Chapter 3

Astrid’s Pov

It’s been four days.

Four long, brutal days since they dragged me into this nightmare. Every hour feels like another twist of the knife, carving deeper into my soul. The walls of this castle seem to breathe violence and blood. And me? I’m just a human girl caught in the middle of it all, trying not to drown.

No one here sees me as a person. I’m nothing more than a stain. A mistake that should have been wiped away the moment I arrived. Even the other servants, who know what it’s like to suffer, treat me like a stray dog that wandered into a palace full of wolves wearing crowns. They shove me, mock me, and laugh when I flinch. I never fight back. I can’t. Not if I want to stay alive.

Some days I wonder if dying would be the only way to finally speak with my own voice again.

Every morning they send me to clean Luna Aliyah’s chambers, her private sanctuary of fragile, expensive things. She collects delicate ceramic ornaments, glass swans, crystal vases, and gilded mirrors. I think she loves them because they’re so easy to break. Just like me.

Today my head was pounding and my vision kept blurring. The bruises on my arms throbbed with every movement. I tried so hard to be careful, but my hands wouldn’t stop shaking. When I picked up her favorite vase, it slipped through my fingers.

The crash echoed like thunder.

“No, no, no…” I whispered, dropping to my knees. I tried desperately to gather the pieces, but a sharp edge sliced deep into my palm. Blood smeared across the white rug like evidence of my crime.

Then I heard her voice.

“You dare break one of my possessions?”

I froze.

Luna Aliyah stood in the doorway, arms crossed, her eyes burning with pure contempt.

“Stand. Up.”

I staggered to my feet, legs trembling. “I-I’m sorry, Luna. I didn’t mean to. I wasn’t feeling well.”

“Who gave you permission to feel unwell?” she snapped, stepping closer. “Follow me. Now.”

Her gaze promised pain. “And don’t you dare say another word, or I’ll make sure you don’t live to see sundown.”

I followed her down the endless corridor, my legs heavy as lead. We stepped out into the sunlit courtyard, the heat beating down on us mercilessly.

“Go stand in the center,” she ordered.

I walked forward on numb legs until I reached the middle of the courtyard. Two massive warriors waited there. Luna Aliyah whispered something to them, and they turned toward me like hungry predators.

This was it.

They grabbed my wrists and tied me to the whipping post. The first lash tore across my back like liquid fire. I screamed. Another came, and another. My knees buckled, but the ropes held me in place. I begged until my throat was raw, but they didn’t stop. The world blurred with pain.

Then a voice cut through the agony.

“That’s enough.”

Everything went silent.

The warriors stepped back. Through swollen eyes, I saw him.

Alpha Xavier.

He strode forward, his presence alone making the others retreat. Luna Aliyah stormed toward him, furious, and they exchanged heated words in low voices. She looked livid. He remained calm.

He walked up to me and gently untied the ropes. The moment I was free, my legs gave out and I collapsed into the dirt.

Then chaos erupted.

Screams filled the air. Wolves howled. Shouts rang out everywhere. Someone tossed weapons to Xavier. In a heartbeat, he shifted into a massive black wolf, all fury and power, and charged into battle. Aliyah shifted too, snarling as she followed him.

The courtyard turned into a battlefield.

I was alone, bleeding and broken. Somehow I managed to drag myself back inside the castle, crawling through the panic. Most doors were locked. I sobbed in frustration, leaving a trail of blood behind me, until one door finally creaked open.

I slipped inside without thinking and collapsed in a dark corner, shaking.

I don’t know how long I stayed there, curled up against the cold stone. My back burned with every breath. The sounds of battle outside made my heart race, but nothing came near the room.

Until the door opened again.

I stopped breathing.

Footsteps. Two sets.

I recognized them instantly.

Alpha Xavier and Luna Aliyah.

I peeked out from the shadows, careful not to make a sound. Aliyah was injured, blood streaking her arm and thigh, her perfect hair a tangled mess. But Xavier… he looked terrible.

His chest was slashed open, a deep, ugly wound still bleeding heavily. His breathing was wet and shallow. For the first time, the terrifying Alpha King looked painfully mortal.

“I told you,” Aliyah hissed, helping him to the bed. “I warned you not to charge in like that. This is your fault.”

Xavier didn’t answer. His face was pale, eyes half-closed.

Aliyah leaned over him for a moment, then straightened. Her voice turned cold.

“I’m sorry, but I have to save myself. You’ll probably die anyway. I’ve done all I can.”

She turned and walked out without another glance, slamming the door behind her.

She left him to die.

I stayed pressed against the wall, heart aching at what I had just witnessed. This was the man who had spared me twice. Once from execution, and today from Aliyah’s whip. He didn’t owe me anything, yet he had protected me.

And now he was lying there, bleeding out. Alone.

I knew I should stay hidden. I was nothing here. 

But my body moved anyway.

Even though fire ripped through my back with every motion, I crawled out of the shadows and pulled myself up beside the bed. He looked almost peaceful now, his powerful face softened by pain.

Maybe it was my turn to help him.

“This is stupid,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”

Still, I leaned down. His neck was right there, pulse weak beneath torn skin.

I opened my mouth.

And my fangs dropped.

The shock nearly made me pull back. I had never felt them before. But there was no time to question it.

I sank my fangs into his neck.

His blood flooded my mouth, hot and powerful. The moment it touched my tongue, something inside me exploded. Fire surged through my veins, burning away everything I thought I knew about myself.

Then his body jerked violently.

A choked gasp tore from his throat.

His hand shot out and gripped my arm with surprising strength.

I froze.

His eyes flew open, glowing with intensity, locked directly onto mine.