Chapter 5: Sold To The Ruthless Alpha

DEXTERA

Opening my eyes, I felt a bone-deep chill all over, and my body ached as though it had been wrung dry. A dull, throbbing pain pulsed in my lower abdomen, suddenly reminding me of what happened earlier. My limbs felt too heavy and my throat was sore, as though I had screamed for hours.

Where was I?

I wasn't in the cab anymore. The dampness of the room I was seeped into my bones as I blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the dim surroundings. The room was unfamiliar, cold, gray, and suffocating with the scent of herbs and damp earth.

Slowly, I vividly recalled...the cab, the pain...blood.

Quickly, I pressed a trembling hand to my abdomen, trying to stand, but a fresh wave of pain forced me back down.

“My baby…” The words barely escaped my lips, brittle and broken.

Suddenly, someone rushed toward me urgently, in swift movement. I hadn't even noticed her before, but now she knelt beside me, staring at me with a look so close to anger.

"You're awake," she uttered.. "Good. Now listen carefully, girl."

Her words were clipped, filled with an impatience I didn’t understand. Before I could ask who she was, she continued.

“The baby is gone.”

No pity at all. She didn't hesitate to say it. A knife to the chest would have hurt less. I sucked in a shaky breath, refusing to accept it. My fingers dug into my stomach as if I could still feel something, anything, but there was nothing.

The woman's lips thinned as she watched me.

“You shouldn't have done it the way you did,” she snapped. “Did you even know what you were taking?”

I didn’t understand. What I was taking?

She huffed, shaking her head in exasperation. “The Frux root.”

My heart nearly stopped. What was that?

She leaned in, staring at me like a mother angry at her child.

“Do you know what you've done?” she asked in an almost cruel tone. “That root is the deadliest poison for a pregnancy. It doesn’t just take the child, girl. It takes away your ability to ever have another.”

The world tilted and a strange ringing filled my ears as her words sank in, each syllable sinking into me.

No. No, that couldn’t be true.

I felt numb and hollow, like something had caved in within me. I had lost my baby. And now… I had lost every chance of ever carrying life again.

I shook my head in disbelief. My baby, gone. My womb, rendered useless. Never! This had better be a lie. The woman clicked her tongue, shaking her head in pity.

"I don't know how you did it, but your womb escaped the root’s torment," she uttered. "But your chances of carrying a baby to term are now fifty-fifty. You'll likely experience several miscarriages."

That was better than nothing. That meant I still had a chance right?

But why? Why would Valeria do this to me?

My emotions teetered between sorrow and fury. Valeria had given me that bottle. She had reminded me to drink it for mine and the baby's nourishment, knowing exactly what it would do.

"Why?" I whispered hoarsely, on the verge of tears. If I so much as survive this, she'll pay for doing this to me. They'll all pay.

"Who are you?" I asked, finally forcing myself to focus on the present. "And where am I?"

The woman crossed her arms, observing me carefully. "My name is Roxanne. You're in the Woodhound Pack, also known as Astrald."

The moment she mentioned Astrald, my entire body stiffened as realization struck.

Woodhound.

Bisclaveret’s arch-rival.

Kestrel’s greatest enemy.

Knowing this forced trembles all over my body. Alpha Thor...his name alone sent a shiver down my spine. Stories of his brutality weren’t just rumors; they were warnings based on reality, based on real happenings. He was a man drenched in blood, known for his ties to the Lycan King himself. Unlike Kestrel, who was calculated in his cruelty, Thor was pure savagery.

A pack that was an enemy to Kestrel could be a potential ally, but it could also be a greater danger to me.

I had to get out of here. I wouldn't give chance for another manipulation. The way I got here from the cab was still a mystery but I couldn't care less despite how much I wanted to know.

Pain sometimes come with awareness, they say.

I couldn't help but panic as anxiety drowned out the weakness in my limbs. I struggled to my feet, ignoring the dull ache in my stomach and body.

"I can’t be here," I muttered, stepping back. "I need to leave."

Roxanne watched me with a blank expression, but she didn't move to stop me.

"You sure about that, girl?" she asked, arching a brow. "You barely made it through the night and you lost so much blood. Where exactly do you think you’re going?"

I didn’t know. But one thing was certain, I couldn't stay here. I knew I should also ask her for details of how I ended up here and if...by chance...I didn't murder or hurt anyone overnight.

There was no time. I couldn't risk having my head cut off my head because I trespassed forbidden territory.

Just as I opened my mouth to thank Roxanne for taking care of me, the door creaked open and a tall, well-built figure stepped inside, stopping me in my tracks.

He was massive, easily over six feet, his sheer presence commanding the room. There was something about him that felt so alluring yet dangerous.

The harsh lines of his face, and his piercing gaze felt like it could strip me bare. Every instinct in me screamed run, but the moment I took a step back, his hand landed on my shoulder.

It was just a simple touch. Yet, it felt like heavy chains were placed on my shoulder.

"Where do you think you’re going?" His voice was deep and authoritative, sending shivers down my spine. I felt terrified.

My legs buckled slightly, and I immediately lowered my head in submission.

"Please... let me go," I whispered, skaking. "I don’t belong here. I don’t even know how I got here. Please, I just..."

"Enough." He interrupted, dismissing my utterances. They didn't matter to him. Oh heavens, what have I gotten myself into?

I bit my lip, swallowing the rest of my words.

He stepped forward, terrifying me by the minute. "Even if you want to leave, you can’t."

The finality in his tone made my stomach coil. What does that mean? I hesitated before whispering, "Why?"

Without another word, he reached into his coat and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He flicked it open and let it drop at my feet.

My heart beat faster as my gaze went to the bold signature at the bottom.

A contract. I could recognize it.

"You’ve been sold to the Alpha," he announced, his lips curling into something between amusement and indifference. "You’re now his property."

My knees buckled. How come? I took few seconds, glancing at Roxanne, hoping for some sort of explanation but she only looked away.

"How's that possible?" I found my voice before the burly man could say any other thing. "I..I..."

He pointed to the contract on the floor. "I believe you can read. Check out the contract at your feet."

Quickly, I bent to pick up the contract that claimed to have me owned by their Alpha—the ruthless, murderous Alpha. My eyes darted across the paper, reading through. It was just as he claimed. I had been sold, but by who?

I immediately checked the bottom of the paper, and my eyes widened in shock. The paper fell from my hand, down to my feet once again.

Adira. I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to. She had sold me to Woodhound...to their Alpha. The paper had her signature and official Luna seal.

Still in shock, I raised my head to look at the man in front of me, stumbling back slightly. I wanted to speak, but the words wouldn't even form.

He picked up the contract, folding it back into his pocket. "Now that you've understood the contract, you have to abide by every rules here if you love your head."