10

Jade’s POV

Alpha Nicolai didn't flinch at the deadly threat. He stood his ground on the raised dais, his handsome face remaining calm as he looked straight into Lucien’s furious crimson eyes.

"You won't be killing anyone today, brother," Nicolai murmured softly, his tone laced with quiet firm conviction. "I know you are high out of your mind right now. Please, just go to your quarters and get some rest."

Lucien didn't bother to answer him. He completely ignored his brother’s words, turning his towering frame away from the shattered remnants of his obsidian throne.

With slow, deliberate steps, Lucien marched off the dais and walked straight toward where I stood.

My heart hammered violently against my ribs like a trapped bird. My hands trembled at my sides, my legs feeling like cold jelly as he closed the distance between us. I couldn't move; I couldn't even force my eyes to leave his terrifying, shadowed face. He stopped less than a foot away, his massive shadow completely engulfing my small frame.

He tilted his head down, a cold, dark smirk twisting his lips as he looked into my frightened eyes. "Who says I can't smoke in front of kids, huh?"

Before I could process his words, Lucien raised the cigarette to his mouth and took a deep, heavy pull. The tip flared bright orange as he inhaled a massive breath of smoke, holding it in his chest for a terrifying beat. Then, leaning down until his face was mere inches from mine, he parted his lips and blew a thick, heavy cloud of gray smoke straight into my face.

The acrid, suffocating cloud hit my nose and mouth instantly. My eyes watered as my lungs rebelled, and I broke into a fit of harsh, violent coughing. I covered my mouth with my hands, my chest heaving as I gasped for clean air, tears stinging the corners of my eyes from the harsh burn of the tobacco.

Lucien stared down at my struggling form, a cruel, satisfied grin spreading across his face.

"Yeah, that's more like it," he purred softly, his deep voice carrying a dark amusement. "Get used to it, kid. You're going to be seeing a whole lot more smoke around here."

He turned on his heel, stepping right past me toward the little girl who was still trembling on the stone floor. He crouched down beside her frail body, his dark shadow falling over her as she looked up through swollen, tear-filled eyes.

Without a trace of mercy, Lucien pulled heavily on his cigarette once more. He leaned in close and exhaled another dense wave of gray smoke right into her pale face.

The poor girl coughed hysterically, waving her small hands in the air to clear the cloud, fresh tears streaming freely down her red cheeks.

Lucien looked down at her miserable state, his expression completely stone-cold. "Save your tears, little girl," he growled, his voice flat and devoid of any warmth. "You haven't seen anything yet, and you're already weeping like that? Believe me, there is far more crying to come."

Without offering another word, Lucien straightened his spine. He took one last drag from his cigarette, flipped the burning butt onto the floor, and strode out of the grand hall without looking back at any of us.

Silence descended upon the room like a heavy blanket.

Nicolai stood frozen near the front of the hall, his shoulders slightly slouched as he watched his brother’s retreating back disappear through the heavy doors. The warm, confident air he had carried earlier was completely gone, replaced by a deep look of embarrassment and shame written across his handsome features. He rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a long, weary sigh before slowly turning back to face us.

He took a few steps forward, clearing his throat as he forced a soft, reassuring smile onto his lips.

"Please... forgive my brother's behavior," Nicolai began, his tone quiet and apologetic as he looked at each of us. "Believe me, he wasn't always like this. He only started acting this way last week... and we are all hoping he returns to his normal self soon."

He paused, resting a hand gently against his chest as he introduced himself properly. "I am Alpha Nicolai."

Turning his gaze toward the tall, beautiful girl who had tried to attack me earlier, he tilted his head. "What is your name?"

The girl immediately adjusted her posture, running a hand through her hair as a seductive, flirtatious smile crossed her glossy lips. She stepped forward, her hips swaying slightly as she looked up at Nicolai. "I'm Abigail, my Alpha," she purred, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness.

Nicolai nodded politely, shifting his eyes to the quiet girl wearing glasses.

"I'm Rita," the girl with glasses offered quickly, pushing her frames up the bridge of her nose with a nervous finger.

The little girl on the floor wiped her nose with her sleeve, her voice still cracking with soft hiccups as she looked up. "I'm... I'm Bakito."

Finally, Nicolai’s warm eyes landed on me. I swallowed the lump of fear in my throat and met his gaze, speaking softly. "Jade."

Nicolai’s smile widened slightly, a low hum escaping his throat. "ABIGAIL, RITA, BAKITO, AND JADE... Well, those are nice names. But I am sure you are all already well aware of why you have been brought here today."

He folded his arms across his broad chest, his voice taking on a serious, matter-of-fact edge as he laid out the harsh reality of our situation.

"You are all standing in this fortress because every single one of your fathers owes a massive debt to the Viper Alpha—the man who just walked out of this room. And every single one of your fathers chose to trade your lives to clear their own names. At the very least, you now know your true value in your families' eyes."

A cold shudder ran through my body as his words sank in.

"Your role here is simple," Nicolai continued, his eyes sweeping across the four of us with stark honesty. "You are here to serve the Alpha. You will be his maids, his cooks, his house servants, his sex toys, or whatever else the Viper Alpha decides he wants you to be on any given day. But bear one vital rule in mind..."

Nicolai’s expression hardened, his voice dropping into a somber, sobering whisper that echoed off the cold walls.

"...Alpha Lucien holds the full, absolute right to dispose of your lifeless body whenever he feels he no longer has any use for you."