now that I’m here, you’re pushing me away? Don’t play hard to get—it’s a game I don’t have the patience for.”

I struggled against his hold, my heart pounding in my chest. “Harlan, let me go. If you’re so disgusted by me, why are you here? Why are you doing this?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he used a leather strap to bind my wrists and ankles, forcing me into a position that left me exposed and vulnerable. My breath hitched as panic set in, but I refused to let him see my fear.

His eyes gleamed with a twisted amusement as he stepped back, surveying me like I was some kind of canvas. “Don’t worry,” he said, his tone almost conversational, “I have no intention of touching you. Not in the way you’re thinking.”

I felt my stomach drop. What was he planning?

He moved to my desk, picking up a marker and a bottle of ink. My eyes widened as he began to draw on my bare skin, his movements deliberate and unhurried. The cold liquid made me shiver, but it was nothing compared to the icy dread that settled in my chest.

“I heard this is the latest trend in the pack,” he said, his voice casual, as though this were a perfectly normal conversation. “I thought I’d give it a try. Stay still—I’ll be back to admire my work once it’s dry.”

He left without another word, his Alpha aura receding as he disappeared into the shadows. I was alone, bound and exposed, the weight of his cruelty pressing down on me like a physical force.

But then I heard it—voices, low and leering, coming from the window. My heart stopped as I realized there was a group of wolves gathered there, their eyes fixed on me with a hunger that made my skin crawl. They were high-ranking pack members, the kind who thought their status gave them the right to do whatever they wanted.

“Robin wasn’t exaggerating,” one of them said, his voice thick with amusement. “She really is something.”

“Alpha Harlan’s work is impressive,” another added, his tone dripping with mockery. “He’s left just enough to the imagination.”

Their laughter was a knife twisting in my chest, their words a reminder of how little I mattered to anyone in this pack. Robin had orchestrated this, I realized with a sinking feeling. She had set this up to humiliate me further, to make sure I knew my place.

I curled in on myself as much as I could, trying to shield my body from their gazes, but it was useless. I was completely at their mercy, and the knowledge was suffocating.

From the next room, I could hear the sounds of passion—Robin’s soft moans and Harlan’s low growls. My heart ached as their voices carried through the thin walls, a cruel reminder of everything I would never have.

“Harlan,” Robin’s voice was breathless, teasing. “Did you really draw on her? How does she compare to me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Harlan replied, his voice low and intimate. “You’re the only one I want. She’s nothing compared to you.”

His words were a knife to my heart, and I felt the tears I’d been holding back finally spill over. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing I could block out the sounds, the voices, the pain. But there was no escape.

In that moment, I had never felt more alone.

I don’t know how much time had passed when I finally heard the sound of the door unlocking. Harlan’s boots appeared in my line of sight.

The restraints around my wrists and ankles were removed, but I was already numb, unmoving, like a broken doll.

Harlan looked at me, his brow furrowing deeply.

“Do you have to look so pathetic? It’s just a late night in the study. Are you really going to give me that kind of attitude?”

But I remained unresponsive, my face pale except for the unnatural flush on my cheeks. Perhaps he finally felt a pang of guilt, because he took off his jacket and threw it over me.

“Wrap yourself up. Do you want to freeze to death?”

“And stop crying. You’re ruining my mood.”

His words were like a spark igniting the storm inside me. My eyes burned crimson, a mix of despair and simmering hatred as I glared at him.

He seemed startled by my expression, but it quickly turned to disgust.

“What’s with that look? Are you really that desperate for me to touch you? Fine, I’ll do it eventually. After all, my grandmother is still waiting for an heir.”

His condescending tone, the way he looked at me like I was beneath him—it made me want to laugh hysterically. Laugh at his arrogance, his cruelty, and my own stupidity.

I forced myself to stand, trembling as I wrapped the jacket tightly around myself. Without sparing him another glance, I turned to leave, calling for a pack member to help me clean up.

But Harlan’s voice stopped me.

“In three days, I’m taking you to the Silver Moon Auction. Be ready. Don’t embarrass me, the Alpha of this pack.”

I didn’t respond, my steps never faltering.

Harlan’s patience snapped. He grabbed my arm, yanking me back.

“Are you deaf? I’m talking to you!”

“…I’m not going.”

My voice was barely a whisper, but it carried enough defiance to make him narrow his eyes.

“What are you even doing? My grandmother’s birthday is coming up. She’s always been so kind to you. Don’t you think you should get her a gift?”

“Ungrateful. Robin started preparing her gift six months ago, her hands raw from the effort.”

“And what do you do all day? Laundry? Making tea? You don’t even act like the Luna of this pack. People might think you’re some lowly Omega I picked up off the streets.”

I looked down at my red, fragile skin, realizing that all the effort I’d put into this pack, into him, meant nothing. To him, I was just a servant.

How ironic.

Harlan coldly ordered a pack member to clean me up. The lotion stung my skin, leaving it raw and irritated, but I felt nothing, like a hollow shell.

The day of the auction arrived. Harlan reluctantly shared a car with me, but as soon as we arrived, he couldn’t wait to get away, leaving me to be escorted to the private room upstairs.

The moment I entered, Robin approached me with a sweet smile.

“Felicity, finally! Harlan’s been so protective of you, we barely see you around.”

Her words were met with a chorus of laughter.

“Protective? More like neglectful. It’s been five years, and he’s still never marked you.”

The crude comment made my face pale instantly.

Zechariah sneered, his eyes glinting with malice as he reached out toward me.

“Can’t handle it? You don’t even know, do you? Tonight’s final item is your marking ceremony. Harlan may never have touched you, but who knows if you’ve been sneaking around? Let me check for you.”

His words sent a chill through my veins, dragging me back to that humiliating night. I trembled, instinctively trying to pull away.

“…Don’t… don’t touch me…”

But the room was filled with leering eyes, their gazes stripping me bare, leaving me exposed and vulnerable.