Chapter 2

"You can do this. You are going to live," I whispered to myself. My voice was small but I tried to make it sound strong. 

I had lived through twenty-one years of a terrible life already and If I could survive that hell, I could survive meeting the devil himself. I took a deep breath, trying to stop my heart from racing.

Outside our house, a rusty old van was waiting. It was there to take me to the King’s palace. 

My parents didn't even say goodbye Instead, they acted like they couldn't wait to get rid of me. They hurried me out the door as if I were trash. They didn't care that this might be the last time they ever saw their daughter. To them, I was something disposable.

The van smelled horrible, like something had died inside it and was rotting away. There were five other girls with me. Some were crying, and others looked like they were about to faint from fear. I sat in the corner and stayed silent. I didn't want anyone to see how scared I really was, so I kept my face like stone.

I recognized some of them. They were Omegas from other packs nearby. Just like me, they had been thrown away by their own people and we were all being sent as a gift to the most powerful and scary Alpha of all, Zayn Blackthorn.

As we drove, I watched the trees go by through the dirty window. The further we went, the darker the sky became. It felt like the night was eating the sun. People said Alpha Zayn’s palace was a place where light never touched and I was beginning to think it was true.

It was hidden deep in the Dark Mountains. The stories said no one ever laughed there, and the building itself was cursed, just like the King.

The stories about his cruelty were enough to make your blood turn cold. I heard that once, he impaled every man in a village just because they didn't bring him the virgins he demanded. 

I didn't know what was waiting for me behind those walls, but I made myself a promise, I was not going to die. I would find a way to stay alive.

When we finally arrived, the moon was high and bright. It casted a long creepy shadow over the tall, black stone towers of the castle. I stepped out of the van, and the cold air hit my face. 

My breath caught in my throat. The rumors didn't even come close to the truth. This wasn't just a scary house, it looked like a fortress built by death itself.

Guards dressed in all black stood at the entrance. They looked at us like we were objects, not people. One guard walked up to me. His eyes were mean and cold.

"What is your name?" he barked.

"Ariana," I answered.

"Who is your father?"

"Derrick Whitestone. He is the Alpha of the Silvermoon pack," I said. My voice shook a little, but I stood tall and the guard looked shocked for a second.

"Usually, packs send us slaves or low-ranking Omega girls," he laughed, shaking his head.

 "We’ve never had an Alpha’s daughter sent as a sacrifice before. Are you really a princess?"

"Not anymore," I said, my heart aching. My father had traded me away like I was nothing.

"Move!" the guard shouted, pushing us toward the gate. We were herded inside like a flock of sheep about to be slaughtered.

Inside, the palace was so quiet it felt heavy. You could hear a pin drop on the floor. The stone walls were freezing, and the hallways were long and thin. The air had a sharp, metallic smell. It smelled like blood. It smelled like death.

"We are all going to die!" one girl whispered, her whole body shaking. "I heard Alpha Zayn is a monster in the bedroom with a cock so big it Impales you when he thrusts it in, I heard it rips women apart. We won't survive the night."

"Don't listen to the stories, they are nothing but baseless rumours," another girl said, though her face was pale white.

"Quiet, you losers!" a loud voice boomed. A woman in a tight black dress stepped into the hall. She had a tag on her dress, Lady Jade.

"You are nothing but sacrifices for our great King," she said, walking back and forth in front of us. "You will stay silent. You will not speak unless he tells you to. And most importantly, you will never, ever look him in the eye."

She stopped and looked right at me. "When your name is called, you will go to his room. You will do whatever he wants without complaining. You should feel lucky. It is an honor to serve King Zayn."

An honor? I thought. How is it an honor to be ripped apart from your insides by a monster?

"No matter how much you scream, no one will help you," she said coldly. "You will let him satisfy his hunger until your body stops moving."

The girls around me started to cry quietly. I felt my own courage start to break. 

The girl next to me sobbed, and the woman turned on her. "Don't bother begging for mercy. Alpha Zayn doesn't know what that word means."

She looked at all of us again. "The guards will take you to your rooms now. But one of you is going to see the King tonight."

Everyone held their breath. The only sound was the fast thumping of hearts. We were all terrified of being the first one picked for the feast. 

The woman circled us like a wolf. Then, her eyes locked into mine.

I didn't look away. I didn't blink. If I was going to face a monster, I would do it with my head held high.

A mean smile grew on her face. She pointed her finger directly at me.

"Take this one first," she commanded. "She will be Alpha Zayn’s meal for tonight."