Chapter 5

~ Elara's POV ~

Dying… was far better than this torture.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

Every inch of my body burned—no, it blazed—like fire was crawling beneath my skin, devouring me from the inside out. My dress clung to me, heavy and soaked with my own blood, cold against my feverish skin.

A broken whimper slipped past my lips.

My family… they did nothing wrong.

Every night, Father used to sit beside me, his voice soft yet firm as he told me the same thing over and over again—that he had never wronged Alpha Kael. That the accusation… the banishment… it was all a lie.

And I believed him.

I still do.

Even though I was only ten back then… I wasn’t blind. I saw the way Father fell to his knees, begging—begging—Alpha Kael for mercy. I saw the way his hands trembled, the desperation in his voice.

But Alpha Kael… he only stared.

Those cold, lifeless eyes held no pity. No hesitation.

And with a single command, he had us thrown out like we were nothing.

Like we were filth.

We became the pack’s mockery.

So when I watched Father change—watched the darkness in him grow as he plotted revenge against the Timberwolf Pack—I never blamed him.

How could I?

Who wouldn’t want revenge against a monster like Alpha Kael?

If only they had succeeded…

If only my father and brothers had won…

Maybe I wouldn’t be here.

Maybe I wouldn’t be suffering like this.

A choked sob tore from my throat.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

"I want to die…" I whispered weakly, my voice barely audible, trembling with pain and desperation. "End my life…".

A cruel smirk curved Alpha Kael’s lips.

His hand shot forward, gripping my jaw harshly, forcing my face up to his.

Pain exploded through me.

"You think you’re in a position to ask for anything?" he snarled, his voice dripping with cold amusement. "Not even death will save you from me, Rogue."

My vision blurred with tears and blood as my eyes met his.

Those piercing blue eyes…

They weren’t just cold.

They were filled with hatred.

"You… hate me…" I choked out, my voice breaking. "You’ve already killed my entire family… the rogues I grew up with… What’s the point of keeping me alive if you despise me this much?"

My chest heaved painfully.

"Reject me… and end this…" I whimpered, tears streaming down my blood-stained face. "I don’t want any of this… kill me,"

For a brief—almost unreal—moment…

His grip loosened.

His hand hovered near my face, as if he was about to touch me… gently.

But then…

It was like something snapped inside him.

A low groan escaped his throat as he stepped back abruptly, clenching his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white.

And then he returned.

This time, his grip was even harsher.

His nails dug into my skin, sharp and unforgiving.

I cried out, my body trembling from the pain, but he didn’t stop.

If anything… his grip tightened.

As if he enjoyed it.

Of course he did.

That’s why he let his pack treat me like this.

"Listen carefully, Rogue…" he growled, his voice low and dangerous, his eyes boring into mine. "I decide how long you live."

My heart pounded violently in my chest.

"I will never reject you as my mate," he continued. "And I won’t grant you death either."

My breath hitched.

"I want to see you suffer…" he whispered coldly. "I want to see you bleed."

Tears blurred my vision completely.

"And until I’m satisfied…" he finished, releasing my jaw suddenly, "you’re not escaping me."

I collapsed slightly, my body shaking as more tears spilled down my face.

I watched him walk away.

Even as my vision faded, I kept staring… clinging to his retreating figure… until he disappeared completely.

What kind of life was this?

This wasn’t what I wanted for myself.

Back when I lived with my family—hidden away in our small forest—I had simple dreams.

A mate.

A family.

Little pups running around my feet, their laughter filling the air.

That was all I ever wanted.

Nothing more. Nothing complicated.

My father used to smile whenever I talked about it. He’d brush my hair back and tell me I didn’t need to train… that he and my brothers would always protect me.

And I believed them.

God… I believed them.

I held onto those words like they were unbreakable truths… like nothing in the world could ever touch me as long as they were there.

But now…

Now I wished I hadn’t.

Because if I had trained… if I had pushed myself… if I had been stronger...

Maybe I wouldn’t feel this helpless.

Maybe I wouldn’t be here… bruised, broken, and barely holding on.

After I got my wolf, Vaela, we spent our days laughing, eating, and enjoying life while the others trained. I thought I was lucky. I thought I was special.

I thought I was safe.

A bitter, broken smile tugged at my lips.

It’s too late now… too late to regret acting like some pampered princess from a royal pack when I was never one to begin with.. But how was I supposed to know? Not once… not even for a second… did it cross my mind that I would lose my entire family in a single day.

The sight of seeing them drop to the ground after being killed replayed on my mind, and I shed more tears.

While I cried miserable and enduring the pains stinging all over my body, a man dressed in plate armor approached me.

I remembered him from yesterday. He was standing next to Alpha Kael when I was brought to him.

Without saying a word to me, he began loosening the rope tied tightly against my skin.

"What are you doing?" I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper—weak, cracked, unfamiliar even to my own ears.

"Alpha Kael ordered for your release," he replied calmly.

The words sank in slowly.

So… he wasn’t joking.

He really did plan to keep me alive… just to watch me suffer.

A hollow feeling settled deep in my chest.

Before I could respond—before I could even process it fully—a wave of exhaustion hit me like a crushing tide.

My vision blurred.

My eyelids grew unbearably heavy, as though invisible hands were dragging them shut.

I tried to stay awake. I fought it, clinging to the last threads of consciousness with everything I had left.

But my body had already given up.

It had endured too much.

Darkness began to creep in, slow and suffocating, swallowing the world piece by piece.

And in the end…

I didn’t have the strength to resist.

I gave in.