Chapter 21: His Return

ALEXANDER

I curled up on the cold floor, every bruise and bloodied marks on my body dragging me back to the torment Alpha Damon had put me through. The memory alone made my toes curl in fear, and I shivered uncontrollably.

He had dragged me without care, as though I was nothing more than an object. It didn’t matter that I was already hurt, already too weak to stand. The cold had seeped deep into my bones, and every movement sent pain tearing through me. I had screamed myself hoarse, calling his name, begging for it to stop, but he never listened.

When I tried to move, a sharp pain shot through my abdomen, forcing a gasp from my lips. My whole body trembled as I struggled to rise, but my legs gave out beneath me, and I collapsed back onto the floor with a groan.

Then I heard his footsteps.

I shifted painfully and lifted my head just enough to see him—the monster who had tortured me all night.

A smile curved his lips as he looked down at me. “Did you enjoy it?” Alpha Damon asked mockingly. “I might have been a little rough, but that’s how you like it, isn’t it? I didn’t do a bad job, did I?”

Anger tightened in my chest, hot and sharp enough to cut through the fear. My fingers curled into fists as I glared at him with all the hatred I had left.

“You are a beast, Alpha Damon,” I spat. “A vile, disgusting beast. And one day, you will regret what you did to me.”

At that, he burst into laughter. It was loud, cruel, and empty. When he finally stopped, he sneered at me.

“Alex, and who exactly is going to make me regret it?” he said. “Your father, who doesn’t care whether you live or die? Or your stepmother, who wants you gone more than anyone else? Look around you, Alexander. No one loves you. You are the most hated person in the pack. I’m all you have.”

His words cut deeper than any wound. Each one struck my heart, forcing me to confront how alone and powerless I truly was. But even then, I refused to break. I clenched my fists tighter, met his gaze without fear, and said,

“I will be the one to make you regret it.”

He looked at me strangely, then burst into laughter. Clasping his hands behind his back, he said, “I will ask Christina to clean you up and apply some ointment to your body.”

Then he turned and left.

Shortly after, Christina arrived with some maids. I was wrapped tightly in a duvet and carried back to my room, where they gently laid me on the bed.

“My Lady, you must be hungry. I will get you your breakfast,” Christina said before walking toward the door.

The moment she stepped out, I was startled to see the pack healer enter. My brows lifted in surprise because I did not remember asking for him, and Christina had not mentioned that he would be sent.

He walked over to the bed, grumbling, “So many injured warriors, yet the Alpha still sent me here to heal the minor whip marks on your body.”

I pressed my lips together tightly as a complicated emotion rose in my chest. My thoughts were in turmoil, and I did not know what to think at that moment. Unease settled over me, and I furrowed my brows.

After the bloody marks disappeared from my body, the pack healer left coldly. Even when I thanked him, he did not respond. He simply walked away without looking back.

Christina saw him at the door. I noticed the surprise on her face, but it quickly turned into a smile as she came in and said, “My Lady, the Alpha loves you so much.”

I retorted, “If he did, he would not punish me the way he does. Christina, do not try to fool me. I will never believe he loves me. He loves my sister so much, and in his eyes, I am not worthy enough to be her substitute.”

Christina hesitated. In the end, she only exhaled and said nothing.

She fed me, and I ate quietly. When I was done, I got out of bed and went to shower. As the water droplets trickled down my body, I remembered how Alpha Damon had spanked me so hard and grabbed my hair so roughly. My scalp tingled with pain, and I flinched instinctively at the memory.

I turned off the tap and stepped out of the shower. Then I lay on my bed and fell asleep.

When I woke up, it was already night.

I looked at the wall clock. It was 10 p.m. already. Sitting up on the bed, I rested my hands on the mattress and took a deep breath.

Just then, the door opened and Christina came in. Looking at me apologetically, she said, “Sorry, my Lady. We are making arrangements. Alpha Chris is on his way back home, and we need to prepare a feast to welcome him. I will go and get your dinner.”

She turned and hurried out. The moment the door shut, it opened again, and Alpha Damon stepped into my room.

He looked at me and said, “Get ready. You are going to attend the feast tomorrow. My uncle is on his way back home.”

He did not wait for my response before turning and leaving.

I was shocked that Alpha Damon had finally agreed to let me appear in public. Since I married him, he had hidden me from everyone. Even when he addressed the pack on several occasions, I was never allowed to leave the Queen’s palace. I had already resigned myself to the belief that I would remain trapped in the Queen’s palace until death, but now he suddenly wanted me to step outside.

I pressed my lips together, my emotions tangled and difficult to understand.