Chapter 2 "Freedom ? "

I was jolted awake by the shock of cold water splashing over my face. The icy liquid soaked through my clothes, sending a violent shiver down my spine.

“You disgrace! How dare you disobey me?” came the thunderous voice of my father, the pack Alpha. I immeditally looked down at the ground, knowing better than to meet his gaze. I wasn’t allowed to look anyone in the eye, especially not my father, the Alpha. To do so would be seen as punishable, something a pack slave like me could never afford.

"You will not leave this pack until i say so, do you understand? You belong here. You will learn your place, or I will make sure you regret every second of your worthless life."

“Yes, Alpha,” I replied, my voice flat and devoid of emotion. The words came automatically, as it drilled into me over the years. I was too exhausted to feel anything anymore, too drained from hearing the same degrading words every single day.

“No food for this week. You will just survive on water !” he screamed, his Alpha voice booming through the basement. Which made me flinch but i didn’t move, didn’t cry out. A week without food. My stomach twisted at the thought, but I pushed it aside I had learned long ago that it wouldn’t make a difference. I was little suprise that this time i got away with just a punishemnt. 

"Go see the pack healer and then come to my office" he commanded in an annoyed tone while walking out. 

My body shivered and my palm suddenly began to sweat. Slowly. My father’s office was the last place I ever wanted to be. It was where every one of my punishments had been coldly decided—where my fate had been sealed time and time again.

...........

My feet moved on their own, carrying me toward my father’s office. Every step felt heavier, my heart sinking deeper into the pit of my stomach. When I reached the door, I knocked, the sound barely audible over the pounding in my chest.

"Enter," came his cold, commanding voice. I took a deep breath and pushed the door open, stepping into the room.

When I entered, my eyes immediately fell on my brothers, their mates, Tylor and the some of the pack elders, all seated around my father’s desk. As expected, the moment they saw me, their expressions twisted with disgust.

“What’s this worthless slave doing here?” Michael’s My brother Jason's mate sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. She snorted after, mocking my very existence, as if my presence alone was an insult to them all.

"Father, what’s the meaning of this? Why is this murderer here?” came the sharp, bitter voice of my youngest brother Cable, his words laced with contempt. I could feel his glare burning into me, but I didn’t dare look up. I had grown used to the title they branded me with "murderer" though the wound it left never seemed to heal.

"She must be here for one of her punishments," someone whispered, their voice dripping with amusement. I could hear the smirks and snickers they were trying to hide, mocking me as usual.

Then, my father cleared his throat, the sound slicing through the cruel whispers. "Selena, look up," he commanded, his tone unusually calm. Too calm. My breath quickened, but I kept my head lowered. His sudden shift in demeanor made my skin crawl. Why was he speaking to me like this? Why did he want me to look at him?

"Calm yourself down and look up!" he yelled, his voice snapping through the air, forcing my eyes up to meet his. His gaze was cold and unreadable as always, but what he said next sent a shockwave through me.

"You are free from your slavery, from today onwards. You no longer have to continue your punishment."

The words hit me like a blow. I stumbled back, disbelief washing over me like ice water. Had I heard him correctly? I searched his eyes, desperate to find some hint of a lie, anything that would make sense of this moment. But there was nothing. His eyes were blank, his face void of any emotion.

It didn’t feel real. How could it be real? .I glanced around the room, expecting laughter, expecting someone to tell me it was all a joke. But there was only silence. My brothers exchanged looks, their smug expressions faltering. They were just as shocked as I was. No one had expected this, least of all me.

“Did you not hear me, Selena?” my father said, his voice cold and impatient now. 

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. For so long, I had dreamed of this moment of being released from the torment, the constant punishment. But now that it was happening, I didn’t know how to feel. What did this even mean?

Tylor, who had been silent up until now, shifted uncomfortably. “ Alpha why—” he started, but my father cut him off with a glare.

“This is not up for discussion,” my father snapped, his tone sharp again. “Selena’s punishment is over. She will serve the pack in other ways now.”

What did he mean by serve the pack in other ways?

“Let me get straight to the point,” my father said, his voice cutting through my confusion. “Selena will be sent to the Crimson Knight Pack to marry Alpha Hudson Knight. So be prepared. You’re lucky enough to be wanted by the Alpha of the most powerful pack.” 

“But Father, you’ve disowned her as your daughter,” Cable interjected, his voice laced with confusion and disbelief. “She’s not of Alpha blood, and she doesn’t even have a wolf. Why would Alpha Hudson Knight accept a pack slave as his mate?”

My father’s gaze hardened, his expression remaining unyielding. “No one needs to know about her past,” he said, his voice dripping with cold resolve. “He won’t know who she really is. To him, she will be just another prospective mate.