Chapter 1

Amara’s POV

The floor beneath my knees felt ice-cold and unforgiving, much like the life I lived. I crouched low, scrubbing away the grime that had built up overnight. My fingers ached, raw from the coarse bristles of the mop, but I didn’t dare slow down. There was no room for imperfections here, not in Alpha Derrick’s pack.

A creak behind me made me freeze mid-scrub. My heart leaped, fearing that my sluggish pace had already caught someone’s attention. When I glanced over my shoulder, it was only Tara, another maid, standing in the doorway.

“Alpha’s asking for you,” she said curtly, her tone a mixture of pity and warning.

The mop slipped from my hands, clattering to the floor. My stomach churned. Alpha Derrick rarely summoned me unless he had a reason to make my life even more unbearable.

“Did he say why?” I stammered, standing on shaky legs.

Tara shook her head, avoiding my gaze. “You’d better not keep him waiting.”

I didn’t need her reminder. Hastily wiping my hands on my ragged apron, I raced through the halls, my bare feet padding against the worn wooden floors. The air felt thick, suffocating, as I approached his office. My pulse hammered in my chest.

I knocked twice, hesitant, before pushing the door open.

The sight that greeted me made my breath catch. Alpha Derrick was sprawled on his chair, his trousers undone, and one of the younger maids perched on his lap, her dress disheveled. She gasped, scrambling off him the moment I stepped in.

“Alpha, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to… ”

Before I could finish, Derrick’s chair screeched against the floor as he stood, his face twisted in fury. His heavy footsteps pounded against the wooden floor as he closed the distance between us in mere seconds.

Slap!

The force of his hand across my face sent me sprawling to the floor. Pain exploded in my cheek, but the sting was nothing compared to the humiliation.

“How dare you barge in on me?” he roared.

Tears blurred my vision as I clutched my throbbing face. “I’m sorry, Alpha! Please, have mercy!”

His hand shot out, grabbing my arm and yanking me to my feet. His fingers wrapped around my throat, cutting off my air. My vision blurred further as I gasped for breath.

“Listen carefully, you useless little bitch,” he hissed, his face inches from mine. “Whatever you saw in here doesn’t leave this room. If my wife so much as hears a whisper about this, I’ll make sure you never see daylight again. Got it?”

I coughed, clawing weakly at his iron grip. “Y-Yes, sir.”

With a snarl, he shoved me back, and I crumpled to the floor in a heap.

“Get up,” he snapped. “I don’t have time for your pathetic tears. There’s a peace treaty happening in the courtyard, and I need everything ready before it starts. Make yourself useful and serve the guests properly. Understand?”

“Y-Yes,” I stuttered, scrambling to my feet.

“Then get out of my sight, you filthy whore.”

I stumbled out of the office, my cheeks burning with shame and tears streaming down my face. Once back in the kitchen, I took a deep breath and tried to steady my trembling hands. I didn’t have time to cry, not if I wanted to avoid another punishment.

For the next hour, I threw myself into the preparations. My muscles screamed in protest as I hauled trays of food and polished silverware, but I ignored the pain. Derrick’s words echoed in my mind, spurring me on.

By the time the courtyard was filled with guests, my body felt like it was on the verge of collapse. Yet I forced myself to stand straight and keep my head down as I served plate after plate.

It was then that I felt it, someone’s eyes on me.

I dared a glance up and locked eyes with a man sitting at the head of the table. He was much older than Alpha Derrick, with a face etched in hard lines and eyes as cold as a winter storm. His gaze sent a chill down my spine.

I quickly averted my eyes, pretending not to notice, but the feeling of his stare didn’t fade. When he finally spoke, his voice was deep and frigid.

“I want her.”

The words were like a punch to the gut. My heart sank, and I froze mid-step. Slowly, I turned to see him pointing directly at me.

Every pair of eyes in the courtyard turned toward me. My hands began to tremble, and I gripped the tray tighter to steady myself.

Derrick raised an eyebrow, looking between the man and me. “Her?”

“Yes,” the man said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Give her to me, and I’ll order my men to stand down. Sign the treaty, and this war ends today.”

The blood drained from my face. I had heard of slaves being traded as peace offerings, but I never thought it would happen to me. My legs felt like jelly, and I thought I might collapse.

Derrick stared at me for a moment, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips. “Deal.”

The handshake between them felt like a death sentence. Derrick turned to me, his eyes glinting with malice.

“Go pack your things. You’re leaving with them immediately.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but the words died on my lips. The room was heavy with silence, the weight of their authority pressing down on me.

“Yes, Alpha,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

I turned and walked away, my heart pounding with a mix of fear and despair. As I reached the kitchen, I allowed myself a moment to breathe, leaning against the counter for support.

This can’t be happening.

But it was. I didn’t even have much to pack, just a tattered dress and a few personal items hidden away. As I stuffed them into a small bag, my mind raced with questions.

“Who was that man? What kind of life awaited me in his pack? Would it be worse than this one?”

I clenched the bag tightly against my chest, feeling the tears well up again. I didn’t want to cry, at least not now. Not when everything inside me screamed that I needed to stay strong.

But as I looked around the small, cold room that had been my prison for years, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. This had been my life for as long as I could remember, and now I was being thrown into the unknown.

“Would it be better? Worse? Or would I simply cease to exist altogether?”

I didn't know. And that uncertainty terrified me more than anything else