Chapter Two

The sounds of the moving waters were like music in my ears. It seemed to resonate with peace. I sat at the bank of the river and looked across it. This river was the boundary of the land that was mine. The pack that belonged to me, Father. Shadow moon pack.

My Parents' death, was something I never wished to remember. But, the memory, like a stain unwilling to be washed away, remained in my head for ages.

FLASHBACK.[IN THIRD PERSON]

“Prince Leroi, you should hurry. I have just received word that rogue wolves attacked your parents on their way from a visit to the dark red moon pack.” A messenger said she entered the bedroom of the prince.

Leroi looked up from his study table. “What do you mean attacked? I was told they were at their residence.

What could have made them travel back this night?” Leroi asked as he girded himself, preparing himself for physical combat.

“Word has it that they were told of the princess’s grave health condition, and with that, they decided to hurry home, your mother especially.” The messenger replied.

“Gather a few of the elite army. Ready my horse, we leave in five minutes.” Leroi said.

“I do not see Mom and Dad anywhere. Where are they?” Leroi asked an injured soldier he had found on the road where his parents had been attacked. “The rogues took them.

They said something about making  them examples to other Alphas and Lunas, should anybody try to hurt them again.” The injured soldier said, with ragged breathing.

Leroi shuddered.

He knew if he didn’t get there in time, he would meet his parents, beaten, or worse still dead. And he couldn’t let that happen.

He Jumped on his horse and rode towards the rogue encampment. As he arrived, he saw his mother and father’s head hanging from a stake.

Anger enveloped him and he killed every single rogue that was in that encampment and that was where he gained the nickname ‘Almighty Alpha.’

Back from Flashback.

Pov: Leroi Dwayne.

I sighed as the memory of Mother and Father entered my head.

It had been 10 years since they both died, my sister too, and I still couldn’t wash the scene from my head. I sighed again, and I looked at the river. I saw a female’s head across the water and I stood up to look at it.

It was surely a female, and she seemed to be struggling in the water. But what could a female wolf be doing alone, in the wild?

There was only one reason: And it was because she was a rogue wolf. She managed to swim and get out of the water. “Who are you?” I asked and she jerked up and stared at me.

Her face though tattered and bruised seemed to me like the most beautiful face in the world. The scent in the air changed into a very wonderful fragrance and I wondered where in the world this lovely fragrance was coming from.

My wolf began to dance happily. “Mate, mate.” It sang and I turned and stared at the rogue wolf who lay at the bank of the river.

“Surely, she can’t,” I said to my wolf, and he confirmed my fears. “She’s our mate.” I could hear Kaven sing-talk at the back of my mind.

For the love of me, was the moon goddess trying to play on my intelligence? I had been praying to the moon goddess to send me my wolf, and she sent me a female rogue?!

“Who…?” My beta asked as soon as I entered, carrying the rogue female who happened to be my mate. “A rogue I found at the river bank.

I figured she would be of good use to us, here at the palace.” I answered him, not wanting to let him know that she was my maid.

“Have her taken to the maid's quarters, they would know of what use she would be.” I finished and dropped her down on the floor.

She was shivering and looking around like she was scared somebody will find her there.

“Well, Erica, I am Alpha Leroi and you are going to be working as a maid here in my palace. Do you understand?”

She stared at me like she was confused. She was probably thinking about how I could turn her, a mate, into a servant.

But I had no plans of making a rogue my Luna, just because the moon goddess fated it. “Take her away,” I commanded my guard. 

Erica's POV.

"Get up." I was dragged up immediately.

"We don't have time to lazy around, slaves have work to do." A woman glared hard at me.

"And the alpha just told me to make sure you work." She dragged me with her.

I followed her swallowing, I couldn't believe he did that to me and left immediately.

I followed the woman, we reached a pantry, it was very dirty.

I could tell from the looks of it nobody has cleaned it for a long time. The woman threw my shirt into my hands,

“You will be working in the kitchen until further notice. You can choose which task is easiest for you, if not then you'll do them all.”

 I didn't know what tasks to pick. I'm sure this wouldn't help me get my freedom.

The woman left after giving me two minutes, she said she'd come back when I had decided what I wanted to do.

My body was aching as if my whole body was tired. I tried cleaning up a little. The clothes were filthy and looked old but I didn't want the other slaves to see so I wore mine again.

I sat for some time thinking about what I wanted to do, it took a lot of thinking about what would be easier for me.

I wasn't ready for the slap that hit me when she came Inside.

“Start cleaning."

I felt like crying, she slapped me again and I got back to work. I knew I couldn't cry, I needed all the strength I had for what lies ahead.

I heard the door close behind me, the next and thing I knew she started hitting me.

"Clean up and don't waste time." She walked out.

I nodded as I began cleaning immediately, my whole body ached badly, my wolf wasn't that strong, and the beatings I got made it extremely weak.

I was so exhausted when I finished everything I was covered in sweat, and my whole body was wet.

I was sitting outside when she finally returned.

She ordered something I couldn't understand, but when she saw me she started cursing again.

"Find a room and stay." She ordered, so I looked for an open room.

I closed the door immediately when I found one and jumped on the bed immediately.

I was too exhausted to even think, I fell asleep before even knowing it.

**********

"Hey, get up, we're late!" Someone barged into my room.

I opened my eyes groggily, I realized it was another slave I didn't know, I looked at the clock and saw it was already 10 in the morning.

I followed her, I couldn't remember anything but I knew I didn't deserve this treatment, I was only doing this to survive, it was better than Alec taking me back to the pack.

I joined her in scrubbing the floor, trying so hard to fight my tears, I kept scrubbing, hoping it finishes quickly.

"We get to eat after." She whispered.

"I'm Maria." She said,

"I'm Erica," I replied.

We kept cleaning and she stood up immediately, I dropped the brush following her, I didn't know how slaves worked here, but I presumed if I followed her then I'll understand everything.

I followed him into a corridor, I could see other slaves seated in the dining there.

"It's time to eat." She walked in, and I followed her.

I stared at the food on the table, I was starving. I hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon.

"Eat slowly," Maria whispered in my ear.

I looked down at my plate, I was starving, I ate slowly but soon my stomach was protesting loudly.

Maria chuckled, " Fine, eat faster or we will get thrown out." I ignored her, my hunger won out.

After I swallowed I asked quietly, "Where are we going?"

"Training grounds. We have a lot of slaves." I looked up at her confused.

"What? But why me." Maria gave me a sad smile.

"Because the alpha ordered it."

I sighed in frustration, sighing as I stood up.

"How do you know he did?" I asked.

  

She sighed, "I don't know exactly, I've never talked to him, the head slave said so."

"Okay," I muttered, looking away, I didn't want her to see me cry.

She stood up and I joined her, I could feel the other slaves' eyes on me.

"Why are they staring?" I whispered.

"He also told the head slave that you're a rogue and should be treated like a rogue slave." She replied.

My heart thumped loudly, I couldn't believe what I just heard, it felt like a lie, but it was true.

He was the one who made them treat me this way. I couldn't believe it, but I saw the hatred he has for me. He showed me that firsthand, it didn't matter to him if I was his mate or not.

I stopped following Maria, walking away to where I didn't know I ran away. I needed air and it felt so suffocating here, my feelings were everywhere.

I saw a flower garden, I went inside, it was quiet inside, I sat down on a stone bench.

I put my head in my arms, hiding my face. I sobbed quietly.

'I don't know what to do anymore.' I thought miserably.

"I escaped finding a better place, not this." 

The tears slipped from my eyes and I couldn't control them, I buried my face even more, it's been days since anyone helped me, and now the alpha ordered that people should treat me like a rogue slave.

'But am I really?'

I thought about what would happen if I ran back to Alec, I was sure he would kill me, it was better to stay here than to run into the hands of a psycho. I rather stay with a mate who hated me because I was a rogue. I thought of how life would be if my parents didn't die, I wouldn't go through all these….

'If they were alive none of this would ever happen to me,' I cried harder. I heard footsteps nearing, I wiped away the remaining tears I couldn't bring myself to look at whoever it was, I hoped they wouldn't see me like this. The footsteps grew closer and someone touched me on the shoulder. I gasped when I looked up, it was Alpha Leroi.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" He bellowed.