Chapter 4

I was scared. Scared of being killed. My stomach was churning. These scars, they were proof of my unwanted existence in the Silvermoon Pack. And now, Alpha Dexter had seen them. This could be his reason to get rid of me.

"I'm not trash, Alpha!" I said, almost screaming. I lifted my head, looking straight into his piercing blue eyes. "I can be useful. I can work hard. I won't be a burden to the Moonshadow Pack. I promise!"

Alpha Dexter stared at me. His eyes unblinking. He scrutinized every expression on my face, every scar on my back. Then, his gaze shifted to my torn dress, which now only covered the front of my body. He sighed, a sound like a cold wind whistling through a rock crevice.

"Stand up," he commanded. I immediately obeyed, standing awkwardly. My tattered dress felt cold against my back. I tried to adjust it, to cover my exposed back, but there wasn't much to be done. The dress was ruined.

"What can you do?" he asked.

"I'll do whatever you command," I answered.

"Don't challenge me," Alpha Dexter sneered. "If you fail, I might just kill you."

"I'll try," I insisted, not wanting to give up and die just like that. "Give me a chance.”

Alpha Dexter looked at his large, heavy desk, then at a smaller table beside it, laden with stacks of parchment scrolls. "Move that table," he said, pointing to the smaller one. "I want to rearrange this room."

I stepped towards the small table. It was made of hard, heavy wood. I tried to move it. Using my shoulder, I pushed with all my might. The table didn't budge an inch. My muscles tensed, but to no avail. My face flushed with effort.

"Are you serious?" Alpha Dexter asked, devoid of emotion, but his eyes showed disappointment. "You can't even move such a small table?"

Cold sweat beaded on my temples. I tried again, gripping the table's edge with both hands, pulling it. Nothing. The table remained stubbornly in place, mocking my meager strength.

"Alvin!" Alpha Dexter called out.

A few seconds later, the door opened and Beta Alvin appeared. He looked surprised to see me in my torn clothes, panting beside the table.

"Take her," Alpha Dexter said, his eyes on me. "And make sure she understands one thing. In this Pack, we don't have time for useless things."

His words hit me hard. Beta Alvin stepped closer, giving me a slight gesture to follow him. I walked out of the room, carefully closing the door behind us. As the door shut, I felt air return to my lungs.

"Am I going to die?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. I couldn't control the fear that suddenly overwhelmed me. Alpha Dexter's expression offered no hope at all.

Beta Alvin looked at me. Then, suddenly, he laughed. Not a mocking laugh, more like amusement. "Die?" He raised an eyebrow. "Why would you think that?"

"Alpha Dexter was very angry," I said. "He hates weak people, right? And I couldn't even move that small table."

"He doesn't like useless things, it's true," Beta Alvin nodded. "But to kill you? That's excessive." He rubbed his chin. "Alpha Dexter is capable of killing forty-nine vampires in one night, alone. He is incredibly powerful. But he never randomly kills members of his pack. That's not his style. He's not a cruel ruler who kills on a whim."

I gasped. Forty-nine vampires? In one night? Such power was truly terrifying. But his words were a relief. I wouldn't die immediately. "Then, what will happen to me?"

"We'll go back to your room," Beta Alvin replied, ignoring my last question. "He told me to keep an eye on you."

We walked back to the pavilion where my room was. Once there, Beta Alvin asked me to wait inside. "Don't go anywhere," he said. "I have to leave for a moment.”

I walked into the room, observing my tattered dress. I searched for something to change into, but I only had three worn-out garments. There was no point in wearing those in front of anyone. I sat on the edge of the bed, waiting. My heart was still racing, but a little calmer after Beta Alvin's explanation. At least, Alpha Dexter wouldn't kill me directly. But then what?

Not long after, I heard the sound of a car engine outside. I peeked through the window.

The car door opened, and an old man stepped out. His hair was white, but his posture was still straight. He was about fifty, maybe more.

Beta Alvin returned to my room, not alone. The old man I saw from the window walked beside him.

"Ruby," Beta Alvin said, introducing him. "This is Martin, our Pack doctor. He's going to examine you."

Martin smiled faintly. "Sit down. I'll check your condition."

I sat on the edge of the bed, and Martin pulled up a small chair, sitting in front of me. His warm hand touched my wrist, checking my pulse. His sharp eyes looked into mine, checking the inside of my eyelids.

"Any complaints?" Martin asked.

I shook my head. "None, Doctor." What was I supposed to say? I was used to pain and hunger. I didn't know how to complain.

Beta Alvin stepped forward slightly. "Alpha Dexter wants to ensure her condition, Doctor. She looks thin and..." Alvin glanced at me, then at my half-exposed back. "There are old scars on her back."

Martin nodded. He shifted his seat, and gently held my shoulder, asking me to turn around. His eyes swept over the scars on my back. His touch was very gentle, unlike Madison's or Luna Eva's. "Hmm," he mumbled. "These old wounds, whip marks. They're quite old." He then asked me to take a deep breath, listening to my heartbeat with a stethoscope.

"Irregular eating, chronic malnutrition," Martin said, after the examination. He moved his fingers over the skin of my arm. "Her skin is pale, probably rarely exposed to sunlight. There are signs of extreme fatigue throughout her body." He moved to a small table nearby, picking up a pen and a prescription pad. "I'll give her a prescription for high-dose vitamins, an appetite stimulant, and a special ointment for her old scars. You'll need time to recover."

He handed the prescription to Beta Alvin. "Make sure she takes this medicine regularly. And give her nutritious food, small portions but often."

"Understood," Beta Alvin replied.

Martin nodded to me. "Get plenty of rest. Don't move around too much for now." He stood up. "I'll take my leave."

"Thank you, Doctor," I said. I was genuinely surprised by all this attention.

Beta Alvin followed Martin out for a moment, perhaps to discuss further or to ensure the medicine order. When he returned, he looked at me.

"Why is Alpha Dexter helping me?" I asked. The question just slipped out, as this confusion was truly unbearable.

Beta Alvin sighed. "I don't know the reason either." He shook his head. "Alpha Dexter is mysterious. He doesn't do anything without purpose. You'll find out the answer later."

He didn't know. Just like me. The answer didn't satisfy me, but it was the only one I got. Beta Alvin then turned. "I'll get your medicine now." He left, leaving me alone again.