Amara's POV
A year after the incident with Mr. Armani, I still found myself waking up in the middle of the night with cold sweats. The memory of his rough hand coming at me and everything turning dark in a flash still haunted me.
I remember how I was awoken by the sound of thunder and rain that night. I had tried my best to see past my heavy eyelids until I could barely make out the shape of metal bars in front of me. I blinked once, then twice before I had pushed my torso up from the wet floor. The little window in the wall allowed the rain to pass through and form a puddle in the room.
Confused as to where I was, I stood up and looked around. I was in an enclosed room with three walls made of stone, metal bars for the fourth wall, and a single-window with metal bars that prevented anyone from coming in or going out. The room was much smaller than my room at my mother's place.
There was no light source in the room, but ahead of me, I noticed light spilling through the bars from a lantern that must have been placed on the ground.
Going to the railing, I had searched for a way out. When I found a door, I pulled and pushed as hard as I could, but the iron gate was locked.
I tried to remember how I got there, but the last thing I could recall was hurrying back home only to run into Mr. Armani on the way before being knocked out.
I still remember the woman with fiery, red hair that had been tied into a braid. It was a maid, I later realized. I was soaked, in a cage and confused. She had helped me out, taken me to the bathroom and cleaned me. She had combed my hair and treated me like a doll only to present me to him.
His name was Lucian. He was my master. My king. I was a bit shocked when I was ordered to dress scarcely in front of him.
He was tall and muscular, with broad shoulders and a powerful build that made him seem larger than life. His hair was a rich chestnut color, falling in gentle waves that brushed against the nape of his neck. He often tied his hair back in a loose knot, with a few strands hanging in front of his forehead.
His features were chiseled and sharp, with a strong jaw line and a straight nose. His eyes were a deep, intense green, with flecks of gold that sparkled in the light. There was a hint of stubble on his jaw, adding to the rugged, masculine look that he effortlessly exuded.
He had locked eyes with me and asked the maid if this was her and the maid told him yes.
I had never met the Alpha king before, I have only heard of the king who lived in the ShadowClaw pack and ruled the whole of Aldridge from his throne made of diamonds. I had admired his strength but that day I lost all respect for him. Because he had held me, he had touched me and he had used me to his will.
It was only later I found out that I had no right to choose. A slave had no choice.
Yes, I was the slave sold to him.
The alpha king has been looking for a woman to breed his child. My step-father had heard of this deal and had sold me off to the first buyer that came for a virgin, green eyed girl, who would be taken to the king to be his own personal breeder.
And here I was, a year after.
I was standing by the window, dressed in a light-colored cotton dress that exposed my arms and shoulders. The neckline was modest, high enough to cover my collarbones but low enough to provide some ventilation in the summer heat. The dress flowed down to my ankles, swaying gently with the breeze that came in from the open window.
My dark, curly hair was pulled back in a simple braid that rested over my shoulder. The sun cast a warm glow on my lightly tanned skin, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment in that moment.
As I stood there, lost in thought, a sudden knock at the door broke my reverie. I turned to see a maid standing there, a look of urgency on her face. "Miss, the Alpha King requests your presence in his chambers immediately," she said, bowing her head.
I hesitated for a moment, feeling somewhat self-conscious in my current attire. He had always wanted me to be dressed scantily when I appeared in front of him, making it easier for me to be breeded.
"Does he want me to change?" I asked, looking down at my dress.
The maid looked me up and down and then smiled reassuringly. "You look just fine like that, Miss. The Alpha King will not mind," she replied.
With a deep breath, I followed the maid out of the room and towards the Alpha King's chambers, wondering what could be so urgent that he needed me right away.
On a normal basis, as he did every two weeks, he would give me a chance to dress up, clean, refresh and put on makeup. This was something all new.
As I walked into his chambers, I found him standing at the window, enjoying the sunset as I was before, his back facing me and his arm crossed. He didn't tie his hair up today and they fell completely on his face. His looks were entrancing. Calling him handsome would just be an understatement.
“You called for me, your majesty?” I asked, bowing my head.
“Yes, I did.” He said without turning back.
“Would you like me to undress?” I asked as if I was asking for chicken and soup.
It was the normal thing. When I hadn't gotten used to this, even though he never did hit me. He would change to his wolf and growl at me. The look in his eyes was always enough to put me in my place.
“No,” He tucked his hands into the pocket of his trousers. “I would be leaving the house for three days. I hope you remember my rules?”
“Of course. I do”
How could I ever forget? I should never leave my room unless summoned by him. Smile at the guards. Misbehave or ever try to escape from his estate. It seems easy, doesn't it?
Living in an extravagant room, getting dressed, cleaned, made beautiful by maids, no scarcity of food, always entertained by books or listening to the maids talk about what's happening in the outside world.
It does seem beautiful on the inside but it was just a pretty prison. One that cages you mentally and emotionally. I was nothing but his slave. Nothing better.
And nothing hurts more than when the person doing this to me is my mate. My soul mate, given to me by the moon goddess.
Every day he empties his seed inside me; every day I feel that goddamn electricity running through my veins. His touch. His smell. Everything, I crave to truly put my mark on him but he doesn't see it. He doesn't want me as an emotional support. Just a slave and that was it.
He then turned to me and held my arm. His hold was a little too tight for me to handle. I tried to remove my hand from his, but his strength is greater than mine.
“Remember, Amara. Remember who you are and once you do something out of norm, you are a goner. You are mine,” As Lucian stared into my eyes, I noticed a subtle shift in the color of his irises.
The once piercing green had now transformed into a deep, mesmerizing shade of golden brown, like the sun setting on a warm summer day. It was as if his wolf was coming to the surface, taking control of his body and mind. I could feel the intensity of his gaze, the weight of his dominance, and for a moment, I felt powerless under his hold. It was both exhilarating and terrifying, a potent mixture of desire and fear that left me breathless.
I took a deep breath and bowed my head, saying through clenched teeth, “I understand, your majesty. I know my duties.”
With that he let my hand go.
“You may leave.” He said, turning back to the window.
I bowed one last time and scurried out of his chambers, my wrist still tingling from his touch. My wolf kept on nagging about how she wanted to be in his arms , to cuddle, to feel.
But that man is as cold as ice, so cold that he doesn't realize that I am his mate and I stood before him.
Back in my bedroom, I sat cross legged, as the fiery haired maid massaged my feet.
“Today marks the third month that I haven't seen a blood stain on your bed sheets, Amara. A sign that you must be pregnant. Aren't you sure you should inform the king and get you a doctor? You don't know if it's healthy that the king touches you in this stage, my dear” the woman, Elsie, was a middle aged woman. The first maid I saw when I arrived at this estate.
Elaid has been by my side since. And I trusted her more than anyone. She only took care of my bed sheets after I had told her that I do not want the other maids to inform Lucian after I get pregnant because I had a plan.
“There is no need for that, Elsie. And for the other thing? Is it ready?” I said in a low voice.
Elsie nodded. “Yes. It is. You would have to dress like a maid to escape the estate. Once Lucian leaves, I could distract the guards while you make your way with the other maids to the eastside market. Just remember that once you are out, you have to switch into your Werewolf form and run south. Through the woods. Just go south and eventually you would get to the nightshade pack. Ask for Georgia. She will assist you and help you. She is my cousin and a sweet soul”
I nodded. “Thank you Elsie for this. But…I hope nothing bad is going to happen to you once I am gone?”
Elsie chuckled. “Worry about yourself honey. I have known Lucian since he was a child. He has lost his track after past traumas. He is a good kid, though he doesn't seem like that now”
I shrugged. “I would never know. I would like to leave tonight. As soon as he is gone, I should be gone too. Would take him a long time before he would come back and realize I am gone. Within three days, I am sure I would have gotten to Georgia”
Elsie nodded. “You are right,” Elsie removed her hands from my feet. “But may I ask sweetheart, why do you want to leave? Any girl would be happy to be in your position.”
I relaxed back on the cushion of the sofa I was seated on. “Any girl that doesn't have empathy for their child. Once Lucian found out about this child, he would keep me more secluded. Once the child is given birth to, I am discarded. I have nothing to support me with. No family. Just shame to my name. And my child, I know it would be trained…but I just can't, Elsie. Lucian treats me like a pet. I…can't just relax. I can't just keep on feeling like a used toy. And my child to…be…” I choked on my tears. “Just look at it from my point of view Elsie. It's not easy”
Elsie nodded, patting my shoulders. “I understand sweetheart. You leave tonight. Just be careful. It's not just you anymore, it's you and your child”
****
Two months of preparation for this day.
The day I finally stepped foot on soil once again and it worked perfectly. The moment I was out of the estate gate, I sneaked away from the other maids and walked into the forest, talking the mask off my face.
I looked out at the dark horizon.
It was a risky thought. I could have waited till morning before doing this but it's a little bit late to say sorry. I looked back at the estate behind me before turning and walking down the pathway of the forest.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, feeling the familiar tingling sensation all over my body. My muscles twitched and convulsed as my bones cracked and shifted, reshaping into a new form. Fur sprouted all over my skin, and my fingers and toes curled into paws as my nails turned into sharp claws.
As the transformation completed, I opened my eyes and looked around, taking in my surroundings with new senses. The forest was no longer dark and blurry, but bright and vivid, every leaf and twig and pebble in sharp focus. I could smell the damp earth, the scent of pine trees, and the faint trace of prey.
With a powerful leap, I took off into the night, my paws hitting the ground with a steady rhythm. The wind blew through my fur, and I felt the rush of freedom that only came with running in my wolf form. My heart beat fast, and my breath came in short pants as I picked up speed, my body a blur of motion in the moonlight.
As I ran through the forest, my senses on high alert, I felt a presence following me. I couldn't see anyone, but my instincts told me that someone was there.
As I continued running, I heard the sound of a bow being drawn and an arrow whistling through the air. It missed me by inches, lodging itself into a tree trunk.
I spun around, ready to face my attacker, but I saw no one. Suddenly, a voice came from behind me, sending shivers down my spine.
“Well, well, well, look what we got here,” the voice said, dripping with sarcasm.
Lucian’s POVAs I rode through the countryside, the scenery passing me by in a blur, my thoughts were fixated on the dark haired girl that I had in my home.I had decided to take this journey to make an important negotiation with a pack, to focus on matters of the pack and put aside the tumultuous feelings she stirred within me. But it seemed that even the rolling hills and verdant forests couldn't banish her from my mind.I could still smell her sweet scent on my clothes and feel the softness of her skin beneath my fingers. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face, her dark curls tumbling down her back, her full lips curved in a smile. Her bright blue eyes that always seemed to be filled with fear, no matter how I try to act as normal as I could be.Even as my beta recounted pack affairs, I struggled to concentrate. His words were a mere buzz in my ears, drowned out by the incessant echo of Amara's voice. It was as if she had taken root in my mind, a stubborn weed that refused to
~Amara~ My body stilled and I came to a halt as I heard the voice very close to me. Elsie had told me about some wolves who had been ostracized by Lucian for betraying the pack and how they always roam around in anger, killing anyone who comes from the pack. I can’t even decide between them and wolf hunters who I should be more scared about. My hands instinctively went to my belly and I sent a silent prayer up to the moon goddess to protect me and my baby from whatever this is. I slowly turned around and came face to face with perhaps the ugliest man I have ever met in my entire existence. He was burly and tall with a wicked sneer on his face. A fresh cut which was perhaps gotten during a tussle lined his left cheek. When he opened his mouth to speak, his breath reeked of a mix of garlic and alcohol. “You reek of ShadowClaw. Aren’t you the little wolf that Lucian has been hiding from everyone else like a priceless trophy? Hm?” I shuddered when his fingers brushed my skin. This sud
Adrik paced the breadth and length of his study impatiently, huffing as he did so. “Where is she? Where are they? Why aren’t they here yet?” Adrik’s right hand man Chad, sat on a 1990 classic grey chair and motioned for him to do the same. “Calm down Adrik. I’m sure they’ll be here any minute from now. She’s too weak for them not to be able to handle” “This wouldn’t be the first time that they’re disappointing me. Sometimes I wonder if I should have just gotten myself more suitable persons to handle the work for me” He sat on the edge of the chair, the ring on his forefinger impatiently hitting against the table in front of him. His eyes flew to the clock on the wall and trailed out back to the window. One could easily see that his patience had run thin. What if those idiots failed to deliver the job as promised? Getting that woman would mean killing two birds with a stone. His grand plan will finally work as he will have the special child immediately after he is born. The bonus po
I see you’ve gotten the tropy that you have been looking for”. A middle aged woman who looked like she had seen the worst things that life had to offer, sat on a couch in Adrik’s sitting room, her legs crossed. She gave a lopsided grin while looking at Adrik who was fixing them some drinks at his private bar. Adrik turned with two glasses of wine and walked slowly towards her, a victorious glint shining through her eyes. He handed one glass to her and took a sip from his. “For a supposed trophy that has been causing havoc in my kingdom, I expected much. But she was just average” “Well, she hasn’t been treated well by your aides, not that we want to spoil her but you should know that she is carrying the child that you have always wanted. Nothing should happen to it until it is born” Adrik nodded. “I know that. That is why I still have the patience to tolerate whatever is spilling from her mouth. Such hassles". The woman smiled and fixed Adrik a serious gaze. “What are you going
I woke up with a throbbing headache and a split skull. Yep, I could definitely say that my skull was split in two because why do I feel like someone performed an acrobatic on them? I tried to move my hands and met with stiff opposition. I pulled a little bit hard and was rewarded with a sharp pain in my wrist. Startled, I opened my eyes and looked over at my hand. I was chained to the head of a bed with a handcuff. I looked around the room; this definitely wasn't the prison that I was confined to. This space was much better and cleaner. It almost looked like a normal person’s home but I knew that having a home was far from me. “Sweet. You’re awake. I was wondering whether to baptize you with a pack of ice cubes. Thankfully you got the memo before you woke” My head turned to the sound of the voice. It was him. The same werewolf who had ordered my abduction. Then the realization hit me. I was supposed to have been out of here by now. I pretended that I had collapsed after they ope
I looked at the petite omega who was brushing my hair. She looked so thin that I wondered if the last time that she ate good food was weeks ago. Are omegas treated that badly in this pack? Lucian, no matter how ruthless he was, never treated an omega badly to this extent. Not again. How did Lucian’s name come up again? I really need to find a way to get rid of the thoughts that keep intruding into my head. I sighed and looked at the omega through the mirror. “Why did Alpha Adrik order that I be cleaned and brought to his bedroom?” She kept on brushing my hair, pretending to not understand what I was saying. Were they sworn to an oath of secrecy too? This pack is strange for all the right reasons. Adrik must have them at the edge of their seats. Is he that ruthless? Even more than Lucian? Uh-uh Here we go again. That’s it. No more. I sat up and looked at myself in the mirror. Within a few days, my eyes have sunk a little into my sockets and my collarbone has become a bit conspi
The shock of the impact paralyzed me for some seconds before I finally regained myself. I had it coming right? I mean, dress up and come to my bed equaled this, didn't it?He pressed me more into him, all the while forcing his tongue down my throat. His breath tasted like rotten tuna and his animalistic growls made me want to tear him apart. Not in a good way, trust me. My opinion wasn’t any of his concern as he continued his assault on me with his hands.His mouth finally left mine and went down to my neck and I got a much-needed breather. I could feel him growing harder and harder on me and his ragged breath poured on my ears like a generator that would soon run out of fuel. Maybe his mate would have found it sexy but I definitely did not. I wanted to get out of this room; I wanted him to get his hands off me. And goddess knows that I wanted to choke him so much there and then.“Get on the bed and spread your legs”, he ordered gruffly.I swallowed hard and pressed my lips together.
“Amy…wake up Amy”A guttural sound that I was never sure could come out from my vocal cords escaped my lips. Someone was shaking me frantically and whoever this person was, he or she was bent on stripping me of the rest that I had managed to get not too long ago after the excruciatingly tiring tasks that Adrik signed over to me for the day.I tried to move my feet but they proved uncooperative, like they were tied together and placed underneath some kind of rock. Yep, that was how tired I was. And honestly, all I wanted to do was lie back and enjoy the little solitude that I had left before the next morning. but this person was insistent.Oh, goddess! Has Adrik sent one of his thugs to come pick me up for another tete-a-tete? I had barely survived the last desecration which he made on my body and I am not yet ready for another one.Surely he cannot be this insatiable when it comes to women? And besides he has a whole harem. What’s