Make Me Surrender, Red Lycan King

"Harder, Alpha! It's so deep. Yes! Yes! Yes, baby!"

The woman's cries and the sound of a man's frantic thrusts echoed through the eastern wing of the Ashcroft Manor just as Briella Whitemere climbed the final marble step with a silver breakfast tray balanced carefully in her dirty shaking hands.

She winced at the sound of women and men's moans and laughter alike. They were all coming from her husband's sex-bedroom.

With that, Briella lowered her eyes in great shame.

It wasn't the first time. Yet, she would pray everyday that it would be the last.

The servants lining the corridor suddenly became very interested in polishing furniture that was already spotless.

One maid looked away. Another covered her mouth, fighting a laugh.

Nobody reacted because now, everyone knew Alpha Bernard Ashcroft was a sex addict who fucked other people except his omega wife.

"My Lady...." A young servant girl reached for Briella's sleeve. "Please... don't."

Briella answered with the same tired smile she had worn for years. "He asked for breakfast."

"But, it's prohibited to...."

"Don't worry about me, my dear."

She continued walking but every step felt heavier than the last.

She had made fresh pizza, honey cakes, a roasted rotisserie and his favorite tea. She had woken before dawn to prepare everything herself. Maybe if today's breakfast was perfect.... Bernard would smile at her and kiss her?

Perhaps today.... he would remember she was his wife?

She was just outside the door when a sharp voice suddenly shattered her fragile hope.

"You bitch! Omega Briella!"

Briella stopped so abruptly that the tea trembled in its cup. An older housekeeper stormed toward her, fury blazing in her eyes.

"What is this?"

She snatched the cloth covering the tray and her expression twisted.

"You call this worthy of our Alpha? How dare you?!"

"Madam Skye. B-But...."

Before Briella could finish, the woman slapped the tray from her hands.

CRASH!

Porcelain exploded across the polished marble and the tea splashed over Briella's long skirts. The pizza flew down the hallway. And then, the corridor fell silent.

Dozens of servants watched. Nobody moved and nobody helped. The housekeeper grabbed Briella's arm so hard her fingers dug into her skin.

"You useless girl. You've had five years to learn how to be a proper wife. And still...." She leaned closer. "....our Alpha prefers my food and fucks strangers."

Laughter rippled through the hallway. Not everyone laughed actually. Some only looked away in shame.

Briella bowed her head, not sure what to say.

"I'm so sorry."

It came out too soft and the housekeeper screamed.

"Louder, bitch!"

"I'm.... I'm sorry, ma'am."

The woman shoved her backward.

"Get on your knees and clean it."

Without hesitation.... Briella obeyed. She knelt on the cold marble and one by one, she gathered the broken porcelain into her trembling hands.

A sharp edge sliced across her fingertip and a tiny drop of crimson landed on the white floor.

She quickly wiped it away with her sleeve. No one noticed.

While she was deep in work, the bedroom doors creaked open. The laughter inside gradually faded.

Several elegantly dressed women stepped into the hallway, adjusting their gowns as they left.

Behind them came two well-dressed men, laughing quietly with one another before disappearing down the staircase.

Briella didn't raise her head. She couldn't dare to even.

Soft footsteps passed in front of her. One pair of heeled feet remained. Unlike the others, they didn't move.

A gentle voice broke the silence.

"Oh my. You're beautiful."

Briella slowly looked up. The speaker was one of the prostitutes leaving Bernard's chambers. Her makeup was beginning to fade, but kindness still softened her face.

She studied Briella for a long moment. Then she sighed.

"I've been in many noble houses. I've met queens. Lunas. Rich women."

She shook her head.

"But I've never seen a wife as beautiful..." Her eyes drifted to Briella's bleeding hand. "....or as humble as you. That's so sad."

The corridor grew quiet. The woman looked toward Bernard's door before lowering her voice.

"If Alpha Bernard cannot see your worth...." She offered Briella a sad smile. "...maybe one day someone else will and you'd have the best time of your life."

Without another word, she walked away amd Briella felt the unusual words settle warmly in her chest.

The servants watched the woman catwalk away leave while Briella remained on her knees.

She didn't know whether to feel comforted.... or even more ashamed. But still, the words brought emotional tears to her eyes. 

Then a familiar voice echoed from inside the room.

"Briella?"

Bernard finally appeared. His shirt hung loosely over his shoulders as he glanced first at the broken dishes.... then at his kneeling wife.

His face hardened into fury.

"Fuck! Look what you've done again."

Not ARE YOU HURT or WHAT HAPPENED. Only disappointment.

He picked up a cleaning cloth from a nearby table and tossed it at her. It struck her face before falling into her lap.

"Clean this before my mother sees."

His eyes swept over her with complete indifference.

"And get out of my sight...." A cruel smile tugged at his lips. "....you dirty virgin wife."