Chapter Two

Lucy's POV 

I swallowed hard, willing myself not to tremble. The air in the room was suffocating, filled with his domineering presence and the scent of his cologne—a mixture that turned my stomach. I was no stranger to his cruelty, neither was the way he treated me new. He loved to degrade me.

But tonight, a deep-rooted anger simmered beneath my usual numbness. I remained seated on the bed, calm but defiant, refusing to comply with his evil command. He continued with his work, expecting that I'd have obeyed when he turned back. 

He finally finished with the files in his drawer and turned to me fully this time, his brows furrowing as he noticed my stillness. His cold eyes looked threatening. 

“Did you not hear me? How many times do I have to repeat a single command?”

he barked, the edge of annoyance already creeping into his voice.

I flinched at his tone, but I refused to speak. My silence was my rebellion, small as it was, and I  enjoyed the way it fueled his anger.

He strode over, towering over me, his presence looming. Without warning, he grabbed my legs and yanked them apart with a force that made me wince. I bit into my lower lip, not willing to plead with him. 

“You’re always so disobedient,” he snarled. “Always testing my patience.”

He muttered more about my insolence, but I didn’t respond. I kept my expression neutral, offering no reaction to his insults. I knew it infuriated him to be ignored, and though my defiance was dangerous, it was one of the few ways I could assert control.

His hand slid under my robe, his fingers invading me without permission or care. I clenched my jaw, my nails digging into my palms as I fought the rising bile in my throat. He leaned closer, his face hovering near mine, waiting for a reaction. When I met his gaze, it wasn’t with fear or submission, but with pure, unfiltered disgust.

That look was all I could give him. It was my truth, my hatred laid bare. He pressed his lips to mine, and I gagged, turning my head away as my stomach lurched.

“When are you going to accept me as your mate?” he demanded, his voice dripping with mockery. “It’s been two years. You’re my Luna, whether you like it or not.”

The words were a spark to the anger that had been burning in my chest. I met his gaze with a glare that could have turned stone to ash. 

“I’ll accept you,” I spat, my voice dripping with venom, 

“But only when you bring my parents back to life. The ones you murdered.”

My words hit him like a slap, and for a moment, he said nothing. His expression hardened, and his grip on me tightened. He opened his mouth to retort, but before he could speak, his body jerked. His face twisted in pain as he clutched his chest, a guttural scream ripping from his throat.

I recoiled, my heart pounding as confusion and shock replaced my anger. Daven staggered, his knees buckling beneath him as he fell to the floor. The sound of his agony echoed through the room, and within seconds, the door burst open. Guards rushed in, their eyes darting between me and the Alpha writhing on the floor.

“What happened here?” one of them demanded, his voice sharp with alarm.

I couldn’t respond. I sat frozen, clutching my robe tightly around my body. 

Was this real? Could the universe finally have intervened against this man who had caused me so much pain?

The Beta entered, his presence commanding immediate order. 

“Take the Alpha to the pack doctor,” he instructed the guards. “And do it quickly.”

The guards lifted Daven, who groaned in agony, his breaths ragged and shallow. I watched in stunned silence. What was happening to him? 

Would he make it out alive, whatever it was?

Could this be my chance to finally be free?

As the guards carried Daven out, I hesitated. I  had no love for the man—no pity or concern for his suffering. But curiosity gnawed at me. This was something I had not seen coming. In two years, I had never seen Daven falter, never seen him vulnerable. What could have caused this?

Driven by the need to know, I followed them to the pack hospital, keeping a careful distance. I slipped into the hallway outside the examination room, listening intently as the doctor spoke to the Beta.

“It’s ischemic heart disease,” the doctor said gravely. “His condition has worsened significantly.”

The Beta’s expression darkened. “What are you saying? I didn't even know he had this disease, how am I finding out now that his condition has worsened?”

The doctor hesitated before continuing. “He doesn’t have much time left. His heart is failing. I suggest he puts his affairs in order. There isn’t much I can do.”

My breath caught in my throat. I pressed my back against the wall, my mind spinning. Daven, the man who had stolen everything from me, was dying. The powerful, undefeatable Alpha of the Moongrowl Pack was finally in a weak state.

For a moment, I felt a rush of vindication, as though the universe had finally answered my silent prayers. But the feeling was temporary. Daven’s death could bring chaos. What would happen to me? To Rosa? To the other survivors of the Bloodbath Pack who had been enslaved here?

A part of me longed for his end, for the chance to reclaim my freedom. But another part, the part that had learned to fear uncertainty, whispered that his death might not mean safety. It might only bring more pain.

But then, I would be the Luna and ruler of the pack and that would mean the liberty to do what I wanted to do. That would mean the freedom to let my people go. 

I balled my fists, trying to keep my rioting thoughts in check. I turned and walked away from the hospital, my footsteps echoing in the silent corridor. Whatever the disease was, it was clear from the doctor’s tone that he was not going to make it out of this phase alive.