03

LILY’S POV

My vision blurred due to the tears that had made their way out of my eyes earlier. I heard what the Alphas had said, they’d called me their mate.

How can I be mated to them?

The force of attraction was intense, the pull was so severe that it was like a magnet forcing me to run into their arms and seek solace in their arms.

Even though I was away from them, I could still smell them and the thought of being mated to them sent a warm glow gushing through my veins. I didn’t want to welcome the feeling but I was powerless when it came to the bond.

It was as if I’d been tied to them and I felt a tingling in the pit of my stomach as I closed my eyes and tried to think about something else.

No matter how hard I tried, no matter what I did, my thoughts kept circling back to them and even though I could still recall the way they’d glared at me disapprovingly, I couldn’t help but feel excitement.

It wasn’t really my excitement, it was my wolf’s excitement rubbing off on me as she jumped around in glee.

My heart pounded as if it was about to make a run for it and jump right out of my chest while my body ached for their touch.

I wanted to feel the trace of their fingers on my skin while I also ran my fingers down their body too. Shaking the thoughts out of my head, I tried to push it to the deepest, darkest part of my mind but it only came back in ten folds.

Something in their manner soothed me, there was a maddening hint of arrogance about them but that only drew me even closer to them.

Closing my eyes, their faces played out in my head and I swallowed as my throat felt as though it was going to close up due to the insane heat coursing through my being.

This kind of attraction would be perilous.

It’s the most dangerous thing to be mated to the twin Alphas but still, my wolf couldn’t find anything dangerous about that fact.

Their appeal was devastating, difficult to fathom and ignore at the same time. Letting out a sigh, I placed a hand on my chest as I tried to steady my raging heart.

“Calm down, Lily, they can never accept you as their mate.” I muttered to myself, yielding myself to the harsh reality but even though I’d done that, I still wanted them even more.

“What were you thinking, ruining the princes’ outfit like that!” A cold voice pulled me out of my haze and before I knew what was happening, I’d hit the wall.

There was a loud ringing in my ear as one of the guards yanked me up like I weighed nothing but a feather, he tied both my hands up until I was hanging.

I knew what to expect.

The other guard gagged me with a piece of clothing so that I wouldn’t be able to let out a scream and I braced myself for what was going to happen next.

When the whip hit my back the first time, I screamed out loudly but it was muffled due to the gag in my mouth. Tears gushed out of my eyes and it was as though the floodgates had been opened as the pain rippled through me.

My toe curled as I turned on the rope they’d used in tying both my hands up and even that hurt like crazy, it was as though the rope was slowly eating away at my wrist.

“I’m sorry.” I tried to apologize but my voice wasn’t only drowned out by the gag but also by my agonizing cries and wails. Nothing prepared me for this amount of pain.

The torment began to gnaw away at me and I felt myself shriveling at the landing of each whip on the same spot on my back. I tried as hard as I could to swallow the despair that hung in my throat even though it was difficult.

Closing my eyes, it didn’t take me too long to forget all about the princes as the pain took over my entire being, reminding me over and over again of my acute misery.

“You’re lucky the princes were in a good mood.” One of the guards said as he released me and his voice sounded slurred.

My vision blurred and my body shook violently as I laid on the dungeon’s cold, hard floor. My throat ached with pain and I covered myself with the cold coat of wretchedness.

When will it end? When will I get to live my life with the peace I’ve craved for years?

My mind went back to my mate and I couldn’t help but let out a choked laugh, I hadn’t expected them to come out and say that I’m their mate like they did.

Sighing, I gave in to the cold hands of whatever was calling me. In an hour, the moon will be out and the celebration will take an even greater leap.

My heartbeat slowed and soon, everything became bleak.

The sound of the dungeon’s gate clattering caused me to open my eyes and I couldn’t believe it when I saw that both princes were in the dungeon already.

Why are they here? Did they come to help me?

“You!” One of them sneered, his voice carrying the amount of venom that I’ve never heard in my life, “HOW. DARE. YOU.” He added, each word punctuated by his disgust.

“GUARDS!” The second yelled out loudly and two guards immediately came rushing into the dungeon.

My lips parted, I knew I wanted to say something but in front of their fiery gazes, my mind and head went blank and I had no idea what I was about to say.

Don’t do this. Please.

Those were the words I wanted to let out of my mouth, the words that remained stuck in my throat vowing to never make their way out.

“I want her to be severely punished, beaten throughly for disgracing the highest order of the wolf pack!” They gritted, speaking at the same time.

Can they not see that I’ve been punished severely already?

Cold chills ran down my spine and as the guards pulled me up and started their assault, I felt as though I was numb to the pain. It doesn’t hurt as much anymore.

“Moon goddess,” I cried as hot, stinging tears made their way out of my eyes, “please, j— just one more chance, moon goddess.” I prayed desperately.

“One more chance to repay everyone for what they’ve all done to me.”