Prologue 2
"Miss Kiara, if you would cooperate," a beautiful girl with big blue eyes and a frown on her face told me. I scoffed and peeled her hands off my shoulders."I can bathe myself," I said with finality. She bowed and walked out silently, letting me drown in my own thoughts. I let the tears I was holding well out of my eyes, down my sunken cheeks, and taste them in my mouth."He burned them," I murmured to my wolf, who was always weak. Alpha Benna made sure that he would always inject me with wolf bane to weaken her out. I was a strong wolf, and he knew there was no way he would be able to handle me with my wolf at the back of my head.I had spent almost a month writing that book. Forget the rewriting, editing, and all that stuff. Writing that book was like walking in hell barefoot, and he didn't take even a second to burn my manuscript. He could have beaten me, kicked me, or starved me like he always does, but he burned my manuscript. Unbelievable!"Oh, godess, no!" I trembled with tears."Miss Kiara, do you need any help?" The girl I had asked to leave me alone asked from the door. I shook my head in denial, but when I realized she couldn't see me, I responded, although in a shaky voice, "I am okay, Mariana."Mariana calling me reminded me of what I was about to do. What Alpha Benna needed help with was that he wanted me to be by his side during the mating ball. Honestly, I had no idea he was organizing a mating ball tonight, or else I wouldn't have stressed myself out by escaping early in the morning.On that thought, I smiled genuinely. "We can escape Raika," I told my wolf, who I was sure, although weak and unable to respond, would be excited by this idea.During the mate ball, there would be a lot of people coming to see if the moon gods had finally paired them with someone. When they are busy looking around and waiting for their mates, I will make sure to slip off Alpha Benna's watchful gaze and run."Mariana, help me wash my hair," I called back at her. Mariana walked in, a confused gaze locked in my eyes."You look excited," she murmured, pouring a handful of shampoo on her palms and massaging my scalp before washing the hair and finally rinsing it. "Won't you tell me?" She asked in curiosity when I walked out of the bathtub and retreated back to the room.It was Alpha Benna's room, but he had already laid a beautiful blue satin dress for me on the bed. There was a small blue purse as well with glitter around it, which shone under the dim lights, and blue heels with colorless straps."Of course I am excited. Although I had written awful things on that manuscript, Alpha Benna didn't kill me," I lied while putting the dress on. Although Mariana was good at hiding things, I knew she was Alpha Benna's spy. I really don't know if it's fortunate or unfortunate that I can read people."Everyone's shocked as well. After you escaped, he went to your room...I mean kitchen," she cleared her throat and then continued, "to see if he would be able to find anything that would help him track you, and that was when he found that manuscript. He cursed so hard and swore that if he laid his hands on you, he'd strangle you to death." She winced at that."Is that supposed to make me scared?" I scoffed, looking at her in the eyes. I read her again. She wanted to scare me, but what in this world would scare me? I had seen worse, and in honesty, the threat that he would strangle me to death wasn't that scary in my ears. Or maybe it was, but I was used to ignoring things, especially my feelings."Uh.." she stammered. "Anyway, forget it; Alpha Benna is waiting for you," she said while helping me tie the shoes."Of course he is waiting for me." I smiled while walking toward the door."Won't you look yourself in the mirror, Miss Kiara?" Mariana asked, but I raised my hand in denial. Whether I looked beautiful or ugly didn't matter."No, he's waiting," I reminded her, feeling my lips curl into an uncontrollable smile."Are you happy to attend this event with him?" I mean, after how he treats you?" Mariana asked in disbelief."Can we not talk, Mariana? He is waiting," I said, finally grabbing the door's bolt and pushing it open. What Mariana never knew, and I was never going to let her know, was that the person I was referring to was not Alpha Benna but freedom.I took a deep breath while outside the door and put a smile on my face. Alpha Benna always forced me to smile when I was in front of his friends or when we went to these events. This time, I was sure he wouldn't remind me to do that because I felt like smiling."Moongods, I know you don't care about me, and that's why you gave me such a miserable life, but please, just this once, hear me out and don't let this escape plan flop." After shooting the prayer, I carried my dress and walked down the staircases to where the party was going on."Yezus!" Alpha Benna waved at me. I smiled, approaching him."Good, I didn't have to remind you to smile," he whispered against my ears, and I turned to grin at him. "By the way, you look beautiful," he said, licking his lips. I frowned at him, wiping the smile away."I said smile, Yezus," he said between gritted teeth, his nails digging into my wrists. His right hand was holding a drink, which he waved at every passing person, smiling at them."Do you think you'll find your mate today because, as far as I remember, you're turning eighteen tonight?" He asked, but I ignored him. To hell with the mate. I didn't want him; the only thing I wanted was freedom from this monster."I see the happy glitter in your eyes, Yezus," he smiled at someone while talking, and then turning to face me, he continued, "but don't worry, it will fade away in a short time because, trust me, I don't care who your mate will be. What I know is that you are not going away from here. Don't forget about the manuscript," he reminded me, making my heart shudder.I gave him the 'fu*k you' eyes and turned my eyes to the coming guests. They would all come to us, Apha Benna, that is, and congratulate him for making me 'glow' and thank him for organizing that mate ball."See, everyone is saying you are glowing, but you don't see that. Such an ungrateful bi*ch!" he spat. I didn't know what happened to me, but I found his sentence really funny. Failing to control myself, I pulled my hand off his and laughed so loudly that everyone turned to look at us."Glowing? Me?" I asked while drumming my index finger on my chest. "Is this what you call glowing? Are you sure if I remove this makeup you are forcing me to wear, I will look all glowing? Forget about that; are you sure they will be left with the same expression if I were to strip down?" I asked, and I could see a flicker growing in his eyes. He was pissed off, and I didn't care."Yezus, enough!" He raised his voice just for me to hear and then smiled at the guests, who had their eyes still glued on us."Are you afraid?" I asked him instead. "Are you afraid that they'll see your true colors if I wash this make-up away and strip this dress? Should I show them my back?" I asked while attempting to push the dress's sleeve down and expose my back, which was filled with scars. Scars from his whips."I am losing it, Yezus. I said, Enough!" His voice was now so loud that the guests could hear it. "Sorry, sorry, she is drunk. I'll take her upstairs," he smiled at his gueats, but the red glow in his eyes didn't miss people's eyes, and they didn't dare question him.Before he could lift me off the ground and carry me upstairs like he intended to, murmurs and screams broke into the crowd. That helped me because he diverted his attention to what people were screaming at, thus putting me down.Although I also wanted to see who had walked in, Apha Benna's second man in command tapped me on the shoulder."Silly girl! What are you looking at? People only get one chance in their lives, not two." Upon saying that, he disappeared in the crowd, leaving me confused with his words.It took a while for me to register and understand what he meant, and I didn't hesitate. I looked back and saw Benna making his way through the crowd to the door, and I took that chance."Where are you going? Alpha Benna said, that I shouldn't make you leave here." It was Mariana, his spy.Pissed off, I looked at her and asked, "Oh really? So it means that I am not supposed to go to the toilet. Okay, I have no problem with that. Lay your hands on the ground," I demanded."What? Why should I do that?" She asked in confusion."Since you are my guard now and you have to make sure that I don't go anywhere, you'll have to help me with this," I said while closing the gap between us.I pulled her into a hug and whispered against her left ear, "I want to go for a long call, Mariana, but because I am not allowed, you'll have to lay your hands so that I won't create a mess on the floor." I stepped back.I grabbed the hem of my dress and made it look like I was pulling it to the waist.Mariana, who already looked disgusted, pushed me backwards, and I knocked over a passing waitress. The tray of wine she was carrying slipped off her grip and poured on my dress."Perfect! This is what I wanted," I said inwardly. "Opps!" I exclaimed and looked at Mariana, who was shocked. "I'll have to tell Apha Benna that you ruined my dress." I made it look like I was following Benna."Wait, Miss Kiara," she panicked, "I can let you go up and clean your dress. You also wanted to go to the bathroom, right? You can go." She smiled. I was glad that the threat worked on her because, honestly, I wasn't sure.I tightened my smile at her and made my way upstairs. I bumped into Alpha Benna's second in command, who pushed a note into my hand and disappeared once again.I didn't open the note until I was safe in the guest room. I brushed off the thought of going to his room because I was sure there were cameras installed there."Kiara, you should know you have been nothing but a good daughter to me. I have seen the game you played with Mariana, and you have won. I want you to go to the rooftop. I have trusted men who will help you climb down. Don't worry about the guard at the gate. I have talked to him. He will give you something before you go out. Make sure that no one will see or follow you because, just like I said earlier, you never get two chances in life. All the best in your future life."The letter read: I felt tears stinging my eyes, but I blinked them away. I couldn't believe that Alpha Benna's second in command was helping me escape. Among the thousand people living in his mansion, it was only him who had seen my efforts to look for freedom.Making a mental note that I would one day thank him, I took off the dress and heels to avoid attention and went out in maid's wear. A light blue dress, an apron, and a white cape. I didn't forget the white sneakers they wore. I grabbed a mop while on my way to the roof and a bucket of water.Just like the second in command, whose name I had never known, had written, there were four men present there. They looked at the picture each of them was holding and walked to me. "Good day, Miss Kiara; we have to be quick," one of them said.I nodded, looking at them. One of them ran to the balcony and whistled at someone at the bottom. "Miss Kiara, you will have to jump down there," he explained while coming back.I looked at him in horror. " Jump? I will die," I panicked. I was only looking for freedom, not death. I might have been looking for death earlier, but not anymore. I had someone to thank for always being by my side."There is an air mattress the guard has laid for you. You will fall on it, don't worry," he explained, and I sighed in relief.Before I could run to the edge and hop, he called me back. "Just know that if you were to be caught, you don't know us, nor has anyone helped you," he said on a serious note."Done." I lifted my thumb to him, thanked him with his friends, who were on the lookout in case I was followed, and jumped."She is escaping!" I had someone yell the moment I fell on the mattress. I picked myself up from there and dashed to the gate. I felt thuds behind me, but I didn't look back. I was determined. This time, they won't catch me.I knocked the guard down, who in the process shoved something in my hands secretly, and dashed out of the gate. The thuds still followed me, but I didn't look back—that is, until I bumbed into a brick wall.No, it wasn't a brick wall. It was someone's chest."Oh godess, who is this again?" I thought inwardly while praying that it wasn't Alpha Benna I had bumped into.I peered my gaze at the six-foot figure that I had bumped into and failed to register what I had felt.The figure wasn't Alpha Benna. He had dark eyes that had a faint orange glow to them. The glow wasn't that bright, and I was sure no one could see it from afar.A frustrated voice, calling me a whore, told me I should stop whatever I was doing and jarred me from my trance."Hail the demon; take me with you to hell. I'm ready to burn eternally in your clutches rather than this man's." I dropped to my knees and begged the tall man, who squinted his brows in confusion.At that moment, I didn't care if he was Lucifer himself, whom I had grown to hear, or the child's demon. I just wanted to get away from Alpha Benna and his men because I was sure if they caught me, I wouldn't survive."Demon?" The figure's deep voice, which could cause anyone's legs to wobble, asked in confusion."No, not a demon. Master Lucifer, please help me." I corrected myself, sure that he wasn't just a demon but Lu
The moment I and my beta, Sony, walked into Alpha Benna's mating ball party, screams and murmurs of fangirls reached our ears.Not being used to being the center of attention, even after being in the spotlight all my life, I pulled my beta aside."Go ahead and look for that asshole; I'll be just outside getting some fresh air," I said while walking toward the door, peeling the girl glued to my body away."I can't find him," my beta's unbelievable voice told me through the mindlink."I can't believe his guts. Do whatever you can, even if it means wrecking this party into ashes. Search every hell hole present in this house and bring him to me by his collar," I demanded, a growl pressing in my voice.I had lent Alpha Benna a billion dollars four months ago when he was expanding his pack. I can't believe his guts; after squandering all the money on his countless bitches, he had been avoiding me like hell."I found something else, Alpha Maseno. My beta's voice reached me as I made a turn o
I ignored my pilot's voice over the speaker phone, telling me that what I was doing was dangerous and could even take my life.Anyone seeing me would get his or her brains clouded with thoughts wondering why a ruthless person like me would suddenly panic over a nobody and even risk my life for her.What the media and many people don't know is that, despite how dangerous and much worse than the devil I was, my dad taught me differently.Among many of the rules that I and he wrote down and finally made sure had stuck in my brain cells was that I should never abandon a person who is in dire need of my help.This rule, among many others, was supposed to guard my life and always remind me that half of me was a human.I really don't care what people think of me, but this time I did. Not the people, though, but what my dad will think of me.Many years ago, when he was still my age, something similar to this happened. We rarely talked about that incident because it was similar to a lurking gh
"What do you see?" I asked the man standing beside me with a pair of binoculars in front of his eyes."They are talking to someone, he responded.I scoffed. "Talking to someone? Doesn't he have a name?"He bowed his head. "Sorry, Alpha Benna, I'll zoom in to see the figure's face." He lifted the pair of binoculars back in front of his eyes."Not just the figures, but everything. Let me know what's in the surrounding areas. Any movement, anything." I stood on my feet, sipping the wine I was holding."There are men. A group of men and women. Doctors and soldiers, judging from the way they are dressed and the figure lurking around is..." He trailed"Who is the figure?" I asked while snatching the binoculars from his hands. "This son of a demon! What is he doing there?" I asked no one in particular."I think he spotted a movement in his territory, and that's why he is there." The figure shrugged while taking the binoculars from me."Mmh, that makes me worried." I said, my voice dropping i
Alpha Maseno.I was in my office, perusing files, going through accounts, and making calls. I had acquired one more pack from an alpha who refused to pay for what he took from me.The plans I was making were for reestablishing it, expanding it, and making sure that I would create more job opportunities for its members.The pack itself was rich, with minerals hidden deep in the ground. "All the loan he took from us—what did he do with it?" I asked my beta, who shrugged in response.Five years ago, this alpha came to me and said he needed my financial help. He said he needed to buy resources and make sure that they extracted their own raw materials, processed them, and manufactured them.He said he wanted his pack to export more and import less. I didn't think twice about helping him because I found his idea very convincing.I knew that with the profit he would make, he would return the money he borrowed from me as soon as possible, but I guess I had just underestimated him, just like I
I peered my eyes and slammed them shut. I raised my hand to wipe what felt like soil particles that were stuck on them while a tired yawm escaped my lips.My whole body was sore leaving me with impression that I have carried all the sorrows if the world with me.A bright light streamed in, making my eyes ache. I crimpled my eyes around to see where that light was coming from, and that was when I caught sight of a vast window that was pushed open, it's heavy, yellow curtains swinging as wind blew in.I tried to sit but fell on my back after a wave of pain shot through me. With a wince escaping my lips,I lay back, wondering how I got here.When I was running, I had multiple voices calling out for me and telling me that I shouldn't head toward the white hill but that I should run forward, to the clearer path.I scratched my head, trying to think to whom these voices belonged, but my mind was blank. The only thing I remember is that after stepping on that 'hill', I didn't hear any sound o
It has been a month and a half since Alpha Maseno took me in, and I have never seen him since the day he walked to the ward. The only person I have been seeing is Maria, who is now busy taking care of her new hospital.Yes, she is no longer Alpha Maseno's personal doctor. I just came to the fact a week ago that, although she was Alpha Maseno's doctor, she wasn't permanent. She was only doing her attachment, and she was assigned to work with Dr. Kedeva, who is the real Alpha Maseno's personal doctor.Because Maria is busy and she comes to see me once in a while, I made friends with Beta Sony. He is two years older than me, and he has been a true gem.One day, when we were at his office playing a coffee date, I asked him if he had any idea what Alpha Maseno needed to talk to me about. For the past one and a half months, I have slept with guesses in my head, wondering what it is that he wants to talk to me about."You zoned out again." Sony snapped his fingers to get my attention.I flas
I watched as Maria walked out of my office with her head bowed. I sighed, pulled out the file I was holding, and stared at it. "I'll give this to her if she agrees to this." I brushed my face with my hands.For the past one and a half months, I have been at a conference. The last week of the conference I spent in my father's palace, where the elders said they needed to talk to me. I thought it was about kingdom issues, but it was something else.They all said that they wanted an heir to this kingdom. They have been pestering me about this since I was twenty, because that was the time I took the kingdom from my father.Anytime they would bring up this conversation, I would dismiss it by saying, I will start thinking about finding my Luna and having kids when I turn twenty-five. I turned twenty-five a week ago, and they didn't hesitate to call me.I had tried arguing with them, promising them to find me a Luna once I turned thirty, but none of them listened. They have given me until the