Chapter 3

Zarek's POV 

I was thrown onto the ground in Ryker’s room, the heavier wolf slamming the door behind him. As he shifted back into his human form, his towering presence loomed over me. 

“Shift,” he ordered, his voice trembling with barely contained anger. 

I didn’t try to run or fight back. Slowly, I shifted back, wincing as my newly healed wound throbbed with the change. 

Once I was fully shifted back and completely naked, Ryker didn’t hesitate. He slammed his foot into my chest, catching me off guard. 

“I gave you very simple instructions,” Ryker growled, grabbing my arm and pulling me up. Ignoring the pained cries that escaped me, he snapped, “Do you remember what they were?” 

I could only sob and nod, my entire body on fire from pain. I felt my wolf trying to comfort me, but it did no good.

Ryker threw me onto the bed and disappeared for a few moments before reappearing with thick ropes from his closet. He tied my arms and legs, slapping me whenever I tried to fight back. Once I was secured, Ryker returned, carrying a box of matches, short candles, and a knife. 

“I gave you two things to do this morning,” he said coldly, lighting one of the candles and placing it on the nightstand. “You were supposed to shower and be waiting for me. But because of your incompetence and disobedience, you’ll be punished.” 

Another sob tore from my chest. “I’m sorry! I just... wanted to run,” I gasped, struggling against the ropes around my wrists. 

Ryker slapped my face harshly. “I don’t care what you wanted to do. Your place is to obey me and carry my pups. You don’t get to choose. You don’t get to disobey!” he snarled, lifting the knife in his hand.

“Please, don’t,” I begged, my voice breaking. “I’m sorry. I’ll never run again!” 

“You shouldn’t have run in the first place,” Ryker snapped, pressing the knife against my thigh. “Why did you howl?”

Confused, I furrowed my brow. “I didn’t... my wolf did,” I said softly, wondering why he cared about it so much.

“Don’t lie to me!” Ryker snarled, slicing the knife across my thigh. “Why did you howl?!” 

“I didn’t!” I cried out, feeling the sticky blood pour down the inside of my leg, staining the sheets. “My wolf had control, not me!”

Ryker scoffed. “It didn’t tell you why it howled?” he asked, disbelief creeping into his voice.

I shook my head weakly. “My wolf doesn’t talk to me,” I murmured, my wolf whimpering in the back of my mind. “We... we’re not connected.” 

Ryker’s irritation was palpable. “You’ll get four cuts on each thigh,” he snarled, his voice dark with anger. “Each one will be drenched in candle wax. After that, we’ll shower, and you’ll listen to everything I have to say. Understood?” 

Before I could respond, he shoved the knife into my leg again, making me cry out in agony.

He didn’t stop there. Every time I begged him to stop, he would dig the knife deeper, the pain blurring my thoughts. The third mark came with a sharp, cutting pain that made me want to scream, but I had to stay silent, hoping that would at least shorten my suffering.

But then Ryker lifted the candle, dripping hot wax into my first wound. The burn was unbearable, and I screamed, my throat raw from the force of it.

Ryker didn’t stop. He pushed his finger into the wax-covered wound, watching me writhe. “This could have all been avoided if you’d just behaved,” he mocked with a cruel laugh. “This is your fault.”

The burn from the wax didn’t stop. Ryker continued his sadistic torture, waiting for it to cool before stripping it off and reopening the wounds. Each time, he would pour more wax into the cuts, making the pain endless.

When he finally grew bored of my screams, Ryker untied me. My wrists were raw and red from pulling against the ropes. He looked at them and hummed, shaking his head. 

“All of this could’ve been avoided,” he whispered, pulling me into a tight hug and kissing the top of my head. “I don’t like hurting you, but disobedient Omegas need to learn.”

I didn’t have the energy to argue, so I simply nodded, too exhausted to fight. Ryker dragged me to the bathroom and turned on the shower. 

“We’ll bandage your cuts after the shower,” he murmured, shoving me into the warm spray before stepping in behind me. “Mistakes happen. That’s why I’m keeping your punishment light.”

I whimpered quietly as the hot water poured down my legs, making my cuts burn all over again. It wasn’t as bad as the wax, but it still hurt.

“Shhh,” Ryker cooed, pulling me into his embrace. “With time, you’ll understand. I’m doing this for your own good. Omegas need to be broken in and taught.”

I didn’t want to be taught. I wanted to go home. My old Alpha might have been cruel, but at least he left his punishment to fists and feet. This... this was different. 

Ryker’s touch snapped me out of my thoughts when I felt him grind against me, groaning lowly. The scent of arousal flooded the air, and I could feel his hardness press against my stomach.

“Get on your knees,” Ryker whispered, pressing down on my shoulders.

I sank to the ground, feeling my cuts reopen as I moved. The pain almost made me lightheaded, but I had no choice.

“Open your mouth,” Ryker ordered, pushing the head of his cock against my lips. “Don’t make me force you. You’ll feel better if you listen.”

I hesitated but opened my mouth slightly. That must have been enough because Ryker thrust his entire length into me, choking me.

I struggled to breathe, but my throat constricted. I had to pull away, coughing uncontrollably, but Ryker grabbed my hair, forcing my mouth open again. He thrust into me once more.

“Relax,” Ryker growled, grunting as he moved. “At least your mouth is good for something.”

Tears filled my eyes, both from lack of oxygen and the insult. 

He didn’t warn me before speeding up his thrusts. The only sign of his release was a deep groan before he came down my throat.

“Swallow it, or I won’t clean your cuts,” he snarled, pulling out of my mouth.

I gagged but forced myself to swallow, hating the taste and the feeling of it in my mouth.

“Good boy,” Ryker whispered, lifting me up to finish washing me off.

Once we were dried, Ryker kept his word. He sat me on the counter and cleaned my cuts, disinfecting them gently before wrapping them in some strange white paper I’d never seen before. It helped secure the wounds and made them feel less painful.

“There,” Ryker murmured, pressing his lips to mine. He forced his tongue inside, and all I could do was move my lips with his, trying not to anger him.

Seemingly pleased, Ryker lifted me up and carried me to the bed. I braced myself for whatever was coming next, but instead of more punishment, he turned on the TV and cuddled me to his chest.

“You need to rest,” he murmured, noticing the confusion on my face. “I don’t want to exhaust you before your heat. Your disobedience is forgiven now.”

I didn’t have the energy to question him. I just relaxed against him, closing my eyes. Maybe this was my fate. I had no mate, and maybe Ryker was the only one who wanted me. 

If I was going to be stuck in the North River pack, I might as well try to make the best of it.