Chapter 5

Victoria's POV

"Faster!"

The guard's angry voice came from the vehicle ahead of me, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make my legs move any faster. My wrists were bound together with a thick rope, the other end of which was secured to the back of a black vehicle. As the car moved slowly forward, I was forced to follow, stumbling along the rough road on my bare feet.

I had barely escaped execution, yet here I was, being dragged through the Blood Moon Pack like a dangerous criminal. My ribs still ached from the throw I had received earlier, and my body was so weak that I could barely stay on my feet. I had already fallen twice, scraping my knees against the ground, but the guards hadn't shown the slightest concern. They simply continued driving, forcing me to struggle behind the vehicle.

Several pack members had gathered along the road to watch my humiliation. Some laughed, while others shouted insults, but I kept my head lowered and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. By the time we reached the main road, I was breathing heavily, and my legs were trembling uncontrollably.

Suddenly, my knees gave way, and I fell forward with a painful cry. The rope pulled tightly against my wrists as the vehicle continued moving, dragging me a short distance along the ground. I desperately tried to regain my footing, but the pain in my knees made it almost impossible.

Thankfully, the car came to a stop.

One of the guards climbed out, looking thoroughly irritated. He walked around to the back of the vehicle, untied the rope from the metal hook, and roughly hauled me to my feet before opening the rear door.

"Get in."

I obeyed immediately, too exhausted to argue. As soon as I settled into the back seat, he secured my bound wrists to a metal restraint beside the door before shutting it.

I leaned against the window as the vehicle began moving again. Soon, the familiar streets of the Blood Moon Pack disappeared behind us. For twenty-two years, I had lived under my father's roof, enduring his hatred and my stepmother's cruelty. I had always hoped that one day I would leave that place and begin a better life, but I had never imagined leaving as a prisoner.

I closed my eyes, remembering the desperate bargain I had made in the execution courtyard. I had offered to become the Alpha King's bedmate in exchange for my life, and although he had accepted my offer, I knew that didn't mean he had forgiven me. I had no idea what awaited me in his territory.

*At least you're still alive,* my wolf whispered.

She was right. As long as I was alive, there was still a chance that the truth about the Queen's murder would eventually come out. I held on to that small hope as the vehicle continued through the darkness.

***

It was already late at night when we finally reached the Alpha King's territory. The vehicle passed through a large metal gate and continued along a smooth driveway before stopping in front of an enormous mansion.

A guard opened my door, unfastened my wrists from the restraint, and pulled me out. I raised my head and stared at the magnificent building before me. It was far bigger than my father's packhouse, with tall pillars, beautiful balconies, and bright lights illuminating the courtyard. Several armed warriors stood at different positions, guarding the entrances.

Before I could take in my surroundings properly, the guard grabbed my arm and led me away from the main entrance. We walked around the side of the mansion toward a smaller building, where two warriors stood outside a heavy iron door.

One of them unlocked the door and pulled it open, revealing a narrow staircase leading underground. My heart sank when I realized where they were taking me.

The dungeon.

The guards forced me down the staircase and along a dimly lit corridor lined with iron cells. The air smelled damp, and somewhere in the distance, I could hear water dripping. They eventually stopped outside an empty cell, unlocked the iron gate, and shoved me inside.

I stumbled onto the cold stone floor, and before I could regain my balance, the gate slammed shut behind me. I slowly pushed myself into a sitting position and leaned against the wall, drawing my knees toward my chest. There was no bed, only a thin blanket lying in one corner and a small barred window near the ceiling.

I had no idea how long the Alpha King intended to keep me there. For several minutes, I remained seated in silence, listening to the guards' footsteps gradually fade down the corridor. My wrists were swollen from the rope, and blood still trickled from the scrapes on my knees. Eventually, exhaustion began to take over, and I rested my head against the wall.

I must have dozed off because the next thing I heard was the sound of keys rattling outside my cell. When I opened my eyes, two royal guards were standing on the other side of the iron bars.

"Get up. His Majesty wants to see you."

My heart skipped a beat.

The Alpha King?

I struggled to my feet as one of the guards unlocked the cell. The moment the gate opened, they seized my arms and escorted me out of the dungeon. As we climbed the staircase, I wondered why the King had suddenly summoned me.

We entered the main mansion through a side entrance and walked along a wide corridor decorated with expensive paintings and beautiful chandeliers. Several servants stood quietly near the walls, their eyes red and swollen from crying. Some lowered their heads as we passed, while others stared at me with obvious hatred.

I soon understood why. Their Queen had been brought home dead, and everyone believed I was responsible.

The guards eventually stopped outside a room at the end of the corridor. One of them knocked, and a tall man dressed in black opened the door. Both guards immediately bowed their heads.

"Beta."

He glanced at me briefly before stepping aside to let us enter. The room appeared to be a private office, with a large wooden desk, several bookshelves, and two chairs positioned near the window. However, the Alpha King was nowhere to be seen.

Instead of explaining his absence, the Beta walked over to the desk and picked up a small black box.

"Hold her," he ordered.

Before I could react, the guards tightened their grip on my arms. The Beta opened the box and removed a thick black metal collar. My eyes widened as I recognized it.

A wolf-suppressing choker.

I had heard about those devices before. They were used on dangerous prisoners to prevent them from shifting or communicating with their wolves. The dark magic inside the collar also weakened their healing abilities.

I instinctively tried to pull away, but the guards held me firmly in place. The Beta stepped closer, positioned the collar around my neck, and fastened it shut.

The moment the lock clicked, a terrible pain shot through my body. I screamed as my knees buckled, feeling as though something deep inside me had been violently torn apart. If the guards hadn't been holding me, I would have collapsed onto the floor.

Deep within me, my wolf cried out in agony. Her voice grew weaker with each passing second until it finally disappeared completely. I desperately tried to reach her through our connection, but there was no response. For the first time in my life, I couldn't feel my wolf.

The Beta placed the empty box back on the desk and turned toward the guards.

"Take her," he instructed.

They immediately pulled me toward the door. I glanced over my shoulder, wondering why the Alpha King hadn't appeared. Had he changed his mind about seeing me? Nobody offered an explanation as we left the office.

We continued down another corridor. The mansion was unusually quiet, and the few servants we passed were dressed in black. Eventually, the guards stopped outside a set of large double doors. One of them pushed the doors open and ushered me inside.

The first thing I noticed was the strong fragrance of flowers filling the room. Several candles burned on a nearby table, casting a soft glow over the expensive furniture and thick curtains covering the windows. A large bed stood near the center of the room, surrounded by beautiful white flowers.

At first, I thought the King had brought me into his bedroom. But as my eyes moved toward the bed, I noticed someone lying beneath the soft glow of the candles.

My breath caught in my throat.

It was the Queen.

Her body had been cleaned, and she was dressed in a beautiful white gown. Her long hair had been neatly arranged around her shoulders, while her hands rested over her visibly swollen stomach. Someone had placed flowers around her body, making the bed look almost like a beautiful resting place.

I stood frozen, staring at her pale face. The last time I had seen her, she had been lying in a pool of blood, struggling for her life. Now she lay motionless before me, looking almost as though she were sleeping.

I slowly turned toward the Beta, who had followed us into the room. His expression remained cold and unreadable.

"His Majesty has ordered that you spend the night beside the Queen," he announced. "Pray that her spirit doesn't choke the life out of you before dawn. The dead have a way of seeking vengeance."

My entire body went cold. Before I could even protest, he turned and walked out, locking the door behind him.

Leaving me completely alone with a corpse.