001

She was doused with a bucket of water. She jolted off the floor, her eyes widening in surprise. A glimpse at her torso revealed that she was dripping—her entire outfit was soaked. "How long have I been unconscious?" she murmured under her breath, looking at the faces before her. "What do I owe you all?" she said, her voice mimicking.

Two of the men approached, lifted her up, and then moved aside. She was attempting to figure out what was going on while also recalling what had happened back there with the fiend known as Alpha. Her palm brushed against her garments lightly. A gentle swallow.

“Finally awake!?” A strange voice emerged from behind. Her neck swiveled when she noticed a young man in his forties carrying a digger and shovel. He moved closer to her, stretching his hands. "You shall dig a twenty-inch hole, as instructed by the Alpha Don." She eventually recalled when the Don had given that command, so she dared not say anything. "Now, come with me..."

She followed him as instructed. Snapping at the equipment she was holding, she considered how she would use them and how long it would take her to dig the hole. She has lived like a Princess, with little stress other than the regular training she received twice a week.

It was her first time staying with men, and the experience sent shivers down her spine.

She never imagined herself becoming a slave. In less than a week, she lost her father, avenged his death by murdering the Alpha Don's daughter, and became a slave. Was she supposed to feel bad about her actions? Don had said he would not have pursued her if she had lied low—but how could she when her father was murdered and his throne taken?

"I must live to reclaim what belongs to my father. "I will murder him, just like he did to my father..." She sighed deeply and wore a long face. A pause. She put down the tools on the ground and turned to face the man, wanting to know what his next command was. It is no joke that she is now a slave, but that does not change the fact that she will have to do it just to keep her father's throne. "If he also killed my mother, he would be dead meat," she said, biting her lower lip.

“Should I repeat myself?” The scolding voice of the slave master drew her out of her reverie. She gasped for air and bowed before him. “What a nuisance! I've been talking to myself.”

She bowed again. "I apologize, I was lost in thought..."

He let out a snort. “Thought? On how to regain your status as an Alpha Princess? That will not happen, so get rid of it. "You should be grateful that the Don spared your life and made you his slave..." He moved closer to her, his mouth directed at her ears. "He kills on the spot and ensures your body is burned to ashes. So, unless you want to die, you should stay low and continue to be a slave," he whispered to her.

Her fist tightened. Her jaw tensed. "Perhaps because I am his mate. I am curious why and how I ended up with him last night. But I suppose that was the reason he spared my life because he had already marked me as his mate." Her chin rose, and her gaze was fixed on the slave master. "How can I dig the hole?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Use the digger to make it easier, then the shovel to remove the soil on the side. I'll measure it until it reaches twenty inches,” he explained.

She licked her lips and knelt down, but a strong wind blew, giving her skin a constant tingle. She got up again, thinking she might have gotten a cold. "I need to change this!"

He shook his head. “Until His Majesty orders so…..”

Her expression turned grim. Why in the world would she work with a wet cloth? She began her work after realizing she had no other option. Despite the fact that the digger was much heavier than her strength, she was able to use it. She can see how tattered her hair must be, but that is a discussion for another time.

A devilish smile lit up the slave master's face as he moved in closer and yanked her up by her hair. "I heard that after killing the Don's daughter, you had a one-night fling with him. What was going through your mind? That you will be spared and become his mistress, huh? Given that you should be put to death, how is it possible for the daughter of a traitor to be mistress?

Her veins were burning so badly that it hurt. She clenched her fist, drawing great power from her wolf, and threw the man backward before pushing her hair and rubbing her palm against it.

“How dare you, Slave!?” His face twisted as he growled.

Her expression was mocking. "To start with, the one-night stand has nothing to do with you. Furthermore, it is your Don who is a rebel since he killed my father and usurped his throne; neither my father nor I are traitors. Third, feel free to voice your complaints to the Alpha Don; I would rather have him punish me personally. You have no right to touch me because I am his slave.” She shot back, squatting down once more and setting to work.

She felt a rumbling in her stomach. She winced in pain as the worms that were crawling inside her belly bit the wall of her stomach. Her hands closed around the digger, and her eyes closed.

The slave master, furious, slammed at her, saying, "I do not need to report to the Don, but you will starve as a punishment."

He would not put up with Elena being the first slave to question his authority. He will make sure she suffers more than the other slaves because she is stepping on his toes and challenging his authority as the slave master, and he knows the Alpha will not be able to complain because that is what he wanted all along.

He took a few steps back. "You only have fifteen minutes to complete that task. I have a lot of tasks to complete."

Lena gave him a quick glance and shook her head. "Although we have not started working together, why do you suddenly detest me? Would it soften your heart if I told you why and how I had a one-night stand with your Alpha Don? Considering that I sense your desire to be harsh with me.” She let go of the digger and stood. “Are you scared that Alpha might fall for me because of the one-night stand? Or are you jealous?” she gestured, throwing heavy glares at him.

He chuckled. Hearing that from her was really fascinating. "What would you like to hear? That I am envious?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

"If you tell me, I will grant you one wish.” He pursed his lips.

Was this a deal or what? She exhaled a heated breath. "Fine, all I want is to reclaim what belongs to my father while also ensuring that the Don dies. Since I am positive that he also killed my mother, leaving me an orphan, I want to trample on him and make sure he sees his death with both eyes.” her arms tucked in, pressing them to her chest. "A one-night stand is a mistake. I would say that it is more painful because I drank myself into a stupor and ended up with him unintentionally," she said, her expression contorted.

When his lips parted, his thirty-two was exposed. "Then I will assist you in obtaining the revenge you seek. All you have to do is never stop hating him, because the more you hate him, the more you long for vengeance, and once you succeed, your parents will be at peace." His eyes narrowed. "Let this be a little secret between us."

She took a sharp swallow, but something was unclear to her. Given that he is his Alpha master, why does he want to aid her in getting her retribution? What is he getting up to?

She nodded, clearing her mind of those ideas, and returned to her work.