The Alpha's Slave (2)

But as the darkness closed in around me, I remembered the vision—the brief flash of white light, of Kaden kneeling before me, begging for forgiveness. It didn’t make sense, but it had felt so real.

 Hope flickered within me, fragile but persistent. The Moon Goddess didn’t make mistakes. She had chosen Kaden for me. There was a reason, a purpose. I just had to survive long enough to find out what it was.

 Lila wanted me dead, and Kaden wanted me broken. But I refused to give them that satisfaction.

 I would survive.

 And one day, they would all pay for what they did to me.

 ---

 The next day, I was dragged out of the dungeons, my body frail and battered from weeks of starvation and darkness. My legs buckled beneath me, but the guards didn’t care. They hauled me up, their grips bruising my arms as they forced me through the hallways.

 The sunlight was blinding after so long in the darkness. I squinted, my eyes burning, and stumbled as they pushed me into the center of the pack house courtyard. A crowd had gathered, their faces twisted in scorn and disgust.

 “There she is,” someone sneered. “The traitor who tried to ensnare our Alpha with dark magic.”

 “I heard she used potions to trick him,” another whispered, her voice dripping with malice. “That’s why he rejected her. She’s nothing but a filthy witch.”

 My heart sank as the rumors spread like wildfire. Lila’s lies had taken root, poisoning their minds against me. I opened my mouth to defend myself, but a sharp slap across my face silenced me.

 Lila stood before me, dressed in elegant robes, her emerald eyes gleaming with triumph. “Silence, slave,” she commanded, her voice ringing with authority. “You no longer have the right to speak.”

 Slave. The word cut deeper than any wound. She had taken everything from me—my mate, my name, my dignity. And now, she would make sure I never rose above my place again.

 Kaden appeared beside her, his golden eyes cold and detached. He looked down at me as if I were nothing but dirt beneath his feet. My heart ached at the sight of him, but I forced myself to stand tall, refusing to cower before him.

 “From this day on,” Kaden’s voice boomed, echoing through the courtyard, “Ella is no longer a member of this pack. She is nothing but a slave, stripped of all rights and privileges. She will serve in the pack house, answerable to Luna Lila.”

 Luna. The title hit me like a slap. Lila had truly taken my place by his side. She had won.

 The crowd cheered, their eyes gleaming with malice. They believed her lies. They saw me as a traitor, a witch who deserved to be punished.

 “Take her to the servants’ quarters,” Lila ordered, her voice sickeningly sweet. “Make sure she learns her place.”

 The guards dragged me away once more, shoving me into a small, windowless room at the back of the pack house. The air was stale, the walls stained with grime. A thin, tattered mat lay on the floor, my new bed.

 I collapsed onto the mat, my body trembling with exhaustion and grief. I had lost everything—my family, my status, my mate. The Moon Goddess’s gift had become my curse.

 A sharp knock startled me. The door creaked open, and an older woman entered, her face hard and unsympathetic. “Get up,” she snapped. “I don’t care who you were before. Here, you’re just another servant. You work, you obey, and you keep your mouth shut. Understand?”

 I nodded weakly, too tired to argue.

 “Good. Your first task is to clean the dining hall. And don’t even think about slacking off, or you’ll go back to the dungeons.” She tossed a rag and a bucket of water at me. “Get to it.”

 I forced myself to stand, my legs shaking as I made my way to the dining hall. The grand room was immaculate, the polished floors reflecting the sunlight streaming through the tall windows.

 I dropped to my knees, scrubbing the floor until my fingers were raw and blistered. My body screamed in protest, but I kept going, knowing that failure meant punishment.

 Laughter echoed from the hall, and I froze, my heart racing as Kaden and Lila entered, arm in arm. He looked at her with warmth in his eyes, his smile softening as she whispered something in his ear.

 Pain twisted in my chest, a cruel reminder of what should have been mine. But he didn’t even glance my way, his gaze sliding over me as if I were invisible.

 I kept my head down, my hands trembling as I continued scrubbing. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

 Lila’s laughter filled the room, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “Oh, Ella,” she cooed, her eyes sparkling with malice. “You missed a spot.” She tipped her glass, letting the wine spill across the floor. “Clean it up.”

 I gritted my teeth, my fingers curling into fists. But I had no choice. I dipped the rag in the bucket and began scrubbing the spilled wine, my hands shaking with anger and humiliation.

 She had taken my place as Luna. She had stolen my mate, my life. And now, she was determined to break me completely.