Chapter 3 " Why do you hate me so much?"

Selena POV

I was to be mated to the cold-hearted monster. That’s what people call Alpha Hudson Knight, the ruthless Alpha whose name alone strikes fear into the hearts of thousands. A wolf who knows no mercy.

This can’t be happening.

Now, I finally understand why Alpha Antonio was so eager to free me from my supposed punishment. He didn’t care about my well-being, he just wanted to send me away to die.

The moment I returned to my tiny room, a group of maids barged in without hesitation. Their hands immediately went to work, sifting through my meager belongings. It didn’t take long, after all, I had so little that everything I owned fit into a small, battered trunk. But what slowed them down wasn’t the lack of possessions, it was their constant mocking.

“Is this all you have?” one sneered, holding up a worn dress with distaste. “Pathetic.”

"How does she expect to live in the Crimson Knight Pack with rags like these?" another chimed in, her voice dripping with malice.

I stood there, silent, swallowing the anger and humiliation rising in my throat. Nobody here cared that I was about to be thrown into a world far worse than this one. In their eyes, I was already nothing.

"Get out, all of you!" came Michael's sharp voice, followed by Jinne, the mate of my younger brother, Cable. The maids immediately bowed to them and scurried out of the room. I stood there, my heart pounding, as I turned to face them. I wasn’t a slave anymore. I was allowed to look them in the eye now, or so I thought.

"D-Do you need something?" I barely managed to ask before I felt the sharp sting of pain radiate across my cheek. Jinne’s slap came so swiftly, I barely had time to react.

"You dare speak in front of us?" she hissed, grabbing a fistful of my hair and yanking me down to the ground. Her grip was tight, and the pain shot through my scalp. I winced, but I refused to cry out. Michael laughed darkly, the sound chilling in its cruelty.

"She’s getting brave, isn’t she?" Michael smirked, stepping closer and crouching in front of me. "Do you think you’ve achieved something now that you’re going to be wedded to an Alpha?" She gripped my jaw roughly, her claws digging into my skin, drawing blood. I could feel the warmth of it trailing down my cheek.

They looked at me as if I were filth, no more than dirt beneath their feet.

"Do you really think Alpha Hudson will accept you when he finds out you don’t even have a wolf?" Jinne sneered, tightening her hold on my hair, forcing my head back so I had no choice but to look at her.

"You’ll just be another slave in his pack, in the name of Luna," Michael added, her voice dripping with mockery. They both laughed, their cruel laughter filling the room. My eyes turned red in anger.

They weren’t wrong though, without a wolf, I was nothing. To the Crimson Knight Pack, I was worthless. 

“Enough!” My father, Alpha Antonio, stood in the doorway, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Michael and Jinne. His mere presence silenced the room. Both of them straightened immediately, stepping away from me like scolded children.

“How dare you injure her,” he said coldly, his voice dripping with command. “She has no wolf to heal her wounds before her departure. Do you want the Crimson Knight Pack to grow suspicious?”

 

I swallowed the bitter laugh that threatened to escape. Of course, it wasn't a concern for me that made my father speak up, it was the fear of what the Crimson Knight Pack might think if I showed up bruised and bloodied. To him, I was just another trade, a means to secure power.

 

Michael and Jinne bowed their heads in submission, but their expressions remained defiant. "We were only teaching her a lesson, Alpha," Jinne said with a sweet, venomous tone. "After all, she’ll be married to an Alpha. She needs to learn her place.”

Alpha Antonio’s glare deepened, his nostrils flaring. "She is leaving tomorrow, and I expect you both to keep your hands off her until then. Do I make myself clear?" His voice was sharp. Michael and Jinne shared a glance but nodded, retreating with forced obedience.

As they left the room, the tension slowly dissolved, but I couldn’t shake the heavy feeling on my chest. My father’s eyes turned to me, darkness and cold. “ You’ll need to look presentable tomorrow.” His words were more of a command than advice. 

 

I wanted to ask him this for a very long, but today I couldn't let it go. Not this time

“Why do you hate me so much?” I called out, my voice trembling with desperation. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “We both know, I wasn’t the reason for my mother’s death.”

That stopped him in his tracks. For a moment, I thought he would ignore me again. But then, he spun around, fury blazing in his eyes. Before I could react, his hand connected with my cheek, the sharp crack of the slap echoing through the room. The force of it knocked me off balance, and the pain surged through me like fire.

His red, burning eyes bore into mine, filled with a rage that terrified me to my core. “Do not call my mate your mother!” he roared, his voice shaking the walls.

Tears blur my vision as my father's angry red eyes glared at me.

Crimson knight pack 

" I don't think you should accept the proposal of Moonlight pack, Alpha " Ethan the pack beta and best friend of Alpha said.

" The moonlight pack has been our enemy since a long. Why would Alpha Antonio would want to marry his one and only daughter to his enemy pack alpha? We don't know if she will be a loyal mate to you or spy for her own pack. " Ethan said.

Hudson leaned back in his chair, his eyes cold as he stared out the window. "I don't care if she's from the Moonlight Pack," he said, his voice low "This isn't about loyalty. Ethan. It's about power. Antonio Knight is offering his daughter as a peace offering. We should accept it "

 

Ethan’s brows furrowed in concern "But Hudson, we’ve fought the Moonlight Pack for years. Don’t you think Antonio is trying to pull something? Offering his daughter could be a way to invade us."

 

Hudson smirked, his lips curling with confidence. "If she tries anything, she’ll regret it." His eyes darkened, "If she wants to live, she’ll be loyal to me. She’ll learn quickly that betrayal comes with a consciousness."

Ethan sighed, knowing there was no changing Hudson’s mind once it was made up. "I just want you to be happy, Hudson. You’ve earned it. After everything you’ve built… you deserve more than a political marriage, a true mate"

Hudson’s expression softened for just a moment, but the hardness quickly returned. "Happiness is a luxury, Ethan. Power is what keeps us alive." He stood, adjusting his jacket before meeting Ethan’s gaze again. "I’ll marry the Moonlight Pack’s precious daughter, and if she proves herself worthy, maybe she’ll find a place here. But if she’s a threat…" He didn’t finish the sentence, but he didn’t have to. Ethan knew exactly what Hudson was capable of.