THREE

Rowena’s POV

Love is a blatant lie only the betrayed can tell of its nemesis.

If I had realized this sooner then perhaps, I would have been able to reshape my fate.

But decided to blindly get drowned and walked through a hell of no return, because I choose to belief devotion and submission was all I needed to have Sèbastien to myself forever.

Another woman came to dethrone me and I suffered a great loss because right from the onset that we meant he claimed he has no feeling for his best friend whatsoever. Until I caught him on our ought-to-be-special bed where he just finished copulating with his so called childhood friend.

I can still recall the hurt and pain I felt as my heart crumbled into tiny pieces and how the pain from the mate bond still wrap my life like an ugly scar. I thought there was going to be another chance for us to rewrite our story when I got the news of my pregnancy so I chosed to ignore his actions.

I turned a blind eye to reality and caged myself in a cell of denial and ignorance.

I even went as far as hoping they will both realize their mistakes and maybe I could have tried to forgive them but like the fool I was, they didn't wallow in even a tiny bit of regret.

I became a laughingstock in the pack. With a poor baby in my stomach.

After the rejection, my life took a turn for the worst. Like things couldn’t be more harder, I was sold as a slave to a nearby pack. Like I had predicted, things didn’t get any better.

On the day I was brought into the Thorn Moon pack, much to my despair, everyone already assumed I was a mere omega slave and said demeaning words to me. I became a laughing stock and even a punching bag for many of them to lay their aggressions on.

Only one person stood different. Daisy, who was the Alpha’s daughter and daughter-in-law to an influential Lycan prince, had developed an instant liking for me. She expressed that my beauty was up to her taste and we have since then grown closer.

I arrived at Daisy’s room on the dot, carrying a plate of cookies and smiling at Steven, the lycan prince, who gave me a nod. Only when I had placed down the cookies did I realize Daisy was strangely nowhere in sight.

That was my cue. Offering Steven one last bow, I was making my way out when a hand suddenly grabbed my shoulders and spun me around.

It was Steven, his eyes wild and lips wet with lust.

“How may I help be of help, prince?” I asked him, barely hearing my own voice as anxiety engulfed me.

The prince looked out of the door to make sure no one was close enough to see or hear us.

“I have seen you making passes at me and now want to reconsider. Unfortunately I am too selfless for my own good and will like to offer you a once in a lifetime opportunity, if you agree to keep it between us.”

“You’re probably mistaken, Prince Steven. I have no such intention.” I said, shrinking back and admitting the truth.

I don’t know why he would say such a thing when I rarely even see him, as I was always locked indoors whenever there was a prominent appearance visiting the pack because of how much of a disgrace I was being the only wolf-less one of the slaves.

I wouldn’t even be here had Daisy not sent for her cookies that were in my possession.

“Are you sure of that?” His tone grew disbelieving as he stepped closer with a warning shining in his greedy brown eyes.

I nodded and looked away from him, tempted to mention Daisy, then remembered it wasn’t my place to remind him he was dating the Alpha’s daughter. After all, he knew and just didn’t care.

I tried to turn away and walked out of the door, but Steven stepped in front of me, tilting his head sideways with a taunting smile.

“No one ever rejects me, slave. Prepare for what’s coming your way,” He had an enraged expression on his face as he stormed past me, almost knocking me to the ground but I managed to let out a sigh of relief.

I could not bear to imagine what Daisy would do once she finds out about her boyfriend’s disgraceful act. I’m also reminded of my nightmare, Sèbastien, and all the good memories we had before the crashing of our relationship while trying my best not to let a single tear drop from my eyes.

.

.

“The moon goddess is my witness, Daisy. Believe me, I didn’t rape him.” I pleaded as I got another lash on my back from the merciless guards taking turns wrecking damage on my body with the whips held in their hands.

I laid in the mud on my fours, Daisy and her boyfriend towering over me and smiling with pleasure as degrading laughs from the crowd echoed in support of the couple’s torture.

“Please, I’m innocent. You know me Daisy, I wouldn’t do such!” I cried out loud, shivering helplessly from the effect of the whip on my bare skin that was now incessantly streaming with my blood.

“Prince Steven, you know I didn’t r-ape you, right? P-please tell her the truth.” My body racked with sobs as I limped toward him but Daisy gave me a dirty look and then knocked me off with her heels.

“Get away from my mate, you betrayal. I trusted you even though you are nothing but a piece of trash, now see what you’ve done to me. How could you be so shameless?!”

“I really didn’t do it, Daisy. P-lease…” I tried to say, my voice trembling with frustration as tears covered my cheeks.

“Take her to the cell. Now!” Daisy suddenly ordered, stepping back with her mate for the guards to swing into action.

Prince Steven’s eyes blazed with triumph as he looked away from me and toward Daisy, “See now, babe? I warned you about making friends with someone of a low caste.” His words were laced with venom, his gaze piercing through me as I was dragged away by my hair.

No matter how much I cried, the guard didn’t stop dragging me so ruthlessly.

Soon, in the blink of an eye, I found myself behind bars where I was left all alone to rot without a single mercy. My scream seized, all I could do was place my head between my thighs and shiver in the cold.

I wonder if I had ever see the light of the day again. I won’t even get to see my baby’s face.

Since Daisy treated me kindly and had given me the shoulder to lean on, I assumed I had found who was going to keep me safe forever from the wicked wolves.

But it all changed sooner than I can open my eyes. Just like that, she forgot what we had and didn’t believe I would never betray her.

And now here I am, all alone in this cell unfed, like some hardened criminal. It’s been five days. I had begged and cried, thinking for my baby’s sake I was going to receive something to quench my hunger with.

“Excuse me… I… need to pee.” I crawled slowly to the gate and sat my fragile body on the damp floor. It was late at night when my desperation kicked in.

I watched a guard walk over, and have never been luckier.

“I will only give you thirty seconds! You hear me?” The guard slammed the gate open and yanked me to my feet. He was furious. Not because I interrupted his sleep but because he was always that angry.

“Y-yes. I do.” I held back my tears and nodded profusely. He led me out of the dark cell toward the back door where he finally let go of me and strolled away to wherever to wait till I was done.

Once I was really alone, I ran in the opposite direction. I was partly blinded as I hurried through the woods, dodging the trees and the thorns in my path. My heart was pounding so hard it began to ache, and I was sobbing recklessly in acknowledgement of the primal fear rippling through me.

My strengths was sapped. However, I increased my speed, knowing it was only a matter of time before the guards are alerted of my escape.

I don’t know how far I had reached, but I was well aware I should not have stopped like I had just did. I blinked a few times feeling the world spin around me.

My knees buckled, my vision got blurry and I fell. My breath hitched as I realized something. I opened my mouth to call for help but no sound came. I had fallen down the cliff and it was too late.

A second later and I was succumbing to the darkness that had engulfed me.