05

The soft tap on my shoulder made me jerk up from the bed with my eyes flung open. I had actually fallen asleep in the Alpha’s chambers last night.

Undoubtedly, he didn’t return to the room after hearing what happened to Imelda. It was Rhoda who had tapped my shoulder. She smiled faintly at me as she dropped the plate of food on the side table.

“Good morning, Rhoda.” I yawned hungrily. I was famished, given that the dry stale bread I ate yesterday at the cell was all I had for the day.

“I’m sure you’re hungry. I brought some food from the leftovers of yesterday's feast celebration. It’s not much… but I’m sure it’s better than the burnt steak you would have been given.” She sounded mildly. Actually, I think she’s the only one who truly cares and feels sorry about me.

Back when she was a slave to my father, she and I had been good friends, even though we were not too close to each other.

“Thank you, Rhoda.” I bit my lower lip. She pointed at the plate of steamed bun and a glass of water, gesturing to me to eat before she turned to go.

“Rhoda… please wait.” I called out, and she halted. Gently, she turned around with her eyebrows furrowed. Even without saying anything, I knew what her look meant. ‘What is it?’

I swallowed an invisible lump, and asked. “Avery… why hasn’t she come to see me if she’s doing well?”

“I’m sorry, Rachel. It’s not in my place to tell you anything about her.” She simply replied before living.

I was already becoming worried. Avery is like a sister and best friend to me. If she was truly fine, like Rhoda told me the other time, she would have come to see me.

“I have to find a way to escape from here. Once I manage to escape, I’ll gather enough money, then I can take Avery with me.” I thought within myself.

With that, I carried the food from the table. Immediately I took the cover off, the aroma of the delicious steamed bun filled my nostrils. I can’t remember when last I had something this good.

Hungrily, I started digging into the steamed buns. Then, I thought of Alpha Kyle… he must have passed the night with Imelda. The thought of that made me feel a little bad.

“What's wrong with you, Rachel? You have no reason to feel bad. He’s no longer the Kyle you used to know and had a crush on. He’s no longer the slave who you used to sneak out to bring food and drinks for. Furthermore, he’s now the Alpha… the alpha of two powerful packs. There’s no way he would feel anything except resentment for you after what your father did to him and his people. The earlier you understand that, the better for you. Currently, all you have to focus on now is how to escape from here.” I said these words to myself as I kept biting from the bun.

After eating, I gulped down the water in the glass Rhoda had offered me. Then, a thought came into my head, and I smiled.

Saying my silent prayer, and hoping that my plans would work perfectly, I suddenly let out a loud yell, and hid behind the door. I was fully aware that there were bodyguards standing at the entrance of the Alpha’s chamber.

The moment I screamed aloud, one of the bodyguards rushed into the room. He scanned around the room to see what was wrong, unknown to him that I was right behind him.

Without hesitation, I hit him on his neck, and he passed out immediately. Smiles crept into my gloomy face.

In a few minutes, I was already dressed in his bodyguard uniform. I packed my hair into a bun, and wore his cap on my head.

He was still lying unconscious on the ground when I sneaked out of the room. Luckily, the other bodyguard wasn’t at the entrance, which means he was the only one there.

With that, I walked down the hallway, trying as hard as possible not to raise any suspicion.

Meanwhile, the bodyguard who I had knocked out regain consciousness, and got up from the ground. He was only in his pants and bare body.

Rushing out of the room, he ran into the Alpha’s office, where he was having conversations with Beta Logan.

“My Alpha… My…” He panted heavily.

Raising his cold face to him, Kyle inquired. “What is it? Why are you naked?”

“It’s… it’s Miss Weston. I think she escaped. She knocked me out, and when I regained consciousness, I was already half naked, and she’s nowhere to be found.” He explained.

“Asshole!” Alpha Kyle cursed under his breath. Without hesitation, he grabbed the landline telephone on the table and dialed the number.

“Shut the entrance of the Pack house. My slave has escaped, but I’m sure she’s yet to leave the compound. No one is allowed to enter or exit the Pack house. Find Rachel, now.” Kyle ordered before hanging up.

As soon as he hung the call-up, he quickly got up from the chair, and headed out of the office. Of course, Logan knows better than to stop him at this point.

From where I stood, I saw how the gate was immediately shut, and the bodyguards marched forward like they were searching for something. That was when it dawned on me that they must have noticed my disappearance.

“This isn’t a good time to leave. I would rather hide in the flower garden.” I thought to myself.

From the garden, I could see how they were searching for me. Hopefully, they won’t think of coming to the garden. I was hiding at the back of one of the flowers.

Suddenly, I felt someone grab my wrist, and I winced in pain. Turning back to see who it was, my eyes grew in shock and panic. Behold, it was Alpha Kyle staring viciously at me. My heart sank… the devil I was running away from is standing right in front of me.

“Rachel, I warned you.” Those words came like lightning because I felt like it was hitting hard on my chest.

**

Kneeling in front of the Alpha and the werewolves of the pack, my hands were chained to my back.

Alpha Kyle was pacing back and forth, and that was already making me dizzy. I didn’t need anyone to tell me that he was fuming.

“This arrogant bi·ch! She’s got some nerve to try to escape.”

“She must be tired of living.”

“The Alpha should have killed her a long time ago.”

“She’s going to regret what she did.”

I’m a werewolf, I have a high sense of hearing, and I could literally hear all the side talks from the pack members.

“Under the rule of Alpha Dane, Rachel’s father. What punishment should be given to a slave who tries to escape?” Alpha Kyle’s hoarse voice came, smacking me out of my thoughts.

Beta Logan replied. “Stepping on the poisonous nails. Those were the rules, my Alpha.”

My heart skipped a beat. Even if I haven’t experienced that before, I know exactly what it means… I’ve seen slaves do that when my father was in power.

They step on poisoned nails, lose a lot of blood and their lives if their wolves aren’t strong enough.

“Lock this slave in the cell. First thing tomorrow morning, she’ll walk on the nails for an hour.”