As the match dragged on, Leah became more and more frustrated.

She was taken aback by Akila's unexpected resilience; usually, Akila would simply stand there and absorb whatever blows Leah landed.

But now, Akila's determination to defend herself was infuriating Leah, who felt her pride wounded by the realization that Akila wasn't the pushover she had thought her to be.

Failing to land a blow, Princess Leah backed off, her gaze flickering to Alpha Dante, then to Alpha Kael, who was watching the match with interest and fascination.

Her brother wore a blank face.

She couldn't tell what he was thinking. She looked back at Akila, who panted heavily on the other side of the ring.

She knew what she had to do. She just had to defeat Akila.

She just had to be the Luna of the Crystal Valley pack.

It didn't matter that Alpha Kael wasn't her mate. Being Luna of the Crystal Valley could mean so much for her. It would secure a relationship between her pack and the Crystal Valley, which meant that her brother would have something to be proud of about her.

That's all she ever wanted...

For her brother to be proud of her.

With a fierce determination, Leah turned back to Akila, her hands clenching into fists as she summoned Ruby's power.

Leah unleashed a ferocious growl as she charged at Akila with relentless fury, her blows landing with precision and force. Akila struggled to defend herself, but Leah's speed and strength proved overwhelming, each strike landing with increasing precision and pain.

Akila crumpled to the ground, her body rolling with the impact as she struggled to catch her breath. Blood speckled the floor, dripping from her battered lips, and her arms bore witness to the brutal assault – bruised, scratched, and reddened. Just as she attempted to push herself up, Lexine's voice cut through the din, her words laced with concern and urgency: "Akila, you can't take much more of this..."

Akila crashed to the ground, rolling in an attempt to absorb the impact. Blood splattered from her mouth, and her arms were a mess of bruises and scratches. As she struggled to rise, Lexine's voice echoed in Akila's mind, her tone laced with concern.

"Akila, we can't take much more of this beating. We're going to get seriously hurt if we don't find a way to turn this around."

Akila gritted her teeth, her mind racing with desperation. She knew Lexine was right; she couldn't keep taking Leah's punishment without finding a way to fight back.

But how? Leah was too strong, too fast, and Akila was running out of options.

Lexine's instincts took over, and Akila's body had reacted without her control.

"Stop hitting me!" Lexine growled, hitting back hard. The punch had been swift and precise, catching Princess Leah off guard and sending her flying to the ground.

The crowd's initial stunned silence was followed by a cacophony of boos and jeers, with many accusing Akila of trying to kill the princess.

"She's trying to kill the princess!"

"... She's evil! She'll kill us all!"

"She's a monster! A curse!" The crowd's cry escalated, their voices laced with fear and outrage.

Akila's eyes widened in horror as she stared at her hand, feeling a sense of detachment and dread. She hadn't meant to do that; she hadn't meant to lose control.

The weight of what she had just done settled heavily on her shoulders, and she felt a wave of fear wash over her.

What would Alpha Dante do now? Would she be punished even more severely?

As the crowd continued to jeer, Akila's gaze flickered to Princess Leah, who was slowly getting to her feet, her face twisted in anger and humiliation.

Akila's heart sank, knowing that she had just made a powerful enemy.

Alpha Dante rose from his seat, his face a mask of fury and disappointment. He turned to Alpha Kael and said something inaudible, before turning and walking away, Alpha Kael following closely behind.

The crowd's jeers and boos continued, but Alpha Dante didn't look back, his departure a clear indication that the match was over.

Before he left, Alpha Dante spoke with the Gamma through the mindlink to take Akila away and punish her for humiliating the princess.

Donel strode into the arena, his face cold and unyielding, and grabbed Akila's arm in a tight grip. "You're coming with me," he growled, dragging Akila away from the arena as the crowd continued to shout and jeer.

Akila stumbled along beside Donel, her mind reeling with the consequences of what had just happened.

She knew she had made a grave mistake, and now she would have to face the wrath of Alpha Dante. Donel's grip on her arm was like a vice, and Akila knew she wouldn't be able to escape.

As they walked, the crowd's noise faded into the distance, replaced by the cold, harsh reality of Akila's situation.

She knew she was in for a world of trouble, and she wondered what her punishment would be. Would it be physical, or would Alpha Dante find a way to humiliate her further?

Akila's heart sank as she was dragged deeper into the darkness, unsure of what lay ahead.

Donel dragged Akila to the dungeons, shoving her inside as soon as the door was opened.

Before she could get up, he kicked her stomach.

She doubled over, crouching in pain, but he didn't stop. He pulled her up by her hair, her scalp burning as he pulled harshly.

She let out a cry, but it didn't help her one bit. He didn't stop abusing her. By the time he threw her back to the ground, her face was bloodied, aches and pains all over her body.

There were tears flowing down her cheeks, though she didn't know why she was crying anymore.

"Lexine. I'm so sorry. I'm really sorry," She sobbed over and over again to her wolf, who tried her hardest to heal her wounds, but there was only so much she could do. She was weak, just as Akila was.

The goddess had turned her back on them the moment they came to the world. That was why their life was filled with so much pain and hatred.

She had done nothing wrong.

She always did as she was told. Followed orders, like the good mutt she was, but still, she was hated, she was despised and cursed, just for existing in the world.

"Lexine, I'm sorry that you're stuck with a slave like me," she sobbed, her voice cracking with despair. "I'm sorry I couldn't give you a better life. I'm sorry I'm a slave, a curse..."

Donel's grip on her face was brutal, forcing her to meet his gaze. Despite the beatings he'd inflicted, his expression remained twisted in contempt, his eyes blazing with hatred.

"You thought you could touch the princess and get away with it?" he sneered, his voice dripping with disdain.

"You, a worthless nothing?" He hurled her back to the floor, and she whimpered, struggling to process the venom in his words. A lump formed in her throat, choking her breath.

Her wolf's voice whispered in her mind, "No, I'm the one who's sorry. Sorry I couldn't protect you better. Sorry our life is like this..."

Donel's fists descended upon her, each blow landing with precision and force.

Akila tried to shield herself, but he was too powerful, and she was soon left battered and bruised. Akila's vision began to blur as Donel's blows continued to rain down on her.

She felt her body weaken, her muscles screaming in agony. Her wolf's presence grew distant, as if trying to shield itself from the pain.

Akila's mind was a jumble of thoughts, but one phrase kept repeating: "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

Donel's anger seemed to fuel itself, each blow landing with increasing force.

Akila's body was a canvas of pain, her skin bruised and battered. She felt herself slipping away, her consciousness fading into the darkness.

Just when it seemed like Donel's rage would consume her, he finally stopped, his chest heaving with exertion.

Akila lay there, her body broken and battered, her spirit crushed. She knew she'd never be the same again, that this beating would leave scars that would never heal.

Just as Donel finished his brutal assault, Alpha Dante entered the room, followed closely by Princess Leah.

Akila's eyes widened in fear as Alpha Dante's gaze swept over her battered body. "Donel, tie her up to the X-cross," Alpha Dante ordered, his voice cold and detached.

Donel nodded and dragged Akila over to the X-shaped wooden frame, binding her wrists and ankles to the wood with thick ropes. Akila struggled and kicked, but it was no use. She was trapped and helpless.

Alpha Dante turned to Princess Leah and handed her a silver-coated whip. "You have the honor of whipping her, Leah," he said, his voice dripping with malice.

Leah's eyes gleamed with excitement as she took the whip, her fingers wrapping around the handle with a sense of anticipation.

She raised the whip and brought it down across Akila's body, the silver-coated lash biting deep into her skin.

Akila screamed as the whip struck her again and again, her body soon becoming a bloody mess. Leah's face was twisted in a snarl, her eyes flashing with anger and hatred.

She whipped Akila with all her might, taking out her frustration and humiliation on the helpless girl.

The sound of the whip cracking through the air and Akila's screams echoed through the room, a gruesome symphony of pain and suffering.

Akila's body was soon covered in bloody welts, and she hung limply from the X-cross, her consciousness fading in and out.

Alpha Dante handed Donel a syringe filled with a clear liquid, the label reading "Wolfsbane".

Donel took the syringe with noth hands, looking at Akila. He knew exactly what he needed to do with it.

Donel nodded at Alpha Dante and approached Akila, who was still tied to the X-cross, her body battered and bloody from Leah's whipping.

He injected the wolfsbane into Akila's vein, and she felt a searing pain coursing through her body.

The wolfsbane took effect quickly, introducing Akila to a new form of agony.

She felt like her body was on fire, her skin burning from the inside out. She thrashed against the ropes, desperate to escape the pain, but it was no use.

Alpha Dante watched Akila's suffering with a detached interest, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "She's been a thorn in my side for far too long," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "It's time she paid the ultimate price."

With a wave of his hand, Alpha Dante ordered Donel to untie Akila and throw her out of the pack. "She's no longer worthy to be a member of our pack," he spat, his face twisted in disgust.

"Let her fend for herself in the wilderness. That is if she can survive the poison." He said with a cold smirk before he turned, leaving the room, with Leah following after him like a scared puppy running after its master.

Donel dod as he was told, ordering that Akila be thrown out of the pack like the thrash she was.

The forest was quiet and still, the only sound being Akila's labored breathing and the distant howling of wolves.

Akila lay there, her body wracked with pain, her mind foggy from the wolfsbane. She knew she had to get up, to keep moving, but her body seemed to be shutting down.

As the shadows deepened, Akila's thoughts grew hazy, her mind drifting toward the afterlife. She wondered if she'd ever find peace, or if her spirit would fade away, lost in the wilderness.

Left to die, abandoned and alone, Akila's body seemed to surrender to the darkness.

In her fading moments, Akila's thoughts turned to the goddess, her heart heavy with unspoken words.

As the darkness deepened, Akila's thoughts grew more disjointed, her mind struggling to hold on to consciousness.

The questions she wanted to ask the goddess swirled in her mind, a maelstrom of pain, anger, and despair.

Why had she been born into slavery? Why had she been subjected to such cruelty and abuse?

The questions seemed to echo through her mind, but her voice was barely a whisper, lost in the silence of the forest.

Just as Akila's spirit seemed to fade away, she felt a strange sensation, like a warmth spreading through her body.

It was faint at first, but it grew stronger, filling her with a sense of hope and possibility. Akila's mind cleared, and she felt a surge of determination. She would not give up.

She would not let the darkness consume her.

Marcel stood on top of  a hill overlooking the Timberclaw pack's territory, a majestic forest littered with towering Redwood trees that stretched towards the sky like giant sentinels. The morning sun cast a warm glow over the forest, illuminating the mist that danced between the trees.

The air was crisp and clean, filled with the scent of pine and damp earth.

As he breathed in the fresh air, Marcel felt the call of the wild, and his wolf, Axel, stirred within him. He let out a low growl, and his body began to shift, his senses heightening as his wolf took over. Axel burst forth, his paws pounding the earth as he ran through the forest, his senses on high alert.

The trees blurred together as he sprinted through the underbrush, his heart racing with excitement.

And then, he caught it - a faint scent of jasmine, delicate, and alluring.

Axel's ears perked up, and he followed the scent, his paws barely touching the ground. The smell was intoxicating, and yet, it stirred a deep pain within Marcel's chest.

He didn't know why, but the scent seemed to tug at his heartstrings, making him feel both elated and tormented.

Axel ran faster, driven by a primal urge to find the source of the scent. The forest flew by in a blur, and Marcel's human consciousness was pushed to the back, allowing Axel to take the reins.

The wolf's instincts were all that mattered now, and he followed the scent with a singular focus, his heart pounding in his chest.

Axel's paws pounded the earth as he ran, the scent of jasmine growing stronger with each step. He burst through the trees, his eyes scanning the landscape, and that's when he saw her.

A petite girl with pale skin and vibrant orange hair lay helplessly on the dirt, her body battered and bruised.

Axel's instincts told him to be cautious, but his heart and nose led him to the girl. He approached her slowly, his tail wagging tentatively as he sniffed the air.

The scent of jasmine was strongest around her.

"Mate," Axel growled, his eyes locked on the girl. Instinct took over, and he sprang into action as two rogues emerged from the trees, their eyes fixed on Akila.

Axel's hackles rose, and he positioned himself between the rogues and Akila, teeth bared in a fierce snarl.

The rogues, sensing Axel's dominance, hesitated for a moment before charging. Axel met them head-on, his jaws snapping as he fought to protect the unconscious girl.

The battle was intense, but Axel's superior strength and training gave him the upper hand. He quickly dispatched the rogues and then returned to Akila's side, his eyes scanning her battered body with concern.

As he gazed at the girl, Axel's instincts confirmed what his nose had already told him - this girl was his mate.

Marcel's human consciousness resurfaced, and he shifted back into his human form, his eyes locked on her pale face.

Marcel's hands moved gently over the girl's body, checking for wounds and assessing the extent of her injuries.

She was just weak and in excruciating pain. Green veins popped from her neck, lines of concern drawn of her forehead.

Axel's keen senses guided him, and he detected the faint scent of wolfsbane in her system. "Wolfsbane," Marcel growled, his eyes narrowing with concern.

He quickly scanned their surroundings, his knowledge of the forest and its medicinal plants kicking in.

He spotted a few shrubs and herbs that might help alleviate the girl's suffering and gathered them, carefully preparing a poultice to apply to her wounds.

As he worked, Marcel couldn't shake off the feeling that this girl was his mate. He didn't know her name, but the bond between them was unmistakable.

He felt a deep connection to her, a sense of responsibility and protectiveness that he couldn't ignore.

Marcel mindlinked his beta and best friend, Rafe, asking him to bring an antidote for the wolfsbane poison he could smell in her bloodstream.

Rafe moved with haste and utmost secrecy after being informed of the urgent situation.

Marcel's focus remained on the girl, his hands moving gently as he tended to her wounds.

He couldn't help but wonder who she was, how she'd ended up in this state, and what her story was.

But for now, his priority was saving her life and making sure she was safe.

Marcel carefully lifted the girl into his arms, cradling her close to his chest as he navigated through the forest.

He knew these woods like the back of his hand, and he made his way to one of his cabin hideouts, a place only known to him and his beta, Rafe.

The cabin was nestled deep in the forest, surrounded by dense foliage and protected by powerful wards that would deter any unwanted visitors.

Marcel had built this cabin himself, using it as a safe haven for times when he needed solitude or a place to lay low.

He pushed open the door and stepped inside, his eyes adjusting to the dim light within. The cabin was cozy, with a fire pit in the center of the room and a small bed in the corner.

Marcel gently laid the girl down on the bed, his hands lingering on her skin as he checked her wounds again.

The cabin was quiet, the only sound the crackling of the fire pit and the girl's labored breathing. Marcel's gaze lingered on her face, his heart still racing from the intensity of their bond.

He didn't know her name, but he knew she was his mate, and he would do everything in his power to protect her.

As Marcel's eyes roamed over the girl's face, he noticed the faint bruises and scratches that marred her skin.

His heart ached with a mix of anger and compassion, and he couldn't help but wonder what she had endured before he found her. Marcel's gaze softened as he looked at her, and he felt a deep sense of responsibility wash over him. He would do everything in his power to help her heal, to protect her from further harm.