Chapter 0010

**Rosalie's POV

All of sudden, the body weight on me was lifted, and my wrists were released.

Almost at the same time, a soft blanket was thrown over my body.

I snapped my eyes open in disbelief.

He stopped. Why?

My gaze went to his face as he propped himself up on the bed. His expression seemed distant, and maybe a little concerned—I wasn't sure.

Then I watched as he pulled back and picked up his clothes.

I could see the broadness of his back, the curves and firmness of every muscle. There was nothing but power radiating off of him. He was the largest, yet finest man I had ever seen.

As he buttoned his shirt, I realized what a coward I was.

I had ruined it…

No, I couldn't fail this task. I couldn't disappoint him. I had to do this!

If I didn't, what would happen to my pack, my father... and me?

Panic rose in me. I got up as quickly as I could and grabbed the bottom edge of his shirt before he got the chance to tuck it back in.

I couldn't let him leave. I had to complete my task!

"Please…don't leave," I pleaded in fear.

I couldn't allow him to go and be the executioner for my pack. Too many innocent lives were depending on this!

Ethan slowly turned around and faced me.

Under his gaze, I felt ashamed of the way I looked in the thin clothing I had been provided. I didn't feel like an Alpha's daughter, but a slave trying to negotiate with her master.

However, I had to try. I had to find courage somewhere.

"Please… I can..."

He stood there towering over me. The candlelight was behind him, shrouding his face in the dark.

I couldn't make out his expression, but I couldn't imagine that it was anything good.

My hands were cold as ice, and as I settled back down on the bed, I couldn't help but feel vulnerable toward him.

"No," Ethan replied firmly, causing my heart to sink in my chest.

Oh no… what had I done? I ruined everything!

It was as if all the strength in my body was sucked away. I had to let go of his shirt. My hands dropped back on the bed, supporting my body in its sitting position.

Done… we were all done. My father, my pack, and myself.

Neither Ethan nor I said a word for a few seconds, but it felt like centuries.

"Gain some weight."

His voice rang above me, as cold and emotionless as usual.

I widened my eyes. What had he just said?

It took me a few moments to process the meaning of his words.

I still had a chance!

I looked at him with appreciation as he was leaving the room. "Alpha… I…"

"You're too thin. Gain some weight," he repeated one more time unexpectedly, and then disappeared through the doorway.

For some reason, I sensed the slightest frustration in his tone.

Finally, my emotions all rushed back to me.

Relief, disappointment, sadness, shame… The pain in my chest gripped my heart, and I let the tears flow freely as I curled myself up into a ball in the blankets on my bed.

It hadn't been my fear that made him stop.

Of course not. Why would a breeder's emotion have any effect on the cold-hearted Alpha of Drogomor?

Through my tear-filled eyes, I saw the heartless candles burning gradually burning out. The entire room sank into darkness again.

I was exhausted. The last thought before I lost consciousness was:

"I'm not healthy and strong enough for him, as a breeder.

I let him down."

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**Ethan's POV

She cried. Why did she have to cry?!

As I left the room, I was turning my frustration over and over in my head. What was her problem?!

This girl had me almost feel guilty for how I approached the situation.

Me! The Alpha!

The look of fear that had registered on her face when she opened her eyes and looked at me made me angry. I had seen fear in people before, but never in the eyes of a woman like Rosalie.

There was something different about her, and I hated to admit that my attraction to her was new to me. Seeing her like that, though, regardless of the situation, made me feel like I was a monster.

Storming down the hallway, I made my way towards my room. I couldn't stop seeing her fearful eyes in my mind, and that bothered me. I needed a strong drink to settle my nerves.

The liquor bar in my room was always stocked. Whiskey had become my treatment of choice after the life I had once lived. Grabbing a glass from the stand, I snatched the crystal decanter and poured the dark amber liquid into my glass.

As it met my lips, I closed my eyes enjoying the flavor and the joy the whiskey brought me. It was the only thing that numbed the pain anymore, and that was something I needed. My thoughts were shrouded in fog thanks to the effect the alcohol had on my body.

"Rosalie..." Her name on my lips was something I couldn't stop coming back to.

"F*ck!" I yelled loudly, slamming my empty glass against the cabinet. I watched as it shattered and fell to the ground.

A knock at the door drew my attention. A groan of irritation left my lips, and I walked over quickly and opened the door.

Talon stood there. His eyes widened with shock as they traveled from me to the floor behind me and the broken glass.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

Rolling my eyes, I walked away from the door, leaving it open so that he could enter.

Another glass of whiskey was what I needed—something to take the edge off.

"Does it look like I'm okay?" My sarcastic comment came out rougher than I expected.

When I turned to face Talon again, he stood there staring at me as if what I said didn't bother him. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall.

"Care to elaborate on what happened?"

When it was just the two of us, he usually was more of a friend than a subordinate to me.

A chuckle left my lips, and I shook my head. "You want a detailed play-by-play of what happened?"

"No, but I take it you did what you had to?" Talon asked again.

I found myself irritated that he was even asking questions to begin with.

"No, Talon. Sh*t didn't happen like I f*cking wanted it to."

My anger was surging up again, which only made me more frustrated. I had to learn to reel my emotions in better.

He held his hands up in front of him defensively and took a step backwards.

"I'm sorry. I was just asking. You wanted me to be in charge of her, and knowing if the job was done is important so I can inform Estrella."

Talon was right. He was just trying to do his job.

"Look.. I'm sorry, Talon. You know how stressed I am, okay? I am supposed to be in the capital in a few months, and I still have to deal with this sh*t."

Frustration filled me. Talon was well aware of my issues. After all, he was my beta, and his job was to be my second in command. To make sure that, if anything happened to me, the pack was still led the way it was meant to be.

"What would you like, Alpha?" Talon finally said after a moment of silence.

What would I like?

There were a lot of things I would like, but, of course, those weren't happening right now.

I sighed. "What I would like is for you to inform Estrella that she has time to see that Rosalie gains more strength."

Picking up the bottle I poured myself another glass, and downed it in one go.

"Miss Rosalie wasn't prepared for tonight, then?" Talon asked once more, causing me to chuckle in shock.

"No... she wasn't."

I didn't have it in me to be angry at her. Vicky was right about what she said… Rosalie's abuse had been too much.

The look of fear in Rosalie's eyes when I was on top of her. The way her body shook with the terror that was coursing through her veins. I wasn't sure what exactly had happened to her, but I would eventually find out.

Not to get revenge for her, but because that trauma was unknown to me and had become a problem. It was getting in the way of what I needed to accomplish.

This was a job. Nothing with her was real… just a task I had to complete.

Even saying that to myself now made it sound more and more like I was trying to convince myself of what my objective was. Never had a woman made me second guess my actions, and it wasn't something I would ever let anyone know about.

"She has a short period of time to gain more weight. Have Estrella and your sister work with her on the mental state she's currently in, too. I can't have her emotional state be a hindering factor next time."

I knew I sounded heartless, but I didn't care. That was who I was.

I was the Alpha of this pack.

I had a reputation to uphold, and I couldn't allow anyone to see fear or weakness in me. That was what got my father killed—my mother was his weakness.

She was a bitter burden that I was glad was gone.

The thought left its own bitter taste in my mouth that only whiskey could settle.

"I will see to it that it is taken care of, Alpha."

I turned to Talon once more with a nod. "You're excused, then."

There was no room for any more discussion. I wanted to be alone, and the company of anyone else right now was an unpleasant thought.

Talon turned and left my room, and I was once again alone with the thought of Rosalie.

She was beautiful, and even though she was fearful and timid... I could see the small spark that burned deep inside her. Had she had the chance to marry an Alpha and become a Luna, she would have been kind and fearsome herself.

Too bad that her father had diminished that flame within her over the years.

Too bad that he sold her to me.

A Luna was something I would never have, and when Rosalie finished her task for me… Well, I would set her free and let her go find her peace with the Moon Goddess.

After all, that was what most wolves wished for.

To embrace the Moon Goddess when their end was here.