001

ALASKA, PETERSBURG FOREST

~BREE~

I looked at the table satin one more time to make sure it was in the shade Alpha Zander wanted.

I didn't want to give him a reason to lock me up in that rat hole again; my stomach was still hurting from the starvation, and do I even remember why he locked me up there?

The truth is, he did it for every reason. Even asking him if he wanted orange juice or apple was a crime, as he would lock me in the dungeon for days without giving me food, claiming I was being disrespectful.

I don't even know how I was still alive—well, alive and dead at the same time as the pain in my stomach and the wounds on my body were eating me. I just had to carry myself through today because today is a special day.

Today is my birthday; I am finally twenty-one, and I will find my mate.

There was no party or anything, but today seemed to be my lucky day as Alpha Zander was hosting a ceremony to announce his engagement to his chosen mate, Luna Ruby.

Ruby is from a strong pack; the Bloodmoons, her brothers who are twins, have been managing their pack since their parents died. I heard they are overly protective over their little sister, which only reminds me that I was alone. I had no one. Well, at least I had someone who cared for me, but what did my stupid self do? I killed her.

My sister was not someone I liked talking about because I didn't know what hurt me the most—was it that I caused her death or how her death affected me? My life was like this all because of her.

I shook myself out of my thoughts and brought myself back to reality.

‘Your mate will find you!’ The voice of the old witch from the dungeon echoed in my head.

We were in the same cell; she was the one who encouraged me to get through today; she said my mate was going to find me, as I was pretty skeptical of my mate finding me when I had no wolf—not that she never came; she did, twice, for that matter, but every time Zander would summon a witch to come and bind my powers and send her into a deep slumber.

“Maybe she was right,” I muttered to myself. “Maybe he will come and find me,” I said, although still not convinced, as I knew a rat like me would only be mated to an omega like myself, so finding my mate was not even a good thing as he would never stand up for me.

‘If only I had a way of ending my life,’ I sighed but quickly jumped when I heard my name.

It was Gamma Stephen.

“Why are you still lurking around? Is this the reason we feed you?!” He roared.

He was standing in front of me. I looked down and tried to control the beating of my heart, which was now causing my head to move up and down.

Stephen was one of my torturers.

I feared him the most because he didn't use a knife, whips, or other torturing tools like others; he instead used electricity. He said he liked that he caused me pain, but nothing of it could be spotted on my body because, unlike other torturing tools, it doesn't leave scars, but the pain was comparable to being set on fire.

“The ceremony will start soon; I don't want anything to go wrong,” he warned, and I quickly nodded my head. Responding with words was another form of disrespect, and with years of experience, I knew better.

“And you…” He came close to me, and I involuntarily moved back. I don't know what he was doing, but he disgusted me. Everyone in this pack disgusted me.

He raised his hand, which I was sure was to yank my hair, but stopped midair at a voice.

“Beta Kaden,” he moved from me, and I swallowed my saliva, but that wasn't what I wanted to do. I wanted to clear my throat, but clearing my throat in their presence would only get me into trouble as I was not even allowed to breathe in their presence.

“Is she giving you trouble?” Beta Kaden asked in a commanding tone. I could feel his gaze piercing through my skin.

“N-no, I… I was making sure she wasn't doing anything funny.” Stephen stammered. Yes, he was the Gamma, but Kaden was the beta, and so he held power over him, I knew he was scared because he could get in trouble not for trying to hit me but for getting close to me.

Everyone was allowed to torture, humiliate, and enslave me, but not to get close or they would be in so much trouble, which was easy for them as they claimed my smell disgusted them. I mean, without a wolf, I was bound to smell funny and unattractive.

“You can go and help Alpha Zander get ready; I will deal with her,” Kaden instructed, and Steph agreed as he excused himself after bowing his head to him.

Feeling Steph's fading steps, I took a step back and almost picked up the dust feather I used to dust the tent as the ceremony was held in the tent, but Kaden was quick to yank my hair and pin me against the tent.

His grip was brutal, but I didn't feel pain as I was used to it, I felt strands of my hair falling off as it wasn't strong. Weeks of torture, no proper meals, and talk of baths or shampoo to wash my hair. I understood why they were so fragile, so I faked a painful face as if he realized that I wasn't in much pain, his grip would only tighten, causing my poor hair to suffer.

“Look at me!” He ordered his voice, sending a shiver down my spine. I hesitated but tilted my head and looked at his face. He was a bit taller than me, so his face was looking down.

My eyes met his green ones for a split second before I looked away and concentrated on his nose, as I couldn't bear to look into his eyes. My thoughts would end up controlling me, and I would end up spitting on his face, as that's all I could do.

“I do not want to see your fucking face anyway near this tent during the ceremony; we are not locking you in the dungeon because Alpha wants you to see that killing two of his mates didn't stop him from finding a perfect mate.” I knew what he meant, and being reminded of it just made me feel terrible.

Killing two people was not a good thing.

“Now, get lost!” He yelled and forcefully freed my hair, which made me almost fall to the ground if not for the tent.

My shaky hands picked the dust feather and prayed that he wouldn't change his mind and decide to punish me, as this was the first time he was letting me go without any punishment or hurting me, not just yanking my hair.

After finally getting a hold of the dust feather, I stood straight and almost left when I heard his voice.

“Go and make sure that there is enough champagne.”

I answered with a nod and then rushed out of the tent.

I was still in so much pain, and walking so fast hurt my every being, but I just had to do it. He seemed to be in a good mood. I mean, the partnership with the Bloodmoons would benefit the pack.

Reaching the kitchen, I placed the dust feather on the kitchen counter and headed to the alcohol cabinet, but just as I was inches away, something hit my inside, which made me stop.

“Rain?” I said out loud excited that my wolf was back; I even forgot that I didn't have to speak out loud for her to hear me.

‘Hi Bree, I'm so glad to be back.’ She sounded both happy and sad; I could feel her emotion, so I knew why she was sad; she was afraid that they would put her into a deep slumber again, but either way, I didn't expect my wolf, and now that she was here, it got me thinking.

Maybe the witch was right; maybe I will find my mate tonight.