Tessa’s POV
Eric pushed me towards the men, and I did not resist.
What was the point?
If I didn’t go with them, I would remain in a small, dank cell for the rest of my life until either Paige or Eric decided the mate bond was too much trouble and put me down or something.
Immediately, two men rushed forward and held my shoulder and arms on either side so tight that I squirmed in pain.
I’ll never be valuable to my pack or my family. Hell, even my mate didn’t care much, so why should I? Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad with the Dark Lord. And if it was, I could always escape.
Couldn’t I?
I cooperated meekly, walking where they led, but one of them still felt the need to nudge roughly at my back, making me stumble as I went outside.
I was pushed into the back of a truck, eyes widening at the sight of the other scared, helpless women inside. Most of them were very well dressed, with tasteful, understated jewelry to boot, like some Lunas or at least very high-born ladies whose families had probably sacrificed to escape the wrath of the Dark Lord.
I fought tears and huddled in a corner, trying to think of anything other than the fate that awaited before me the moment the wheels stopped. An hour later, a woman separated from the group shifted closer towards me.
She wore a fine dress that looked like it cost more than my entire wardrobe put together. From the pearls that adorned her throat and her large opal ring, I could bet she was a Luna. They tended to wear jewelry to symbolize their pack’s status, so I was given Paige's heavily brocaded dress, which was ill-fitting given that she was taller and slightly bigger than I was.
“Forgive me for saying, but you look decidedly out of place here.”
Oddly enough, I wasn’t offended that she had clocked that I wasn’t a Luna.
Omega wolves hardly ever became Lunas. We just weren’t powerful enough to be fated or chosen mates of Alphas. We were liabilities, through and through. I sighed.
“I’m not.”
“You should run. You don’t need to suffer the fate of a title whose privilege you never enjoyed.”
I shook my head. “What’s the point? It’s not like I can refuse the Alpha's orders and remain in the pack.”
She made a sympathetic noise. “Chin up and wear it as best as you can then.” Her face blanched. “It’s about to be difficult, and I’m not talking about this trip.”
I shuddered. She was right.
The rumors I’ve heard about the Dark Lord…were not encouraging at all. Again, I tried to keep the thoughts at bay, fishing desperately for a change of topic.
“How about you? How did you come to be here? Traded by your Alpha? Or a substitute for your Luna?” I asked, even though I guessed she was probably a Luna herself.
Her mouth tightened.
“I was given up by my chosen mate of five years. He met her a few days ago, and our five years meant nothing after that.”
She glanced at me.
“I’m sorry your Alpha rejected you. His actions towards you were certainly unfair, but I have to admit, he did a good job as a husband. I’m a bit jealous of your Luna and how he protected her. If only my Michael loved me that much, she would be here instead of me,” she said sadly.
I suppose, in a lot of ways, it was true. I could resent Eric all I wanted, but he kept his vows to Paige, whom he had promised them. He had protected her till the very end, giving the power of a fated bond away just so he could keep her.
I suppose I couldn’t blame him, but I couldn’t also be blamed for feeling like an abandoned pawn. Considering the way it had all played out, it just couldn’t be helped.
“What’s your name?” My new acquaintance asked.
“Tessa. How about you?”
“Carolina,” she said, and I nodded.
We fell silent after that, and I leaned against the window, looking at the unfamiliar scenery outside. To be honest, Carolina wasn’t the only one who envied Paige. I’d been worthless all my life to the people who were supposed to love me.
How would it feel to be valued so dearly, as she clearly was? If my own mate could not love me enough to spare me this fate, would anyone ever do it?
After a while, the car slowed, sliding within the gates of a large compound, and pulled over in front of a huge mansion. We disembarked from the car in a short while and asked to process in a single file until we were all out of the vehicles.
“Alright. Move this way.” One of them said, leading us around to the back.
“Stand separately. There is no huddling into groups. Lunas go in front. The rest of you go to the back.” I heard but was not used to the title, so I didn’t move until I was nudged forward.
I knew what awaited me within these walls. The same thing happened to most of the females the Dark Lord kidnapped for other packs.
We were usually earmarked as sex slaves to the Dark Lord’s men. A few of us would be reserved especially for him, and that would be that.
We were led to a room with barely any furniture and only two windows. I eagerly took position by one of the windows, trying to hide from the guards' scrutinizing eyes, which already seemed to be sharing us amongst themselves.
Through some unlikely bit of luck, I found an old, rusty slip of iron on the window sill. Not stopping to wonder why they would be so careless, I snatched it immediately, closing my fist around it and gritting my teeth when one of the guards catcalled out to me.
“Look at that tiny one by the window,” one leered. His friend looked me up and down and shrugged. “Nah. I like them with a little more meat on their bones, like the redhead over that corner.”
They didn’t even care that we could hear them. They just kept talking about us like we were meant to be slaughtered and shared.
I gritted my teeth and clenched my fist around the rusty iron in my palm. Sex slave or not, I wouldn’t back down to any of these men without a fight. We stood in the room quietly, with the guards watching us, until someone appeared in the doorway.
He was a tall man who wore simple black pants and a dress shirt. Yet he was perhaps the most dangerous-looking man I’d ever met. A powerful demeanor hung around him, dark and commanding, and despite my earlier burst of defiance, I dropped my gaze the moment he caught it, terrified to be in the presence of such a domineering wolf.
This had to be him.
I was almost one hundred percent sure of it. I kept my head down, trying my best not to draw attention to myself, until a shadow appeared in front of me.
My heart galloped in my chest.
“Hold out your hand.” A low, masculine voice rumbled. Shaking like a leaf caught in the wind, I looked up at the most handsome face I had ever seen.
He had dark, thick brows, a straight nose, and a jaw that looked cut from marble. He was gorgeous, but his dark eyes were also very cold and terrifying.
“Your hand. What is in it?” he asked again, and I flushed to the roots of my hair.
With a shudder, I extended my arm and held open the palm, revealing the rusty iron that stained my palm.
He closed a large hand over mine, picking up the iron and examining it before suddenly pressing it to my neck. I squealed like a stuck pig, cold sweat breaking out on my brows. I could barely move; his demeanor was too strong, too choking, too all-encompassing.
I’d been planning to use the iron on him if we so happened to meet. However stupid that sounded, it had been my only weapon in this strange, horrifying place.
Now that we did meet, my so-called weapon was against my neck, a slight smirk about my captor's full lips.
“Now what?” he asked, looking directly into my eyes. I swallowed helplessly, and seeing my dismay, he laughed.
It was not laughter that spoke of happiness or even humor. It was mocking and disdainful, and it caused a shiver to run down my spine.
“You should thank me for preventing you from doing something undoubtedly stupid. You would have failed, and then, you would have regretted it.” His brow raised when I remained quiet.
“Well?” he asked again, pushing the iron closer to my neck, making me feel a sting as it cut superficially into my skin.
I flinched and struggled to get air past the tightness in my chest.
“T-Thank you, Alpha," I stuttered. He studied me a moment more before turning on his heels, ignoring us as he walked towards the door.
He let out a menacing smirk that brought a chill to my spine as he ordered, “Fiesty… Send her to my room.”
Tessa’s POVI was taken to a separate room away from the other women and handed to an older female servant who promptly forced me into a bath soon after.“Get in there,” she shouted, pushing me into a bath filled with the captivating fragrance of herbs and petals.After she was done, she forced me into a dress resembling lingerie with its sheer top and short skirt. Then, I was half-escorted and half-dragged through the dimly lit halls to the Dark Lord’s room.“Wait! Slow down, please…” I said, almost stumbling forward.Instead of showing mercy, the woman murderously glared at me, instantly making me shut my mouth and blindly follow her.It was just as dim inside, making me squint. The space was rather massive, with a few strategically arranged chairs and other pieces of furniture. A huge flat-screen TV stood in front of the settee arrangement, too big to be mounted on the wall.Off to the side on a small platform, a king-sized bed stood, with black silk sheets and metal hooks on the h
Tessa’s POVI blinked, completely dumbfounded, when he started unzip his pants. For a moment, my gaze fell on his long fingers drawing down the zipper of his tailored slacks.My heart pounded inside my chest as it beat wildly fast while my eyes followed his lowering pants that revealed his incredibly tight briefs that molded around his-I caught myself staring, coming back to my senses and turning my face away with an embarrassed flush.‘Damn! Get a hold of yourself, Tessa,’ I scolded myself.“Oh? Does my little omega like what she sees?” Zane mocked, an unmistakable sneer evident in his voice.The flush on my cheeks deepened but I said nothing. I kept my polite gaze away as I hear his movemnets while changing. All while that, I kept staring at a spot on the wall to the left like its the most intereting thing in the world right now and not that god-like man in the same room with me.“Turn around.” He demanded a few minutes later.With nervous breath, I did as he asked and I was reliev
Zane’s POV“Alpha.” One of the warriors greeted me as I entered the incubation room.It’s where the captured Lunas were imprisoned before they were thrown to where they should belong – as slaves.I was scanning the room, when something glinting caught my eyes.The moonlight reflected on the tip of the iron tightly being held by a petite woman from the corner of the room.“How reckless!” I thought.Standing before her, I observed her appearance and narrowed my eyes with interest.Looking at her useless bravery, only one thing went to my mind. “She’ll be a whole lot of fun as a toy.”And before I knew it, one second I was teasing her, the next, she was screaming in pain while curled up on the ground.I wouldn't lie, I panicked when she passed out in my arms. The moment her eyes shut right, I felt my heart stop. Swearing profusely, I called her name and shook her shoulders several times but she didn’t respond.Laying her back gently on the floor, I fished my phone out of my pocket and
Tessa’s POVA few days had passed since I was dragged over to Zane’s pack. After I regained consciousness that night, he arranged a room for me, and then I hadn’t heard much from him after.It’s a small room with a single bed, a few pieces of furniture, and a small bathroom. There were not many decorations in it. In fact, it looked dull, just a little bit better than the ones for omegas. It’s very clean, to the point that there’s not even a single dust speck to be seen in any nooks.But still, opening my eyes every morning in this room, which was a whole lot better than the basement Eric and Paige threw me into, was already something to be thankful for.Suddenly, loud knocks on the door jolted me.“Breakfast is here!” One of the guards situated outside my door shouted.Hastily, I jumped from my bed and ran toward the door. After all, they didn’t like waiting.The door opened, and a bulky and scary man showed up there, making me subconsciously back away.“Here!” He harshly pushed me th
Tessa’s POVI gasped as I felt something wet land on my neck, a spot just a bit below the back of my ear.The burning feeling caused by the bond punishment slowly became bearable as a tongue slowly slid on the temporary mark on my neck.“No…” I tried to protest, but a moan came out of me instead as Zane started sucking on my skin and his body touching mine, but not enough for me to carry his weight.And just like that, the burning feeling in me turned into a heat of lust, making me thirst for more. Subconsciously, I raised my hand, pressing my palms on his chest and sliding it up until I had it wrapped around his nape.Just as I arched my body, I slowly drowned in the tingling sensations brought by Zane’s actions and the temporary mark he gave me. He pulled away from me as if nothing happened, leaving me restless and needing more.I panted as my body fell on the mattress, feeling so wet in my core like I’d never been before, and my throat went dry like I’d been thirsty to death.“Bett
Tessa’s POVIt had been days since I rejected Eric as a mate. I felt more relaxed than I had since the bond had formed. Finally, I’m free of the pain and torment that plagued me constantly before.As my father had warned, I’d gotten very weak after.Zane had been the one to carry me back to my room in the aftermath because I could barely move. He’d had two omegas keep watch over me, ordering them to attend to my every need until I got better.They’d done as he’d asked, waiting on me hand and foot for the last three days since. I was incredibly grateful to them, not to mention him for giving the order.Even now, I was still very weak, but at least I could walk around again and move on my own. That was an incredible feat, considering I could barely lift my head a few days ago.“You can move now.” I shrank in surprise as an omega soundlessly came in with a new set of clothes in her arms.She placed the clothes down on the edge of the bed. With hostility, she spoke, “King Zane will be wai
Tessa’s POVAn omega around her 20s smiled at me. Unlike most of the members I encountered, she seemed nice.Scratching her head, unsure, she replied, “I don’t know… King Zane might…”Showing her my puppy eyes, I begged, “Please?”I really wanted to cook, partly because I was bored and partly because I wanted to give something to Zane. One reason would be to thank him for the partial freedom he gave me, and another to get into his good graces.Who knew? Maybe I’ll be on his good side, and he’ll completely free me soon.After staring at me and contemplating for a while, the omega heaved a sigh of defeat and smiled in victory.She attempted to help me, but I insisted that I prefer to do it by myself. In the process, I learned that her name was Mildred.She’d apparently been in the kingdom for almost two decades and was around when Zane was a boy. Thus, she was the perfect subject for me to interview to learn more about Zane.Honestly, as harsh and a bit manipulative as Zane was, it’s st
Zane’s POVI was leisurely sitting on my black high-back leather executive chair, browsing through essential yet boring documents I needed to review and sign, when a series of knocks irritated me.“What?” I shouted, irritably placing the documents on the table and glaring at the opened door.Benji, one of the guards stationed at the entrance of the pack house, cautiously entered with fear and urgency all over his face. The drops of sweat on the side of my forehead told me that it was not only because of his fear of me but because he ran in there.“What’s so urgent about?”I lay back in my chair, not caring much. I’m the Lycan King. More than anything, I’m the Dark Lord. No one in their right mind would attack the kingdom, and even if someone did so, my well-trained warriors would easily wipe them off.We were known to be ruthless. What exactly there in this word could even shake me?I was overflowing with confidence—I had never been so sure in my life. That was until Benji’s next word