CHAPTER 001

"Ugh..."

Pain shot through her entire being as the cold metal chains bit into her wrists, suspending her in the dimly lit room. The scent of blood in the room—her blood—hit her nose. At this point, it was all she could breathe in.

Her mind was slipping.

It was slowly becoming dark, and she tried to focus on something, anything. But it didn't work; the pain overwhelmed her, gnawing ruthlessly at her consciousness.

She couldn't remember how long she'd been locked up here—months, years? She had no idea. Being locked up here, time had lost all meaning to her.

Step...

Step...

The sound of footsteps approaching made her tremble subconsciously. Who was that?

She looked up in a panic, and her eyes met a pair curved in a smile. She shivered from the chill she felt from those blue eyes she had once thought were warm.

Matteo.

"Lucia..." he called out gently as he walked up in front of her. She could see his perfectly styled hair, his expensive immaculate suit, and the smile that hung on his lips.

"You're still alive? How admirable." Laughing, he tilted his head to stare at her gently.

For a moment, it seemed as if he wasn't the very beast who had locked her here. It almost seemed as if he was her friend again.

However, his next words brought her back to reality. "... Are you waiting for someone to save you? It's pointless, dear. No one's coming to save you."

He whispered in a tone that seemed like the affectionate words of a lover, but his words cut deeper than any of the wounds he'd inflicted on her.

He was right.

No one was coming to save her. He was her ‘mate,’ after all.

Her only family left had conspired to hand her over to him. They had viewed her as nothing more than a pawn to be used and discarded when it lost its value.

The entire werewolf community viewed her as some sort of secret weapon that deserved to be hidden away from their enemies.

And Dante... he was still heartbroken over her marriage to Matteo. He would never suspect their plan. In his view, she was safer with Matteo.

If only he knew...

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she bit her lips, determined to hold them back. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction.

And she tried, she really tried.

But as much as she tried to fight the tears back, they came anyway, hot and bitter as they slid down her cheeks.

She could feel her strength and resolve slipping away with every single tear. Why me?! She had done nothing to them. She trusted them. She trusted him!

Why would he do this to her?!

She stared at him, her anger and hatred blazing through her gaze. She wanted to kill this person. To give him back all he had inflicted on her.

Matteo's eyes narrowed as he stepped closer, his heated breath brushing over her skin. He let the whip that had been in his hand fall to the ground and reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

The tenderness of his actions made her stomach flip.

"You know," he began, murmuring, "I could let you go, Lucia. I could end everything right now. All you have to do is beg."

She shook her head, clenching her teeth to keep herself from crying out.

"Beg me, Lucia, and everything could end."

His voice was soft, hypnotic, and tempting. It seemed as if all her problems would dissolve if she just begged him.

But she knew he was lying. He needed her blood; they all did. And they'd do anything to keep her locked up.

And she wouldn't beg. Not for him. Not for anyone.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged carelessly after seeing her refusal, as if it didn't matter to him either way.

Then, with one quick motion, he unhooked the chains that bound her, and she fell down as fragile as a shattered doll.

She tried to push herself up, but her arms wouldn't obey her. The cuts they had made on her skin were all healed, but she could still feel the pain as if it was still fresh. But she couldn't let him win. She had to find a way out of here, even if it killed her.

Matteo crouched down, his hands wrapping around her throat as he squeezed. "Look at you. So weak and fragile," he sneered. "But still so beautiful."

His hand moved down, fingers trailing over her bruised skin. She recoiled, terror and disgust washing over her as she realized what was coming next. Her face paled in fright instantly.

It didn't need to be said out loud. She could see it in his eyes, the way his grip tightened and his breaths quickened.

"No..." The words escaped from her lips before she could help it, hoarse and weak. "Get... get away from me..."

Her words seemed to amuse him as he moved his other hand to caress her bare body roughly.

"Is that fear I hear?" he taunted with a chuckle. "You've always been so arrogant, Lucia. Always looking down on others even if you're a lowly hybrid. Finally scared now, aren't you?"

She tried her best to fight him off, but she was too weak. She snapped against his chest, ignoring how painful moving felt. Tears clouded her vision as she felt his hands roam over her, rough and possessive.

"Please.... stop.... Matteo...." she whimpered, but he ignored her pleas a hand holding her down as he fumbled with his belt.

She could feel something in her snap in that moment. No. It couldn't happen like this. She couldn't let him take the one thing she had left from her. Not like this.

A wave of hatred and despair crashed over her, drowning out the pain she felt. Through her haze, her fingers brushed against something cold and hard. A blade.

The same blade that had been used to cut her again and again and again.

She gripped it, the blade digging into her palms and cutting her. She didn't know how it got there, and she did not care. All that mattered was that it was in her hands.

With the last of her strength she could summon, she gripped it firmly and drove it into her side. Blood poured out from the wound, warm and sticky and she gasped the world around her spinning.

Matteo's eyes grew wide with shock as he realized what she had done. And before he could come back to his senses, she took it out and drove it in again, deeper than the first time.

The pain of the blade piercing her flesh was nothing compared to what he was doing.

He suddenly reacted and tried to pull the blade away from her, but she held it tightly with all the strength she could summon.

"Lucia! Stop!"

She could feel her life slowly slipping away, her heartbeat slowing and the pain dulled into a distant throb.

With her last breath, she stared into the familiar blue eyes and whispered. "I'll see you in hell... Matteo."

The darkness closed in on her, the pain fading into a distant feeling and all she could think about was the hatred burning deep inside of her. Her life, her dignity, her soul— they had taken them away from her.

But she would return. She'd find a way back.

And when she did, they would all pay.