chapter 5

When I opened my eyes, I was lying in bed in my pavilion.

I tried to get up, but a sharp pain in my thighs and back sent me crashing back onto the pillow.

"Don't move. You passed out from dehydration and acute exhaustion."

The deep voice came from a dark corner of the room. His dark blue eyes watched me with an intensity that hadn't faded one bit.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"Three hours," Dexter replied shortly. He stood up and walked toward the bed. "Your body is much weaker than I anticipated. Even an ordinary human would have better endurance than you right now."

I clenched my fists under the covers. "I told you, I need time. You have no idea what I went through at Silvermoon. They didn't feed me properly—I lived on scraps."

Dexter stopped beside the bed. He leaned over, bracing his hands on either side of me, pinning me in place. His face was only inches from mine. That sharp, masculine scent filled my senses again.

He reached out, his long, powerful fingers touching my throat, right over my pulse. I could feel the heat radiating from his skin. He applied a slight pressure, forcing me to tilt my head back.

"Why didn't you fight back when they were torturing you?" Dexter asked, his eyes searching every inch of my expression. "I saw the scars on your back. Those weren't from a single incident. That's years of accumulated hatred. Why did you just take it?"

"Because I didn't have the strength to fight," I answered honestly. "If I had fought back, they would have killed me. I chose to live, even if it meant crawling through the mud."

Dexter smirked. It was a dangerous look in the dim light. Suddenly, with one rough jerk, he ripped the blanket off me. I flinched, trying to cover myself with my hands, but he grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head.

"I smell it again," Dexter murmured. He leaned his nose close to my chest, right over my heart. "That scent of burning. It gets stronger when your heart races from fear or anger."

He let go of my hands, but his fingers shifted to trace the neckline of my clothes. "I'm starting to doubt it’s a curse. Your mother didn't die because you were bad luck. She died because she wasn't strong enough to contain the power you’ve held since the womb."

I was stunned. "What do you mean?"

"You haven't found your wolf because someone buried it on purpose," Dexter said. He straightened up, pulling away as if his interest had suddenly vanished. "There is a dark seal on your energy core. Only someone with pure Alpha blood could do that to their own child. Alpha Albert was afraid of you."

I tried to process his words. My father was afraid of me? Is that why he let Madison beat me?

"Why would he be afraid?" I whispered.

"Maybe because you're stronger than him. Or maybe because your wolf is the kind he can't control," Dexter replied.

"Then help me," I cried out with what little strength I had left. "I promise I'll repay the favor."

Dexter approached me again. His dominant aura weighed heavy on the air, making the oxygen feel thin. He reached out with a large hand, his rough fingers stroking my face from my cheek down to my lips.

"That depends, sweetheart," he whispered. "On whether you can make me happy or not."

I looked straight into his dark blue eyes. I couldn't afford to look weak anymore. "Tell me what I have to do. I’ll do anything to break this seal and make them pay for everything."

Without warning, Dexter reached behind my head. He grabbed a handful of my hair and yanked, forcing me to look up sharply.

I let out a small groan at the sudden pull, but I didn't try to pull away. My neck was fully exposed, completely at his mercy.

Dexter leaned his face in. I could feel his heavy breath against the skin of my throat. Suddenly, he licked my neck, right over my racing pulse. His warm tongue sent a wild sensation through me that made my skin crawl. I closed my eyes, pressing my lips tight to keep from making a sound. My heart thudded violently against my ribs.

"Oh, darling," he murmured against my skin, his voice laced with both mockery and intrigue. "You really are helpless right now. How could you ever be useful to me when you can barely even stand?" He released his grip on my hair, letting my head lurch slightly.

I opened my eyes, staring at him with a fire of rage beginning to burn deep in my heart. I refused to be seen as a mere toy. "And what if, once my wolf is out, I'm far more useful than you could ever imagine?"

Dexter smirked, looking satisfied with my answer. He gripped my jaw between his thumb and forefinger, forcing me to maintain eye contact.

"I like your nerve, Ruby. It’s rare for an omega—or even a beta—to dare speak to me like that," he said. He let go of my jaw and stood tall again. "Tomorrow morning, I’m taking you to a ritual for a temporary unsealing. It will be painful. Far more painful than the lashes on your back. If you survive, you’ll have access to your power. If not, your body will crumble to dust."