chapter 3

BLACKWOOD PACK

Hazel's Pov

As I flung the door open, I stood frozen. My heart stopped and my eyes were wide in shock. The metallic scent of blood hit me like a wall. My stomach turned, bile rising in my throat.

My eyes first drifted to a male figure --- sitting on a wooden chair, chains bound his wrists, and his face battered beyond recognition. The sharp growl echoed with every trembling movement he made, trying to break free.

Right in front of him was Sylus and I could hear soft anguished moans beneath him, my eyes dropped at the sight of what I saw.

The woman was completely naked and Sylus was thrusting deep inside her, right in front of the captive. I just couldn't believe this, my mind failed to process what was happening.

Who were they? Why was Sylus doing that?

Sylus paused when he noticed my presence. His werewolf eyes glowed in the dark room, the wolf in him was close, too close. My heart pounded as I saw blood dripping from his knuckles. I should have run but I couldn't. My feet were rooted in place.

I noticed the guards standing behind me, trying to drag me out of the room, but I protested in terror. I shouldn't have, but here I was fighting to stay. I knew I had gotten them in trouble with how Sylus gazed at them. And I know he wouldn't spare them.

"Leave her." Sylus raised a hand. His voice deep and quiet.

The guards hesitated, then bowed and stepped out, shutting the heavy door behind them. I was now with him, the captive and the woman who lay naked on the cold floor, trying to cover her bare skin with her arms covering her cleavage.

Sylus had her raw and unforgiving. He didn't care if I was there. He didn't care if the woman he had was the man's mate, obviously I think it is.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was low and dangerous. He turned his back to me, adjusting his pants.

I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to steady. "Um...I wanted to have a word with you."

Sylus exhaled slowly, brushing a hand through his hair. "And you thought bursting into this room was the right time?"

He turned as our eyes met, his gaze burned with so much pain and pleasure. I flinched at the sight of what he was becoming, his wolf was too close to the surface.

"I'm sorry, I heard noises... So I got curious." My voice broke into a soft sob. My whole body was shaking as I tried stepping back, away from him.

He gave a sharp, bitter chuckle and circled the prisoner like a predator.

"This," he said, gesturing to the broken man, "is what happens to traitors and to people who defied my orders."

My heart sank. What does he mean by that?

In a blink of an eye, he crossed the room in three steps and grabbed me by my arm. I gasped as he yanked me out of the room and into the hallway, ignoring the guards' shocked stares.

"You're hurting me..." I screamed in pain.

My feet barely touched the ground as he dragged me through the corridor, up the stairs, and slammed the door open to my chamber.

He tossed me inside like I weighed nothing.

"What is it that you couldn't wait to speak to me about?" He shouted, pacing.

I backed away until I hit the wall, my breath shallow and my chest aching.

"I...I..." My breath came short and words don't seem to escape from my mouth. I tried catching my breath to what I saw in the room and how Sylus dragged me to my chambers, not minding what the slave would think of it.

He closed the gap between us as he pulled my hair from behind, a sharp pain ached through my soul as I sobbed and begged for mercy.

"You can't talk?" He growled as his wolf was too close to be seen.

"I wanted to talk to you about Aria -" I forcefully broke in, because I couldn't take in the pain anymore.

He stopped dead, and his pull on my hair loosened. I felt a little relief as I struggled to pull myself from not completely breaking down.

He stood, his body towered as he gazed down at me. I shivered at the sight of his wolf eyes, fierce and intense.

Maybe I shouldn't have brought this up. Maybe I should have ignored Aria. Maybe - just maybe. But something within doesn't want to keep shut. I've always felt this way whenever father treats Nyx differently and me? I'm always the bad daughter.

"What about her?" He asked through gritted teeth.

My hands trembled as I tried to get up.

"Aria..." I trembled

"What?!"

"Aria drenched me while I was asleep," I finally voiced out.

He chuckled. "Is that it?"

Is that it? I froze in shock as I finally looked at Sylus, his smile was dead so was his eyes. I finally stood though my body still ached from the pull.

"But Sylus..."

"Now you listen to me," he cut me off, as he pointed right in my face. "This is my pack and Aria is my sister, do whatever she wants."

"I am the Luna and Aria can't treat me like that," I spoke with so much determination.

He stared at me, eyes narrowing, fury building in his chest like a storm. Then, his hand came down. Hard.

The slap exploded across my cheek, burning hot. I stumbled backward, crashing to the floor. A cry tore from my throat as I clutched my face, too stunned to move.

"I am the Alpha and I decide who gets to obey and be obeyed and every rule being defied has its own punishment."

He turned away from me, storming out without another word. I lay on the floor, tears streaming down my eyes.

What have I done to deserve this, Moon Goddess. Is this how much you hated me?

I lay on the floor till I heard the door crack open, footsteps as sharp as a knife approaching me slow and steady. I couldn't raise my head to look at who it was but I already knew who.

Aria knelt beside me, her voice soft and fake. "Poor little thing. You dare tell on me to Sylus?" Her red lips curled into a smirk

"Why? You think he'd listen to you ...why? Because you're the Luna?" She broke into laughter

"Like Sylus said, every rule defied has its own punishment." She grabbed my arm and yanked me to my feet.

"Let's take you somewhere you belong...guards!"

My legs barely moved as the guards dragged me out the chamber, down through the servant halls and into the dim corridor that led to the slaves quarters. The smell of mold and rot filled the air. Cold stone brushed my feet.

"You'll fit right in down here, weak and pathetic Omega." Aria sneered

The guards shoved me inside a dark room and slammed the door behind me.

And in the silence that followed, I broke.