Starve her for three days

I stood frozen in place as Miss Daniella's words echoed in the air. The thought of facing Alpha Kade again, especially after everything that had happened, sent a chill down my spine. My heart raced as I glanced at Harriet and her smug, bloodied face. Her satisfaction was clear—she knew I was about to face his wrath. I could already imagine the punishment, the cold fury of his gaze, the weight of his judgment. I had barely survived the last time, and now it seemed I would have to endure it all again.

Before I could utter a word, two guards entered the room, summoned by Miss Daniella’s demand. They towered over me, their expressions cold and unreadable.

"Take her to the Alpha," Miss Daniella ordered. Her tone was final, leaving no room for argument.

The guards flanked me, each gripping an arm tightly. I didn’t resist—it would only make things worse. As they dragged me out of the room, I caught Harriet’s triumphant smirk. My blood boiled, but I kept my face blank. I refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing me break.

The walk to the Alpha's chambers felt like an eternity. My mind raced with every possible scenario. Would he punish me harshly for standing up for myself? Or would he finally acknowledge that his pack members were pushing me too far?

The guards shoved the door open, revealing Alpha Kade seated at his massive desk. His piercing gaze lifted from the papers before him, settling on me with an intensity that made my skin crawl. He leaned back in his chair, exuding authority and power.

"What's this about?" Kade asked, his voice calm but carrying an edge that made the air in the room feel heavier.

"This rogue attacked Harriet," one of the guards reported, his tone laced with disdain. "Miss Daniella requested you handle her."

Alpha Kade's eyes locked on mine, searching for something. For a moment, his expression was unreadable, then his brow furrowed. "Is that true?" he asked me directly.

I straightened my spine, meeting his gaze. "She provoked me, humiliated me, and laid her hands on me first. I defended myself."

Kade's lips pressed into a thin line, his jaw tightening. He turned his attention to the guards. "Bring Harriet here."

The guards hesitated but eventually left the room to retrieve her. The silence that followed was suffocating, and Kade’s eyes never left me. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, but his scrutinizing gaze made me uneasy.

Moments later, Harriet entered, her cheeks still red from our fight. She looked every bit the victim, her eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears.

"Alpha," she said, her voice trembling. "I only asked her to unclog the drain, and she attacked me out of nowhere! Look at what she did to my face!"

“Why did you do that?” He asked me.

I flinched slightly hurt that he decided to choose the whore over his mate, but I didn’t let him see. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to hold onto the remnants of my dignity.

“Why do you think?” I replied, my voice steady despite the emotions bubbling beneath the surface. “She provoked me. I didn’t start it, Kade. You know I didn’t. I’m done being a punching bag.”

Kade’s jaw clenched at my words, his back still to me. I could feel his muscles tightening, the anger barely contained. But there was something else there too—a hint of frustration, maybe even something like... regret? It was hard to tell, but I wasn’t going to let my guard down.

“Harriet doesn’t provoke anyone without cause,” he said, his voice sharper now. “You should’ve ignored her. You’ve been through worse. You’re supposed to be better than this.”

I swallowed hard, his words cutting deeper than I wanted to admit. He was right, in a way. I should’ve walked away. But the thought of Harriet mocking me, of them treating me like nothing more than a slave… it had pushed me too far.

“I’m not your perfect little slave, Kade,” I snapped, my words biting as I stepped closer to him. “I’m not just some thing you can control. You don’t get to tell me how to react to their cruelty.”

Kade turned then, his eyes dark and intense, his expression unreadable. I felt a shiver run down my spine under his gaze, but I didn’t back down.

“You think I want to control you?” His voice was low, dangerous. “Is that what you think I’ve been doing all this time?”

I froze, not expecting that response. My mind raced as I tried to make sense of his words. Was he angry? Or was there something more beneath it all?

“You… you’ve treated me like a thing,” I said, my voice quieter now, but still filled with frustration. “A rogue. A slave. You’ve kept me in a cage. You didn’t care about me, Kade. You’ve never cared.”

The words left my mouth before I could stop them, and the anger I’d been holding onto for so long spilled out. I felt a sting of regret as soon as I said it, but the bitterness was already out there, and I couldn’t take it back.

For a long moment, Kade just stared at me, his face expressionless. Then, slowly, he stepped toward me. My breath caught in my throat, my heart racing.

"I care but you put this on yourself. I'm gonna break you until you accept being my breeder", He growled.

“I’m not one of your toys like that Harriet, Kade, and l won't accept being your sex slave ” I said, my voice breaking slightly as my anger shifted into something more vulnerable.

Kade didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he took another step toward me, closing the distance between us. I could feel the heat radiating off his body as he reached out, his hand hovering near mine.

For a brief, intense moment, I thought he might touch me. But instead, he spoke softly, almost as if he was wrestling with his own emotions.

"You going to be starved for three days", He hissed then turned his attention to the guards.

"Tell Daniella to starve her for three days",