chapter 2.

OLENA

"Do you have any idea how much that cup cost?" Dad snapped, his eyes blazing. "You break my cup and then have the nerve to say Chloe isn’t good enough for Ronan?"

He raised the cane, swinging it toward my back. I flinched and stepped aside just in time, the first time I'd ever dodged his strike. The sting from the last time still throbbed on my skin, the wound unhealed and raw.

"What?!" Chloe’s voice shot out really loud. "You dodged Dad’s cane? How could you? That’s so disrespectful!"

I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat nearly choking me.

"Master, please... please forgive me, I beg you," I cried, my voice cracking.

I rubbed my hands together, already on my knees. My chest heaved as I looked up through teary eyes, watching him pace like a storm ready to strike.

"Is this all because you're jealous of Chloe? Because Ronan chose her over you?"

I shook my head quickly, tears spilling down my cheeks. I lowered my gaze, wiping at my face, but the tears just kept coming.

"Who would want to mate with a woman who brings shame to her Pack?" he barked. "You’re selfish! He rejected you because you're not worthy, not someone who’s taken a life. A murderer like you doesn’t deserve to carry his children. Don’t you get it?"

Before I could even take another breath, the cane came down across my back. I cried out and collapsed forward. This hit wasn’t like the others, it was heavy with fury, and it knocked the strength out of me.

Ronan stood beside Chloe, one hand holding hers, the other resting gently on her shoulder like he was trying to comfort her. Across the room, Selene folded her arms and watched me with a smug smile pulling at her lips.

"You know," he said, voice calm but cold, "I'm getting tired of beating the hell out of you. So why don’t I let the love of your life do it instead?"

My heart dropped. He was talking about Ronan, I knew it the moment his eyes flicked in his direction.

"Here," he said, handing the cane to Ronan without hesitation. "Give her fifty strokes. Then toss her into her mansion."

Mansion. That was a cruel joke. We all knew he meant the dungeon.

“She’ll starve, unless Chloe decides to forgive her,” he said coldly.

Without warning, he kicked me hard in the stomach. Pain shot through me as I curled in, gasping. Then came the saliva, it hit my cheek and slid down on my face. If anyone needed proof that my father hated me, there it was.

I lifted my head weakly, just in time to see Ronan smirking as he rolled the cane between his hands. I tried to inch backward, but bumped into someone standing behind me.

"Ugh, just looking at you makes me want to puke," sneered a voice.

I didn’t need to turn around to recognize it. Beta Nero, my father's second. His face twisted in disgust as he shoved me forward like I was filth under his boot.

“No,” Ronan said firmly, tossing the cane to the ground.

Gasps echoed through the room. Even my father, seated across the hall, shot to his feet in disbelief.

“Ronan, what’s going on?” Chloe hissed under her breath, but I could hear her as if she’d shouted. “Aren’t you going to beat this bitch?”

Ronan didn’t answer her. Instead, he looked around the room, and then pointed at me as he spoke.

“Today’s the Lunar Howl Festival, the day when Alphas from every Pack offer up their virgins to the Almighty.”

My knees trembled as I slowly rose from the floor, my body aching. His dark eyes found mine and his head tilted slightly.

“Why don’t we give her instead?” he said, lips curling into a cruel smile. “Might save us from the Lycan King raiding our Pack.”

He reached out and ran his hand through my hair. I clenched my fists, biting down the anger rising in my chest. Slowly, I lowered my head, trying to dodge his touch. He shoved my head down roughly before standing up, towering over me.

“Who’s going to keep being our maid then?” Chloe's arms were crossed as she threw me a cold glance. “I don’t want her gone. I like taunting her.”

She rolled her eyes with a scoff, clearly enjoying every second of my misery.

Meanwhile, I stood there, eyes shut tight, whispering silent prayers. Maybe, just maybe, my father would object. There’s no way he’d let them sell me off to a demon. Life here was cruel… but down there? It would be worse than death.

“He’s right.”

The words hit me like a blow to the chest. I couldn’t breathe, like invisible hands were wrapped around my throat, squeezing tight. My father walked over to Ronan and placed a hand on his shoulder, a proud smile creeping across his face.

“That’s why you’ll make the perfect son-in-law,” he said. “Take her to one of the rooms. Give her whatever leftovers are lying around.”

My heart dropped. I shook my head and began to panic as he turned to leave, I crawled forward and grabbed his leg with trembling hands.

“I’ll keep serving you, Master,” I begged, my voice shaking. “Please… don’t give me to the Lycans…”

“Oh, please,” Selene cut me off. “You should be grateful you're even worthy of the Lunar Howl Festival. If you weren’t a virgin, they’d have tossed you to the rogues instead!”

Before I could respond, Master’s foot slammed into my face, catching me square in the nose. Pain exploded through my skull. I cried out and let go of his leg, my hands trembling as they flew up to cover my nose. Warm blood trickled between my fingers.

Ronan grabbed me by the arm without a word and dragged me down the hall. I stumbled, unable to fight back, too dazed to even cry. Then he shoved me into an empty room and slammed the door behind me.

A loud click echoed as he locked it, sealing me inside.

Hours slipped by, one after another, and my stomach growled louder with each passing minute. I hadn’t eaten all day. Maybe dying here wouldn’t be so bad, better than being handed over to the two-times-cursed Lycan, who drinks innocent people's blood to gain more power, as a slave.

If I’m right, this room used to be Chloe’s, back before she moved upstairs to be closer to Ronan. She clung to him like a shadow, never letting him out of her sight. Sometimes, when they were having sex, she’d send me on errand and on purpose just so I’d know what was happening behind the door I had to shut.

Ronan never seemed to mind. In fact, he enjoyed it. That’s why he wanted me gone. So he could keep screwing her without the inconvenience of my presence.

I remember once, he called me the Moon Goddess’s waste product just because I was human, born with silver features. Like it was some kind of crime to exist. Like I asked to be born this way.

I didn’t wipe the tears this time. I let them fall. Because deep down, I wasn’t sure I’d ever have another moment to cry again.

Suddenly, the door creaked open. I turned around quickly and there he was. Ronan.

He let out a sigh and set a plate of food down on the floor. I stared at it in shock. It wasn’t burnt, it wasn’t tiny, and it didn’t reek like the scraps they usually tossed at me. It actually looked... edible.

He crouched in front of me. “You’ve got an hour left before they take you,” he said quietly. “So eat. Be quick about it.”

I didn’t move. Instead, I kicked the plate away with all the strength I had. It slid across the floor and stopped near his side.

“You bastard,” I cussed without fearing the consequences. “How could you?”

He scoffed, unfazed. “You should be grateful. I’m the one saving your ass...”

“Get out!” I snapped, cutting him off. “I’d rather starve to death than eat anything from you.”

"Suit yourself,"

He kicked the plate hard. It scraped across the floor and clattered against the bathroom door. Without another word, he turned and walked out.

A soft clatter followed, something small hitting the floor. I looked down, breath catching. There it was, the ruby bracelet tangled with the necklace.

The same ones the Pack witch had once given me, the ones Chloe had taken away from me.

How they ended up with Ronan, I couldn’t even begin to guess.

Without thinking, I bent down, scooped them up, and held them tightly against my chest. For a moment, just a moment, my lips curled into a smile.

Moments later, heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway. Two warriors burst in. They grabbed my arms, one on each side, and dragged me outside.

"Stand straight," one of them spoke roughly.

I stumbled but forced myself upright. My gaze lifted, only to drop again under the furious glare of my father. Shame crawled over me. I couldn’t meet his eyes.

“Finally, she’s leaving,” Chloe said, her lips curling into a devilish smile. “But don’t worry you won't be bored, I’ll be bringing some friends over.”

I frowned. I had no idea what she meant, but the look in her eyes made my skin crawl.

"Take her into the truck,"