Chapter 15 Slave wife

Chapter 15 Slave wife
TALIA POV

“I expected more from you, brother. The first mistake you made was marking a human, and now she’s here in our pack,” Ariel said, looking at me like I was nothing.

“Watch your tone, Ariel.What I do is none of your business. I own my life, and nothing will happen to me,” Zane replied, grabbing my hand. His touch was firm at first, then tightened as he spoke. “Humans are weak. They can’t handle a wolf’s power, especially that of a strong Alpha.”

His grip started to hurt.

I tried to pull my hand free, but he didn’t let go. Instead, he turned his head slightly and the look he gave me sent a cold shiver down my spine. I froze, my fingers stiff in his hold as his nails pressed into my skin.

“She’s nothing more than a treaty. Her father offered her to save his pack,” Liam added from behind, his voice calm, almost amused.

I felt the walls closing in around me.

Why was Liam like this? He looked calm, almost approachable, but there was something darker underneath that I couldn’t understand.

“Really?” Ariel laughed, the sound sharp and mocking. “So you’re nothing more than a slave to our pack.”

“I’m not a slave,” I said, my voice low, barely steady.

Ariel stepped closer, her heels echoing against the floor. “A human doesn’t speak when wolves are speaking,” she said coldly.

“Who do you think you are?” I asked, but my voice weakened at the end. I bit down on my lip, realizing I didn’t even know how things worked here… how they expected me to act.

Ariel didn’t answer. She just kept staring at me like she was waiting for a reason to hurt me, like she would enjoy breaking me if given the chance.

My eyes shifted around the room, trying to escape her gaze. The place was beautiful, decorated with paintings and old designs. The walls were a deep blue, and at the far end stood two golden thrones.

Zane’s throne… but who was the other for? His Luna?

Zane’s grip on my hand tightened again, his nails pressing deeper into my skin.

“Liam,” he called.

His voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned toward Liam, who stood a few steps away from Avel. His hands were behind his back, his posture relaxed. He slowly raised one hand, slipping it into his pocket, his eyes locked on Zane.

Then he glanced at me.

Just for a second.

His gaze lingered, sharp and unreadable, before he looked away and focused back on Zane.

“Do you have something to say, brother? Why did you call my name?” Liam asked, his voice calm but firm, his face filled with quiet confidence as he stood there.

Even though Liam looked younger, there was something about him that made the air feel heavy. His presence alone made it hard to breathe. A chill ran down my spine, and my body reacted before I could stop it. His scent lingered faintly in the air, warm yet overwhelming, wrapping around me in a way I didn’t understand.

“Who do you like, my new wife?” Zane asked suddenly, pulling me closer to him.

My body stiffened immediately, my fingers curling slightly at my sides.

“May the Moon Goddess bless your union,” Liam replied, his voice low and deep, but there was something hidden beneath it… something sharp, almost like jealousy.

“You don’t sound happy, Liam,” Avel said with a small smile, her eyes watching him closely.

Liam exhaled slowly. “Can you read jealousy now, Ariel?” he asked, his tone shifting, becoming colder.

Ariel's smile faltered for a second before she turned and walked away, leaving the three of us standing there in silence.

Zane’s hand slid down my back slowly, my breath hitched.

His touch lingered for a moment before his grip suddenly tightened, his hand grabbing my ass. A sharp sound escaped my lips before I could stop it, more like a small cry.

My body tensed instantly. Liam noticed.

His jaw tightened, and he turned his face away, like he didn’t want to look at what was happening.

“Why are you staring, brother?” Zane asked, his tone mocking as he slapped me lightly and grabbed me again.

Another sound slipped from my lips, my fingers gripping his clothes as I tried to steady myself, my heart beating faster.

Zane turned my face toward him, his hand cupping my cheek while his other hand still held me tightly. I could feel eyes on me—guards, maids, people in the hallway—but they all quickly looked away, pretending not to see anything.

Heat rushed to my face. Why did I feel so embarrassed?

Zane was my husband, I shouldn’t feel like this. But I did.

My chest tightened, my breathing becoming uneven as I tried to stay still in his hold.

“Are you done?” Liam’s voice echoed through the hall, sharp enough to cut through everything.

Zane’s expression darkened instantly. His grip on me tightened briefly before he stepped closer to Liam. The air between them turned tense, almost suffocating.

He leaned closer to Liam and whispered something, his lips barely moving.

At first, I couldn’t hear it.

Then... I read his lips, it sounded like him saying.

“I’ll make her life miserable.”

My heart dropped, the words echoed in my head, loud and clear.

For a moment, everything around me faded. The hall, the people, the noise… everything disappeared.

Who was he talking about?

Me?

My chest tightened painfully, my fingers trembling slightly as the realization settled in.

Zane pulled back, his eyes still locked on Liam, both of them staring at each other like enemies rather than brothers.

The tension between them felt heavy, like it could explode at any moment.

Then suddenly, Zane grabbed my arm hardly.

I gasped softly as he pulled me forward, forcing me to move with him.

I stumbled slightly, struggling to keep up with his pace, my dress dragging behind me.

My breathing became uneven again, my chest rising and falling quickly as I tried to steady myself.

I didn’t say anything, I couldn’t.

Behind us, I could still feel Liam’s gaze.

And for some reason… that scared me more than Zane’s grip.