Chapter 2

When Emily heard the voice of Alpha Howard, she knew that trouble was on the horizon. The Alpha had always harbored an intense dislike for her, and she was well aware that he would always find a way to punish her. Emily had never dared to look the Alpha directly in the eye, as fear always gripped her whenever he was around.

"Have you been neglecting your duties?" The Alpha's voice boomed through the room.

"She has, Alpha," Mrs. Wesley answered.

"I see." The Alpha nodded his head, a scowl on his face. "Get her locked up in the dungeon. I don't want this mutt walking around on a day like this."

At the mention of the word "dungeon," Emily's mind was immediately transported back to a few months ago when she was scrubbing the dirty floor.

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[As she was scrubbing the dirt on the floor, she suddenly heard a commotion outside the kitchen. Curiosity getting the best of her, she peeked out the door to see what was happening. She saw Alpha Howard and a few other pack members gathered around something in the center of the pack house. Emily's heart raced as she realized that something was about to happen.

Fanny tugged at her arm, "We should go back to our work, Emily. We don't want any trouble."

Emily hesitated for a moment, but her curiosity got the better of her. She slipped out of the kitchen and quietly made her way towards the crowd. As she got closer, she could see that they were surrounding a young Omega, who was cowering in fear.

Howard stepped forward and sneered at the Omega, "You dare to disobey me? You know what happens to Omegas who disobey their Alpha."

Emily felt a wave of fear wash over her as she realized what was about to happen. She knew that she should turn and run back to the safety of the kitchen, but something compelled her to stay and watch.

Howard raised his hand and brought it down hard on the Omega's face, causing him to fall to the ground. Emily couldn't bear to watch any longer, and she turned to run back to the kitchen. But before she could make it there, she felt a strong hand grab her arm and pull her back.

It was Howard, his eyes dark with anger, "What do we have here? A little Omega spy?" he sneered.

Emily's heart raced as she realized she had been caught. She tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong.

Howard leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "You shouldn't have come here, little Omega. Now, you're going to pay the price."

With that, he dragged her back towards the center of the pack house and to the dungeon, where the other Omegas had been brought to watch. Emily's mind raced as she tried to think of a way out of this situation. But she knew deep down that there was no escape.

Emily's heart pounded in her chest as she was forced to join the group of Omegas, who were all huddled together in fear. She felt their trembling bodies and heard their ragged breaths, and she knew that they were all in grave danger.

Howard stood in front of them, a wicked smile on his face as he surveyed his prey. Emily could see the gleam of his teeth as he bared them in a feral snarl. He was a true Alpha, ruthless and cruel, and she knew that he would show no mercy.

Suddenly, Howard pointed at Emily and growled, "You! You're going to be the example. The others will learn from your punishment."

Emily's knees buckled, and she fell to the ground. She knew that she was going to die. But as she lay there, waiting for the final blow, something inside her stirred. A deep, primal rage that she had never felt before.

She looked up at Howard with a fierce determination, "I will not be your example," she said, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and defiance.

Howard raised his hand to strike her, but before he could, a deep growl echoed through the room. The crowd parted, and Emily saw a figure step forward. It was Luna, the Alpha's wife.

Luna’s eyes roll in pity as she faced Howard, "This is not how we should treat them," she said, her voice cold

Howard snarled in response, but Luna held her ground. Emily watched in amazement as she took charge of the situation, ordering the other pack members to stand down and release Emily…]

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Suddenly, Emily shook off those dark memories and whispered to herself, "Now is different."

"Darling, who are you getting locked up?" Luna Sidney's voice filled the room as she entered.

"She's been a bad mutt," the Alpha responded.

"You're not serious, are you, honey?" Luna Sidney touched her husband's shoulder, a hint of disapproval in her tone. "We need all the hands we can get in preparation for tonight. Why don't we leave her for now?" she suggested, looking over at Mrs. Wesley.

Mrs. Wesley understood the message. "Luna is right, Alpha," she agreed.

"Come, dear," the Luna stirred the Alpha away from the room.

"Saved by the Luna once again," Mrs. Wesley whispered to Emily. "Get back to work, and that includes you too," she pointed to Fanny, who was frozen in silence next to the washing machine.

"Yes, ma'am," Fanny replied meekly.

Mrs. Wesley left the room after giving them a final warning. Fanny breathed a sigh of relief, grateful it was just the two of them.

"That was a close one," Fanny remarked.

"Let's get to work, Fanny," Emily said, getting up to continue working, ignoring her pain.

The pack was filled with pack members and visitors from other packs. The house was exquisitely decorated, and everyone was having a wonderful time, mingling with friends, loved ones, and visitors from neighboring packs. After setting the main table and making drinks available in the main hall, Emily and Fanny made themselves scarce, knowing all too well that falling into trouble again would result in even harsher punishment. The Alpha would want to look good in front of the guests.

Emily still had not completed her cleaning duties. She still had to clean Annabel's room, and Annabel refused to leave her room throughout the day for Emily to clean it. Emily slipped into the room and began cleaning, gathering the dirty clothes and laying a new bedspread on the bed. The room was fit for a princess, as Annabel had claimed to be. Emily couldn't help but wonder what her life would be like if she weren't an Omega. She would be with her family, living a normal werewolf life. Perhaps she would have even met her mate, and she wouldn't mind if he were an ordinary werewolf. All she wanted was a loving mate with whom she could start her own family. She promised to love her children unconditionally. But Emily knew that dream was pointless; as an Omega, nobody would even look at her twice. The Moon Goddess would not be so cruel as to force a male to mate with her.

As Emily packed up her cleaning supplies and headed for the door, the door opened, revealing Annabel at the other end. Annabel walked in, and Emily instinctively backed up, the door closing behind Annabel, who wore an evil smirk on her face

"Look who is here, the dog," Annabel sneered as she sauntered into the room. Emily cowered in fear, anticipating what was to come now that Annabel had arrived.

"Why don't we finish what we started?" Annabel asked, unfastening the belt of her crimson gown. "I am your Luna now, and you will do whatever I ask of you."

"Yes, Luna," Emily stammered, trembling.

"On your knees," Annabel commanded. "Lift your blouse and present your back. You have twenty lashes coming, and I expect you to count each one. If you miss a count, we will start again until you learn your lesson."

Emily's broken rib made kneeling excruciatingly painful. As she obeyed, Annabel lashed her back with the belt, and Emily cried out in agony, forgetting to count. Annabel stopped at the fourth lash.

"Are you forgetting something, dog?" Annabel sneered. "Count it, and don't make me repeat myself again."

Emily mustered her courage and began counting aloud as Annabel resumed the punishment. When it was over, Emily was a bloody mess, gasping for air and unable to speak.

"Tidy up this room before you leave," Annabel ordered as she grabbed another belt from her closet and strode out.

Emily lay motionless on the floor, her battered body wracked with pain. She silently mustered the strength to clean the room and scrub the bloodstains from the floor, despite every fiber of her being protesting against the pain. Finally, she made it to the room she shared with Fanny outside the pack house. She collapsed on the cold floor, her eyes closed, wishing the pain away.

Hours later, Fanny found Emily in a sorry state and gasped in shock. Emily could not speak, but Fanny understood what had happened. It was not the first time Emily had been beaten to the point of losing her voice.

"Why is it always you?" Fanny exclaimed. "You're always the one who gets punished, beaten up, or caught in trouble. Don't you ever stay out of harm's way?"

Emily couldn't respond, but she knew that she tried to stay out of trouble whenever possible. Fanny had suggested running away before, but their previous attempt had not ended well.

Fanny tended to Emily's wounds as best she could, but there was little else she could do to help her friend. Emily slept fitfully, her pain and hunger causing her distress. Despite knowing that Emily needed food, Fanny couldn't bring herself to wake her up. At that moment, sleep was more critical than sustenance.

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SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS

The President of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Mr. Hutchings, sat in front of the Alpha king, a half-human and half-beast creature, quivering with fear for his life. Despite his trepidation, he knew that he had to maintain a façade of strength and resilience. After all, he was not only responsible for his people but also had to protect his ego. However, dealing with a being like the Alpha king was not something he had envisioned when he took office, especially considering that he was in his late 60s while the king appeared to be in his early 20s. Mr. Hutchings couldn't help but envy the youthful vigor and good looks of the king, but he knew that the latter had a lot of responsibilities to shoulder.

Breaking the uneasy silence, Mr. Hutchings spoke up. "You are not keeping to the rules," he said, hoping to shift the focus away from his own vulnerability.

"What are you talking about, Mr. Hutchings?" demanded the Alpha king, his piercing gaze making the President feel like he was being scrutinized.

As the President began to speak, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation. "My people are dying every day, news had it that it was a beast attack, and I know better than to believe it is just a mere animal attack. Your people are attacking my people because they are harmless and weak."

The Alpha king's response was curt and dismissive. "That must be the rogues we spoke about, Mr. Hutchings."

"I know, but nevertheless, they are still your people. You should be in charge of them all," replied the President, his voice trembling slightly.

"The matter will be attended to," the Alpha king replied, struggling to control his anger.

After the meeting, the Alpha king called his Beta, Davies. The distance was too great for a mind link, so he had to resort to a phone call. "Tell Drake I want to see him in my office in the next hour," he instructed.

"Yes, Alpha," his Beta replied before hanging up the phone.

As he sped back to the Palace, the Alpha king seethed with anger. He had to maintain a veneer of toughness, even if it meant intimidating those around him. He knew that everyone was scared of him, and he reveled in that power. Despite his unfriendly demeanor, he knew that he had to be vigilant and alert at all times. Someone was about to pay the price for not adhering to his rules, and the Alpha king was determined to make an example of them. As he rushed into his office at full werewolf speed, he prepared to mete out justice to those who dared to cross him.