Chapter 3 I Want Her

(Hilda)

I struggled and tried to fight them off, but my muscles were still weak from a year of lying down. Each movement was a painful reminder of my vulnerability. The warrior’s grips tightened, and my attempts to break free were futile. 

As the crowd recognized me as the former Beta, their attitudes shifted. Hatred and vengeance flared in their eyes. The whispers turned into shots, and more of them surrounded me, eager to settle old scores. 

They are not just following orders, they really wanted to hurt me.

The hands that once fought me on the battlefield now clawed and pulled, dragging me away. Panic surged through me as I felt myself being overwhelmed. 

Desperation clawed at my heart, and my vision blurred with tears. I was on the brink of losing myself when I heard a familiar voice. 

“Stop!” Soren’s command cut through the chaos. He pushed through the crowd, his presence halting the onslaught. The warriors hesitated, releasing their hold on me. 

For a brief moment, a spark of hope ignited in my heart. Maybe Soren hadn’t completely abandoned me. Maybe there was still a part of him that cared. 

Cerelia stood beside him, her face a mask of shock and embarrassment. The crowd’s attention shifted from me to her, and I could see the uncertainty in her eyes. This wasn’t how she had envisioned her coronation. 

Cerelia looked at her brother with pleading eyes seeking help.

Damon was furious when he saw his sister was upset. His face contorted with anger as he pushed his way to the front. 

“What is the meaning of this, Soren?” He demanded. “We had a deal. You need to finish the ceremony now!” 

Soren looked torn, his eyes flicking between me and Cerelia. The weight of his responsibilities and the pack’s expectations bore down on him. He sighed, his shoulders sagged under the burden. 

Damon’s eyes narrowed, and a malicious grin spread across his face. 

“And I have another demand. I want her to go with me.” He pointed directly at me, his voice laced with venom. 

My heart sank and I felt the ground shift beneath my feet. Soren’s hesitation was brief,  but it was enough to shatter the last remnants of my hope. 

“Sure,” Soren said quietly. The word hung in the air, a death blow to my spirit. 

He just gave me away to a man that hates me. As easy as that. It struck me then just how little I mattered to him now. 

The crowd buzzed with murmurs.

Soren’s gaze was distant, as if he had already detached himself from me. 

I look at Alec and he avert his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said more to himself than to me.

Damon’s grin widened, and he stepped forward, his hand gripping my arm possessively. “Looks like you’re coming with me, Hilda.” 

I looked at Soren, searching his eyes for any sign of regret or compassion. But all I saw was the cold, unyielding face of an Alpha who had made his choice. 

The man I once loved was gone, replaced by someone I no longer recognized. 

As Damon pulled me away, the crowd parted, their faces a mixture of relief and pity. The ceremony resumed behind us, the joyous celebrations a stark contrast to the turmoil in my heart. 

We reached the edge of the clearing, and Damon’s grip tightened. “You’re mine now,” he whispered, his breath hot against my ear. “And I’m going to make sure you never forget it.” 

I bit back my tears, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break. “You’ll regret this,” I said through gritted teeth. 

He laughed, a dark and cruel sound. “I doubt it.” 

His words stung, but I refused to let them break me. I was still a warrior though wounded. And I would find a way to survive, no matter what. 

Damon pushed me toward a small cabin on the outskirts of the pack’s territory. It was isolated, far from the main settlement. He shoved me inside, the door slamming shut behind us. 

I sank to the floor, my body trembling with exhaustion and despair. The room was small and bare, a far cry from the home I had once known. 

“You’ll stay here while I teach you some manners, little wolf,” his eyes gleaming with malice. 

I glared at him, my fists clenched at my sides. “I'm not your pet.” 

He stepped closer, his face inches from mine. “Oh, but you are. And you’d do well to remember that.”