Chapter 10

Four years ago...

I didn’t know if that pain in my stomach was from hunger, the sharp ongoing ache of my sadness, or the recent beatings administered under his watchful eye.

I didn’t understand what they wanted me for. I had been here for what? Weeks? Months? And I hardly saw anyone. I was locked in a bedroom, a semi-nice one at that; why not just throw me into the dungeon and be over with it?

A sharp knock sounded, and I knew who it belonged to. I didn’t feel the fear he wanted me to. That was the problem. I felt nothing but sadness so raw it seared through any other emotion.

I used to try to soothe myself by dreaming of ways to get revenge, but I knew that was far-fetched. I was alone. I was some type of prisoner, for Goddess knew what reason, and no one was coming to help me.

I couldn’t save myself even if I wanted to.

He came in, towering over me. I didn’t look up, but I saw how he blocked out the light from the open curtains.

“Now, how are we doing, missy? Time for another lesson?”

I didn’t even have time to process what that meant. A lesson? I didn’t care enough anyway. He grabbed me by the back of my hair. I almost yelped, but he punched me in the gut, stealing the sir from me.

“Now, you’ll do as I say, won’t you?”

I had enough sense to realize that he hadn’t said anything to me. I was with it enough to know that there was no sense or pattern to these punishments. But then again, maybe they were just to break me further. Or maybe I was so broken already that these were for an obvious reason I was missing.

But who was behind the administration of these random beatings? The Alpha that took me, whose name I still didn’t know? Where was I, anyway?

“Get up, bitch,” he spat, yanking my hair, so I looked at him. He must have seen nothing but the void I was so far in. “I swear if you—”

There was a sound in the hall, and he dropped my head, running to the door.

“How is she? She needs food,” a soft voice said.

“I'm just checking on her; she’s sleeping. Come back later,” he responded, shutting the door. I didn’t know what side of the door he was on, and I didn’t care.

Minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months passed…

“Let me in,” a shrill voice I'd heard before demanded.

The door was opened by an Omega that haphazardly bathed me. “She has some bruises, Luna,” the Omega said, maybe with a hint of concern or confusion.

I always had bruises from him.

“Probably from malnourishment,” the person, The Luna, responded.

A head of hair that reminded me of straw came into view; she sneered down at me. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t place her.

The lines between reality and the void were slippery now. Sometimes, I couldn’t tell if I was awake or dreaming. But it was better than feeling. Anything was.

“Like my coat?” She stroked the white fur that danced in the low light of the fire.

It reminded me of moonlight, happiness, and stars.

“Familiar?” she asked, and it was, but I couldn’t remember why.

“It was your mother's coat. Well, I should say her fur,” she cackled.

Ice rushed through my veins, waking me up. Adrenaline and fire pumped through me. She was out the door before I could do anything. But it awoke me and pulled me from a forgotten place where all I knew was numbness, sadness, and defeat.

The spark raced through me, turning my pain into fiery anger I couldn’t control.

I took a deep breath and found my purpose.

I was an Alpha’s daughter.

Alpha blood runs through me from an unbroken line.

I would watch them die at my own hands.

***

He came back the next day; judging by how my bruises healed, he would come in every few days. I knew that now, I was aware enough to figure out things like time and that these beatings were, in fact, random.

He usually kept his blows away from visible areas, which I found interesting. I was mildly happy to realize I had found something interesting again.

This time, the punches hurt. Tears pricked my eyes, and helplessness and anger coursed through me. I had to bide my time to get strong again, and he would be at the top of my list.

As he turned from me, I wheezed, “I’m going to kill you, I promise.”

He laughed once. It was a cold, twisted sound devoid of any emotion.

“I would love to see you try, bitch.”

Present Day

I made a detour through the kitchen, the best source of news. The Omegas rarely noticed me anymore. I busied myself, getting a glass of water and fanning my face in case anyone looked my way.

“There are some cute ones out there.”

“None that are my taste; when it comes to warriors, they’re all the same.”

“Why are they all still outside? It seems so dumb to keep them in that tent instead of going to their rooms.”

“I heard it was so the sons could inspect them.”

“Like cattle.”

“I guess warriors are no better than Omegas.” A few of them laughed.

“Not tonight, they aren’t.”

I slipped out, no one noticing. I grabbed a cloth and scissors, and as I escaped back to the hall, I almost bumped into him.

“There you are.” He tilted his head, crooning.

I looked down and shifted from foot to foot. I couldn’t decide if this was a good or bad development.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you, bitch,” he spat, and I looked up, blinking a few times. “You turned out to be quite pretty, you know?” he said, and the compliment from him felt sour. “Still mute?” He barked a laugh.

“Shouldn’t you be getting back to your mate?” I asked, fishing for information, “Tending to her bruises?” I added too sweetly.

His face twitched into a wide smile. “She doesn’t obey,” he tutted, reaching out his hand toward my face.

I swatted it away before I could think. He would be gone soon, and he didn’t seem like the type to mention anything I might have said or done. If everything went to my makeshift plan, he wouldn’t have much time to tell them anyway. I smiled at that thought.

“Finally got a backbone, I see.” He reached out to me again.

I grabbed his hand, squeezing it in a way I knew would hurt. Confusion flashed across his face before he narrowed his eyes and pulled his hand from mine.

I spoke slowly, “Don’t touch me.”

He smiled, and it turned my stomach. “Oh, I will," he purred. “It seems they have been too soft on you. I’m going to take pleasure in breaking you. It’s not fun when they’re already broken.” He frowned, seeming genuinely sad.

Sadistic fuck.

I tried to brush past him. I had a lot to do and couldn’t let my mask slip as much as I wanted to—Not yet.

He grabbed my arm, squeezing hard as he pulled me around to face him. “I know where you stay, bitch,” he threatened.

“I’ll be waiting.” I gave him a sweet smile, twisting my arm from his embrace.

Every step away from him felt heavy. I wanted to turn around, tell him how much of a piece of shit he was, break his finger, something.

I hated what I was forced to become, but I would have my conversation with him later, and if I didn’t, if he were gone before then, well, I would have to come to terms with that.