Chapter 5

Elena’s POV

“You’re crazy!” I yelled at his face, tears of sadness and anger burning down my face. “You’ll never have me again!”

A sinister spark danced in Ryan’s eyes as he grabbed me by the throat. “We’ll see about that.”

He squeezed my throat tighter and tighter until I could no longer breathe. I thrashed and twisted, but all it did was make me run out of air faster. It was a matter of seconds before I passed out.

When I woke up in the morning, coughing and gasping for air, I noticed I was still being restrained, but not by Ryan’s hands. I was sitting on a chair with ropes tied to my wrists, ankles, stomach and torso. And that wasn’t even the most terrifying part.

Taking a quick look at my surroundings, I realized I was in Ryan’s room.

Dread settled in my stomach before he even walked inside.

He entered quietly, stilling as his eyes landed on me. “Good. You’re awake.” That terrifying smirk spread across his lips again. “Now, where were we?”

When Ryan closed the door behind him, panic shot through me. I flailed desperately, trying to loosen the bindings that held me in place while he marched towards me. But all I managed to get in my wild struggle were rope burns. As he stopped in front of me, I was completely at his mercy again.

“I hope you’ve had a chance to think about my proposal,” he muttered, eyes darkening as he leaned in. I flattened my back against the chair, trying to stay as far away from him as possible. “You see, I’m not feeling as merciful anymore. Now, if you want to be my mistress and save your mother, you’ll have to beg.”

My wolf growled viciously at him inside my head. For a moment, I considered letting her free. Even if we were no match for an Alpha, she could probably get a few bites and scratches before our former mate had time to react. 

But then I remembered my mother’s face.

She had looked so terrified. In her attempt to save me from this monster of a mate, she’d ended up in the dungeon, with her time quickly running out. I was the only one who could help her.

Was letting Ryan have his way with me the only way to save my mom?

“Because I’m nice, I gave you enough time to make up your mind,” he offered, probably noticing my indecisiveness. Then, he shrugged. “And now? Time is over...”

He inched closer, his face hovering near mine as he pinched my chin between his thumb and index finger. “You see, Elena, this is what power looks like.” Fear made my heart race as I looked into his wild eyes. “I get to decide who lives and who dies. What do you think I’ll be able to do when I’m Alpha King?”

The next second, he flexed his fingers and sharp dark claws tore free. I closed my eyes and held my breath, bracing for the worst. Instead, he did the last thing I’d expected.

With a quick slash, he tore the ropes and freed me.

I was stunned, unable to predict what he would do next as he took a couple of steps back. “Kneel.”

I blinked. “What?”

“Crawl at my feet. Beg me to reconsider and stay with you,” he commanded.

I almost laughed. He had gone completely mad.

Frowning, I contested, “No.”

My defiance left him dumbfounded for a second. Unfortunately for me, it didn’t last. In a snap, his anger came back at full force, and he smacked me in the face so hard and fast I rolled off the chair and onto the floor. But he didn’t leave me there.

Ryan grabbed me by one arm and tossed me onto his bed. I knew what he intended to do before he even climbed on top of me.

“No! Stop! Get off me!” I tried, but it was in vain.

He was much stronger than me.

“Stupid Omega! If only you could remember your place,” he snarled, lifting his claws at me. “If only you could shut up and obey me,” he rasped, swinging his hand down.

Yet instead of striking me, he tore my shirt to shreds.

I gasped, horrified to find myself exposed to him. My hands flew to my chest to try and cover my breasts, but Ryan quickly pinned my hands above my head. He licked his lips as he stared at my naked body underneath him.

“Don’t you understand it? What I’m offering you is mercy!” he growled. “You should be thankful to me!”

Just when I thought my situation couldn’t get any worse, I watched in terror as his canines elongated.

A pinch of humor returned to his face as he cocked his head. “Perhaps you’ll be more pliable once you’re wearing my mark.”

“No!” I screamed as loud as I could while he lowered his face to my neck. Once again, he ignored me. It was over. He was going to win.

Or so I thought, until the door was pushed open.

“And this is Ryan Walter, my…” Fiona announced to someone, but her words died the second she looked inside to find her future husband on top of me.

Ryan froze as Fiona’s expression went from shock to rage.

“What the hell is going on, Ryan?!” Her roar echoed through the room.

Ryan’s gaze flicked between me and her a few times before he scrambled away from me. “This… This witch!” He pointed at me. “She tried to seduce me!”

My mouth flew open in utter disbelief. After everything he’d done… Was he actually twisting the truth and blaming me? 

“She’s just as filthy as her mother,” he spat, rushing to Fiona’s side. “Don’t worry, my love. I’ll have her executed along with the scum who brought her into this world.”

“No! He’s lying!” I screamed.

I pushed myself upright on the bed, clenching the sheets to cover myself as best as I could. My wolf was shaking with fury inside of me, demanding me to tell the truth and expose him as the monster he was. But before I could say more, someone walked in from behind Fiona, and I froze.

Adrian Blackwood.

The Alpha King. The man I had spent the night with. 

My breath stopped.

The formal, expensive suit he was wearing clearly indicated that he was there in his capacity as a father, accompanying his beloved daughter to visit her new husband. They were now a family.

He stood in the doorway, his eyes moving slowly across the room, taking in Ryan, the torn sheets, me barely covered on the bed.

And somewhere in the next few seconds, he was going to look at my face and remember exactly where he'd seen me before.

I had never been so terrified of being recognized in my life.

His cold gaze moved between Ryan and me, unreadable and terrifying. My entire body stiffened as fear swallowed me whole. Would his presence be my death sentence?

I prepared myself for the worse as he started speaking.

“So,” the Alpha King said coldly, his eyes locking onto Ryan. “You claim this Omega seduced you?”