Chapter 002

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Sylphiette

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“I could have given you everything you ever dreamed of,” he staggered into my bedroom, slowly, his footsteps quiet as he stalked towards me.

I moved back on instinct as his presence filled my small room but my legs soon hit the wooden edge of my bed. I cocked my head, catching Kian still sound asleep. My heart pattered in my chest.

“Why are you here? What do you want from me?”

He scoffed, but his expression darkened like a storm cloud. “Don’t act like you don’t know, Sylphie. I’m here to claim what’s mine.”

“I’m not yours.” I swallowed, clenching my fist to stop my trembling.

Alpha Axel stalked closer and I wanted to run but I knew I couldn’t. It would be impossible to escape him.

“I would have made your life better but you decided to act foolishly.” He stopped in front of me and the pungent smell of beer and feminine cologne mixed with his heavy smokey scent whiffed into my nose.

I almost gagged from the smell. This man had no shame. I’m pretty sure he’d had his fill of women tonight.

Why was he so fixated on me anyway? I had thought that he’d eventually forget about me after he subjected me to slavery.

He gripped my jaw with his large, calloused hand and jerked my face up to meet his gaze. “Well, tell me sylphiette, have you learned your lesson yet? I’ll give you one last chance to liberate yourself. If you crawl to me and beg, I would release you from your suffering.”

“I’d rather suffer than let you touch me.” I spat.

Alpha Axel’s face twisted with rage. His hand clenched harder around my jaw, fingers biting into my skin. Despite his intoxication, it didn’t wane his strength, if anything, it seemed to have strengthened the weight of his grip.

I winced at the bruising sensation but didn’t cry out. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“You insolent little—” he growled, I barely had time to react when he yanked me forward.

I stumbled into his chest, and he reached down to grab my waist with his other hand. I shoved against him, my breath quickening with panic.

“No! Let me go!” I hissed, trying to stay quiet so I wouldn’t wake Cassiel. The thought of my baby boy waking up and seeing any of this, made my blood run cold.

But Alpha Axel didn’t care. He dragged me toward the wall like I was nothing but a ragdoll. I struggled, kicking and twisting, but his grip was iron.

How was he still so strong when he was drunk? There was not an atom of opening to go out against his strength. It made my stomach churn with more fury and trepidation.

I was going to get assaulted by this drunk asshole.

“Get off me!” I bit out, desperate. My eyes darted back to Cassiel, still asleep, his tiny body curled under the worn blanket. I couldn’t let him wake up to this horror.

But before the king could force me down, the room was flooded with a shrill shriek.

“What the hell is going on here?!”

Both our heads snapped toward the door.

There, standing tall and radiating fury in a sheer lace robe that left little to the imagination, was Lysandra—the rogue king’s Luna.

Her green eyes flashed dangerously between us, and it took her all of two seconds to jump to the worst conclusion.

I yanked myself out of Axel’s grip, wiping my mouth like he’d already sullied me, backing away as far as I could toward the bed.

Lysandra’s gaze turned lethal. “You disgusting little snake.” Her voice was ice, venom rolling off her tongue. “I knew you were trying to crawl into my husband’s bed. But to think you’d result to this!”

I shook my head, the panic rising now like a wave ready to drown me. “No, it’s not what it looks like—”

“Oh, shut up!” she screamed, storming into the room, her long nails broke my skin as a sharp smack on my face had my head spinning with pain. “You were begging him, weren’t you? Like the pathetic little whore you are!”

I blinked the tears that threatened to break free and breathed. “I wasn’t—he came in here uninvited. I didn’t do anything—”

“Enough!” Lysandra roared, turning on Alpha Axel. “And you—you disgusting pig. You couldn’t even wait until I fell asleep before dragging yourself into this?”

Axel didn’t even pretend to look remorseful. He shrugged, straightening his collar.

“She tempted me. Always has. You knew that.” His voice was cold and void of the remorse that was lacking in his expression.

I stood there in stunned silence. My knees trembled, but I held my ground.

“You’re blaming me?” I whispered, incredulous. “You came into my room. You tried to force yourself on me and now you’re twisting the truth?”

Lysandra’s lips curled. “Spare me the sob story, Sylphiette. You’ve always been trouble. I knew you were a snake the moment you stepped foot into this pack. You and your little bastard son.”

My fists clenched at the insult toward Cassiel. “Don’t you dare speak about my son like that.”

But she was already calling out into the hall. “Guards!”

I flinched with horror at the realization, “No—please don’t do this—” I tried to shield the bed with my body, to protect Cassiel, but it was useless.

Three large guards barged in, “Take this filth away. Throw her in the dungeon.” Lysandra commanded vilely.

In the next moment, the guards seized me before I could so much as blink. I fought, screamed, begged, but their hands dug into my arms, wrenching them behind my back.

“Cassiel!” I screamed, trying to twist back toward the bed but my attempt was useless.

Cassiel stirred and sat up, rubbing his eyes. The confusion on his tiny face made my heart rip in half.

“Mama?”

The other guard stepped toward him, and I lost my mind. “Don’t touch him! I’ll kill you if you touch him!”

“Bring the brat,” Lysandra ordered with a sneer. “If she wants to play mother so badly, she can rot in the dungeon with him.”

“No, please—he’s just a child!”

But they didn’t listen. The guard scooped my son up like he was an object and carried him out behind me. Cassiel began to cry, reaching out toward me.

“Mama! Mama!”

His cries echoed off the stone walls of the corridor as they dragged us through the pack house, through the shadows and damp silence of the underground.

The dungeon door creaked open with the groan of rusted hinges, and we were shoved into the cold cell without ceremony. I stumbled and fell onto the damp floor, catching Cassiel as they tossed him in after me.

Then the door slammed shut behind us, and I heard the key turn in the lock.

I held my son tight against me, his face buried in my chest, his sobs muffled by my skin.

“I’ve got you, baby,” I whispered, tears streaming down my cheeks as I let it fall free. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. Mama’s going to protect you.”

But I couldn’t stop shaking. The stone floor beneath me felt like ice, and the smell of mildew was so strong it choked me. I looked around the cell—filthy, barren, and soaked with rot.

And all I could think was; how had it come to this?

Framed and rejected, banished from my pack with nowhere to go but this horrid pack. Mistreated and slaved all because I rejected the king’s advances. Almost raped and wrongly accused of seducing a rogue king, and now, I’ve been locked in a cell like a criminal—with my child—for a crime I didn’t even commit, yet again.

It’s been one hell after the other.

How much more could I endure?

The hours crawled by in oppressive silence. Cassiel eventually cried himself to sleep, clinging to me, and I tried not to crumble beneath the weight of everything.

But when the dungeon door creaked open again, I knew my nightmare wasn’t over.

It was Gulia this time, holding a torch in one hand. Why was she here?

I didn’t know why but for a foolish glimmer of a second, I thought she’d come to help me. Until I saw the grim look on her face and eyes gleaming with something unreadable.

“Get up,” she snapped without regard. “It’s time.”

“Time for what?” My voice was hoarse. Shaken.

But she didn’t answer.

Two guards entered behind her, ready to drag me out again if I didn’t comply.

I rose slowly, clutching Cassiel close. “Please. Leave my son here.”

“No,” Gulia said flatly. “He comes too. The King’s orders.”

And with that, we were led up from the cold of the dungeon into the cruel light of morning.

The courtyard was already crowded when we arrived. Rogues filled the stone circle, standing on crates and benches for a better view. Some wore expressions of boredom. Others looked eager, excited even.

A public trial.

The rogue king and his Luna sat on makeshift thrones at the far end, draped in pelts and arrogance.

My legs nearly gave out beneath me as I was shoved to the center of the circle.

I stood with my child in my arms, surrounded by people who wanted to watch me break.

And I knew this wasn’t a trial.

It was an execution.

A spectacle.

A warning.

The sun climbed higher in the sky, and with each passing second, my heart hammered louder.

But I didn’t bow.

I didn’t cry.

I held Cassiel close and lifted my chin.

They could strip me of everything but I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of watching me break.

Not now. Not ever.