Ch.003

Arley

My father's eyes bore into me. "Do you have any idea how much shame you have brought to the pack?" he barks, his voice cutting deep into my head.

"Look at you, because of your mother, I decided to keep you in the pack instead of throwing you away... yet you remain completely worthless."

Tears threaten to cloud my eyes, but I blink them back immediately…I’ve managed to endure such cruel words for a long time. I’ve gotten quite used to them.

I know my father hates me, but hearing those words from him... learning I was only kept alive because of my mother, not because I am his daughter.

My grip tightens on the part of my dress Risa had torn. Unfortunately, it still hurts.

"I finally found you a husband, a way for you to be useful to the pack... but you run away, sneak back in shamelessly smelling like another man and claimed."

"I won't marry Beta Vinton, Father. I found my mate—" I try to say but his big hand strikes my cheek, heat burning the area. I swallow my words instantly.

"If you had remained obediently in that room, such nonsense wouldn't have happened. You don't deserve such a thing as a mate."

I can’t say another word, a lump forming in my throat. It hurts, it hurts so bad, Mother. My eyes snap back to him, and I catch Risa grinning behind him, clearly amused by the sight of me like this.

But she’ll never get the satisfaction of seeing me break and beg my father.

"Tsk! Pathetic." Beta Vinton clicks his tongue. "Alpha Sherwood... it's such a pity, but our agreement can't proceed when your daughter is already marked and claimed by another man... she's a used product."

My father grits his teeth at the loss, at least I'll never see that old man's face again. Beta Vinton's steps fade away. The ground is calm, everyone expecting my father's final verdict.

"Take her to the cell and lock her up with no food or water," he declares. I raise my gaze to him, searching for the man who used to cherish me, but he turns away and walks. 

“Keep her there until we find someone else willing to pay for her.”

This is my father—how pathetic.

"What is this embarrassing sight, Arley?" Risa throws at me, leaning down beside my ear. "Did you see that? You should have known your place, but no... you still see yourself as the Alpha's daughter. But you can never fill that position. You're worthless and don't deserve anything." She whispers, turning to leave as she nods to the guards to take me away.

I should struggle, beg for them to leave me alone, let me explain... atone for my mistake, but I know there's nothing I'll say that'll change my father's mind and I'm not going to sound even more pitiful in front of Risa.

I blink hard, forcing the tears back, my eyes shutting tight so I don’t have to look at the pack members.

I didn't know when we made it to the cell. As soon as I'm thrown inside, my body hits the wall... then the floor beneath me. The guards lock the iron door.

Darkness covers the entire place, my lips tremble... I can't make any sound, biting back the cry that has formed a heavy lump in my throat.

Until...

"Arley?"

A familiar voice calls... "J... Jay?" I choke out, clutching my knees tightly against my chest.

“Shit, Arley… you shouldn't have come back,” he says. “Why did you turn back after I saw you run into the woods?"

My body shudders. “I... I came to take my things.”

“We agreed I would find a way to bring them to you after you escaped Beta Vinton and settled down.”

Yeah, when my father announced my husband would be coming, I thought it was Alpha Janus… until I overheard my stepmother discussing it with Risa. I told Jay I needed to escape, and we agreed that if I got the chance, I should run and contact him once I was settled.

But then my mate appeared—and suddenly, I couldn’t wait. I wanted to take my mother’s things and leave with him right away.

“I'm sorry.”

“Quit it. However, you have to leave before it's too late. The guard in charge of your cell today, I will take care of him. All you have to do is use this master key... he'll be here soon, but I've offered him a drink with wolfsbane in it, he will fall asleep quickly."

My eyes widen, horror crossing my face. "What is wrong with you? You can't do that... if... if anything goes wrong, my father will surely execute you."

"Right now, you should worry about yourself..." he throws me the key and disappears.

Soon, the guard comes. He finally relaxes himself on the chair facing my cell, falling into a deep sleep the moment his head falls back against the backrest.

I push up from the floor, grabbing the lock... thank goodness my hands can fit in, but I can't see where to insert the key. And I can hear footsteps patrolling the hall on the other side. As soon as I manage to open it... I take the hall on the other end that seems safer.

Suddenly, I feel someone grab my arm. "Hey... Arley..." he pauses, pressing the bag I was packing earlier into my arms, he pulls out a small wallet. “I’ve got just this. Make it to the next rogue camp. Okay? You will find my sister.”

“Thank you,” I breathe out.

As we take another step, we hear loud footsteps, like people running and chasing someone.

“She must have gone this way!” someone yells.

My eyes widen. Jay glances over his shoulder. If he's found to have seen me yet kept quiet, he would be in trouble too.

His brows pull together and he drags me out, shoving me to run the other way.

“Go!”

I pick up my pace, panting hard as I bolt through the dark.

“She’s over there, get her!” Jay's voice echoes from behind. I can tell he's trying to divert them from my real location.

I don't look back until I see the woods again. Suddenly stopping right in the middle, my breath catches, my mind flashing back to the man from hours ago.

My hand gently brushes across my neck, the mate mark sizzling lightly. I wince at the sensation.

“Unfortunately, Kydra… we couldn't even see the face of our mate…” my voice comes out weakly. “We didn’t get the chance to be with him… but we will.”

I will find him.