Chapter 3

A one-eyed werewolf walked up to me and reached out to touch my face.

I turned my head away to avoid him, but I bumped into Kayden's leg. He took a step back, looking disgusted, as if he had touched something filthy.

However, he didn't stop the one-eyed werewolf's actions.

I looked at Kayden. "You're going to let them insult your mate like this?"

Kayden sneered. "Mate? Are you worthy of being called that? You're just a pet I picked up. Don't flatter yourself.

"Vera is right. Only by making you face reality will you learn to behave."

On the bed, Vera covered her mouth and laughed softly. "Alpha, forget it. It seems Ella still isn't convinced.

"The Full Moon Festival is tonight. Why not make Ella entertain everyone at the celebrations? More people could see her dance. As long as everyone is happy, I'll let things go."

Kayden's eyes lit up at that. "Good idea."

He crouched down and pinched my chin. "You hear that? Dance well at tonight's celebrations. If you dare slack off, I'll throw you to the dogs in the pen."

I looked despairingly at the man I had loved for three years. Every shred of my dignity was ground to dust in that instant.

I gritted my teeth and forced the words out. "Fine. I'll dance."

If this was the price to end all of this, then I was willing to pay it.

Kayden patted my cheek with a satisfied look. "That's more like it."

He stood up and gently picked Vera up before carrying her out of the ward to get a full checkup.

This left me in the middle of a pack of hungry-eyed werewolves.

I tried to leave, but a werewolf's clawed hand grabbed my shoulder. With a ripping sound, my sleeve tore.

"Let go of me!" I screamed.

I pushed the clawed hand away with all my strength as I scrambled and crawled my way out of the ward.

Behind me came the werewolves' wild laughter and the sound of thundering footsteps.

"Are you running? Let's see where you can run to!"

"I love this kind of hide-and-seek!"

I stumbled and fell into an abandoned storage room at the end of the hallway. I locked the iron door from the inside.

Pounding fists hammered against the door.

"Come out, you whore!"

"What are you doing, hiding inside? Are you having fun by yourself?"

"If you don't come out, we'll smash the door down. By then, it won't just be a few pets from us!"

Dirty words and foul language came through the door, mixed with lewd laughter.

I huddled in a corner with both hands protecting my belly. My entire body was shaking.

This was the "glory" given to me by the man I loved for three years.

A young nurse's voice sounded outside the door, with a hint of feigned surprise.

"Oh, my. Don't scare Ella. The Alpha said there's the Full Moon Festival tonight and that he wants her to dance for everyone's entertainment.

"We won't be able to explain things to him if she gets injured."

Only then did the werewolves outside leave, albeit reluctantly.

I seized this chance to send my final distress signal to the Association.

…

The celebrations were held in the pack's square, with a bonfire blazing into the sky.

I was forced into a sheer dancer's outfit that barely covered the important parts of me.

The cold wind cut like a knife against my skin, but I couldn't feel it anymore—because my heart had already turned numb to everything.

Kayden sat atop the platform with Vera in his arms.

Vera gently pushed him away. Then, while holding a cup of dark red liquid, she walked over and offered it to me. She smiled innocently, saying, "Ella, this is a toast to all the warriors. You'd be disrespecting us if you don't drink it."

The surrounding werewolves began to chant. "Drink! Drink! Drink! If you don't drink, you're disrespecting the Darkwind pack!"

The liquor had a strangely sweet and fishy smell to it.

I knew it was something only werewolves could drink. For a pregnant human woman, it was lethal.

I looked at Kayden and said, "I'm human. I can't drink such strong liquor. Besides, it's bad for the pup—"

Kayden interrupted me impatiently. "What's the big deal? It's just one cup! Vera is being kind to you. Drink it!"

Two strong werewolf guards pressed down on my shoulders.

She forced my mouth open and poured the entire cup down my throat.

"It's good stuff. You'll be writhing like a lustful bitch in no time," she whispered in my ear. Her voice was venomous.

The burning liquid went down my throat and into my stomach.

The drug took effect quickly. My vision began to blur, and I felt feverish. My abdomen felt as though it was being twisted by a meat grinder.

The music started to play, with the beat of the drums pulsing with raw desire.

Kayden swung his whip, and it cracked against the ground. "Dance!" he ordered.

I had no choice but to move. My body moved on its own, almost without my control.

The werewolves below the platform roared with wild excitement.

Just then, my water broke. Warm fluid ran down my thighs, mixed with a small amount of blood, soaking into the snow.

Severe pain made me collapse to the ground, and I couldn't get back up again.