Alpha's Cage

A biting cold pierced every pore, but it was not the cold of the air. It was the icy chill of the stone floor upon which Merin was forced to kneel. The musty scent of the dungeon mingled with the stench of the many Alphas and Omegas imprisoned around her. It was the smell of despair, the smell of fear, so thick and heavy in the air it was almost suffocating.The iron chains shackling her ankles chafed her skin raw and red with every movement. The leather collar, fastened so tightly it was constricting, was a brand marking her as no longer ‘human,’ but merely ‘merchandise’ awaiting auction.Merin closed her eyes, trying to banish the last image of her family from her mind: her stepfather’s feigned grief and false guilt, and her stepmother who turned her face away, not even meeting her eyes as her life was about to be cast into the abyss… all to settle a massive gambling debt they couldn't pay.‘It’s for the family, Merin… think of it as helping us.’That voice still echoed in her ears

A week passed like an eternity. Merin lived in Aries’s mansion like a wandering spirit. She was confined to the luxurious bedroom, which was now nothing more than an empty golden cage. During the day, she was allowed to walk in the garden, but the watchful eyes of bodyguards followed her every move. Her every step was confined to the territory drawn by Aries.Every night… the nightmare returned in the form of reality. Aries would come to her room, performing her task of using her body with the same violence and brutality as always. She never spoke, never showed any emotion other than the desire to possess and release. Merin learned not to resist, not to cry out, and to act like a lifeless doll so that the pain would pass as quickly as possible.Her body began to grow accustomed to the pain, but her mind grew increasingly numb. She became listless, her eyes empty, indifferent to everything. The gourmet food, the expensive clothes—everything lavished upon her was meaningless in her eyes

Merin awoke in her own bed, not in the cold basement. Her body was clean and dressed in a new silk nightgown. The memory of Lisena’s lesson was still fresh and vivid in her mind. The feeling of being completely controlled… it was frightening, but at the same time, it left a strange sense of peace in her once-shattered heart.…Several days later, Merin’s life fell into a new cycle. During the day, Lisena would sometimes visit her. The elegant female Alpha would bring books or sweets, speaking to her in a soft voice as if she were a cherished treasure.Those actions confused Merin. She didn't know whether to believe that feigned gentleness, but it was like a nectar that soothed her parched heart.At night, however, Aries was still the owner of her body. The cold Alpha continued to violate her with raw brutality and never showed mercy. But what had changed was the response of Merin’s own body…One night.Shortly after Lisena had left, Aries opened the door to her room at her usual time.