Klaus’s POV I was in the old alpha’s office pacing back and forth seething in rage. I could still feel the wound on my shoulder as it was healing from the silver knife that stupid, yet brave, girl threw at me. My mind went back to that moment in the woods when I laid eyes on her for the first time. Me and my inner circle were going to visit the Grey’s pack; which were actually now a part of the Crescent Moon, before sunrise. I wanted to check on a few things before the submission ceremony. We were running separately from each other, as I needed some space and quiet to gather my conflicted thoughts. That’s when I saw her. I stopped and stared in surprise at the girl standing in front of me. I wasn’t expecting to find anyone out here at this hour. It wasn’t just that, it was also the fact that she was covered from head to toe in mud. Why the hell was she covered in so much mud? It looked like she fell straight into a mud swamp. I tried to sniff her real scent b

Ella’s POV As soon as Joseph left, I collapsed on the floor of the cell. My body was beyond exhausted. I laid on my stomach for goddess knows how long. My head was blank. I tried not to think of anything. Nothing I would think about mattered anymore. I am going to die this morning. Maybe there is something much better on the other side. Maybe I’ll finally get to see my mom. I closed my eyes and waited for the inevitable. I drifted for a while until my back felt like it was on fire that I had to do something to ease the pain. I slowly got up. I had no idea how much time had passed. It could have been an hour or three. I went to the toilet, removed the tank lid and tried to clean my hands, neck, and face from the dried up mud. I think I got most of it by the time I was finished. I don’t know why, but the thought of dying filthy and smelly in public wasn’t something I wanted. My clothes however were a lost cause. Suddenly, I remembered that I put on two long sleeved shirts. I removed th

Klaus’s POV I give Joseph a nod to let Ella come to the stage. He gestures for her to move without touching her. I don’t know why Ella hates him so much and is always scared of him. Although Joseph obviously cared about her ever since last night when he caught her in the forest. She steps into the stage and stands in front of her pack with her head held high. She looks at them without showing an ounce of fear from the upcoming punishment. Even when I told her at her cell that she will be publicly whipped, she didn’t seem afraid of it at all. It was strange, but I think it’s because she has never been whipped before that she doesn’t realize it will hurt her so much. My heart felt sorry for the pain I was about to inflict on her. “Sit down on the ground Ella” I ordered her. She knelt down on the ground and sat on her legs. She swept her hair to the front to give me full access, bowed her head down, and put her hands on her knees. I was caught off guard when she swept her hair out of

Ella’s POV I couldn’t breathe for a few seconds. Despite the horrible discovery I just made about my father and alpha Klaus, that was not the reason for my inability to breathe. A sudden sense of déjà vu hit me. I was in this kitchen serving alpha Grey and beta Sam, when I accidentally dropped the alpha’s glass of wine shattering it to the floor. I have known unimaginable agony ever sense that night. I looked up at my new alpha and beta. They were staring at the mess I made in surprise. Alpha Klaus took a few steps towards me, and I immediately flinched and backed away to a corner raising my hands to my face to protect it from his slap. “I’m sorry alpha, please don’t hurt me. It slipped from my hands” I begged in a shaky voice. I saw through my fingers the shocked face of alpha Klaus. “Why would I hurt you for breaking a bottle of wine Ella? What kind of monster do you think I am?” he asked angrily. I kept staring at him through my shaky fingers. Beta Joseph walked over to me sl

Klaus’s POV A very loud crash interrupted my heated conversation with Joseph. I turned around and saw a very shocked Ella staring at us. The loud crash was caused by the bottle of wine she must have dropped on the floor. I get up and start walking towards her to make sure she is okay, when she suddenly flinches away into the corner and hides her face behind her shaking hands. “I’m sorry alpha, please don’t hurt me. It slipped from my hands” she begged in a shaky voice. Hurt her? Why the hell would I do that? “Why would I hurt you for breaking a bottle of wine Ella? What kind of monster do you think I am?” I asked angrily. She kept staring at me through her shaky fingers. It became clear to me, she was expecting to be hurt because such actions were taken by her old alpha. My blood boiled in rage. How many times has the bastard mistreated her like this? Joseph walked over and stood next to me and said gently “Ella, please calm down. No one is going to hurt you here. We are nothing