Chapter 4

Violet’s POV

As Alpha Ares pulled me out of the room, I couldn’t help but feel happy. Finally, someone was standing up for me; finally, I was going to leave this hell of a life. I didn’t care about the documents or terms.

All I knew was that I was leaving with one person who truly cared about me. As we got to his room, Ares' gaze softened, and his eyes filled with concern. He gently held my face, his warm touch sending shivers down my spine. 

"Are you okay, Violet?" he asked, his voice low and soothing. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I looked up at him, my heart overflowing with gratitude. "I'm okay," I whispered, even when I knew I wasn't.

But just standing there and looking straight into his eyes, I couldn’t feel the pain anymore. "Thanks to you, I'm finally free." He let out a soft smile. 

"You're safe now, Violet," he whispered back, cleaning my tears. In that moment, I felt a deep connection to this man, this stranger who had become my saviour. 

“He really hurt you badly,” he muttered, his voice tight with emotion. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you cleaned up now.” He quickly moved to the bathroom, returning with a bowl of water and a towel. 

“Take off your clothes,” he said, and with that, I gently took off my torn gown. His touch was gentle as he cleaned the blood from my skin, and when he was done, he handed me a soft shirt, his eyes never leaving mine. 

I slipped on the shirt, feeling like a whole new person already. "When are we leaving?" I asked, my voice urgent. I couldn't bear to stay in this pack a moment longer. 

"We'll leave as soon as I sign the documents. This pack brings back so many bad memories." Then he held my hand as we walked out of the room. “Take the logs to the car; I’ll be right down in a minute,” he ordered his guard. 

As we got closer to my stepfather’s office, the sound of Jackie's voice, shrill and angry, echoed down the hallway. "Daddy, why did you let him take her? I like him, and you know that!" she yelled, her words laced with desperation. 

Alpha Damian’s response was calm. "My baby girl, he's too old for you, and besides, we have something to gain from this. I'll find you a good match after they're gone."

But Jackie was having none of it. Alpha Ares didn’t care if they were arguing or not; he knocked on the door, and the argument ceased abruptly. As we entered, Jackie's eyes locked onto mine, her gaze venomous. 

Then Alpha Damian signalled her to leave the room, which she didn’t want to at first, but it was her father’s order. "You'll pay for this, Violet," she spat, her voice low and menacing. "I promise."

With that, she stormed out of the room, leaving us alone with Alpha Damian, whose gaze was fixed on me as he smiled. I shivered, but Ares's grip on my hand tightened, anchoring me to his side. 

"Shall we proceed with the documents? I have a lot of things to attend to in my pack," Ares said, his voice firm and commanding. Even if they were friends before, it looked like they were going to be enemies now because of me. 

Alpha Damian nodded. "Yes, let's get this over with." He handed the document to Ares, and he didn't hesitate, signing the papers in seconds. 

"If that's all, I'll be leaving with my mate," he declared. My stepfather smiled, his voice dripping with malice. "Fare well, you two, A pity the moon goddess gave you a mate as worthless as Violet."

Looking at my stepfather, I knew I was going to come back for him and take what was rightfully mine, but first I had to leave this pack. Ares pulled me out of the office, out of the mansion, and into a new life. 

We got into the car, and as we drove away, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. After hours of driving, we finally arrived at Ares's pack. The massive gates swung open, revealing a stunning compound that took my breath away. 

The driver opened the door, and I stepped out, my eyes wide with wonder. The pack house was unlike anything I'd ever seen—sleek buildings and lush gardens. Truthfully, it was way more beautiful than the pack I was coming from. 

But my awe was short-lived as Ares expression darkened, his eyes blazing with anger. He walked ahead, no longer holding my hand or looking at me with kindness. I followed behind him, feeling a growing sense of unease. 

He wasn’t like this a few hours ago, I thought, but I decided to brush it off, not wanting to overthink. Suddenly, he turned around, his voice cold and harsh. "Where do you think you're going?" I stuttered, taken aback by his question. 

"Ermm...I thought we were...together?" He signalled two of his guards, and my heart raced as they approached me. “I don’t understand? What’s happening?” I asked as tears began to well up in my eyes.

“She’s the chosen one for the sacrifice. Take her to where she belongs.” The guard's rough hands grabbed me away from Ares’s side. I struggled, but they held me tight. 

“Let go of me, please!" I begged, but my pleas fell on deaf ears. Getting to the place that looked like a cell, the guard pushed me in. I stumbled, unable to see, and fell onto a cold, damp stone. 

“Let me out, please." I cried, banging the door hard until my hands went weak. “Why?...what have I done to deserve this?" My sobs echoed off the cold walls. I sat in darkness, my mind racing. 

"Was Ares going to kill me?" 

~~~~

I was locked in for days, and this time I could tell it was already late due to how dark the cell was. I just go from one problem to the other and from one cell to another; is this how my life is meant to be, moon goodness?

Suddenly the door creaked open. The guard walked in with a tray in his hand. “Seems like you’re one lucky lady.”

“Eat up; you’re not dying anymore,” he said, dropping the tray in front of me. “What do you mean by I’m not dying anymore?” I asked, feeling a bit relieved.

“Alpha Ares would be the one to explain better,” he said, and with that he walked out of the cell. I wasn’t aware of how hungry I was until I perceived the aroma of the food, and without a second thought, I devoured the meal.

After eating, I collapsed on the wall, thinking of my mom and twin sister Villette. And I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if they were alive and here with me. Maybe things would have been different. 

I tried to forget about everything, but I couldn’t fall asleep and wondered why I was still in this cell if Ares wasn’t going to kill me anymore. “Or am I just going to be his prisoner forever?”

Lost in thought, I suddenly heard the sounds of footsteps approaching, and I figured it was one of the guards, but then the moment the door opened, a light flashed in my eyes, making me unable to see.

And then I was immediately blindfolded. I felt a strong hand cover my nose with a cloth, and then I passed out.

After what felt like an eternity, my eyes slowly opened, groggily taking in my surroundings. I tried to move, but I couldn't, and that was when I realised I was in a forest, tied to a tree with firewood stacked beneath my feet. 

Panic set in as she struggled against the ropes. A woman stood with her back facing me, ignoring my cries for help. "Please!" I begged, but the woman didn't flinch.

And when the woman was done with what she was doing, she turned to face me. Her hands grasped my face, holding it firmly. “Why did you bring me here?” I yelled.

"We’re just here to prove that the moon goddess was wrong about sacrificing you." She said as a mischievous smile spread across her lips.