《TRANSMIGRATED: I CAN HEAR THE PYSCHO ALPHA'S INNER VOICE》


 Chapter 1

    <h4>Chapter 1: Chapter 1</h4>


    The shrill sound of my rm clock sliced through my ears like a knife. Still half-asleep, I stretched out my hand, knocked it off the bedside table, and went back to sleep.


    BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The rm clock went off again for the second time.


    "Please let me sleep a little more... damn fucking rm," I murmured, opening my eyes and grabbing my phone from the floor where I had carelessly tossed it the night before after reading my favorite novel.


    8:27 a.m. "Shit! I¡¯mte!" I jumped out of bed, nearly falling over. I ran into the bathroom and took a quick shower. Afterward, I grabbed whatever clothes I couldy my hands on, threw them on, and dashed out like a madwoman. I was scheduled to perform a very important surgery in less than an hour, and I had overslept again.


    "Oh God, this is the third time I¡¯ve beente this week," I muttered. I had stayed up all night reading Alpha Psycho, my favorite novel. I¡¯d be so obsessed with it that it had be part of my bedtime routine. I had read it over and over again. I knew every detail about the crazy Alpha he had somehow be my favorite character.


    I hurried toward the old Mazda I inherited from my grandmother¡ªas her favorite granddaughter. I tried starting the car, but it wouldn¡¯t start. It was like the universe was against me today. I tried again, but it wouldn¡¯t budge.


    "Please, please, not today," I whispered, turning the key again. Nothing. The car waspletely dead. It was as if it had conspired with my rm clock to ruin me. Frustrated, I rushed to the roadside and gged down a taxi.


    "City Clinic," I told the driver breathlessly.


    "That¡¯ll be 80 bucks," he said.


    "What? Eighty dors for a thirty-minute drive? I¡¯ll pay fifty."


    "No, ma¡¯am. It¡¯s eighty," he insisted.


    "Fine. But drive as fast as you can. I need to be at the hospital as soon as possible."


    "Sure, ma¡¯am," he replied, pulling onto the busy road. Almost immediately, my phone rang. I nced at the screen. Ethan. The Chief Medical Director. A very scary man in histe fifties.


    Oh God. I¡¯m in trouble now. I quickly pressed the answer button.


    "Where the hell are you, Christy?" he yelled.


    "I¡¯m almost at the hospital, Mr. Ethan. My car wouldn¡¯t start this morning. I¡¯m in a taxi now I will be there in the next five minutes," I lied smoothly, knowing full well I still had about thirty minutes to go.


    "If you¡¯re not here in five minutes, you¡¯ll be suspended!" he barked before ending the call.


    "Oh shit. I¡¯m definitely in trouble now," I muttered, then turned to the driver. "Sir, can you go faster?"


    "I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m already driving as fast as I can," he replied calmly.


    "But not fast enough to get me to the hospital in five minutes and save my job," I groaned.


    Then, out of nowhere, I heard a loud sound


    BANG! A loud explosion. And everything went ck. I can hear Faint voices around me.


    "She¡¯s still breathing! Someone call 911!"


    I heard the voices as I slowly slipped into unconsciousness.


    Where am I? Why does it smell like dirt and rotten flesh? I opened my eyes slowly. I was lying on something hard¡ªdefinitely not my bed. And certainly not a hospital bed. I sat up immediately.


    Shit. My head hurts. It felt like I¡¯d been hit with a hammer. As a doctor, I knew what stress headaches felt like. But this? This was something else. The piece of cloth beneath me looked like a bedsheet that hadn¡¯t been washed in years. The doors in the room had metal bars¡ªlike something out of a prison cell.


    Wait... am I in prison? How did I end up here? Thest thing I remembered was being in a taxi, begging the driver to go faster... and someone shouting for 911. Am I dreaming? I pinched my arm hard.


    The pain was real.


    This wasn¡¯t a dream.


    I looked around and saw ten other girls sleeping nearby.


    "Oh please... where am I?" I asked aloud.


    One of the girls turned to me with a bright smile.


    "Elie, you¡¯re awake! Thank the Moon Goddess! We thought you were dead!" she cried, rushing to hug me.


    One by one, the others stood up, each rushing toward me, hugging me, thanking the Moon Goddess.


    "I¡¯m not Elie. I¡¯m Christy. You¡¯re mistaken. Who are you people? What am I doing here? And who is this Moon Goddess you¡¯re all thanking?" I asked, utterly confused.


    The girls looked at each other.


    One of them whispered, "I think Elie¡¯s lost her mind... the hit must¡¯ve affected her brain."


    "Who is Elie? Where am I? Someone please exin what¡¯s going on!" I pleaded.


    "Elie, calm down," one of the girls said gently. "You just woke up after three days of being unconscious."


    "Three days?" I echoed in disbelief. "But I was just on my way to work this morning. I had surgery scheduled! I need to call Ethan¡ªthe Chief Surgeon!"


    "Ethan?" one girl repeated. "Who¡¯s that?"


    "He¡¯s the Chief Medical Director where I work. Where¡¯s my phone?" I asked urgently.


    They exchanged nces again. Then one of them said softly, "Elie, we don¡¯t use phones here. The Alpha said omegas and servants aren¡¯t allowed to have phones."


    "Omegas? Servants?" I blinked. "I¡¯m not an omega or a servant¡ªI¡¯m a surgeon. And who is this Alpha who makes such ridiculous rules?"


    "Elie... you¡¯re an omega. Just like us. And this is the Redwood Pack," the smallest girl exined.


    "The Alpha imprisoned us three days ago because the dinner we cooked was salty. He killed the cook on the spot after one bite and ordered the rest of us thrown into the dungeon."


    I stared at her in horror.


    "Wait... did you say Redwood Pack?"


    "Yes," she nodded.


    "You mean... a real werewolf pack?"


    "Yes, of course," she said, now looking concerned. "Elie, what¡¯s wrong with you?"


    Just then, the heavy dungeon gate creaked open. A tall, scarred man stepped in.


    "Elie, Joan, Rose, Annabel, and Mitchell¡ªyou five will serve the Alpha from today. The rest of you, back to duty."


    One of the girls started crying.


    "I don¡¯t want to serve the Alpha! I don¡¯t want to die!" she sobbed. "What about my pup? What if I make a mistake and he kills me too?"


    I stood frozen.


    No. No. This can¡¯t be real.


    I just got here. I¡¯m not going to die in here¡ªnot inside a damn novel.


    Yes¡ªthe name Redwood Pack. Alpha Zach. The ruthless Alpha who kills over the slightest mistake.


    This can¡¯t be. That¡¯s the same Alpha Zach I read aboutst night. How did I end up inside the book?"


    "Are you omegas moving?" the guard growled. "The Alpha will kill you all if you dy any longer."


    The girls rushed out of the cell, and I followed them, my heart pounding. Please God... I don¡¯t want to die. Not now. Not like this. Not inside a book

 Chapter 2

    <h4>Chapter 2: Chapter 2</h4>


    "You all change out of those stinky dresses! Don¡¯t suffocate the Alpha with your smell ¡ª or you know what will happen," a woman who looked to be in her early forties said, wrinkling her nose like we were some sort of filth.


    "Here, change into this after bathing. You have thirty minutes," she said, handing each of us a very short uniform.


    "Who is she?" I whispered to Joan.


    "She¡¯s Elizabeth, the Alpha¡¯s sister. She and the Alpha¡¯s mother are the only women in Alpha Zach¡¯s life he hasn¡¯t killed."


    "Oh, so this is the famous Elizabeth, the Alpha¡¯s aunt? Who loves him so much, but sadly she died in the novel. Does that mean he¡¯s killed every other woman in his life? ording to the book I was readingst night, Alpha Zach doesn¡¯t have a mate. He hates women getting close to him. He thinks any woman that gets close to him wants to seduce him and he wasted no time killing them. The only women allowed close to him are Elizabeth and his mother, the Luna."


    "Hey Elie, let¡¯s go," Joan said, dragging me into the bathroom to bathe and change with the others.


    Elizabeth stood at the bathroom entrance. "Make sure you all scrub the dirt off your bodies and use the perfumes too."


    After ten minutes of intense bathing and scrubbing, we changed into the clothes Elizabeth brought us.


    "Elie and Rose will be in charge of the Alpha¡¯s food. You two will stand close to him. Joan, Annabel, and Mitchell will stand at the door with the pack guards. In case these two," she said, pointing at Rose and me, "try anything... Never mind. Just do as I say."


    Oh Lord. I just arrived in this strange ce, in a strange body and now you¡¯re sending me to my death?


    "Elie, let¡¯s go," Rose said, and I hurried after her.


    "Good morning, Alpha," Rose and I said in unison, bowing our heads. Alpha Zach gave a slight nod. Elizabeth came in almost immediately.


    "Zach, these two will be your new omegas."


    "Hmm," Alpha Zach grunted. He was holding an invitation. It looked like it came from a neighboring pack, and suddenly his face became red with anger


    "Fools!!" Alpha Zach suddenly roared, and everyone in the room dropped to the floor instantly. "Who the hell received this invitation on my behalf?" he asked, his eyes glowing dangerously.


    I tried to peeking at his face. Woah. So this is how wolves¡¯ eyes glow when they are angry?"


    "Stop peeking or he will kill you Rose whispered to me.


    "Are you all deaf? Or do you want me to kill everyst one of you?" he growled.


    God, please. I don¡¯t want to die! Save me from this ce! I prayed silently


    "Alpha, I did¡ª" one of the guards began, shaking with fear. Before he could finish his sentence, blood sttered everywhere, and his body hit the ground with a thud. His head separated from his body. He was dead. Alpha Zach had killed him. Just like that?! Just for receiving an invitation on his behalf? I trembled and I wanted to scream as his blood sshed on me, but I mped my hand over my mouth. One sound and I¡¯d be next.


    "Take this dirt away and clean everywhere," the Beta said, motioning toward the corpse.


    Oh my God. The psycho Alpha just murdered someone ¡ª and they¡¯re calling the body dirt?!


    "Go and clean the bloodstain on the Alpha¡¯s body," Elizabeth ordered. Signaling to me.


    Oh God, ept my soul in advance, I prayed. I reached for a towel to wipe the blood from the Alpha¡¯s cheek, but Rose snatched it from me and shoved me aside.


    "Alpha, I want to¡ª" She didn¡¯t even finish her sentence. Alpha Zach slit her throat with his ws. Rose copsed, lifeless. I need to run. I need to get out of here right now ¡ª or I¡¯m next. I bolted for the door, not caring if anyone chased me. Halfway there, something warm and wet dripped down my face. Blood. Fresh and warm... oh no.


    I woke up in a room ¡ª I guessed it was the omega quarters.


    "Where am I? What happened?" I asked, confused.


    "Elie, you fainted inside the Alpha¡¯s office," Joan said.


    "I fainted?" I asked surprised


    "Yes, Elie."


    "But why? I remember trying to run after the psycho Alpha killed Rose... then everything went ck."


    "You fainted from shock."


    "I¡¯m not going back to his office. That man is a psycho! He killed a guard for epting an invitation, and he killed Rose for trying to clean blood off his face! I¡¯m not going back ¡ª or I¡¯ll be next!" I shouted.


    "You don¡¯t have a choice, Elie," Joan replied. "If you refuse to serve him, the Alpha will tie you to a pole, rub salt all over your body, and leave you there until you die. Or worse ¡ª he¡¯ll have the guards tie your hands and feet, take you to a river, and throw you in."


    "No!" I screamed.


    "Then you have to serve him," Joan said. "At least if he kills you, it¡¯ll be quick and less painful." Oh no. I¡¯m too young to die. I¡¯m just 21! How did I end up inside this novel?! And how do I get back to my real life ¡ª before this psycho maniac Alpha kills me?


    "Elie, you¡¯re awake," Elizabeth said from the doorway.


    How did she get in without a sound? Damn wolves.


    "It¡¯s time to get back to work. Since Rose is dead, Annabel, you¡¯ll take her ce. Now, back to work."


    God must really want me dead. What if I fake a faint again? Or pretend I¡¯m dead? Maybe Elizabeth will pick someone else instead. That could work... I¡¯ll just hold my breath for ten minutes¡ª wait, what if I actually die holding my breath?! Oh Lord,e to my aid. I¡¯ll just try to avoid the psycho Alpha. We arrived at the Alpha¡¯s office. The guard at the door warned us.


    "The Alpha is asleep. Be careful not to wake him ¡ª or you know what the consequences will be." He opened the door, and we tiptoed in. Annabel was already shaking at the sight of the sleeping Alpha. Lord, ept my soul, I prayed, ncing up at the ceiling. I moved closer to where the Alpha was sleeping in his chair. He looks... so handsome. So innocent. How can someone this good-looking be a psycho?


    "These ugly omegas are here again?"


    What? Who said that?! I looked around ¡ª it was just Annabel, me, and the supposedly sleeping Alpha.


    "Did you hear that?" I asked Annabel.


    "No. I didn¡¯t hear anything."


    "I hate these stinky omegas. How dare they try to seduce me?"


    There it is again! Wait... am I hearing the Alpha¡¯s thoughts?! Oh God! Not only am I stuck inside a novel, now I¡¯m hearing a psycho Alpha¡¯s inner voice?!


    "They don¡¯t know I¡¯m awake, but I¡¯ll pretend I¡¯m still sleeping. I want to see which one dares to wake me then I¡¯ll separate her head from her body. Hehe. No... I won¡¯t do it right away. Maybe I¡¯ll grab her by the neck and m her head into the wall. Again and again until her brain stters. Yes, that will be fun."


    No, no, no! He¡¯s not sleeping, he¡¯s pretending! He wants to kill us! I grabbed Annabel¡¯s hand and bolted out of the office.


    "Why did you drag me out like that?" she asked, confused. I couldn¡¯t tell her I was hearing the Alpha¡¯s thoughts she will think I was crazy.


    "I didn¡¯t want us to disturb the Alpha. He looked peaceful," I lied. That was close. But now I know if I can hear this psycho¡¯s thoughts, I¡¯ll use it to stay alive. One thing¡¯s for sure: I¡¯m not going back in there until he picks his next victim. Not me. We will have to wait outside.

 Chapter 3

    <h4>Chapter 3: Chapter 3</h4>


    "You poor omegas, why are you standing here?"


    A redheaded girl sneered as she approached. "Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re polluting the air?"


    She wore the shortest skirt I¡¯d ever seen¡ªher butt cheeks almost hanging out. The crop top clung to her chest so tightly it looked painful. An omega trailed behind her, carrying a te of snacks.


    "Who is she?" I whispered to Annabel.


    "She¡¯s Olivia, daughter of the pack trainer. She thinks she¡¯s going to be the Alpha¡¯s mate."


    Oh God, who in their right mind would want to be mated to that blood-sucking psycho?


    "Are you deaf? I¡¯m talking to you two!" Olivia shouted.


    "I¡¯m sorry," Annabel said quickly. "The Alpha is sleeping, so we¡¯re waiting outside until he wakes up."


    "I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s asleep. Go ahead give her the tray." She pointed at me. "Take this to the Alpha."


    "What? Me?" My voice cracked. "I can¡¯t go in there! He¡¯ll kill me! I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. The Alpha is sleeping. He can¡¯t be disturbed."


    "Do I look like I care?" she snapped, thrusting the te into my hands. "Take this snack to him now. Tell him it¡¯s from me."


    "The Alpha is awake," one of the guards announced. Olivia snatched the te back and dashed into the office, the omega girl close behind her. That was close. Then I heard the scream.


    "Ahhhh!" The Two guards dragged out the omega¡¯s lifeless body.


    "She¡¯s dead," one said tly. "He killed her."


    Two more guards followed, each gripping one of Olivia¡¯s arms. She was badly injured but still breathing. That¡¯s it. I¡¯m running away from this ce. He¡¯s killed three people in one day and I might be next.


    "Oh, Moon Goddess..." Annabel whispered, trembling. "I don¡¯t want to die." She broke into sobs.


    "Why are you two still out here?" a voice asked. I turned to see Elizabeth, the Alpha¡¯s sister approaching. "The Alpha is awake. You should be inside serving him."


    "We¡¯re sorry," I said. "He was asleep. We didn¡¯t want to disturb him."


    "That¡¯s fine. He¡¯s awake now. Go in. He might need something."


    Goddess help me. I know I¡¯m going to die today. We entered the Alpha¡¯s office. He sat there, rxed, bloodshot eyes gleaming. As if he hadn¡¯t just murdered three people.


    "Why are these omegas walking like fools?" he muttered under his breath. "Can¡¯t they walk like normal wolves? And who dressed them? They look ridiculous."


    His voice again. The one only I could hear¡ªhis inner thoughts.


    "Why is she staring at me like that? Has she seen a ghost?"


    Of course she has. You just murdered three people I said to myself


    "Hmmm... this one smells like roses," he continued. "I wonder what her blood smells like. Should I bring her closer and slit her throat?"


    Oh God, he¡¯s thinking of killing me.


    "She¡¯s got a nice shape though. What color of panties is she wearing? What if I bend her over and take her right here?"


    That¡¯s it. I need to run. He¡¯s either going to kill me or rape me.


    "Alpha, is there anything you need?" I asked, desperate to escape from here.


    "She¡¯s got a sweet voice," he thought. "I wonder how she¡¯d moan if I fuck her right now. But why does she walk like a toad?"


    Excuse me?! Did he just call me a toad in his mind?!


    "All the omegas in this pack are ugly¡ªexcept this toad," he added. His eyes raked over me like I was something to eat.


    "It¡¯s already afternoon. Where¡¯s my lunch? Useless omegas."


    This psycho wants lunch? After killing thest girl who brought him a snack? At least I can hear his thoughts. I¡¯ll know when to run.


    "I¡¯m tired of eating meat every day," he continued. "Can¡¯t they cook something different? And why is this toad still staring at me? Should I kill her? I¡¯ll count to twenty. If I don¡¯t have lunch by then, I¡¯ll kill her."


    1... 2... 3...


    "No, Alpha! I¡¯m going to get your lunch now!" I screamed, bolting from the office. Annabel followed, panic in her eyes. We rushed to the kitchen. Elizabeth was directing the cook. "Add more meat. Make the soup thicker. Spicier. Hurry. He must be hungry." When she turned and saw me, she smiled.


    "Still alive? Impressive. Most don¡¯tst more than an hour. You? Three hours."


    The worst three hours of my life, I said to myself.


    "The Alpha¡¯s lunch, ma¡¯am."


    "Just in time. Here." She handed me two tes meat and soup. Annabel grabbed the wine and water. What if he doesn¡¯t like it? Will he kill me too? Just as we enter his office I heard him again


    "Hope this toad brought meat," I heard him think. "Or her flesh will rece it."


    My knees nearly buckled. We ced the dishes on his desk. He stared at it like we just served him poison.


    "Taste it," he ordered coldly.


    My hands shook as I took a spoonful of soup, then stabbed a piece of meat with the fork. I turned to Annabe and offered her some, she collected the meat from me her hand shaking as she at it.


    "Alpha... I... have¡ª" The words wouldn¡¯te out.


    "Why¡¯s this toad stuttering? And chewing like that? She looks like a toad. Talks like a toad. Smells like vani though..."


    He snatched the spoon from me and tasted the soup.


    "Not bad," he muttered. "Let¡¯s try the meat. Maybe I¡¯ll find a reason to kill someone."


    "Oh God, He¡¯s hunting for an excuse again. He took a bite. His face twisted with rage. He flipped the table. Annabel fainted. He looked from me to her copsed body.


    "I didn¡¯t even touch her. Why did she faint?"


    Because you¡¯re a psycho killer!


    "Who cooked this garbage?" he snapped.


    "Alpha... the cook," I replied, heart thudding.


    "Call her. Now."


    "Yes, Alpha." I ran to the kitchen, praying the cook wouldn¡¯t die today.


    "Elie... what¡¯s wrong? Why¡¯s the Alpha calling me?" the cook asked. "Did I do something wrong? I followed Elizabeth¡¯s instructions!"


    "There¡¯s nothing wrong with the food. He¡¯s just a killer, I thought. My chest ached with guilt. The cook followed me sensing she was in danger. We entered the office. I bowed, then stepped aside in case he wants to kill me too then I can easily run from this corner


    "Why is the toad hiding in the corner?" the Alpha thought. "Does she want me to strangle her there?"


    I immediately returned to the cook¡¯s side.


    "I¡¯m sorry, Alpha," I whispered.


    "She¡¯s apologizing again. This toad really is something. A cute one, though. I won¡¯t kill her yet. Let me deal with the cook first."


    "Alpha, I¡¯m sorry" I made the food the way Elizabeth instructed me too.


    "Come closer the Alpha said.


    Oh please don¡¯t go closer, he¡¯s going to kill you too I said to myself. The cook walked close to the Alpha and I heard a crack sound. The cook fell down.Dead. He broke her neck!!. I wanted to scream. But my voice failed me. The fourth death. In just one day. Everything spun. And then darkness.

 Chapter 4

    <h4>Chapter 4: Chapter 4</h4>


    When I opened my eyes again, I was in the Omega quarters. I felt weak and very hungry. I thought I had died from the shock, but here I was¡ªalive again. Oh God just take my life please.


    "Elie, how are you feeling? You hit your head really hard when you fainted."


    "Fainted?" I scoffed. "I wish I had died instead of fainting. At least it would have been a painless, natural death, instead of that psycho Alpha hitting my head against the wall or strangling me like he always threatens."


    "How long have I been unconscious?" I asked Joan.


    "Four hours."


    "Four hours?" I repeated. Why didn¡¯t I just sleep forever and escape this ce? It should have been forever.


    "Here, eat. You haven¡¯t had anything all day. Maybe that¡¯s why you fainted twice," Joan said, handing me a te of meat.


    "Meat? After seeing that psycho Alpha slit people¡¯s throats? I don¡¯t think I want to eat meat or have anything to do with it." I¡¯m not a cannibal.


    "Joan, I don¡¯t want meat. What about soup with vegetables? Or something to snack on that doesn¡¯t have meat in it?"


    "We are wolves, Elie. We need to eat meat, or we¡¯ll grow weak."


    "I¡¯m not a wo¡ª" I stopped myself just in time. Or they will think I¡¯m crazy if I tell them the truth.


    "Just get me soup. Without meat," I said to Joan.


    "Okay. But Elizabeth wants you to go back to the Alpha¡¯s office once you¡¯ve eaten and rested enough."


    That¡¯s it. That psycho really wants to kill me now. Can¡¯t Elizabeth send someone else? Why must it always be me? I didn¡¯t even feel like eating anymore. Then again, maybe I should¡ªwho knows if this will be myst meal before the psycho Alpha kills me? Joan brought me a tow boiled hard eggs. Gosh don¡¯t they have real food in the warewolf world?"


    "I haven¡¯t beenid in a while," I heard his voice the moment I stepped inside his office. "I need a new toy. Thest one got too clingy, so I killed her."


    Horny wolf, I muttered to myself. What girl in her right mind would want to sleep with a monster like you?


    "Good evening, Alpha," I greeted, bowing my head.


    "Hmmp." That was his way of responding to my greetings.


    I tried to walk toward the corner, but I tripped and fell t on my face. Now this is getting more embarrassing and scary i said to myself.


    "Clumsy toad," he muttered. "She can¡¯t even walk properly... but she¡¯s cute. Never had a blonde. I wonder how she tastes. Long legs. Round ass. Plump lips. and those ocean blue eyes.


    I quickly got up from the floor and used both hands to cover myself. Psycho. He¡¯s undressing me with his eyes. Horny bastard.


    "You¡¯re Elie, right?" he finally spoke.


    "Yes, Alpha," I replied.


    "You¡¯ will be my personal Omega from today henceforth, the others omegas are not allowed toe in here. You¡¯ll stay with me at all times."


    I stared at him in shock, my eyes wide. I wanted to protest, but I dared not. I kept swallowing my saliva until I started choking on it. I coughed violently. Me? His personal Omega? Why? Why me? God, please take my life now. Take me!!! I screamed in my head.


    "Why does this toad look so shocked and scared just because I said she will be my personal Omega? Am I that bad?" he thought to himself.


    You¡¯re not just bad. You¡¯re evil. You¡¯re a psycho, I replied silently. No one wants to be close to you I said to myself.


    "Or maybe she¡¯s just thrilled to be my personal Omega. Silly toad."


    Thrilled? Who? I rolled my eyes inwardly. This psycho actually thinks I¡¯m excited? He must be mad.


    "Are you okay?" he asked.


    "Yes, Alpha. I¡¯m just so excited about being your personal Omega," I lied.


    "I knew it! I knew she¡¯s happy. Nobody can resist me," he grinned. She¡¯s quite interesting.


    This psycho really thinks so highly of himself. No one can resist you because you kill them before they even get the chance to resist you.


    "I feel like taking a walk around the pack. I wonder why Chris hasn¡¯t returned yet. If he wasn¡¯t my Beta and best friend, I would have killed him a long time ago. I don¡¯t need any of these useless guards. I¡¯ will take this toad with me."


    Huh? Me? Why me? Does he n to kill me the moment we¡¯re alone? Oh God, there¡¯s no escaping him now. He walked toward the door but stopped when he noticed I wasn¡¯t following him.


    "Does she want me to break one of her fingers before she starts walking?"


    "No!" I shouted and ran toward him, bumping into him in the process.


    "Silly toad," he muttered under his breath and continued walking. I followed behind like a lost puppy.


    "I hate this ce. I hate being the Alpha. I wish I could run away. Why does it look like it¡¯s going to rain? I shouldn¡¯t havee out, I hate rain but whatever. Since I¡¯m already outside, I¡¯ll check on my mother.


    "Why are all the girls in this pack dressed half-naked? Disgusting. Can¡¯t they wear proper clothes for once.


    Oh God, This psycho talks too much. Why does she have a problem with the way those girls dressed. He suddenly turned to look at me.


    "She¡¯s half-naked too... Are they trying to seduce me? But I don¡¯t mind if this toad seduces me."


    Pervert. Why would I want to seduce a psycho like you? You¡¯d break me in two before I even get the chance to seduce you, I thought.


    "Where did these three guardse from?" he muttered. "I told them I wanted to be alone."


    I turned back and saw three guards following us. Oh God. He¡¯s going to kill them for disobeying him.


    "Good morning, Alpha," a pretty young girl in her early twenties called out, running up towards him excitedly. She was dressed in a very beautiful sundress,


    "Is she his this psycho¡¯s girlfriend? Or one of the pack girls trying to seduce him like he said?"


    "How dare you touch me!! The Alpha roared his body vibrating as he held her tightly by the neck, she was struggling to breathe, how dare you try to seduce me? He said tightening his grip on her neck, you deserve to die and with that he smashed her head on the ground.

 Chapter 5

    <h4>Chapter 5: Chapter 5</h4>


    Oh God, he killed her too.


    I wanted to run, but my legs were glued to the floor. I stood there trembling, head bowed low, my heart thundering on my chest like it would burst any moment . Her only crime was trying to hug him¡ªhug, not seduce! He¡¯s a monster... a psycho! Why does he have to kill her!!


    He looked at me with narrowed eyes, like I was some strange creature. He¡¯s seeing for the first time


    "Why is she always shaking like a leaf? Is something wrong with her legs?" he asked himself coldly. Or is she sick?"


    I straightened immediately, trying to to stop myself from shaking, my body refused to cooperate and My knees ttered like they had their own drum set. What will I do now? He has already killed another girl in my presence, what if kills me too?" The thought of it made me trembled the more.


    "What¡¯s even with her? Doesn¡¯t she know her duty? My clothes are soiled from that girl¡¯s filthy hug." Doesn¡¯t she know she¡¯s supposed to clean me up?"


    I panicked, trying to be useful. I instantly move closer to him "Alpha, would you like to change your clothes?" I asked quickly not daring to look at his face.


    He nodded and turned toward the main building. I hurriedly followed behind. When we entered main building My mouth dropped in awe his house was straight out of a fantasy. Huge. Beautiful. Impossibly luxurious. The kind you only see in movies. It was exactly the way it was described in the novel. This psycho is rich as hell. He is living in a paradise.


    "You two, wait here. You, follow me," he ordered, pointing directly at me. I was carried away admiring this huge house and not listening to what he was saying.


    "Omega!! He yelled bring me back to reality


    "Y-Yes A-Alpha," I stammered, bowing.


    " why is she looking around like this is the first time she¡¯s entering my house? Silly girl. At least she¡¯s not shaking now," he thought. "I need a warm bath and a very good massage."


    Massage? Now? After killing those innocent people? This lunatic wants to rx like he¡¯s been doing a hard work all day? Poor souls. may they rest in peace.


    "This toad will bathe and massage me. She¡¯s my personal omega now... and those tiny hands will do just fine."


    What?! Me?! Why me?! Why do my small hands matter?! Can¡¯t Elizabeth or someone else do it?! I pointed at myself, mouth agape.


    What if I tell him that I don¡¯t know how to massage? No-no, he might snap my neck. Or worse, drown me in the tub like the psychopathic killer that he is?"


    He started walking toward a door I assumed was his room. My stomach twisted.


    Wait... is this lunatic seriously taking me to his bedroom?! Is this where he ends his victims?!


    I stopped at the doorway, whispering silent prayers. Dear God, if I die tonight, please ept my innocent soul.


    "What is this toad doing? Why is she muttering with her eyes closed? She¡¯s truly a strange one," he said as he walked in.


    I hesitated, torn between survival instincts and obedience.


    "Foolish omega! Do you want me to teach you your job?!" he barked from inside.


    I jumped and ran inside, mming the door behind me. "I¡¯m sorry Alpha, I¡¯m here I said. I scanned the room desperately for a corner to hide in. He stood there, just watching me like I had horns. Tell me what to do Psycho and stop looking at me.


    "doesn¡¯t she know she¡¯s supposed to take off my clothes and bathe me? And why does she keep hiding in corners? Disgusting little toad."


    WHAT?! Strip him?! Is he a baby?! Why would I¡ª? My innocent eyes!


    He moved toward me, slow and deliberate. I stared at his hands, bracing for a hidden weapon. Is he going to strangle me? Slit my throat? Oh God. Oh God. But his hands were empty.


    "Take off my clothes," he ordered.


    "Huh? Alpha?"


    "Take. It. Off. Fool."


    I shakily obeyed, fumbling with his shirt. Oh sweet Jesus..he has abs. Real ones. I tried not to stare.


    "Finished admiring?" he smirked.


    "I¡ªI¡¯m sorry, Alpha."


    "What about the pants? Or do you expect me to bathe in them?"


    What is wrong with this man?! No shame at all!


    I turned my head and covered my eyes with one hand, reaching out with the other hand to unbuckle his belt. "God save me. I am not built for this madness. My fingers brushed his skin and suddenly, a shock of electricity shot through me. I gasped and yanked my hand back. What the hell was that?! Does he have a taser under his skin?!


    "Are you done?" he asked coolly.


    "Yes, Alpha," I said, still covering my eyes.


    He walked toward the bathroom. "Don¡¯t ck off, or I¡¯ll break your bones."


    I didn¡¯t wait¡ªI sprinted after him. If I hesitated, he¡¯d follow through with his threat.


    Once in the bathroom, I turned to face the wall.


    "Are you nning to bathe the wall?"


    "I¡¯m sorry, Alpha. I¡¯m not used to bathing... people."


    "Face me!" he roared.


    I turned around, trembling like a leaf again. He¡¯s going to bash my head on this wall. Or choke me. I feel it. Or even slit my throat here. Oh God, why did do bring me here.


    "She¡¯s beautiful... not like the other ugly omegas," he thought though stupid." I wonder what her lips will taste like, I feel like kissing her. Her plump lips are so tempting. Fuck! What is this toad doing to me?"


    WHAT?! Is he serious?! Now he wants to kiss me?! Psycho! Horny psycho! Keep your lips to yourself!


    "Get out. Wait for me outside," he finally said.


    I didn¡¯t wait for a secondmand¡ªI bolted out of that bathroom like my life depended on it. Because honestly? It did. What a psycho. But he¡¯s hot i must admit. Damn I have never seen a man so hot in all my years as a doctor. Are all male wolf this hot?"

 Chapter 6

    <h4>Chapter 6: Chapter 6</h4>


    Oh God, finally! I can finally breathe fresh air. What a narrow escape.


    How dare that psycho tell me to bathe him? What does he think of himself? I know he¡¯s hot, and all that but he¡¯s a psychopath a very sexy psychopath. I muttered to myself, smiling sheepishly. God, those abs. The six packs, "Oh no, am I drooling over that psychopath? No. No! I can¡¯t be drooling over a killer!" A crazy killer. Who kills everyone around.


    The rain hadn¡¯t stopped yet. Since the psycho was still in the shower and no one was around, I figured why not?


    Let me take off these shoes. My feet are killing me. I quick too my shoes off and tossed them aside and ran into the rain barefoot. God! The smell of rain hit my nose it was so refreshing. And For the first time, I felt free from the psychopath Alpha. "I wish I could just run far away from him forever," I whispered, twirling and dancing in the rain. Then I began signing Phill Colins. Let it rain.


    Oh yeah I wish it would rain down,


    Down on me,


    Oh yea I wish it will rain down


    Down on me!


    Then suddenly I bumped into something. Something hard. And i suddenly stopped singing. But wait... this is an open space. There shouldn¡¯t be any walls here. And this wall is smooth? Of my I started pressing the wall, but why is this wall breathing? Do walls breath in this werewolf world? Very strange, I started pressing it harder when a very strong hand suddenly held my hand. Wait. What?! I looked up. Alpha Psycho!! I¡¯m doomed.


    "Are you done dancing in the rain?" he asked, his voice as cold as ever.


    "I¡¯m sorry, A-A-Alpha," I stammered, shaking like a leaf.


    "And did I just hear you call me Alpha Psycho?" he asked, his eyes narrowing dangerously.


    I¡¯m doomed. I need to run. I won¡¯t let him kill me so easily. On the count of three. 1... 2... 3¡ªRUN! I bolted toward the Omegas¡¯ quarters, but I hadn¡¯t even taken ten steps before¡ªbam! He was already ahead of me, blocking my path. What? How did he get here so fast? I change my direction and ran in the opposite direction and There he was again! What the hell? Is he teleporting?! Damn wolf! Fine. I give up. I said Throwing my hands up dramatically, I walked toward him with my eyes shut.


    "Just make it fast... and painless," I said. Though honestly, I knew there was no way he¡¯d kill me without pain. But I didn¡¯t care anymore.


    "Make what fast and painless?" he asked, sounding confused.


    I peeked open one eye. "A-A-Alpha, I thought... I thought you were going to kill me," I stammered.


    "And what made you think I was going to kill you?" he asked again, eyes scanning me closely.


    Is this psycho okay? You don¡¯t need a reason to kill when you¡¯re him! But I dared not say that aloud.


    "Because... because you heard me call you Alpha Psycho," I said, trembling. He stared at me long and hard, like he was trying to read my soul.


    "Am I really a psycho?" he finally asked.


    You¡¯re worse. A bloodthirsty demon. But I pasted a fake smile and bowed. "No, Alpha! You are a kind and generous ruler. The greatest Alpha that ever lived!" I saw a faint smile tug at the corner of his lips. Does this psycho actually believe that crap I just said?


    "I know I¡¯m great. No one dares defile me. But this omega... she talks a lot. I like her."


    What?? He likes me?!


    "Or else," he added in thought, "I would¡¯ve cut out her tongue for calling me Alpha Psycho."


    WHAT?! Cut out my tongue?! I gasped dramatically, closing my mouth.


    "She looked like an angel, dancing in the rain earlier..." he continued thinking.


    Wait¡ªdid he just call me an angel?!


    Unbelievable!


    "And the rain isn¡¯t so bad," his thoughts echoed. "I wish I could dance with her... But I¡¯m the Alpha. Who would respect an Alpha dancing in the rain? She¡¯s soaking wet, and that uniform is hugging her body, damn her curves. Gosh, I feel like ripping that uniform off her body right now to see the gorgeous body she¡¯s hiding underneath..."


    WHAT?! He wants to take my clothes off?! This psycho is dangerous! Pervert I better get out of here before he acts on his perverted thoughts.


    "Alpha, can I go to the Omega quarters to change out of my wet clothes?" I asked quickly.


    "Go," he said, "ande right back when you¡¯re done."


    "Thank you, Alpha!" I shouted, running off without looking back. As though he might change his mind and call me back.


    When I got to the quarters, the other omegas were already inside. Their chores were done for the day. And yet this psycho Alpha still wanted me to return. Oh God, save me.


    "Hi, Ellie. How was your day?" Joan asked.


    "Worst day of my life," I said, flopping on my bed. "I witnessed four murders and fainted three times."


    Joan chuckled. She understood me more than anyone else.


    "I know," she said gently. "But you¡¯re still alive. You¡¯re the first omega to survive this long. Others never make it."


    "I know it¡¯s only a matter of time before he kills me too. I live in constant fear," I confessed.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Ellie. You¡¯ll be fine. Have you eaten?" she asked, changing the topic.


    "Not yet. The Alpha asked me to return to his office after changing clothes."


    "Huh?!" All the girls gasped and stared at me with wide eyes.


    "He wants you to go back? That¡¯s interesting," one whispered.


    "What¡¯s interesting about going back to that psycho¡¯s office?" I was about to ask when Elizebeth walked in.


    "And who is the psycho you¡¯re talking about?" she asked, scanning our faces.


    Oh God. I¡¯m in trouble What if she tells the Alpha?


    "Elie, here," she said, handing me a beautiful flowery gown. "Wear this and follow me. Have you eaten yet?"


    "No ma¡¯am. The Alpha said I should change out of my wet clothes and return to his office," I said nervously.


    "Alright. Quickly get dressed and go. I¡¯ll send an omega to bring your dinner there."


    "Huh?! Ma¡¯am, I can¡¯t eat in the Alpha¡¯s office! He will kill me!" I pleaded.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Elie. He won¡¯t harm you. The only way he will harm you is if you dy any longer."


    That was enough for me. I ran into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and put on the gown Elizabeth gave me. I tied my blonde hair into a messy bun and dashed out toward the psycho¡¯s office again.

 Chapter 7

    <h4>Chapter 7: Chapter 7</h4>


    I walked into the Alpha¡¯s office, careful not to make a sound. The heavy doors creaked shut behind me. He was there seated like a dark god behind his massive desk, eyes locked on me. Mouth slightly open with surprise like he wanted to say something but held himself back from saying it he was staring at me ¡ª¡ªlustfully


    What the hell? Why is this psycho looking at me like he just saw the ghost of the four innocent souls he murdered? I said to myself, I lowered my gaze immediately and bowed.


    "Alpha," I said, barely above a whisper, moving to stand at my usual corner by the window.


    "She looks so beautiful... She¡¯s been hiding her beauty beneath those filthy Omega uniforms all this time... How dare she? That face... that body... belongs to me.


    My eyes widened slightly. Since when did I belong to this psycho? This wasn¡¯t part of the plot, he hates women, why is he having interest in me? Oh God please, having interest in me, means he will kill me faster.


    "She¡¯s so beautiful, he repeated in his inner voice. She¡¯s the most beautiful shewolf in this park.


    "Well, I know I¡¯m gorgeous. I was literally crowned the most beautiful surgeon back in Crestwood Hospital... before this madness.


    "Take the hair down," he said suddenly.


    "Huh? A-Alpha, I don¡¯t understand¡ª"


    "Are you deaf?" he growled. "I said free your hair."


    His tone was ice, but his eyes... burned.


    I didn¡¯t hesitated anymore, because I know if I do, then he might just kill me right now. I reached up with shaky fingers and removed the band holding my hair. My waist-length blonde locks fell down my back in soft waves.


    He leaned back slightly in his chair, his gaze running over me like a caress.


    "That¡¯s more like it. She looks like the Moon Goddess herself. She should always look like this. For me. Only me. Damn my dick is already hard just by looking at her. What is she doing to my body?" I want to spread her on this table and fuck the hell out of her.


    I looked at him shocked at what he just said. My stomach twisted. Pervert!! I screamed inside me. Oh God. What is this psycho up to now? Why will he want to do that to me?" There are other girls in this pack willing to be spread on his table like bread, why is he having such thoughts about me?"He stood and started walking Slowly towards me like a predator walking towards his prey. My feet moved back on instinct until my spine hit the cold stone wall. My heart pounded as he stalked toward me like I was prey.


    "You¡¯ve been hiding," he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. "All this time."


    "I¡ªI didn¡¯t mean to, Alpha... I was just wearing the uniform assigned to me."


    "Lies. You knows exactly what you are doing. That shy gaze, that innocent tone... it¡¯s driving me insane. I want you.I need you. He stopped inches from me. I could feel his heartbeat, his intoxicating scent cedar, smoke... and something wild beneath. Why do I suddenly feel so hot?


    "You know," he said, voice like velvet, "any man in this pack would kill to see you like this."


    I froze. Why would any man in this pack want me? I¡¯m just an omega in this damn novel, and omegas are treated like gues here, nobody even wants them as mate. Once an omega is mated to any normal pack member, they will be rejected instantly. So why would they want me? I thought to myself.


    He reached out, gently capturing a strand of my hair. His fingers brushed my cheek barely and I still felt it like a me across my skin. There is it again, the electricity shock that I felt when he touched me in the rain.


    "She doesn¡¯t even realize what she¡¯s doing to me. I want to bury my face in that hair. Mark her. Break her. Keep her. His eyes darkened.


    "No! I couldn¡¯t breathe. I wouldn¡¯t give him the chance to do all that to me, he can¡¯t mark me or else I wouldn¡¯t be able to escape from here.


    "Alpha..." I whispered.


    But he suddenly turned away, the spell breaking like a cracked mirror.


    "You¡¯ll no longer wear those rags," he said coldly. "You¡¯ll dress how I choose."


    "What?" A-Alpha I can¡¯t¡ª


    "You heard me. Elizabeth will get you more of this types of clothes.


    "I want her wrapped in silk. Nothing else. I want her scent on my bed. Her breath in my ear.


    "Why does he suddenly want me to dress this way? Psycho.


    "I¡ªthank you, Alpha."


    "Don¡¯t thank me," he said, turning his chair away. "You¡¯re dismissed."


    Did he just called me to his office just to admire my cloth and my hair?" Weirdo.


    Goodnight Alpha, I said as I walk towards the door. I was halfway to the door when he stopped me again.


    "Ellie."


    I froze.He rarely used my name. He has been calling me toad.


    "Yes, Alpha?"


    "Don¡¯t tie your hair again." His voice was low. Possessive. Final.


    "Yes Alpha, I replied and bowed


    "She¡¯s mine. She just doesn¡¯t know it yet. He said in his inner voice.


    "I¡¯m not yours psycho, it¡¯s my bad luck that brought inside this novel. I ran. Down the hallway, heart pounding, lungs gasping. When I reached the omegas quarters, I mmed the door shut and copsed on my bed. My hair was wild around me, my heart was beating so fast. What the hell just happened?


    "Ellie?" a soft voice whispered. It was Joan, my still awake.


    "You okay?" she asked, slipping in and locking the door.


    I nodded. I wasn¡¯t okay. Not even close.


    "What did he do this time?" she asked.


    I stared at her. "He... told me to let my hair down."


    Joan¡¯s eyes went wide. "Are you serious?."


    "Yes I¡¯m serious.and he also said I should stop wearing the omega uniform from tomorrow.


    "That¡¯s unlike him. The Alpha Zach everyone knows does not like girlsing close to him, and now, he didn¡¯t only appoint you as his personal omega, also told you to stop wearing the omega¡¯s uniform? Very strange.


    "I¡¯m confused too I told her honestly. What if he¡¯s nning to kill me?"


    Joanughed, he wanted to kill you, he would have killed long before now.


    "What do you mean I asked her curiously. She looked at me, it¡¯s seems like there¡¯s something special about.


    "Is Joan beginning to suspect that I¡¯m not Elie. Oh no.


    "Do you feel any connection with the Alpha? She asked"


    "No-no, why will I feel any connection with that crazy psychopath?" I said frowning. She hesitated, then said. "Hope it¡¯s not what I¡¯m thinking.


    Iughed bitter and breathless. "No. That¡¯s impossible. I don¡¯t feel any connection with that crazy Alph. No. He hates me. He hates everyone, he hates girls.


    "

 Chapter 8

    <h4>Chapter 8: Chapter 8</h4>


    I could hardly sleep, this psycho Alpha has taken over my thinking, how do I escape from this pack and back to my normal life. What if tomorrowes and I dress like agai to his office and kills me? No, I can¡¯t just sit around in fear. I have to escape from here. I looked at Joan and the other girls, they were sleeping so peacefully. Good, I gently stood up from my small bed that could barely fit me. I gently open the door to avoid waking any of the girls. Outside was quiet, the moon was shining so bright, a perfect night to escape. All I need to do now is to run without looking back, since I wasn¡¯t wearing any shoes it will be easy for me to ran barefoot. I look around again to be sure nobody was outside. Good everywhere is clear. Now or never, I took of running towards what I presumed to be the gate of the main building when I heard a voice behind me,


    "Going somewhere?" The voice asked


    "Yes, I¡¯m escaping from here I answered without looking back, are you escaping too I asked breathing heavily.


    "No, stupid toad.


    "Stupid toad?" Only one person calls me toad in this pack and that is Alpha psycho!! I stopped running and gently looked back and there he was looking at me with an amused face.


    "Why did you stop running? He asked


    "A-A-A-A-


    "Can¡¯t get the words out of your mouth? He asked.


    "I¡¯m sorry Alpha, I wasn¡¯t running away. I just wanted to take a stroll


    "But you just said you are running away now?"


    "I¡¯m sorry Alpha i didn¡¯t mean to


    " next time you want to run away make sure you are running towards the right directions. You will only find bones and skulls of the wolf I have killed there.


    Jesus! I fell down on the ground, I¡¯m sorry Alpha, I promise I won¡¯t runaway anymore, please don¡¯t kill me I begged.


    "And what makes you think I want to kill you?" he asked, folding his hands.


    "For trying to runaway.


    He looked at me as if he was still deciding what to do with me. Stand up and go back to your room, he finally said.


    "A-Alpha?


    "I said go back to your room,I stood up, my whole body shaking with fear.


    "Wait he said and I stopped immediately. Oh please don¡¯t kill me, don¡¯t kill, oh God help help me please, if you save me this night I promise I won¡¯t runaway again I pray silently. He came close to me.


    "but the next time you try to escape from him, i won¡¯t kill you so easily, I will cut you limbs by limbs, then smash your head against that wall he said pointing toward the directions I was running to. Oh God" I flinched but he continued, and then burn your remaining flesh and hang your bones all over the pack as a warning signs to the other people that wants to escape.


    "Ha, I opened my mouth to talk but the words were noting out. Instead I ran back to the omega quarters with the speed of a lightning. "Oh God!! That was close, I said breathing heavily. How did he know I was nning to escape and where I was at that moment?" Damn wolf and there six sense. But is he really serious about cutting my body in pieces and hanging my bones as an example for other people that wants to escape the pack or he was bluffing? No" he is a crazy psycho and he will surely kill me the next time he catches me trying to escape. I¡¯m so lucky he spared me this night. But I have toe up with another escape n, the one he won¡¯t seeing. I need to be careful.


    "Ellie wake up, it¡¯s morning. Someone was shoving me to wake up. "Please let me sleep a little more," I begged and covered myself again.


    "Ellie, you have to go and serve the alpha his breakfast. Joan said again.


    "Alpha!! I quickly jumped out of my tiny bed and ran towards the bathroom without waiting to hear what she would say again. Oh no I forgot I¡¯m that psycho¡¯s personal omega and I¡¯m alreadyte why is my luck so bad. I couldn¡¯t escapest night and now I woke upte again.


    When I entered the Alpha¡¯s office he was sitting on his chair like he was not the one that threatened to cut me to pieces and smashed my skull against the wallst night.


    "Good morning Alpha, I greeted him but no response.


    "Silly people, everybody in this pack is so annoying, nobody can do anything right. They are all useless. I feel like smashing their heads. And why hasn¡¯t that toad brought my breakfast yet?"


    Isn¡¯t it too early for this psycho to be thinking of smashing innocent people¡¯s head? Oh God this man is crazy. And he¡¯s still calling me a toad? "A-Alpha I called out to him again this time I made sure my voice was loud enough for him to hear. He shift his attention to me, he was looking at me with those scary eyes of his without saying anything. "I..I brought your breakfast. I said pointing at the sandwich I had kept on the table for him.


    "What is this he ask pointing at the food I dropped on the table.


    "Your breakfast alpha, I answered


    "He took a bite of the- and almost spit it out.


    "Who made this?"


    Oh God not again, is he going to kill this new chef too? I asked myself.


    "Who made this!! He roared.


    I quickly knelt down, A-Alpha, the new chef made it.


    "Call her over here now!! hemanded.


    Why does he want to see the new chef? Probably to kill her too. No I won¡¯t let him kill another innocent person in my presence today. It¡¯s time I change the plot of this story.


    "Why is this toad still standing here?" I told her to call the chef for me and she still standing there staring at me? foolish girl. And why did she tie her hair? Is she disobeying me now?"


    Oh no, I forgot, he told me to stop putting my hair in a bun. I quickly loosened my hair , my blonde lock falling to my waist.


    "Alpha, I can cook another breakfast for you.


    "Huh, his face softened a little bit. "Can you really cook? He asked.


    "Yes Alpha, I can cook very well I said


    He looked me up and down as though he wanted to be sure of what I¡¯m saying.


    "Fine, let¡¯s go to the kitchen.


    "Huh, I looked at him surprised. Alpha, you want to go to the kitchen with me? I asked him about the surprise written all over my face.


    "Do you have any problem with that? he asked coldly.


    "No- no Alpha, how can I have any problem with it? Let¡¯s go Alpha I said running out of the office while he followed behind me.

 Chapter 9

    <h4>Chapter 9: Chapter 9</h4>


    Why did he decide to follow me to the kitchen? Does he think I want to poison him? Or does he want to kill me if I cook what he doesn¡¯t like?" Crazy man. I just have to be careful. What else can I cook for a flesh eating wolf? Oh God save me from this psycho. Why did I even tell him I can cook? I should have just called the new chef for him.


    "She really wants to cook for me for? Crazy toad. I wonder what she will cook, it better be nice and if she cook anything that has meat in it, then I will just cut off one of her fingers.


    "Ha, my body began trembling as I walk faster this psycho wants to cut off one of my fingers. I know it, I know he¡¯s just looking for an opportunity to harm me. What will I cook that doesn¡¯t have meat in it. Everyone in this damn pack is a wolf and wolves eat meat. Why has he decided to torment me?" What can I cook for a crazy wolf that doesn¡¯t have meat in it?" What? What? What? I¡¯m almost going mad with different thoughts.


    "Why is she suddenly shaking? Is she suffering from anxiety and stress?


    "Yes I¡¯m suffering from anxiety and stress. In fact everyone around you is suffering from that same sickness. Who wouldn¡¯t be stressed out working for a crazy person like you? Everybody is walking on eggshells around cause if anyone ever makes the slightest mistake in your presence, you killed them without thinking twice. And now I¡¯m on your list too. I said to myself trying to walk straight but I just couldn¡¯t. We entered the kitchen and everyone was surprised to see Alpha Zach with me. They all fell on their knees, thinking he hade to kill them. He didn¡¯t acknowledge them rather he turned to me and said


    "You have 30 minutes or else your head will be the next thing boiling inside that hot oil," he said , pointing to the pot of big oil boiling on the burner, do you understand?" He said coldly


    "Ye-ye-yes Alpha, " I said , my voice failing me. I started checking the kitchen cupboard to know if I would see Mac and cheese, but I couldn¡¯t see any, the fridge was full of fresh meats cut in different sizes. Damn wolves. And this psycho said he doesn¡¯t want any good that has meat in it. Oh God pleasee to my aid, or else this psycho will truly throw me into that boiling oil. I turned my neck a little bit to see if the oil is still boiling and yes it¡¯s still boiling hot. "What if I cook noodles for him? At least it doesn¡¯t contain meat. Yes I will cook noodles. I looked around to see if i Can get any noodles to cook for this psycho before he finally looses his mind and finish me off for starving him, I checked every angle of the kitchen but there¡¯s no noodles in this damn ce. Sweats were beginning to trickle down my face. That¡¯s it, I¡¯m done for. What should I do now.


    "Alpha, you are here?" I heard Elizabeth¡¯s voice. I quickly raised my head from the cupboard.


    "Elie you too? What are you doing there Elizabeth asked suprised.


    "I was looking for noodles to cook for the Alpha said.


    "Noodles?" We don¡¯t have noodles here, we are wolves and we only eat meat, Elizabeth said. But there¡¯s flour in the warehouse, I will tell one of the omegas to bring them to you now.


    "Thank you ma¡¯am," I said feeling relieved. "I will go with you to get them I said rushing out of the kitchen cabs


    "You will stay here." Alpha Zachmanded in his usual icy voice.


    "Yes Alpha, I said and ran back into the kitchen cab. Almost knocking down a pot on one of the burners.


    "Silly toad, she wants to escape from here. Hmmp. Let me look at the oil. Good it¡¯s still burning, hehehe I will enjoy cutting off her fingers one after the other and frying it inside that oil.


    "Huh!! This psycho not only wants to cut off my fingers, he wants to fry it? What have I gotten myself into? Oh my beautiful fingers I¡¯m about to loose you I said looking at my fingers.


    "Why is she looking at her fingers?"


    I quickly hide my hands behind my back.


    "She¡¯s a strange one.


    Good morning Alpha, Elizabeth said I should bring this flour to Elie,


    "Go," he gestured to her.


    Joan handed me the flour and looked at me in a way that looks like she is asking me what is going on. "Thanks," I said as I collected the flour from her. Since there¡¯s no noodles, I will make the noodles myself. Aside from being a doctor I¡¯m also a great cook.


    "Whatever this toad is cooking is really smelling nice. Atleast she can do one thing right.


    "Haa, psycho. Have I ever done anything wrong? It¡¯s you who is killing everybody around you. I quickly dished the noodles into a te and quickly served it to him. Why is he looking at me like I had something on my face? I said, rubbing my face. Wait, I need to taste the food first. "Sorry Alpha I quickly apologized and grabbed the fork. I took the first bite and kept the spoon. He waited for two minutes before he grabbed the fork from me and started eating. "Gosh this psycho really has one hell of an appetite. He finished the noodles.


    "Get me more now," he said in amanding tone.

 Chapter 10

    <h4>Chapter 10: Chapter 10</h4>


    I quickly rushed back to the kitchen and within five minutes, I came out with another bowl of noodles, which he collected from me and before I could even blink He finished it again!! The noodles were gone. Slurped, chewed maybe?, swallowed. Not even a speck of chili oil left in the bowl. I didn¡¯t even get to say "here you go" before he was licking the rim like a beast that hadn¡¯t eaten in a century. I stood there frozen, oh that was te tenth te. TEN PLATES of Noodles. An average person like me can¡¯t even finish two tes of noodles and this crazy psycho just finished ten tes?!


    Even a bear would¡¯ve tapped out at seven. I would have belched, rubbed my belly, and gone to sleep after eating the second te. But this psycho Alpha has a bottomless hole inside his stomach.


    He licked his fingers slowly. Then, he looked at me. And smiled at me and smile for the first time, not the cute smile, but the kind of smile that makes your spine reconsider staying inside your body. I took a cautious step back, gripping the edge of my apron. I need to be closer to the door.


    "Why is she stepping back? Crazy toad, I have eaten ten tes and I¡¯m still not full and instead of bringing me another te she¡¯s stepping back foolish girl.


    "What!! Does he need another te?


    "More." His voice sounded dangerous and absolutely deranged.


    "Alpha... sir... that was thest of the noodles. The flour is finished and I cannot cook another te with the flour.


    He stared at me without any reaction.


    I started sweating. "Like... all the flour is gone. Eggs too. And the chili oil bottle is now just air." Still no reaction, then he tilted his head to the side.


    "You¡¯re lying."


    Oh no I quickly fell to my knees, I¡¯m sorry Alpha, I¡¯m not lying Alpha. The flour is truly finished, I said. Please don¡¯t kill me.


    "Little omega, If you don¡¯t bring me more noodles in the next three minutes I will use your intestines as spaghetti."


    I choked on my saliva, I looked at him, He still had that evil smile on his face. But he wasn¡¯t done taking.


    "And then I will cut off your fingers and deep-fry them for garnish."


    There it was, I know he will surely kill me today, this crazy psycho wants me to turn to flour or what? What should I do now? How did I get myself into this mess now? I was only trying to save the chef now I have be the victim. Well, jokes on me, I¡¯m about to be served as a meal or I find another alternative now.


    "I will go check the storeroom and check if there¡¯s still flour!" I said, running out of the kitchen before he could carry out his threat.


    Joan was cleaning the floor of the store room when I ran inside like a madwoman. Joan nearly dropped herdle.


    "Elie you almost scared me to death. What¡¯s wrong? Who¡¯s chasing you? She asked me concern written all over her face.


    "He¡¯s going to gut me and turn me into noodle stew if I don¡¯t bring more!"


    She opened her mouth in shock.


    What do you mean he¡¯s going to turn you into noodle soup? And what is noodle Joan asked confused.


    "Oh I forgot they only eat meat here in this damn werewolf world. How will she understand what noodle is?


    "Can¡¯t you just give him toast and tell him it¡¯s crunchy noodles?" I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t know the difference.


    "Do you want him to cut off my fingers?!"


    " No, He wouldn¡¯t know¡ª"


    "HE WOULD KNOW." I yelled


    So what will you do now? Joan asked


    I really don¡¯t know what to do, I said. I was beginning to feel defeated and my voice was cracking. Here I was, in a flourless kitchen, with a deranged Alpha waiting for me in the next room who had already gone full murder-mode, after eating noodles for the first time in his life. and only one brain cell left in my head. "Oh God if you are hearing me, it¡¯s time for me to meet you.


    "What are you doing? Joan asked.


    "I¡¯m praying to God for thest time to ept my soul. She signed


    "You pray to the Moon Goddess too," she said.


    One of the guards ran into the storeroom breathlessly. "Hi Joan, hi Ellie he greeted me politely before facing me.


    "Ellie the Alpha said you should meet him in his office now! He turned and left immediately.

 Chapter 11

    <h4>Chapter 11: Chapter 11</h4>


    My legs felt like soggy noodles, ironic, considering the situation as I stumbled out of the storeroom. Joan tried to grab my arm, her face pale with worry. "Ellie, don¡¯t go."


    "I don¡¯t think I have a choice," I whispered to her, my voice barely louder than a breath. "It¡¯s either go... or I get deep-fried."


    I straightened my apron, brushed invisible dust off my trembling skirt, and forced my feet to move. One step at a time we passed through the kitchen. Down the corridor. Up the stairs. Past the guards who avoided my eyes. Past two omegas whispering, "I feel so sorry for her Alpha Zach is going to kill her" as I passed.


    "Yes he¡¯s going to kill me, I said to myself.


    Therge oak doors of his office loomed in front of me like the gates of hell. I hesitated, then lifted a trembling hand and knocked twice.


    "Come in," came the voice Deep, Calm, and Murderous.


    Here goes nothing, I pushed open the door and stepped inside. The Alpha sat behind a desk that looked like it has been carved from the bones of the innocent people he killed or maybe I was just seeing things. His ck shirt was half-unbuttoned, revealing a muscr chest I really had no business noticing right now. His eyes locked onto me the moment I stepped in.


    "Close the door."


    I Gulp and did as I was told. The click of thetch sounded like my death sentence.


    "Come here."


    I walked forward slowly, very slowly, my whole body trembling like someone approaching a hungry lion while holding a raw steak in their hands. His eyes roamed over me. I tried not to look into them because I knew once I did, I might forget how to breathe. He wasn¡¯t just intimidating. He was. He¡¯s trying to look through my soul. "Sit."


    What, this is the first time he¡¯s asking me to sit, immediately I sat, He leaned forward, fingers steepled. "You failed me."


    My heart dropped into my stomach. "I-I didn¡¯t mean to, I-I I¡¯m sorry Alpha


    "You said you would feed me more noodles."


    "I didn¡¯t promise, I-I said I will go and look for flour but i couldn¡¯t find any. I¡¯m sorry Alpha


    "You let my craving awaken and now there is no cure."


    Oh. My. Goddess is this psycho having a noodle withdrawal.


    "Alpha," I said gently, "I swear on all the flour in the mortal world, I didn¡¯t mean to disappoint you. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d want more. Ten tes, that¡¯s... that¡¯s not normal!"


    He stood up abruptly. I flinched. He didn¡¯t attack me though. Instead, he started pacing. "Ever since I tasted that... that infernal, spicy, delightful ribbon of wonder... I can¡¯t think. I can¡¯t breathe. I can¡¯t function!"


    "Ribbon of wonder...?" I echoed dumbly.


    He stopped and red at me. "You. What kind of dark magic did youce it with?"


    My mouth dropped open. "Alpha, it¡¯s just noodle it¡¯s not dark magic ?"


    "You¡¯re a spy from the enemy pack, aren¡¯t you? Come to seduce me with food so I lower my guard. Is this your n? Culinary warfare?!"


    "What?! No! I just happened to transmigrate into this world. I¡¯m from a modern world where noodles are, like, a staple. They¡¯re not weapons, they¡¯re carbs!" I said quietly to myself.


    He narrowed his eyes. "Transmigrated?"


    Shit, i said that loud. I bit my tongue. "I mean¡ªuh¡ªthat¡¯s what we call people who... migrate... through... trances?"


    "What is she even saying? I need noodles, I want it now, she need to get it for me, I don¡¯t care how she will do it, but I want noodles or else i will kill her. he said in his inner voice


    Silence stretched for a full ten seconds. Then, he slowly walked toward me. I sat perfectly still, trying not to scream or sneeze or breathe weirdly. He stopped in front of me, so close I could smell the chili oil still clinging to his breath. It was weirdlyforting. Terrifying, butforting, what is happening to me?"


    "I like that noodle," he said, leaning even closer, "you will make them again. Every day. Until I say stop."


    "A-A-Alpha I don¡¯t have flour! I said, shaking.


    "Then go get some."


    I blinked. "From where?"


    "I don¡¯t know. Hunt it. Steal it. Grow it. Birth it. I don¡¯t care. I want noodles, and you¡¯re going to get me more."


    Is this psycho hearing himself?


    "Alpha," I said, clutching my apron, "if I step outside this pack¡¯s borders to look for flour, won¡¯t I be torn apart by rogues?"


    "Then don¡¯t get caught," he said with a smirk. And if you try to runaway, I will catch you.


    I wanted to cry. Instead, I asked the only question that mattered now. "What if I get caught, who will protect me from the rouges out there?


    He stared at me.


    "You belong to the pack. Your life has a use." Then his gaze dropped, and for a second, he didn¡¯t look like a psycho killer. He looked... possessive. Like I was a prized possession. "You make something no one else here has ever made. That makes you valuable."


    Why did I ever cook for him? I was only trying to save a life and now my own life is at stake because of the noodles I cooked for this psycho. I felt like a prisoner who identally invented gold. Maybe this will be a good opportunity for me to runaway from here


    "I will assign guards," he said. "You will go to the other packs to look for flour. Buy as many as you can.


    His eyes narrowed. Don¡¯t even try to run away. "I know everything in my territory."


    He turned and walked back to his desk. "You leave at dawn. If you don¡¯te back with enough flour to make me twenty tes, I will be very disappointed."


    "And when Alpha Crazy gets disappointed, people tend to lose fingers," I said to myself.


    "Dismissed," he said without looking at me.


    I ran out of his office as fast as my tired legs could carry me to the omegas room and copse on the bed.


    "I¡¯m going to die," I muttered into the hay-filled pillow of my attic room.


    Joan sat at the foot of my bed, holding a weird cup of wolfberry tea. "You¡¯re not going to die."


    "He literally said he will fry my intestines and fingers."


    Joan handed me the tea. "You¡¯ will go to the human vige, get the flour,e back, make the noodles, and live to cook another day." Joan said trying to lighten my mood


    I collected the tea with my shaking hand and took a sip. It tasted like warm grass and regret. "What if I get caught by rogues?"


    "You said he will send guards with you."


    "Yeah, but what if the guards are the type who run away screaming at the first howl of other wolves"


    Joan grinned. "Then you better run faster."


    I groaned and buried my face in my pillow, "I¡¯m a doctor, I wasn¡¯t built for this werewolf life.


    "I miss supermarkets," I mumbled. "And non-murdery people."


    The Next Morning I stood at the pack¡¯s outer gate, a small bag slung over my shoulder. Three guards stood in front of me, two lookedpetent. The third was literally picking his nose. How will he protect me when he¡¯s busy picking his nose? Fantastic.


    The psycho Alpha is still in his room and I think I need to get out of here before hees out, or If he showed up and started growling for noodles again, I might faint.

 Chapter 12

    <h4>Chapter 12: Chapter 12</h4>


    We were able to get the flour from the neighboring packs and came back safely. I had tried sneaking away from those damn guards, but they refused to leave my side. It was alreadyte when we got back to the pack, my feet were sore from walking around. The packs. The other omegas were already sleeping. Immediately my back touched my small mattress. I slept off. Tomorrow is going to be a good day. And I need all the rest I could get before facing the crazy Psycho again.


    I was dreaming about my house, and my life that I left behind when I felt something or someone tapping me slighting on my toes.


    "Hey stop that, I¡¯m trying to sleep, I said kicking my foots at the person touching me, but he still tapped me again this time harder.


    "Get lost, I need to sleep, I have a lot of work to do for the psycho in the morning, so please fuck off, I said with sleepy eyes.


    "And who is this psycho?"


    What, I know that voice, this isn¡¯t Joan¡¯s voice, or any of the omegas. Wait! It¡¯s ALPHA PSYCHO!! I quickly jumped up, and there he was in his full glory ring at me.


    "I-I-i sorry alpha, I didn¡¯t know it was you, I thought it was Joan I said.


    "Who is the psycho you are talking about in your dreams?! He asked


    "Oh, he heard me call him a psycho, I¡¯m in a big mess, what do I do? He¡¯s definitely going to kill me now. What have I done now.


    "Speak!! Who are you calling a psycho in your dream?


    A-A-Apha¡¯s it¡¯s m-m-my Friend. Yes it¡¯s my friend, she¡¯s a psycho. Yes my friend is a psycho I said shaking. He looked at me like he didn¡¯t believe what I was saying. But he didn¡¯t push further. Rather he was staring at me so intensely and I was beginning to feel ufortable.


    "Alpha, is there something you want me to do for you?!


    "Noodles, I want noodles now.


    "What? Alpha it¡¯s past midnight, Elizabeth has locked up the kitchen and all the omegas are sleeping. There¡¯s no way I can cook noodles for you tonight.


    "Are you refusing to cook for me?? He asked, raising his voice now, his eyes changing their colors. And I know what that means.


    "No Alpha, I¡¯m sorry, I will cook for you.


    "She doesn¡¯t want to cook for me, she said she won¡¯t cook for me. Kill her. Kill her. Kill her.


    "Oh no! Oh no, I¡¯m in trouble now, he wants to kill me.


    "If I kill her, who is going to cook the noodles for me?


    "oh ThankGod, he¡¯sing back to his senses, " I said to myself.


    "I will wait. Once she¡¯s done cooking the noodles then I will kill her.


    "What? I thought this psycho wasing to his sense? And now he¡¯s still thinking of killing me after cooking for him.


    "I will rip out her intestines and have someone cook it together with the noodles after killing her. Let me wait for another minute and if she¡¯s still refusing to cook the noodles for me, then I will kill her


    Noooo Alpha, I¡¯m heading to the kitchen now, let¡¯s go, I will cook the noodles for you now. I bought the flours I said pointing at the bag of flour which I hade back with earlier. Let¡¯s go Alpha, I said grabbing one bag of flour and running out of our room not looking back to know if he was following me or not. I did not stop running till I got to the kitchen, I dropped the back of flour on the ground. Now I have to look for a way to open this damn kitchen. I need to go to Elizabeth¡¯s room to get the keys. Suddenly someone kicked the door behind me and it opened with full force. I turned back to see the psycho Alpha, without saying a word he entered the kitchen slowly Like he was being controlled by an unseen force. I followed behind, scared to think of the consequences if I dy any longer.


    "Alpha please have a seat, but before I finished the statement the psycho was already sitting on one of the kitchen chairs the omegas used for dining. His eyes were still fixed on me. Hungry bastard. I cursed him in my mind. I started mixing the flour with trembling hands, mentally calcting how many ingredients I could throw into the pot without him stabbing me or breaking my neck for taking too long.


    "Alpha, it will take just a little time. I have to knead the dough, cut it into strips¡ª"


    "You¡¯re wasting time talking. Make. The. Noodles."


    I bit my tongue. "I¡¯m sorry Alpha, I will continue with it now. He didn¡¯t even blink. I rolled up my sleeves and got to work like my life depended on it which, technically, it did.


    I poured some water into the flour, kneaded it with all the speed and desperation of someone trying not to be stir-fried meat, then mmed the dough onto the table and started rolling.


    The crazy Alpha¡¯s eyes followed my every move like a hawk eyeing a rabbit. Except this hawk looked ready to eat the rabbit and the rolling pin.


    "I want the taste to be exactly as thest one you made"


    "Yes, Alpha." Psycho. noodles only have one taste.


    "I¡¯m getting hungrier now, and she¡¯s still moving slow, can¡¯t she be any faster?"


    Crazy man, I¡¯m already working as fast as I could and he¡¯s still thinking I¡¯m slow?


    "After eating I will kill her for keeping me hungry this long.


    "Oh God, I thought he changed his mind about killing me? Why is he still thinking about it? Can¡¯t he think about anything else aside from killing me?"


    A-A-Alpha, the noodles will be ready in five minutes. I said, trying to divert his thoughts from killing me. His fingers twitched. Satisfied, he rxed slightly in his seat, resting his chin on his palm as he watched me. Like I was on ate-night cooking show and he was the world¡¯s most terrifying judge. The broth simmered, and I started slicing the fresh noodles into long, even strands. My hands moved faster than ever. It was either that or get stabbed with a soup spoon. I tossed the noodles into the boiling pot, added chili oil, garlic paste, a little soy, dried beef shavings, and a touch of magic not literal magic, just survival instinct. A few minutester, I ced the steaming bowl in front of him.


    He leaned forward and sniffed it, then he closed his eyes, then he picked up the fork like he was about to perform a sacred ritual. Then he took one bite, then another, he moaned out so loud that I froze.


    "Alpha?" Are you okay? I asked. But he didn¡¯t speak for a long moment. Just kept eating, Slurping, chewing, asionally sighing like a man who had just tasted the heavens after crawling through hell barefoot.


    "This..." he said finally, "is the best thing I have ever eaten."


    I blinked. Was I hearing things? How can noodles be the best thing this psycho has ever eaten? What will happen if he tastes the other foods we have before I transmigrated to this damn ce?" I know what to do, tomorrow I will make a different meal entirely, at least if he¡¯s eating different and delicious meals everyday, he won¡¯t kill me easily and that will buy me enough time to escape from here. Why is this psycho sniffing?"


    "Alpha... are you okay? Are you crying?" I asked, peeking at his face. He wiped the corner of his eye casually, like nothing had happened.


    "I¡¯m sweating." He answered


    "Alpha In your eyeball?"


    "Shut up stupid toad."


    "Yes, Alpha." I answered and quietly ran back to stand in my usual corner quietly.


    He devoured the rest of the bowl in record time, then sat back like a satisfied warlord after a battle feast. I started to back away toward the door, praying he¡¯d forget that whole kill-her-after-noodles threat.


    But of course, no such luck. The universe really wants him to kill me tonight.


    His head tilted toward me again, the glowing eyes narrowing.


    "Is she trying to escape from me? Why is she backing away to the door side? He said in his inner voice.


    I quickly ran back inside. Alpha do you need anything else? I asked.


    "Yes, now that I¡¯ve eaten, I should kill you." But tell me how do you want me to kill you? Should I strangle you? Or stab you with that knife over there, he said poking at the kitchen knife. If I should just separate your head from your neck right now? Which one do you prefer?


    My knees buckled, oh God!


    "Wait, Alpha, didn¡¯t the noodles calm you down? See? I-I-I can make another te for you. I offered moving towards the pot still on the burner.


    "hehehehe, she¡¯s really buying it. I won¡¯t kill her, she makes delicious noodles. He said in his inner voice.


    This psycho is just messing with my mind.


    "I will keep you alive," he finally said, sighing. "But only because no one else can cook noodles."


    Relief flooded my chest like soup filling a bowl.


    "Thank you, Alpha," I whispered.


    "Don¡¯t thank me," he grunted, standing and brushing invisible crumbs off his clothes. "If you ever make me wait again. I will garnish the noodles with your soul."


    "Y.yes Alpha


    With that, he walked away without another word, disappearing into the shadows like some deranged midnight noodle phantom. But he suddenly came back.


    Alpha, did you forget something?" He did not answer. He walked closer to me. Like a hunter cornering his prey.


    A-A-Alpha, I-I-l, y-y-you promise not to kill me I said finally finding my voice. He ignored my question and continued walking towards me. Oh God this is it. My life is about to end. And there¡¯s no escaping it now. My back was already pressing the walls and my eyes tightly closed. I¡¯m now expecting the worst to happen. When I felt a warm kiss on my forehead.

 Chapter 13

    <h4>Chapter 13: Chapter 13</h4>


    Before I could open my eyes he was gone. Did this psycho just kissed me on my forehead? Why?ir is the noodles intoxicating him? Oh God, what is happening to him. It¡¯s already 4am oh no I hadn¡¯t slept a wink and now it¡¯s morning? I hurriedly closed what was left of the kitchen door that he broke down. And went back to the omegas quarters to sleep.


    "Wake up Elie, it¡¯s morning. Joan tapped me gently.


    "Is it morning already? I asked yawning. What time is it.


    "Elie, it¡¯s 7am.


    "What! I scream as I quickly rushed into the bathroom. I had overslept because of the crazy psycho who had woken me up in the middle of the night to demand I cook noodles for him, and now I waste to serve him breakfast. Only God knows if he will finally strangle me this morning. But the time I entered the Alpha¡¯s quarters it was already 7:40 AM. Elizabeth and one other omega I did not recognize was already there. She was about to serve the Alpha his usual morning tea before breakfast. "Good morning Alpha. I bowed. But the crazy psycho did not respond.


    "Why are youte this morning?" Elizabeth asked, her voice sounding irritated.


    "I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am I didn¡¯t get much sleepst night. I promise it won¡¯t happen again.


    "And what were you up doing that made you not to get enough sleepst night? She asked again.


    "Hehehe, If she tell Elizabeth that I had requested for noodlesst night, I will caught out her tongue, the psycho Alpha said in his inner voice


    "Huh, I turned my head to look at him. He was sitting on his office chair expressionless like he hadn¡¯t just thought of cutting off my tongue. No, I shake my head. I need to give Elizabeth another excuse. "Sorry ma¡¯am I was having a fever I lied.


    "Hmp, she¡¯s actually clever, I don¡¯t expect her toe up with an excuse this first. Fever indeed. Silly toad. He cursed me in his inner voice.


    "Are you much better now? You can take the day off ra is her, she will take over your duties until you have fully recovered Elizabeth said.


    "Yes!! Finally I will take a break from serving this crazy psycho. Yes!! I did a little dance inside my mind. Before putting up the sickest face anyone has ever seen. I¡¯m a doctor so it¡¯s easy. But before I could answer the psycho Alpha has already rejected the offer on my behalf.


    "No she doesn¡¯t need a day off. She¡¯s an omega, she will stay here and perform her duties. I don¡¯t care if she¡¯s dying, if she wants to die then let her die performing her duties he said coldly.


    "Bastard! I cursed him in my mind. "It¡¯s fine ma¡¯am, I can manage I said.


    "Okay but ra will stay here with you so that the workload won¡¯t be much on you Elizabeth said. ra" take the tea to Alpha and you follow her she signals to me


    "Yes ma¡¯am I said as I follow the new give to serve the tea"


    "She thinks she can escape from me today, she doesn¡¯t want to do her duty, I will keep her with me the whole of today, let me see how she will avoid serving me. He said in his inner voice again. He was looking at me with a curious face.


    "Why is new omega so ugly?" He said in his inner voice.


    "I almost wanted tough but I had to hold myself back or else I will be his next target. He sure do talk a lot in his mind.


    "This toad is the only beautiful omega here and she smells nice too. What is that her smell again? Eh sandalwoodbined with strawberries.


    "What? I sniffed myself? But I don¡¯t have a sandalwood or strawberry perfume on me. In fact I had forgotten to use my perfume this morning while rushing to his quarters.and the new girl is not wearing a perfume either. Hmm I think he has finally gone mad.


    "I hate this new omega, her ugly face is nauseating? And why is she holding the tea that way?"


    I looked at the omega¡¯s hands, she was holding the tea like her life depends on it and honestly speaking her life truly depends on its. One mistake and her head will be rolling on the ground.


    "Alpha" your tea. ra said holding out the tea for the Alpha. But he refused to collect it from her and was just looking at her face. ra was trying as much as possible to avoid having eye contact with him as she was still bowing her head.


    "Why is this toad not collecting the tea from her to serve me? Doesn¡¯t she know it¡¯s her duty as my personal omega and she allowing someone else to serve me tea? Does she want me to strangle the both of them.


    "What? Strangle? I quickly collected the tea from ra which she was reluctant to handover to me. "Please ra I¡¯m trying to save the both of us here I whispered to her, but she refused.


    "Elizabeth said I should be the one to serve her the tea, why do you want to serve it to him? She said dragging the tea with me.


    "Do you want him to strangle the two right now? Im trying to save us. I whispered pleading with her. She reluctantly released the tea to me and I held it out to him, "alpha your tea. He collected it from me.


    "Hehehe" that was so entertaining, I like there fight, I think I should make them fight more. What should I do to trigger them?"


    This man is really crazy, he wants me to fight with ra for his own entertainment? He took a sip of the tea and then ced the cup on the table


    "Why is this tea so blend? They can¡¯t even make good tea here. I need to have some fun now. He said in his inner voice.


    "Oh God, what type of fun does he want to have now, no I need to move back, his fun might include strangling or stabbing any of us right now. I quickly shifted back I tried grabbing ra with me but pulled her hand away. "Foolish girl, since she¡¯s so bent on dying then I will shift back alone.


    "What is your name? He asked looking at ra


    "ra, she answered smiling.


    "ra!


    "Yes Alpha, she answered, still smiling.


    "Call one of the guards outside.


    "Yes Alpha, ra bowed smiling while going out, when she got to where I was standing she scowled at me before running outside to call the guard. "What is this Psycho nning to do to her and the guard?" I looked up at him and he was smiling, no, this can¡¯t be right, his smile is not a good sign of whatever he wants to do to them.


    "Alpha¡¯ he here. ra announced, smiling. She was standing with a guard who is built like one of those body builders I used to secretly watch and admire the videos on YouTube during my shift at the hospital before I transmigrated here. He turned to ra, "are you a virgin?


    "No Alpha, she answered, smiling like a fool.


    "Good this will be so much fun, I would have used this toad but she¡¯s mine alone and any man that tried to touch her, I will kill him. He said again in his inner voice


    "What does this psycho mean I¡¯m his? And what does he want this guard to do to ra?" He turned to the guard and looked at him from head to toe.


    "Hmm he will do just fine. I have been so hornytely. And all the female shewolves have been running away from me recently, he said in his inner voice.


    "Why won¡¯t they run away from you when all you do is to kill anyone thates closer to you.


    "I killed Victoria because she was trying so hard to seduce me, I killed onika because she has a mate and was still trying to seduce me. I killed Sonaya because she was trying to be my mate by all means, I killed tonia because she..... What did she even do wrong? I don¡¯t know.


    This man is evil, you killed all this women for just trying toe close to you and now you are saying you don¡¯t know why the shewolves have been running away from you, I want to run away too, but you won¡¯t let me go. Crazy psycho. He turns to the guard with a more serious face now. RAPE HER NOW.

 Chapter 14

    <h4>Chapter 14: Chapter 14</h4>


    What! Did he justmand the guard to rape ra? How crazy can he be? The smirk that once curled on ra¡¯s face, forced and frightened as it was, disintegrated in an instant. Her expression crumpled. She was crying now, real tears. And the guard? He looked lost. No, he looked destroyed.


    "A-Alpha... please," the guard stammered, choking on his own fear. "I can¡¯t... I already have a mate. It will break her heart if I have sex with someone else. It will destroy our bond.


    But the psycho Alpha stood there expressionless. Not a single flicker of mercy passed through his cold gray eyes. I was shaking. My heart pounded so loudly in my chest I could hardly hear anything else.


    How could he say that? How could hemand something so vile and twisted?


    Where... where the hell did he even get these thoughts? In his mind,


    "Mates! Mates! Mates! All of you cling to that sacred bond like it¡¯ll save you. As if the Moon Goddess is some loving mother watching over you. Fools. She abandoned you the moment you were born under my rule." He said in his inner voice. He tilted his head slightly, a hint of amusement dancing on his lips.


    "You call it cruelty. I call it exposure. Strip away your illusions, and what do I see? Weak little animals dressed in loyalty they don¡¯t understand."


    ra fell to her knees, arms wrapping around herself as if trying to keep her soul from spilling out.


    "Please," she sobbed. "I will die if he rape me, I haven¡¯t found my mate yet, and I want to keep myself for him, please Alpha don¡¯t make him do this!"


    The guard¡¯s fists clenched at his sides, his jaw shaking.


    "I¡ªI swore to protect our people," he whispered. "Not to destroy them."


    The crazy psycho let out a quietugh, soft and venomous.


    "You swore to obey me as a member of my pack. Did I stutter?"


    Everywhere was silent. You could hear the crackle of the fire pit in the center of the office. ra¡¯s sobs. The thump of the guard¡¯s heartbeat echoed louder than mine.


    The crazy psycho turned his back casually, walking toward his ¡ª¡ªlike this was just another routine punishment.


    "Let them squirm. Let them cry. What is loyalty worth if it folds at the firstmand? I¡¯m not testing the guard. I¡¯m testing his mate. Let her feel the sharp bite of betrayal. Let this ugly omega learn what happens when an omega smiles foolishly at her Alpha. He said in his inner voice.


    What! He wants ra to be raped by his gaurd for smiling at him?! How can somebody be this heartless?


    "Alpha..." the guard choked out, "I can¡¯t. Please Alpha" for the sake of my mate


    "I can have your mate dragged in right now," the crazy Alpha said calmly, not turning around. "Let her take ra¡¯s ce. Or would you prefer she watches from the corner?"


    The threat hit like a de to the gut. The guard dropped to his knees. "No... no, please."


    I wanted to scream. To stop this. But I couldn¡¯t move. I was trembling inside me and paralyzed with fear.


    "Look at him," the Alpha thought with satisfaction. "A proud warrior, brought to his knees by choice. This is what power tastes like hot and bitter and irresistible." He said in his inner voice


    ra stared at the guard, whispering, "Don¡¯t do it... don¡¯t do this..." The guard didn¡¯t look at her, looking at her he couldn¡¯t bring himself to rape her. But he has to obey the Alpha or else he knows what the punishment will be. He got to his feet slowly, like a man walking toward the gallows. He reached for his belt, hands shaking violently.


    My lungs seized. Was he really going to do it? Was he going to let this monster win?


    "STOP!"


    The scream ripped through the air, piercing, shrill, desperate. Everyone froze. Even the Alpha turned slightly, a brow lifted in interest.


    It was me. I hadn¡¯t even realized the scream came from my own throat. Every eye in the office turned to me including his. The psycho Alpha¡¯s gaze slid over me like a knife dipped in ice.


    "What did you say?" he asked, voice soft.


    "I said stop," I breathed, stepping forward. "This... this is madness. She made a mistake by smiling at you, but please don¡¯t punish her like this, it will break her heart. His eyes flickered.


    "And now the little voice of reason decides to speak," his inner voice hissed. "How adorable. As if morality still lives in this hall. Let her pretend she¡¯s brave. Let her think her words matter. But she¡¯s only setting herself up for a deeper fall." He said in his inner voice.


    "Oh no, I¡¯m in trouble, where did I suddenly get the courage to lecture this psycho? Oh God, I¡¯m done for.


    "Come here," he said aloud.


    I froze, A-Alpha please I¡¯m sorry, it won¡¯t happen again


    "Come here," he repeated but in an angry voice


    "No." P-p-please, I¡¯m sorry alph. I said moving backwards and looking for a way to run out of this office.


    "No?" he repeated, as though savoring the taste of the word on his tongue. "You refuse me?"


    "No no Alpha, I did not refuse! I¡¯m still standing here, please alpha don¡¯t kill me. I promise I won¡¯t talk again.


    The room was dead silent. You could¡¯ve heard a pin drop or a neck snap. Which is exactly what will happen to me now if hees any closer to me. He took a slow step toward me. Then another. The air shifted around him, heavy and suffocating.


    "You have grown a spine," he murmured, stopping just a breath away. "How dare you ask him to stop!"


    I¡¯m sor-sorry Alpha" please forgive me, I begged.


    "I haven¡¯t touched her and she is already shaking, stupid toad. I¡¯m I that intimidating? He said in his inner voice.


    "Is this psycho seriously asking himself why I was shaking? You literally told your gaurd to rape an innocent girl because she was smiling at you, and what will now happen to me that challenged you? Oh God please save me. He looked at ra who was sobbing and her body shaking then he looked at the guard who was still kneeling down. " you can go, but I don¡¯t want to see your face again or else ¡ª¡ª-


    "Thank you Alpha ra said running out of his office before he will change his mind.Then he turned to me.


    "And you! He turned to me with an unreadable expression. What should I do with you?


    "I¡¯m sorry Alpha, please don¡¯t do anything with me.


    "Scary toad, I think I should tease her a bit more, that will be very fun. What should I do? Oh yes, great idea. He said in his inner voice.


    "Oh God, what ns does he have for me now? He always invents new ways to punish people. He turned to the guard who was still kneeling.


    "Take her instead," he said suddenly, turning to the guard. "Take her. I¡¯m curious how long her principles will hold when your mate¡¯s life is on the line."


    "What, Alpha please I¡¯m sorry, i won¡¯t interfere in your punishment again, I¡¯m sorry Alpha I pleaded desperately falling on my knees. I¡¯m still a virgin Alpha, please I don¡¯t want to lose my virginity this way.


    "A virgin that would be more fun don¡¯t you think? He said in a dangerously low voice.


    "I... I can¡¯t do it Alpha. I¡¯d rather die. I can¡¯t betray my mate." The guard said.


    The psycho Alpha stared at him. Then at me. His jaw ticked. But just then, the great doors at the back of the office burst open.


    Everyone turned. A tall figure walked in, a very beautiful woman in herte forties or fifties walked. She looked like a warrior. Her eyes were zing with fury. The psycho Alpha narrowed his eyes. "The neer didn¡¯t bow. Didn¡¯t kneel. She pushed him out of the way and went and sat on his chair.


    "Mother, why did youe to my office this early in the morning?"


    "Mother!! She¡¯s this psycho¡¯s mother.


    "I heard what you were doing to the omegas. She looked at the guard who was still kneeling down. "Go back to your duty post


    "Thank you Luna." He quickly stood up and left. "And you too she waved at me.


    "Thank you Luna,I said as I dashed off to the door.


    I ran straight to the omegas quarters without looking back. I won¡¯t stay here in this godforsaken pack with a crazy Alpha Alpha anymore.

 Chapter 15

    <h4>Chapter 15: Chapter 15</h4>


    I started running out of his office, my heart hammering like a drumline in a funeral parade. But then I heard her voice, his mother was reprimanding him and my legs froze beneath me like they suddenly remembered we had no ce safe to go.


    So instead of running for my life, I slid behind one of the thick redwood columns just outside his office and listened. Eavesdropping wasn¡¯t just a sin anymore. It was survival.


    "You¡¯re a bloody idiot." The Lina¡¯s words echoed like a p.


    "You ordered one of your men to rape a girl because she smiled at you? Is that the man I raised? Is that what you¡¯ve be?"


    Inside the room, I could almost feel the psycho Alpha¡¯s fury rising like steam. But he didn¡¯t yell. Not yet.


    "Mother," he said through clenched teeth. "This is not your concern."


    "Oh, it is. You are not a rogue. You are an Alpha. And I will not stand by while you tarnish this pack¡¯s honor because you can¡¯t handle a teenage girl smiling at you."


    I stifled a snort. If Iughed, I¡¯d give myself away. My hand flew to my mouth. The image of him fuming, probably grinding his teeth to powder while his mother roasted him alive with her words, was almost worth all the trauma.


    And then I heard it his voice again, but this time not aloud. That eerie, slippery thing that lived in his thoughts. Like poison wrapped in silk.


    "She alwayses when I¡¯m about to discipline someone. Always ruins the fun. She thinks she¡¯s in control. She thinks her title gives her power over me. But I have already killed stronger wolves in my head."


    What? He¡¯s seriously cursing the Luna in his inner voice, What the hell.


    "And the little omega hiding by the door..." his inner voice purred, and I stopped breathing, "does she really think I haven¡¯t noticed her scent? She reeks of fear and shame. Pathetic little thing."


    I pped my hand tighter over my mouth. This psych knew I was hiding and eavesdropping on their conversation. But how?


    "But she¡¯s interesting. She defied me. That should have been her end and yet she lives. Because of Mother, No matter. She¡¯ll pay for itter. And I¡¯ll enjoy it." I will deal with her.


    Oh God, that¡¯s it. I didn¡¯t know if I was going to faint, vomit, or spontaneouslybust from terror. Inside, the Luna had apparently had enough.


    "You need a mate, son. One with more brains than biceps. Maybe she would help you develop empathy," she snapped. "The way you rule through terror, through humiliation it¡¯s going to be your downfall. Mark my words."


    "You mean like Father¡¯s downfall? . "Don¡¯tpare me to that weak bastard, I hate him. He said in his inner voice.


    "You can leave now mother. I have a meeting to attend.


    I heard the Luna sigh, then her heels clicked toward the door. I shrank further behind the column, trying to blend in with the wood like some terrified lizard.


    "You are on thin ice, boy," she said sharply. Don¡¯t test me."


    The moment the door mmed, silence returned like a wave. I peeked around the column, hoping and praying that he would be too distracted to notice me, I started sneaking out quietly but that was a very big big mistake. His cold eyes locked on me immediately. He looked at me like a wolf who¡¯d just watched its prey try to y dead. No,


    "Come back," he said. Not loud, but with amanding tone.


    I stood there like a statue, my mind screaming for my legs to do anything, but it seems the universe was against me today.


    "Now."


    The word cracked like a whip. So I walked each step and felt like walking into a live furnace. I crossed the threshold like I was walking into the execution chamber. He stood near the fire pit, his back turned toward me, hands sped behind him.


    "Stupid toad, you made my mother raise her voice at me, so it¡¯s my turn to deal with you now. He said in his inner voice


    "Alpha," I squeaked, trying not to sound like I was already peeing myself.


    "I have changed my mind about your punishment," he said.


    "Oh, thank you," I gasped in relief.


    He turned around slowly, gray eyes gleaming.


    "You are going to dress me."


    "What?" I yelled.


    "I said," he repeated, voice low and thick with amusement, "you¡¯re going to dress me for the day. Pick my clothes. Iron them. Button them. Lace my boots."


    "You¡ªyou want me to..."


    "I want the little virgin omega who thought she could scream at her Alpha to learn her ce," he said, voice darkening. "So go to the dressing chamber. Everything you need is there."


    "Or would prefer I strangle you right now?"


    "No, Alpha," I muttered and backed away, disappearing through a side door into what had to be the world¡¯s most intimidating walk-in closet. Crazy psycho, I¡¯m a doctor I have seen many naked men than I can count. I walked to his coldest..... which was more like a boutique row of ck coats, silver-trimmed vests, velvet cloaks, leather boots arranged like weapons on disy. I wanted to grab one of the swords hanging near the mirror and fight my way out, but I valued my life just a bit more than my pride.


    I picked a deep gray shirt, ck pants, and a long high-cored coat with silver embroidery. He looked like he was into dark vampire-prince chic anyway. Carrying them back out, I found him sitting in a chair near the fire, shirtless. The sexy psycho was shirtless and I was drooling because the universe hates me.


    "Come here," he said simply, like I was an omega he¡¯d had since birth.


    I walked forward on autopilot. My hands trembled as I held out the shirtHe didn¡¯t take it, instead he looked at me strangely.


    "You will put it on me."


    What!?


    "Let her feel it. My skin. My breath. Let her fear crawl over her own courage." He said in his inner voice.


    My fingers moved clumsily. I stepped behind him, trying to stay professional like the doctor I used to be. I slipped the shirt over his shoulders, careful not to touch more skin than necessary. But of course, I touched it. He was warm. Hard. Muscles like carved marble. It would have been attractive if I wasn¡¯t certain this man had thought about strangling me in at least three different ways.


    My hand identally brushed a scar on his back.He flinched.


    "Stupid toad!!, how dare you touch that scar No one touches that scar. Not even me."


    "What happened to you Alpha, I can¡¯t treat you I asked softly. He turned his head just enough to see me over his shoulder.


    "You speak again without permission, I¡¯ll gag you."


    I shut up. Instantly.


    "I feel so calm and rxed with her touch and it¡¯s oddly refreshing." He said in his inner voice.


    Once the shirt was buttoned, I kneeled toce his boots. My hands were trembling so much I could barely loop theces.


    "She¡¯s shaking, does she have any shaking disease? Or is she really sick like she had told Elizabeth?" Or maybe I should send her to the Pack doctor. He continued talking in his inner voice.


    Shaking disease? I wanted tough but I controlled myself before any sound coulde out of my mouth and he would then have a reason to cut out my tongue. Once I was done with his booth, I stood there waiting for anothermand. He starteding closer to me, I backed away slowly, my breath caught in my throat. What have I done again this time?"


    "I did as you asked, Alpha." I said my voice sounded more like a whisper. He ce his hands on the wall to prevent me from moving any further. The tension in the room tightened like a noose.


    "You smell like wildflowers," he said aloud, his voice low and unexpected.


    "Alpha?"


    "Why did I say that out loud? Stupid toad. She smells like peace. I want to ruin it." He said in his inner voice


    "A-Alpha can I go now?" I muttered.


    He didn¡¯t respond. Just stood there, studying me like I was a puzzle that refused to be solved, then he reached forward, slowly, he brushed a strand of hair away from my face.


    I froze.


    "Touching her is strange andforting," she flinched. Good." "No it¡¯s bad, but why is it bad?"


    His inner thoughts were spiraling confused and unstable. I was pretty sure I was watching a madman war with his conscience in real-time. Then he stepped back and turned away.


    "You may leave."


    I didn¡¯t wait for a second chance. I ran like the room was on fire. I locked the door behind me like it would prevent him from entering the room. ra was hiding under some freshly folded sheets inside the room like terrified mice.her eyes still puffy from crying.

 Chapter 16

    <h4>Chapter 16: Chapter 16</h4>


    ra gave me a very tight hug.


    "Thank you for saving me, Elie."


    "That¡¯s okay, ra," I said, gently pushing her back. My lungs were screaming for oxygen. "Let me catch my breath before you break my ribs."


    "Why are you running so much?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "Who is chasing you?"


    I looked at her, the same ra who was still visibly trembling from thest time she saw Alpha Psycho. That maniac nearly broke her mind like a cheap teacup from the dor store. I couldn¡¯t tell her the truth. I didn¡¯t want to see her panic again. I didn¡¯t want to add more trauma to her already PTSD-level existence.


    "I¡¯m fine," I lied, brushing past her and going straight to my little corner behind the kitchen pantry. "Just needed some... air. That¡¯s all."


    Air? Who was I kidding?


    I¡¯d narrowly escaped the Alpha Psycho¡¯s madness again today. One more second in that hallway and he might have decided to use my spine as a backscratcher.


    I flopped on the floor, sighing into the broken tiles.


    I couldn¡¯t stay here much longer.


    One day I might run out of luck, and that psycho Alpha would finally kill me. And not quickly either¡ªno. He¡¯d probably hang my entrails in his office like a macabre Christmas gand. The room was quiet now. It was just me and ra. This might be the perfect time. To escape. To leave this forsaken pack behind. To find my way back to my old life. To my hospital. Myb coat. My stethoscope. My precious caffeine addiction. But how?


    The borders were heavily guarded. Omegas like me weren¡¯t allowed to go five feet near them without a written order from the Alpha or else get tackled like a rogue football.


    And I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve ever been tackled by a werewolf with anger issues and too much protein in his diet, but let me tell you it¡¯s not a pleasant experience.


    "Oh God," I muttered into the floor. "Help me. I need to get out of here. I miss being a doctor. I miss the ER, the blood, the screams... wait, not those screams... professional screams. The hospital screams. The normal kind." A gentle tap on my shoulder made me shriek like a dying seagull. I whipped around in terror, already imagining the Alpha¡¯s face looming behind me.


    "Rx," said Joan, raising her hands. "It¡¯s me. Not the scary one."


    "Don¡¯t sneak up on me like that!" I clutched my chest. "I thought you were¡ª"


    "Alpha Zach? No, I checked. He¡¯s still in a meeting. What¡¯s wrong with you?"


    I exhaled slowly.


    "What are you thinking about?" she asked, her voice gentle.


    "Escaping," I whispered like it was a swear word.


    She blinked at me like I had just dered war on gravity.


    "Elie," she said, dragging out my name like a disappointed mother. "You¡¯re an Omega. You can¡¯t escape from here."


    "Why not?"


    "Because if the Alpha finds out, he¡¯ll kill you, grind your bones into powder, and probably use them as seasoning for his steak. That¡¯s why." She poked me in the forehead, hard.


    "Elie, do you want your skull hung on the gate like a decoration? No? Then stop thinking nonsense."


    "I just¡ª" I rubbed my temple, "I can¡¯t survive another week here."


    Joan gave me a look, like girl, we all dying inside, wee to the party. Then she perked up.


    "Anyway! I overheard something juicy!"


    I stared at her. "Is it about the Alpha finally being thrown into an active volcano?"


    "Nope," she chirped. "Even better. I heard Elizabeth talking to the Luna about the ancient dragon skull arriving at the pack today."


    I blinked.


    "ra and I screamed together: "Dragon skull?!"


    "Wait¡ªdragons were real?" ra asked, eyes wide. "I thought they were a myth."


    "Thest dragon was killed by our Alpha," Joan said proudly, as if that was supposed to be a good thing. "So now they¡¯re bringing the skull back to the pack."


    I stared at her like she¡¯d grown three heads.


    "The same Alpha who talks to himself, tried to force ra to be sacrificed to ¡¯test loyalty,¡¯ and randomly fires arrows at butterflies?"


    "That one!" Joan beamed.


    I opened my mouth to ask how that skull would fit in the pack¡¯s already cursed by the crazy psycho Alpha when BOOM! The door exploded open like it owed somebody money. One boot stomp.Two. ra fainted on the spot. Joan dropped to her knees so fast she might¡¯ve cracked the floor. My soul left my body temporarily, but I managed to join her in kneeling. He was here again. Alpha psycho! He scanned the room like he was picking ingredients for a potion. Then his finger shot up. He pointed at me. "Follow me." My stomach somersaulted. He turned without waiting. I had no choice. Because if you disobey Alpha Psycho, you might end up in his next "what-if-I-skinned-an-Omega" experiment or his usual strangle you I quickly ran after him without wasting anymore time. We walked down the long corridor in tense silence. I noticed he was walking faster than usual, probably trying to make my stubby Omega legs work overtime.


    When we reached his office, I expected to be shoved into a pit or handed a contract to sign my soul over to Satan. But instead


    A room full of people were already seated. High-ranking wolves. Advisors, The Luna.


    All of them turned as we entered. I stopped dead in my tracks.


    "WHAT?! Did this psycho leave a full council waiting just toe drag me here like a bag of potatoes?"


    "Yes. Yes, I did. Let them wait. They¡¯re all boring. I wanted to bring my pretty little toad to spice up the room."


    Heughed in his inner voice. What is he up to again this time? I looked like I was about to pass out. He pulled out a chair for me and patted it. "Sit." Everyone stared at me. Even the Luna¡¯s left eyebrow raised by one dramatic centimeter. I sat down obedientlyin silence. Then he turned to the table and pped once.


    "Let¡¯s begin."


    And just like that, the meeting resumed.


    As one Elder droned on about border security, the Alpha¡¯s thoughts kept popping into my brain like unwanted spam emails.


    "Look at Elder Munroe. That mole on his nose is getting bigger. Probably plotting its own coup."


    "Why does Luna wear so much perfume? I can smell her three towns away."


    "Should I rece the advisors with roons? They¡¯d probably make better decisions."


    I was dying. I was literally wheezing from trying not tough. And then¡ªoh no. He looked at me dead in the eyes.


    "Why does she always wear that faded dress? Looks like she wrestled a tornado in it. Still... cute."


    "Her lips twitch when she¡¯s nervous. Like a toad. My beautiful little toad."


    Oh God, Kill me, just Kill me now. I pressed my hands to my face, trying to hide my expression. Joan was right, I was going to die here. He kept taunting everyone. Out loud, he was calm andposed. But inside? He was a full-blown maniac.


    "If this meeting goes on another minute, I¡¯m going to yeet this table out the window."


    Finally, after an hour of nonsense and absolute power-y madness, he dismissed the council. Everyone stood, bowed, and began to file out, Except me. Because the psycho held up one finger.


    "You. Stay."


    I swear, my kidneys tried to escape my body.


    Everyone else was gone now. Just me and him. He walked over to his massive, ridiculous chair, sat down like a dark emperor, and stared at me.


    "You tried to run," he said.


    My mouth went dry, oh God not again "W-what?"


    "You¡¯re thinking about escaping . I can smell the thought on you."


    How did he know that?


    He didn¡¯t know I could hear his thoughts. But he assumed he could read mine. Typical narcissist.


    "You want to leave me, Elie?" he asked, voice soft.


    I swallowed. "No, Alpha I swear I¡¯m not trying to escape, I promise. I said shaking.


    He leaned forward.


    "You¡¯re shaped like a tiny potato with anxiety issues. But cute. Very cute. I want to hang you on my wall. He stood.


    I stood, too, instinctively, what is he talking about now? He walked around me in slow circles.


    "Such tiny hands. Can they even hold a knife? Hmm. Should test that."


    "Elie," he said out loud. "I¡¯ve decided something."


    braced myself for the worst.


    "You will be in charge of guarding the dragon skull."


    My brain exploded.


    "WHAT?!"


    "Yes," he smirked. "You¡¯ll clean it. Polish it. Talk to it. I don¡¯t care. It¡¯s your new best friend."


    "But¡ª"


    "No buts. Or I¡¯ll cut yours off."


    I nodded furiously. "Yes, Alpha."


    He turned back to his desk and began writing. I took that as my cue to sprint out of the room like the floor wasva.


    By the time I got back to the omegas quarters, ra had recovered from her faint and Joan was eating burnt bread like it was gourmet. They both looked up.


    "Elie, what happened?"


    "I¡¯m guarding a dragon skull now."


    They blinked as I copsed on the floor.


    "Guys," I wheezed. "I think the Alpha¡¯s in love with me." And Joan, bless her soul, startedughing so hard she nearly fell off the bench.


    "Elie," she said through tears. "You¡¯re screwed."

 Chapter 17

    <h4>Chapter 17: Chapter 17</h4>


    The earth trembled beneath our feet, just slightly, as if thend itself recognized the majesty of what was approaching. I stood beside the crazy Alpha, my hands sped tightly in front of me, the morning sun casting a golden glow across the open field where the warriors had assembled.


    Today was a historic day. The day the Dragon Skull arrived. Not a replica. Not a painted version carved from wood or molded from bronze. No, this was the dragon skull¡ªthe real one. The remains of a creature so ancient and powerful, most thought it belonged in legends. A relic that had only ever existed in history books...until now, My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of excitement and reverence.


    "Are you alright?" Alpha Zack asked beside me, his deep voice snapping me out of my thoughts.


    "What? Did this psycho just ask me if I was all right? Oh God, what is happening to him today? I looked up at him. Tall. Stoic. Powerful. His jet-ck hair was tied back in a warrior¡¯s knot, and the silver Alpha mark on his cor shimmered under the light. He looked every inch the fearsome leader he was known to be.


    "Yes Alpha," I whispered, unable to hide the awe in my voice. "I never imagined I¡¯d live to see a dragon skull in person."


    He gave a short nod. No smile. No sign of emotion. But his eyes flickered, just for a second, betraying a hint of pride. Of course he was proud. He had killed the dragon himself as they said. The psycho Alpha is definitely the strongest Alpha in this werewolf world. I overheard some pack members talking about how he was the one who had faced thest remaining dragon in a brutal battle thatsted three nights and two days in the Dreaded Hignds. And he had returned not just alive, but victorious.


    It was said he didn¡¯t even shift into his wolf form until the final blow, that he fought most of it in human form, relying only on instinct, strategy, and unshakable resolve. Now the skull, massive and scorched from ancient mes, was being transported across the pds to be mounted in the sacred hall. It would be a symbol of victory, of power, of fear. And above all, of Alpha Zack. The warriors stood in formation, their postures rigid, expressions unreadable, but I could feel the undercurrent of excitement running through the air like a storm about to break.


    Then it came into view.


    Two dozen massive ck horses, bred from the Shadow Herd, pulled a reinforced cart, creaking with the weight of the dragon¡¯s head. Behind them were thirty guards from the Bloodfang Elite, nking the relic with drawn des and full armor.


    Gasps rippled through the ranks. Even the most hardened warriors leaned forward to get a better look. I couldn¡¯t breathe for a moment. The skull was enormous. At least ten feet from snout to the base of the neck, its surface marred with w marks and burns. Jagged teeth, as long as my arm, gleamed like ivory daggers. The hollow eye sockets stared ahead like portals into another time. My knees nearly gave way. I gripped the edge of my cloak and turned to Alpha Zack. He looked at me like he wanted to rip my throat off and i let go of him immediately


    "This psycho must be very powerful, I choked on the words. "This is incredible, he really killed that?"


    He didn¡¯t respond at first, just watched the skull as it passed slowly by us. Then, finally, he said, "It was necessary."


    I shook my head, utterly in awe. "He¡¯s more than just strong. He¡¯s legendary. No other Alpha could have done this. No one else would¡¯ve even survived long enough tond the first blow. His really deserves to be the alpha of this pack. Before I could finish thest statement in my head, a strange sound cut through the air.


    "Wheeeeee! Look at the teeth! So sharp! So white! I want to touch it! I want to climb on it! This is the best day of my life!"


    I blinked, confused. The voice hade from...somewhere. But no one around me had moved.


    Everyone else was still serious. Focused. Reverent. Not a single warrior had cracked a smile. No one looked like they were squealing with joy.


    Maybe I was hearing things. I looked at Alpha Zack again. He hadn¡¯t moved, his face still carved from stone. His arms crossed over his chest. His expression is unreadable. Then the voice came again, even louder this time, filled with pure, childlike excitement.


    "IT¡¯S A REAL DRAGON SKULL! AAAAAH! I¡¯VE ONLY EVER SEEN DRAWINGS! I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE SMALLER! THIS IS SO COOL!"


    My mouth opened in shock. It¡¯s the psycho¡¯s inner voice. I tilted my head slowly toward him, who remained perfectly still.


    Alpha psycho. The strongest, coldest, most fearsome Alpha in the entire realm. The one who could crush a skull with his bare hands, the one who is always looking for ways to strangle me. He was squealing inside his own head like a pup at a candy store.


    "I wonder if I can keep one of the teeth! No, no, that would be stealing. But maybe just one. It¡¯s not like anyone would miss it. Or maybe I can take the tongue¡ªwait, skulls don¡¯t have tongues. Ugh. Why didn¡¯t I keep the tongue when I had the chance?!" He said in his inner voice


    I nearly choked trying not tough. He waspletely losing his mind internally while maintaining the perfect image of stoicism on the outside. I pressed a hand to my mouth to stop myself from giggling, pretending I was coughing.


    "I¡¯m so proud of myself," his inner voice continued. "So proud. This will look so cool in the hall. Everyone will think I¡¯m a badass¡ªwhich I am¡ªbut now they¡¯ll see it too."


    "Should I name the skull? No. That¡¯s stupid. Okay maybe something cool like mefang. No. Shadowmaw. Yes! Shadowmaw the Destroyed. That¡¯s epic."


    At this point, I was physically trembling from trying not tough. I turned away under the pretense of wiping something from my eye, shoulders shaking as I silently wheezed into my sleeve.


    Alpha Zack gave me a sidelong nce. And I immediately straightened myself.


    "Silly toad, she must be excited to see the dragon skull too. He said in his inner voice before looking away from me.


    Excited is an understatement for me, I wish I have a camera to take pictures, I said to myself.


    "OH MY GOD I CAN¡¯T WAIT TO SHOW THIS TO THE OTHER ALPHAS. I¡¯M GONNA FLEX SO HARD. MAYBE I SHOULD STAND ON IT FOR THE CEREMONY. YES. STAND ON THE SKULL LIKE A KING. Or maybe sit on it? Like a throne? No. Too much. Too much. Or is it?" He continued in his inner voice.


    I bit the inside of my cheek so hard I almost drew blood. There was something hrious, something human about hearing this terrifying, emotionless psycho alpha be so damn happy over a giant skull. Maybe he isn¡¯t that bad after all.


    The cart finally rolled to a stop in front of the sacred hall. The warriors split into two rows, forming a path of honor. The ceremonial guards stepped forward with shields raised, creating a wall of gleaming silver on either side.


    Alpha Zack moved then, taking a step forward to lead the procession. He looked majestic. Powerful. Untouchable. But in his head?


    "I hope nobody notices how excited I am. I need to walk slowly. Powerfully. Like I do this every day. Maybe add a little swagger. No. Too much. Calm down. You¡¯re cool. You¡¯re Alpha Zack. The dragon yer. The beast. The legend."


    I was going to die. Right here. Right now. Death byughter. As he walked, I followed close behind with the rest of the ranking members, trying to glue my face into a neutral expression. But my heart was doing cartwheels inside my chest. The cold, ruthless Alpha was nothing like the mask he wore. Inside, he was chaotic. Loud. Dramatic. Childishly excited. And...kind of adorable?


    No. No, Elie. Focus, he will strangle you if you don¡¯t focus.


    "Maybe I should get a painting of this moment. No. A statue! A GIANT STATUE! Of me fighting the dragon. I¡¯llmission the best sculptor in the realm. It¡¯ll be legendary. My abs better look amazing." He said in his inner voice.


    I snorted out loud. Several heads turned.


    Alpha Zack nced at me, just once. I coughed violently. "Sorry A-Alpha


    He frowned, then turned his attention back to the ceremony. I exhaled shakily. I was not going to survive this day.Not with the psycho Alpha screaming joyfully in his head every five seconds. But what can I do? He¡¯s so adorable. Wait? What? Did I just said this psycho looks adorable? Oh no.

 Chapter 18

    <h4>Chapter 18: Chapter 18</h4>


    There are many things in life one can survive. A broken bone.the ER, Even heartbreak, but hearing this psycho¡¯s thoughts, That¡¯s traumatizing for me.


    Ever since I transmigrated into this worldnding squarely in the body of the timid, low-ranking Elie of Silverfang Pack, i had been cursed. Not cursed in the traditional, hexed-by-a-witch sort of way. No. I was cursed with the ability to hear the unfiltered, untamed, unholy thoughts of this crazy Alpha Zack. And I can¡¯t control it anymore.


    Because while he looked like a perfectly sculpted statue of war and wrath on the outside, inside his head was a screaming gremlin child with too much sugar and not enough supervision. Right now, we were in the Hall of Victory. The dragon skull had been ced at the center of the chamber, and everyone had gathered to admire it.


    Well, almost everyone.


    Alpha Zack was standing at the front, seated on the high tform in his signature ck-and-silver war cloak, arms crossed, jaw clenched. On the outside, he looked bored, but in the Inside?


    "I SWEAR IF THIS USELESS ALPHA LEADER TELLS ME ONE MORE TIME THAT THE SKULL SHOULD FACE ¡¯NORTHWEST FOR SPIRITUAL ALIGNMENT,¡¯ I¡¯M GOING TO SPIN IT MYSELF UNTIL HIS HEAD FALLS OFF." He was cursing in his inner voice.


    I blinked rapidly, swallowing a squeak.


    Alpha Zander, one of the visiting Alphas from the East Territory, was currently talking about energy flow and the direction of the dragon¡¯s snout like this was some kind of interior decorating meeting. Poor man didn¡¯t realize he was one breath away from beingunched across the chamber by a flying dragon tooth. I stood near the corner, behind the ranking members, trying to blend into the shadows. As usual. Because thest thing I needed was Alpha Zack¡¯s attention. When he focused on someone, things caught fire. People got stabbed. Wolves lost limbs.


    And yet, he still won¡¯t let me breath in peace.


    "I¡¯m so bored. I hate everyone. That guy¡¯s beard is too long. That other guy¡¯sugh sounds like a dying roon. Why is no one praising me more for the dragon? I literally killed a dragon. BY MYSELF."


    My lips twitched. I bit the inside of my cheek hard enough to taste blood. Then it happened.


    Alpha Zander shifted his weight and tried to sit in one of the ceremonial chairs. He was arge man, massive, actually and the ancient oak chair let out a pathetic groan under his weight.


    Zack¡¯s voice in his head was immediate.


    "Oh look, a boulder trying to pretend it¡¯s a feather. Sit down gently, you walrus. That chair¡¯s older than your ancestors."


    He¡¯s cursing Alpha Zander in his inner voice


    The chair cracked as soon as Alpha Zander¡¯s butt hits it. Zack¡¯s internal screech escted.


    "HA! I KNEW IT. THAT CHAIR STOOD FOR FIVE GENERATIONS UNTIL YOU SAT ON IT, YOU JABBA-SHAPED HIPPOPOTAMUS."


    I snorted. Loudly, this time I couldn¡¯t control myughter. I saw Zack¡¯s eyes flick toward me. A single nce. But it held the weight of a thousand thunderstorms. My soul left my body.


    "Whoughed?" he asked aloud, voice like thunder wrapped in silk. Everyone froze.


    Even Zander stopped mid-sit, the broken chair forgotten as terror spread through the room. I swallowed hard. Oh God, this is it. Think, Elie. Think! But my mouth was already faster than my brain.


    "I-I just... I was thinking, he¡¯s not that big..."


    Everywhere was silent immediately. Every pair of eyes in the hall turned to me. Zack¡¯s stare sharpened into something dangerous. Something that said: Repeat that. I dare you.


    His mind, however?


    "EXCUSE ME? I AM HUGE. I¡¯M LITERALLY BUILT LIKE A GOD. DOES SHE THINK I¡¯M SMALL? I LIFT BODIES FOR FUN. MY ABS COULD GRATE CHEESE. WHO EVEN IS SHE?" He yelled in his inner voice.


    Panic overtook me. I raised my voice, speaking faster than I could breathe. "I mean, not you, Alpha! You¡¯re obviously... veryrge. In a good way! Very alpha! I was referring to... someone else! Yes! A... um... tree! I was thinking of a skinny tree!"


    Zack¡¯s eyebrow twitched and Someone in the corner gasped.


    "Stupid toad. But also did she just say I¡¯mrge in a good way? That¡¯s right. She gets it. She sees it. Maybe she¡¯s not so dumb after all." I¡¯m the sexiest wolf on earth. He said in his inner voice.


    Oh God He wasplimenting himself.


    Again.


    "I should take off my cloak. Let her see the full view. No, too early. She might faint. But she has already seen me almost naked several times? But maybe if I ¡¯identally¡¯ rip a sleeveter during training. But she¡¯s an omega, why do I care if she sees my hot body?"


    "Can this psycho just stop talking to himself? My head is about to explode. I pressed myself into the wall. I couldn¡¯t keep doing this.


    "Dismiss them," his internal voice whispered to himself. "Send them away. I need time. Alone. With her. So I can torment her slowly. Maybe tie her up and make her clean my sword collection. One by one. While I monologue."


    Oh God! No no that was my cue to run.


    But just as he opened his mouth to speak to actually dismiss the entire room just to psycho-flirt and possibly murder me, I blurted, "Would you like some noodles?"


    The entire hall went dead silent again.


    Even the floor seemed to hold its breath.


    Alpha Zack stared at me like I had grown another head. My heart pounded violently in my chest. What had I done?! I just asked the most feared Alpha in existence if he wanted noodles. Then, his inner voice broke the silence.


    "NOODLES?!!! I LOVE NOODLES. DID SHE JUST OFFER ME NOODLES? SHE LOVES ME. SHE DEFINITELY LOVES ME."


    He was bouncing. In his head, he was literally doing a happy dance.


    "YES. YES. I WANT NOODLES. SPICY. EXTRA SPICY. FLAMES OF HELL. COOK FOR ME, SILLY TOAD.


    I choked, psycho,


    "You want me to cook the noodles right now Alpha?" I asked softly, regretting it instantly.


    Alpha Zack blinked slowly. His outer self was already recovering. Cold, expressionless.


    "If you insist," he said tly, with a casual shrugged Inside? But his inner voice was saying something else.


    "I¡¯M GOING TO EAT TEN BOWLS. I¡¯M GOING TO LICK THE BOWL. I¡¯LL EAT IT OFF HER FINGERS.


    I needed therapy.!He stood slowly, motioning to the room. "Meeting dismissed."


    The others left quickly, sensing the shift in mood. Zander limped away, holding the remains of the broken chair. Now it was just me and him alone again In a giant hall. With a dragon skull and enough unspoken tension to melt stone. I turned, ready to dash to the kitchen and pray he didn¡¯t follow me.


    But of course, he did. Because why wouldn¡¯t the unhinged Alpha follow the girl who offered him noodles? He walked behind me in total silence, his boots echoing like death itself. But his thoughts?


    "She walks so fast. Is she trying to escape? Too bad. I¡¯ming with her.let me see how she will escape from me no,


    I nced back. "Do you... want to wait here?"


    "No," he said coolly. "I¡¯m supervising."


    In his head: "I¡¯M GONNA WATCH HER STIR THE SAUCE. STIR IT, MY QUEEN. STIR IT LIKE THE SPIRIT OF THE DRAGON."


    I reached the kitchen, lit the fire, and pulled ingredients with shaky hands. My fingers trembled as I sliced vegetables. The crazy Alpha stood by the door with his arms crossed, watching me.


    "She cuts so neatly. Precision. Deadly. Efficient. Is she a ninja? Or maybe a retired assassin? Or a cooking goddess? Look at those hands. Those hands could break a man. Or serve soup. I¡¯m not sure which is hotter."


    "Do you want peppers?" I asked, just to break the silence.


    "Yes," he replied.


    "ALL THE PEPPERS. I WANT TO SWEAT. I WANT TO CRY. I WANT TO FEEL ALIVE."


    I dropped the chili kes in out of spite.


    Ten minutester, I handed him the bowl.


    He sat at the kitchen table, staring at the noodles like they were made of gold.


    Then, solemnly, he picked up the fork, then took one bite.


    And then without changing his expression he muttered, "eptable." While Inside?


    "THIS IS THE BEST THING I¡¯VE EVER TASTED. I¡¯M GOING TO BUILD HER A SHRINE. NOODLE GODDESS. I WILL SLAUGHTER A PIG IN HER HONOR."


    I leaned against the wall, stunned. Because somehow, me, the weak, low-ranked, terrified transmigrated girl was feeding the most dangerous Alpha in existence, no, the most psychotic Alpha and he was internallyposing haikus about noodles. I didn¡¯t know what tomorrow would bring. But I knew one thing for sure. If I survived this lunatic, I deserved a crown. And I need to leave here. I need to get back to my life. With this crazy psycho always lurking around me, I don¡¯t know how long I can survive.

 Chapter 19

    <h4>Chapter 19: Chapter 19</h4>


    Sleep. That rare, beautiful gift. Something I was rarely blessed with ever since bing his omega. But that night? That one, pitiful, exhausted night? I finally got it. After twelve solid hours of servitude, polishing swords used in actual executions, sewing decorative wolf pelts onto curtains that didn¡¯t need wolf pelts, wiping down a throne that probably still had rogue blood under the cushions I copsed into my hay bed in the omega quarters like a corpse tossed into a cart.


    My arms ached. My legs screamed. My spirit whispered, "Goodbye, cruel world."


    The snoring of fellow omegas around me felt like a luby. I wrapped myself in my ragged nket, curled like a dead insect, and let the blissful dark take me Until it happened. Until he happened. Until the voice slithered into my mind, soft and eerie, and very much uninvited.


    "Look at her. Sleeping like prey. So innocent. So breakable."


    I flinched in my sleep. Was I dreaming?


    "Her breath is so slow. I could count them until she stops."


    My body twitched. I tried to convince myself I was dreaming. Delirious. Hallucinating. I mean, of course I was. I had just spent all day organizing Alpha Zack¡¯s murder dagger collection by sharpness-to-screaming ratio. My brain had snapped. This was a hallucination. That voice? That was the subconscious crying for help. But then it continued.


    "She has a tiny scar on her cheek. Probably from when she fell as a child. Should I kiss it or rip it open?"


    My eyes flew open and I felt cold, like someone had dropped ice down my back.


    The omega quarters were dark and quiet. The others were still asleep dreaming of berries, soup, or non-psychotic Alphas.and I was staring at the shadows in the corner.


    And that¡¯s when I saw him. Crouching like a panther. Shirtless. Grinning like he¡¯d just found a squirrel in a trap. Crazy Alpha. He was staring at me. Right. At. Me. And then he moved closer. Silently. Swiftly. Like fog crawling over the graveyard floor. My breath caught in my throat. I tried to scream, but nothing came out. And then he leaned down and kissed my forehead softly and warmly


    Like a deranged prince charming kissing a sleeping corpse.


    "So warm. She smells like fear and soap. Delicious."


    iling out of my hay bed, I flipped over two other omegas and mmed into the chamber wall with a shriek that could¡¯ve woken the Moon Goddess herself. He blinked slowly, like I¡¯d just interrupted a peaceful pic. I scrambled backward on all fours, breathing like a hunted squirrel, clutching my nket like it was body armor.


    He tilted his head at me. "You¡¯re awake."


    I didn¡¯t speak. I didn¡¯t even nod. I just vibrated in pure, unfiltered fear.


    "So twitchy. I love it. She¡¯s like a wind-up toy full of anxiety."


    I bit down on a whimper. He stood fully, looming like a statue of death, and casually said, "I want noodles."


    I blinked. What? Noodles again? Was this a fever dream?


    "If she refuses, I¡¯ll strangle her. Gently. Just a little. Enough to remind her who owns her breath."


    My whole body locked. I nodded once, very slowly and then bolted from the quarters like a chicken that had seen the cleaver.


    Fifteen Minutes Later, I was in the Kitchen The pot of water bubbled like my nerves angrily, violently, and at the edge of explosion, I stirred the noodles like I was casting a desperate spell. Alpha Zack sat on a high stool in the corner of the kitchen, one leg propped up, watching me with that unnerving stillness that only truly unstable people possess. He hadn¡¯t said a word since we got here. But his inner voice? It wouldn¡¯t shut up.


    "Her back is cute. So small. I could snap it or paint it. Hard to decide."


    I whimpered softly.


    "She stirs like she¡¯s afraid the pot will attack her. Or maybe she¡¯s afraid I will."


    I almost dropped the spoon.


    "This scent. Chili, garlic, sweat, and fear. My favorite dinnerbo."


    I dropped the spoon and the crazy psycho chuckled. That sound theugh of a predator watching his prey trip into a trap. I bent down, picked up the spoon with shaking hands, and continued cooking like my life depended on it. Because it did.


    "I could just take one bite. Of the noodles. Of her. Both? No. Not yet."


    I blinked rapidly, my eyes blurring with panic tears. He leaned forward slowly, elbows on knees.


    "Faster, little toad. I¡¯m starving."


    I nodded like a scared child in front of a hungry ghost. Minutester, the noodles were ready. Spicy, red, and steaming.


    I ced the bowl in front of him with both hands, barely able to hold it steady.


    He inhaled deeply, eyes rolling back slightly.


    Then he took one long, deliberate bite and groaned. Yes, groaned, like this was the highlight of his life.


    "This," he murmured, licking the chopsticks clean, "tastes like fear and perfection."


    I stood motionless, too afraid to breathe.


    "She cooks like she¡¯s afraid I will kill her if it¡¯s bad. Which is fair. I would."


    "A-Alpha can I go back to sleep now?"


    He waved me off with his left hand which I interpreted as yes and I bolted. I just ran out of the kitchen like a banshee on fire, barely managing to keep from screaming. Straight to the omegas quarters. I threw myself back onto my hay pile, pulled the nket over my head, and whispered a trembling mantra.


    "I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m safe. He¡¯s eating. He¡¯s probably too full to murder. He¡¯s noting back. He¡¯s not¡ª"


    "Maybe I¡¯ll visit her again. Maybe I¡¯ll build a little cage beside my bed for her. She¡¯d look cute in iron."


    I screamed again internally, of course. I couldn¡¯t wake the others. I didn¡¯t want them to know the truth. That I was being haunted by a voice no one else could hear. I was the only one. The only one who could hear the psycho Alpha Zack¡¯s thoughts. The psycho Alpha. The nightmare of the northern border. The man who used severed rogue ears as curtain tassels. And his inner voice was getting louder. More intense. More disturbing


    "Goodnight, little bunny. I¡¯ll see you again. In your dreams. Or under your bed."


    I curled into a ball, whimpering softly. I was losing my sanity. Thirty minutester and I still couldn¡¯t sleep. I couldn¡¯t stay in the quarters. Every shadow looked like him. Every breeze felt like his breath. So I snuck out, thinking maybe a walk would help. Maybe fresh air would clear my head, and that was a very big mistake on my part, because as soon as I turned. Alpha Zack. Standing shirtless in front of his room, casually brushing his teeth with a twig dipped in honey, the psych saw me and smiled. I didn¡¯t wait for another minute I started running back to the omegas quarters And behind me, I swear I heard


    "She follows me like a little ghost. I should get her a cor. With bells."


    Crazy man,I muttered under my breath as I closed the door of the omegas quarters. As sat on my bed.


    I remember curling into a ball with my back to the wall, my arms folded protectively over my chest, the moonlight spilling faintly across the floor. Then I heard it, A voice. Low, Silky, Unmistakably his voice again


    "She smells like cinnamon... no, no... she smells like my cinnamon..."


    I froze in the dream or maybe I was already dreaming? I couldn¡¯t tell anymore. The room looked the same, but everything felt slower. Louder. My breaths were echoing inside my own skull.


    "Elie..."


    His voice slithered across my skin like a cold wind and I was still lying there on my mat, but I couldn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t blink. I couldn¡¯t even scream. Was this sleep paralysis? Was I being possessed? Then he stepped into view.


    Alpha Zack. Dressed in shadows, barefoot, no cloak, no crown just his wild ck hair tousled around his sharp jaw and his eyes glowing like twinnterns in the dark. His pupils were wide, unblinking, watching me like I was a mouse he nned to swallow whole.


    "She didn¡¯t even flinch when I crushed that man¡¯s skull today... She belongs to me."


    My heart mmed against my ribs.


    He was thinking, not speaking. But I could hear his thoughts.


    "I will kiss her now. Just a little test. If she doesn¡¯t wake up, she¡¯s mine."


    No. No, no, no. This had to be a dream. A hallucination. I¡¯m made sure of it!


    "She breathes like a rabbit. Fragile. Stupid. Pretty."


    He knelt beside me, and his shadow swallowed everything else. I could see nothing but the curve of his mouth as it lowered toward my forehead.


    I screamed inside my mind, but my body wouldn¡¯t obey.


    Then I felt it soft. Warm. His lips. On my lips


    My entire body ignited in frozen horror.


    "There. Mine. Marked. I should eat her. Or forcefully make her my mate. My eyes flung open, I jerked upright, panting, sweating, but I wasn¡¯t in my room, I was in a cage?


    A golden birdcage. Dangling in mid-air. The floor below me was ss and under the ss, there were wolves fighting. Snarling. Killing. Alpha Zack stood below, in a throne made of dragon bones, slurping noodles.


    "You forgot the sauce," he said casually, twirling a noodle with a bloody w.


    "I... I didn¡¯t make this!" I shouted. "I¡¯m just an omega!"


    "Exactly," he grinned. "My omega, My favorite little noodle chef."


    "I don¡¯t even like noodles!" I screamed back, tears stinging my eyes. He stood, and the wolves below parted. He jumped up impossibly high andnded inside the golden cage with me, his grin widening.


    "You smell scared," he whispered, cing one cold hand on my cheek. "I like that."


    "P-please don¡¯t kill me..."


    "I won¡¯t kill you," he cooed. "I¡¯ll just take a little bite."


    Then he opened his mouth and his teeth were sharp, jagged, dripping with ink and fire. I saw the heads of other omegas hanging from his belt. I shrieked and kicked, trying to escape, but the cage shrank smaller and smaller, until we were nose to nose, and his breath fogged up my mind.


    "You¡¯re mine, Elie," he whispered. "Even in your dreams."


    I bolted upright in real life, drenched in sweat. It was still night. The moonlight hadn¡¯t moved. I touched my forehead. It was warm like someone had just kissed it.


    No. No, no, no. It was just a dream. It had to be. I stumbled from my mat and rushed to the wash basin, sshing water onto my face. My hands were shaking.


    "Just a dream," I whispered aloud, trying to believe it. Then I heard it, his voice again A faint whisper inside my head.


    "Don¡¯t forget the noodles..."


    I screamed. Loudly. Violently. I threw the basin across the room, copsing into the corner. I didn¡¯t sleep for the rest of the night.

 Chapter 20

    <h4>Chapter 20: Chapter 20</h4>


    You know how people say sleep is the cousin of death?


    Well,st night, I think I died about six times. Not in the peaceful, ¡¯rest in peace¡¯ kind of way but in the I¡¯m going to have a heart attack because the psycho Alpha is standing over my bed again for no reason kind of way. I hadn¡¯t slept a wink. Not a single. Blink. Of sleep. My eyebags had gone beyond the normal "tired omega" stage and entered the "did you get punched in both eyes?" territory. They were swollen, dark, and I could feel them sagging like they had gained their own weight and gravity.


    Why? Because he kept talking to himself well, not exactly himself. His inner voice. The one that apparently, for some evil reason, only I could hear.


    Inner Voice (low, mocking):


    "I wonder if she knows how funny she looks. Two ck moons under her eyes. Like a roon that¡¯s been crying all night. Or maybe a corpse that refused to stay in the grave. He said in his inner voice


    I froze mid-step.


    I had just entered the Alpha¡¯s office to resume my duties basically, delivering documents and pretending I didn¡¯t exist when his voice slithered into my brain again.


    The worst part? His lips weren¡¯t moving. He was sitting at his desk, signing papers like nothing was wrong, like he wasn¡¯t roasting my entire existence in his head. I swallowed hard. "G¨CGood morning, Alpha."


    "She looks like she¡¯s about to copse. If she copses, I will drag her to the healer. Or maybe I will just watch her fall. Would be fun to see her face hit the floor. He said again in his inner voice.


    My knees buckled so fast I almost fulfilled his fantasy right there.


    "Are you¡ª" He nced up at me, eyes narrowing, shaking again?"


    I quickly straightened up, clutching the papers to my chest like a lifeline. "N¨CNo, Alpha. Just...just cold." Which was a lie. It was summer. I was sweating. His eyes lingered on me for a moment longer, then he stood.


    "Come. Walk with me."


    Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no.


    A walk meant more alone time. More inner voice. More chances for me to hear things I didn¡¯t want to hear. Still, saying "no" to the psycho Alpha was basically like asking for an early funeral, so I followed him. My legs felt like jelly. We walked through the pack¡¯s central courtyard. Warriors were training, omegas were cleaning, and I was silently praying that someone, anyone, would trip and cause a distraction big enough to save me.


    "Her steps are too small. Like a mouse. A mouse with eyebags. I could crush her with my boot. He said in his inner voice.


    I nearly tripped over my own feet. The crazy nced at me again. "What¡¯s wrong with you today?"


    I bit my lip. "Nothing, Alpha. Just... tired."


    "She¡¯s lucky she¡¯s still breathing. I could have ended herst night when I stood by her bed. She didn¡¯t even notice the knife. I did notice the knife. I just pretended I didn¡¯t because I wanted to survive. We walked past the training grounds, heading toward the southern border path. The air was crisp, but my skin felt mmy. Every sound he made every sigh, every footstep was apanied by anotherment in my head that made me want to dig my own grave and crawl inside. And then it happened. We turned a corner, and there they were.


    A patrol guard one of the Alpha¡¯s own men and a young omega girl were tucked into a shadowed corner, kissing like their lives depended on it. They didn¡¯t see us. Big mistake. The Alpha froze, and I saw his jaw tighten.


    " Patrolling the borders? No. He¡¯s patrolling her lips. Disgusting. Worthless. Weak. I should tear out his throat and make her watch until her screams stop. His inner voice now sharp and furious.


    I stopped breathing.


    Oh no. Oh, no. Someone¡¯s About to die. The Alpha¡¯s hands clenched into fists. His aura red so strongly that the air felt heavier.


    He didn¡¯t speak out loud. Not yet.


    "How dare they touch here? In my territory? While on duty? I will break his bones one by one. I will rip her apart. I will feed them to the crows. He said in his inner voice, which was now sounding dangerous and vicious.


    I felt sick. Really, really sick.


    "Alpha¡ª" I whispered, "maybe we should just¡ª"


    Toote. He moved like lightning. One second he was next to me, the next he was on the patrol guard, mming him into the wall with bone-cracking force. The omega girl screamed, but he didn¡¯t hesitate. His ws extended, and before I could even blink blood. So much blood. It sprayed across the wall, the ground, and even speckled my dress. I stood frozen, hands mped over my mouth. The guard didn¡¯t even have time to beg before his throat was gone. The Alpha tossed his body aside like trash and turned to the omega girl. She backed away, shaking, but he was faster. He grabbed her by the neck.


    "She smells like him. Tainted. Useless. Let¡¯s see how far I can throw her before she stops breathing. He said in his inner voice


    "No¡ª" I tried to speak, but my voice came out as a squeak.


    With one brutal motion, he snapped her neck. Her body crumpled to the ground.


    Then everywhere was silent, Except for the sound of my own heart pounding in my ears.


    The crazy Alpha stood there, breathing heavily, his hands dripping crimson. His expression was calm. Too calm. Then his head turned toward me.


    "She¡¯s pale. She will faint. Yes, any second now. He said in his inner voice mocking me


    He was right. My vision blurred, the world tilted, and I copsed. Thest thing I saw before everything went dark was his face smiling faintly as if this had been the highlight of his day.


    When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was... the smell. Not theforting smell of clean sheets or fresh bread. No. It was the sharp, metallic tang of blood thick, suffocating, clinging to my nose and throat like invisible fingers. I gasped and sat up too quickly. Bad idea. My head spun, and I flopped back down with a groan.


    "You¡¯re awake."


    The voice was deep, calm, and way too close.


    I turned my head.


    There he was. The psycho Alpha himself. Sitting in a chair by the bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, eyes locked on me like I was some strange animal he was studying.


    "She faints like a delicate little flower. Maybe I should water her with more blood next time. He said in his inner voice.


    I almost rolled out of bed in panic. My heart leaped so high it nearly burst through my ribs.


    "You¡ªyou killed them," I stammered, gripping the nket like it could shield me from him.


    He tilted his head slightly. "Yes. And?"


    And? What did he mean and? There was no and! People don¡¯t just answer murder usations with and like it¡¯s an afterthought!


    "She¡¯s still shaking. Good. Fear keeps them obedient. I could teach the others a lesson through her. He said in his inner voice.


    I squeezed my eyes shut. If I couldn¡¯t see him, maybe I could pretend he wasn¡¯t there.


    Spoiler: it didn¡¯t work. His voice inside my head was louder than the actual room.


    When I opened my eyes again, he was closer. Much closer. I could see a small drop of dried blood still clinging to his jawline. My stomach flipped.


    "Why... why did you¡ª" I swallowed hard, "¡ªdo it?"


    "Why? Because I can. Because it was fun. Because they broke my rules, and I like to watch life drain from their eyes. He said in his inner voice.


    My hands shook so badly I nearly tore the nket. "I... I see."


    "You see what?" His real voice was low, dangerous.


    "That rules are important?" I blurted, forcing a weak smile.


    He leaned back slowly, studying me like he could tell I was lying. Maybe he could.


    "If she ever lies too much, I¡¯ll cut out her tongue and keep it in a jar. He said in his inner voice again.


    I choked. Literally. My own saliva betrayed me, and I started coughing like an idiot. He raised one eyebrow, looking mildly entertained.


    "You are jumpy today," he remarked.


    "Today?" I squeaked. "Just today?"


    That earned me a faint smirk. "Come. Walk with me."


    No. No more walks. Thest walk ended with corpses.


    But my mouth betrayed me. "Yes, Alpha."


    The courtyard looked different now. It wasn¡¯t brighter or prettier if anything, it felt colder, heavier. Warriors I passed avoided my eyes, and omegas gave me wide berths. Word of what happened had probably spread like wildfire. I kept my head down, following behind him like a shadow. Maybe if I stayed quiet, he wouldn¡¯t


    "She¡¯s too quiet. Like she¡¯s hiding something. Maybe I should break a bone and see if she screams. He said in his inner voice viciously.


    My foot caught on a loose stone, and I stumbled. He caught my arm before I fell, his grip firm, almost too firm.


    "You need to watch where you¡¯re going," he said.


    I nodded quickly. "Yes, Alpha."


    We passed a pair of young omegas scrubbing the steps. They froze, bowing low. His eyes lingered on them for a moment too long, and my stomach tightened. Every time he looked at someone like that, it never ended well.


    "Too slow. Pathetic. I should drown them in the water they¡¯re scrubbing with. He said in his inner voice.


    I nearly bit my tongue to stop from gasping out loud.


    We kept walking, eventually heading toward the forest path. I recognized this trail it led toward the training field. Great. More witnesses for him to terrify. Halfway there, he stopped abruptly. I froze too. "Is something wrong?"


    "Someone¡¯s watching us. I can smell the fear.


    My head whipped around. I didn¡¯t see anyone, but my skin prickled. The crazy Alpha¡¯s lips curved into the faintest smile. "Stay here."


    "What? No, But he was already gone, disappearing into the trees like a shadow.


    The silence that followed was worse than his presence. Every rustle made my nerves scream. By the time he returned, dragging a trembling warrior by the cor, my legs were ready to give out.


    "Spying," he said tly.


    "Perfect. I needed a distraction. Let¡¯s see how long hests before he begs. He said in his inner voice


    "Please¡ª" the warrior gasped, "I was just¡ª"


    The Alpha threw him to the ground. I turned away, but the sounds that followed the crunch, the choked cry, the thud painted the picture for me. I didn¡¯t need to look to know the warrior wouldn¡¯t be standing again. When he was done, he wiped his ws on the grass and turned to me like nothing happened.


    "Let¡¯s go," he said simply.


    I nodded dumbly, forcing my legs to move.


    "She¡¯s getting used to it. Soon, she won¡¯t even flinch. He said in his inner voice .


    No. No, I was not getting used to it. But the scary thing?


    He might be right.

 Chapter 21

    <h4>Chapter 21: Chapter 21</h4>


    There are three things I¡¯ve learned about the psycho Alpha so far:


    1. He enjoys killing people as much as normal people enjoy eating cake.


    2. His inner voice is scarier than his real one.


    3. The more scared you are, the more interested he bes.


    Which is why today, I decided to do the unthinkable. I was going to act normal. No more trembling, no more flinching, no more eyes darting to the nearest exit. If he thought I was calm, maybe he¡¯d stop staring at me like I was a rabbit he couldn¡¯t wait to skin.


    At least, that was the n.


    I woke up early, washed my face, and practiced in front of the mirror.


    "Good morning, Alpha," I said to my reflection, forcing a smile. It looked less like a smile and more like I had stomach cramps.


    I tried again. "Good morning, Alpha."


    Better. My voice only cracked once. I even practiced walking without clutching my hands or shuffling like a prisoner on her way to the gallows.


    By the time I left my room, I was feeling semi-confident.


    Isted exactly three minutes before everything fell apart.


    The Alpha was already in the corridor, speaking to one of his Beta officers. His eyes flicked toward me as I approached.


    "Good morning, Alpha," I said brightly, just like I practiced.


    "She¡¯s smiling. Why is she smiling? Did she hear something? Did someone tell her something about me? He said in his inner voice.


    My smile faltered instantly. "Uh¡ªI¡ªuh..."


    He narrowed his eyes. "What¡¯s wrong with your face?"


    "My¡ªmy face?" My hands flew up defensively. "Nothing¡¯s wrong with my face!"


    "She¡¯s hiding something. I should pin her to the wall and make her talk. He said in his inner voice


    Iughed nervously. "Nope, nothing, totally fine, just... face stuff. You know. Normal."


    He stared at me for another long, tense second before dismissing the Beta and walking past me. "Follow me."


    I swallowed hard. "Yes, Alpha."


    We ended up in the dining hall for breakfast. Omegas moved quietly between tables, cing tes of steaming food. The Alpha took his seat at the head, and I sat two chairs down close enough to hear him, far enough to avoid any idental stabbing. The silence was unbearable. I had to say something normal.


    So, I blurted, "Nice weather we¡¯re having!"


    He paused mid-bite and slowly turned his head toward me. "Weather?"


    "Yes! Sun¡¯s out, sky¡¯s blue. Perfect for... uh... hunting?"


    "She¡¯s trying to make small talk. Maybe she thinks if she talks like a friend, I won¡¯t kill her. Interesting. He said tly in his inner voice.


    I forced augh. "Not that you would kill me, of course, haha..."


    His gaze sharpened. "Why would you say that?"


    Panic. Pure panic. "I¡ªI meant¡ªuh¡ªkill game! Like hunting game! Deer! Rabbits! Not me! Definitely not me¡ª"


    "Rabbits? she really does look like one. I wonder how she¡¯d taste roasted. He said in his inner voice.


    I nearly choked on my own saliva. My hands flew to my mouth, and I coughed violently. Omegas passing by gave me strange looks. The Alpha simply watched, sipping his drink, like he was enjoying the show.


    When breakfast ended, he stood.


    "Walk with me."


    Not again.


    But I followed. We passed through the courtyard, and I made a conscious effort not to trip, flinch, or breathe too loudly. Halfway through, I decided to keep the "acting normal" thing going. "So, Alpha," I said, "do you... uh... have any hobbies?"


    He stopped walking. "Hobbies?"


    "Yes! You know¡ªthings you like to do for fun?"


    > Inner Voice (dark humor): Fun? I like killing. Breaking bones. Watching fear spread in someone¡¯s eyes like ink in water.


    I froze, every nerve screaming abort mission. "Oh. That¡¯s... nice."


    He raised a brow. "Nice?"


    I nodded quickly. "Everyone needs a hobby."


    We resumed walking, but I could feel him looking at me. Not in the "you¡¯re cute" way more in the "I¡¯m deciding if I should peel your skin" way.


    "You will stay with me the whole day.


    "Oh God, please save me. "Yes Alpha" I answered


    By midday, I thought maybe I was doing okay. I hadn¡¯t fainted, screamed, or identally insulted him. That changed when we entered the west corridor and ran into a young omega carrying a basket ofundry.


    The omega bowed low, but her hands shook, and one of the shirts slipped out of the basket. The Alpha¡¯s gaze locked on her instantly.


    Careless. Weak. I should strangle her with that shirt. He snarled in his inner voice.


    Before I could stop myself, I blurted, "It¡¯s fine! She¡¯s fine! Everyone makes mistakes!"


    The omega¡¯s eyes widened. She clearly had no idea why I was defending her so aggressively. The Alpha looked from her to me, expression unreadable.


    "You seem very invested in her survival," he said.


    "I¡¯m invested in everyone¡¯s survival!" I said quickly. "Big fan of people staying alive. Huge fan."


    "Would she still defend someone if I killed them right in front of her? He asked in his inner voice he was now curious.


    I swallowed so hard it hurt. "A-Alpha Let¡¯s... keep walking?" I said almost running. The rest of the day was a blur of me ovepensating holding doors open for him,plimenting his coat ("Wow, Alpha, you always look so sharp!"),ughing at things he didn¡¯t even say, and pretending I wasn¡¯t listening to every murderous thought in his head. By the time the sun set, I was exhausted. My jaw hurt from fake smiling, and my hands hurt from clenching them every time his inner voice got too dark. We returned to the main hall. He stopped and turned to me, his gaze like ice.


    "You were... different today," he said slowly.


    "Oh?" I tried to sound casual. "Different good or different bad?"


    "She¡¯s hiding something. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll find out what. Stupid toad. He said in his inner voice


    "Different," he repeated, then walked away without another word. I stood frozen in ce, every hair on my neck standing on end. So much for acting normal.


    I have a new nightly ritual now. It¡¯s called Not Sleeping At All Because The Psycho Alpha Exists.


    But tonight, my body betrayed me. One moment I was lying in bed staring at the ceiling, the next I was somewhere else entirely. The dream started normal enough. I was standing in a sunny meadow, holding a basket of bread rolls. Birds chirped, the grass swayed gently idyllic, peaceful. I almost forgot I lived in constant terror. Then, I heard it.


    His Inner Voice (soft, far away): There you are, little rabbit.


    I froze. My heart gave a violent thud. The birds stopped singing. The meadow went silent, the sky dimming to a sickly gray.


    "You can run, but I¡¯ll find you. He said in his inner voice but closer now.


    My legs moved on their own. The basket of bread hit the ground as I bolted, feet pounding over the grass that was quickly turning to something wet sticky red. I didn¡¯t look down. I didn¡¯t want to know if it was blood.


    "Faster I want to hear you breathe harder. He said in his inner voice almost yful now.


    My lungs was burning and My vision tunneled. The meadow melted into the pack¡¯s courtyard, except everything was wrong the walls leaned in, the air smelled like copper, and bodies hung from the training poles like decorations. I rounded a corner and there he was.


    Not the real him, but dream him. His smile was too wide, his ws too long.


    Inner Voice (whispered): Caught you.


    He lunged. I screamed. I sat up with a jolt, gasping, drenched in cold sweat. My heart was pounding like I¡¯d actually been running. I looked around my room, reassuring myself it was just a nightmare. The faint moonlight through the window, the familiar worn desk, the chair in the corner


    Wait. The chair in the corner wasn¡¯t empty. He was there.


    The psycho Alpha was Sitting like he owned the ce, one leg crossed over the other, elbows resting on the armrests. Watching me.


    "Awake atst. He said in his inner voice calmly


    I clutched my nket to my chest. "Why are you here?!"


    "Checking on you," he said simply. Making sure you are not nning to escape


    "At¡ª" I nced at the clock, "¡ªthree in the morning?!"


    "Hehehe Time is irrelevant when I want something. He said in his inner voiceughing.


    I forced augh that sounded more like a dying bird. "You¡ªyou could have knocked."


    "I did. You didn¡¯t answer."


    "You could have left!"


    His eyebrow twitched. "Is that what you want?"


    "If she says yes, I¡¯ll stay longer. He said in his inner voice growling.


    My lips moved faster than my brain. "No! No, stay! Please!"


    Great. Now I sounded desperate for hispany. Which I wasn¡¯t. At all. He studied me for a long moment. "You were making noise in your sleep."


    I swallowed. "Noise?"


    "You were... whimpering." His head tilted slightly. "Afraid of something?"


    Iughed weakly. "Whimpering? That¡¯s... funny. Maybe I was dreaming about... uh... being chased by a... squirrel."


    His eyes narrowed. "A squirrel?"


    "Yes. Very aggressive. Big teeth." I mimed squirrel teeth with my hands, because apparently my survival instincts had abandoned me.


    He stood, moving toward the bed. Every step felt like it pressed the air out of the room. I gripped the nket tighter, trying to pretend I wasn¡¯t silently screaming inside. He stopped by the bed, looking down at me. "You¡¯re pale."


    "I¡¯m always pale. A-Alpha


    "If I pressed my hand to her chest, I could feel her heart pounding. He said in his inner voice.


    My eyes widened. "No need to check!" I blurted before he could even think about it.


    He smirked slightly, which was somehow worse than when he was expressionless. "You¡¯re jumpy."


    "No, I¡¯m¡ª" I stopped myself. Lying wasn¡¯t going to work. "Okay, fine, yes, I¡¯m jumpy. But that¡¯s just my resting state. Very... jumpy person."


    He nced toward my window, then back at me. "Lock your door tonight."


    "Okay..." I said slowly.


    "Locks don¡¯t matter. He said in his inner voice amused.


    I blinked. "Actually... I think I¡¯ll just... sleep in the kitchen."


    His brow rose. "The kitchen?"


    "Yes. Lots of knives. Feels safe."


    "I can easily skin her alive there.


    I swallowed hard. "Or maybe... I¡¯ll just... uh... stay here. Yep. Good n."


    He turned to leave, pausing at the door. "I¡¯ll see you at dawn."


    My shoulders sagged with relief until he added:


    "And I will be watching before that. He added in his inner voice coldly.


    The door shut behind him.


    I stared at it for a long time, nket clutched like a shield, wondering if I should even bother trying to sleep again.


    Probably not. Because with my luck... the next time I woke up, he¡¯d be sitting even closer.

 Chapter 22

    <h4>Chapter 22: Chapter 22</h4>


    If there was an award for Most Sleep-Deprived Omega, I¡¯d have it in my trembling little hands right now.


    Last night¡¯s "psycho Alpha in my bedroom at 3 a.m." special was still wing at my nerves, and I¡¯d decided that the only way to survive today was simple: avoid him at all costs. That meant no delivering breakfast, no brushing his coat, no standing within range of his terrifying voice outer or inner.


    And so, I began The Great Avoidance n, step one: fake sickness. I sat up in my bed, rubbed my eyes for maximum red puffiness, and rehearsed my pitiful cough in the mirror.


    "Haaack... huuuuhhhk... I think I¡¯m dying..."


    Yes. Perfect. Oscar-worthy.


    The other omegas bought it instantly. By the time I dragged myself (slowly, dramatically) into the kitchen, clutching my stomach like I¡¯d swallowed a brick, the gossip was already spreading.


    "She¡¯s sick!"


    "She¡¯s pale!"


    "She¡¯s paler than usual!"


    Exactly as nned. I even added extra ir, letting my legs wobble and leaning dramatically on the counter.


    "Oh no," I moaned loudly, "I guess I can¡¯t... serve the Alpha today... so tragic..."


    Step two: hide.


    I slipped into theundry room and wedged myself between two giant baskets of clean sheets. If I stayed quiet, no one would find me. The perfect white-sheet camouge.


    Thatsted... about forty-five seconds. Before I heard it again


    > Inner Voice (close, too close): ying dead, little toad? I can smell your pulse.


    I froze. My mouth went dry.


    NoNo, no, no, no, no¡ª


    With one swift kick the door creaked open. His shadow slid across the floor.


    "Interesting hiding ce," his outer voice said calmly. "Though I would¡¯ve chosen somewhere less mmable.


    "Imagine if the sheets caught fire. Would you run, or freeze? He said in his inner voice.


    I shot out from between the baskets so fast I tripped over my own feet. "Just... checkingundry quality control!" I blurted. "All the sheets... very sheet-like. Good day!"


    I bolted before he could say anything else.


    Step three: the kitchens. Surely he wouldn¡¯t follow me there too many people.


    I crouched behind a tower of flour sacks, peeking out asionally to make sure the coast was clear. My heart was still mming from theundry room ambush. The kitchen door swung open. Everyone went silent. The cooks parted like the Red Sea. He stepped inside.


    "Found you again. He said in his inner voice. I could sense that he was amused. I bit my lip to stop from making a sound, but my pulse roared in my ears. He scanned the room, gaze sweepingzily over the counters, the cooks, the shelves... then stopping exactly where I was hiding.


    "Everyone else," he said aloud, "out."


    The kitchen emptied in seconds. I was left crouching behind the flour sacks like a mouse that had just been noticed by a cat.


    "Come out, Elie. Or I¡¯ll drag you out.


    I stood slowly, clutching a small sack of flour like it was a shield. "Just... baking something."


    "Covered in flour?" he asked, eyebrow raised.


    "Yes. That¡¯s how baking works," I said, voice squeaky.


    " Next time you hide from me, I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t run at all. He said in his inner voice


    The sack of flour slipped from my hands and burst on the floor. Mission failed again.


    Step four: public hallway. If I stayed around other wolves, he couldn¡¯t¡ª


    "Busy today?" His voice was right behind me.


    I turned slowly. "Not really."


    "Liar. You¡¯ve been busy running from me since dawn. He said in his inner voice.


    Myugh came out high-pitched. "Running? Noooo just... cardio for health purposes."


    "Mm." His gaze swept over me, lingering just enough to make my skin crawl. "I¡¯ll see youter."


    > Inner Voice (low, promising): Sooner than you think.


    He walked away. My knees almost gave out. Byte afternoon, I was convinced I¡¯d finally shaken him. I darted through storage rooms, hid in the healer¡¯s supply closet (identally inhaling too much herbal dust), and even pretended to be asleep in the stables.


    No Alpha. No inner voice.


    Relief washed over me when I reached my quarters. Finally. Safe.


    I pushed the door open. My bed was exactly how I¡¯d left it... except for the ck leather glove sitting perfectly in the center of my pillow. Still warm.


    "Took me longer than I like to get here. He said in his inner voice


    I backed into the hallway, heart hammering so hard it hurt. If this was him being "patient," I wasn¡¯t going to survive what came next.


    The glove sat in the middle of my pillow like a warning.


    ck leather, faintly creased, still warm as if it had been peeled from a hand just seconds ago. I stood frozen in the doorway, breathing too shallow, heart wing up into my throat. I hadn¡¯t heard the door open. I hadn¡¯t smelled him. I hadn¡¯t felt him. Yet he¡¯d been here.


    "Took me longer than I like to get here. He said in his inner voice he was sounding dangerously cold, like he was pleased with himself. My legs went cold, the sensation creeping upward until I had to grip the doorframe to keep from sinking to the floor. I didn¡¯t answer. I didn¡¯t dare answer.


    "Not afraid of a glove, are you? He said in his inner voice teasingly.


    I mmed the door shut. My hands shook so badly I fumbled the lock twice before it clicked into ce. The room felt too small. The walls too close. I shoved the glove into the drawer of my nightstand, forcing the wood to rattle against its tracks, then sat on the bed, hugging my knees. I told myself I wouldn¡¯t think about him. I wouldn¡¯t give him space in my head. But of course, that was exactly what he wanted.


    11:04 p.m.


    I buried myself under the nket, determined to ignore the restless shadows crawling across the walls. Sleep would make the hours pass faster. My eyelids were just starting to grow heavy when.


    "Go on. Try to sleep. I¡¯ll stay. He said in his inner voice.


    "Oh God! I jolted upright, staring around the room.


    No one there. Just me.


    " At your door. At your window. At the foot of your bed. He said in his inner voice, now closer.


    My chest rose and fell too fast.


    "You¡¯re not here," I whispered.


    "Inner Voice (amused): Then why are you looking for me?


    11:47 p.m.


    Every time I started to drift, he spoke again. Short, deliberate sentences that burrowed under my skin.


    "Inner Voice: You breathe too loudly when you sleep.


    Inner Voice: That nket won¡¯t save you.


    Inner Voice: I know exactly what you¡¯re dreaming.


    It wasn¡¯t just the words. It was the timing. He waited until I was weightless in that first slide toward unconsciousness before cutting me open with a sentence. I tried earplugs. I pressed the pillow over my head until my ears ached. It didn¡¯t matter. His voice wasn¡¯t in the air. It was inside my skull.


    12:32 a.m.


    The first dream came. I was lying in bed, exactly as I had been, but the door was open. The glove sat on the pillow beside me, fingers curling on their own. I couldn¡¯t move. Couldn¡¯t breathe. The glove slid toward me, leaving faint scorch marks on the sheet.


    "Inner Voice (soft, almost coaxing): You¡¯d be prettier if you didn¡¯t fight so much.


    I woke up choking, heart mming so hard it made my ribs ache. My sheets were damp with sweat.


    1:18 a.m.


    He started ying with the line between dream and waking. I¡¯d blink and the shadows on the wall would tilt, stretch into limbs, then vanish when I focused. Once, I felt fingers brush my ankle from under the nket. I threw the covers off so fast I hit my knee on the bedframe. Nothing there.


    "Inner Voice (mocking): You¡¯re twitchy tonight.


    I sat in the corner of the room, knees pulled to my chest, rocking slightly. My muscles felt like they¡¯d been wired too tight.


    2:04 a.m.


    The dreams turned tactile.


    I was in the forest, barefoot, moonlight silvering the ground. I could hear my own heartbeat echoing between the trees. He wasn¡¯t visible. But I could feel him circling. Every time I turned, the rustle of leaves came from the opposite direction. When he finally spoke, it was so close to my ear that I felt the heat of his breath.


    "Inner Voice (low): Run.


    I did. My legs pumped, lungs burning. No matter how far I went, the sound of his footsteps stayed exactly two paces behind me.


    Something sharp caught my wrist. The dream fractured into white heat and I woke up screaming.


    3:12 a.m.


    I tried counting backwards from a hundred. I tried thinking of the ocean.


    Inner Voice: Blue water. Red water. Which do you prefer?


    I covered my ears, muttering, "Not real, not real, not real," over and over.


    Inner Voice (pleased): Then why do you flinch?


    4:01 a.m.


    At some point, my eyelids grew too heavy to fight.


    I dreamed I was lying on my stomach, wrists pinned above my head, a heavy weight pressing into my back. I could feel the fabric of his coat against my bare arms, the scent of his skin so close it clogged my throat.


    His hand slid over my neck not choking, not gentle either.


    "Inner Voice (warm, dangerous): I could break you in a heartbeat.


    The weight disappeared. I rolled over to see nothing but the ceiling of my own room, morning light leaking through the curtains.


    6:00 a.m.


    When I woke for real, my body felt hollow. Every bone ached. My skin crawled like something had been crawling under it all night. The glove was back on the pillow. This time, it wasn¡¯t warm.


    "Inner Voice (quiet, final): Sleep well, little toad.


    I didn¡¯t answer. I couldn¡¯t. My throat had closed up. Because I knew this wasn¡¯t over. This crazy psycho is bent on making my life a living hell.

 Chapter 23

    <h4>Chapter 23: Chapter 23</h4>


    The sunlight hit like a de to the eyes. Too sharp, too bright, too loud. I stood at my post outside the packhouse, broom in hand, trying to look like I was sweeping the stone steps when really my head was tilting forward in little jerks. I hadn¡¯t slept. Not a second. The night had been one long, jagged hallucination, his voice carving holes in my thoughts until even silence felt suspicious. Now, the weight in my skull was so heavy it kept pulling me down. At some point, I realized my eyes were closed while standing.


    That was when I heard the firstugh.


    "Look at her," someone muttered. "She¡¯s sleeping on her feet like a cow."


    I blinked, head snapping up. Three pack warriors leaned against the railing, arms crossed, smirking.


    "She¡¯s drooling."


    "She¡¯s gonna fall on her face."


    The words felt like mosquito bites tiny, sharp, impossible to ignore. I gripped the broom harder, but my fingers felt numb, like I was holding it through ayer of fog. One of them nudged the other. "Bet if we yelled ¡¯Alpha¡¯sing,¡¯ she¡¯d trip over her own tail and they all Laughed. I forced myself to move, sweeping the same spot I¡¯d already done twice. My knees trembled with every shift of weight.


    Another voice joined in, louder. "Maybe she¡¯s drunk."


    The broom handle slipped in my sweaty palm. My vision tunneled until only their grinning faces stayed in focus.


    :Inner Voice (silky, creeping in without warning): Let them talk. I¡¯ll give them a reason to stop.


    My heart jolted at the sound of him inside my head. I didn¡¯t see him at first. Theughter died like someone had cut the sound from the air. Then I caught the change in posture shoulders stiffening, smirks vanishing, eyes snapping straight ahead. The psycho Alpha and the reason for my sleepless night was there. He moved like a shadow that had decided to be flesh. The sun didn¡¯t seem to touch him the way it touched the others it slid over his ck coat and caught in the pale edges of his hair, but his eyes were the darkest thing in the courtyard. He didn¡¯t speak at first. Just walked toward us, slow enough that the silence thickened into something that pressed against my ears.


    One of the warriors tried to clear his throat. It came out like a squeak. The psycho Alpha stopped in front of them, not me. His voice was low, smooth, and terrible in how calm it was.


    "Do I keep you so entertained that you forget your work?"


    "No, Alpha¡ª"


    The p was so fast I didn¡¯t see the movement. The sound cracked across the courtyard. The warrior staggered sideways, a red bloom spreading across his cheek.The others froze.


    "Perhaps," he said softly, "you¡¯d prefer I find a different use for your mouth. Something quieter." They didn¡¯t answer. They didn¡¯t dare. He turned his head slightly, eyes cutting toward me. "Was she bothering you?"


    "N-no, Alpha," one stammered.


    His gaze lingered on him a beat too long, then flicked away as if dismissing him from existence.


    : Inner Voice (purring now, in my skull): You see, little toad They¡¯re mine to break.


    My hands tightened on the broom until the wood dug into my palms. He took a step closer to me. The space between us shrank until I could see the faint shadow of hisshes when he blinked.


    "You¡¯re shaking," he observed aloud, his tone t enough for others to hear but not interpret.


    He reached out and caught my chin between two fingers, tilting my face up. My breath caught.


    "She¡¯s pale," he said to no one in particr. "Paler than usual. Have you eaten?"


    I managed to shake my head.


    The corner of his mouth curved not a smile, not exactly. "Neglect will not be tolerated in my pack," he said, his voice like a de dipped in honey. Then, sharper: "If I hear of anyone starving her, I¡¯ll put them in the ground myself."


    The courtyard held its breath.


    Inner Voice : (almostughing): Hear that? You¡¯re under my protection. Now you can¡¯t run without looking ungrateful.


    He released my chin but didn¡¯t step back. His fingers trailed deliberately down the side of my face before falling away, leaving a phantom touch that burned more than the sun. Without looking at the warriors again, he said, "On your knees. All of you."


    They dropped instantly.


    "Hands behind your heads."


    They obeyed, the scrape of their boots loud in the quiet.


    Kaelen didn¡¯t move for a long moment. Then he walked behind them, each step slow, measured. A sudden, brutal kick to the ribs made one grunt. Another got a sharp blow to the back of the neck that dropped him forward onto his hands. Thest one flinched before Kaelen touched him and Kaelen chuckled under his breath, which somehow made it worse. When he finally turned back to me, his eyes were unreadable.


    "Go inside," he ordered aloud.


    Inner Voice: (low, amused): Before you fall down. I prefer my prey conscious.


    I moved, legs stiff, broom still clutched in my hands like a lifeline. I could feel every gaze on my back. But the only one that mattered was the one I couldn¡¯t shake, even after I was through the doors.


    Inner Voice: (soft, final for now): Sleep, little rabbit. I¡¯ll decide when you¡¯ve earned it.


    And I knew the night woulde far too soon.


    By the time the sun dipped behind the treeline, my chest already felt tight.


    Not from work.


    From knowing the night wasing. The previous night¡¯s stolen sleep clung to me like damp cloth. I¡¯d barely survived the day without copsing, and now the thought of being alone in my room again door locked, lights out, waiting for his voice made my throat close up. So I made a n on how to escape him again. Stay in the lit, crowded spaces. Keep moving. Blend in. If he didn¡¯t have me cornered, maybe just maybe he¡¯d leave me alone. The dining hall was still buzzing after dinner. I lingered at one of the long tables, wiping crumbs into my palm, pretending to tidy. The smell of roasted meat and woodsmoke hung in the air, masking the faint leather scent that haunted my senses. But I couldn¡¯t stay forever. Eventually, the tes were stacked, benches pushed in, candles snuffed one by one. The crowd thinned until the only sound was the clink of cutlery being put away. That was when I felt it pressure at the edge of my awareness, like someone leaning just close enough to touch my shoulder but never making contact.


    Inner Voice :(low, conversational): Still awake, little rabbit?


    I straightened so fast my hip bumped the table. I didn¡¯t bother turning around. I slipped into the east hallway, the one that looped past theundry before doubling back to the servants¡¯ wing. My footsteps echoed too loud on the stone, bouncing back at me from the darkened walls. Halfway down, I caught movement at the far end.


    Alpha Psycho!! He wasn¡¯t walking toward me. He was just there, one hand braced against the wall, his eyes locked on me like he¡¯d been waiting all along. I spun and headed the other way. The west hallway was worse dim, the sconces unlit, only the silver wash of moonlight spilling through narrow windows. I hugged the wall, keeping my steps light, heart pounding in my throat. A shadow crossed the moonlight ahead.


    I froze. He stepped into view, casual, like he was taking a stroll. My skin went cold. I doubled back, this time cutting through the inner courtyard. The grass was wet under my shoes, the night air sharp in my lungs. For a few precious seconds, I thought I¡¯d outpaced him. Then I heard the door creak open behind me. The crazy psycho walked out like he owned the night. Which, in this ce, he did.


    Inner Voice: (silky): Three times you¡¯ve run. Shall we see how many before I catch you?


    I rushed inside through another entrance, taking the narrow servant staircase two steps at a time. My breath came harsh, my palms slick.


    The hallway at the top was quiet. My room was only a few doors down. I reached for thetch. A shadow moved in my peripheral vision. He leaned in the doorway across from mine, arms crossed, gaze unreadable.


    "How efficient you are," he said aloud, tone mild. "Finding me no matter where you go."


    I swallowed hard. "I¡¯m just¡ª"


    "Trying to avoid me," he finished, pushing off the doorframe. He closed the distance in three slow steps, stopping so close I could see the faint gold flecks in his dark irises. One finger hooked under my chin, tilting my head up.


    Inner Voice: (amused): You¡¯re learning. The more you run, the sweeter it gets. I forced my eyes away, staring at the floor, but that only made his shadow spill over me entirely.


    His voice, the one the others could hear, was quieter now. "Come with me."


    "I¡ª I have to¡ª"


    "That wasn¡¯t a request."


    His hand closed around my wrist¡ªnot painfully, but firmly enough that my pulse beat against his fingers. He started walking toward the far end of the hall, guiding me along. I dug my heels in once, twice, but it was like trying to resist the pull of a current. The door at the end was unlike the others darker wood, heavier, the kind that didn¡¯t open unless the owner wanted it to.


    His quarters. He stopped with one hand on thetch.


    Inner Voice: (low, predatory): One step inside, little toad and you¡¯ll never pretend you¡¯re safe again.


    For a heartbeat, I thought he would open it. Thought he¡¯d pull me through and shut the world out. Instead, he let go of my wrist.


    "You may go," he said aloud, stepping back.


    My breath came too fast, chest rising and falling.


    "But," he added, leaning just close enough for his words to ghost over my ear, "the next time you run make it interesting."


    Inner Voice: (soft, satisfied): Now go dream of me. I¡¯ll be there.


    I didn¡¯t walk, rather I fled. But no matter how far I got down that hall, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the door was still open behind me.

 Chapter 24 - 34

    <h4>Chapter 24: Chapter 34</h4>


    By the time I made it to my room, my legs were jelly. My pulse thudded in my ears, drowning out every other sound, but I still kept ncing over my shoulder half-expecting to see him there, half-knowing I wouldn¡¯t have time to scream if he was. Thetch clicked down with a shaky little snap. The chair screeched across the floor as I shoved it up under the handle, the wood trembling in my grip. Then I just stood there, staring at the door, barely breathing. My fingers tingled from gripping the chair too hard. My whole body felt too small to contain my heartbeat.


    His Inner Voice: (low, amused): There it is. The little ritual. Chair under the handle. Pulse in your throat.


    I swallowed. "Not listening," I whispered to no one.


    His Inner Voice: (silky): You¡¯re always listening, Elie.


    I forced myself into motion, pacing the small space like a caged animal. One, two, three... turn. One, two, three... turn. Every time my heel hit that one uneven floorboard, I imagined it creaking under someone else¡¯s weight.


    I flicked my gaze to themp. The pool of warm light was the only thing keeping my spine from locking up entirely. Darkness was his element and I refused to give him that advantage.


    Hi Inner Voice: (mock concern): You think light will save you? Light just makes it easier for me to see your face when you break.


    I turned themp down just a little. Not for him. For me. To make the corners dim enough that maybe he wouldn¡¯t see me so clearly if No. Stop. Don¡¯t finish that thought. I sat on the bed with my nket pulled tight around my knees like a child again, hiding from the monster under the bed. Except my monster didn¡¯t crawl. My monster walked straight through doors without knocking. I kept telling myself to stay awake. To keep counting my breaths. One, two, three... Somewhere between thirty and forty, my numbers started slipping. The nket got heavier. My eyes dragged shut.


    When I opened them again, I wasn¡¯t in bed. Cold stone bit into my bare feet. My breath fogged in the air. The corridor stretched out in both directions, dim and endless. Behind me, my door stood open a crack, a thin stripe of yellow light spilling out onto the floor.


    His Inner Voice: That¡¯s better.


    My stomach dropped. I turned slowly and there he was. The crazy psycho. He stood at the far end of the hall, a darker shadow inside the dark, leaning against the wall like he had all the time in the world. I froze. My body locked in ce, every nerve screaming don¡¯t move. Then he started walking. Very slowly. Just... certain.


    His Inner Voice: (predatory): Your pulse is stuttering. Makes it harder to run, little toad.


    I forced my legs to back up, inching toward the light from my door. My heel touched the threshold. Safety was one step away The door mmed shut.


    I flinched so hard my teeth clicked. "No..."


    He kepting, each step measured. Moonlight from the narrow windows washed over him in strips, catching the sharp line of his jaw, the cold glint in his eyes. I turned and ran. But It didn¡¯t matter. Every corner I rounded, every hall I darted down, he was already there sometimes ahead of me, sometimes behind.


    His Inner Voice: (low chuckle): Four runs tonight. Should we make it five?


    I spun in ce. "Leave me alone!"


    Shouting didn¡¯t wake me.


    The air shifted behind me.


    A hand closed around my wrist hot, unyielding, and so strong I felt my bones grind together. I gasped, twisting, but he didn¡¯t loosen his grip.


    His Inner Voice: (soft, dangerous): I warned you what happens when you run.


    He yanked me forward so fast I mmed into his chest. My cheek hit leather. His scent dark, cold air over something raw filled my lungs until I couldn¡¯t breathe anything else. His grip slid from my wrist to the back of my neck, fingers curling around the base of my skull. Steering me.


    The corridor narrowed. The stones here were older, rougher, and smelled faintly of damp.


    "You¡¯re hurting me," I said, voice cracking.


    He didn¡¯t answer with words anyone else could hear.


    Inner Voice: (dark, satisfied): Good. You¡¯ll remember better if it hurts.


    He stopped at a door I¡¯d never seen before. Heavy wood. Iron bands. No handle on the outside. One push, and it swung inward without a sound.


    The room beyond was... wrong. No windows. Nomps. Just the faint spill of hallway light over the threshold. The air was colder here, heavier. The walls seemed to lean in. He stepped inside first, still holding my neck, guiding me in like I was nothing more than a stray animal he¡¯d decided to pen.


    Hi Inner Voice: (soft, coaxing): In you go.


    I shook my head. "No¡ª" but He pushed me forward. Not hard enough to knock me down, but enough to make me stumble a few steps inside. The door shut behind us with a sound like finality.


    I turned back to him. "What is this ce?" But he didn¡¯t answer. He just leaned back against the door, watching me with the kind of focus that made my skin feel too tight.


    His Inner Voice (low, curling): Mine.


    My mouth went dry. "You can¡¯t¡ª"


    Three steps, and he was in front of me, tilting my face up with a firm grip under my chin.


    His Inner Voice: (predatory amusement): Still fighting. Good.


    My thoughts tangled panic knotted with something I didn¡¯t want to name.


    "I want to wake up," I whispered.


    He leaned close enough for his words to graze my lips. "Who said you¡¯re dreaming?"


    Before I could answer, his other arm snaked around my waist, hauling me flush against him. My breath hitched.


    Hi Inner Voice: (satisfied): Now you understand.


    The air in the room thickened. My vision blurred at the edges. When it cleared, I was back in my bed. Themp still burned. The chair was still against the door. But my nket smelled faintly of leather. And my wrist where his fingers had gripped bore the red imprint of his hand.


    I yanked the covers up to my chin, my whole body shaking.


    His Inner Voice: (soft, lingering): I¡¯m hungry.


    "I¨CI will cook right away, Alpha," I heard myself say, even though my voice sounded like someone else¡¯s. Thin. Brittle. The kind that would snap if he pushed too hard.


    He looked at me with shock written all over his face.


    Inner voice: how does she know that I¡¯m hungry?"


    But I didn¡¯t wait for him to give permission. I moved. Not too fast too fast would make it look like I was running from him, and running never ended well. But not slow either, because that would mean I was making him wait. And waiting made him bored.


    And boredom in psycho Alpha Zach was worse than anger.


    "Look at her shuffle away like a little wind-up toy. I should wind her up more often. Maybe tighten her until she squeaks. In his inner voice.


    His voice wasn¡¯t in my headit was just him, talking without moving his lips. That strange, quiet murmur that always came from somewhere just behind me, too close to the back of my neck. I hated it. It crawled into my ears whether I wanted it to or not. I reached the kitchen, my hands already trembling before I even touched anything. The tiles under my feet felt too loud, every step echoing in the silence. I didn¡¯t need to turn around to know he was there.


    "Little omega thinks if she keeps her eyes down, I¡¯ll forget she¡¯s shaking. I see every twitch. Every breath. Every heartbeat trying to run away from me. He said in his inner voice.


    My fingers fumbled with the cab door, and it banged too loudly against the frame. I froze, pulse stuttering. Behind me, his footsteps were soft. Too soft. Like a hunter walking through snow.


    "What will you make?" he asked, not out loud. Just that smooth inner voice, a voice that could¡¯ve been seductive if it didn¡¯t sound like he was nning to eat me with the food.


    "I swallowed. "S-soup, Alpha. And bread. Quickly."


    "Quickly, she says. I like that word. I like when she tries so hard, thinking she¡¯s saving herself a little pain. hehehe. But I have never tasted her soup, I hope it¡¯s not vorless like the one¡¯s Elizabeth and the other stupid omegas cook or else I will break her hand, he said in his inner voice


    The pot was heavier than I remembered. My wrists shook as I ced it on the stove. I could feel his gaze pressing between my shoulder des, like he could see straight through my skin. I grabbed the knife, chopping the vegetables as fast as I could without slicing myself open.


    "That knife¡¯s bigger than her hands. Imagine if it slipped. Imagine the mess. I¡¯d make her clean it up, of course. On her knees. She looks good on her knees. He said in his inner voice.


    My stomach churned, but I kept chopping. Onion, carrot, potato. The de clicked against the cutting board, and I flinched every time. A shadow fell over the cutting board. His arm came into view, braced against the counter beside me, caging me in without touching me. I could smell him sharp, like cedar and smoke, with that underlying heat of wolf musk that made my instincts curl in on themselves.


    "Keep going, he said in his inner voice.


    I couldn¡¯t tell if my hands shook from the knife or from him. The water in the pot began to boil. I tipped the vegetables in, but a ssh of scalding water hit my wrist. I bit down on a sound. If I cried out, he¡¯d notice. And if he noticed I stirred the soup, watching the steam rise, trying to focus on anything except the warmth of his body just inches behind me.


    "Do you want bread, Alpha?" I asked, because his silence felt like I was standing on thin ice.


    "Bread. She wants to feed me like a peasant. Maybe I should make her taste it first. Make sure it¡¯s safe. Make her chew it slow so I can watch her throat. He said in his inner voice.


    My knees weakened.His words were half-mocking, half-menacing, this time like he enjoyed watching me suffer. Crazy psycho.


    The bread knife was dull, but I cut through the loaf with desperate precision. The crust crumbled onto the counter. My hands wanted to brush the crumbs away, but that would mean taking too long. So I left them.


    "Messy little omega. Maybe I should punish that. Or maybe I like it. Maybe I like her messy. He said in his inner voice.


    The soup simmered. The bread sat ready. But he didn¡¯t move. He stayed exactly where he was, his breath warm at the side of my neck.


    "te it," his inner voicemanded, low and slow.


    I obeyed. Two bowls. One for him, one for me though I knew I wouldn¡¯t eat. Not unless he made me.


    "She thinks she¡¯s getting one. How sweet. Stupid toad, he said in his inner voice.


    I ced his bowl on the table. My hands shook so badly I almost spilled it.


    "She¡¯s trying so hard not to spill. I almost want her to. Just to see her face when it happens. He said in his inner voice.


    He finally sat down to eat but his eyes never left me. "Sit," his real voice said this time low, dangerous.


    I sat immediately. He took a slow spoonful, his eyes on me the entire time. "Better," he said, though his tone made it impossible to tell if it was praise or a threat.


    "If she keeps cooking like this, I might keep her. Or break her faster. Haven¡¯t decided yet. But this is this best soup I have tasted in my life. He said in his inner voice


    I forced my hands to rest in myp, though every muscle screamed to run. The kitchen was too quiet. The only sounds were the scrape of his spoon and the pounding of my heart. And then, without looking up, his inner voice slid into me like a de:


    "Still hungry.


    My stomach dropped. "I¡ªI can make more, Alpha," I whispered immediately, the words tumbling over each other as my body trembled.


    "Yes. Let¡¯s see what else you can make. Let¡¯s see how long you can keep those hands steady. He said in his inner voice


    I stood, moving toward the pantry, already feeling his shadow following me.

 Chapter 25

    <h4>Chapter 25: Chapter 25</h4>


    Oh, God, this crazy Alpha has the appetite of a monster and. What does he mean he wants another food? And a different one at that? The pantry felt like the only safe ce left in the entire pack house, and even that was a lie. The moment I closed my hand around the b of beef, I felt him there not physically, but in the weight pressing against my skull, that soundless murmur brushing along my thoughts like ws tracing ss.


    Inner voice: Look at her, clutching it like a baby. She really thinks food will keep me still. Maybe she¡¯s right. Maybe I¡¯m just the kind of wolf who needs to be fed before I bite.


    My breath snagged in my throat. I turned slowly, holding the beef as though keeping it level would keep me safe. He wasn¡¯t in the pantry, but I knew better than to think he wasn¡¯t nearby. Zach didn¡¯t follow like a man he lingered like a shadow.The kitchen was dim except for the amber light above the stove. The corners seemed darker than they should be, like the shadows thickened around him. He stood with one hand on the counter, the other in his pocket, watching me without blinking. I set the beef down, fingers fumbling for the knife. My palms were slick, and the wooden handle felt too smooth to grip.


    Inner voice: Careful, little omega. Slippery hands drop things. And dropped knives... well, they don¡¯t always miss.


    I swallowed hard, setting the tip of the de against the meat. It gave way under the pressure, the wet, dull sound filling my ears.


    Inner voice: She¡¯s gentle. How sweet. But meat isn¡¯t for pity. Meat is for teeth. For tearing.


    I forced the de through faster, my wrists aching with each push. My heartbeat was in my ears, loud enough to drown the faint hum of the refrigerator. I focused on the chopping on the uniformity of the cubes, the precision of each slice because if I didn¡¯t, I¡¯d have to think about the way he was breathing behind me. This crazy psycho is slowly driving me insane.


    Inner voice: Slow down. No, speed up. I can¡¯t decide which makes you sweat more.


    The knife nicked my thumb. A sharp sting. I hissed and jerked my hand back, staring at the tiny bead of red blooming on my skin.


    "Inner voice: Spill more. Come on spill more, Let me smell it.


    My breath came quicker. I wiped the blood on my apron, refusing to meet his eyes. The pot hissed as I dropped the meat into the simmering broth. Steam burst upward, filling my face with the scent of raw, iron-rich beef turning soft in the heat. My stomach knotted. He moved close enough that his arm brushed my shoulder as he reached for the pepper grinder on the counter. Slowly,zily, he turned it over the pot, letting a few dark flecks fall into the broth before setting it down exactly where my hand needed to go next. I hesitated. He didn¡¯t move out of the way. I had to brush past his fingers to grab it. I stirred the soup, my hands trembling around the wooden spoon. Steam blurred my vision, carrying the rich scent of meat and bone.


    "Inner voice: Smell that? That¡¯s survival in a bowl. Yours. For now. "


    The words curled around my spine. I didn¡¯t answer.


    "Salt," I murmured, mostly to myself, reaching for the small ceramic dish.


    "Add more. I want to taste it on you. "He said in his inner voice.


    I sprinkled the salt in without looking at him, my pulse hammering in my throat. The soup bubbled louder, almost like it was boiling faster just because I was under his gaze.


    "You will like this, Alpha," I said, my voice paper-thin. He didn¡¯t step back, not even when I reached for thedle. I filled the bowl carefully, my hands so unsteady the broth rippled dangerously close to the rim. His fingers brushed mine as he took it, the contact deliberate, the heat of his skin lingering too long. He sat at the table, his chair angled so he could watch every movement I made.The first spoonful disappeared slowly, his lips closing around the metal like he was savoring more than just the food.


    "Inner Voice: This toad really cooks well, so tender and sulent, and it Falls apart in the mouth. Makes me wonder...


    I froze mid-step.


    "Inner voice: Makes me wonder how human meat tastes.


    The words hit me like a physical blow, cutting the air from my lungs. My fingers went numb. The floor tilted beneath me, and the steam, the smell, the weight of his eyes everything swirled together into a dizzy blur. I heard his chuckle not out loud, but inside my head, dark and satisfied as my knees gave way. Thest thing I saw before the darkness swallowed me was his spoon dippingzily back into the soup, like nothing at all had happened.


    I woke to warmth I didn¡¯t want. Not the gentle kind thates from sunlight through a window. This was heavy, suffocating, pressing in on my skin until my pulse felt too loud in my ears. The surface beneath me was too soft to be my cot. The nket over me was thick and smooth, nothing like the scratchy old thing in my room. My fingertips brushed the sheet it was cool silk, catching faintly on the rough pads of my fingers. I blinked hard. Shapes blurred, then sharpened: a high ceiling, dark beams, walls paneled in ck wood. Amp burned low in the corner, its light pooling like liquid amber.


    Not my room. And I was not in the omegas quarters too. My stomach dropped. The air smelled different here. Not the mixed scents of dozens of wolves, food, and dust. This was cleaner, sharper cedar smoke and something darker, a heat that didn¡¯te from fire. It¡¯s the psycho Alpha¡¯s scent. I shot upright. The nket slid from my shoulders, revealing my dress still on, but the top buttons undone, the fabric loose around my corbone. My apron and shoes were gone. My head throbbed with a dull ache, the memory of copsing mming back into me.


    Inner voice: Look who¡¯s awake.


    His voice slid into my head like warm oil, unhurried, invasive. I jerked toward the sound, but the corner where I thought it came from was empty. My pulse hammered. I scanned the room the tall ck door, the heavy curtains drawn tight across the windows. The shadows seemed too deep, as if something hid just beyond sight. My first step toward the door was careful. My bare foot sank into the thick rug without a sound. My second step made the floor creak, and I froze. I reached the door. My palm hovered over the cold metal handle. He would have locked it. He always locked things he didn¡¯t want touched. But when I turned it, it moved easily. Unlocked. I swallowed hard and opened it just enough to slip through. The hallway beyond was dim, lit by wall sconces that flickered faintly. The air here felt colder, the scent of polish and old paper recing the cedar heat of his room. I crept forward, bare feet silent against the runner rug. Every door I passed was closed, their dark wood gleaming faintly. The walls were hung with portraits stern-faced Alphas I didn¡¯t dare nce at too long. The stairwell loomed ahead, spiraling down into shadow. I gripped the railing, my fingertips white with tension, and began to descend.


    "Inner voice: Left foot first. Yes. Just like that. You¡¯re quieter when you think someone¡¯s listening.


    I bit down on my lip hard enough to taste blood. I didn¡¯t look around. The first floor stretched out before me long hallways, the faint outline of the dining room to one side, and straight ahead, the main door. Tall, ck, framed with cold iron. Every instinct screamed at me to run for it.


    I crossed the hall, each step a held breath. My fingers touched the handle and it turned. The cold night air spilled in, sharp and clean in my lungs. I stepped out onto the porch, the boards creaking under my weight. Beyond the yard, the forest crouched in the moonlight, its trees dark against the pale silver sky.


    "Inner voice: Run.


    I didn¡¯t think, I ran with all my strength. The grass was stiff with frost, biting into the soles of my feet. My breath burst from me in clouds as I crossed the open ground and plunged into the trees. Branches whipped my arms. The ground was uneven, hidden roots snagging at my toes. My heartbeat drowned out every other sound.


    Inner voice: That¡¯s it. Run. I want to see how far you think you can go.


    I gritted my teeth and pushed harder. The forest was dense, the canopy blotting out much of the moonlight. Shadows shifted with each gust of wind. I dodged between trunks, my lungs burning, legs shaking. Minutes passed, maybe five? ten? I didn¡¯t know. My body ached, but I kept going. Every time I thought I heard movement behind me, I nced back and saw nothing.


    maybe I had lost him, I slowed, ducking behind a wide oak. My breath came in ragged bursts, loud in my ears. I pressed my back to the bark, peering into the darkness, but no one was there. The silence here was thick. Not a bird, not an insect, not even the rustle of leaves just the faint whistle of wind high above. I slipped around the tree and kept moving, quieter now. I picked my way over a fallen log, through a patch of ferns, and deeper into the forest. My mind began mapping the way back just in case.Then I saw it A shadow, far ahead, between the trees. Motionless. I almost died of fear. It didn¡¯t move. Maybe it was a tree stump.


    "Inner voice: It¡¯s rude to hide when I¡¯m letting you y.


    The voice came from behind me. I spun, but there was no one there. Panic surged hot in my chest. I bolted again, this time not caring about noise. My feet tore through leaves and twigs, pain shooting up my legs with every step. I veered left, then right, doubling back, hoping to confuse him if he was even following. Minutes stretched. The forest thinned slightly, moonlight spilling into patches on the ground. I could see the faint silver of the river ahead. If I crossed it, maybe, I pushed harder. My chest burned. And then He was there. Just leaning casually against a tree a few yards ahead, the moonlight catching in his hair, his eyes locked on mine.


    "Inner voice: Took you long enough.


    I stumbled to a stop, gasping. "How¡ª"


    "Shh." The sound was soft, but it rooted me to the spot.


    He stepped forward, slow, unhurried, the way you approach something you already own.


    "You let me run," I whispered, the truth curdling in my gut.


    "Inner voice: And you did so well. Made it all the way here. I¡¯m proud.


    The praise in his voice was worse than the chase.


    "Why?" My voice cracked.


    "Inner voice: Prey runs better when it thinks it has a chance.


    He stopped inches away, his scent wrapping around me like heat from a fire. "Ready to go back?" he asked aloud, his tone almost kind. I shook my head before I could stop myself.


    "Inner voice: Hmmm. Maybe I should let you get further next time.


    The image bloomed in my mind his shadow at my back, his hand closing around my arm mid-stride, his teeth brushing my neck. My knees buckled slightly. His smile deepened. "Next time," he murmured, "I¡¯ll make the huntst longer." Before I could move, his hand closed around my wrist warm, strong, final. The forest spun away, reced by the inescapable fact: I had never been out of his reach.

 Chapter 26

    <h4>Chapter 26: Chapter 26</h4>


    My lungs burned like they were on fire. The taste of blood sat bitter on my tongue from breathing too hard. My bare feet pounded against the forest floor, each step stabbing up through my legs as sharp twigs and hidden rocks tore into my skin. The wind whipped through my hair, tangling it across my face, but I didn¡¯t dare slow down to push it away. The trees closed in around me, their trunks tall and skeletal, reaching for me like they wanted to drag me back. Shadows jumped across my path, alive in the pale scraps of moonlight. Every sound the crunch of leaves under my feet, the rustle of branches overhead felt too loud, like I was screaming my location to the world. But the only sound that truly mattered was the one I didn¡¯t hear. The crazy Psycho. No footsteps. No breathing. No movement.


    The silence was worse than if he had been crashing through the undergrowth right behind me. It was unnatural, a predator¡¯s silence. The kind that meant he was there, somewhere, and waiting for me to make a mistake. I clung to one thought, chanting it in my head like a prayer: Just keep running. Just keep running. Just keep running. But my legs were slowing. My chest ached with every inhale. My vision blurred at the edges.


    And then hand shot out of the darkness and mped around my wrist. It was like being caught in the jaws of a steel trap. Pain exploded through my arm as my bones ground together under the pressure. I screamed. The sound ripped through the night, bouncing off the trees, but I knew it was useless before the echo died. No one woulde for me. Not here. Not in his forest.


    "Inner voice: Little toad"


    His voice slid into my mind without warning, cold and intimate, curling around my thoughts until I couldn¡¯t tell where mine ended and his began.


    "Inner voice: You should know better. The forest belongs to me."


    I jerked backward, wing at his hand, but his grip didn¡¯t loosen. Then the shadows peeled away, and he stepped into the pale light.


    Alpha Zach.nHis eyes glowed faintly, like embers in the dark, and his expression was unreadable but I didn¡¯t need to see his face to feel the danger radiating from him.


    "Inner Voice: Run all you want," his voice murmured inside my head. "I like it when they run. It makes catching them sweeter."


    Before I could wrench free, his arm shot forward, and the world tilted. My stomach dropped as I was yanked off my feet and slung over his shoulder like I weighed nothing. The air punched out of my lungs. My ribs ground against his solid shoulder, the movement jolting me with every step he took.


    "Let me go!" My fists pounded against his back, but it was like hitting stone.


    He didn¡¯t answer out loud. Instead, his inner voice poured into me like oil, thick and suffocating.


    "Inner voice: You¡¯re so warm against me. I can almost feel your heartbeat through your ribs. I wonder... would it still beat if I peeled the skin away slowly?"


    A violent shiver racked through me. My throat went dry, my breath catching in short, panicked bursts.


    "I could hang you upside down from the ceiling," he continued, his tone almost thoughtful. "Watch you sway while the blood drains into a bucket. I¡¯d keep your bones¡ªclean them until they¡¯re white. Hide them under my bed. My little secret."


    Tears burned my eyes, spilling hot against my cheeks. My stomach lurched so hard I thought I might throw up right there on his back.


    "Stop it!" My voice cracked, raw with desperation. "Stop talking¡ª"


    "But I¡¯m not talking, am I? I¡¯m already inside. You can¡¯t close the door on me."


    My nails dug into my palms so hard it stung, anything to distract myself from his words, but they kepting, slow and deliberate, each one sinking deep into me. The forest passed in a blur of dark trunks and moonlit patches. I tried to keep track of where we were, searching for somendmark, some sign I could use to find my way back¡ªif I ever got the chance. But the forest all looked the same, endless and unyielding. And he walked like a man with all the time in the world.


    "I could take your hands first," his voice hummed. "Peel the skin back so you can watch the muscles twitch underneath. Then your arms. Your legs. Save the good parts forst, so you feel every moment."


    My breath hitched, my chest tightening.


    "Please spare me. I pleaded with him.


    A low chuckle rumbled through my head.


    "Inner voice: Begging already? I haven¡¯t even started."


    I twisted against his hold, but his arm only tightened around my waist until I could barely breathe. My cheek pressed against his back, the heat of him radiating through my skin. It made me feel trapped in more ways than one.


    "You smell like fear," he murmured. "It¡¯s sharp. Sweet. Makes me wonder how it would taste cooked into meat."


    A sob tore from my throat. I tried to kick, but my legs just iled uselessly against him.


    The trees began to thin, and a pale orange glow bled through the darkness. The pack house. My heart sank like a stone. Every step toward it was another nail in the coffin of my freedom.


    "Alpha please i¡¯m sorry. My voice was barely more than a whisper now. "Please, just let me go..."


    "No, no, no..." His tone was almost amused. "I caught you. That means you¡¯re mine. And I take care of what¡¯s mine in my own way."


    We broke through thest line of trees, and the open clearing stretched out before us. The grass glistened with dew, and the air felt heavier here, as if the forest itself had been a mercypared to what waited beyond.


    "You really shouldn¡¯t have run, little load, his voice coiled tighter around my mind, final and unyielding. "Now I have to make sure you never try again."The clearing felt colder than the forest. The air was still, almost too still, like the whole pack had gone to sleep... or maybe they just knew better than to be awake when he was in this mood. The pack house loomed ahead three stories of shadow and pale light. From here, it almost looked like it was leaning forward, waiting to swallow me whole. My nails scraped uselessly at his back as he carried me up the porch steps. The wood creaked under his boots, but his grip didn¡¯t loosen for a second.


    The door was already unlocked. It swung inward on silent hinges, and he stepped inside. The warmth of the house hit me instantly, but it wasn¡¯tforting. It was stifling, heavy with his scent.


    Every nerve in my body screamed at me to fight.


    "Put me down please. My voice came out cracked and breathless, more like a plea than amand.


    "Not yet," his voice slid into mine, smooth and cold. "I like feeling you shake against me."


    I stiffened, but it was impossible to stop trembling.


    He crossed the foyer without hesitation, heading for the stairs. His stride was steady, unhurried, like the walk from the forest had only been the first step in whatever he had nned.


    "Inner voice: You know I could tie her to the bed. Not to touch you, no, no. Just to watch her. Days, weeks. Until you forget what the outside even looks like."


    I bit my lip so hard it split, but I didn¡¯t let go. The faint taste of iron filled my mouth. It grounded me, barely.


    "Inner voice: Maybe I¡¯d cover her eyes. Let you guess what I¡¯m going to do next. The not-knowing... that¡¯s what breaks them fastest."


    The stairs groaned under our weight. My hands curled into fists, not because I thought I could hurt him, but because I needed something anything to keep from falling apartpletely. We reached the second floor. The hallway was dim, lit only by the faint golden glow from the sconces. Doors lined either side, all closed. Silent. I knew exactly where he was taking me. His room. Thest ce I wanted to be after trying to escape from this godforsaken pack and it¡¯s psycho Alpha. My stomach twisted. My throat felt too tight to swallow. When he reached the end of the hall, he shouldered the door open without breaking stride. The hinges let out a slow, protesting creak, like even they didn¡¯t want to open for him. The room was dark, but I could make out the massive bed against the far wall, the tall dresser, the heavy curtains drawn tight over the windows. It smelled like him. He stepped inside, shut the door with a solid click, and crossed to the bed. I could feel my pulse pounding in my neck. When he finally dropped me onto the mattress, I scrambled backward so fast I nearly fell off the other side. Big the psycho didn¡¯t chase me. He stood at the foot of the bed, watching me. His head tilted slightly, as if I were some strange, fascinating creature he¡¯d caught.


    "Do you know what happens to prey that runs from me, Elie?"


    I shook my head before I could stop myself. Then he smiled not with his mouth, but in my mind.


    "They don¡¯t run twice."


    My breath caught. He moved closer, slow and deliberate, his boots soundless on the carpet. I pressed my back against the headboard. My knees pulled up to my chest, arms wrapped tight around them, as if I could make myself smaller, less noticeable.


    "Inner voice: You looked good in the forest,""Hair wild, eyes wide, breathing like you were about to break. I could see every muscle in your legs straining. Do you know how beautiful prey is right before it¡¯s caught?"


    "Alpha please I promise I won¡¯t run again. Please.


    "Inner voice: If I peeled her skin," he continued, ignoring mepletely, "I¡¯d start at her shoulder. Make a slow, clean cut. Pull it down inch by inch. She will feel the air hit the muscle. The sting would be sharp at first then it would burn. And i will watch every twitch."


    A sob tore free before I could swallow it.


    "You think that¡¯s bad?" His tone darkened, the edges of his voice curling like smoke. "I could boil the bones when I¡¯m done. Keep them in a box. Take them out when I want to remember how warm you used to be."


    I shook my head violently, pressing my palms over my ears, even though it was useless. His voice wasn¡¯t something I could block out it came from inside, wrapping around my thoughts like chains.


    "Why are you doing this?" My words came out muffled behind my hands.


    "Because I can¡¯t and you are my personal omega. How dare you try to run again?"


    His mental voice turned almost yful, and that was worse than the cruelty.


    I slid sideways along the bed, my eyes darting toward the door, but his gaze followed me like a physical touch.


    "A-A-Alpha You can¡¯t keep me here forever," I whispered, even though I didn¡¯t believe it.


    "Forever?" His voice purred. "Oh, no. You willst a while. Then you¡¯ll break. Then you¡¯ll disappear. That¡¯s how it always goes."


    My heart hammered so hard my vision blurred. He took another step forward, and the air in the room seemed to shrink.


    "But maybe I won¡¯t kill you. Maybe I will keep you in pieces. Enough to remind me of you... without the inconvenience of you running again."


    I curled tighter into myself, my nails digging crescents into my arms. He stopped at the edge of the bed, looking down at me.


    "Sleep now little omega.


    I didn¡¯t sleep. I couldn¡¯t. Iy frozen, every muscle aching from tension, listening to the sound of his breathing in the dark until I couldn¡¯t tell if it was real, or just another trick in my head. What have I gotten myself into? How do I go back to my original world and my life?"

 Chapter 27

    <h4>Chapter 27: Chapter 27</h4>


    The silence pressed against me like a weight.


    The air in the Alpha¡¯s room was thick, suffocating, every shadow stretching too long, every breath I took too shallow. My chest heaved, but no matter how much air I dragged in, it wasn¡¯t enough. I pulled my knees up to my chest, curling tight against the headboard, wishing I could fold myself into nothingness. But his presence was everywhere.


    He didn¡¯t even need to speak aloud his voice pulsed inside my skull, silk wrapped around knives.


    "Do you know how skin feels when it tears, Elie? It doesn¡¯t scream. It sighs."


    A violent shudder ripped through me. "Stop..." My own whisper cracked like ss.


    "I¡¯d start with your shoulder," his inner voice murmured. "Pull it slow. The flesh would peel back like a dress slipping off. And I¡¯d watch. I¡¯d savor."


    I pressed my palms against my ears, desperate, but it didn¡¯t matter. His words weren¡¯t sound. They were thought, crawling under my skin. I tried to focus on something anything. The bedframe digging into my spine. The burn of my fingernails biting into my palms. The sour taste of iron still lingering where I¡¯d bitten my lip. But the images came anyway. In the dark, my arm glistened wet. Strips of skin hung loose, blood sliding down in slow, sticky lines. My bones peeked pale and obscene through the crimson.


    "No!" I gasped, grabbing my arm, wing at the skin, desperate to hold it in ce. But my hand came away dry. Whole.


    "Look closer," Alpha Zach¡¯s voice purred.


    Against my will, my eyes darted down again this time my stomach lurched. My entire hand was gone. Just bone. Tendons dangling. Blood pooling on the sheets.


    I screamed, shoving myself backward into the headboard until my skull thudded against the wood. My vision blurred, tears hot and unstoppable.


    The smell hit next burnt flesh, thick and bitter, filling my nose, coating my tongue. I gagged violently, clutching my throat, my stomach convulsing with dry heaves. Nothing came up but spit and sobs. The walls moved. I froze, horror locking my body in ce as the wood rippled turning soft, slick. Flesh. Veins throbbed beneath the surface, faint and pulsing, as if the entire room was alive and breathing. My shriek broke raw through my throat. "Stop! Stop it!"


    But he onlyughed. Not in the room, not in my ears inside my head, reverberating against my thoughts until I thought my skull would crack.


    "Do you see now? This house... it¡¯s me. You¡¯ll rot inside me when I¡¯m finished with you."


    "No¡ª" My voice shredded into sobs.


    The nket under my hands twitched. No, not the nket. Skin. Warm, damp, twitching beneath my palms like living flesh. I flung it away with a cry, stumbling sideways off the bed, my knees cracking against the floor. I scrambled backward, palms scraping against the carpet, until my spine hit the wall. But the wall pulsed. It was warm. Alive.


    I clutched my head between my hands, rocking back and forth, sobbing, begging silently for it all to stop.


    The door exploded open.


    "Zachary!"


    The voice cut through the madness sharp,manding, human. I jerked my head up, blinking through tears. Elizabeth. The Alpha¡¯s aunt stood in the doorway, her night robe wrapped tight around her, silver hair falling loose around her shoulders. Her eyes zed fire. She didn¡¯t even look at me. She stared at him. Because he was still here. He stood at the foot of the bed, tall and still, watching me writhe with silent, predatory fascination. His eyes glowed faint in the dark.


    "Enough!" Elizabeth snapped, her voice cracking the air. "You¡¯ve done enough to her."


    "She ran." His voice was t, unrepentant. "Prey needs to learn."


    "She is not prey!" Elizabeth¡¯s voice thundered, filling the room. "She is your personal omega. Your responsibility. Do you even understand what you¡¯re doing to her?"


    His head tilted, his lips barely twitching into something that wasn¡¯t quite a smile. "Teaching her what happens when she forgets who owns her."


    My stomach dropped. Tears ran unchecked down my cheeks. How can this psycho call this teaching?"


    Elizabeth stepped forward, cing herself between us, her figure a wall of defiance. "You¡¯ll release her. Now. Do you hear me, Zachary? She will not spend another moment locked in this nightmare."


    For a long, brutal second, silence reigned. His stare bored into her, heavy with threat.


    "You presume tomand me?" he said atst, voice silk stretched thin.


    "I am your father¡¯s sister," Elizabeth answered, steelced through every word. "And I will not stand by while you destroy her and yourself with this madness. Release her, or you¡¯ll answer to me."


    The air thickened. My lungs shriveled. And then, after what felt like forever, the psycho Alpha stepped back. Slowly. Reluctantly. The crushing weight of his presence loosened enough that I gasped for breath, sagging against the wall like my bones had given out. Elizabeth turned to me, her expression softening. She held out her hand. "Come."


    I crawled toward her, my limbs trembling, and she steadied me, pulling me gently to my feet. Her warmth felt real. Solid. Not like the walls, not like the flesh nkets. She kept me close as she guided me toward the door. His voice followed us, low and venomous.


    "Run again, little toad and I¡¯ll make sure you never have legs to run with."


    A choked sob tore out of me, but Elizabeth¡¯s grip tightened. She yanked the door shut behind us. Out in the hall, my knees buckled. I slid down the wall, my body wracked with shaking sobs. My throat burned raw, every breath ragged. Elizabeth crouched beside me, her hand smoothing damp hair from my face. "Hush, child. You¡¯re safe now."


    The word scraped across my mind like a lie. Safe? Nothing about him felt safe. Nothing about this house felt safe.


    Elizabeth¡¯s eyes softened, but her lips pressed into a grim line. "Elie, you must understand. The Alpha..he isn¡¯t well."


    I lifted my blotched, tear streaked face to her. "He¡¯s insane." My voice cracked, hoarse.


    She flinched, but didn¡¯t deny it. Her words came slowly, heavy. "His mind has been... unstable since boyhood. He carries a violence in him, a darkness he cannot control. Sometimes he fights it. Other times, it consumes him."


    Hot tears slid down my cheeks. "Then why me? Why is he doing this to me?"


    Elizabeth¡¯s gaze locked onto mine. "Because you calm him."


    I froze. My breath caught. "What?" How?"


    "You tether him," she said, her tone raw with truth. "When you are near, the madness doesn¡¯t take him as far. He doesn¡¯t unravelpletely. You¡ª" her mouth trembled before she firmed it again "you are the only thing keeping him from copsing into the void."


    I shook my head violently. "No. No, I can¡¯t¡ª"


    "You must." Her voice was firm, though her eyes glistened with pity. "If you run, he will break. And when he breaks, Elie, no one will be safe."


    Sobs clogged my throat. "I can¡¯t stay with him. I can¡¯t, he will kill me, please.


    "You won¡¯t stay here," Elizabeth said, her hand gripping mine firmly. "You will move into his mansion. From now on, you¡¯ll serve as his personal omega."


    The words knocked the air out of me. My body recoiled as if struck. "No. Please. Please don¡¯t make me.


    "Elie." Her voice softened again, but it held iron. "This is the only way. If you leave, he wille for you again and next time, I may not be able to stop him. If you stay close, I can protect you. And more importantly... you can protect him, in the only way you can."


    I shook my head until it throbbed. My tears fell in heavy, hopeless streams. The thought of living under his roof, of being his personal omega, trapped beneath his gaze, his voice in my head it hollowed me out. But what choice did I have? Elizabeth squeezed my hand tighter, her grip steady as iron shackles. "It is decided. Tomorrow, you move into the Alpha¡¯s mansion."


    I copsed against her shoulder, my body heaving with silent sobs. And deep inside, a cold realization burned: Escape would nevere.


    The morning came too quickly. I hadn¡¯t slept. My body had curled itself on the thin mat in the servants¡¯ quarters, trembling through the hours as Elizabeth¡¯s words echoed over and over.


    Tomorrow, you move into the Alpha¡¯s mansion. Now, the light filtered gray through the tiny window, weak and cold. My eyes burned from crying. My throat was raw. My stomach twisted in tight knots that refused food, even when one of the older omegas shoved a stale piece of bread into my hand. They knew I had been summoned. Word traveled fast in this stupid pack, faster still among the omegas. I felt their stares when I rose, clutching the small bundle of belongings I owned. A single dress, ab with broken teeth, and the thin nket I had always used. It looked pitiful tied in cloth, but it was all I had.


    "You¡¯re lucky," one omega muttered, her voice just loud enough for me to hear. Her eyes glittered with something sharp. "The Alpha never takes a personal omega. You must have done something special."


    Her words burned. I wanted tough if only she knew what kind of special treatment he gave me. Another girl, barely older than me, sneered. "Probably whored herself for it. Why else would she be chosen?"


    The others giggled, and my cheeks burned with shame. I hugged my bundle tighter against my chest, staring at the floor so they wouldn¡¯t see the tears welling in my eyes.


    If only they knew. If only they understood that every step closer to his mansion felt like a march toward my own grave. But they didn¡¯t. They only saw the title. Personal omega. A position they envied, imagining fine clothes, better food, maybe even the Alpha¡¯s favor. They couldn¡¯t imagine what it truly meant to be the chosen prey of a predator who never tired of the hunt.


    "Leave her alone."


    The voice was soft but steady. Joan. I turned, relief flooding me when I saw her. She was slight, with dark curls framing her kind face. Joan had always been gentle with me, offering me scraps when I was too weak to work, whispering smallforts when the others tore me down. She walked up and slipped her hand into mine, ring at the others with a fire I¡¯d never seen in her before. "Don¡¯t talk about what you don¡¯t understand." The others rolled their eyes but fell silent. Their whispers picked up again the moment Joan guided me away, but I tried to block them out.


    When we reached the end of the hall, she stopped, turning to face me. Her eyes searched mine, and what she saw there made her lips tremble. "Elie..."


    I swallowed hard, my voice breaking. "I don¡¯t want to go."


    Her hand squeezed mine. "I know."


    "I can¡¯t survive in that ce. I can¡¯t survive him." My chest heaved, panic spilling out in waves. "Joan, he he¡¯s not right. He¡¯s..." I broke off, shaking my head, unable to put into words the horrors of his voice, the visions that still lingered like stains on my mind. She didn¡¯t press me. Maybe she already knew. Maybe she had seen enough to guess. Her arms wrapped around me suddenly, pulling me into a fierce hug. "Listen to me," she whispered into my hair. "You are stronger than you think. Whatever he does... hold on. Don¡¯t let him take you from you." I clung to her, my tears soaking her shoulder. "I¡¯m scared."


    "I know." Her voice cracked. "But you¡¯re not alone, Elie. Remember that."


    She pulled back, brushing at my tears with her thumb. She tried to smile, though it wavered. "When you can,e find me. I¡¯ll always listen."


    My throat ached with the words I couldn¡¯t say. What if I never get to see you again?


    But I nodded, because I didn¡¯t have the strength for anything else. Elizabeth arrived soon after, her presencemanding enough that the other omegas scattered. Her gaze fell on me, softening slightly. "Come, child."


    Joan gave my hand onest squeeze before letting go. I followed Elizabeth, my bundle clutched tight, my legs weak but moving because there was no choice. The path to the Alpha¡¯s mansion felt endless. The main house loomedrger with every step, three stories of stone and shadow, its high windows like watchful eyes. It looked less like a home and more like a beast crouched, waiting to swallow me whole. My feet faltered at the door, but Elizabeth¡¯s hand guided me forward.


    "Remember what I told you," she murmured. "Stay close. Stay calm. You¡¯re safer near him than away."


    Safer. The word tasted like ash, I can never be safe from that crazy psycho.


    Inside, the mansion smelled of polished wood, leather, and something darker beneath his scent, sharp and suffocating. The halls were wide, draped with heavy curtains and lined with portraits of long-dead Alphas staring down with cold, painted eyes.Elizabeth led me upstairs, her hand steady on my shoulder. We stopped at a door on the second floor.


    "This will be your room," she said. "It is close to his. He may call for you at any hour."


    My stomach twisted. The thought of him just a wall away made my skin crawl.


    Elizabeth ced a hand against my cheek, her gaze heavy with something between pity and resolve. "Be careful, Elie. I¡¯ll watch over you as best I can. But much of this is between you and him."


    I wanted to beg her not to leave me, but the words caught in my throat. She gave me onest look before turning away, her robes swishing softly as she disappeared down the hall. The door clicked shut behind me. The room was small but neat. A narrow bed, a dresser, a single window with thick curtains drawn tight. It smelled faintly of dust, and beneath it all, that same suffocating scent him. I sat on the bed, clutching my bundle to my chest. My body trembled, my mind racing with Joan¡¯s words, Elizabeth¡¯s warnings, his voice that never truly left me. Night came slowly. The mansion grew silent, shadows stretching long across the floor. Iy on the bed fully clothed, my eyes wide, my ears straining for every sound. The first time the door creaked open, my heart nearly stopped. His figure filled the doorway, tall and dark. He stepped inside without a word, his eyes glowing faint in the moonlight spilling through the curtains.


    I froze, every muscle locking tight.


    "Inner voice: Still here. Good. I thought you might have run again."


    I swallowed hard, pressing myself against the headboard.


    "You look better frightened," he mused, his inner tone curling with satisfaction. "Eyes wide. Breathing shallow. Like prey that knows the trap has closed."


    He stayed for what felt like forever, just staring, just letting me drown in his presence. Then he turned and left, the door clicking softly shut. I let out a shaky breath, tears slipping silently down my cheeks. But it didn¡¯t end there. The second time, the door opened slower. He stepped inside again, closer this time. His shadow fell across the bed.


    "You won¡¯t leave me," his voice hissed. "Even if I have to chain you to the floor, you¡¯ll never leave again."


    I curled tighter into myself, biting down on my lip to keep from sobbing aloud. He lingered, then left again.


    The third time, he came all the way to the bed. I felt the mattress dip slightly under his weight as he sat at the edge. His hand didn¡¯t touch me, but it hovered close, close enough that my skin burned with phantom fire.


    "Mine," his voice growled low and possessive. "You will sleep, you will wake, you will breathe under my watch. Every breath you take belongs to me."


    A sob tore from my throat before I could stop it. My hands shook violently as I tried to cover my ears, but it was useless. His voice wrapped tight around my thoughts, inescapable.


    He leaned closer, his breath brushing against my hair. "Inner voice: Run in your dreams if you want. I¡¯ll be waiting when you wake."


    The door shut behind him again, but I didn¡¯t move. Couldn¡¯t. My body shook so violently the bed creaked beneath me. Iy awake the rest of the night, eyes wide, listening for the door, waiting for the next time he woulde. Sleep never came. Only his voice, echoing in my head long after he was gone.

 Chapter 28

    <h4>Chapter 28: Chapter 28</h4>


    This psycho Alpha didn¡¯t want a servant. He wanted a shadow. He wanted me. And now, I couldn¡¯t move without feeling his madness pressed against my skin. From sunrise to sunset, he refused to let me out of sight. If I stepped into the hallway, his boots echoed behind me. If I lingered in the courtyard, his shadow stretched across mine until it swallowed me whole. Once, desperate for a moment of air, I slipped toward the back gardens, heart hammering, praying he was busy. I made it ten steps before the familiar chill prickled down my spine.


    "Running, little omega?" His voice slid through the silence like a knife.


    I froze, my breath catching. Slowly, I turned. There he was. Leaning against the tree with his arms folded, watching me as though he had been there all along. His eyes glittered in a way that made my stomach twist.


    "You can run," he continued, pushing off the tree, his steps slow and deliberate. "But you¡¯ll never get away. Do you know why?"


    I swallowed, unable to speak.


    "Because I already live inside your head." His smile was sharp, feral. "Every step you take, every breath you draw you think of me. I haunt you even when I¡¯m not here."


    He was right. And that truth broke something inside me.


    At meals, he made me sit beside him, too close, his arm brushing mine deliberately as he lifted his fork. The other omegas gossiped, ring daggers at me, but their whispers didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was the Alpha¡¯s hand on the table, inching close to mine, tapping a rhythm that matched my heartbeat. He leaned down, murmuring low enough for only me to hear. "Do you feel how your pulse races when I touch the table? You¡¯re already anticipating me. Your body begs for me even when your mouth lies."


    I flinched, pulling my hand away. His smirk deepened. "Fear is still hunger, Ellie. It just tastes sharper."


    The nights were worse.


    Always the same the click of the lock, the creak of the door, the shift in the air before I even opened my eyes. My body knew before my mind did: he was here. When I looked, he was seated in the chair by the window, or standing in the shadows, or on the nights that broke me most leaning over me, his breath ghosting across my cheek. He whispered then, not to me, but to himself. His inner thoughts bleeding out like poison, words I was never meant to hear but could never unhear.


    "Inner voice: Look at her. So small, so fragile. I could snap her neck and end her in a second. But why would I? Breaking her too fast would ruin the game."


    "Inner voice: I want her afraid. I want her trembling. Every shiver tells me she knows she belongs to me."


    "Sometimes I think about locking her away. Caging her where no one can see her. Just me and her, forever. She¡¯d cry at first. But she¡¯d learn. She¡¯d learn to smile only for me."


    I pressed the nket to my mouth to smother the sound of my breathing. But he heard it anyway.


    "Inner voice: Ah," he whispered, tilting his head. "Even the way she hides excites me. She thinks she can keep herself from me, but she can¡¯t. She¡¯s already mine. She will die mine."


    My tears soaked the pillow. I wanted to scream. I wanted to run. But my body was paralyzed with terror. And he just smiled, sinking into the chair, his eyes glowing faintly. "Perfect little pet. You don¡¯t even realize how beautiful you are when you¡¯re terrified. I could watch you like this forever."


    Day after day, his madness deepened. When he held council meetings, he ced me on a cushion by his chair. Not outside. Not down the hall. At his feet, where his hand could rest on my hair as he spoke to the other alphas.


    "Why here?" I whispered once, my voice trembling.


    His lips brushed my ear, his words venomous silk. "Inner voice: Because when they look at me, I want them to see you. I want them to know what I own."


    The word own left bruises on my heart. He stroked my hair idly as he spoke to his men, his voice steady,manding, as though discussing war strategies. And yet, between the pauses, his whispers dropped like des into me.


    "Inner voice: you are mine, my omega. And You will never escape."


    And the others pretended not to hear. They bowed to him, not me. They left me to drown in his madness alone.


    Joan was the only one who noticed how my life had turned upside down the moment I started living with the Alpha. She found me in theundry, my hands shaking so badly I could barely fold a sheet.


    "Ellie..." she whispered, ncing around nervously. "Are you okay? You are pale. Oh moon goddess you¡¯re trembling again.


    "I can¡¯t stop," I choked out. "He¡¯s everywhere, Joan. He doesn¡¯t leave me alone. Even when he¡¯s not near, I hear him everywhere My throat closed, tears stinging my eyes. "He says things, Joan. Things that... haunt me."


    Her eyes widened, fear darkening them. "You have to be careful. If he¡¯s showing you his mind... Ellie, that¡¯s not obsession. That¡¯s possession. You¡¯re not his omega. You¡¯re his prisoner. "Wait! Are you the Alpha¡¯s Mate?"


    "What? Never, I can never be his mate i shouted.


    "Are you sure Ellie Joan asked again.


    "Yes, I¡¯m sure. Joan stayed with me for a while before going back to her duty post.


    That night, I woke to find him not at the window, not in the chair but lying on the floor beside my bed. His face was turned toward me, his arm stretched across the rug like he¡¯d fallen asleep watching.


    Except he wasn¡¯t asleep. The moment I shifted, his eyes opened, gleaming with hunger.


    "Finally awake," he whispered, voice hoarse with something I couldn¡¯t name. "Inner voice: I¡¯ve been listening to you breathe for hours."


    I recoiled, pressing against the wall. "Alpha, please¡ª"


    "Please?" he echoed, rising fluidly to his feet. "Please what? Please leave? Please stay? You don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re begging for."


    His hand braced against the wall beside my head, trapping me. His gaze burned, his words spilling out like poison.


    "Sometimes I imagine breaking your legs so you can¡¯t run. Would you hate me then? Or would you finally understand that you¡¯re mine?"


    Terror choked me.


    "Inner voice: Other times, I imagine locking you underground. No light, no sound, just me. You¡¯d go mad, but at least you¡¯d go mad with me. And isn¡¯t that better than being sane without me?"


    My body shook violently. Tears streamed down my face. "Why are you doing this to me?"


    His smile was slow, chilling. "Because I can¡¯t stop. Because the moment I saw you, I knew. You¡¯re the only thing in this cursed world that makes me feel alive. And if I have to destroy you to keep that feeling, I will."


    I sobbed, pressing my hands to my face. He leaned closer, his breath hot against my ear. "Inner voice: You will never escape toad, Even if you run, I¡¯ll find you. Even if you die, I¡¯ll dig you up. You belong to me until the end of everything."


    When he finally stepped back, I copsed against the bedframe, gasping for air.


    He watched me for a long moment, then smirked, satisfied. "Beautiful. You look most beautiful when you break."


    And then he left. The door closed. The room was silent.


    But his words his horrifying, obsessive thoughts stayed behind, etched into my bones. And I knew then, with a sinking, soul-crushing certainty, that my life is over. I¡¯m stuck here in this werewolf world forever. I had begun to realize that the walls of the Alpha¡¯s quarters weren¡¯t made of stone, but of him. The crazy psycho is everywhere I turned, every step I took, every breath I dared to draw, his presence was there. Looming. Heavy. Impossible to escape. He had made me his personal omega, not his mate, not his equal his possession. He imed it wasn¡¯t the same as marking me, but it felt worse somehow. With a mate-bond, at least there was fate¡¯s hand in the strings. With Zach, there was only his will, raw and suffocating, pulling I me tighter and tighter into the cage of his obsession. By day, his eyes followed me. In the corridors. At meals. Even when I went to fetch water, I could feel the weight of him standing somewhere nearby. His shadow became my shadow. And by night By night, he stole the little scraps of peace I tried to find. I had known for weeks that he came into my room when the moon rose, his footsteps barely whispering on the stone floor. At first I thought I was dreaming. The feeling of being watched had woken me from sleep, my heart thudding too loudly in the quiet. I would open my eyes to darkness and convince myself it was my mind ying tricks. But then... then I began to see the faint silhouette near the window, or the chair in the corner. Him. Always him. Watching me breathe. Watching me dream. And every morning, when the dawn crept through the curtains, there was never a trace of him. No words spoken, no evidence left behind except for the tightening knot of dread in my chest. I had learned to sleep with the nket pulled all the way to my chin, as though that could protect me from his gaze. But that night, something changed. That night, I woke up not because of the cold stillness of his stare, but because of warmth. Heat pressed against my back, solid and unrelenting. My body stiffened instantly, dread crawling up my spine. His scent the unmistakable, suffocating mix of pine and smoke and something darker wrapped around me like chains. I didn¡¯t even need to turn. I knew. Alpha the crazy Alpha was in my bed. My breath hitched, sharp and frantic, as I forced myself to move slowly, inch by inch. When I turned my head, my heart nearly stopped.


    He was there beside me, stretched out on his side like he belonged, one powerful arm locked tightly around my waist. His face was buried in my hair, his chest rising and falling against my back. He was holding me like I was something he could lose, something he refused to let go of even in sleep. Terror washed through me, leaving me trembling. My hands curled into fists against the mattress to stop myself from shaking the bed. I wanted to scream, but the sound lodged in my throat like a stone.


    Not the voice. Not the cruel, mocking tone of his inner voice that usually hissed words of possession into the air. Tonight, the voice was silent. Instead, there were fragments. Broken whispers, torn from his lips in sleep.


    "No... not her... don¡¯t¡ª" His brow furrowed, his hold around me tightening until I could barely breathe. His voice cracked, low and pained. "Blood... everywhere. Stop. Please. I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll kill you. I¡¯ll kill¡ª"


    I froze, my eyes wide in the dark. He was dreaming. This psycho is actually having a nightmare?" His body jerked slightly against mine, his arm tightening even more, pulling me flush against his chest. His face twisted, and for the first time since I¡¯d known him, he didn¡¯t look like the cruel, untouchable Alpha. He looked broken.


    "Alpha," I whispered before I could stop myself. My voice was barely audible, a tremor in the night. He flinched, his breath hitching, but he didn¡¯t wake. Instead, more fragments spilled out.


    "They burned her... I couldn¡¯t no, no!His words dissolved into a ragged growl, and then softer, almost pleading: "Mine. Don¡¯t take her. Don¡¯t take her away."


    A shiver ran through me. My chest felt too tight. I wanted to shove him off, to scream, to run but something in his voice rooted me there. I had seen him furious. I had seen him mocking, cruel, terrifying. But this... this was something else. He was afraid. The thought unsettled me more than his grip. Because if the psycho Alpha, the Alpha everyone talked about in fear, the man who haunted my every step, could be afraid what nightmare was strong enough to haunt him? I swallowed hard, trying to steady my shaking. His fingers dug into my hip as though he was holding onto me for dear life. I tried to breathe evenly, terrified of waking him, terrified of what he would say or do if he realized I had caught him like this. And yet my heart twisted when I felt the faintest tremor run through his body. A shudder, as though whatever he was seeing in his dream tore him apart from the inside. For a moment just a single, impossible moment I wondered if this was what the silence of his inner voice meant. If the thing that usually taunted me, imed me, possessed me... had been drowned out by a different kind of torment. His nightmare. I should have hated him. I should have used the chance to slip away from his grasp, to crawl out of bed and run to the furthest corner of the quarters. But I didn¡¯t.


    I couldn¡¯t. Because his face... gods, his face. Even in the dim light, I could see the anguish etched into every line. His jaw clenched tight, his lips drawn in a grimace of pain. His brow creased as though he were reliving something that destroyed him. And then his voice broke again, hoarse and desperate.


    "Ellie.. he whispered almost pleading The world seemed to tilt beneath me. I didn¡¯t understand. I didn¡¯t want to understand. But the sound of it made something heavy settle in my chest. His breath fanned against my neck, uneven and hot, and though my skin crawled with fear, my heart betrayed me by beating too fast, too confused. This was still crazy psycho, the Alpha who tormented me, who refused to let me breathe without his permission. But for the first time, I could see the cracks. The nightmare leaking through. help me God, a part of me wanted to know why. His grip softened slightly, his breathing hitching as the nightmare began to loosen its hold. Slowly, the lines on his face eased, though his arm never let me go. He sighed in his sleep, a low sound that vibrated against my back. I stayed still, rigid in his arms, staring into the darkness. Every part of me screamed that I should push him away. That I should w my way free and put as much distance between us as possible. But I didn¡¯t move, even if I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t move. Because for the first time since I had been dragged into his world, the monster looked human.

 Chapter 29

    <h4>Chapter 29: Chapter 29</h4>


    The morning after Zach climbed into my bed, everything felt wrong. When my eyes first fluttered open, I didn¡¯t move. Iy there with my cheek pressed against the pillow, staring at the faint cracks in the ceiling, listening for him. My breaths came shallow, caught between hope and terror, because every morning since I¡¯d been dragged into the Alpha¡¯s quarters had begun the same way with him. Sometimes it was his shadow looming in the corner, waiting for me to notice. Sometimes it was his voice, that rasping, poisonous tone that always seemed to seep straight into my ears and coil around my spine. Other mornings, it was his hand, brushing hair from my face in a parody of gentleness before tightening hard enough to remind me who I belonged to. But today there was nothing everywhere was silent.


    The kind of silence that made me hold my breath because it didn¡¯t feel like peace. It felt like the world was baiting me into rxing before the trap snapped shut again. I turned my head slowly, almost afraid of what I¡¯d see beside me. The space was empty. No towering frame. No heat. The sheets were smooth and cold, tucked neatly as if he had never climbed into them at all.


    For one dizzy second, I thought maybe I had imaginedst night. Maybe I¡¯d dreamed the suffocating weight of his body beside mine, the way his arms had locked around me like chains. Maybe the memory of his uneven breathing against my neck had been some twisted trick of my exhausted mind.


    But no. I knew better. The crazy didn¡¯t give me the mercy of dreams. I sat up, every muscle trembling, scanning the corners of the room. He loved hiding in shadows, loved watching me flinch when I finally realized he¡¯d been there all along. But there was no movement. No scrape of boots. Not even the faintest trace of his breathing.


    The scent in the air was faint pine, smoke, and iron, his scent. Always sharp, always suffocating. But today it was diluted, lingering like smoke after a fire, not choking me like it usually did. My fingers gripped the nket until my knuckles turned white. At first, I thought it was a trick. Zach loved tricks more than anything. He loved dangling the idea of freedom in front of me, making me believe I¡¯d slipped the leash, only to snap it tight enough to burn.


    So I stayed still. Listening. Waiting. Heart pounding and there was Still nothing. Finally, I forced myself to move. My bare feet touched the cold floor, the chill running up my spine like an omen. My eyes darted to the door unlocked. My throat closed around the gasp that wanted to escape. The door was never unlocked. It looks like a miracle. Trap. I couldn¡¯t tell the difference. I crept forward, each step careful, soft, like walking over broken ss. My hand trembled on the knob before I turned it and slipped into the hallway it was Empty. The air out there was even quieter than in the room. Normally, his guards would be stationed outside, two of them always watching, sneering at me like I was a pet gone rabid. But there was no one. My gaze flicked toward his chambers. His door was closed, shut so tightly the wood seemed to groan against the frame. No guards there either. No voices. I stood frozen, my heart hammering, and listened. Usually, if he was near, I would hear it that low growling echo, the sound of his inner voice bleeding through the cracks like smoke. But today even his inner voice was quiet which is very strange to me. "Wait! The realization hit like ice water is he trying to avoid me. Crazy psycho. But the psycho avoiding me that terrified me more than anything. Alpha Zach never avoided me. He was everywhere. He lingered in doorways just to remind me I couldn¡¯t leave, stood over me while I ate until the food turned to ash in my mouth, dragged me into his chaos whenever silence threatened to stretch too long. If he wasn¡¯t watching, he was touching. If he wasn¡¯t touching, he was whispering. If he wasn¡¯t whispering, he wasughing that brokenugh that made my skin crawl. And for him to disappear? To leave me in silence? It wasn¡¯t freedom. It was the storm sucking the air out of the world before it finally broke. I didn¡¯t know what was worse anymore his obsessive attention or this. The kitchen was the first ce I saw anyone else. The staff froze when I entered, as if they didn¡¯t know whether to bow or to recoil. Their eyes flicked behind me, searching for him, and when they didn¡¯t find him, their whispers started.


    "Where is the Alpha?" one of the omegas asked, clutching a spoon like it was a weapon.


    "He hasn¡¯te out since dawn," another murmured back. "Refused his meal. Threw the tray back."


    A third omega crossed herself, as if even speaking of his defiance of routine might summon his wrath. Their words crawled beneath my skin. Alpha Zach refusing food? That wasn¡¯t him. His appetite was as vicious as his temper. To deny himself meant something was broken.


    "Maybe he¡¯s ill," someone whispered, voice trembling.


    No. My fists curled at my sides. Not sick. The psycho wasn¡¯t the type to get sick. He was the sickness. He infected everyone else. I slipped away before their chatter could w deeper into my chest, but the knot in my stomach only tightened. I sat alone in the dining hall with a te of bread and eggs in front of me, untouched. My hands shook when I reached for the fork. I couldn¡¯t force myself to swallow a bite. Because I knew. I don know what that psycho is nning for me. The day dragged like a knife over skin. Every creak of the floorboards made me flinch. Every shadow stretched too long, curling at the edges like smoke. My skin crawled with the feeling of eyes on me, even though the halls were empty. By midday, the omegas cleaning the corridors were stealing nces at me, whispering behind their hands. They looked at me like I was supposed to know. As if being the crazy Alpha¡¯s personal omega gave me answers. But I knew nothing. I wasn¡¯t his confidant. I wasn¡¯t his mate. I wasn¡¯t anything except his possession. His toy. The fragile tether he used to keep the voices in his head from swallowing him whole. When dinner came, the omega knocked on his chamber door again. No answer. The tray came back untouched. The meat still steaming. The wine bottle cracked open, spilling dark red across the hallway floor as though he¡¯d hurled it in disgust. By then, my fear had curdled into panic. This wasn¡¯t avoidance. This was punishment. Silent punishment, stretched thin and sharp, the kind that built until it copsed all at once. He was plotting. He was choosing how best to break me next. By nightfall, I was unraveling. I sat on the edge of my bed, knees hugged to my chest, staring at the door as if it would explode inward at any second. The walls seemed thinner, the shadows darker. The quiet more suffocating than his voice had ever been. I should have been grateful. I should have savored the space, the silence, the chance to breathe without him pressing down on me. But instead, my body wouldn¡¯t stop trembling.


    Because I knew it wouldn¡¯tst. Nothing with him eversted. Sleep finally dragged me under sometime after midnight, though it felt more like drowning than rest. And when I woke, I knew instantly something was wrong.


    Arms. Heavy, iron-strong arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me back against a chest as solid as stone. Heat seared through my nightgown, hot and uneven breaths ghosting across the back of my neck. My blood froze. No. No, no, no¡ª I turned my head the smallest inch, just enough to see him in the dim light of a candle guttering on the desk. ck hair tangled and wild. Jaw clenched even in sleep.


    Alpha Zach. In my bed. Again.


    He hade back while I slept, silent as a predator. I couldn¡¯t move. His grip was too strong, binding me like shackles made of flesh and bone. My pulse pounded so loud in my ears I thought it would wake him. But the most terrifying thing wasn¡¯t that he was holding me. It was his face. He wasn¡¯t smirking. Wasn¡¯t sneering. Wasn¡¯t watching me with that cruel, hungry glint. His brows were furrowed, teeth clenched, body shuddering as though caught in some nightmare too deep to escape. He was clinging to me like I was the only thing keeping him from falling apart. I shut my eyes tight, praying for morning, praying for the weight to lift, for air to return to my lungs.

 Chapter 30

    <h4>Chapter 30: Chapter 30</h4>


    When I woke up in the morning, the first thing I felt wasn¡¯t the chill of dawn seeping through the window, or the faint smell of damp wood that always lingered in Alpha Zach¡¯s quarters.


    It was heat. A suffocating, unnatural heat. At first, I thought I had woken in the middle of a fire. My skin was slick with sweat, my throat dry. Then I realized it wasn¡¯t the room it was him. Alpha Zach¡¯s arms were around me again. My heart nearly stopped. My first instinct was to scream, but my voice tangled in my throat as my eyes focused. He was there. In my bed. Holding me like I belonged to him. His face was pale but flushed with fever at the same time, strands of his dark hair sticking damply to his forehead. His body was burning hot, pressed tight against mine. I couldn¡¯t breathe. Panic wed at me, raw and immediate. I wanted to shove him away, to run, to lock myself behind the strongest door in the packhouse. My legs twitched, ready to spring. But then I froze. Because his grip on me wasn¡¯t violent. It wasn¡¯t the crushing, punishing hold he usually had when he wanted to remind me I was his possession, his personal omega. It was desperate. Trembling. He clung to me like a drowning man clings to thest piece of driftwood.


    I swallowed hard. Every instinct screamed that this was my chance I could escape. Slip out of his grasp while he was weak, burning up with fever. I even swung one leg off the bed, silently praying the floorboards wouldn¡¯t creak. And then I stopped. Because I caught sight of his face. For the first time since I¡¯d been dragged into this nightmare world, Alpha Zach looked human.


    His jaw wasn¡¯t set in its usual cold fury. His eyes were shut tight,shes trembling against his flushed skin, his lips parting as though each breath cost him a battle. Sweat rolled down his temples, soaking into the sheets. He looked less like the predator who haunted me, and more like a man trapped inside his own burning body. My chest twisted painfully. Damn it.


    I wanted to leave him. I wanted to run far, far away and never look back. But another part of me, the part I couldn¡¯t silence, whispered something else. I was a doctor and saving lifees first Before I woke up in this cursed werewolf world before fate chained me to this Alpha psycho¡¯s madness I had been a surgeon. A healer. Someone who couldn¡¯t just stand by while another life was slipping into danger. Even if that life belonged to the man who terrified me most. My fingers curled tight in the sheets. I should have kept walking. But instead I came back. I sat on the edge of the bed, heart hammering in my chest as I studied him. His skin was too hot, fever radiating from him in waves. I pressed my palm lightly against his forehead and flinched. He was burning up. A fever this high could kill a normal human. But he wasn¡¯t human he was Alpha. His strength was monstrous, his body resilient. And yet, something was clearly wrong.


    My mind raced through possibilities. Infection? A festering wound I hadn¡¯t noticed? Poison? I bit my lip hard. I had no medical tools here, no sterile gloves, no IV drips or antibiotics. Just myself, my hands, and scraps of knowledge I had no business trying to use in a world like this. Still, I couldn¡¯t just sit there and watch.


    He groaned suddenly, low and guttural, his grip tightening on me. My pulse spiked as his fingers dug into my wrist. His nails scraped against my skin, leaving faint red marks.


    "Don¡¯t leave..."


    The words were barely a whisper, slurred and feverish, but they cut me deeper than a shout. He was talking in his sleep. Dreaming. And in that dream, I was leaving him.


    I shivered violently. Why me? Of all people, why me? I forced myself to breathe. I couldn¡¯t lose focus. His fever was climbing higher. If I didn¡¯t do something now, even an Alpha¡¯s body might not withstand the strain. I pulled gently, trying to free my hand. His grip was like iron, but I managed to slide free, inch by inch. My wrist throbbed, but at least I was mobile. The first step was cooling him down.


    I slipped from the bed, legs trembling, and hurried to fetch a basin. The water in this world wasn¡¯t clean, not like the filtered kind I used to take for granted. But it would have to do. I soaked a cloth and returned, my hands shaking as I wrung it out. When I pressed the damp cloth to his forehead, he flinched. His lips curled in a faint snarl, and for one terrifying second, his eyes snapped open. I froze. His gaze was zed, unfocused, pupils dted. His breathing was harsh,bored. He wasn¡¯t fully conscious more trapped between fever dreams and reality. But his hand shot out anyway, seizing my wrist again with frightening strength.


    "Mine" he growled


    The single word was hoarse, raw, broken. His fevered voice shed through the air, and my stomach twisted into knots. I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to rip my hand free and shout that I wasn¡¯t his, that I never would be.


    But I bit it back. Because right now, fighting him would only make things worse.


    So instead, I whispered softly, "I¡¯m not leaving. But you need to let me treat you." Did he hear me? Understand me? I had no idea. His grip didn¡¯t loosen. His eyes fluttered shut again, his breathing uneven. I swallowed hard and continued my work, moving the cloth across his skin, wiping away the sweat. His chest rose and fell in erratic patterns, his muscles twitching like he was fighting invisible enemies.


    "Nightmares," I realized aloud, my voice trembling.


    Even the crazy Alpha had nightmares. And in some cruel twist of fate, he clung to me in the middle of them. Hours slipped by in agonizing silence, broken only by his fevered groans and my quiet attempts to keep him stable. I changed the cloth when it grew warm, fetched more water, dabbed his neck and chest, whispered soft reassurances even though I doubted he heard them. But I couldn¡¯t ignore the fear crawling up my spine every time his hand twitched, every time his body jolted like he might wake fully and snap my neck for daring to touch him.


    Still, I stayed. Because as much as I hated him, as much as I wished he would disappear from my life forever, I couldn¡¯t stand by and let him burn alive from within. When dawn stretched into mid-morning, his fever finally broke. The violent tremors eased. His breathing steadied, his skin cooling beneath my trembling hands. His grip ckened until I could finally pull free without force. I copsed onto the edge of the bed, exhausted. My hair clung to my damp face, my hands numb from holding the cloth for so long. Every muscle ached, but I didn¡¯t care. Relief washed over me like a tide.


    He would live, ThankGod for that. I should have been furious at myself. Should have regretted saving the man who made my every waking moment a cage of fear. But as I sat there, watching him sleep more peacefully than I¡¯d ever seen, my heart was heavy with something else. Something I didn¡¯t want to name. I had seen a side of him I wasn¡¯t supposed to see.


    Not the Alpha. Not the monster. Not the one who hunted me in my own nightmares. Who¡¯s inner voice is constantly hunting. But I saw a man who had clung to me, desperate and vulnerable, whispering words that made my chest ache.


    "Mine." The word still echoed in my head, long after he drifted into silence. What does he mean by that? I buried my face in my hands and wished, not for the first time, that I had never been dragged into this world. Because the longer I stayed, the harder it became to keep my walls from cracking. And once they cracked there would be no escape. And I will be stuck here forever. Oh god please save me. The psycho Alpha had gone back to sleep again. I peeped at his face, his chest was raising and falling peacefully and suddenly a crazy thought creeped into my head. "What if I press his face with one of the pillows?" No-no-no he will died and I will have his blood on my hand. I¡¯m not a monster like him.

 Chapter 31

    <h4>Chapter 31: Chapter 31</h4>


    When His breathing finally steadied and the fever broke under my hands, I thought I might be able to rest, just for a little while. I¡¯d patched him up, coaxed his raging body temperature down with coldpresses, monitored his pulse like the doctor I used to be in my old world. But the moment his golden eyes opened again, sharp and unblinking, I realized my ordeal had only just begun. He didn¡¯t speak right away. Instead, hey there, his head turned slightly toward me, pupils dted in that strange way wolves had when they were studying prey. My skin crawled under his gaze. I sat at the farthest edge of the bed, fingers curled tightly in myp, trying to appear small, harmless, forgettable. But of course, to him, I was never forgettable. I was his possession. His personal omega.


    He didn¡¯t say a word to me, but I could feel it the weight of his thoughts pressing against me. Who knows what the crazy psycho is nning to do to me now.


    "inner voice: She touched you. She dared to put her hands on your body. Did you feel it? The way her fingers trembled, the heat of her palms? Don¡¯t let her pull away. Don¡¯t let her forget that she belongs here, with you, under you, because of you.


    I stiffened. I hated when he looked at me like that, as though he could crawl into my head and unravel every secret I¡¯d ever tried to bury.


    I swallowed and forced myself to whisper, "A-A-Alpha You are better now. Try to rest."


    He blinked slowly, then shifted closer to me, the bed dipping under his weight. My body froze. Every instinct screamed at me to get up, to run, to escape before he could trap me again. But escape in this pack house was a fantasy. The moment I tried, he¡¯d find me. He always found me.


    "inner voice: She¡¯s trembling again. Do you see how easy it is to make her break? But she didn¡¯t run when you were weak. She could have. She should have. Yet she stayed. Why? Why would a fragile little thing like her stay by your side?


    His hand moved suddenly. Not violently no, that would have been easier to predict, easier to ept. Instead, his fingers brushed against mine where theyy clenched in myp. Just a feather-light touch, deliberate and slow. I sucked in a breath. My heart thundered so hard I thought it might betray me.


    "inner voice: These hands these soft, trembling hands that stitched you back together. A doctor¡¯s hands, aren¡¯t they? Where did she learn that? She¡¯s just an omega, my personal omega, where did she learn to do that?


    I frozepletely. My chest tightened. For one horrifying moment, I thought he knew that somehow he could see through me, into the truth I had never dared to speak aloud. That I wasn¡¯t from this world at all. That I had once been a doctor, with sterile gloves and beeping monitors, in a life that now felt like someone else¡¯s dream. He tilted his head, watching me like I was a puzzle only he had the right to solve. His thumb grazed the ridge of my knuckles, slow and circling.


    "inner voice: If I press here, she flinches. If I hold tighter, her pulse jumps. She¡¯s so delicate... so easy to bruise. I could crush her hand and she wouldn¡¯t even scream she¡¯d just take it, wouldn¡¯t she? Because she knows she can¡¯t leave. She knows she belongs to me. A shudder ripped through me. I wanted to yank my hand back, but I didn¡¯t dare. Every time I resisted him, he punished me. Every time I thought I could reim some piece of myself, he shattered it. So I sat there, silent, letting him trace circles on my skin like a predator toying with his prey. And then so suddenly I almost didn¡¯t believe what I was hearing, his expression softened. The hard, dangerous gleam in his eyes dimmed, reced with something quieter. Almost gentle.


    "Ellie," he murmured. My name sounded strange in his mouth, like a word he¡¯d stolen and was trying on for the first time.


    I blinked. My lips parted but no sound came out.


    "inner voice: Don¡¯t be fooled. You¡¯re not soft. You¡¯re not weak. You can¡¯t let her think she¡¯s safe. But look at her eyes. Look at the way she¡¯s holding her breath, waiting for the blow that doesn¡¯te. Doesn¡¯t it feel good to hold back? To let her think, just for a second, that you could be human with her? His fingersced suddenly with mine, gripping tighter now, and I couldn¡¯t help it I gasped.


    "You should sleep too," I whispered, my voice trembling. "You¡¯re recovering. I-I-I will stay until you do."


    His lips curved into a smile that wasn¡¯t really a smile. Something darker. Something iming.


    "inner voice: She stays. Even when she could run, she stays. Maybe it¡¯s fear. Maybe it¡¯s something else. But she¡¯s mine now. My omega. My personal cure. My sickness and my medicine all at once.


    For a fleeting moment, his thumb smoothed over my hand in a way that almost felt tender. My chest tightened, confused and terrified all at once. Could it be possible just possible that somewhere inside this monster there was a man who wantedfort, who wanted me not as a prisoner, but as a person? The thought was dangerous. Too dangerous. I crushed it before it could bloom. Because in the very next breath, his eyes darkened again.


    "inner voice: Don¡¯t get soft. Don¡¯t let her believe this illusion. She¡¯s not here to heal you. She¡¯s here to be broken. To learn what it means to belong. And if she ever tries to leave!!


    His grip on my hand tightened suddenly, painfully, until I winced.


    "A-A-Alpha I whispered, unable to hide the panic in my voice you are hurting me. He leaned close, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he whispered, "You¡¯ll never leave me, Ellie. Not after what you¡¯ve done. Not after you touched me. Do you understand?"


    Tears burned my eyes, but I forced myself to nod. Because I knew what would happen if I said no.


    "inner voice: Good girl. Keep nodding. Keep trembling. You¡¯re mine. Mine to hold, mine to torment, mine to keep forever. No one will ever take you from me.


    And just like that, whatever softness had flickered in him vanished like smoke. He was the psycho Alpha again, the predator who had caged me in his madness.


    But still, somewhere deep inside, I couldn¡¯t forget the way his hand had softened on mine just for a moment. The way his eyes had almost looked human. And that was the cruelest part of all.


    The crazy Alpha¡¯s hand remained heavy on my wrist, his fingers curled possessively even as his breathing slowed into something uneven, almost tortured. His body was hot against mine, still recovering from the fever that had raged through himst night. I had stayed. I had treated him. I had done what I was trained to do, what my instincts demanded of me save a life, even when that life terrified me. Hisshes fluttered once, his voice rasping low before the weight of sleep finally imed him.


    "Don¡¯t leave my side, Elie. Ever."


    It wasn¡¯t a request. It was amand. His voice, though hoarse, carried that authority that pressed into my chest like a brand. The kind of tone no one dared to disobey. And then he was gone again, sinking back into the darkness of his dreams, his brow still furrowed as if even in sleep something inside him refused to rest. I sat there, stiff, afraid to move. His arm around me was both a prison and a tether. My mind screamed at me to slip out from under him, run, breathe, find space that wasn¡¯t saturated by his scent. But another part of me, the part that had treated his fever, wiped his sweat, and whispered reassurances he would never remember couldn¡¯t bring herself to move. So I stayed. And slowly, my own mind began to drift.


    The oppressive walls of the Alpha¡¯s quarters blurred. His heat, his scent, the low growl rumbling in his chest as he dreamed it all began to fade into the background. And in its ce... White walls. Sterile air. The faint sting of disinfectant. I blinked, and for a moment I swore I was back in the hospital. The memory came like a wave crashing against me. I was standing in my old world again, in the emergency department that had be my second home. The hum of voices, the quick shuffle of nurses, the sharp bark of doctors calling orders it was chaos, but it was my chaos.


    "Elie! We need you in Trauma Two!"


    I could hear Dr. Carter¡¯s voice in my ears, crisp, urgent. He was always so calm under pressure, his dark eyes sharp and steady. My best friend, the one who stayed behind with me during the longest shifts, who brought me bitter coffee at three in the morning when exhaustion threatened to drag me under. I could almost feel the weight of the stethoscope around my neck, the familiar tug oftex gloves snapping into ce. My fingers itched for the precision of sutures, the steadiness of stitching torn flesh back together, of setting bones, of watching life return to someone¡¯s eyes because of what I had done. Back then, I thought my life was hard. I thought the long nights, the stress, the grief of losing patients was unbearable. Butpared to now? Compared to being trapped here, in a world where I was nothing more than a powerless omega belonging to a psycho Alpha?


    I would give anything to go back. Anything. I missed Carter¡¯s teasing smirk when I made another terrible vending machine dinner choice. I missed Dr. Nguyen¡¯s lectures, long and boring, but always ending with him sneaking us snacks when he thought no one was looking. I missed the way my team had be my family. The family I had chosen. Now, they were gone. All of them. And worse what if they thought I was gone too? Did they mourn me? Did they stand over an empty bed, wondering how a girl like me could just vanish?


    Or maybe none of it had been real. Maybe this life, this werewolf world, wasn¡¯t a nightmare but the truth... and my old life had only been a dream. The thought made bile rise in my throat. I pressed a hand to my chest, realizing it was trembling. The Alpha¡¯s arm tightened instinctively around me, even in sleep, dragging me closer. My breath hitched as his face buried against my neck.


    "inner voice: So fragile. So restless. Do you miss it, little omega? Do you long for something beyond me? Beyond this bond?


    I froze. That voice. That awful, echoing voice that lived inside him, or maybe inside me it was hard to tell where it came from anymore. It was him, but not him. His darkness given form.


    "inner voice: I see your dreams. I smell your longing. Do you think of other men when you sleep beside me? Doctors. Friends. Weak humans who could never own you like I do. They would have let you run, let you slip through their fingers. But me?


    Alpha Zach shifted, his lips brushing my corbone as if his inner voice had manifested into movement.


    "inner voice: I will never let you go. A shiver crawled up my spine. I wanted to fight, to scream, to shove him away. But my body wouldn¡¯t obey. It was as if the voice had slithered into my nerves, puppeteering me with nothing more than dread. And yet his hand on mine wasn¡¯t harsh this time. His fingers traced the back of my knuckles, featherlight.


    "inner voice: Where did you learn, Elie? To heal. To save. You touched me with such certainty, such skill. Who taught you? His thumb circledzily, almost teasing, and my heart pounded at the contradiction of it all. This monster, this Alpha who terrified me to my core, was curious.


    "inner voice: You are not just an omega. Not to me. Not anymore.


    My throat burned. Tears pricked at my eyes. I wanted to scream at him that I had been a doctor, that I had saved countless lives before this cruel fate threw me into his world. But if I told him, would he even believe me? Or would heugh? Lock me away?


    "inner voice: Soft hands. Warm hands. My hands.


    The teasing caress of his thoughts made me yank slightly at my wrist, but his grip only tightened. Not painfully. Not this time. Just enough to remind me there was no escaping him. For a terrifying heartbeat, he seemed almost... gentle. And then, as if a switch had flipped, his body stiffened. His lips curled against my skin in something between a kiss and a threat.


    "inner voice: Don¡¯t think I¡¯m softened, Elie. Don¡¯t mistake my interest for mercy. I am yours to fear. Yours to serve. Yours to never leave. My chest heaved, trapped between the phantomfort of my memories and the suffocating reality of his arms. The hospital, my friends, my old life they felt like smoke slipping through my fingers. This world, this Alpha, his voice this was what remained. And I couldn¡¯t wake up.


    The rest of the night dragged on with the weight of chains I couldn¡¯t see. His breathing deepened, steady atst, but his arm never loosened. My body ached from lying still, but I didn¡¯t dare move. I stared at the ceiling, silently begging whatever power had thrown me here to take me back. But morning came.


    And I was still here.

 Chapter 32

    <h4>Chapter 32: Chapter 32</h4>


    When I woke up in the morning, the room was quiet. I rubbed my eyes and looked around, confused at first. The bed beside me was empty. Alpha Zack was gone. For a moment I just sat there, frozen, my heart racing. I had gotten so used to his heavy presence that the silence felt strange, wrong. But then I noticed something else that made me stop breathing.


    I wasn¡¯t lying on the cold sheet anymore. A nket covered me, tucked around my shoulders. I blinked and touched it slowly, almost afraid. He had covered me before leaving.


    The crazy psycho who frightened me every single day. The man everyone whispered about as if he were not entirely sane. He had stopped, looked at me sleeping, and ced a nket over me. This is a miracle. I clutched the fabric tighter against my chest. It smelled faintly of him sharp pine, woodsmoke, and something darker I could never name. The scent made my stomach twist with nerves. Could he really be this gentle? Even for a moment?


    I shook my head quickly. No no no, I couldn¡¯t trust that. He was not a kind man. Kindness from him was dangerous. It would only confuse me, break down the little wall I had built to survive around him. I tried to lie back down, telling myself I would rest a little longer. My eyes were already heavy. That was when I heard it.


    "Inner voice: Don¡¯t sleep.


    I bolted upright. My eyes darted around the empty room. Nobody was there. The voice wasn¡¯t spoken aloud. It came from inside me, crawling through my skull.


    "Oh God not again. It¡¯s


    Alpha Zack¡¯s inner voice. My throat went dry.


    "Inner voice: Don¡¯t close your eyes, little omega. Don¡¯t ever think you¡¯re safe when I¡¯m not here. I pressed my hands over my ears even though it made no difference. His voice didn¡¯te from outside. It was inside my head, threading through my thoughts like a whisper only I could hear. Oh God please take my life right now.


    "Inner voice: You thought I was gone? No, Ellie. I never leave you. I am always here. Always watching. Always in your head.


    My chest rose and fell too fast. Panic wed up my throat. I stumbled from the bed, dragging the nket with me like it was a shield. This psycho will definitely drive me mad one way or the other. His voice gave a lowugh, cruel and sharp. You belong to me. You¡¯re mine to watch. Mine tomand. You¡¯ll never escape me not even in your own mind. My knees buckled. I dropped to the floor, shaking, pressing the nket tight against me as though I could bury myself inside it. But his inner voice didn¡¯t stop.


    "Did you like the nket?


    I froze. You smiled when you woke. I saw it. You liked what I did. Didn¡¯t you?


    Tears pricked my eyes. Had I really smiled? Just a little? I hadn¡¯t even realized. And if I had did that mean he had been here, watching me, when I opened my eyes?


    "No," I whispered. "No, A-A-Alpha I didn¡¯t..."


    "Liar. The word cracked like thunder in my head. I flinched violently, curling tighter.


    "You like the things I do for you. Even if you hate me, you like it too. You¡¯re already mine, silly toad. Afraid of me, trembling for me, waiting for me. You can¡¯t run from that.


    I shook my head until I felt dizzy. Oh God please make this psycho to stop talking. But the voice only grew softer, almost intimate.


    "Inner voice: You looked so small under the nket. Fragile. Breakable. Do you know what that does to me?


    My heart hammered so hard it hurt. This crazy psycho was really watching me as I sleep?


    "Inner voice: It makes me want to protect you... and it makes me want to destroy you. Both at once. You understand now, don¡¯t you, little omega? No! My personal omega. Hehehe


    I bit my lip until I tasted blood, my tears spilling freely now. I didn¡¯t want to understand. I didn¡¯t want to know the war that lived inside him. Then


    The door opened. I froze in ce, trembling, clutching the nket tighter. He was there. Alpha Psycho. He stood in the doorway, tall and broad, his shadow falling across the floor. His dark hair was still damp, his shirt clinging to him as though he had just returned from training or something far worse. His eyes locked on me instantly. I couldn¡¯t move. He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him with a heavy sound that echoed in my chest. For a long moment, we just stared at each other. His gaze roamed over me the nket in my hands, the tears on my cheeks, the way I was crouched on the floor like a frightened child. Then, to my horror, he smiled. It wasn¡¯t a warm smile. It wasn¡¯t even cruel. It was empty, like a mask carved onto his face.


    "Did you hear me?" he asked softly, his voice low and smooth.


    My lips parted, but no words came out. He tilted his head, watching me.


    He walked closer, each step slow, deliberate, the floor creaking faintly beneath his weight. The air thickened with his scent until it was hard to breathe. I pressed back against the bed, trying to disappear into the wood. He crouched in front of me, so close I could see the silver flecks in his dark eyes. He lifted a hand and brushed a strand of hair from my damp cheek. I froze like stone.


    "Don¡¯t look so scared," he whispered. "I¡¯m not going to hurt you."


    The words sounded soft, almost gentle but I knew better. His gentleness was sharper than knives. His fingers brushed the edge of the nket I clung to. He tugged it lightly, studying me.


    "You liked this, didn¡¯t you?"


    I opened my mouth, but no sound came. He leaned closer, his lips almost brushing my ear.


    "Good," he murmured. "Because I will do more than this. And one day, you¡¯ll learn to like that too."


    Wait what? Crazy psycho. A shiver raced through me so violent it nearly broke me. His hand lingered on my cheek for one unbearable moment longer, then he rose, towering above me again.


    "Get up," he ordered. "You will stay by my side today."


    My stomach dropped. My whole body screamed to resist, but I couldn¡¯t. Hismand wasw. Slowly, I stood, my legs weak beneath me. He turned and walked to the door, not looking back, because he knew I would follow. I always had to follow.


    And as I took a trembling step after him, his voice whispered again inside my skull soft, dark, and endless:


    "Inner voice: You will never escape me, little omega. Never.


    "Crazy bastard. I murmured to myself.


    When Alpha Zack told me to stay by his side, I didn¡¯t dare hesitate. My legs felt like they were made of ss as I followed him through the door. The hall outside was quiet except for the sound of his heavy boots striking the floor. I walked just a step behind him, clutching the nket around me until I realized it looked too strange and quickly dropped it onto a chair we passed. I thought maybe if I kept my head low and my steps light, the day might pass without incident. But I was wrong.


    Inner voice: Pathetic mutts. Look at them scurrying like rats.


    My eyes flicked up in shock. Two pack members were walking down the corridor toward us. They bowed quickly, their eyes dropping to the floor as soon as they saw the Alpha.


    "Inner voice: Bend lower, the voice hissed inside my skull. Bend until your necks snap. Maybe then you¡¯ll be useful for something. I stiffened, my heart hammering. My eyes darted to the crazy psycho. but his face was calm, unreadable. Only I heard it. Only I was trapped inside this madness. The two wolves walked past us, their heads down, not daring to meet his gaze.


    "Inner voice: Cowards, If I cut their tongues out, would anyone notice? They barely use them anyway.


    My breath caught in my throat. I tried to walk faster, to get away from the shadows of his words, but I couldn¡¯t.


    We turned another corner. A young omega girl was carrying a basket ofundry, struggling with the weight. She gasped when she saw Zack, bowing so fast she nearly dropped everything.


    "Inner voice: Clumsy little rat, the voice sneered. Look at her trembling. I could crush her with one hand, and she knows it. She should thank me for sparing her worthless life.


    I bit my lip so hard it hurt. The girl scurried away, nearly tripping over herself. I wanted to scream at her to run faster, to get away before he decided to act on the thoughts I was hearing.


    But the psycho Alpha just kept walking. Calm. Silent.


    It was worse this way. Because I couldn¡¯t tell what belonged to his mouth and what belonged to his mind.


    Another warrior passed us, tall and broad-shouldered. He bowed respectfully.


    "Inner voice: Weak, the inner voice said instantly. Too slow. Too stupid. I could rip his arms off before he even blinked. He knows it. That¡¯s why his eyes never look up.


    I swallowed hard, my palms sweating. Every person we passed was ripped apart by his thoughts. Every bow, every nce, every breath they were all weapons for his stupid inner voice.


    And I was the only one who had to hear it. My badluck.


    I must have flinched at one point, because the crazy Alpha¡¯s real voice broke the silence.


    "You¡¯re shaking," he said.


    I kept my head down. "I¡¯m not."


    "You are," he replied simply.


    I didn¡¯t dare answer.


    "Inner voice: Lie to me again, little omega, his inner voice whispered, curling cruelly inside my skull. And I¡¯ll make you regret it.


    I nearly stumbled. My heart was beating too fast. We passed the training grounds, where a group of young wolves were sparring under the watch of an older warrior. Their movements stopped when they noticed Zack approaching. All of them lowered their eyes, still breathing hard from practice.


    "Inner voice: Pathetic puppies, the voiceughed darkly. Their ws are dull, their bites weak. If I sent them to battle, they¡¯d be corpses in minutes. Look at them shaking. They train for me, yet they can¡¯t even look me in the eye.


    I felt my stomach twist. The young wolves bent so low their foreheads almost touched the dirt.


    "Inner voice: I should burn this whole pack to ash. Then I¡¯d be free of their stink.


    The words made my throat close. I wanted to scream. But I couldn¡¯t. Because he would hear me. The psycho never said anything aloud. He just kept walking, tall and terrifying, his face calm while his mind poured poison into mine. And then, suddenly, the inner voice turned its attention to me.


    "Inner voice: Do you see how they cower, Ellie? That¡¯s how you should be. Every second. On your knees, bowing so low you forget how to stand. That¡¯s where you belong.


    I gripped my hands together so tightly my nails dug into my palms. My head lowered even more.


    Good, the voice purred. At least you know your ce.


    I thought the walk would never end. Every corner brought more pack members, more bows, more vicious words whispered straight into my skull. My mind was dizzy with them. I didn¡¯t know how I was still standing. Finally, he stopped walking. We were in the kitchen. The room wasrge, filled with polished counters, cabs, and the faint smell of fresh bread. A few omegas were bustling about, preparing breakfast, but when Zack entered, everything stopped. The air went still. Everyone bowed, their heads low. My heart hammered painfully.


    Inner voice: Rats he hissed immediately. Cooking scraps, crawling like vermin. Look at their hands shaking so badly they might poison me by ident.


    I clenched my jaw, trying not to react. His voice cut through the silence. Calm. Even. Dangerous.


    "Leave."


    The omegas scattered instantly, abandoning bowls, pans, and knives where they were. Within seconds, the kitchen was empty except for us. The silence was so heavy it made my skin prickle and turned his head slightly, his eyes sliding to me.


    "Cook for me," he said.


    My heart dropped into my stomach. "M-me?"


    His gaze sharpened. "Do you see anyone else here?"


    I swallowed hard. My hands felt cold.


    "W-what do you want to eat? I asked my voice shaking.


    "Try," he interrupted tly.


    Inner voice: I want to see what the toad will cook today. Yes make her cook. Make her sweat, make her burn her hands. I want to see her tremble while she wonders if I¡¯ll eat or throw the pan at her head.


    I took a shaky breath and moved toward the counter. My legs felt like they would give out, but I forced them to carry me.

 Chapter 33

    <h4>Chapter 33: Chapter 33</h4>


    The kitchen felt toorge, too quiet, with only me and him inside. My hands shook as I held the spoon, staring at the shelves of ingredients left behind by the omegas. Stupid psycho, he didn¡¯t request for noodles today, but what could I possibly cook that wouldn¡¯t kill me if he hated it? And then I remembered. Mac and cheese. A simple dish from my old life. Comfort food. Something so normal, so safe, that just thinking about it for a second made me feel almost human again. I hadn¡¯t made it since I transmigrated into this world. Nobody here even knew it existed. Cheese was rare, pasta almost unheard of. But the kitchen had flour, milk, eggs, butter... everything I needed. And there was cheese stored carefully in the pantry. I licked my dry lips and whispered to myself, If I can do this right, maybe... maybe he¡¯ll like it.


    Behind me, I could feel his eyes. Heavy. Cold. Watching every move.


    The inner voice whispered, sharp and low:


    "Inner voice: She¡¯s stalling. Shaking like a rat cornered by a wolf. Move faster, little omega, before I lose my patience.


    I nearly dropped the spoon. Quickly, I lit the stove fire and started mixing the dough for pasta. My hands shook, flour dusting my arms, but muscle memory from my old world guided me. I rolled it thin, cut it into small tubes, and set them to boil in a pot of water.


    Butter melted in another pan, and I stirred in flour, milk, and grated cheese until it turned into a creamy sauce. My heart raced. Every time I nced up, Zack was sitting on a chair, arms restingzily on the table, his gaze fixed entirely on me. Like a predator watching prey.


    "Inner voice: She looks ridiculous, the inner voice hissed. Covered in flour, biting her lip. Fragile little thing. But she¡¯s mine. All mine. Even her clumsy hands.


    I stirred faster, my pulse pounding in my ears. The sauce thickened, golden and smooth. I drained the pasta, poured it in, and mixed everything together. The smell of cheese filled the room, rich and warm, wrapping around me like a ghost of my old life. For one fleeting moment, I almost felt safe. But then I remembered who I was cooking for. I ced the steaming dish in front of him on the table, stepping back quickly, my head lowered. My hands were trembling so badly I had to hide them behind my back. The crazy psycho stared at the bowl. The smell filled the room. His brows furrowed slightly, as though he couldn¡¯t quite understand what he was looking at. Finally, he lifted the spoon and took a bite. The silence that followed stretched forever. Then, suddenly, he began eating.


    Not slowly. Not carefully. But all at once. Bite after bite, as though the world might end if he didn¡¯t devour it. His jaw worked hard, his throat swallowing quickly, his spoon scraping against the bowl again and again. I there stood frozen, staring in disbelief.


    He was eating like a starving wolf. The psycho Alpha, the one everyone feared, the one who whispered of killing his own pack members in his thoughts was shoveling down mac and cheese like a child tasting food for the first time.


    And then his inner voice hit me, strong and overwhelming


    "Inner voice: Perfect.


    I gasped.


    "Inner voice: This what is this? What is this magic she put in front of me? Soft, warm, sharp, melting on my tongue. Nothing in this cursed pack has ever tasted like this. Nothing. Only her. Only she could give me this.


    My knees nearly gave out.


    Because for the first time, his voice wasn¡¯t cruel. It wasn¡¯t spitting hatred or threats. It was praising me.


    "Inner voice: Mine, the voice growled possessively. Only mine. She made this for me. She thought of me. She feeds me, fills me, gives me something no one else can. My omega. My Ellie. My little fragile rat who belongs only to me.


    My hands clenched in terror.


    I didn¡¯t want this. I didn¡¯t want his approval. But the way his mind wrapped around me with those words made me feel like I was being trapped in invisible chains. He scraped the bowl clean, not leaving a single bite. His spoon ttered against the empty dish, and he leaned back, staring at me with burning eyes. I lowered my head immediately, trembling.


    "You made this," he said simply.


    "Yes, Alpha," I whispered.


    "What is it?"


    "Mac... and cheese." My voice cracked.


    His eyes narrowed slightly. "Mac and cheese."


    He repeated the words as though tasting them the way he had tasted the food. Then, slowly, his lips curved into something that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, but close enough to make my stomach drop.


    "I want it again," he said.


    I swallowed. "Yes, Alpha."


    The inner voice growled inside me, vibrating with hunger and obsession.


    "Inner voice: Again. Again. Again. I want her to cook for me every day. Only for me. No one else deserves this. No one else deserves her. I¡¯ll kill anyone who tries to taste it. I¡¯ll kill anyone who even looks at her hands while she cooks. Mine. My omega. My cook. My prisoner. Mine.


    I shivered violently, my nails digging into my palms. Cooking for him should have been a small relief. But instead, it tied me tighter to him. Crazy psycho i scoffed


    He had tasted something new, something only I could give him. And that made me even more trapped than before. Because now, the psycho Alpha didn¡¯t just want me by his side. He wanted me in his kitchen. Feeding his madness forever. What if I add plenty salt to ruin the taste?" No no no. He will strangle me.


    Here Alpha, this is thest te, I said as I handed over thest te of Mac and cheese in the kitchen.


    "Sit. Eat."


    The words dropped from Alpha Zach¡¯s lips like sharp stones hitting the floor. His voice was deep,manding, leaving no space for argument. He was sitting across from me at the long table in the kitchen, his cold eyes locked on me as if daring me to defy him. My stomach twisted. I hadn¡¯t eaten yet, but the thought of sharing food with him sitting at the same table as the psycho Alpha was enough to make me lose my appetite entirely. I wanted to tell him no, but my mouth was dry, my voice stuck in my throat.


    Instead, I lowered my head like the obedient omega I had been forced to be and slowly pulled out the chair. The wood scraped against the stone floor, loud and sharp, like a warning bell ringing in my ears.


    "Faster," he growled when I hesitated too long.


    I quickly sat down, my palms sweating, my heart hammering against my ribs. He had already finished almost all the mac and cheese I¡¯d made earlier, but now there was another bowl ced in front of me, steaming and golden, as if he had nned this all along.


    "Eat."


    I stared at the food. My fork trembled in my hand. Oh God save me. I forced a small bite into my mouth, chewing slowly. The creamy cheese clung to my tongue,forting and warm, but the weight of his stare made it taste like ashes. Inside my head, his inner voice echoed loud, sharp, and terrifying.


    "Inner voice; Look at her, eating so slowly, like a scared little rabbit. A pathetic, weak omega. Yet she makes food that tastes like heaven. My beautiful toad.


    I nearly choked. My fork ttered against the bowl as I coughed loudly, pressing a fist to my mouth. Heat rushed to my face, not from the food but from his words that rang inside my skull.


    Beautiful toad?


    Did he just call me that?My coughing grew worse, panic bubbling in my chest. I grabbed the ss of water on the table and gulped it down, trying to hide the trembling of my hands.


    The crazy leaned back in his chair, tilting his head, eyes narrowing in amusement. "What? Do you think I poisoned it?"


    I shook my head quickly, unable to speak.


    Inner voice: She thinks I would poison her? Hah. No, I¡¯d rather keep her alive. Keep her near. My personal omega, my cook, my prisoner. She belongs to me. If anyone touches her, I¡¯ll rip their throat out with my teeth.


    I swallowed hard, gripping the edge of the table until my knuckles turned white. If only he knew that I could hear everything. Every twisted thought. Every cruel insult. Every dangerous promise.


    The air felt heavier as I forced myself to take another bite.


    The fork scraped against the bowl. My hands shook. His eyes followed every movement, like a predator watching prey.


    "Eat more," he ordered again, his lips curling into something close to a smile but it wasn¡¯t kind. It was sharp, dangerous. "You¡¯re too thin."


    "Huh! I wanted to tell him I was fine, that I wasn¡¯t hungry, but I knew better than to refuse. I kept eating. Bite after bite, the mac and cheese disappeared from my bowl, though I hardly tasted it anymore. All I could feel was the weight of his gaze, the echo of his inner voice bouncing around inside my skull.


    "Inner voice: She¡¯s not bad to look at, even when she¡¯s shaking like a frightened mouse. That hair messy but soft. Those eyes always wide with fear. The beautiful toad doesn¡¯t even know she¡¯s mine. Mine to feed. Mine to watch. Mine to keep.


    Another cough tore from my throat. I covered my mouth quickly, but my face burned with heat. Beautiful toad again? If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think he was mocking me. But there was a strange possessive edge in his thoughts that made my stomach churn.


    "Why are you coughing so much?" he asked, his tone calm, but there was something sharp beneath it.


    "I... I swallowed wrong," I stammered, keeping my eyes on the table.


    "Hm." He leaned forward, elbows resting on the wood, his fingers tapping once, twice, before going still. "Then swallow correctly."


    I nodded quickly, stuffing another forkful into my mouth just to prove I could. My throat burned as I forced it down.


    Silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating, broken only by the scrape of my fork and the pounding of my heart. Then his inner voice came again, lower, almost thoughtful.


    Inner voice: She cooks, she obeys, she even eats when I tell her. Good little toad. The others are all useless, pathetic worms slithering around my pack. None of them matter. Only her. Only my omega.


    My stomach dropped. He wasn¡¯t just obsessed with control. He was obsessed with me. I nced up through myshes, only to find his gaze fixed firmly on me. His lips didn¡¯t move, but the corners twitched as if he was hiding another dark thought.


    I looked away quickly, my hands gripping the fork tighter. Don¡¯t react. Don¡¯t let him know. He can¡¯t find out you can hear him. I took another bite. Another sip of water. The meal stretched on like a punishment. When my bowl was finally empty, I pushed it away slightly, my chest rising and falling in relief. "I¡¯m... finished," I whispered. The crazy Alpha¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    "Finished?" Then, slowly, he smiled. But it wasn¡¯t warm it was the kind of smile that sent shivers racing down my spine.


    "Good girl," he said.


    His inner voice followed immediately after:


    "Inner voice: Good little toad. She obeys. She listens. She eats. Soon she will stop trembling. Soon she will realize she belongs only to me. And when she finally looks at me without fear.


    I held my breath, waiting for him to finish the thought.


    But he didn¡¯t. Instead, he stood up suddenly, the chair legs screeching against the floor. My body jolted in response, panic shooting through me. He towered over me, shadow stretching long across the kitchen floor. For a moment, I thought he might grab me, force me into something worse. But instead, I didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t breathe. My heart thundered in confusion. Only God knows what the crazy psycho is up now. His gaze lingered on me, sharp and unreadable. Then he turned, his voice t and cold. "Stay here. Don¡¯t move."


    And just like that, he walked out of the kitchen, his footsteps fading down the hall, leaving me sitting there in silence, clutching the nket tight. My chest heaved. My thoughts spun.


    What is happening to me? To him?"

 Chapter 34

    <h4>Chapter 34: Chapter 34</h4>


    I should have known better than to talk to anyone when Alpha Zach was near. But I had let my guard down. Just for a moment. The sun was high, casting warm light over the training yard where some of the younger wolves practiced their stances. I had been passing through, clutching a small basket with herbs I¡¯d gathered for the kitchen, when one of them a tall, sandy-haired wolf with kind eyes approached me.


    "Ellie, right?" he asked, offering me a tentative smile. "I... I just wanted to say your cooking earlier was incredible. That mac and cheese? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever tasted anything like it."


    I froze, the basket pressing against my hip. "How did you know about it? I asked looking suprised because I was very sure that the crazy Alpha eat everything and he made me eat thest te before we left the kitchen.


    "Oh, I scrapped the pot, he saidughing. But he looked so earnest, so harmless, that I couldn¡¯t help mumbling a quiet, "T-thank you."


    He smiled wider, shifting on his feet as if unsure whether to say more. "If you ever need help carrying things, you can ask. Omegas shouldn¡¯t be left struggling."


    My lips parted, the faintest response on my tongue. I didn¡¯t even realize how close he had stepped. His shadow brushed against mine. His voice, low but kind, brushed against my ears. And then the world shattered. The air split open with a sound that wasn¡¯t sound at all it was fury incarnate. A shadow loomed over us before I even turned. My instincts screamed, my body locked, and the faint, horrifying scent of bloodlust curled through the training yard. Oh God it¡¯s the Crazy Psycho. His presence crashed down like a storm breaking over the mountains. His aura mmed into me so hard my knees nearly buckled. And then his voice no, not his voice. His thoughts. His inner world boomed through my skull like thunder tearing the sky apart.


    "Inner voice: Mine. Mine. Mine.nShe¡¯s mine. How dare he touch her with words. Look at her. Breathe near her. HIS scent dares to touch her skin? I will peel it off. I¡¯ll carve it off. I will tear him into ribbons until his shadow forgets her name.


    The sandy-haired wolf barely had time to turn. One second, the crazy psycho was standing a few feet away, his eyes glowing like molten steel, his jaw clenched with unholy rage. The next, there was movement so fast I couldn¡¯t process it just a blur of muscle and violence.


    A sickening sound split the air. A wet, tearing crack.I blinked once and the male wolf¡¯s head was no longer on his shoulders. It rolled across the dirt, leaving a dark streak as it bounced to a stop beside the training post. His body copsed like a sack of stones, twitching once, then going still. The world tilted sideways. I couldn¡¯t breathe. I couldn¡¯t think. Blood sprayed across the ground, sttering the hem of my dress. The smell metallic, thick wed into my nostrils and wrapped around my throat like a noose. And Zach¡ªZach stood there, chest heaving, ws slick and dripping crimson. His eyes were fixed on me. Not the corpse. Not the blood. Me. His inner voice roared like a beast rattling the bars of a cage.


    "Inner voice: Dare to touch what¡¯s mine. Dare to breathe near her. I warned them. I warned them ALL. She¡¯s mine, she¡¯s mine, she¡¯s mine. My little toad. My trembling, beautiful toad. No one will speak to her. No one will look at her. I¡¯ll tear their eyes out, their tongues, their hands. She belongs to me. To ME.


    A scream tore from my throat before I knew it. A raw, broken sound, echoing across the training yard. Wolves froze mid-movement. Every gaze swung toward us toward Zach, toward me, toward the blood.


    "A-A-Alpha My voice cracked, strangled by horror. My hands shook so violently the basket of herbs toppled to the ground, spilling green leaves into the dirt now soaked with red. But his eyes never softened. Not even for a second. He stepped closer, his boots squelching in blood, his expression unreadable. His jaw twitched, his nostrils red.nScream for me, toad. Scream louder. Let them hear who you belong to. Let them see. I¡¯ll paint the whole yard with blood if I must. Your scream is beautiful. Your fear is mine. Your breath mine. If you faint, I¡¯ll catch you. If you run, I¡¯ll break your legs and keep you here. Mine. Mine. MINE.


    I stumbled backward, my chest seizing, tears burning my eyes. The world blurred.


    "Stay¡ªstay away!" My own voice didn¡¯t even sound like mine anymore.


    But the crazy didn¡¯t stop. He never stopped. His gaze pierced through me, into me, iming me without words, without touch. I couldn¡¯t hold it anymore. The smell of blood, the image of the severed head, the madness radiating off him it all crashed into me at once. The scream in my throat cut off. My vision tunneled. And then ckness swallowed me whole.


    Even as consciousness slipped, his furious inner voice wed at me, searing itself into my mind like fire branded into flesh.


    "Inner voice: Silly toad wake up don¡¯t leave me. If she doesn¡¯t wake, I will kill them all. One by one. Every wolf here. Every wolf in this cursed pack. I¡¯ll stack their bodies until she opens her eyes. I¡¯ll whisper her name into their screams until she breathes again. She¡¯s mine. My beautiful, fragile toad. My omega. My eternity.


    Thest thing I felt was the ground hitting my body. Thest thing I smelled was blood.


    Thest thing I heard was his madness, ringing like bells forged in hell. And then nothing.


    The first thing I felt was the weight of something heavy pressing down on me. Not physically, not exactly, but a weight that made it hard to breathe. It clung to the air, thick, suffocating, as if the atmosphere itself had been poisoned. I tried to turn my head, to lift myshes, to force myself back into the world of the living. I¡¯m I back to my original life?"


    The chamber was dark when my eyes fluttered open, a faint glow ofntern light painting the stone walls gold. Shadows flickered against polished wood and the tall shelves that lined one side of the room. I blinked hard, my vision swimming, until the shapes came into focus. I was in a bed, but the bed doesn¡¯t feel like mine. A vast, carved wooden frame, draped in furs that smelled of pine, smoke, and something darker. My head rested against pillows that were far too soft for someone like me. And then I felt it eyes. Watching me.


    My heart mmed against my ribs as I turned, slowly, painfully, and there he was.


    Alpha Zach. He sat in a chair beside the bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. His body was still as stone, his expression unreadable, but his eyes his eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, like molten silver catching the mes. He had been waiting for me for me to wake up. The memory came crashing back, sharp enough to tear me apart. The sandy-haired wolf. His smile. The sound that awful, wet crack. The head rolling. The blood. My scream. I choked, my throat seizing, and my hands shot up to cover my mouth as if I could erase but his thoughts spilled into me at once, as if he had been holding them back until my eyes opened.


    "Inner voice: Mine. Awake. My toad breathes again. She bleeds fear, and it¡¯s beautiful. She trembles, and it¡¯s mine. My omega. My eternity.


    I flinched, pressing myself back against the pillows.


    "A-Alpha My voice cracked, sounding too weak and too small. "Why¡ªwhy am I here?"


    His lips twitched into the faintest curve, not quite a smile. More like the shadow of one. He leaned closer, resting his forearms on his thighs, his gaze never leaving me.


    "You fainted," he said simply, his voice low and steady, like a growl smoothed into words. "So I brought you where you belong."


    Wait what is this psycho talking about now? Where I belong. The words made my skin crawl.


    "This is..." My throat tightened. "This is your room."


    His eyes sharpened. "Our room."


    Oh no I swallowed hard, my pulse thundering in my ears.


    "Why¡ªwhy did you kill him?" I whispered, my voice breaking.


    His inner voice snapped back instantly, sharp as ws.


    "Inner voice: Why? Why? She asks me why. Because he looked. Because he spoke. Because his shadow touched hers. Because his scent touched her skin. That¡¯s enough. That¡¯s everything. He deserved worse.


    His actual words followed, slower, as if tranted from the madness inside him.


    "He touched what isn¡¯t his." His eyes darkened, his jaw flexing. "He thought he could stand close. He thought he could take a piece of what belongs only to me. That¡¯s why."


    My stomach twisted, bile rising. "He¡ªhe was only being kind..."


    The chair scraped against the floor as Zach shot to his feet. My breath hitched, my body instinctively curling into the furs. His aura mmed into me like a wall, crushing, suffocating. He didn¡¯t shout. He didn¡¯t need to. His very presence roared.


    "Kind?" The word dripped from his lips like venom. "Kindness is a leash. A trick. He was looking at you like you were free. Like you could belong to anyone but me. He thought he could touch you with words, and you think that¡¯s kindness?"


    His inner voice shredded through me, harsher than his spoken fury.


    "Inner voice: No one is kind to what¡¯s mine. No one touches what¡¯s mine. No one breathes near what¡¯s mine. They will all learn. She is mine, mine, mine, my omega, my beautiful trembling toad, mine until death and after.


    I couldn¡¯t breathe. My chest ached, my hands clutched at the sheets as though they could shield me.


    "Please," I whispered, my tears burning hot trails down my cheeks. "Please don¡¯t¡ªdon¡¯t kill anyone else." I¡¯m just your personal omega.


    He crouched beside the bed, one knee bent, lowering himself until his face was level with mine. His hands, stained only faintly with blood despite the brutality I¡¯d seen, reached out. I flinched back, but he caught my chin gently, almost tenderly, and tilted my face toward him. The contradiction made me shake harder. His touch was soft, but the violence behind it was endless.


    "Look at me," he murmured. As he cupped my face with his hand.


    "You¡¯re not my friend, Ellie." His words slid over me like a de, precise, inevitable. "You¡¯re not just some wolf in my pack. You are mine. My personal omega. My blood, my breath, my shadow. Every part of you belongs here¡ª" his hand shifted, resting lightly over my heart, "¡ªwith me."


    My lips trembled, but no sound came out. He smiled then, but it was the kind of smile that chilled bone. Possessive. I need to leave this ce.


    "You will never ask me why again," he said softly, his voice brushing against my skin like ws beneath velvet. "You will ept it. Because the only reason you breathe is because I allow it. The only reason you wake is because I want you awake. And if anyone else ever tries to stand where I stand..."


    His inner voice finished the thought for him, booming through my mind.


    "Inner voice: I will tear them apart, limb by limb. I will make her watch if she forgets. I will paint her world in crimson until she knows. Until she never questions again.


    A sob tore from my throat. I shoved at his chest with trembling hands, weak and useless.


    "Stop¡ªplease, stop!" I pleaded, my body was shaking.


    His body didn¡¯t move. His hand only slid to catch my wrist, pressing it gently but firmly to the bed. His thumb traced over my pulse point, where my heart hammered like a caged bird.


    "Shh," he whispered, as if soothing me. "Don¡¯t cry, toad. Your tears belong to me, too."


    I turned my face away, my sobs muffled against the pillow. But even then, even as the ck pit of terror swallowed me, I still heard him.


    His inner voice coiled around me, possessive, unrelenting.


    "Inner voice: Mine when she cries. Mine when she screams. Mine when she faints. Mine when she breathes. Mine forever. No friend. No freedom. No one else. Only me. Always me.


    And I realized, with cold certainty sinking into my bones, that there was no escape.

 Chapter 35

    <h4>Chapter 35: Chapter 35</h4>


    I woke up with that feeling again the one I¡¯d started calling prisoner¡¯s intuition. You know when you¡¯re so used to being trapped that your body just knows when today might be the day you finally break free? That was me. I sat up slowly, blinking into the dimly lit room, and the first thing I saw was him.


    Alpha Zach. The psycho who has refused to give me a moment of privacy. even though I have shouted a thousand times that I wasn¡¯t his, that this was insane, that omegas had rights too though apparently, none of that mattered when the Alpha in question was half feral and had the strength to rip a man¡¯s head clean off his body. I had unfortunately seen that firsthand, and trust me, it was not the kind of live performance anyone wants burned into their memory forever. He was sitting in a chair right beside my bed. His head tilted slightly back, one arm crossed over his chest, the other danglingzily at his side. He looked peaceful.


    No no no. Peaceful. What a joke. This was the same man who roared like thunder and looked at me like I was both prey and prize. But then I noticed it. Something rough and itchy brushing against my calf. I nced down. And my entire soul screamed. A. Rope. What the hell is wrong with him?" A rope was tied around my ankle. Not just tied it was knotted so tightly it looked like it had been engineered by a sailor with a personal vendetta. The other end of the rope My gaze followed it straight into Alpha Zach¡¯s hand, his is fingers were loosely curled around the rope, his breathing deep and steady, his whole body rxed. He was literally sleeping with me on a leash.bMy brain short-circuited.


    "What in the actual hell..." I whispered to myself, covering my mouth immediately after.


    Okay. Deep breath, Ellie. Deep breath. Don¡¯t panic.


    Except¡ªno, panic waspletely valid in this situation! Who does this?! Who ties a rope to a person and then uses it as their personal sleep-time teddy bear?! I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to kick him in the shin so hard he woke up and maybe just maybe realized how insane this was. But then I remembered: insane was his default setting. And insane Alphas? They didn¡¯t need reasons especially this crazy one. So, I did what any rational, terrified omega would do. I plotted my escape. At first, I tried the slow approach. I eased back into the covers, grabbed the edge of the rope with trembling fingers, and began to tug. Not too hard. Just enough to see if I could maybe, possibly, wiggle it free but nothing. I tugged harder.


    The knotughed at me.I yanked it and the rope yanked back. Not joking. Zach¡¯s fingers twitched in his sleep, tightening just slightly, and the pull dragged me an inch across the bed like I was some oversized fish caught on a line. I froze. My heart thudded so hard I was sure he could hear it. But he didn¡¯t wake. Instead, he mumbled something under his breath.


    At first I thought it was just nonsense, but then I leaned closer and heard it:


    "...mine..."


    My stomach flipped. Oh no. No no no no no. He was dreaming about me.


    I wanted to vomit but still, I wasn¡¯t giving up. No rope, no Alpha, no psycho leash-sleeper was going to stop me.


    Phase Two: The Great Untying. I bent awkwardly, trying to reach my ankle knot. Do you know how humiliating it is to half-fold yourself like a pretzel just to w at a rope some maniac tied around you? Very. My hair flopped in my face, my fingers scraped against my skin, and every tug made the rope burn like fire. But I kept going. I Pick, Pull, and Twist. The knot refused to budge. And the more I tried, the more it seemed to tighten, like it was mocking me.


    "Oh, for crying out loud!" I hissed under my breath, giving it onest angry yank.


    Big mistake. Zach¡¯s hand jerked. His entire arm flexed. The rope snapped taut, and suddenly I was yanked down the bed like a ragdoll, my head almost smacking the wooden headboard. I pped both hands over my mouth to keep from squealing.


    Slowly, slowly, I peeked at him. His eyes remained closed. He shifted in the chair, adjusting his position, and then oh God he pulled the rope closer. My leg was dragged even nearer until I was practically sprawled half off the bed like some omega sacrifice. I wanted to cry. Instead, I whispered the only word that fit:


    "Psychopath."


    Phase Three: Creative Genius Mode.bIf I couldn¡¯t untie the knot maybe I could cut it.


    My eyes darted around the room. Surely there had to be something sharp nearby. A fork, a piece of broken ss, maybe even my own sharpened fingernails. There! On the nightstand. A letter opener. Perfect. I slowly slid off the bed, dragging the rope silently with me. Step by step, I edged toward the table. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure the walls could hear it. The rope tugged at my ankle, but Zach didn¡¯t stir. I reached.


    My fingertips brushed the metal handle. Almost there Suddenly, the rope snapped tight again, and I was yanked backward so hard I face nted into the mattress with a muffled whump. Tears sprang to my eyes. Not from pain. From pure, unfiltered humiliation. This was my life now. Leashed like a pet. By a lunatic. Who didn¡¯t even wake up while reeling me in like a salmon. And then, of course, he did wake up. I heard the low rumble first. A growl. The kind of growl that vibrated in your bones and made you want to curl up and hide under the bed forever. I froze.


    Slowly, slowly, I lifted my head. The crazy eyes were open. He didn¡¯t speak right away. Just stared, unblinking, his hand still curledzily around the rope as if this was the most natural thing in the world. Then he said, in a voice so calm it terrified me more than his shouting ever could:


    "Where do you think you¡¯re going, little omega?"


    My throat dried up immediately.


    Words scrambled in my brain, desperate to form a sentence.


    "I¡ªI wasn¡¯t¡ªI dropped¡ªuh¡ª" I gestured vaguely toward the nightstand. "I was... dusting?"


    Yes. Dusting. At three in the morning. With my face. Into the mattress. I was a genius.


    His lips curved. Not into a smile. Into something darker. Something that said he saw right through me.


    "You¡¯re mine," he murmured. "Even in your sleep, you don¡¯t leave me."


    He tugged the rope hard.


    I yelped as I toppled fully onto the bed,nding inches from him. His other hand shot out, grabbing my chin, tilting my face so I had no choice but to meet his gaze.


    "I don¡¯t need chains," he whispered, eyes burning into mine. "I just need this." He gave the rope another small pull, sending a shiver of panic through me. "And you¡¯ll never escape."


    I swallowed hard, my mind screaming a hundred insults I didn¡¯t dare say out loud. Because one thing was painfully, humiliatingly clear, I wasn¡¯t going anywhere. Not tonight.


    My whole body went stiff, frozen in pure, uncut terror. His piercing golden eyesnded on me instantly, glowing even in the dim light.


    And then he smiled. Not the good kind of smile. Not the "oh, how cute" smile. No. The kind of smile wolves saw before their throats were ripped out. His voice came next. Low. Rough. Mocking.


    "So, my little omega thought she could escape?"


    The rope in his hand tightened with one brutal tug, yanking me off the bed so fast I squealed. Inded in a heap on the floor, tangled in nkets, hair sticking to my sweaty face, panic exploding in my chest.


    "Wait! No! I wasn¡¯t¡ªIt¡¯s not what it looks like!" I babbled, iling like a fish onnd. "I was just¡ªstretching my legs!"


    "Stretching?" he repeated, tilting his head like a predator ying with prey. His inner voice roared in my ears, even though his lips didn¡¯t move: She dares. She thinks she can run from me. Mine. Always mine. Break her. Cage her. Make her beg to stay. Tears pricked my eyes. "Yes! Stretching! I¡ªuh¡ªmy ankle cramps at night and I was just testing if¡ªif the rope was... stic?"


    Did I really just say that?


    I wanted the floor to swallow me whole. He leaned down from the chair, eyes never leaving mine, hand gripping the rope like a chain. His voice slid down my spine like ice.


    "You think I¡¯m stupid, omega?"


    "Yes?" I squeaked before realizing my mistake. "I mean¡ªno! No, Alpha! Of course not, Alpha! You¡¯re¡ªyou¡¯re the smartest! The most brilliant! The handsomest! The¡ª"


    He yanked the rope again and I tumbled forward, crashing against his knees. My face was inches from his, close enough to feel his breath on my skin. My heart pounded so violently I thought it would leap straight out of my chest and run for the hills.


    His inner voice was thunder now, cracking through my skull.


    "Inner voice; Never let her go. Never. She belongs to me. If she tries again, break her legs. Teach her she is mine.


    I swallowed hard, panic spinning me in circles. My brain was screaming a thousand things at once: run, cry, faint, y dead, do a backflip anything to survive.


    But the only thing that came out of my mouth was: "Do you want tea?"


    There was silence. He stared at me. And then heughed.


    A dark, terrifyingugh that echoed in the room and made every hair on my body stand on end.


    "You¡¯re ridiculous," he said, tightening the rope so it bit into my ankle. "Pathetic. But mine."


    And just like that, my pathetic escape attempt ended with me caught immediately face burning, ankle burning, and heart pounding in the grip of the psycho Alpha who would never let me go.

 Chapter 36

    <h4>Chapter 36: Chapter 36</h4>


    The morning after my humiliating escape attempt, I woke up convinced that God wasughing at me. Because, really, how else could I exin my life? I used to have dreamssimple ones. A little freedom, a quiet cottage, maybe a mate who didn¡¯t treat me like dirt. Instead, I¡¯d ended up as the "personal omega" of the most terrifying crazy Alpha in existence that has sworn to make my life a living hell. I¡¯m not his mate, his lover, in fact I¡¯m not even his friend, rather he sees me as just his possession. His property. His personal chew toy, or maybe more like his chained pet. And afterst night? After getting caught mid-escape like a rabbit dangling in a snare? Yeah. My pride was in ashes, my dignity six feet under, and my ankle still burned from the memory of that rope. I blinked blearily, the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains. For a second, just a split second, I let myself imagine maybe he¡¯d gone. Maybe the psycho Alpha had left me alone for once. Then I turned my head.


    And nearly screamed. He was still there. The crazy psycho was Sitting in that same chair like a living statue, broad arms crossed, golden eyes burning holes through me. He hadn¡¯t even changed position sincest night.


    Did he even sleep? Did he blink? Was he some kind of cursed immortal statue that only moved to ruin my life?


    I yanked the nket over my head with a squeak, curling into a ball like a hunted rabbit.


    But no matter how deep I buried myself, I could still feel it his gaze. Heavy. Burning. Unrelenting. Watching every breath, every twitch, every pathetic little thought written across my face. This was my prison. And I was losing my mind. Which was probably why the idea came to me again. The most brilliant, wless, idiotic idea in history. If I couldn¡¯t escape physically, maybe I could escape mentally. Buy myself some space. Get him off my back for even just a day.


    I was his personal omega, right? Well, a personal omega too weak to serve wasn¡¯t much use, was she? Maybe if I acted pitiful enough, he¡¯d let me rest. Maybe he¡¯d even leave me alone. Yes. Yes! It could work. The n was foolproof. I would fake sickness, I nodded to myself under the nket, heart pounding with reckless determination. This was it, yes my path to freedom. I peeked out, arranged my expression into the most tragic face I could muster, and let out a pitiful groan. "Ughhh... I don¡¯t feel so good I clutched my stomach dramatically. "Oh no... I feel faint feverish, probably contagious I think I¡¯m dying..."


    The psycho didn¡¯t say a word He didn¡¯t even blink. Panic sparked in my chest. I had to sell it harder. So I coughed. The weakest, wheeziest little cough in history. Then I threw in another groan for good measure. "Moon Goddess, take me now struck down in my prime such a tragedy..."


    That was when his voice slid across the room, low and razor-sharp.


    "Pathetic."


    My blood froze. And then his inner voice mmed into me like a whip: Lies. Stupid little omega. Thinks she can trick me. Mine. Always mine. Break her. Cage her. If she ys games with me again, I¡¯ll rip out her tongue. I squeaked, clutching the nket tighter. "I-I really am sick!"


    His lips curved into a faint smirk. "Is that so?"


    "Yes!" I insisted, sitting up halfway before flopping back down like a dying fish. "Fever! Cough! Weakness! I can barely¡ª"


    He looked at me onest time before yelling for his aunt.


    "Elizabeth." The word dropped like a de. And my heart stopped. Oh no. No, no, no. Not her. She could see through my lies in just a minute.


    "Wait¡ªno, Alpha, that won¡¯t be necessary!" I scrambled upright, waving my hands frantically. "I just need rest! Yes, rest cures everything! Maybe soup! Or tea! Or a nap! Definitely not Elizabeth but it was toote. Hismand had already gone out. I could hear footsteps approaching. I wanted to melt into the floor. The door opened, and in she came. Elizabeth. Calm,posed, eyes sharp as a hawk. She didn¡¯t even bow. She just walked straight toward me with that "don¡¯t waste my time" look.


    "She¡¯s sick," Alpha Zach said simply, never taking his eyes off me.


    And then his inner voice boomed again:


    "Inner voice:If she lies, I¡¯ll kill her myself.


    Elizabeth raised a brow, unimpressed. "Sick, is she?"


    "Yes!" I gasped, clutching my chest dramatically. "So very sick! Weak! Fragile! I can barely move!"


    Elizabeth sighed and reached for my wrist. "Let me check your pulse."


    No no no. If she touched me, she¡¯d know instantly. And then this psycho Alpha oh God please save me. Panic exploded. I leapt upright so fast the nket flew across the room.


    "I¡¯M HEALED!"


    Elizabeth froze mid-step. Alpha Zach¡¯s eyes narrowed. Golden fire burned in their depths.


    "I¡ªI swear, Alpha, it¡¯s a miracle!" I babbled, sweat dripping down my forehead. "The Moon Goddess must have blessed me! Look I can walk!" I staggered around the bed, nearly tripping. "I can stretch!" I flung my arms wide like a windmill. "I can even uh¡ªdance!" And then, to prove my miraculous recovery, Iunched into the most hideous little jig ever performed by a living being. My legs iled. My arms pped. I looked like a dying chicken trying to summon rain.


    Elizabeth blinked. Once. Twice. Then she turned to Alpha Zach and said tly, "She¡¯s fine."


    The silence that followed was the kind that made you want to dig your own grave. Alpha Zach leaned back in his chair, lips curving into that terrifying almost-smile.


    "inner voice: Ridiculous. Mine. Always mine. She thinks this is a game. Break her. Cage her. Teach her never to lie to me again.


    I was still jigging desperately, sweat dripping into my eyes. "S-see? I¡¯m totally fine! Not even a sniffle left!"


    Elizabeth pinched the bridge of her nose, muttered something about "idiotic omegas," and swept out of the room without another word. Now it was just me and him. My jig slowed. My arms drooped. I froze mid-step like a deer in headlights. Alpha Zach¡¯s gaze burned into me.


    Finally, he spoke, voice low and dark. "You think you¡¯re clever, omega?"


    Iughed nervously, backing toward the bed. "N-no, Alpha! Not clever at all! Just... resilient! Miraculously resilient!"


    "Inner voice: She belongs to me. No lies. No games. If she tries again, I will chain her to the floor. My throat went dry. My knees wobbled. Then, just when I thought he might actually kill me, he smirked. That slow, dangerous smirk that made my heart m against my ribs.


    "You¡¯re ridiculous," he said, amusement curling his tone. "Pathetic. But mine."


    And just like that, my jig ended with me copsing face-first onto the bed, burying myself in the pillow, praying to God to strike me down. Because nothing nothing was worse than being caught lying to Alpha Zach...


    except maybe beingughed at by him while he reminded me that I belonged to him.


    And apparently destined to humiliate myself until the end of time.


    The morning light barely crawled through the tall windows when I realized Alpha Zach was watching me again. His piercing stare was enough to make me freeze, mid-yawn, like some pathetic animal caught under a predator¡¯s gaze. My heart stuttered, my throat dry.


    Oh no. He had that look again. The one that promised chaos.


    "Get up," his voice sliced the silence like a de. "Today is not for your nonsense."


    I blinked rapidly, confused. "Huh?"


    He arched a brow, his posture sharp and impossibly tall, making me feel like I¡¯d shrunk three sizes smaller. "Visitors will be arriving from the ck River Pack. You will dress beautifully, keep your hair down, and smile when spoken to." His gaze sharpened, icy and unyielding and do that try to runaway.


    "Let Beautiful? Hair down? Smile? What was this an execution in disguise? Is he nning to kill me. Inside, my brain screamed. My hands already went mmy, and I hugged my ragged nket like it could save me. "W-why me? I¡ªI¡¯m not a hostess¡ª"


    "The crazy Alpha¡¯smand reverberated through the room. His aura crashed against me, forcing my shoulders to curl inward.


    And then I heard it.


    That damned, horrifying inner voice.


    "Inner voice: the If she dares to disobey, I will strip her dignity away in front of them. Maybe I¡¯ll sell her to the highest bidder. See how she survives then. My little personal omega thinks she can hide? Let her tremble. Let her learn.


    My stomach dropped. My eyes widened like saucers. He said it so casually in his head, like talking about dinner ns selling me off like I was a piece of meat! I clutched my chest, gasping softly. My lips wobbled. "Y-you wouldn¡¯t¡ª"


    His gaze flicked to me, like he¡¯d caught my thought. A smirk tugged at his mouth. "Wouldn¡¯t I?"


    My entire body shook so hard the bed creaked beneath me. I imagined myself being dragged away, tied up, thrown into some stranger¡¯s pack house where they¡¯d feed me scraps andugh at my tears. Oh no no no this was bad. Very bad.


    "I¡ªI will do it!" I blurted, throwing my hands up. "I will dress up, I will let my hair down, I will even smile." My lips stretched into a stiff, unnatural grin that looked more like I was about to die of food poisoning. His eyes darkened with twisted amusement. He leaned closer, his shadow swallowing me whole. "Good girl."


    "Inner voice: Pathetic. Look at her trembling. She knows she belongs to me. If those visitors so much as nce at her wrong, I will tear their throats out. No one touches what¡¯s mine. But let her think I will sell her it keeps her obedient.


    The growl in his head vibrated against my skull, even though he hadn¡¯t moved his lips. My knees buckled, and I stumbled back onto the bed, almost toppling over. His stupid was inner voice even scarier than his actual threats?!


    I forced augh, shaky and brittle. "Y-you don¡¯t need to worry, Alpha. I¡¯ll be the most obedient decorative nt you¡¯ve ever owned."


    He tilted his head, his cold eyes scanning me like he could peel my soul open. "nt?"


    "N-not nt! I mean¡ªomega! Your personal omega!" I pped both hands over my mouth before I said something even dumber.


    "Inner voice: stupid little toad. She fears everything. And yet she amuses me.


    I froze, eyes darting up. His lips hadn¡¯t moved. He hadn¡¯t spoken. But the way that inner voice wrapped around me, coiling like chains, made me tremble all over again.


    This was torture. Real torture. Not even death was this bad.


    "Ellie." His deep voice cut through my panic. "You have one hour. Don¡¯t make me repeat myself."


    I nodded so fast my neck hurt. "Yes, Alpha! I will--i will transform into a princess in an hour!"


    "If she ruins this, i will make her regret ever being born. Maybe I will let them drag her away for a night to remind her what real monsters look like. Then she will crawl back to me, begging.


    I almost fainted right there. My legs gave out, and I flopped sideways onto the mattress like a fish out of water. My lungs couldn¡¯t keep up with the panic. He turned sharply, cape brushing the floor behind him, and stalked out with the casual grace of a predator leaving its prey half-alive. As he shut the door behind him. And everywhere became silent again and I copsed t on the bed, wailing into the pillow. "I¡¯M DOOMED!" My scream echoed in the room, muffled by fabric. He was really going to parade me in front of strangers! And worse, if I failed, he¡¯d sell me! Or threaten to! Or both! My life was basically hanging by the thread of a hairpin. I sat up, clutching my head. "I can¡¯t do this. How do I dress to impress people I don¡¯t even know and haven¡¯t met with before? But then the memory of his inner voice surged back like a whip. Obey. Or suffer.


    I jumped to my feet instantly. "I will obey! Please I will obey!" I shouted at the empty air. Then I froze, realizing I looked like a crazy person yelling at nothing. This was my life now. Living under a psycho Alpha who threatened to sell me while secretly calling me his. And visitors hadn¡¯t even arrived yet. And if i don¡¯t want to be sold to them, then I need to start moving

 Chapter 37

    <h4>Chapter 37: Chapter 37</h4>


    One hourter, I stood in front of a cracked mirror, hands shaking. Hair down? Fine. Except my hair was a disasterwild, untamable waves that looked electrocuted. I brushed until my arms ached, but it refused to obey. Dress? The only one I had was faded and frayed, sagging in the wrong ces.


    Makeup? Ha! As if. I pinched my cheeks until they turned red. I bit my lips for color, except now they were swollen like bee stings. Smile? Don¡¯t get me started. Attempt one looked constipated. Attempt two looked like I wanted to stab someone. Attempt three was worse. I groaned, dragging my hands down my face. "I¡¯m going to die. He¡¯s going to sell me because I can¡¯t smile like a normal human!" Footsteps echoed in the hall. His footsteps. His aura seeped through the walls. The door opened. Alpha Zack¡¯s cold eyes scanned me, head to toe. His hand mped onto my wrist like a manacle.


    "Inner voice: Pathetic. But mine. Let¡¯s see how she survives tonight.


    I squeaked as he pulled me down the hall, leading me like a prized possession. The minute I heard the heavy knock echo through the Alpha King¡¯s mansion, my brain immediately screamed: oh no, strangers. My entire body reacted like a cornered rabbit ears twitching (well, not literally, but it felt like it), heart thumping, palms mmy. I wasn¡¯t ready for this, oh God, I would never be ready for this. And this psycho Alpha knew it. He sat in his impossibly tall leather chair, arms folded, expression carved out of stone, radiating the kind of deadly calm that screamed: I¡¯m about to murder someone, but I¡¯ll wait until after tea. The visiting Alphas were here. Men of power. Wolves with influence. Wolves who could take one look at me and decide I wasn¡¯t worth a grain of salt or worse, decide I was. I smoothed down the in dress Zach had practically ordered me to wear earlier. "Behave," he had told me, in that voice that sent chills down my spine. "Smile when I tell you to. Sit when I tell you to. Speak only if you want your tongue ripped out." You¡¯d think a man saying that would give me nightmares. But no. My brain, in its infinite stupidity, had immediately wandered into ridiculous scenarios: What if he literally ripped my tongue out and mounted it on the wall like a trophy? What if guests walked in and saw it in a golden frame? ¡¯Oh, that¡¯s Ellie¡¯s tongue, don¡¯t mind it.¡¯


    I nearlyughed at my own nonsense. Thankfully, I swallowed the sound before it escaped because Zach¡¯s head twitched slightly, his golden eyes slicing toward me. That look meant: One sound, and you¡¯re done. I snapped my mouth shut so fast my teeth cked. The door swung open. And in they came. Three visiting Alphas. Broad shoulders, sharp jaws, smug smiles. Men who knew they were powerful and wanted everyone else to know it too. The kind of wolves who probably polished their egos every morning in front of a mirror. I shrank back instinctively, trying to make myself invisible. Maybe if I pressed hard enough into the chair, I¡¯d melt into the wood and disappear. Maybe they wouldn¡¯t notice me at all. But of course, fate hates me.


    The tallest one the one with slicked-back hair and a grin that said I steal hearts and wallets for fun looked right at me. His eyes flicked over me slowly, deliberately, like he was choosing which cut of meat to order at a butcher shop. And then he smirked. Oh, God, here ites.


    "Who¡¯s this?" he asked casually, like I wasn¡¯t sitting there having a silent heart attack. But Zach didn¡¯t answer immediately. He just stared, his jaw tightening, his hand curling into a fist against the armrest. I could practically hear the thunder building in his chest.


    "She¡¯s Mine.


    The word echoed in the air like a growl, though he hadn¡¯t spoken aloud. It was his inner voice, deep and guttural, and it made the hairs on my arms rise. I squeezed my hands together. Please don¡¯t let this end with me being shredded. Please, God please I¡¯m too young to die, I still have my old life to get back to. and I haven¡¯t even tried chocteva cake yet.


    "She¡¯s my personal omega," Zach finally said, his voice t. Dangerous. Like a knife sliding across ss.


    The visiting Alpha¡¯s smirk widened. "Personal omega, huh?" His gaze lingered on me far too long. "I wouldn¡¯t mind borrowing her. Just for tonight."


    Wait what? Borrowing. Did he just¡ª? My eyes nearly popped out of my head. Borrowing me? Like I was a piece of bread he wanted to toast? Excuse me, sir, I am not a library book! I wanted to scream, "TAKE THE COUCH, NOT ME!" but my throat closed up. That¡¯s when it happened, The shift. Zach¡¯s aura exploded across the room like a storm snapping through the air. Heavy. Suffocating. It pressed down on me so hard I almost slid out of my chair. The other Alphas froze, their smiles faltering. But The Slick Haired Alpha oh no, he was smiling wider. He¡¯s Provoking Zach on purpose. Zach¡¯s inner voice roared.


    "Inner voice: He dares. He looks at what¡¯s mine. He breathes her air. He thinks he can touch her. I will tear his spine from his body. I¡¯ll crush his skull with my bare hands. I will feed him his own tongue.


    I swallowed. Loudly. Did he just say feed him his own tongue? What is with everyone and tongues today?! Meanwhile, my brain was spiraling into chaos:


    Okay, Ellie, think. If Zach kills this guy, you will be covered in blood. If you¡¯re covered in blood, you will faint. If you faint, you will fall face-first on the marble floor. If you fall on the marble floor, you¡¯ll break your nose. And if you break your nose, you will have to live the rest of your life looking like a squashed tomato. This was not how I wanted to die. I started inching backward, trying to subtly slide my chair out of the aura st zone. Maybe if I moved slowly, no one would notice me escaping. Maybe I could roll under the table and crawl to freedom. But Zach¡¯s eyes snapped to me instantly, golden and furious. The look said: Don¡¯t move. Don¡¯t breathe. Don¡¯t even think about it. I froze mid-scoot, half off the chair, looking like a glitching mannequin. My brain screamed: Abort mission! Abort!


    The Slick-Haired Alpha chuckled. "Rx, Zachary. I¡¯m only teasing." His tone was smooth, but his eyes said otherwise.


    And Zach¡¯s inner voice thundered:


    "Inner voice: Teasing? He wants her. He will die for it. I will rip him apart in front of everyone. His pack will carry back his body in pieces. The other two visiting Alphas were dead silent now, shifting ufortably.


    Me? I was sweating buckets.


    Because here¡¯s the thing this crazy psycho didn¡¯t joke. If he said he¡¯d rip someone apart, there was a 99.9% chance it would happen within the next sixty seconds. And guess who would be standing right there, sttered in gore?


    Yep. Ellie the unlucky omega.


    I pressed my hands together and whispered a tiny prayer in my head: Moon Goddess, if you¡¯re listening, please distract Zach with something shiny. A butterfly. A sandwich. Anything. Just don¡¯t let him kill this guy right now. But Zach leaned forward in his chair, his aura doubling, his golden eyes burning holes into the man across from him.


    The room was so silent I could hear my own heartbeat.


    And then Zach smiled but it wasn¡¯t a nice smile. Oh no. This was the kind of smile that belonged to serial killers in horror movies. Slow. Sharp. Promising pain.


    "If you want her," Zach said softly, "you will have to peel her from my hands."


    Oh no. Oh no no no. My chaotic brain jumped into full throttle.


    The Slick-Haired Alpha chuckled again, but it sounded forced this time. He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Just a joke. No need to be so serious."


    But Zach¡¯s inner voice didn¡¯t calm.


    "Inner Voice: lying bastard.He still wants her. I see it. I will end him before sunrise. His blood will paint the walls. I will show them all what happens when they look at what¡¯s mine.


    My stomach twisted. Because when Zach said "paint the walls," I believed him. I was doomed. Absolutely doomed.


    So, naturally, my brain decided to focus on the most irrelevant thought possible: Do we have enough soap in the mansion to clean blood off marble floors? Or would that stain forever? I wanted tough hysterically, cry, and faint all at once. Instead, I did the only thing I could. I sat perfectly still, pasted the most awkward half-smile on my face, and prayed I survived the evening. Oh God my life is in your hands now.

 Chapter 38

    <h4>Chapter 38: Chapter 38</h4>


    The door finally closed behind thest visiting Alpha. Their heavy boots thudded against the stone floor until the sound disappeared down the hallway, swallowed by silence, a very thick and suffocating silence.


    I sat there on the edge of the couch, back stiff, hands clenched so tightly in myp that I was sure my nails were drawing little crescent moons into my palms. I didn¡¯t dare move. I didn¡¯t even dare breathe too loudly. Because Alpha Zach was still standing there and he hadn¡¯t said a single word since that smug Alpha leaned across the table, grinned, and asked casually, "So, Zach if you ever decide she¡¯s too much trouble, you can always send that pretty little thing my way."


    Pretty little thing. He meant me. I wanted to melt into the floor. Or evaporate. Or spontaneouslybust and leave only a pile of ash behind, because that might actually be less terrifying than existing in this exact moment.


    The air in the room was cold. Not cold from the weather. Cold from Zach. His aura was rolling in waves, a sharp suffocating pressure that pressed down on me until I felt like a bug under his thumb. Inside his head no, inside his very bones I could practically hear it. His inner voice. Low. Dark. Seething.


    "Inner voice: Mine. She¡¯s mine. How dare he put his filthy eyes on her. How dare he speak of her as if she¡¯s an object. As if she could belong to anyone else but me.


    My throat closed. I should have ripped out his tongue the moment he opened his mouth. Better yet, his throat. Slowly. In front of everyone, so they¡¯d never forget what happens when someone dares breathe her name.


    Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no. I could feel the rage vibrating in him. Like a giant wolf was pacing inside his skin, teeth bared, ws carving lines into the inside of his ribs. And me?


    I was sitting here, desperately trying not to look like a "pretty little thing" anymore. Maybe if I hunch my back a little yes, slouch... maybe tilt my chin down... hide the neck... make myself look like a sad potato. Potatoes aren¡¯t attractive. Nobody ever looked at a potato and said, "I want that one."


    I am a potato. I am a harmless, lumpy potato. Please believe me. But what if this crazy hates potatoes? What if potatoes remind him of betrayal? What if the first person who ever wronged him once gave him mashed potatoes, and now my potato strategy only enrages him further? Oh no, oh no, abort, abort mission. His boots scraped against the floor. I froze. Every muscle locked, stiff as a corpse. If someone touched me right now, they¡¯d have to pry me open like a wooden mannequin. He didn¡¯t look at me. He didn¡¯t need to. His presence filled the entire room. His aura was a living, breathing, snarling monster, and I was the rabbit dumb enough to be caught in its shadow.


    "Inner voice: He wanted her. He thought he could touch what¡¯s mine. He thought he could steal what belongs to me. If he ever tries again, I¡¯ll tear him apart piece by piece. I¡¯ll mount his head on the border wall and let the crows feast on his pride.


    I made a tiny squeaking sound in my throat. Not a scream, not even a word. Just a squeak. Like a mouse who just realized the cheese it nibbled belonged to a lion. His head turned. Slowly. His eyes flicked toward me.


    "Stand." The word dropped from his mouth like a stone sinking into a darkke.


    My knees wobbled as I scrambled up. My heart was racing so fast I was certain it was visible, thumping through my dress. He stared at me for a long, unbearable moment.


    Then he turned and walked away. Wait. That was it? Just walk away? No, no, no, don¡¯t rx yet, Ellie. That¡¯s exactly what viins do in movies before they circle back with an axe. This was the calm before the storm. The wolf before the pounce. The pause before the bite. I followed him. Of course I did. What else could I do? Stay sitting and risk looking disobedient? No thanks, I¡¯d rather not find out what "disobedient potato" tastes like to Alpha Zach. His strides were long, fast, and angry. Mine were small, clumsy, and panicked. I kept tripping on my own feet like my body was actively trying to betray me. His voice kept ranting:


    "Inner voice: Mine. Mine. Mine. I should lock her away. Hide her where no one can ever look at her again. Where no Alpha can whisper disgusting suggestions. Where no one can even think about touching her.


    Lock me away? Oh my gosh, he¡¯s already nning my imprisonment. Maybe in a dungeon. Maybe in a tiny closet with no windows. Oh no, oh no, what if he chains me to a wall like one of those tragic heroines in horror novels? I can¡¯t do chains. I can¡¯t. I¡¯ll scream. I¡¯ll shriek. I¡¯ll chew my own wrist off before I stay chained to a wall. unless he puts me in a cage. Like a canary. Oh my gosh, what if he gets me a birdcage? Will he make me sing? I can¡¯t sing! If I try, I¡¯ll sound like a dying goose, and then he¡¯ll probably kill me for being a useless canary


    "Ellie."


    I squeaked again. We¡¯d stopped and I hadn¡¯t noticed because I was busy mentally rehearsing my goose-song.


    His eyes burned into me, sharp and unrelenting. "Do you know what I¡¯m thinking?"


    "No Alpha!! I yelled


    He leaned in, so close I could feel his breath brush against my cheek.


    "I¡¯m thinking about ripping out his eyes." His voice was a whisper, but it carried the weight of thunder. "Because he looked at you. Because he dared to imagine you could ever be his."


    I gulped. Loudly. My Adam¡¯s apple (or, well, Eve¡¯s apple) bobbed like a buoy in stormy waters.


    Inside his head, his voice echoed even darker:


    "Inner voice: She¡¯s mine. She¡¯ll always be mine. I will never let her go. I will kill every Alpha, every wolf, every breathing thing before I let them take her.


    Oh God He wasn¡¯t bluffing. He meant every word. What if he went back out right now and actually ripped out the other Alpha¡¯s eyes? He straightened, towering over me, his jaw sharp, his shoulders tense. Then, without another word, he turned again and kept walking. We reached my room. He opened the door. For a second, I thought this is it. He¡¯s going to shove me inside, lock the door, and throw away the key. Instead, he just motioned for me to go in. I obeyed My legs carried me inside faster than my brain could keep up. He stood there in the doorway for a long moment, staring at me with eyes that burned like twin suns. Then he shut the door. And I was alone. Oh God What was he nning? Why hadn¡¯t he yelled at me? Why hadn¡¯t he punished me? This is unlike him. The silence pressed down on me like a mountain and I started pacing. Okay, Ellie, think. Maybe he¡¯s waiting for me to panic. Yes, that¡¯s it. He¡¯s testing me. He¡¯s sitting outside right now, listening to me freak out. He¡¯s probably smirking. Oh gosh, I can practically hear his inner voice.


    "Inner voice: Dance, little mouse. Squirm. Panic. Show me how cute you look when you¡¯re terrified. I flopped onto the bed. I pressed my hands to my face. My thoughts were spinning faster. What if hees back in the middle of the night? What if he ties me up? What if he just stands there in the dark, watching me sleep, whispering about ripping out eyeballs? I curled into a ball, rocking back and forth, muttering to myself like a lunatic. This was it. My life now. Trapped between an Alpha who wanted to keep me like a precious treasure and my own brain that wouldn¡¯t stop screaming birdcage goose eyeballs potatoes. Somewhere in the hallway, a floorboard creaked. I bolted upright up right away. I know the psycho is still out there.After a hectic day thinking of what the crazy psycho would do to me. I was asleep. The kind of sleep where you drool and dream about eating noodles in peace without a psycho Alpha breathing down your neck, then I felt it. A weight dipped into the mattress beside me. My eyes snapped open so fast I nearly dislocated my own eyelids.


    No. No. No.


    "Don¡¯t panic, Ellie," I whispered inside my head, because my mouth was frozen. "Maybe it¡¯s just a dream But then, a very real arm slid around my waist. Slowly. Deliberately. Like a giant wolf deciding I was a stuffed toy he needed to squeeze. Oh God, it¡¯s him again. The crazy Alpha had creeped into my bed again.


    He didn¡¯t just stop at the waist. Oh, no. That would¡¯ve been too merciful. His hand dragged upward, fingers spreading over my ribs, then settling under my chest like he was measuring how much air I was allowed to breathe.


    "Possessive psycho hand detected," my brain screamed. "This is not a drill. Abort mission. Escape not possible. Begin funeral arrangements immediately."


    I tried to wiggle away, very subtly. Like maybe if I shifted an inch he wouldn¡¯t notice, but his hand tightened instantly. My back was yanked flush against him so fast I squeaked. And then I felt his chin lower until it rested on the crown of my head, heavy and firm. His breath came slow, even, but way too warm against my scalp.


    "This is it," I thought dramatically. "I¡¯m a hostage even inside this room. Then his inner voice suddenly rang in my head.


    "Inner voice: "Mine" No one touches her. No one looks at her. She breathes under me, she sleeps under me. She belongs here.


    I tried to scream inside my head, but of course my body betrayed me. I justy there stiff while his hand slid lower again, sying across my stomach, pulling me impossibly tighter.


    "Inner Voice: They wanted her today. His voice growled low inside the silence. Those visiting Alphas. Filthy wolves thinking they could ask for her like she¡¯s theirs to im. Mine.


    Each mine vibrated through me like a death toll bell. Why is this crazy psycho repeatedly calling me his?"


    "Inner voice: She squirms. His inner voice chuckled darkly. She thinks she can move away. Foolish little Omega. Try. Let me feel you try.


    Okay. Think, Ellie. Think. There has to be a survival strategy or else this psycho will pressed the life out of me.


    Option one: Pretend to be dead. If I don¡¯t breathe, maybe he will let go. Downside: I will actually die.


    Option two: Bite his arm. Upside: He might release me. Downside: He will 100% bite back harder. With teeth. Big Alpha teeth.


    Option three: Escape through the window. But considering his grip felt like iron chains forged in a volcano, the only thing I¡¯d manage tounch out the window would be my soul.


    "Option four," my brain suggested weakly. "Cry."


    I would have considered it, if not for the fact that he will probably just lick the tears off my face like some deranged wolf that he is. His hand moved again. He started stroking. Stroking my side, my hip, my stomach slow, firm,zy strokes like I was some pet he was settling for the night.


    "This is not happening," I mouthed silently, tears of panic stinging my eyes. "I am not a pet. I am not a pillow. I am a human being! And then he tilted his head slightly. His nose pressed into my hair. He inhaled it deeply and Loudly.


    Like some psycho wolf addict snorting thest bit of sanity I had left.


    "Stop smelling me!" I begged silently. "You creep! This is a bed, not a bakery.


    "Inner voice: She smells like fear, Sweet and pure No wolf will ever taste it but me.


    Is he going to eat me now? My legs started shaking under the nket. Just trembling violently, because apparently my body thought it was helpful to signal prey instincts while being trapped in the jaws of the predator.


    But crazy psycho dud not release me. The strokes of his hand turned into firm holds. His fingers dug into my hip, possessive, like even in his sleep his body needed to remind me: mine.Then came the leg situation. Oh please save me. His leg hooked over mine, tangling us together until I was basically a burrito of doom wrapped in psycho Alpha limbs. I whimpered silently in my head. This is how I die," I whispered internally. "Suffocated in a cuddle.nAnd then he did it. The thing that nearly ended my entire bloodline. He lowered his head and whispered. Right against my ear. His lips brushed the skin.


    "You¡¯re mine, little Omega."


    He said it out loud. Not inner voice actual voice. My whole soul shrieked. My brain screamed like a fire rm. I justy there, stiff, panicking so violently my spirit tried to chew its way out of my chest. I can feel it.

 Chapter 39

    <h4>Chapter 39: Chapter 39</h4>


    The next morning hen I woke up, the first thing I noticed was silence. Not the heavy, suffocating silence of danger lurking in the dark, but the kind that feels almost freeing. My eyelids fluttered open, weighed down with sleep, and I blinked against the faint morning light seeping in through the high windows of my room. The bed was cold beside me cold and Empty.


    My breath hitched, and for a moment, I justy there, stunned. Then, slowly, I sat up and looked around. No looming shadow in the corner. No strong presence filling the air like smoke, making my lungs ache. No piercing eyes watching me even in sleep. He was gone.


    I don¡¯t know how long I sat there, staring, afraid to believe it. But when the truth settled in, a burst of air left my chest, half augh, half a sob. My lips curved into a smile so wide it hurt.


    "Yes!! He¡¯s gone..." I whispered to myself, the sound shaky and disbelieving.The psycho Alpha was not here. Before I knew it, my legs had carried me off the bed. I nearly stumbled because they were trembling, but I didn¡¯t care. I pressed my hands to my mouth, stifling theugh that kept bubbling up. My chest felt light, lighter than it had in weeks. I spun once, a clumsy, almost childlike twirl across the room. It was ridiculous. I probably looked insane myself, celebrating over nothing. He coulde back at any moment. Maybe he was just outside. But right now, for this one stolen breath of freedom, I didn¡¯t care. I let myself bask in it. I ran to the little table against the wall, picked up the stale piece of bread I hadn¡¯t touchedst night, and bit into it with more joy than I thought possible. Food, silence, space three things I had been denied since he started hovering over me like a predator ying with prey.


    "I¡¯m free," I whispered again, a tremor of giddiness in my voice. "Even if it¡¯s just for now."


    I let myselfugh. Reallyugh. The sound was strange, rusty from disuse, but it felt good. I clutched the bread and hugged it to my chest like it was some kind of treasure. My hair was a tangled mess, falling into my face, my eyes puffy from the restless nights of fear and tears, but I didn¡¯t care. For the first time since yesterday I felt alive. That was when the knock came. Myughter froze. The bread dropped from my hand. The sound of the knock sharp,manding ripped away the fragile illusion of safety I had just built for myself.


    "Elie," a guard¡¯s voice came from the other side of the door. "The Alpha requests your presence. Immediately."


    My heart stopped. Then it plummeted. No, no, no. Not again. I stumbled back a step, shaking my head, as if I could undo the words just by denying them. My lips parted, but no sound came out. My throat was too dry. Of course. Of course he wasn¡¯t gone. Why would he be? He was everywhere, always watching, always pulling me back when I thought I had even a sliver of freedom.


    "Now, Ellie," the guard repeated, harder this time.


    The room spun a little. My chest tightened until it hurt. Somehow, I found my legs again, forcing myself forward. My hands smoothed over my hair in vain, trying to tame the mess. But my fingers only got caught in the tangles. My swollen eyes stung when I rubbed at them, but it was useless. I looked like I had crawled out of a nightmare, because I had. Still, I went. I had no choice. The guards didn¡¯t even look at me as they escorted me through the hallways. Their eyes stayed ahead, faces stone. To them, I was nothing but a fragile shadow at the mercy of their psycho Alpha. And if they as much as look at me more then require they know what will happen to them. My steps grew heavier the closer we got. My earlier joy curdled into dread until it sat like a stone in my stomach. By the time the massive doors of his office loomed before me, my chest was heaving with shallow breaths. The guard pushed the doors open. I stepped inside.The psych was standing beside arge, lined with shelves full of books that looked like they hadn¡¯t been touched in years. A wide desk sat near the window, papers neatly stacked, a faint scent of ink lingering in the air. He was there. Sitting behind the desk like a king on a throne, posture rxed, head slightly bowed as his eyes scanned a book in his hand. The sunlight caught on his hair, highlighting the sharp lines of his face. He didn¡¯t look up when I entered. He turned a page, calm, detached, as though my presence was insignificant.


    But I knew he was aware of me the second I walked in. My fingers twisted together, and I lowered my gaze, waiting, trembling.


    His voice didn¡¯te. Instead, another sound filled the room low, dark, amused. It wasn¡¯t out loud. It was inside, his poisonous inner voice that.


    "Inner voice: Look at her. Hehehe . Dragging herself in here with that pathetic hair sticking up like a wild dog. Puffy little eyes. What a pitiful mess.


    Heat crawled up my neck. I bit my lip, fighting the urge to speak, to defend myself, though I knew it would be useless. He always won. He always crushed me with nothing more than a thought.


    He turned another page in the book, a soft flick that echoed in the heavy silence.


    "Inner voice: She actually thought I was gone, didn¡¯t she?


    I froze. My chest constricted, my shameid bare.


    "Inner voice: Celebrating in her little cage, spinning around like some broken doll. Did sheugh? I bet sheughed. What a sight that must have been. Hrious.


    His shoulders shifted just slightly, and though his face remained stoic, I could hear it theugh in his head, rich and cruel, echoing through me until I wanted to cover my ears, to shut him out.


    "Inner voice: Foolish little omega. Did you really believe you¡¯d ever be free of me?


    I couldn¡¯t breathe. The weight of his voice pressed against my chest, suffocating. My arms wrapped around myself, trying to hold my body together, but I knew he saw. He always saw.


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he closed the book with a soft thud. The sound made me flinch. Slowly, deliberately, he set it on the desk and lifted his gaze to me.His eyes met mine.


    "Sit," he said, his voice smooth, almost gentle.


    But beneath it, the echo of his innerughter still rang in my head. I sat in the chair across from his desk, trying my best to shrink into myself. Unfortunately, the chair was one of those oversized leather ones that seemed designed to make small people like me look even smaller. My feet dangled a few inches above the floor, which didn¡¯t help. He sat there like a statue straight-backed, collected, eyes lowered on a book in his hand. If not for the suffocating aura rolling off him, I might have thought he was genuinely absorbed in whatever he was reading.


    But I wasn¡¯t that na?ve anymore. I sped my hands together tightly in myp, trying to avoid eye contact. Maybe, if I stayed quiet and still enough, he would forget about me.


    "Inner voice: Look at her, his inner voice slithered in, sharp withughter. She looks like a drowned toad. Hair sticking up like she fought a thunderstorm and lost. And those eyes puffy, swollen. A ghost dragged straight out of its grave and dumped into my office. Pathetic.


    Heat climbed up my face. Drowned toad? Ghost? My pride wanted to argue back, but my pride had been stepped on too many times to put up much of a fight.


    Out loud, he said nothing, turning a page with infuriating calm.


    "Inner voice: Does she think brushing her fingers through that tangled bird¡¯s nest counts as grooming? Silly little toad. Perhaps I should have the maids bring her ab. Or maybe a bucket of water. Yes, a ghost should at least look presentable before haunting my halls.


    I bit the inside of my cheek, staring at my hands. The more he mocked me, the worse I felt and yet, some part of me wanted tough at the absurdity. A bucket of water? He really thought he was funny.


    Finally, he shut the book with a quiet thud. The sound made me jump. Slowly, he set it aside and leaned his elbows on the desk, steepling his fingers.


    "Tell me," he said smoothly, "did you sleep well?"


    Wait, what? I froze. That was not the question I expected. "I I suppose..."


    His eyes glinted with amusement.


    "Inner voice: Suppose? She tossed, turned, whimpered like a puppy, and now she pretends she slept well? Silly toad. Does she not realize I hear every breath? And I slept in the bed with her.


    I flinched at the voice in my head. Crazy bastard I murmured.


    He arched a brow.


    "You look as though you spent the night crying."


    My lips trembled. "It¡ªit won¡¯t happen again."


    He leaned back in his chair, tilting his head just slightly. His expression gave nothing away, but his inner voice betrayed him.


    "Inner voice: It won¡¯t happen again, she says. As if her puffy eyes aren¡¯t a daily essory. I should call them her crown jewels two swollen rubies sitting in a pale ghost¡¯s face.


    I wanted to groan. Rubies? Really? He could torment me without sounding like a failed poet, couldn¡¯t he? And whose fault was it that my eyes were puffy?


    He reached for the book again, flipping another page. Then he spoke casually, as though he weren¡¯t unraveling me one thought at a time. "I heardughter this morning."


    My heart stopped.


    "Inner voice: Oh yes. The little toad hopping about in her room, spinning like a broken doll, clutching stale bread as if it were a royal feast. I could have died from theedy of it. A ghost, celebrating its freedom inside its own coffin.


    I buried my burning face in my hands. Bread. Of all things, he had to notice the bread. He lowered the book again, setting it carefully on the desk.


    "Did you enjoy yourself?"


    "Yes Alpha," I whispered.


    His lips quirked. Good."


    "Inner voice: Honest, but still foolish. She thinks joy belongs to her? No. Laughter belongs to me. Happiness belongs to me. Even her tears are mine. Silly toad.


    I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing I could vanish. Silence stretched. He seemed content to let me squirm while he studied me. Then he sighed, a soft sound that somehow managed to feel both amused and threatening.


    "You should see yourself, Elie," he said. "You came running in here with hair like a bird¡¯s nest and eyes like bruised plums. Did you intend to frighten my guards into thinking I had dragged a ghost out of the swamps?"


    My mouth opened, then closed. Ghost. Swamps. Bird¡¯s nest. This man had a whole arsenal of insults, and apparently, I was his favorite canvas.


    I managed to stammer, "I¡ªI didn¡¯t have time¡ª"


    His brow arched higher.


    "Inner voice: Excuses. Silly little toad croaking in defense. I should be generous and put her in a pond. At least then she¡¯d be where she belongs.


    Something inside me snapped just a little. It wasn¡¯t anger, exactly more like the thin thread of my dignity trying desperately to knot itself back together.


    "I-I-I wasn¡¯t expecting to be summoned," I muttered under my breath.


    The room went very quiet. His eyes sharpened. Then, surprisingly, he chuckled. The sound was low, dangerous, but undeniably amused.


    "You weren¡¯t expecting it?" he repeated. "You think I need an invitation to call for you?" What is your job? Or have you forgotten that you are my personal omega?"


    I quickly shook my head, panic rising. "No-No Alpha. I¡¯m sorry I have not forgotten.


    "Inner voice: Of course not. Silly toad. Always trembling, always croaking, but never hopping far enough to escape. She knows she belongs here.


    Theugh that followed echoed inside me, but this time, it almost sounded ridiculous. I pressed my lips together, trying not to smile at the thought. Which was insane, because nothing about this situation was funny. But the way he kept repeating "silly toad" in that deep, ominous voice If anyone overheard, they¡¯d think he was naming pets instead of tormenting me.


    He must have sensed the flicker of amusement in me, because his gaze sharpened again. "What are you smiling at?"


    "I¡ªI¡¯m not smiling," I said quickly, smothering it.


    He hummed, clearly unconvinced.


    "Inner voice: Ghosts should not smile. They have no lips for it. And toads well, their smiles are just crooked grins in the mud.


    The image popped into my head before I could stop it: me, crouched in the mud with a lopsided toad smile. And despite everything, I almostughed. Almost. But I caught myself, forcing my expression back into a nk mask.


    He studied me a moment longer, then leaned back, satisfied. "Remember, Elie," he said softly, "your ce is not to celebrate when I¡¯m gone. Your ce is where I decide it to be. Always."


    His inner voice sealed the words like a cruel echo: My toad. My ghost. Mine to mock, mine to break, mine to keep.


    The words curled around me, heavy and suffocating, but the sting wasn¡¯t as sharp as before. Maybe because, underneath it all, I could still hear the absurdity.


    A silly toad. A ghost. Who knows what he will call me next.

 Chapter 40

    <h4>Chapter 40: Chapter 40</h4>


    The silence in his office stretched like a de pressed against my throat. I sat frozen in the leather chair, my hands mped together in myp, willing my body not to shake. But it betrayed me anyway. My shoulders twitched with every breath, and my knees knocked faintly under the desk. He noticed. He always noticed. Those sharp eyes flicked up from the book he had so leisurely returned to. One nce, and it was enough to strip the air from my lungs.


    Pathetic, his inner voice curled through me like smoke.


    "Inner voice:Look at her. Shivering as if the chair beneath her is made of ice. Silly toad. A trembling little swamp ghost who doesn¡¯t know if she belongs to the living or the dead. I bit my lip hard, trying to stop my chin from quivering. My eyes burned, but I refused to cry in front of him again. The crazy psycho leaned back in his chair, silent, watching. The weight of his gaze pinned me more tightly than chains could have.


    "She thinks silence will save her. Silly. Every croak of her heartbeat is louder than her voice. A ghost rattling inside its coffin.


    My throat ached from holding in the words that wanted to spill. I wanted to protest, to tell him I wasn¡¯t a ghost, wasn¡¯t a toad, wasn¡¯t whatever cruel creature his imagination dug up. But my tongue was heavy, and my courage was thinner than paper. Then, atst, he moved. Slowly, deliberately, he set the book aside. The sound of it hitting the desk was quiet, but it made my body jolt as if someone had fired a gun. His fingers steepled, his gaze sharp enough to pierce my skin. When he spoke, his voice was smooth andmanding.


    "Serve me water."


    The words dropped like stones into the silence, and my whole body stiffened. My heart thundered in my chest. Water. He wanted water.


    My eyes darted to the silver jug and crystal ss that sat neatly on a side table a few steps away. Such a simple task. A child could do it. But in his presence, with his eyes locked on me, it felt like being asked to carry a mountain.


    Go on, his inner voice teased, thick with amusement. Watch her fumble. Her hands will shake so badly she¡¯ll drown me before the ss reaches my lips. Silly little toad, croaking her fear into the jug.


    My hands pressed against my knees, mmy and stiff. I tried to stand, but my legs resisted, as though they, too, feared his judgment. With a gulp of air, I forced myself upright. The room swayed slightly. His aura pressed down on me, heavy and suffocating, reminding me of the difference between us: Alpha and Omega. Predator and prey. I took one hesitant step, then another, each foot dragging as if through mud. My hands hovered uselessly in front of me until I forced one to reach for the jug. The silver was cool against my palm. Too cool. My grip was weak, slippery with sweat, and the jug nearly slid right back down.


    "Inner voice: Her hands tremble like reeds in the wind, his inner voice chuckled. One wrong tilt, and she¡¯ll spill it all over herself. Perhaps she¡¯ll baptize her ghost body with it. A fitting ritual.


    My teeth clenched, my cheeks ming. He wasn¡¯t wrong. My grip was terrible, my arms shaking as I lifted the jug. My other hand snatched at the ss, and I almost knocked it over before catching it by the rim.


    He leaned back further, lounging in his chair as though this was entertainment, not service. His expression remained unreadable, but inside his voice was merciless.


    "Inner voice: A jester in rags, performing heredy with water. Pour, little toad. Let us see if ghosts can serve drinks without spilling their essence.


    I swallowed hard and tilted the jug. The stream of water trickled out, but my hands shook so badly that it wavered dangerously near the rim of the ss.


    "Inner voice: Closer, closer ah, too much. The ghost has no sense of measure. Soon she will drown me in her clumsy offering.


    I jerked the jug upright just in time, water sshing over the rim and wetting my hand. My heart plummeted. The sound of water dripping onto the polished wood floor echoed in the silence. I froze, terrified to even breathe. His gaze followed the dropszily, then lifted back to my face. His lips curved in the faintest smirk.


    Predictable, his inner voice purred. A swamp ghost, forever spilling, forever trembling. My stomach twisted painfully. I wanted to sink into the floor, disappear, anything but stand there with my shame glistening on my hand.


    "Bring it here," he said softly, his tone calm but carrying steel underneath.


    I clutched the ss with both hands, as if afraid it would leap away from me. Step by shaky step, I crossed the space to his desk. My knees nearly gave out halfway, but somehow I reached him.


    He extended a hand, long fingers curling with deliberate patience. His eyes stayed locked on my face as I bent to set the ss before him.


    For one terrifying moment, my hand brushed his as I released the ss. His skin was warm, too warm, and it seared mine like fire.


    "Inner voice: Her pulse stutters like a trapped bird¡¯s wing. Silly toad, foolish ghost. Even water trembles in her grip.


    I snatched my hand back, clutching it to my chest as though burned. My entire body shook now, worse than before. He lifted the ss, studied the water as though it held secrets. Then, slowly, he took a sip. The sound of him swallowing filled the silence, louder than thunder to my ears. When he lowered the ss, his gaze lingered on me, sharp and knowing.


    "You call this serving?" His tone was mild, but his eyes glinted.


    My mouth opened and closed, no words forming.


    Pathetic, his voice cut through me. A toad croaking in defense, but no voice emerges. Ghost lips moving, but no sound. Always trembling, always small.


    Tears burned at the corners of my eyes. I-I-I¡¯m sorry Alpha.


    His lips curved in the faintest, cruelest smile. He leaned back in his chair, setting the ss down with deliberate care.


    "Yes," he murmured, almost to himself. "You will."


    Then silence fell again. Heavy, suffocating, endless.


    I stood there, shaking in the center of his office, knowing that no matter how simple the task, no matter how small the demand, he would always find a way to strip me down with words sharp enough to scar.


    The ss touched the desk with a soft clink. That was all. A sound so small, so ordinary, and yet it made my entire body seize up. He leaned back in his chair, stretching out his long frame as though even gravity bent itself to him. His fingers tappedzily against the armrest, his gaze fixed on me.


    "Dance."


    "Wha? I froze. My knees nearly buckled, my lungs burned, and my mind went nk. Surely I had misheard. Surely he hadn¡¯t said


    "Inner voice: Her eyes widen like a cornered rabbit¡¯s, his inner voice slithered in, rich with dark humor. She wonders if her ears deceive her. No, little toad. I said dance. Let me see my swamp ghost il its limbs in the name of art.


    Heat shot up my neck, spreading to my ears. "I... I don¡¯t..." My voice cracked like dry wood. "I don¡¯t know how."


    His lips curved faintly, but there was no kindness in it. Only sharp amusement.


    "Inner voice: Ghosts do not know how to dance, he mocked. Toads know only how to hop. A broken puppet knows only how to dangle. Yes, this will be entertaining.


    I swallowed hard, gripping the hem of my dress until my knuckles whitened. My feet felt glued to the polished floor. He couldn¡¯t be serious. He couldn¡¯t. But he was. He tilted his head, regarding me with that sharp, unblinking stare. "You heard me, Elie." His voice was calm, smooth, dangerous. "Dance."


    My chest rose and fell too fast. My pulse thundered. I shook my head weakly, the tiniest refusal. "Please..."


    The air shifted In an instant, the pressure in the room doubled, mming against me like a wave. His Alpha aura coiled around my throat, pressing down, demanding obedience. My knees bent automatically, my head bowed lower, my body begging for submission even as my heart screamed no.


    Pathetic, his voice curled in triumph. Even before the first step, she trembles as though she will break.


    A whimper escaped me. I hated it. Hated how small I sounded, how weak I looked. But when his aura pressed harder, my body betrayed me. Slowly, woodenly, I forced myself upright again. My legs moved without grace, dragging me to the center of the office. Each step felt like walking barefoot across ss. My hands dangled uselessly, my breath shallow.


    "Inner voice: Dance, little toad, Hop in your mud. Show me your ghostly waltz. He taunted me.


    My vision blurred. Tears burned the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them back. Crying wouldn¡¯t save me. Nothing would. I closed my eyes for a heartbeat, pulling air into my lungs. Then I lifted one trembling arm, awkward and stiff, and swayed.


    "Inner voice: The movement was pathetic I knew it. My body jerked like a puppet pulled by tangled strings. My feet scuffed the floor without rhythm. My arms twitched, trying to remember something resembling grace, but the effort only made me look more broken. As he watched.


    "Inner voice: Her limbs creak like rotting wood, his inner voice purred. A puppet dancing at the end of frayed ropes. One arm ils, the other dangles. Silly toad, ghost marite.


    Heat surged up my face. Every nerve screamed with humiliation. I wanted the floor to split open and swallow me whole. But I kept moving. Because stopping was worse. Stopping meant defying him.


    I swayed again, turned clumsily on one foot, my dress tangling around my legs. My arms lifted half-heartedly before dropping like heavy branches. I must have looked ridiculous.


    "Inner voice: A ghost at its own funeral, swaying with the mourners. A toad doing a tragic ballet in the mud, his voice dripped with sarcasm. My own private performance.


    My throat closed around a sob, but I forced it back. My hands shook so badly that I sped them together and twirled if you could even call it that. The spin nearly made me topple.


    The psycho Alpha chuckled. Out loud. The sound was soft, dangerous, but filled with genuine amusement. It cut sharper than his mockery.


    My humiliation deepened. My face burned, my skin crawled. I wanted to scream, Stop looking at me! But my lips stayed sealed. I stumbled through another step, then another. My breath came ragged. The room tilted from my dizziness, but still I moved.


    "Inner voice: Hop, little toad, his voice sneered. Spin, silly ghost. Dance until the grave calls you back.


    Finally, my legs gave out. I crumpled to the floor, knees striking the polished wood. My chest heaved, tears spilling atst. My arms wrapped around me, as though I could shield myself from his eyes. Then, a ss clinked softly as he set it back down. His chair creaked. I dared to nce up through tear-blurredshes. He hadn¡¯t moved closer. He still sat there, calm as ever, his expression unreadable. But his voice inside me was sharp with satisfaction.


    "Inner voice: Broken doll. Silly toad. My ghost. She dances, she falls, she weeps. And still, she obeys.


    A sob tore from my throat. I pressed my face into my hands, shame burning me alive. He let me stay there. On the floor, crumpled and shaking, until the silence weighed too heavily to bear. And then, softly, his real voice cut through.


    "Remember this, Elie. Every step you take, every tear you shed, every humiliation you endure¡ª" His lips curved, cruel and calm. "¡ªbelongs to me." The echo inside me sealed the words like iron chains. Mine.

 Chapter 41

    <h4>Chapter 41: Chapter 41</h4>


    My body had stopped listening to me. Every muscle shook. Every bone screamed. My lungs felt like copsing bags, dragging for air that refused toe. Still, I moved. Step, sway, spin. The same pitiful puppet dance for his amusement. I knew I looked ridiculous. My arms were wooden, jerking like loose hinges. My legs tangled with the hem of my dress, my knees threatening to fold under me. I was close so close to copsing. And yet, I forced myself through another turn. Because Alpha Zach¡¯s eyes were on me. Because his aura pressed against my spine, demanding more, demanding obedience until there was nothing left of me but trembling, hollow pieces.


    "Inner voice: She dances as if the grave puppeteers her bones, his inner voice coiled through my mind, slick and venomous. Look, the little toad twirls. Look, the swamp ghost staggers.


    A bead of sweat slid down my temple. My breaths came in short, ragged gasps. My head spun. I wanted to stop. Goddess, I wanted to stop. But I couldn¡¯t. Another sway, another twitching turn. My vision blurred, doubling the shadows at the edges of the office. My body screamed louder, begging for release.


    Then The door opened. A burst of air, cooler than the suffocating weight around me, swept across the room. I froze mid-step, swaying on my feet like a broken reed.


    "Elie?" The voice wasn¡¯t his. It was female. Sharp with shock. I blinked, trying to focus through the haze. A tall woman in dark blue swept into the office, her face framed by iron-gray hair, her eyes narrowing at the scene before her. Elizabeth. His aunt. The only rtive who still visited him without bowing like he was a god. Her gaze flicked from me red faced, panting, trembling in the middle of the floor to Zach lounging in his chair, rxed as though this were perfectly ordinary.


    "What is this?" she demanded. Her voice carried the authority of someone who had raised Alphas, not just witnessed them. "She looks half-dead!"


    My knees buckled. I caught myself against the edge of a chair, breathing hard. Relief and terror tangled inside me. Someone had seen. Someone had spoken. But crazy psycho only smiled faintly, his chin tilting toward me like I was a curiosity on disy.


    "She was only dancing," he said smoothly. "Wasn¡¯t she, Elie?"


    I swallowed hard, throat too dry to answer. Elizabeth¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line. "Dancing?" Her voice rose. "She¡¯s your personal omega, Zachary. Not your ything to torment until she copses."


    My heart stuttered. For one fragile, dizzy second, hope red inside me. Someone was defending me. Someone was telling him no.


    But then His inner voice uncoiled, colder than I had ever heard it.


    "Inner voice: Old hag dares scold me in my own den. Her mouth ps like a crow¡¯s. Perhaps a pillow pressed firm over her face at night would silence her song.


    My stomach lurched. The room tilted. Not her. Oh god not her. I wanted to scream, to plead with him not to even think such things, but my lips stayed shut. I was too weak, too terrified. Elizabeth, unaware of the monster curling in his thoughts, marched closer to him. "You¡¯ve always been ruthless, nephew, but this is beneath you. Breaking your own omega into a shaking wreck? It disgusts me."


    The psycho smile didn¡¯t move. His eyes, however, darkened, the light inside them flickering like a candle caught in a sudden wind.


    "Inner voice: Disgust. She calls me disgusting in my own house, his voice rasped, low and murderous. I will pin her to her bed with silence, press the pillow down until her legs stop kicking. Perhaps I¡¯ll even let the toad watch.


    My vision went white at the edges. My chest heaved, dragging in ragged, burning gulps of air.


    "No," I croaked, the sound barely more than a breath. My knees hit the floor with a soft thud. "Please..."


    Elizabeth spun toward me, her expression softening. "Elie, child, stop this. You¡¯re about to faint. Sit down."


    I wanted to. Oh God I wanted to. But this psycho¡¯s aura still coiled like a snake around my spine, tightening, tightening.


    "Inner voice: Pathetic puppet, his voice mocked. She dances for me, she weeps for me, she copses for me. And now she dares beg?


    I pressed a trembling hand to my chest, trying to breathe through the crushing pressure. Elizabeth nted her hands on the desk, ring at her nephew. "If your father were here, he¡¯d¡ª"


    "But he¡¯s not," Zach cut in, his real voice calm, velvet-smooth. "And this is my pack. My omega."


    Mine, his inner voice seethed. Mine to break. Mine to silence. Even the aunt crow cannot change that.


    The sound of my own pulse thundered in my ears. My arms shook so violently I could barely keep myself upright. The floor swayed. My body screamed to give in, to copse entirely. Elizabeth¡¯s eyes darted to me again. "Enough of this. Elie, go. Get water, lie down¡ª" I flinched. Go? Could I? Zach¡¯s eyes slid to me, cold, sharp.


    Move one step, little ghost, his inner voice whispered, and you will crawl back on shattered knees.


    My body locked. I couldn¡¯t. Not with his gaze pinning me down, not with that voice twisting inside me. Tears spilled hot down my cheeks. I hated them, hated that Elizabeth saw them, hated that Zach reveled in them.


    Elizabeth straightened, fury burning in her face. Zach that¡¯s enough. She¡¯s tired and her body can¡¯t take it anymore.


    "Inner voice: They¡¯ll turn, will they? his voice hissed. Then I¡¯ll turn their breath against them, one by one. Pillow, pillow, pillow. Soft and silent.


    I gagged on a sob, my whole body trembling. The room spun faster. My vision clouded. I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    "Elie!" Elizabeth¡¯s voice cut through the haze as I toppled sideways, my body too weak to resist. Thest thing I saw was Zach, still lounging, still smiling faintly, while his voice slithered like poison in my skull.


    "Inner voice: Copse, little puppet. Copse, little toad. Even fainting belongs to me.


    And the everywhere became ck. The first thing I felt was cold cloth against my forehead. The second was the sound of a voice sharp but trembling with concern.


    "Elie? Child, can you hear me?"


    I forced my eyes open. The light seared. My body was too heavy, as if I had been buried beneath stone. My chest rose unevenly, dragging for air that didn¡¯t seem enough. And then I saw her. Elizabeth¡¯s face hovered above me, her lined features taut with worry. One hand supported my head, the other pressed the cool cloth against my temple.


    "She¡¯s awake," Elizabeth muttered, more to herself than me. "Thank the Goddess."


    I tried to sit up. My muscles refused. My limbs shook, heavy and weak. Shame coiled inside me. I hadn¡¯t just copsed I had copsed in front of them both. Then a shadow fell across me.


    "Move."


    The word was silk and steel, smooth but carrying the weight ofmand.


    Alpha psycho My breath caught, burning my throat.Elizabeth turned, ring up at him from where she knelt beside me. "Don¡¯t you dare. She fainted because of you, Zachary. Don¡¯t you think for a moment I¡¯ll let you torment her further."


    My heart skipped a beat. The audacity. She said it to his face, with no hesitation. His jaw tightened. His gaze flicked from her hand still cradling my head to me, crumpled and pale on the carpet. His inner voice roared through me, darker than storm clouds.


    "Inner voice: Hands on what is mine. Hands stroking my puppet. Crow dares cradle the toad as though it is hers. I¡¯ll rip those fingers off one by one and press them into her mouth until she chokes. A shiver tore through me. My lips parted, but no words came. Elizabeth didn¡¯t hear. She never heard. She only saw his expression and read it as anger, not the monstrous things slithering inside him.


    "Enough," she snapped. "I¡¯m taking her back to her room. She needs rest, not your games."


    Rest. The word sounded foreign, almostughable. Could I even remember thest time I felt rested in his presence?


    Zach¡¯s real voice slid into the silence, low and cutting. "She doesn¡¯t leave without my permission."


    Elizabeth¡¯s spine stiffened. "She¡¯s leaving with me."


    For a long, unbearable moment, the air in the room thickened, pressing down on my chest until I thought I¡¯d suffocate all over again.


    His aura surged like a wave about to crush. My body twitched, bracing. My lungs pulled shallow gasps. And then it receded. He leaned back slightly, his lips curving into a smile that chilled me more than his fury. "Take her, then. If you think you can carry what¡¯s mine, be my guest."


    "Mine. The word mmed into me like iron shackles tightening.


    Elizabeth blinked, startled at his suddenpliance, but she wasted no time. She slid an arm beneath my shoulders, coaxing me upright. My body felt limp, my head spinning.


    "Easy, Elie. Slowly," she murmured.


    I clung to her arm, trembling. My legs barely supported me as she pulled me up. Behind us, his footsteps followed. Slow. Measured. Heavy as chains.


    "Ghost stumbles in her crow¡¯s wings, his voice hissed in my mind. But where the crow flies, the wolf follows. She cannot carry the toad far. My heart pounded erratically. Each step down the hall was agony, my body swaying, my knees buckling. Elizabeth¡¯s grip was firm, determined, but I could feel her struggle under my weight. And always, always, behind us the steady rhythm of his boots against the polished floor. Every sound a reminder: we were not escaping. We were only dragging his possession from one cage to another, with him walking right behind.


    Elizabeth¡¯s voice stayed firm. "You push too far, Zachary. She¡¯s just a weak omega she¡¯s fragile. One day you¡¯ll break her beyond repair, and then what will you have? A corpse at your feet?"


    "Inner voice: Corpse is quieter, his voice purred. Corpse does not weep or faint. A corpse makes a better puppet.


    My breath hitched violently. I stumbled against Elizabeth, nearly dragging her down with me.


    "Elie?" she whispered urgently.


    I shook my head, unable to speak. Terror twisted my insides. How could I tell her what he was saying when only I could hear? How could I tell her he thought of smothering her in her bed, of making me his corpse puppet, when the words would only make me sound insane? We reached my room. Elizabeth pushed the door open with her shoulder, guiding me inside. She helped me to the bed, lowering me gently onto the mattress. My body sagged into it, every muscle trembling, my lungs rasping for air.


    "There," she murmured, smoothing my damp hair from my forehead. "Rest, child. Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll bring water."


    Her voice carried warmth. Real warmth. The first I¡¯d felt in so long. It broke something in me, made tears sting my eyes. But then The door clicked shut behind her. Not closed. Locked. I knew it without looking. He was in the room. Bootsteps crossed the floor. Slow. Deliberate. He stopped at the foot of the bed. I forced my eyes open, dread coursing through me.


    The crazy psycho stood there, his expression calm, almost indifferent. But his gaze pinned me like a predator watching its prey twitch. And inside me, his voice seethed.


    "Inner voice: She thinks she saved you. Foolish crow. She only carried you from the stage to the coffin.


    A whimper slipped out of me before I could bite it back. My hands clutched the nket, twisting it between trembling fingers. He leaned closer, his real voice soft, deceptively gentle. "Silly toad


    His aura pressed faintly, not crushing this time, but enough to remind me. Enough to tighten the leash.


    "You dance when I say dance," he murmured, his voice silk around steel. "You break when I say break. Even if you copse, even if she carries you away, even if the whole pack tries to pry you from me you will still be mine."


    Mine, his inner voice whispered, mming chains around my chest. Mine, mine, mine.


    Elizabeth¡¯s footsteps echoed faintly in the corridor, drawing nearer with a jug of water, unaware of the wolf waiting inside with his puppet.


    And still, Zach stood there. Calm. Watching. Waiting.


    The leash tugged tighter.


    I was his. Always his. Even when someone else tried to carry me away.

 Chapter 42

    <h4>Chapter 42: Chapter 42</h4>


    The silence after his words was worse than the sound of his boots. It pressed in on me, thick and suffocating, like invisible hands sping over my mouth and nose. I couldn¡¯t breathe properly. I couldn¡¯t think properly. All I could hear was the echo of his voice his real voice and the other one, the one that slid inside my mind like venom.


    "Mine.


    It pulsed with each heartbeat, branding itself into the marrow of my bones. Alpha Zach stood there at the foot of my bed, too calm. Tooposed. He looked as if nothing had happened, as if Elizabeth hadn¡¯t dared to challenge him, as if I hadn¡¯t copsed in front of them both like a pathetic rag doll. And then he moved. Not closer. Not over me. Just... away. His boots clicked softly against the floorboards as he crossed to the door. My lungs stuttered. Relief tangled with dread. Thetch lifted. The hinges creaked. He stepped out, slow and unhurried, like a predator that had decided its prey couldn¡¯t run far. And then the lock slid shut behind him. I sagged back into the mattress, trembling so violently that the nket rustled. My hands clutched at it as though it were a lifeline, but even the fabric felt like another chain. He hadn¡¯t touched me. Not this time. He hadn¡¯t needed to. His words were enough to leave me pinned and bleeding inside. Because it changes nothing. Elizabeth thought she had saved me, but she hadn¡¯t. She had only carried me from one cage to another, and he had followed, unseen shackles dragging behind me. My throat burned with a sound I didn¡¯t let out. A scream. A sob. I didn¡¯t know which anymore. I pressed my hand to my mouth, squeezing my eyes shut, but his voice still threaded through.


    "Inner voice: Crow thinks she guards the toad. But the toad is mine. The toad croaks only when I squeeze it.


    I whimpered, shoving the heel of my palm against my temple as though I could crush his voice out. But it clung tighter, like ws hooked into my skull. Was I going mad? Or was I already there? The door rattled gently. A knock.


    "Elie?" Elizabeth¡¯s voice. Warm. Human. Alive. "I¡¯ve brought water."


    My heart lurched. I scrambled upright, wiping furiously at my wet cheeks. I didn¡¯t want her to see. Didn¡¯t want her to ask questions I couldn¡¯t answer. The lock turned. The door opened. And just like that, the atmosphere shifted. Lighter. Softer. The wolf had left, and the crow stepped in.


    Elizabeth crossed the room, a jug and cup bnced in her hands. She set them on the bedside table and perched on the edge of the bed. Her palm brushed my hair back again, and I nearly flinched not from her touch, but from the memory of his disgust at it.


    "You poor child," she murmured. "You¡¯re pale as the moon. Drink."


    She poured the water and held the cup to my lips. My hands shook too much to take it myself. The cool liquid slid down my throat, easing the dryness but not the fire beneath. I drank greedily, as though I could drown his voice, but it only curled deeper inside me.


    "Inner voice: Crow feeds my puppet. Crow thinks water cleans rot. Foolish bird.


    The cup slipped. Water sshed onto my chin, soaking the nket. Elizabeth tsked softly and dabbed at me with the cloth she¡¯d used earlier.


    "There now," she said, like I was a child. "You¡¯ll be alright."


    But I wouldn¡¯t. Not while he existed. Not while his shadow loomed just beyond the door, waiting, always waiting.


    I wanted to tell her. To beg her to take me far, far away. But the words stuck, strangled by terror. If I said them, he¡¯d know. He always knew.


    Elizabeth studied me for a long moment, her lined face firming. "Elie," she said, voice low but steady, "you mustn¡¯t let him grind you down. Do you hear me? You¡¯re stronger than he thinks."


    Stronger. The word should have given me hope. Instead, it twisted. Because part of me wondered if she was right. Not in the way she meant, but in the way The crazy Alpha whispered. Strong enough tost. Strong enough to break and still crawl back. Strong enough to be mine even when your mind shatters. And augh bubbled up, sharp and bitter, before I could stop it.


    Elizabeth blinked at me. "Elie?"


    I pped a hand over my mouth, but the sound still leaked out half sob, half giggle. Tears streamed down my face, and I shook my head violently, unable to exin the madness wing inside me.


    Her arms went around me, pulling me against her chest. I froze at the sudden warmth, at the unfamiliarfort. For a moment I let myself sink into it, but even there, his voice coiled.


    "Inner voice: Crow hugs the puppet. Crow thinks embrace untangles strings. How sweet. How useless.


    My body went rigid. My hands balled into fists against her back. If I screamed, she¡¯d only think me hysterical. If I confessed, she¡¯d only think me insane. Because wasn¡¯t I?


    The psycho¡¯s voice lived in me now. Hismands, hisughter, his threats they weren¡¯t just echoes anymore. They stitched themselves into the hollow parts of me, where my own thoughts should have been.


    Maybe Elizabeth was right. Maybe I was stronger than he thought. But that strength didn¡¯t belong to me. It belonged to him. And the more I tried to fight it, the more it twisted me into something I didn¡¯t recognize.


    Something that might not care, one day, if his voice stopped sounding like chains and started sounding like home. Elizabeth pulled back, studying my face. Her eyes narrowed slightly, suspicion flickering there. But she said nothing. She only smoothed my hair again and whispered, "Rest now, child. I¡¯ll sit with you awhile."


    I nodded, because it was easier than speaking. Easier than telling her she couldn¡¯t keep the wolf out. Because I already carried him inside me.


    Iy down, curling on my side, the nket tucked beneath my chin. Elizabeth hummed softly under her breath, a luby I almost remembered.


    But over it, beneath it, inside it his voice murmured still.


    "Inner voice: Sleep, little puppet. Sleep in your crow¡¯s nest. When you wake, the strings will pull again. Mine. Always mine.


    My lips moved silently in the dark, forming the word I hated, the word I couldn¡¯t stop.


    "Mine."


    Sleep dragged me under like a tide I couldn¡¯t resist. Elizabeth¡¯s presence beside me was a fragile shield, her soft humming lulling me into slumber. My body, exhausted and trembling, finally gave up its fight. My eyelids fluttered closed, and the world shifted.


    At first, it was gentle. Almost merciful. I was back in the white-walled corridor of the hospital. The smell of antiseptic filled my nose, sharp but familiar. My white coat pped lightly as I walked quickly between patients, charts clutched in my hands.


    "Dr. ine! Thank you!" a patient called, smiling weakly from his bed as I passed.


    I turned, warmth blooming in my chest. His color was returning, the fever broken. I had stayed up for thirty-six hours straight to make sure the right medication was administered, the right interventions made. And here he was, alive.


    My colleagues waved as I moved down the corridor. "ine, coffeeter?" one of them teased.


    Iughed. The sound was bright, unbroken. Not the hollow giggle that slipped through my lips now in this cursed life. Realughter.


    And then my cat. A tiny gray ball of fur wound itself around my ankles, purring, rubbing insistently against my legs. "Whiskers," I whispered, crouching to scoop her up. She pressed her soft head beneath my chin, and my heart swelled. Home. Friends. Patients who trusted me. A world where my hands healed instead of trembling in fear.


    I wanted to stay. Oh God. But dreams don¡¯tst. The corridor stretched. Warped. The walls darkened, streaks of red slithering across the white paint like veins. My friends¡¯ faces blurred. Theirughter twisted into whispers.


    "Mine.


    The patient I had saved sat up in bed. His smile split too wide, his mouth opening unnaturally, and Zach¡¯s voice spilled out of it. Corpse puppet. Dance, omega. Break again. I stumbled backward, clutching Whiskers to my chest, but when I looked down my cat wasn¡¯t a cat anymore. Its fur fell away in clumps, revealing strings. Strings that wrapped around my fingers, binding me.


    And when I tugged them my own body jerked. I wasn¡¯t holding a pet. I was holding the strings to my own limbs.


    I screamed. The hospital walls copsed inward, dissolving into shadows. Only his eyes remained, burning through the dark. I knew them. Zach.


    I woke with a gasp, my chest heaving, my throat raw. And there he was. Sitting in the chair beside my bed. Watching me. His gaze locked on me, unblinking, as though he had been there the entire time, waiting for the moment my eyes snapped open. The shadows clung to his sharp features, making him look carved from night itself. His posture was rxed, almost casual, but there was nothing casual about the intensity of his stare. I froze. My body refused to move, pinned by that gaze as surely as if he had pressed me to the bed with his hand.


    "You dream loudly," he murmured atst, his voice velvet over steel.


    My lips trembled, but no words came.


    Had he seen me? Had he heard me? Did he know I had just been clutching strings tied to my own limbs, watching him crawl through the faces of people I once loved?


    He leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees. "Tell me," he said, almost softly, "what did you see?"


    I shook my head violently, hugging the nket to my chest like armor. I couldn¡¯t tell him. I wouldn¡¯t give him the satisfaction.


    His inner voice slithered through me anyway.


    "Inner voice Saw the corpse. Saw the strings. Saw what you are. Puppet knows it cannot run. Puppet knows it dances for wolf alone.


    A sob wed at my throat, but I bit down on it until my teeth ached. He tilted his head, studying me the way a surgeon studies an opened body fascinated, detached. "You look as if you¡¯ve woken from hell. Do you know why, omega?"


    I shook my head again, furiously, my nails digging into the nket.


    His smile curved, slow and cruel. "Because even in your dreams, you belong to me."


    The words sank deep, like needles threading into the torn edges of my mind.


    I wanted to scream. To throw something. To w at him until his calm expression shattered. But my body betrayed me, trembling, frozen, obeying the leash he had tied around my soul.


    Elizabeth had left me believing I would rest. She hadn¡¯t known he woulde back, that he would sit in the darkness and wait for my sleep to betray me.

 Chapter 43

    <h4>Chapter 43: Chapter 43</h4>


    I had never thought a day woulde when I would actually beg Elizabeth to beg on my behalf. Normally, when she barges into the psycho Alpha¡¯s moods, I hide behind her skirts like a terrified mouse and whisper silent prayers that she won¡¯t identally make things worse for me. But this time, it was different. Elizabeth wasn¡¯t begging for herself. She was begging for me.


    "Alpha Zach," she said with that careful voice that always sounded like someone trying to carry a pot of boiling soup across a tightrope. "Elie has been through a lot these past days. If you allow her to stay with her fellow omegas in the quarters, just for a day, it will help her recover faster. A change of environment... a littlefort. You want her healthy, don¡¯t you?"


    I swear my heart stopped at those words. Comfort? Recovery? Did she think Zach even knew what those words meant? I was already preparing to say myst prayers, imagining him flipping the table and strangling us both for daring to make such a request.


    But to my absolute shock, he leaned back in his chair, folded his arms, and tilted his head at me like I was some disobedient pet who had just been given a break it didn¡¯t deserve. His silence stretched, long and heavy, until my knees went weak. Then, with the most casual shrug, he said, "Fine. One day. But if she so much as breathes wrong, I¡¯ll skin every omega alive."


    My mouth opened, then shut, then opened again, but no sound came out. Elizabeth squeezed my hand as if to remind me I hadn¡¯t just imagined it. He had agreed. He had actually agreed. I wanted to jump, scream, and dance like a child who just found out her chores were canceled, but of course, in Zach¡¯s presence, my soul stayed glued to my bones. Still, inside my head, I was spinning and throwing confetti. I was going home. Well, not home exactly but back to the omega quarters, back to Joan, ra, and the rest of the girls who probably thought I had been swallowed alive. When Elizabeth walked me to the quarters, my steps were so light I could¡¯ve floated. For once, the air didn¡¯t taste like fear and blood. For once, I didn¡¯t feel Zach¡¯s burning eyes piercing my skull. The moment I pushed the wooden door open, voices broke out.


    "Elie!"


    "Moon above, it¡¯s really you!"


    "Elie, look at you! You¡¯re alive!"


    Joan practically tackled me first, wrapping her arms around me so tight my ribs protested. ra came next, followed by two other girls, and soon I was suffocating in a pile of omega bodies. Normally, I would panic at being trapped, but this time, Iughed. Yes,ughed. Loud, ridiculousughter spilled out of me because I had missed them so much, missed the warmth of people who didn¡¯t look at me like they wanted to crush me for fun.


    "You don¡¯t know how much I¡¯ve missed you all," I whispered when I finally caught my breath.


    "You¡¯ve changed," ra said softly, brushing my hair back. "You look tired. Thinner."


    I smiled weakly, refusing to tell her that "tired" was an understatement. Living under Zach¡¯s roof was like being trapped in a snake pit with one hungry python who thought my existence was its personal toy. Still, I told them stories small, censored versions of my days. I didn¡¯t dare speak too freely, but even the little I shared was enough to make their jaws drop.


    "You¡¯re the psycho Alpha¡¯s personal omega now," Joan whispered in awe and horror, her eyes darting to the door as if saying his name might summon him. I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "Don¡¯t remind me. I¡¯d rather be anyone else¡¯s personal anything. At this point, I¡¯d even ept being the cook¡¯s dish washer."


    Theyughed, but it was a nervous kind ofughter, the kind you let out when you¡¯re trying to lighten a nightmare.


    Still, being with them felt like sunlight on my skin. For the first time in forever, I felt human. Night came faster than I wanted, and exhaustion pulled at me, but I was happy. Really happy. I curled up on the small thin mattress I had once called mine, listening to the soft breathing of Joan and ra beside me.


    Everything was perfect. Until it wasn¡¯t. The door creaked open. At first, I thought it was one of the omegas going out for water. But then, the heavy scent hit us before his shadow even stretched across the room. The psycho Alpha had entered. Every single girl in that room froze mid-breath. Even the candle me seemed to stutter, terrified. I sat up so fast my head spun. Alpha Zach stepped inside like he owned not just the quarters but the air itself. His presence was suffocating, thick, and crushing. His eyes scanned the room, burning holes through everyone.


    "Out," he said, his voice t.


    Not loud. Not angry. Just t. But that one word carried enough weight to make every omega scramble.


    Joan hesitated, ncing at me as if to ask, Should we leave you?


    Before I could even blink, Alpha Zach¡¯s lips curved into the faintest, most terrifying smile. "Do I need to repeat myself? If you don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll strangle every one of you before dawn."


    The omegas nearly tripped over themselves in their rush to escape. The room emptied in seconds, leaving me alone on my trembling mattress.


    My heart hammered in my chest, so loud I was sure he could hear it. He shut the door behind him. The sound echoed like a death knell.


    Then, with the most casual air, he looked at me and said, "I will sleep here tonight."


    I blinked. "W-what?"


    He tilted his head. "You heard me. You won¡¯t run. You won¡¯t hide. I¡¯ll keep my eye on you. This way, you won¡¯t escape."


    My throat tightened, words clogging inside it. I wanted to scream that I had no intention of escaping that I was too terrified to even dream of it. But my lips wouldn¡¯t move.


    He moved across the room, his boots striking the floor with slow, deliberate taps, like the ticking of a clock counting down to my doom.


    I shook so hard the mattress creaked under me. When he reached my side, he lowered himself onto the thin bed with a sigh, as if this was the most natural thing in the world.


    "Move," he ordered.


    I scooted to the very edge, practically dangling off the bed, my hands gripping the nket like it could save me.


    He stretched out, one arm behind his head, eyes closing in contentment. Just like that, the most dangerous wolf in existence was lying on a mattress meant for a fragile omega. I thought maybe he would fall asleep quickly. But no. Of course not. Because then came his inner voice.


    "Elie¡¯s heart is racing."


    I nearly jumped out of my skin. His lips hadn¡¯t moved, but I knew he was speaking. That strange, mocking inner voice he sometimes used, the one that twisted every ounce of fear I had into a joke.


    "She¡¯s shaking. Poor little Elie. She thinks if she stays quiet enough, I won¡¯t notice."


    I buried my face into the nket, praying to vanish.


    "Inner Voice: She¡¯s too scared to breathe. If she does, she thinks I will pounce."


    He chuckled. Low. Dark. Teasing.


    I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing desperately for Joan and ra to barge in and rescue me but of course, they wouldn¡¯t dare. No one dared.


    So Iy there, stiff as a corpse, listening to himugh softly at my terror until the sound finally faded into silence. The silence was worse. Because I knew he wasn¡¯t sleeping. I knew he was listening to my heart, my breaths, every little twitch of my body.


    And I couldn¡¯t move. Couldn¡¯t think. Couldn¡¯t even dream.


    That night, I realized something terrifying.


    Standing at the edge of the mattress, clutching the nket like a lifeline, watching the psycho Alpha sprawl across the thin bed like it was his royal throne. My whole body trembled. Every cell begged me to stay awake, to stay alert, because this was Alpha Zach. My nightmare wrapped in human skin. But my traitorous body betrayed me.


    One second, I was upright, promising myself I¡¯d stay on guard all night. The next, my head dipped forward, my knees gave out, and Darkness. When I woke, it was to the horrifying realization that I wasn¡¯t standing anymore. I wasn¡¯t even on the edge of the bed.


    I was in it. Correction: I was in bed with Alpha Zach.


    And not just "in bed." I was wrapped up, cocooned, locked in his iron grip like some oversized teddy bear he had no intention of letting go. His arm was slung around my waist, pinning me tight against his chest. His legs tangled with mine, heavy and possessive. His chin rested lightly on the top of my head, and oh, moon help me he was snoring. Softly. Gently. Like some overgrown wolf cub, content and at peace. Meanwhile, I was wide awake, eyes bulging into the dark, my entire body stiff as a board.


    How had this happened? I tried to rey the night in my mind. I remembered standing, trembling, swearing I¡¯d never sleep. Then ckness. Which meant oh no. He must have seen me copse. He must have actually picked me up picked me up like I was some fragile thing andid me down beside him. And then, the monster had the audacity, the sheer nerve, to hold me like I belonged there. Panic wed at my chest. My breathing came in short, shallow gasps, careful not to wake him. I dared not even twitch. Because if he woke up and found me panicking in his arms, what would he do?


    Snap my neck? Mock me? Tease me until I cried? Or worse smile that cold smile that meant he was enjoying himself.


    "Don¡¯t move," whispered my brain. "Don¡¯t even breathe too loudly."


    But of course, being me, I immediately started thinking of escape. Could I wriggle free? Slowly, carefully, without disturbing him? I tried. I shifted the tiniest fraction of an inch, thinking maybe I could slide out from under his arm. Bad idea. His grip tightened instantly. Like a vice. Like chains snapping closed. I squeaked. Out loud. A pathetic, high-pitched squeak that sounded like a terrified mouse. He didn¡¯t wake. He just snuggled me closer. Snuggled. The psycho Alpha Zach snuggling. I nearly fainted on the spot.

 Chapter 44

    <h4>Chapter 44: Chapter 44</h4>


    The sun rose, but I was still awake. Correction: my eyeballs had gone dry from refusing to close for even one second. All night, I¡¯d been stiff in Alpha Zach¡¯s death grip, every muscle in my body screaming for mercy. Meanwhile, he had slept like the devil himself didn¡¯t exist snoring softly, breathing evenly, looking like he didn¡¯t have a care in the world.


    I, on the other hand, had been rehearsing myst words.


    If this is the end, let it be quick. If this is the end, bury me in the omegas¡¯ courtyard. If this is the end And then, as if summoned by the gods of humiliation, his arms shifted.


    For a fleeting, glorious moment, I thought he was about to release me. My heart leapt. My hopes soared. My soul prepared to runps around the omega quarters in celebration. Instead.


    "Mm," he hummed against the back of my neck. His lips brushed my skin. My skin.


    I screamed internally. On the outside, I stayed frozen.


    His voice came next, a low rumble vibrating against my bones.


    "You¡¯re warm," he murmured, as if that exined why he was holding me hostage like a favorite pillow.


    Warm? WARM?! I was a furnace of fear, sir! If warmth was what he wanted, he could have hugged a nket!


    But no. He had to hug me.


    The worst part wasn¡¯t the hugging. Oh no. The worst part was when the sun officially rose, pouring golden light through the thin window, and I realized We weren¡¯t alone. Because the other omegas the smart ones who had slept outside on the cold hard ground were now awake. And they had gathered at the doorway. And they were staring. At us. At me being wrapped like a burrito in the psycho Alpha¡¯s arms.


    Joan¡¯s mouth dropped open. ra pped a hand over her lips. The other omegas bless their useless souls were whispering so loudly it might as well have been shouting.


    "She¡¯s in bed with him!"


    "Like a mate!"


    "Like his mate mate!"


    I wanted to die. No, I wanted the earth to open up and swallow me whole before Alpha Zach noticed the audience. I tried to silently beg them with my eyes: Please. Don¡¯t make this worse. Pretend you saw nothing. Pretend I don¡¯t exist.


    But of course, omegas being omegas, they did the exact opposite. Joan, wide-eyed, mouthed: HOW?!


    How indeed, Joan. I would also like to know how I ended up in the arms of my mortal enemy, snuggled like some kind of beloved pet wolfdog.


    And then, the inevitable happened. Alpha Zach stirred. His arms flexed once, pulling me even closer, before he finally opened his eyes.


    The first thing he saw was me. His face lit up in the most dangerous way like a man satisfied with his life choices.


    "Good morning," he said.


    I blinked. Once. Twice. My brain short-circuited.


    Good morning? GOOD MORNING?! Who said "good morning" after holding someone hostage all night like a deranged cuddle monster?


    I managed a squeaky reply. "M-m-morning, Alpha."


    He smirked. "You didn¡¯t run. Smart little omega."


    Run? RUN?! As if I had the chance! My dignity ran. My sanity ran. My will to live ran. I stayed because he wrapped me like a boa constrictor!


    But I didn¡¯t argue. I didn¡¯t dare.


    Because at that exact moment, he noticed the crowd of omegas at the door.


    The entire world went still.


    His golden eyes narrowed.


    The omegas scattered like terrified rabbits, tripping over each other to escape. Joan actually tripped over ra¡¯s leg and facented into the dirt. Nobody went back to help her.


    Cowards. All of them.


    "You don¡¯t like being watched," Zach muttered, finally releasing me and sitting up. I rolled away so fast I almost fell off the bed. My freedomsted all of one glorious second until his hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.


    "No running," he said calmly. "You stay with me."


    Stay. With. Him. The words echoed like a death sentence.


    "Y-yes, Alpha," I whispered, heart in my throat.


    He released me then, but not before brushing his thumb lightly across my pulse point as if he owned it. Owned me.


    I scrambled up, smoothing my wrinkled clothes, cheeks burning with shame. The omegas outside were probably already gossiping like wildfire. By midday, the whole pack would believe I had voluntarily shared a bed with the psycho Alpha.


    Moon help me. My life is over.


    Breakfast was worse. I thought maybe just maybe he would leave me alone after that horrifying wake-up. But no. The crazy psycho strolled into the omegas¡¯ courtyard like it was his personal dining hall. Everyone froze mid-bite, spoons halfway to their mouths. Omegas weren¡¯t supposed to breathe too loudly in his presence. And here he was, casually taking a seat Next to me. No, scratch that he didn¡¯t just sit next to me. He sat so close our legs touched. His presence swallowed me whole, heavy and suffocating. He eyed my bowl.


    "Eat more," hemanded.


    I blinked at my pathetic porridge. "I¡ªI¡¯m fine, Alpha."


    His gaze sharpened. "Eat. More."


    A trembling ra instantly shoved her portion into my hands, like offering a sacrifice to a hungry god. I wanted to cry. But I ate. Every spoonful. Under his watchful eyes.


    Every omega at the table pretended not to stare, but I could feel their shock burning holes into my back. And through it all, Alpha Zach looked pleased. Like a man watching his favorite pet behave. That was only the beginning. By midday, he had ordered me to follow him everywhere. To stand by his side. To sit at his feet while he read. To fetch things he didn¡¯t even need. Every step, every moment, I was his shadow. His personal omega. And I hated it. But what could I do?


    The psycho Alpha had decided. And when Alpha Zach decided something, there was no escape.


    The omegas didn¡¯t even look at me when we left the breakfast table. Not properly. Their eyes darted, their whispers hissed, their heads dipped but none of them dared speak openly to me. I was no longer one of them.


    I was something worse.


    Alpha Zach¡¯s shadow.


    He didn¡¯t dismiss me when he rose from the table. He didn¡¯t even nce to check if I was following he simply stood, and his hand brushed my wrist lightly, like a leash without a chain. My knees wobbled, but my body obeyed. I followed. Because what else could I do? The rest of the omegas parted like the Red Sea. Their gazes burned holes into my back. Joan whispered something, and the twins stifled their giggles. My ears went hot. They were already making up stories.


    This is the end of me.


    The Alpha¡¯s hall was quiet when we entered, the scent of parchment and ink mixing with the faint tang of dominance in the air. Elder wolves knelt around the room, reading scrolls, updating records. And me?


    I was shoved onto a cushion at Alpha Zach¡¯s feet. He didn¡¯t say it like an order, not in the usual sharp way Alphasmanded. No. He just tugged me down with azy, casual, "Sit here." Like I was his pet cat. My cheeks burned as I folded myself onto the cushion. The elders tried to pretend I wasn¡¯t there, but their quick, sharp nces betrayed them. I caught one old wolf whispering to another, his lips tight:


    "She¡¯s an omega."


    "As if that matters. He¡¯s made his choice."


    Made his choice?!


    I wanted to scream that this wasn¡¯t a choice at all, that I had been wrapped up like a burrito against my will. But the crazy psycho was above me, sprawled on the Alpha¡¯s chair like a king on his throne, eyes flickingzily across parchment.


    "Your breathing¡¯s too loud," he murmured without looking at me.


    My lungs froze. "S-sorry, Alpha."


    His lips curved into something faint, dangerous. "Should I silence you?"


    I nearly fainted. The elders coughed, pretended not to hear. My soul climbed out of my body, waved a white g, and abandoned me.


    When Zach finally got tired of scrolls, I thought maybe just maybe he¡¯d leave me behind. But no. He stood, rolled up the parchment, and nced at me. "Come."


    One word. That was all.


    So I followed him out into the sun, through the courtyard, to the training grounds where warriors sparred. The sound of fists meeting flesh, swords shing, and grunts of exertion filled the air. Dozens of strong wolves trained in formation, sweat glistening on their bare shoulders. Normally, omegas were forbidden anywhere near the training yard. Yet here I was dragged like a dog into the center of their world.


    Alpha Zach stood tall, golden eyes scanning the warriors. His presence radiated authority, bending the air itself. Every fighter straightened. Every pair of eyes sharpened. And then every single one of those eyes found me. I wanted to sink into the dirt. Zach¡¯s voice was calm, almostzy. "Stand closer."


    I shuffled closer to his side, trembling. He tipped his head, gaze sliding toward me with that dangerous amusement. "If someone throws a spear, I won¡¯t catch it for you."


    What?! My heart tried to punch its way out of my chest. My knees nearly gave out. The warriors snickered under their breaths, though none dared outrightugh.


    Zach smirked, satisfied.


    Training continued, but I wasn¡¯t allowed to leave. I stood beside him for hours, the sun baking my skin, my legs aching. Warriors came forward to spar, and Zach corrected them in sharp, authoritative tones. But between every instruction, his hand would brush mine. His shoulder would press close. Always a reminder: Stay. Obey. Don¡¯t think about running. When the warriors finally paused for water, Alpha Zach crooked a finger at me.


    "Jug," he said simply.


    My hands shook as I lifted the heavy y jug, pouring water into his cup. He drank deeply, tilting his head back, throat working in long swallows.


    And then then, as if the humiliation wasn¡¯t enough he tipped the cup toward me.


    "Drink."


    In front of everyone.


    I froze. Warriors were staring, some wide-eyed, some smirking. My lips trembled.


    When I didn¡¯t move fast enough, his voice dipped, calm and deadly. "Do you want me to feed you myself?"


    I nearly cried. Snatching the cup, I took a sip barely a drop, but enough. The water burned down my throat hotter than fire. The crazy Psycho¡¯s smile was infuriatingly satisfied. Like I¡¯d just fetched a stick for hm.

 Chapter 45

    <h4>Chapter 45: Chapter 45</h4>


    I thought I had survived the day. The sun had gone down, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I was sitting in the cramped, musty quarters with the other omegas. My legs still ached from chasing after Alpha Zach like some broken puppy all day into the council hall, the training ground, even when he went to inspect border reports. Every step had felt like a noose tightening around my neck. But now, finally, I was back here. Four walls that smelled of damp hay and old soap, yes, but walls that were mine. For once, I wasn¡¯t under his shadow, under his voice, under his insane eyes.


    I curled against the wall, arms around my knees, trying to pretend this was peace. Around me, the other omegas whispered in low voices. Theirughter was thin, nervous, but at least they were breathing easier without him around. ra sat on her cot iting her hair with trembling hands. She¡¯d been watching me all day with pity.


    "You¡¯re pale," she whispered, ncing at me. "Did he¡ª?"


    "Don¡¯t." My voice cracked. "Don¡¯t say his name."


    Her lips pressed shut. No one wanted to summon him like some monster from a bedtime story.


    The oilmp sputtered on the wooden shelf, shadows stretching along the cracked ster. I forced myself to breathe. In, out. Maybe tonight he¡¯d leave me alone. Maybe the psycho Alpha would forget I even existed.


    That fragile hopested only until the door mmed open.


    The crack of wood against the wall made every single omega freeze. ra¡¯s braid slipped from her fingers. My heart crashed into my ribs. I didn¡¯t need to look. I already knew. Alpha Zach! He filled the doorway like the night itself had grown legs and a smirk. His ck hair looked damp, like he¡¯d juste from training, and his shirt clung to his chest. Themplight carved his jaw into shadows, and his eyes those sharp, glinting things swept over us like we were ants waiting to be crushed.


    His lips curved. Too calm. Too deliberate. "Ellie."


    No. No, not now. Not here.


    He stepped inside, boots heavy on the floorboards. The smell of leather and smoke followed him, thick enough to choke me.


    "You think you can stay here?" His voice was smooth, almost amused, but the words slid under my skin like knives. "You think you can sleep with them while I¡ª"


    He stopped. His head tilted. His inner voice snapped


    "Inner voice: Run to me or I¡¯ll smash your pretty little skull against the wall. Stter, crack, red on white. Ha. Wouldn¡¯t that be a painting?


    I froze. Every drop of blood in me turned to ice.


    His mouth never moved, but the words were in me, around me, suffocating me. My throat worked soundlessly.


    And then he said it aloud. "If you don¡¯te now, Ellie, I will smash your head."


    Gasps filled the room. ra made a small, squeaking sound, then horrifyingly warm liquid trickled down from her cot. She had pissed herself. From fear. From him.


    Alpha Zach¡¯s gaze flickedzily toward her, like a cat watching a mouse drown. He grinned.


    "ra, was it?" His tone was honeyed cruelty. "Cute."


    Her face crumpled as she tried to cover the spreading stain on the floor. Tears welled in her eyes.


    I couldn¡¯t breathe. I couldn¡¯t let him hurt them. Before my brain could even process it, my legs were moving. I stumbled up from the cot, shoving past another omega, and ran. Ran straight for him.


    The only thought burning in me was don¡¯t let him smash my head, don¡¯t let him smash their heads. He caught me, of course. He always did. His hand shot out and gripped my wrist like an iron cuff, stopping me mid-step. Hisugh low, delighted, terrifying rumbled against my ear as he yanked me closer.


    Good girl. Obedient little thing. Alwayses back when I say "smash."


    I flinched at the words inside me, but my body betrayed me again, leaning forward just to stop the pressure on my wrist. Behind us, the omegas didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t breathe. Fear locked them in ce. The smell of urine still lingered from ra¡¯s ident, sharp and sour in the air. The crazy psycho bent down until his mouth brushed close to my hair. "Let¡¯s go, Ellie. Omegas¡¯ quarters don¡¯t suit you. You belong in my den."


    No. No, no, no But his grip tightened, dragging me backward, pulling me through the doorway into the night. The door mmed shut behind us, sealing the omegas inside their prison of silence. I tried to dig my heels into the dirt, but it was useless. His strength was monstrous. My wrist throbbed under his hold. Every step away from the omegas¡¯ quarters felt like another chain wrapped around me.


    "A-Alpha please," I whispered, voice breaking. "Not tonight. Please, just just let me stay."


    He chuckled, low and dangerous.


    "Inner Voice: Stay? With them? Little rats who piss themselves when I look their way? No. You¡¯re mine. My toy. My shadow. My echo. You don¡¯t sleep unless it¡¯s where I can hear you breathe.


    I squeezed my eyes shut. His inner voice was everywhere. Funny to him, horrifying to me.


    "Why me?" The question tore out of me, desperate, ragged.


    He paused, just for a second, before leaning down until his lips brushed the edge of my ear.


    "Because you make the best faces when you¡¯re scared."


    I shivered violently. The night stretched endless around us. The Alphas¡¯ quarter loomed ahead, dark and towering like a monster waiting to swallow me whole. His hand never left me. And as he dragged me back inside, his inner voice coiled again.


    "Inner Voice: One day, Ellie, you will stop running. You will stop begging. You will realize the only ce you belong is right here. In my madness.


    The air in the Alpha¡¯s quarters was thick. Not with smoke, not with perfume ¡ª but with him. That suffocating presence, that mix of raw dominance and unfiltered madness that clung to every surface. Even the air felt imed, like it had signed some contract agreeing to serve only Alpha Zach¡¯s lungs. I sat stiffly at the edge of the sofa, clutching my hands in myp, praying he wouldn¡¯t notice how badly they trembled. Of course, praying was pointless. Because this was Alpha Zach.


    The psycho Alpha. The nightmare of every omega and pack members whispered about in the safety of kitchens andundry halls, never daring to speak his name too loudly in case he appeared behind them, grinning.


    "Inner voice: Noodles."


    The sudden word snapped me out of my thoughts. I blinked at him. He was sprawled across a couch like it was a throne, shirt half-open, hair a little messy, one arm danglingzily over the armrest. His amber eyes glittered with that mix of boredom and amusement that usually ended with someone crying..


    His lips curled. "Make me noodles."


    I froze. "...Noodles?"


    "Yes." He didn¡¯t even look at me, just stared at the ceiling like themand was as casual as asking for water. Then his inner voice rumbled through my head the voice he didn¡¯t know I could hear.


    Inner Voice: If she refuses, I¡¯ll eat her instead. Omegas probably taste like chicken. Or marshmallows. Hm. Noodle-vored omega? No, too chewy.


    My stomach dropped. Chicken. Marshmallows. Chewy. He was debating eating me. I forced a smile that felt more like rigor mortis. "Of course, Alpha."


    "Inner Voice: Good girl. Obedient. Pretty little doctor-omega, now reduced to my noodle maid. Heh. Let¡¯s see if she tries to poison me. That¡¯d be fun.


    My heart skipped. Poison?Wait. Not poison but an idea mmed into my brain. Laxatives. Not enough to kill, not enough to get me executed, but just enough to make his royal psycho stomach cramp and send him sprinting to the bathroom in humiliating defeat. It was perfect. Revenge disguised as noodles. I bit my lip to hide the sudden spark of wicked delight bubbling in my chest.


    Because before I woke up in this nightmare wolf-world, I had been a doctor. And not just a doctor a resourceful one. I knew nts,pounds, body reactions. Even here, surrounded by herbs and tonics, I could whip up something effective. I stood up, bowed slightly, and made my way toward the little kitchen nook in his quarters.


    His gaze followedzily, his inner voice slithering after me.


    "Inner Voice: There she goes. Little omega tail swishing nervously. She thinks she has a chance. Maybe she¡¯s plotting. Oh, I hope so. Life is boring without a little treachery. My hands shook as I pulled out ingredients.


    Noodles. Salt a few crushed herbs. The small packet I had hidden earlier, just in case.


    Laxatives weren¡¯t poison. Not really. Just persuasion for the intestines. Gentle persuasion.


    I worked quickly, mixing, stirring, slipping in the powdered dose. My mind raced with dark glee. He would suffer. The great and terrifying Alpha Zach, brought low by a toilet bowl. I almost giggled.


    "Inner voice: She¡¯s taking too long. What¡¯s she doing? Should I sneak up and sniff her hair? Hm. Omegas hate that. But her hair smells like fear, and fear is delicious. Noodles and fear. Yum.


    I stiffened, spoon pausing mid-stir. My god.


    He was insane But also... kind of funny in a horrifying, I-might-die way. Finally, the noodles were done. I ted them carefully, sprinkling a few harmless herbs on top for effect. My heart pounded as I carried the steaming bowl back to him. He was still sprawled on the couch, staring at nothing, lips curled in a faint smirk. I ced the bowl on the low table. "Your noodles, Alpha." His gaze slidzily to the bowl. Then to me. Then back to the bowl. Slowly, he sat up, leaning forward, resting his chin on one hand.


    "Inner voice: She thinks she¡¯s clever. That sparkle in her eyes she definitely added something. Heh. Should I pretend to die? Copse dramatically? That¡¯d scare her pants off. Literally. Hm. Not yet. First slurp.


    He picked up the chopsticks, twirled the noodles, and shoved arge bite into his mouth. I held my breath. But noting happened. He took another bite. Another. And another. The entire bowl was gone in less than five minutes. I waited. My palms were sweating. Any second now, the cramps would hit. His stomach would betray him. The mighty Alpha would run, clutching his abdomen, and I


    "Hmm." He licked the fork clean, then set them down with a click. His amber eyes pinned me. "Not bad."


    I blinked. "Not... bad?"


    "Inner voice: Pathetic attempt. I can taste thexatives. Cute. She thinks wolf digestion works like humans. My stomach could dissolve rocks if I wanted. Or maybe I will just keep them inside, let them stew, and fart at the council meeting tomorrow. That¡¯d be hrious.


    My jaw nearly dropped.


    He knew. The psycho knew, and he didn¡¯t care and thexatives hadn¡¯t worked. At all. I had thrown myself into danger, risked everything for nothing.


    "You¡¯re staring," he said tly.


    I snapped my gaze down. "S-sorry, Alpha."


    "Inner voice: She looks so guilty. Like a puppy who peed on the carpet. Should I punish her? Hm. Maybe make her cook noodles every day until she cries. Or maybe no. I¡¯ll let her stew. Fear ages like fine wine.


    I swallowed hard. My n had backfired.


    Not only had he noticed, but he was enjoying my failure.


    "Make them again tomorrow," he said casually, reclining once more.


    "Y-Yes, Alpha."


    "Inner voice: Good. Maybe she¡¯ll try again. Maybe next time she¡¯ll add poison. Oh, little omega, keep ying. I will always win.


    My knees nearly buckled.


    "Inner Voice: or maybe I should do something bad to her?


    Oh no. I shouted and took to my heel.

 Chapter 46

    <h4>Chapter 46: Chapter 46</h4>


    My lungs seized. I sprinted harder, bare feet pounding down the corridor, heart hammering so loud I thought it might explode out of my chest.I shoved the heavy doors open and flung myself into the cool night. Guards nced at me, startled, but none moved to help. Of course not. Nobody interfered when it came to Alpha Zach. The gravel path scraped my soles as I tore across it, past startled omegas bncingundry baskets. One dropped a sheet; it fluttered into the dirt as I flew by. Then BAM! I mmed into something hard and unyielding. My teeth cked together. Pain ricocheted through my shoulder. I staggered back. Looked up. Amber eyes. Smirk carved into a face that looked like it had been sculpted by devils. Alpha Zach. Standing right in front of me.


    "Inner voice: She runs straight into me. How clumsy. Maybe I should tie bells to her ankles. Make her jingle when she panics. That would be entertaining.


    My scream ripped out of me before I could stop it. I spun and bolted the other way.


    The training yard. Maybe I could lose him there. Warriors were sparring, swords shing, muscles gleaming with sweat. If I zigzagged enough, if I blended into the chaos I skidded around the fence and froze. But He was already there. Leaning against the rail, one hand propped under his chin, golden eyes locked on me like I was his private sport.


    "AHHHHH!"


    I veered hard left, nearly colliding with two warriors who cursed and jumped out of my path. My lungs shrieked. My legs trembled, but I kept going. Through the gardens, past the rows of herbs glistening with dew. Around the well, where a pair of pups dropped their toys to gape at me. Into the kitchen yard, scattering cooks with armfuls of vegetables. Everywhere I turned, he was there. At the end of the path.


    Perched casually on a wall.


    Even crouched on a rooftop beam, peering down with a predator¡¯s grin.


    "Inner Voice: Look at her run. Sweating. Stumbling. Omegas always break so quickly. But this one... she¡¯s stubborn. I like that.


    My throat burned. My chest heaved. Sweat poured down my back, soaking my thin dress until it clung like a second skin. Still, I ran with all my strength. Through theundry lines, the damp clothes whipping against my face. Across the courtyard, where pack members stopped what they were doing to watch. Over a low fence, nearly twisting my ankle. Every corner, every turn, every desperate escape


    He was there. Smirking. Waiting. Watching.


    "Inner Voice: How long before she copses? Ten more minutes? Five? Maybe I should count. She¡¯ll fall right into my arms. Hm. Tempting.


    I wanted to scream again, but my lungs couldn¡¯t manage it anymore. Only a strangled wheeze came out. Time blurred. Ten minutes. Fifteen. Twenty. The sky seemed darker now, shadows lengthening as if mocking me. My muscles screamed. My knees wobbled. My vision spotted at the edges. And his voice never stopped.


    "Inner Voice: Her hair¡¯s stered to her face. She looks like a drowned rat. Pathetic. Still adorable. Should I scoop her up when she drops? Maybe drag her by the ankle back to my quarters. Dramatic. Yes. I like dramatic.


    I nearly started crying. Thirty minutes. That¡¯s how long the nightmarested. By the time I staggered back toward his quarters, I wasn¡¯t even sure how my legs moved anymore. Sweat poured down my body, each step heavier than thest. I must have looked insane running in circles, shrieking at shadows, only to return to the very ce I¡¯d fled. But I couldn¡¯t go anywhere else. If I copsed in the dirt, he¡¯d drag me back. And that humiliation would be worse. So I climbed the steps like a prisoner climbing the scaffold. The guards at the door didn¡¯t even blink as I shuffled past, hair hanging in wet ropes, chest heaving like I¡¯d been drowning. Inside, the air pressed down on me again, heavy and suffocating.


    And there he was. Exactly where I¡¯d left him. Lounging on the couch, arm drapedzily over the backrest, smirk carved into his face like it had never left. I staggered into the room, then let myself copse to my knees with a dramatic thud that rattled the floor.


    "A-Alpha. My voice cracked, more wheeze than words. "I¡ªI ept my punishment "


    But he was silent and just staring at me. Then, his inner voice, rich withughter:


    "Inner Voice: Punishment? She punished herself already. Thirty minutes of running like a fool. Sweaty. Pathetic. Entertaining.


    He tilted his head, gaze sweeping over me like I was a circus act he¡¯d just finished watching. Outwardly, he only smirked.


    "Cook noodles," he drawled. "Run faster next time."


    My jaw dropped. My brain short-circuited. That was it? No snapping bones, no threats, no dragging me to the dungeon? Just that?


    His golden eyes gleamed.


    "Inner voice: Look at her face. Shocked. Guilty. So easy to read. Maybe I¡¯ll let her think she¡¯s safe. That will scare her more than any punishment ever could.


    I pped my palms over my face. My entire body shook with exhaustion and humiliation. "I hate this ce," I whispered into my hands.


    His innerugh slithered into my skull again, cruel and amused.


    "Inner voice: Too bad. She¡¯s mine now.


    "I hate this ce," I whispered into my palms, voice breaking on thest word. My arms trembled under my own weight. Sweat trickled down my temples, dripping into the hollow of my palms until everything smelled of salt and desperation. My knees dug into the rug, the fibers scratching against my skin, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to move. The silence pressed down heavier than any shout, heavier than the whip of punishment I had been bracing for. I peeked between my fingers. He hadn¡¯t moved.


    Alpha Zach lounged exactly where he¡¯d been arm thrownzily over the couch¡¯s backrest, head tilted just enough to make that smirk look carved into him. Like some dark statuee to life for the sole purpose of tormenting me. His golden eyes glittered under thentern light, sharp enough to cut me into ribbons without lifting a finger.


    "Inner voice: Pathetic little omega. She looks like she¡¯s melting. Maybe she¡¯ll puddle on the floor. Should I mop her up myself? Hm. That would be amusing.


    My stomach lurched. He chuckled under his breath, the sound low and infuriatingly casual. Not a sound meant for me. Just him enjoying himself. I wanted to scream. To cry. To bolt again. But my body had already betrayed me once, and I wasn¡¯t stupid enough to test fate twice in a row. I lowered my hands slowly, forcing my breathing to even out. The room still felt like it was spinning. He stretched, rolling his shoulders as though he¡¯d simply finished watching a y, then flicked his gazezily toward me.


    "Hungry again?"


    Hungry? My stomach shriveled into itself. Thest thing I wanted was more noodles. The thought of even lifting a pot made my arms ache with phantom exhaustion.


    But I knew better than to say no.


    "Yes, Alpha," I rasped. My throat was desert-dry. "I will go make it."


    "Inner voice: Good girl. She learns fast. Starving, half-dead, and she still crawls to the kitchen when I snap my fingers. Omegas really are useful toys.


    The room tilted again. I grabbed the edge of a chair to haul myself upright, legs shaking as though I¡¯d been beaten with clubs instead of running myself into copse.


    He didn¡¯t move to follow me this time. He only watched as I stumbled toward the door, his smirk carved even deeper.


    "Inner voice: Look at her shuffle. Like a drunk rat. I should keep her on a leash. Or better, tie a pot to her back so she can cook onmand. Portable little chef. Yes. That would be funny.


    I bit the inside of my cheek so hard I tasted blood. Don¡¯t react. Don¡¯t let him see. Don¡¯t let him know. The corridor outside was dim, quiet except for the distant scuff of guards shifting their stances. No one dared look at me as I shuffled past, hair stered to my face, dress clinging to me like damp paper. The kitchen was mercifully empty. Midnight had passed. Pots hung neatly in rows, polished to a dull gleam. The hearth glowed with thest embers of a dying fire. I gripped the counter, letting my body sag against it. Just for a second. Just long enough to keep from copsing face-first onto the stone floor.


    Then I forced myself to move.


    The motions blurred. Water into the pot. me coaxed higher with trembling hands. Noodles in, stirring until the steam clouded my face and made me cough. My arms ached so badly I nearly dropped thedle. Still, I kept going. Every scrape of the spoon against the pot sounded too loud, echoing like usations: coward, fool, ve. By the time I poured the noodles into a bowl, my whole body was shaking. Carrying it back was a nightmare. My arms wanted to give out. Hot broth sloshed dangerously near the edge, threatening to scald me. I bit my lip and focused on each step, willing my hands steady.


    Atst, I shoved the heavy doors open with my hip and stepped back into the suffocating weight of his quarters.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


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 Chapter 47

    <h4>Chapter 47: Chapter 47</h4>


    He hadn¡¯t moved an inch. Still sprawled across the couch like he ruled the world. His golden gaze snapped to the bowl instantly. The smirk deepened. I shuffled closer, every nerve screaming in protest. My hands extended, offering the steaming bowl like a sacrifice to a god who delighted in devouring lives.


    He didn¡¯t take it gently. The bowl was snatched from my hands so fast I nearly toppled forward. Thedle ttered to the floor, rolling under the couch.


    "Go sleep," he said, tone dismissive. Not even a nce at me anymore his attention already on the noodles.


    I blinked. "W-what?"


    "Sleep." He gestured vaguely toward the corner of the room, like I was an inconvenient pet to be tucked away.


    "Inner voice: Obedient little rat. She will curl up wherever I point. Maybe under the table. Yes, that would be hrious. An omega nest under my furniture.


    My fists clenched at my sides. If I opened my mouth, I¡¯d scream. But I didn¡¯t. Instead, I stumbled toward the corner he¡¯d motioned at. My body felt like it was folding in on itself, too small, too tired, too broken to keep fighting. I lowered myself onto the rug, curling my knees to my chest, pressing my face into the scratchy fabric. Behind me, I heard the clink of chopsticks, the sound of broth being slurped, a sigh of contentment.


    "Inner Voice: Not bad. She cooks like a frightened rabbit, but fear adds vor. Yes. I¡¯ll keep her in the kitchen forever. She can run, she can cry, but she will never escape. Omegas like her never do.


    My chest tightened. My breath came in shallow, uneven pulls. I wanted to cry. But the tears refused toe. I shut my eyes instead.


    And prayed I wouldn¡¯t wake to find his smirk inches from my face. Sleep didn¡¯te easy with Alpha Zach only a few feet away, smirking between slurps of noodles like a predator gnawing on his prey. Every muscle in my body buzzed with nerves. My eyelids were heavy, but behind them, his golden eyes glowed in memory burning, amused, sharp enough to peel my skin awayyer byyer. I hugged my knees tighter, hoping my heart¡¯s frantic beats would somehow soften into something quieter.


    Eventually, I couldn¡¯t stand it. My chest felt like it might burst from holding myself so small. When his bowl clinked softly against the table, I seized the chance. On shaky legs, I rose and slunk toward the adjoining corridor, desperate to disappear before he noticed.


    His head didn¡¯t lift. He didn¡¯t call after me. Relief and fear tangled inside me as I slipped into the little chamber that had been shoved onto me earlier a room meant more for storage than for someone breathing. The air smelled of dust and old cedar. A narrow cot leaned against one wall, the sheets rough and stiff, as though no one had touched them in years. Still, to me, it looked like heaven. I dropped onto the cot, ignoring the way it groaned under my weight.


    For the first time all night, I allowed myself to breathe.


    "I hate this ce," I murmured again, softer now, my voice swallowed by the dark.


    But peace neversted long here. I had just begun to drift when muffled voices seeped in through the thin wooden walls. At first, I thought I was imagining them dreams bleeding into half-sleep. But then the voice sharpened, familiar, sharp with scolding.


    Elizabeth.


    "You cannot keep shirking responsibility forever, Zachary," she was saying. Her tone was clipped, proper, the kind of voice that carried in every hall. "The daughter of the neighboring Moonfang Pack will be arriving for a formal visit. Do you understand what this means? Their Alpha expects


    A chair scraped faintly. I imagined him lounging the way he always did, draped like a king who couldn¡¯t be bothered with crowns.


    Silence stretched too long, too heavy. Then his inner voice slithered through, sharp and casual all at once.


    "Inner voice: Strangle her. Slowly. Yes, right around the throat. That would shut her up. Her voice is worse than a crow choking on ss. My breath hitched.


    "Zachary?" Elizabeth pressed on. "This is important. You¡¯re of age. You cannot remain unbound forever. Think of the alliances. Think of the power we could secure. This girl is well-bred, well-trained. Everything an Alpha¡¯s mate should be."


    "Inner voice: Well-trained to bore me to death, perhaps. Maybe she¡¯ll recite treaties in bed. Ugh. Elizabeth really doesn¡¯t know me at all.


    He gave a low hum. Out loud. Careless. Like he was humoring her. Elizabeth¡¯s footsteps tapped sharply against the floor. I could almost picture her pacing, wringing her jeweled hands.


    "You must meet her. At the very least, show them respect. Zachary."


    "Inner voice: Respect? To them? To her? I¡¯d rather feed myself to wolves. No, better. I¡¯d rather strangle Elizabeth first, then feed her to wolves. Would the guards mind? Maybe. But it would be funny. Aunt stew.


    I pped a hand over my mouth to stop a startled sound from escaping. The psycho Alpha¡¯s tone outside remained even, disinterested. "I heard you."


    "You heard me?" Elizabeth snapped. "This is not about hearing. This is about doing. You cannot keep hiding away in these rooms with your¡ª"


    She stopped. My stomach dropped. With me.


    Was that what she meant? Did she know? The silence that followed was suffocating.


    "Inner voice: Say it, Aunt. Call her out. Call my little rat out. Watch her squirm. Oh, I¡¯d enjoy that. But no you¡¯d never dare. Not when I¡¯m looking at you like this.


    I squeezed my eyes shut. My palms pressed so hard against my lips I tasted blood.


    Elizabeth coughed delicately, as though swallowing words. "Just... remember what I said. She arrives soon. You cannot ignore this forever, Zachary."


    Her footsteps retreated, quick and clipped. The door thudded shut. Silence reimed the hall. But inside my head, his voice lingered like smoke.


    "Inner voice: Marry some neighboring pup? Hah. What a joke. I already have my entertainment. A trembling little rabbit who cooks noodles onmand. Why trade that for politics? Omegas are far more fun.


    My stomach twisted, bile rising. He was talking about me. He had to be. I curled into the bed, pulling the scratchy nket over my head as though it could shield me from his voice, his eyes, his smirk that wouldn¡¯t leave my thoughts. But even under the nket, I could hear the faint scrape of his chair, thezy steps of his boots across the floor, the hum of his amusement drifting closer.


    "Inner voice: Maybe I should check on her. See if my little rat is awake. Yes... peek in. Watch her pretend to sleep.


    My pulse thundered. I squeezed my eyes shut tighter, forcing stillness into my limbs, praying to the Moon Goddess that if he did open the door, he¡¯d see only a crumpled, sleeping omega, too insignificant to bother with. The floorboards creaked outside. A shadow passed across the thin slit beneath my door. Then silence again.


    And in the silence, my own thoughts screamed:


    I hate this ce. I hate this ce. I hate this ce. But how do I leave?"


    Because the psycho Alpha had already decided. And I was his. Whether I wanted to be or not.


    But my body betrayed me. Exhaustion tugged harder with every blink, until my vision blurred and myshes grew too heavy to lift. I promised myself I would stay awake, that I wouldn¡¯t let sleep drag me into vulnerability. Yet slowly, steadily, I slipped. And when I did the nightmare began. At first, I thought I was still awake. I found myself in the kitchen, the faint glow of firelight flickering against stone walls. A pot of water bubbled on the stove, steam curling upward in white ribbons. I blinked, confused. Had I walked here without realizing? The spoon was already in my hand. The smell of noodles filled my nose, rich and spicy the way Alpha Zach always demanded. My stomach twisted. "Not again..." I whispered, though my voice echoed too loud, bouncing off walls that seemed suddenly too far away. The water hissed, boiling harder, and I felt sweat prickling down my spine. I stirred the pot once, twice and then something pale and veined floated up from beneath the rolling surface. Not noodles. A hand. I froze, the wooden spoon ttering to the ground. My lungs forgot how to work as the hand pressed against the surface of the water, fingers spreading wide as if testing the barrier. The boiling didn¡¯t burn it instead, the flesh blistered and peeled away, revealing bone. And then the hand reached higher. A face followed, steam wreathed and monstrous, but unmistakable. Golden eyes cut through the haze, fixing directly on me.


    "Cook for me," Alpha Zach¡¯s voice purred, though his lips didn¡¯t move. His grin stretched wider than any human mouth should, splitting up toward his ears. "Obey me, little Omega."


    I stumbled back, but the kitchen was gone. Stone corridors stretched out in every direction, endless and identical. I ran, barefoot, the p of my feet echoing into infinity. My breath came fast and shallow, but no matter how far I sprinted, the walls didn¡¯t change. Every turn brought me back to the same ce: the center of the hall, with shadows crowding closer. The whispers started then. Not one voice. A hundred. A thousand. All in his tone. All Alpha Zach. Some low and amused, some sharp as knives, some taunting and cruel.


    "She thinks she can run."


    "She thinks she can hide."


    "She thinks she has a choice."


    Theughter cut through me, ripping at my sanity. I mped my hands over my ears, but it didn¡¯t stop. His words weren¡¯t around me they were inside me. Crawling under my skin, burrowing into my veins.


    "You taste fear, don¡¯t you?" a voice hissed right against my neck. Warm breath brushed my ear. I spun, but no one was there. Only shadows, thickening, stretching into shapes.


    Golden eyes blinked open in the dark. One pair. Ten pairs. A hundred. They watched me hungrily. The ground cracked.


    I fell. Plunging down into ckness, weightless, until icy water swallowed me whole. My mouth opened in a scream, but only bubbles escaped. The cold burned worse than fire, stabbing my chest, stealing every drop of air from my lungs. Above me, on the surface, stood Alpha Zach. Not the real one or maybe too real. His silhouette glowed faintly golden, his eyes likenterns cutting through the dark water. He didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t need to. His voice vibrated through the water, shaking my bones.


    "You can¡¯t escape me, Elie."


    I kicked upward, desperate, but my limbs felt sluggish, tangled in invisible chains. Panic exploded in my chest. I wed at the water, at nothing, struggling to reach the surface.


    "You hear me even when I don¡¯t speak."


    His grin widened.


    "You belong to me."


    The water poured into my mouth, choking, suffocating. My chest heaved violently, body convulsing with the need for air. I screamed or tried to but my lungs filled with water, thick and burning.


    I was dying. Again. I shot upright with a scream. My bodyunched itself off the bed, crashing to the floor. My skull cracked against the cold stone tiles, pain blooming white-hot behind my eyes. For a terrifying second, I thought I was still drowning. My throat convulsed, my chest spasmed, and I coughed, desperate for air that wouldn¡¯te.


    Finally blessedly I sucked in oxygen. But it was sharp, ragged, scraping my lungs raw. My nails dug into my palms as I curled on the floor, gasping, trembling so hard my teeth chattered. The room was dark and quiet. But my heart refused to calm. I pushed up on shaky arms, every muscle trembling like a newborn foal¡¯s. The nket had tangled around my legs when I fell. I kicked it off, half-expecting another hand to slither from the fabric and grab me. My gaze darted around wildly. The four-post bed loomed above me like a cage. Shadows stretched long against the walls, curling at the edges as if waiting. I swallowed hard, pressing my back against the wall, needing something solid, real, unmoving.


    "It was just a dream," I whispered. My voice cracked, too thin. "Just a nightmare..."


    But the echo sounded wrong. Off. Almost like augh.


    And then it was faint, barely there but I heard it.


    "Mine.


    I froze, blood turning to ice.


    The word hadn¡¯te from my head. It hadn¡¯te from the room. It hade from... somewhere else. A whisper threaded directly into my bones, familiar and terrifying.


    Alpha Zach¡¯s inner voice.


    But he was still asleep across the room. I could hear his slow breathing, steady and unbothered, as if the world couldn¡¯t touch him.


    I hugged my knees to my chest, trembling harder. Maybe I was still dreaming. Maybe the nightmare hadn¡¯t ended.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


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 Chapter 48

    <h4>Chapter 48: Chapter 48</h4>


    I tiptoed down the hallway like I was walking across a minefield. Every board creaked like it had a personal vendetta against me. I pressed all my weight to the edges of my toes, arms held out like a tightrope walker, silently begging the universe not to expose me. The psycho Alpha¡¯s room was only a few doors down, but every step felt like crossing a continent. My nightdress brushed against my ankles, whispering traitorously, and my stupid hair kept falling in my face. Finally, I reached his door. My heart hammered so hard I thought it might break a rib. This was insane. Utterly insane. What kind of lunatic sneaks into the psycho Alpha¡¯s bedroom in the dead of night? Apparently me. I swallowed, wiped my sweaty palms on my dress, and slowly, slowly pushed the door open. It squeaked. I froze. My lungs shut down but everywhere was silent.


    I peeked in. The moonlight spilled across the room, silvering the edges of the furniture. And there he was.


    The psycho Alpha himself.


    He was sleeping, I almost fell over. He wasn¡¯t pacing like a beast in a cage. He wasn¡¯t muttering about ripping throats out. He wasn¡¯t sharpening invisible knives with his teeth. He was lying there like... like a normal person. His chest rose and fell. His brow was smooth. His jaw unclenched. His lips twitched, like maybe he was dreaming something pleasant.


    "Wait. Hold on. WHAT?" I whispered furiously at the moonlight. "Why do you look peaceful?!" It¡¯s Suspicious. Extremely suspicious.


    Maybe he was pretending to sleep, and waiting for me to get close so he could jump up and yell, Boo! Or worse, "Caught you, noodle thief!"


    Still, I had to know. I crept closer, each step slower than thest, until I stood right beside his bed. My shadow hovered over his face. My heart thudded so loudly I was sure it would wake him.


    "Okay, Ellie," I whispered to myself. "Step one: confirm breathing." I hesitated, then leaned down and gently pressed my hand over his nose. Warm puffs of air brushed against my palm. He was breathing. Relief nearly made me melt into the floor. "He¡¯s alive. Thank Moon Goddess."


    I peeked again, just to be sure. His chest rose. Fell. Rose. Fell. Perfectly normal.


    I straightened, grinning like I¡¯d just won the lottery. "Mission aplished. Omega one, psycho zero."


    Time to sneak back to my room. But then it hit me. What if I escape now? I froze mid-step, staring at the door. He was asleep. His scary inner voice the one that usually growled in my head like a chainsaw was quiet. The house was silent. For the first time since I¡¯d been stuck here, the coast was clear. I could leave. I could sneak out, run into the night, find a vige, beg for help, sell my soul for a cup of ramen anything but stay another second with Captain Crazy Eyes. Adrenaline surged through me. My palms went mmy. My knees trembled.


    "Ellie," I whispered, clutching my chest. "This is the dumbest, most reckless, most dangerous idea you¡¯ve ever had."


    Pause.


    "But it¡¯s also the smartest."


    I nodded, decision made.


    I tiptoe Back into the hall. Down the stairs. The boards groaned under me like they wanted to expose my crime. My heart hammered, each beat chanting, freedom, freedom, freedom. I reached the front door. My fingers trembled as I touched the knob. This was it. The end of my suffering. The beginning of a brand-new life. I pictured myself racing down a dirt road, my hair streaming behind me, and then click.


    The knob turned under my hand.


    "Going somewhere?"


    I screamed so loudly I nearly summoned the dead.


    Because there he was. The psycho Alpha. Standing right at the door.Blocking my escape. And smiling. Not a kind smile. Not a normal smile. An evil, bone-melting grin, sharp at the edges, as though he¡¯d been waiting for this moment all along. His eyes glittered like he¡¯d just caught his favorite prey. My stomach fell to the floor. I screamed again, spun on my heel, and ran like the hounds of hell were chasing me.


    "Don¡¯t kill me don¡¯t kill me don¡¯t kill me!" I shrieked, bolting up the stairs, my nightdress pping behind me like a surrender g.


    The hallway stretched on forever. My door looked miles away. But I made it, mmed it shut, and dove under my nket as if thin fabric could protect me from an Alpha with ws. My heart thundered in my throat. My lungs heaved like I¡¯d run a marathon.


    And then I heard it. A chuckle.


    It was Low, dark and Right outside my door. I froze under the nket. My skin prickled. My brain short-circuited.


    He knew. He saw me. He didn¡¯t even have to chase me just stood there, smiling, and I nearly died. I clutched the nket tighter around me, whispering furiously.


    "Ellie, you absolute idiot. You just tried to outsmart a psycho Alpha. Congrattions, you¡¯re officially the dumbest omega alive."


    I squeezed my eyes shut, whispering, "Moon Goddess, if you¡¯re listening, I swear I¡¯ll never touch a doorknob again."


    But then my imagination kicked in, because apparently, my brain hates me. I pictured him dragging me out by my ankle,ughing, tossing me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I pictured him dropping me in the middle of the woods, telling the wolves, Dinner¡¯s served. I pictured myself standing in front of the pack, everyone pointing, shouting, Witch! Noodle assassin!


    I whimpered. "Why am I like this?"


    The chuckle came again, softer this time, like he was enjoying my panic.


    I wanted to crawl into the floorboards and nevere out. I buried my face in the pillow, nket pulled so tight around me I couldn¡¯t breathe. If I suffocated, at least it would be my choice, not his.


    But then it went silence. I waited. One minute. Two. My heartbeat slowed, though my body was still shaking like a leaf. Maybe he left, or he was satisfied watching me humiliate myself. I peeked out from under the nket, eyes darting to the door but it was still closed. At least I¡¯m still safe for now. Iy back, staring at the ceiling, my mind buzzing. He¡¯d been waiting at the door. How? Was he psychic? Did he have cameras? Motion sensors? A secret pack of ghost wolves reporting my every move? I groaned into the pillow.


    But then I heard it.


    A low chuckle. Right outside. The sound of it slithered into my ears, curled down my spine, and squeezed my lungs until I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    And then his inner voice. That dreadful voice that slid into my skull like a de through silk.


    "Inner voice: Run back to your room like a scared little rabbit, and hide under your nket. Do you really think that will save you from me?"


    I froze, my fingernails digging into the wood of the door. "Oh God not again.


    But his words only grew heavier, darker, each one sinking like chains into my skin.


    "Inner Voice: You thought you could sneak away. You thought you could touch the door of my house and leave me behind. Foolish omega. Did you really think I wouldn¡¯t notice?"


    My throat tightened. My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth.


    "Inner voice: I should tie you down," he murmured, his voice curling in my mind, hot and cold at the same time. "Bind you to your bed until morning, so you¡¯ll finally learn what it means to be mine. Every time you try to run, I¡¯ll remind you that your body belongs here. To me. Under my roof. Under my control."


    I pped my hands over my ears, shaking my head wildly.


    But his voice was louder than my pulse, louder than the air in my lungs.


    "Inner voice: You¡¯re trembling. I can hear it. I can smell your fear from here. Do you know how intoxicating it is, little rabbit? That helpless sound of your heart racing, begging me not toe in? It¡¯s almost enough to make me break down this door and pin you where you stand."


    I stumbled back, tripping over my nket, and copsed against the edge of the bed. My knees scraped the floor, but I hardly felt it.


    "No," I whispered. "I¡¯m finished.


    "I didn¡¯t mean it," I whispered, my words tumbling fast, desperate. "I wasn¡¯t leaving, I swear! I was just just checking! Just walking! I wasn¡¯t going anywhere, please" he went silence again. The absence was worse than the sound.


    Because silence meant he was waiting. Listening. Smiling. I buried my face in the nket, my breathing in shallow gasps, but then.


    "You¡¯re mine, Ellie. Say it."


    I shook my head violently. "No


    "Say it."


    The force of the word pressed against my skull, making my vision swim. My throat convulsed, like he was squeezing the word out of me from the inside. I mped my lips shut. My teeth dug into the flesh. No. I wouldn¡¯t.


    But then hisugh, low and certain, slid into me.


    "If you don¡¯t say it, I¡¯ll tie you to that bed tonight. I¡¯ll leave you there until morning, helpless under my gaze. I¡¯ll watch you struggle, and you¡¯ll learn that there¡¯s nowhere to run."

 Chapter 49

    <h4>Chapter 49: Chapter 49</h4>


    When I woke up, the sun was already pouring into my room through the thin curtains. I blinked a few times, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, and for once, the air didn¡¯t feel heavy. There wasn¡¯t that suffocating pressure on my chest. It was quiet. I sat up slowly, clutching my nket around me. My first thought was that he was standing outside my door again, whispering in my head like the devil in a fairy tale. My second thought was that maybe he¡¯d fallen asleep in a chair somewhere, waiting to jump on me if I even breathed wrong. But then I heard whispers in the hallway.


    "The Alpha left early," someone said. "He took a few warriors with him."


    I nearly fell off the bed. My heart skipped like it had just been given permission to exist.


    "He left?" I whispered to myself, my eyes going wide. I scrambled to my feet and rushed to the door, pressing my ear against the wood. "He left! He actually left?"


    I spun around in my room, clutching my nket like it was a victory g.


    "He¡¯s gone!" I squealed. "The psycho Alpha is gone! Oh Moon Goddess, you really do answer prayers! Maybe not always, maybe not fast, but this this is proof that you¡¯re real!"


    I jumped onto the bed, bounced twice, andnded t on my back, grinning at the ceiling like a fool. For the first time since stepping foot in this packhouse, I wasn¡¯t suffocating. For the first time, I thought maybe, just maybe I could escape. My heart raced with the thought. My mind was already plotting. If I slipped out now, if I ran fast enough, if I begged another pack for shelter I didn¡¯t even bother changing. I marched straight to the door in my wrinkled dress from yesterday, hair sticking up like I¡¯d been struck by lightning. Freedom didn¡¯t wait for ab. But when I flung the door open Two giant guards were standing there. I froze, gripping the doorknob. They weren¡¯t just passing by. They weren¡¯t standing casually. No they were nted like trees, arms crossed, expressions carved out of stone. I blinked once. Twice. Then slowly pointed at them.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "Guarding you," one of them said tly.


    "Orders," the other added.


    I stared at them for a solid five seconds, my jaw unhinged like a door about to fall off its hinges. Then I threw my hands into the air and shouted, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"


    The guards didn¡¯t flinch. Not even an eyebrow twitch.


    I spun back into my room, dragged my nket dramatically off the bed, and wrapped it around my shoulders like a cape. Then I stomped out again, ring up at them.


    "So let me get this straight," I said, jabbing a finger at them. "The Alpha left. He¡¯s not here. He¡¯s miles away, breathing fresh air and enjoying the sunshine. But me? I get you two as babysitters. What am I, a criminal? A toddler? A¡ª" I gasped, clutching my chest. "A princess? Because if I¡¯m a princess, I demand better treatment! Where¡¯s my crown? Where are my jewels? Where¡¯s my royal breakfast in bed?"


    The guards blinked once. Then nothing. I groaned and pped my forehead. "Oh, this is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. I can¡¯t believe this is my life. I could¡¯ve been anything anything but noooo, the Moon Goddess had to make me an omega. And not just any omega the omega who caught the eye of that lunatic. Fantastic. I love it. Truly. Ten out of ten fate."


    I stomped down the hallway, my nket trailing behind me like the world¡¯s saddest royal cape. Of course, the guards followed. Step for step. Shadow for shadow. I stopped suddenly, and they stopped too. I spun around, narrowing my eyes. "Do you even blink? Do you breathe? Or are you just wind-up toys with scary faces?" But Silence.I groaned so loudly it echoed down the hall. "Ugh, fine. If you¡¯re going to stalk me, at least escort me somewhere useful. I want to see my fellow omegas." So off we marched, me in the front like a queen leading her army, them behind me like two very boring statues. Naturally, the pack noticed. Whispers started the second we stepped into the main hall. Heads turned. Servants carrying trays slowed down. Warriors paused mid-step. Even children peeked around corners. I could practically feel their eyes stabbing into my back.


    "What did she do?"


    "Why does she need guards?"


    "She must¡¯ve angered him


    I whirled around and spread my arms wide. "Yes, yes, everyone stare! Behold the cursed omega and her brand new essories Guard Number One and Guard Number Two! Very exclusive, very limited edition. Don¡¯t get too close, or they¡¯ll. uh..." I tapped my chin. "Well, they¡¯ll just stand there menacingly. That¡¯s basically their whole personality."


    Someone snorted in the corner. Another servant gasped, horrified, and rushed away. I marched on dramatically, chin lifted, steps exaggerated like I was walking down a runway. If I was going to be humiliated, I might as well turn it into a performance. By the time I reached the omega quarters, I was practically on fire with frustration and energy. I flung the door open with a grand sweep, stepping inside like a hero returning from war.


    "Ellie?" one of the omegas whispered, eyes wide as they all froze mid-task.


    "Yes, it is I!" I announced, throwing off my nket and letting it pool on the floor. "Poor Ellie. Cursed Ellie. Doomed Ellie, who cannot take two steps without her guard dogs sniffing at her heels!"


    Behind me, the guards loomed in the doorway.


    The omegas blinked. Some looked horrified. Others tried not tough. I staggered dramatically to the nearest bench, copsing onto it like a dying swan. I pressed the back of my hand to my forehead. "Oh God why didn¡¯t you give me a normal life? Why not a bakery? Why not a small cottage with three chickens and a cat? Why this? Why him?"


    The guards stayed silent.


    The omegas nced at each other nervously. Finally, one girl whispered, "Ellie... are you okay?"


    "Okay?" I shot up, eyes wide. "Do I look okay? I can¡¯t even sneeze without these two reporting it back to him! I¡¯m basically living in a spy novel, except instead of being the morous lead, I¡¯m the poor side character who gets kidnapped in Chapter three!"


    A few giggles broke out. Quickly muffled, of course.


    I leapt to my feet, throwing my arms wide. "Fine! Laugh! Laugh at my misery! But remember this day, sisters. Remember when Ellie, the most cursed omega in existence, was paraded through the packhouse like a criminal with two giant shadows clinging to her heels!"


    Theughter grew louder now. Even the shy ones covered their mouths, shoulders shaking.


    I pouted dramatically, sticking my nose in the air. "You think this is funny? Just wait until one of you ends up with guards. Then we¡¯ll see who¡¯sughing!"


    But even I couldn¡¯t hold the straight face. My lips twitched, then broke into a grin, and soon I wasughing too loud, ridiculous, and a little hysterical. For a few minutes, the guards, the whispers, the suffocating fear it all faded into the background. All that was left was me, my fellow omegas, and the sound of ourughter echoing through the room like a small rebellion against fate.


    And honestly? It felt good. Even if the psycho Alpha came backter and doubled my guards, even if he whispered in my head again I¡¯d always have this moment.


    And if I was going to be trapped, at least I could make a show of it. Walking through the packhouse with two towering guards glued to my heels was torture of the highest order. Every step I took echoed with whispers. Pack members turned to stare. Some pretended not to see me, but their eyes followed me anyway.


    I tossed my hair dramatically and raised my chin. "Yes, yes, stare at the cursed one," I announced. "Behold the omega shackled to a destiny darker than midnight."


    The guards grunted in unison, like they were already regretting their lives.


    At one point, a group of pups ran past me, giggling. One pointed and said, "Why¡¯s she got bodyguards?"


    I whirled toward them, clutching my heart. "Because I am a prisoner of love and doom, child. Do not grow up to be like me!"


    Their mother quickly herded them away, throwing me a look that screamed lunatic.


    I sighed and dragged my feet onward. If humiliation could kill, I¡¯d be six feet under already.


    Finally, I reached the small building where omegas usually gathered during breaks. The moment I stepped in, the room went quiet. Dozens of familiar faces turned toward me.


    And then they saw the guards.


    And then they saw my face. That is what the crazy psycho Alpha has turned me into.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 50

    <h4>Chapter 50: Chapter 50</h4>


    I had a bad feeling long before the door even opened.


    The whole building carried it like the walls themselves had soaked in blood and were now trying to whisper warnings into my ear. Even through the silence, I could feel it: Alpha Zach was back.


    And from the sounds I¡¯d caught drifting through the halls earlier shouting, boots stomping, warriorsughing with that too-high kind ofughter that onlyes after violence I knew it hadn¡¯t been a simple "hunt." It had been one of his missions. The kind where he left in a mood, came back covered in someone else¡¯s life, and then decided to make me his bedtime story. So I did the smartest thing I could think of, I pretended to be asleep.


    When the door open. I heard the sound of heavy boots thudded inside. Not just one pair, several. The warriors.


    I was asleep. Deeply asleep. A little helpless omega who knew nothing of the world. That was the role.


    "Leave," Alpha Zach¡¯s voice rumbled, sharp and deep enough to scrape my spine.


    The boots shuffled back. The door shut again and everywhere was silence again. Except... not really.


    Because Zach¡¯s silence was never true silence. It was the silence of something big crouching in the dark, waiting for you to twitch so it could pounce. I felt him before I saw him. The heat, the weight of his presence, pressing at the edges of the bed. Myshes were practically glued to my cheeks, but I knew he was staring. The mattress dipped.


    Oh God! He sat down. I fought the urge to curl up tighter. I had to stay loose, natural, the picture of innocence. People in real sleep twitched, shifted, drooled even. I didn¡¯t dare drool what if it disgusted him? Or worse, what if it excited him? My luck with this psycho was never good. Then his inner voice roared to life, as loud and vivid as if he were speaking straight into the room.


    "Inner voice: She¡¯s still here. Good. My omega didn¡¯t run. My Ellie stayed where she belongs."


    I swallowed a groan.


    No, Psycho I stayed because you tied me here with fear, not devotion.


    "Inner voice: Unlike that pathetic Alpha I tore apart. He thought he could barter with me? Offer his daughter? That weakling dared imagine me at her side? HA. I showed him."


    My heart stuttered.


    Oh no.


    "Inner voice: I wiped out his entire pack before sunset. His warriors begged for mercy. I gave them death instead. Blood soaked the earth like rain."


    I almost stopped breathing.


    Did he just casually admit to genocide like he was describing a pic?


    "His daughter pitiful. She thought a pretty face could sway me. Fool. She¡¯ll never be Ellie. No one will ever be Ellie."


    I wanted to scream: I don¡¯t want to be Ellie either! But I was Ellie. His Ellie. Inescapably. Unfortunately.


    I forced a tiny twitch in my leg, the kind people did in deep sleep. Natural. Innocent.


    He chuckled.


    Not a warm chuckle. Not a "Inner voice: ha-ha, good joke" chuckle. No. This was the kind of sound viins make when the hero finally falls into their trap.


    "Inner voice: Even asleep, she moves like an angel. My angel."


    Angel? I was sweaty, hungry, and terrified. The only wings I had were the ones I wished could fly me out of here. Stupid psycho.


    The room stank of blood. His clothes were stiff with it. I could feel the wet squish of it in his boots each time he shifted. His aura pressed heavier and heavier, like he was dragging the battlefield in with him. He leaned closer.


    I smelled iron. And smoke. And madness.


    "Inner voice: carved it into his chest Ellie is mine. Let his soul carry the message to the afterlife. None will touch what belongs to me."


    My stomach lurched. I nearly gagged, but I turned it into a sleepy exhale. Oh God, if you are real, smite me now.


    The water started running in the washroom. He was cleaning up. I should have felt relief. Instead, I panicked harder. Because a clean Zach meant afortable Zach, and afortable Zach meant one thing: he¡¯d crawl into bed. And then what? Would he stroke my hair while thinking about how many throats he slit today? Would he whisper sweet nothings like "Your smile is brighter than a fresh kill"?


    I squeezed my eyes tighter, praying for unconsciousness to take me for real. He returned minutester, smelling of soap but still carrying that metallic tang of blood. The mattress dipped again. A hand hovered above me so close I could feel the air shift over my skin but didn¡¯t touch.


    "Inner voice: She will never know how much I do for her. How much I kill for her."


    What! What is this crazy psycho talking about? And why will he kill for me?" Oh heavens.


    "Inner voice: One day she¡¯ll see. She will cry in my arms, beg me never to leave. And I¡¯ll never leave. Never."


    My inner voice screamed louder than his.


    Beg you? Please. The only thing I¡¯d beg for is an escape route and maybe some noodles. Hey down beside me. The bed dipped, his weight pinning me between the mattress and his madness. His breath fanned against my neck, steady but heavy. I counted the seconds.


    One... two... three...


    Don¡¯t move, Ellie. Don¡¯t sneeze. Don¡¯t even think loudly. Hours passed or maybe minutes. Time didn¡¯t work right when you were trapped in a psycho¡¯s room pretending to be asleep. My body ached from staying still. My wolf whimpered silently, urging me to flee.


    But I didn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t. Because the psycho wasn¡¯t just watching me. He was listening. Breathing with me. Thinking about me in ways that made my skin crawl and my stomach twist. At some point, I drifted into a half-sleep, the kind where dreams and reality tangled. I dreamed of blood rivers and Zach standing in them, smiling, carving my name into the corpses. I woke with a silent jolt, but kept my eyes shut, terrified he¡¯d notice. A knock on the door finally broke the nightmare.


    "Alpha," a warrior called softly. "It¡¯s done."


    Zach growled low, then rose from the bed. "Leave us."


    The footsteps retreated.


    He leaned down close, so close his breath brushed my ear.


    "Mine."


    Then he was gone as the door mmed. I finally dared open my eyes. The room was empty except for the lingering bloodstains on the floor, the faint smell of soap, and the crushing reminder that I was still his prisoner. I didn¡¯t get long to breathe. Because before dawn broke, the guards came.


    Just when I thought it was over just when I finally let myself breathe like a half-dead fish washed up on shore the door creaked open again.


    Oh no. I panicked so hard my wolf yelped inside me, but I ttened myself against the mattress and squeezed my eyes shut. y dead, Ellie. PLAY. DEAD. The heavy footsteps came closer, slower this time, dragging like thunder rolling across the floor. The scent of soap and steel filled the air again, sharp enough to make me gag. The mattress dipped. A weight pressed against me. His weight. And then his arms. Strong, iron arms wrapping around me like chains disguised as an embrace. My body locked. My lungs froze.


    He pulled me flush against his chest, burying his face in my hair. His breath was warm, steady, and way too close.


    "Sleep well, my little omega," he whispered.


    Oh God. My brain screamed, I¡¯M NOT SLEEPING, YOU BLOODY MANIAC! but my mouth stayed shut. I forced my body to stay limp, boneless, pretending the psycho cuddling me was totally normal, totally fine, totally something I wouldn¡¯t tell a therapist about for the next fifty years if I survived that long.


    His grip tightened. Like he thought if he held me hard enough, I¡¯d melt into him. Like I was a possession, not a person and Iy there. I was Breathing steady and my eyes shut. Heart pounding so loud I swore he could hear it.


    But I didn¡¯t move. Because in that moment, pretending to sleep was the only weapon I had.


    The longer Iy trapped in his arms, the more I realized the universe hated me. At first it was fine well, not fine, but tolerable. My lungs were working, my heart hadn¡¯t exploded, and I was still managing to pretend I was asleep. But then my dder decided to betray me. I¡¯d drunk too much water before "going to bed," mostly because I¡¯d hoped hydration would calm my nerves. Big mistake. Huge mistake. Now I was stuck, squeezed tight in Alpha Zach¡¯s iron grip, while my poor dder screamed like a hostage. Don¡¯t panic, Ellie. Just hold it. You¡¯re strong. You can do this. Another ten minutes passed. His arm pressed harder against my stomach.


    Oh God! he was literally squishing me. I tried to shift ever so slightly, just enough to ease the pressure. A tiny movement. Harmless. Innocent. But the psycho grip instantly tightened, yanking me closer until my spine protested.


    "Mine," he mumbled against my hair.


    My dder whimpered.


    Okay. Okay, maybe I could ask. Like a normal person. Maybe he¡¯d understand. Even psychos had to respect the call of nature, right?


    I let out the softest whisper. "I... I need to use the toilet."


    For a terrifying second, there was silence.


    Then his chest vibrated with a low chuckle. "No. Stay."


    Stay?! STAY?! What was I, a puppy being told to sit?! I squirmed a little harder, but his arm mped down like a steel bar, pressing directly into my poor dder. I bit back a groan. This was cruel and unusual punishment.


    "Please," I whispered again, voice shaking. "Just for a moment¡ª"


    He buried his face deeper into my neck, inhaling like I was some kind of drug. "Later. Sleep now, my omega."


    Later?! Did this lunatic not understand how dders worked? Later meant disaster. Later meant humiliation. Later meant me dying of shame right here in his arms. Inside, my thoughts were a screaming mess:


    Moon Goddess, if you care at all, now¡¯s the time to smite me. Or teleport me. Or at least invent diapers in this cursed world. I wriggled again, desperate and it was a bad idea. Because the more I struggled, the more he seemed to enjoy it. His inner voice purred, "She doesn¡¯t even realize how sweet she is when she squirms. Like she¡¯s made to fit against me."


    Sweet?! I was seconds away from turning this bed into a puddle, and he thought it was sweet?! I froze, holding perfectly still again, bargaining silently with my dder like it was a wild animal. Just hold on. Just a little longer. We can make it. Please don¡¯t betray me now.


    The psycho¡¯s grip stayed firm, his warmth smothering, his breath steady. And me?


    Iy there with wide, desperate eyes behind my closed lids, silently screaming at the ceiling. This wasn¡¯t just captivity anymore. This was torture.

 Chapter 51

    <h4>Chapter 51: Chapter 51</h4>


    His grip around me was so tight my ribs screamed with every breath. I cried and begged, but the Psycho Alpha didn¡¯t let go. His hand pressed against my stomach, keeping me trapped against his chest, his heartbeat steady while mine raced like a cornered rabbit¡¯s. I tried to push his arm away, to twist free, but he only held me tighter, almost crushing me in his suffocating embrace. My tears kept falling. My body shook.


    "Please," I sobbed, the words tearing raw from my throat. "Please let me go¡ªI can¡¯t... I need to¡ª"


    Atst, he sighed. Not out of sympathy, not because he cared, but like someone humoring a child. His grip loosened, and the air rushed into my lungs so fast I nearly choked on it.


    "Go," he murmured, voice low and sharp. "But don¡¯t think I won¡¯t be watching."


    I scrambled out of his arms, clutching my stomach, and staggered toward the bathroom. My bare feet pped against the cold floor. I didn¡¯t dare look back at him, though I could feel his eyes searing into me, following every trembling step. My hands fumbled with the door handle before I finally slipped inside and shut it behind me. The small lock clicked into ce, thin and fragilepared to the man outside. For the first time since he grabbed me, I felt like I could breathe but the relief was brief. Then his inner voice came again.


    "Do you think you can run, little omega?"


    I froze. My heart lurched painfully against my ribs. My wide eyes darted to the mirror above the sink. My reflection was a ghost: pale skin streaked with tears, red-rimmed eyes, damp hair stered to my cheeks. I looked broken. And worse, I looked caught.


    "Inner voice: What about that window behind you?" his voice purred through my thoughts. "It¡¯s just wide enough, isn¡¯t it? You wonder if you could squeeze your fragile body through it. If you could climb down and escape me."


    A shiver crawled down my spine. My gaze flicked despite myself to the tiny window above the bathtub. The thin curtain swayed with the faint night air. He couldn¡¯t see me. He wasn¡¯t in the room. But he knew. He always knew.


    "Stop," I whispered to myself.


    "Stop what?" Hisugh curled around my thoughts, smooth and mocking. "Reading you? Feeling you? You can¡¯t hide from me, Ellie. Even your mind is mine."


    I sank onto the closed toilet lid, covering my face with shaking hands. My sobs echoed in the small tiled room, but they did nothing to drown out his presence. On the other side of the door, the floor creaked. He shifted, leaning against the frame.


    "Go on," his inner voice whispered silkily. "Do what you need to do. But don¡¯t take too long. Don¡¯t make mee in there."


    The threat pressed heavy on my chest. I hurried, lowering myself to relieve my aching dder, every nerve on edge, every sound amplified¡ªthe faint hum of the pipes, the distant rustle of leaves outside the window, and the steady weight of him, waiting, listening. When I finished, I flushed quickly and stumbled to the sink. Cold water sshed against my trembling hands. My reflection wavered in the ss, hollow-eyed, defeated.


    The towel hung just beneath the window. My gaze lingered there, traitorous thoughts whispering. Could I? Could I climb out? For a heartbeat, the idea felt almost real. Almost possible.


    "Ahh," his voice slithered through me again, ending the thought before it fully formed. "There it is. That spark. You want to test me. You want to see if you can outrun an Alpha."


    My stomach dropped.


    "Do it," he urged softly. "Climb up, touch the window, pretend you have a choice. It will make catching you all the sweeter."


    "No." The word broke out of me in a hoarse whisper. I shook my head, clutching the towel as if it could shield me.


    The doorknob rattled suddenly, and I flinched so hard the towel slipped from my hands.


    "Ellie," his real voice called, deep andmanding. "Come out."


    My body froze. My mind screamed.


    If I stayed, he¡¯d break the door. If I tried the window, he¡¯d punish me. There was no winning. My hands were shaking, I reached for the lock. The metallic click echoed like a death bell.


    The door swung open, and the crazy psycho was there.


    The Psycho Alpha leanedzily against the frame, arms crossed, a smirk curving his lips. His sharp eyes roamed over me, from my flushed face to my trembling knees, drinking in every ounce of fear.


    "Good girl," he murmured, brushing a tear from my cheek with his thumb. His touch burned. "You didn¡¯t test me."


    I flinched but didn¡¯t move. His hand lingered, tilting my chin upward until I had no choice but to meet his gaze.


    "You see?" His voice dropped low, almost tender. "You already know what happens when you disobey me. You¡¯re learning."


    A tremor ran down my spine. Was that what he wanted? For me to learn to submit, to obey, until there was nothing left of me? He stepped closer, crowding me against the doorframe, his scent wrapping around me strong, intoxicating, suffocating. "Let¡¯s go back," he whispered.


    I swallowed hard, my throat dry as sand. My body obeyed before my mind did. He took my hand, his grip firm, unyielding, and guided me back toward the bed. The bedroom felt colder now, though the fire still burned in the hearth. The shadows on the walls seemed sharper, stretching long and thin like ws reaching for me. He pulled me onto the bed beside him. I sat stiffly, every muscle locked in ce. He draped an arm around my shoulders and drew me against his chest again, as though I was something to be treasured instead of trapped.


    "You cry so sweetly," he murmured into my hair. "But you¡¯ll see, Ellie. One day, you won¡¯t cry because you¡¯re afraid. You¡¯ll cry because you finally understand you belong to me."


    His words coiled around my heart like chains. I closed my eyes, wishing for silence, for escape, for anything but this suffocating bond. But his voice was still there, inside my head, soft and mocking.


    "Inner voice: The walls have ears, little omega. And those ears are mine."


    And I knew then no matter where I went, no matter how many locks or walls stood between us I would never truly be alone.


    The Psycho had passed out again on the bed. He was sprawled like a mountain of muscle beside me, his arm draped over my chest like a boulder pinning me to the earth. His chest rose and fell heavily, and then


    "Grrrrhhh... snnkkhhrrhh..."


    I blinked. Was that even a growl? A snore? A chainsaw?


    I pressed my lips together, praying I wouldn¡¯tugh out loud, because of course if Iughed, he¡¯d wake up, and then I¡¯d probably "learn another lesson." His face was perfectly calm, eyes shut, but his body was crushing the life out of me.


    "Great," I muttered under my breath. "So not only am I trapped with a psycho, I¡¯m also his human pillow."


    His arm squeezed unconsciously, pressing down on my ribs until my lungs squeaked in protest.


    "Yep. Definitely dying tonight. Tell my future gravestone: Here lies Ellie, suffocated by Alpha Snorezi."


    I tilted my head, staring at his shoulder hovering right next to my mouth. My teeth itched.


    "You know what would be funny?" I whispered to myself. "If I just bite him. Right here. Just a little chomp."


    I pictured it vividly: sinking my teeth into his skin, watching him jump awake like a startled wolf, me rolling off the bed and sprinting for the door.


    The image almost made me giggle.


    "Bite him, bite him," the little devil on my shoulder chanted in my brain.


    But the angel side of me snorted. "Are you insane, Ellie? He¡¯d probably tie you up for a week if you tried that or even strangle you


    I sighed dramatically, ring at his sleeping face. "Lucky for you, Alpha Snorezi, I value my teeth too much to lose them tonight."


    Another snore ripped through the air, loud enough to rattle the headboard. I froze, then whispered, "Oh my goddess. He¡¯s going to wake himself up with that." But no. He just tightened his grip again, squeezing the breath out of me. My chest heaved, my ribs creaked, and my eyes bulged.


    "Perfect," I wheezed softly. "Death by cuddle. This is my life now. Fantastic."


    Still, my gaze drifted back to his shoulder.


    What other evil thing can I do to this psycho? How does he expect me to sleep while he is squeezing me. Oh God! I need a miracle now or else I will be squeezed to death by this psycho Let me try breathing with my mouth before. Out of all the omegas in this pack, I¡¯m the only one this psycho Alpha wants to torment.

 Chapter 52

    <h4>Chapter 52: Chapter 52</h4>


    I didn¡¯t know when exactly I fell asleep. One moment, I was lying stiff as a board in the psycho Alpha¡¯s iron grip, my dder screaming and my brain muttering insults at him in silence, and the next, morning light was sneaking in through the curtains. For a blissful second, I thought it had all been a nightmare. My arms moved freely. No death grip crushing my ribs. No heavy body pinning me down like a human paperweight. I turned my head, blinking into the emptiness beside me. The Alpha was gone.


    I shot upright, gasping.


    "Oh my goddess... he evaporated? Did the Moon Goddess finally answer my prayers? Did someone stab him with a silver fork in his sleep?"


    I scrambled off the bed like a rabbit escaping a wolf, half-expecting him to pop out of the wardrobe and yell "Gotcha, little omega!"


    But no. The room was silent.


    I should¡¯ve celebrated. Thrown a little parade for my ribs that were no longer being crushed. But instead, my paranoia started chewing at me. If he was gone, that meant he was... doing something. And with him, "something" usually tranted to "violence," "blood," or "Ellie¡¯s new nightmare."


    Still, I had omega duties to do, so I pushed down the dread. I washed, tidied, and tried to pretend I was a normal omega in a normal pack, not living with a psycho Alpha who treated me like his favorite squeaky toy. By the time I was scrubbing clothes by the river, my brain finally rxed a little. I dunked one of his shirts into the water, squeezed it, and nearly shrieked.


    "Blood! Oh for crying out loud, it¡¯s always blood! Does he even know soap exists? Does he think shirts just eat stains on their own?"


    The crimson stains swirled in the water like tiny ghosts, and I muttered to myself, "I¡¯m going to get trauma just from doingundry. This is not what my mother meant when she said hard work builds character."


    While I wrestled with his bloody shirt, voices drifted over from the other omegas gathered nearby.


    "Did you hear?" one of them whispered. "The Alpha and the warriors brought back a girlst night."


    My ears perked up immediately. I tried not to look like I was listening, but of course I tilted my head so far I nearly fell face-first into the river.


    "They tied her up in chains," another omega whispered, "and locked her in the dungeon."


    "Chains?" I mouthed silently.


    "They say the Alpha told Elizabeth not to feed her at all."


    My jaw dropped. Not feed her? Who was this poor girl, and why was she suddenly starring in the Alpha¡¯s next horror movie?


    One omega sighed dramatically. "Imagine being chained in the dungeon, starving."


    Another snickered. "Better her than me."


    I froze. My hands kept scrubbing the bloody shirt, but my brain was sprinting in circles. A chained-up mystery girl. In his dungeon. And he specifically said not to feed her.


    I nced down at the shirt in my hands.


    "Oh God. This blood isn¡¯t justundry. This is a warning. This is Exhibit A in my future obituary."


    The omegas kept whispering, but my imagination was already painting the scariest pictures possible. What if the girl was some kind of witch? What if she was foaming at the mouth, waiting to eat the next idiot who wandered close? What if she was cursed and would bite me and turn me into a dungeon goblin? I shook my head. "Nope, nope, nope. Ellie, mind your business. Pretend you didn¡¯t hear anything. Finish scrubbing Psycho Alpha¡¯s horror stains and go home."


    But of course, my curiosity had other ns. It was crawling all over me like fleas. The words "chained in the dungeon" echoed in my skull.


    I whispered to myself, "What if she¡¯s another omega? What if she needs help? What if I¡¯m supposed to save her?"


    Then my survival instinct pped me across the face.


    "Or what if you ¡¯save¡¯ her, and the Alpha finds out, and then you end up as Dungeon Girl #2? Think, Ellie, think!"


    But still the thought of a girl starving in the dungeon made my stomach twist. And knowing the psycho Alpha, he probably enjoyed watching her suffer, just like he enjoyed squeezing me in bed until my lungs squeaked. As I wrung out the shirt, I identally said out loud, "I should sneak her food."


    The omegas around me gasped and stared like I¡¯d grown a second head.


    I pped a hand over my mouth. "Kidding! Kidding. Haha. Just a joke. Totally not nning to do anything heroic. Nope. Not me. I¡¯m too fragile for heroism."


    They kept staring until I muttered, "Fine, mind your business," and scurried off with the damp shirt like a roon with stolen trash.


    But inside, the argument raged. Curiosity versus survival. Compassion versusmon sense. One thing was certain: the dungeon girl wasn¡¯t just her problem anymore. Somehow, some way, she was about to be mine too. And knowing my luck? She was probably ten times scarier than the psycho Alpha himself.


    I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me. Really, or why I felt sad for her. I had every reason in the world to stay away from that dungeon. The psycho Alpha had already given his order: don¡¯t feed the girl. And everybody in this pack knows what happens when people ignore the psycho Alpha¡¯s orders. Spoiler: it usually involves teeth, ws, and the sound of bones cracking like dry twigs. But of course, my stupid, squishy heart decided it wanted to be a hero. So that night, when the packhouse grew quiet, when warriors had finished their patrols and the omegas were curled up in their sleeping mats, I tiptoed down the hallway, hugging the shadows like a thief.


    My brain whispered frantically:


    "Ellie, stop. Turn back. This is how idiots die in horror stories. You¡¯re going to be that character who says, ¡¯What¡¯s that noise?¡¯ and then gets dragged into the dark by some creature with glowing eyes."


    But my feet kept moving anyway. The stairs to the dungeon creaked under me like they were trying to snitch. I froze at every sound, clutching the smallntern I¡¯d stolen from theundry room. Shadows leapt across the walls, flickering like they were alive. The deeper I went, the colder it got. The air grew heavy with damp stone and something else something sharp, metallic. Blood. I wrinkled my nose, whispering, "Great. Just great. My life smells like a butcher¡¯s nightmare."


    At the bottom of the stairs, a massive iron door waited. Its hinges were ckened with rust, and the small barred window in the middle leaked only the faintest glow of torchlight from inside. My hands shook as I lifted thentern higher. My voice came out in a nervous squeak. "Hello? Anybody in there? Please don¡¯t say ¡¯boo.¡¯"


    I swallowed. "Okay... Ellie, you can do this. You¡¯re brave. You survived the Alpha cuddling you to near-death in bed. You can survive this."


    I pushed the door. It groaned like the spirit of every murdered soul in the packhouse was trapped inside. The dungeon stretched out in front of me, a long, damp corridor lined with cells. Water dripped steadily from the ceiling, each drop echoing like a ticking clock. The smell of rot was stronger here, crawling into my lungs.


    And then I saw her there. I stopped breathing. The girl was chained against the far wall, her body hanging like a broken puppet. Heavy iron shackles cut into her wrists and ankles, the chains biting into raw, torn flesh. Blood streaked her arms and legs, dripping down into small, dark pools on the floor. Her face was a map of cuts and bruises. One eye was swollen shut. The other... oh goddess, the other was wide open and staring at me. Part of her hair had been shaved off in uneven clumps, leaving her scalp raw and ugly. The rest of it hung in matted strands, sticky with blood.


    I nearly dropped thentern. "Holy... oh God-oh no no no


    My knees wobbled. My stomach flipped. I pressed a hand over my mouth to keep from screaming. She wasn¡¯t just tied up. She wasn¡¯t just bleeding. She looked like she¡¯d been dragged through hell and left there to rot. I stumbled forward, whispering, "What did he do to you?"


    Her one good eye followed me. It was wide and unblinking, glittering in thentern light like a predator¡¯s.


    For a terrifying second, I thought she wasn¡¯t human. She looked more monster than girl, with all those cuts and that blood. My heart thudded so loud I swore it would wake the entire packhouse. Then her lips moved. Barely. Cracked, bleeding lips forming a single word.


    "Water."


    My chest clenched. She was alive. Somehow, impossibly, she was alive.


    I looked around frantically. "Water... water, um hold on, I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll find something¡ª"


    But I hadn¡¯t brought water. I hadn¡¯t brought food. I¡¯d been too scared to even think straight. My hands trembled. "I¡ªI¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t¡ªOh goddess, I¡¯m useless! This is why people don¡¯t invite me on rescue missions. I don¡¯t evene prepared." Her chains rattled as she shifted, the sound scraping against the silence like nails on bone.


    That eye fixed on me again. Desperate. Hungry. I felt my knees weaken. "Don¡¯t look at me like that. Please don¡¯t look at me like that."


    I took a shaky step back, my back hitting the bars of the opposite cell. The cold iron rattled, making me yelp.


    She flinched at the sound, her body jerking against the chains. Blood smeared down the wall behind her. I almost copsed. My whole body was trembling, sweat prickling my skin even in the dungeon¡¯s icy air.


    "I shouldn¡¯t be here," I whispered. "If he finds me here! But then I thought about the Alpha¡¯s words: don¡¯t feed her. And I thought about the way this girl¡¯s lips had cracked just to say water.


    My chest twisted. I crept closer again, whispering like a guilty child, "Okay, okay, fine. I¡¯ll help you. But you have to promise not to, you know, lunge at me like a starving wolf."


    Her eye blinked slowly, as if mocking me.I ced thentern down carefully on the floor, pulling the hem of my dress to wipe her bleeding mouth. My hands shook so badly I nearly dropped the fabric. The moment the cloth touched her lips, she let out a sound low, raw, like an animal¡¯s growl mixed with a sob. It sent goosebumps racing across my skin. Then I froze. Because footsteps echoed faintly above. I jerked upright, my heart climbing into my throat. The psycho Alpha. I knew it, I knew it. My bad luck was a curse. He wasing. I scrambled back, nearly tripping over thentern. My mind screamed at me to run, but my feet stuck to the ground. The girl¡¯s chains rattled again, louder this time. She lifted her head, and for a brief, horrifying moment, I thought she was smiling. Bloody lips curling. One eye glinting and smiling.


    At me.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 53

    <h4>Chapter 53: Chapter 53</h4>


    I pressed myself against the cold stone wall, heart hammering so violently I thought it might give me away. The dungeon door creaked as it opened, and I barely managed to slip behind it, ttening my body into the narrow gap between the thick wood and the damp wall. My breath caught in my throat as Alpha Psycho¡¯s heavy footsteps echoed inside, followed by the shuffle of two warriors at his side.


    The metallic stench of blood and mildew filled my nose, making my stomach twist. I dared not move. If he saw me here if he even sensed me there would be no mercy. My body shook, my fingernails digging into the stone as though I could anchor myself there, invisible and silent.


    The girl¡¯s weak whimper carried through the air. I peeked through a small crack. She was still chained against the far wall, her body barely recognizable under the bruises, cuts, and dried blood. Part of her hair had been shaved off, leaving jagged patches on her scalp, and her swollen face looked like a mask of suffering. My chest tightened. I wanted to scream, to cry, to do something but all I could do was watch in horror.


    Alpha Psycho¡¯s voice cut through the silence like a de.


    "Well, well," he sneered, stalking toward her, his boots thudding against the stone floor. "Look at you. Still breathing. Still pathetic."


    He stopped right in front of her, crouching slightly so his piercing eyes met her broken gaze. Then he pped her hard. The sound cracked in the dungeon, loud and merciless. My knees buckled, and I had to bite down on my hand to keep from crying out.


    "How dare you," he growled, pping her again. "How dare you think you could be my mate? You? A filthy little weakling?" Another p. Her head snapped to the side, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth.


    Heughed then, low and cruel, and stood up tall. "Your father thought he was clever, didn¡¯t he? Sending people to me. Trying to bargain with me." His voice rose, echoing off the stone walls. "But I killed them. Every single one of them. Just like I killed the rest of your pathetic pack."


    The girl whimpered, trembling against the chains. My stomach turned to ice.


    The Psycho¡¯s face twisted with amusement. "And you know what, little mate-wannabe? I¡¯m not going to kill you just yet. No. You¡¯re going to suffer. You¡¯re going to beg me for death, and only then will I grant it."


    He turned to his warriors, a twisted grin spreading across his lips. "Strip her."


    My breath hitched so sharply I thought the sound would betray me. My vision blurred as fear shot through me like lightning. I wanted to cover my ears, to close my eyes, to block out what was about to happen. But I couldn¡¯t move. I was rooted to the spot, frozen in a nightmare I couldn¡¯t wake up from. The warriors moved forward, their faces expressionless as they obeyed. The girl¡¯s weak protests filled the air broken sobs, desperate pleas but they ignored her. Her voice cracked as she screamed for help that would nevere.


    "Please," she begged. "Please don¡¯t¡ª"


    Another p silenced her. Alpha Psycho chuckled, his eyes gleaming with sick satisfaction as he watched hismand carried out.


    I pressed my forehead against the stone, trying to steady my breathing, but every sound cut through me: the clinking of chains, the tearing of fabric, the girl¡¯s muffled cries. My entire body shook. I wanted to run, to flee this nightmare, but my legs wouldn¡¯t move. My mind screamed at me to do something, anything but what could I do against him? Against them?


    Alpha Psycho leaned close to her, his voice a venomous whisper. "You thought being my mate would save you? That it would give you some special ce by my side? No. You¡¯re nothing. You¡¯re filth. And before I kill you, I¡¯ll make sure you understand just how worthless you really are."


    The girl sobbed, her voice raw. "Why... why are you doing this?"


    Hisughter chilled me to the bone. "Because I can."


    The dungeon seemed to grow smaller, darker, the air suffocating. My pulse thundered in my ears. Every cruel word he spoke, every sound of pain that escaped her lips, carved into me. I felt sick, dizzy, as though the walls themselves were closing in. Then he turned his head slightly, sniffing the air. My heart stopped. His eyes narrowed, and for a terrifying moment, I thought he had caught my scent. My entire body went rigid, sweat dripping down my spine. I didn¡¯t breathe. I didn¡¯t even blink. But after a long pause, he smirked and looked back at the girl.


    "You¡¯ll stay down here until I decide otherwise," he said, stepping back. "Let her rot."


    He gestured to his men. "Leave her chained. Let her think about what happens next."


    The warriors obeyed, stepping away. The girl sagged against the wall, her body trembling, her eyes empty with despair.


    Alpha Zach gave onest cruel smile before turning toward the door. His boots struck the floor like thunder, each step bringing him closer to me. I pressed harder into the wall, biting my lip until I tasted blood, praying, begging silently that he wouldn¡¯t notice me.


    The door groaned as it swung open. For a heartbeat, I was certain he would see me. My chest seized, panic flooding every vein.


    But he walked past, his warriors following. The door mmed shut, the sound echoing through the dungeon like a death knell and Silence fell. I slid down the wall, trembling so violently I thought my bones might shatter. My breath came in ragged gasps, and tears spilled down my cheeks. I pressed my hands to my mouth to muffle the sob that tore its way out of me. The girl let out a broken moan, and my heart clenched. I forced myself to move, to crawl out from behind the door. My legs felt like lead, but I dragged myself forward, inch by inch, until I reached her. Her eyes flickered open at the sound of my movement. They were swollen, bruised, but when she saw me, they widened with something fragile hope.


    "P-please," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Help me..."


    I shook my head, tears blurring my vision. "I... I can¡¯t," I choked out. "I can¡¯t let him know I¡¯m here. He¡¯ll kill me too."


    Her sob tore through me like a de. I wanted to free her. I wanted to undo the chains, to carry her out of this hell. But the keys were gone, and my strength was nothingpared to his cruelty. All I could do was sit there, helpless, watching her broken body tremble. The dungeon swallowed us in its silence, broken only by her shallow breaths and my quiet sobs. Fear clung to me like a second skin, cold and suffocating. I knew Alpha Psycho would return. And next time, maybe he wouldn¡¯t leave without finding me. And yet, even knowing that, I couldn¡¯t leave her. Not yet. Not when she was still alive. I don¡¯t know how long I sat there in the suffocating silence after Alpha Psycho left. My body wouldn¡¯t stop shaking, my mind reying every p, every cruel word, every sound of the girl¡¯s pain until it felt like they were carved into my skull.


    I wanted to run. I wanted to leave this dungeon and pretend I hadn¡¯t seen any of it. But every time I tried to push myself up, my gaze fell on her slumped against the wall, her chest rising shallowly, her eyes half-closed in exhaustion. She was alive, barely, and leaving her here felt like stabbing her myself. The silence didn¡¯tst.


    The heavy creak of the dungeon door split the air again. My heart leapt into my throat, and I scrambled back behind the shadows. Two figures slipped inside not Alpha Psycho this time, but the same two warriors who had obeyed his sickmands earlier. Their expressions were nk, almost bored, as though this was routine for them. But what they carried in their hands made my blood run cold. A length of chain, its links glowing faintly with a sickly green sheen. Even from here, the acrid scent stung my nose. Wolfsbane. I covered my mouth to stop the scream building in my throat. My entire body went cold, my vision dimming at the edges. I knew what wolfsbane did to wolves, how it burned, how it ate through flesh like fire. My own skin tingled as if I could already feel it. The girl lifted her head weakly when she heard them approach. Her swollen eyes widened when she saw the chain, and a broken whimper escaped her.


    "No," she whispered, her voice shaking. "Please... please don¡¯t¡ª"


    The first warrior didn¡¯t answer. He swung the chain back and brought it down across her body with a sickening crack. Her scream pierced the dungeon, high and raw, echoing off the stone until it felt like the walls themselves were wailing with her. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, sharp and unbearable. My stomach heaved violently, and I had to mp my teeth together to keep from retching. Again, the chain cracked. Again, her body jerked, her voice shattering into hoarse cries. The wolfsbane seared her skin, leaving ckened marks where it struck. Her blood mixed with the poison, dripping down her arms and legs in crimson trails. My head spun. My knees gave out, and I copsed against the wall. Spots danced in my vision, and for a terrifying moment, I thought I would faint. My heart pounded so hard I couldn¡¯t hear anything but its frantic rhythm. I pressed my forehead against the stone, the cold biting into my skin, trying desperately to ground myself. But I couldn¡¯t block out the sound of her agony. The second warrior took the chain, his eyes narrowing slightly with cruel satisfaction as he struck her across the stomach. The force of the blow knocked the breath from her lungs, leaving her choking, her body curling inward as far as the chains would allow. I couldn¡¯t breathe. My own chest ached as if I had been struck. My mind screamed at me to look away, to shut my eyes, but I couldn¡¯t. I was trapped forced to witness everysh, every sob, every broken plea.


    "Please," she begged again, her voice barely more than a rasp. "Please stop... I¡¯ll do anything..."


    Her words only seemed to encourage them. The chain whistled through the air again, striking her shoulder this time, tearing open skin already bruised and battered. The glow of wolfsbane shimmered against her blood, and she screamed so loudly I thought my eardrums would burst. My hands shook uncontrobly. I pressed them against my ears, trying to muffle the sound, but it still cut through, sharp and merciless. My vision blurred with tears. I thought of the times Alpha Psycho had hurt me. The way he grabbed me, squeezed me until I couldn¡¯t breathe. The way his words sliced into me, cruel and mocking. But this this was worse. This was beyond anything I had ever imagined he could do. And deep down, a horrifying thought took root.


    What if this was just a rehearsal? What if one day, it was me chained to that wall, staring down the same glowing chain? The thought made me shiver violently, my stomach twisting until I thought I would vomit. The warriors didn¡¯t stop. They struck her again and again, methodically, almost rhythmically. Eachsh left her weaker, her voice fading into broken sobs, until she could no longer scream at all. Only shallow gasps escaped her lips, her body convulsing against the restraints.


    "Enough," one of them finally muttered, his voice t. He tossed the chain aside, its tter echoing ominously. The faint green glow dimmed as ity on the floor, like a serpent resting after feeding.


    The girl slumped forward, barely conscious, her body covered in raw, oozing wounds. Her head lolled to the side, her eyes zed.


    The warriors didn¡¯t spare her another nce. They turned and walked out, their boots clicking against the stone. The door mmed shut, leaving me alone with the silence and the stench of blood and burning flesh.


    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t even breathe. My mind screamed at me to run, to escape this nightmare, but my legs felt like they belonged to someone else heavy, useless. Finally, I crawled forward, inch by inch, until I reached her again. Her skin was hot to the touch, feverish, and she flinched weakly when my fingers brushed her arm.


    "Shh," I whispered, though my own voice trembled. "It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here. I¡¯m here."


    But I knew it wasn¡¯t okay. Nothing about this was okay.


    She forced her swollen eyes open, just enough to look at me. "Please," she breathed. "Don¡¯t... let him... kill me..."


    Her words sliced into me. My throat closed, my chest tightening until I thought I might suffocate.


    "I¡¯ll try," I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "I¡¯ll try. I promise."


    But deep down, I knew promises meant nothing in this ce.


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 Chapter 54

    <h4>Chapter 54: Chapter 54</h4>


    The dungeon smelled worse than I remembered. I held my breath as I crept down the cold, narrow staircase, clutching the small bundle of bread and a sk of water hidden under my apron. Every step felt like it echoed in the silence, as though the walls themselves were warning me to turn back. My heart was pounding so loud I swore it would give me away. If the psycho Alpha or worse, the guards caught me here, I didn¡¯t want to imagine what they would do to me. But I couldn¡¯t stay away. The girl down here had been left to rot. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face bloody, bruised, half-hidden by the matted strands of hair that had been shaved unevenly. Her arms were tied so tightly that her skin was raw, and her legs... I shivered, remembering the bruises, the cuts, the way her body trembled with every shallow breath. I had to do something. Even if it was just food. Even if it was just water. The iron gate loomed in front of me. I knelt, fumbling with the rusty lock I¡¯d learned creaked if you opened it too fast. Slowly, carefully, I pushed it open. The sound scraped against my ears like knives.


    "Shh," I whispered to myself, ncing over my shoulder.


    No footsteps. No voices. Just the dripping of water echoing off stone.


    The girl was where I¡¯dst seen her slumped against the wall, wrists chained above her head, body curled in on itself like she was trying to disappear into the shadows. For a horrible moment, I thought she was dead.


    "Hey," I whispered, kneeling down beside her. "I brought something. Please... wake up."


    Her head jerked at the sound of my voice. Slowly, painfully, her eyes fluttered open. Those eyes bloodshot, hollow, filled with so much suffering it made my chest ache. When she saw the bread, her gaze sharpened like a starving animal¡¯s. She tried to speak, but it came out as a dry rasp.


    "I know," I said softly, pulling off a piece of bread and holding it to her lips. "Eat. But slow please."


    She snatched it from my fingers with trembling hands. The chains clinked, her nails broken and bloodied as she crammed the piece into her mouth. She didn¡¯t chew properly she just swallowed like she hadn¡¯t eaten in weeks.


    "Wait¡ªslow down!" I hissed, looking around as though someone would burst in any second. But she didn¡¯t listen. She shoved another piece into her mouth, then another. Her throat worked furiously, her eyes wide, desperate.


    Then it happened. She started choking. Her body convulsed, and she wed at her throat, gasping, gagging. The sound was horrific like someone strangled by invisible hands. The bread was lodged in her throat.


    "Breathe! Please¡ª" My own hands shook as I dropped the sk and grabbed her shoulders. "Don¡¯t-don¡¯t die!"


    Her face turned red, then purple, veins bulging against her neck. The sound of her choking filled the dungeon, loud and wet, bouncing off the walls. It didn¡¯t sound human. It sounded like something dying. I panicked. I didn¡¯t know what to do. I pounded on her back, my heart racing faster than it ever had in my life. Her eyes rolled, foam bubbling at her lips, her legs thrashing weakly against the stone floor.


    "No, no, no, no¡ª" I cried, hitting her harder, my own voice breaking.


    Finally, with a horrible, wet gag, the lump of bread flew from her mouth and hit the ground with a sickening st.


    She copsed forward, coughing violently, strings of spit and blood dripping down her chin. She sucked in air like it was the only thing keeping her tethered to life.


    I sat there frozen, my hands covered in her bloodied spit, my chest heaving. The girl looked at me, her lips trembling, her eyes wild. "M-more," she croaked, her voice raw.


    I couldn¡¯t breathe. "You almost died." But she didn¡¯t care. She reached for the bread again with trembling, blood-stained fingers. The chains rattled violently as she tried to rip another piece free.


    Her desperation was terrifying. She wasn¡¯t human in that moment she was a starving, broken creature, half-dead and yet clinging to the scraps of survival.


    "Please," she whispered hoarsely. "Don¡¯t stop. Don¡¯t let them take it away."


    I wanted to run. The way she looked at me, like she¡¯d kill for another bite, chilled me to the bone. But I forced myself to tear smaller pieces, cing them against her lips, making her chew slowly. Her eyes never left mine. Desperate. Hollow. Begging. She devoured each piece like it was thest food she¡¯d ever taste. And maybe it was. When I offered her the sk, she nearly tore it from my hand. Water spilled down her chin as she gulped greedily, coughing and choking again but refusing to stop. I pulled it away. "Enough, you¡¯ll drown yourself."


    Her head snapped toward me, a low, guttural sound rising from her throat. For a split second, her face twisted into something feral, her teeth bared. My stomach dropped.


    Then the sound faded, and she slumped back against the wall, sobbing weakly. I sat there, shaking, the weight of what I¡¯d just seen pressing down on me. The girl wasn¡¯t just broken she was unraveling. And I had a horrible feeling that if the psycho Alpha discovered I¡¯d been here, if he learned I¡¯d fed her I touched her trembling hand, forcing my voice to steady. "I¡¯lle back. I promise. But you have to stay alive. Please. Don¡¯t give them the satisfaction of breaking you."


    Her eyes flickered, somewhere between hope and madness. I stood, wiping my hands on my apron, my legs weak beneath me. I picked up the soggy piece of bread she¡¯d choked on, staring at it in horror. It was a reminder she wasn¡¯t just starving. She was dying.


    As I slipped out of the dungeon, locking the gate behind me, the echoes of her choking still rang in my ears. Her breathing slowed after a while, though each inhale still rattled in her chest. I sat across from her, clutching my knees, trying to calm my own shaking hands. The silence in the dungeon pressed down on us like a suffocating weight. Finally, I whispered, "why is he doing this to you? What did you do wrong?"


    Her head lifted slowly, her face pale, streaked with sweat and tears. For a long moment, she just stared at me, her eyes unfocused, like she was deciding whether to answer. Then, in a voice that was little more than a rasp, she said.


    "I was my father¡¯s only daughter. He was Alpha of the Grayfang Pack... a proud man. Strict. But he loved me." She coughed, blood flecking her lips. "When I came of age, I told him I had fallen in love with him."


    Her voice broke on the word, though there was no love in it now. Only horror.


    "The psycho Alpha?" I whispered.


    She nodded, chains clinking with the small movement. "I saw him once at a gathering. I was foolish. Blind. I thought his strength was... beautiful. I thought he was untouchable, that he would protect me if I was his mate. I begged my father to let me have him. To im him."


    She shivered violently, as though the memory itself cut her open.


    "My father..." Her voice cracked again. "He agreed. He sent a message to Alpha Zach, proposing an alliance me as his mate, to join our packs. I thought I thought it was fate."


    Tears pooled in her eyes, glinting in the dim torchlight.


    "But the next day..." Her lips trembled, her breath hitching. "He came. Not with words. Not with peace. With warriors."


    I pressed my hand to my mouth, my stomach twisting.


    "They stormed our pack at dawn. Burned the houses. Tore apart the warriors. My mother... my brothers..." Her whole body convulsed, chains rattling above her. "He killed them. All of them. My father died trying to shield me. And when the ground was soaked in blood, he looked at me and smiled."


    Her voice dropped into a chilling whisper, her eyes locking with mine.


    "He said he would spare me. That he would make me suffer until I begged for death. That every she-wolf would see what happens when they dare to love him. He wanted me to be the example."


    The air in the dungeon grew colder. My skin prickled with goosebumps.


    I stared at her, horror gripping me tighter than the Alpha¡¯s hands ever had. She hadn¡¯t just been unlucky. She had loved him chosen him and he had butchered her entire world because of it. My throat went dry. I wanted to say something anything but no words came. The girl gave a brokenugh, bitter and hollow. "Love... it killed them all. And now I¡¯m nothing but a ghost rotting in chains."


    Her head fell forward, her shoulders shaking as quiet sobs tore from her chest.


    I sat frozen, tears burning my own eyes. And for the first time, I realized the truth the psycho Alpha didn¡¯t just crave control. He wanted destruction. He wanted fear. And he wanted the world to know that love, in his hands, only led to death

 Chapter 55

    <h4>Chapter 55: Chapter 55</h4>


    The heavy iron door groaned shut behind me, its echo chasing me up the narrow stone stairwell like a warning bell. I pressed my back to the damp wall for a second, chest heaving, heart thrashing inside my ribs as if it wanted to w its way out. My hands were still shaking from the weight of what I had just promised.


    I¡¯ll get you out. I swear I¡¯ll get you out.


    The girl¡¯s voice lingered in my ears, soft and raw, broken by fear and exhaustion. She had clutched my wrist with her bloody fingers, eyes wide like a trapped bird, and I had seen my own reflection in her terror. That was what had made me say it. The words had tumbled out of me before I could stop them, reckless and dangerous. But now the weight of them sat heavy on my shoulders.


    Because if the Psycho Alpha ever found out... I swallowed hard, pushing myself away from the wall. I could almost feel his hands around my throat already, squeezing, crushing, the way he loved to do when he thought I was being disobedient. He didn¡¯t need a reason to hurt me, but this? This would give him more than enough. My feet carried me up the stairs faster, almost tripping over the uneven stones. The torchlight flickered, shadows bending and stretching across the walls like grasping fingers. My whole body shivered, not from the chill, but from the knowledge of what I was stepping into. I had made a vow. And in this cursed house, vows could get you killed. When I reached the top, I paused again, listening. The corridor stretched silent and empty, lined with heavy wooden doors that led to ces I had been forbidden to enter. My stomach clenched. He could be anywhere. He moved like a predator soundless, sudden, always appearing when I least wanted him to. I peeked around the corner before stepping into the main hall. Moonlight filtered through the tall windows, painting the floor in silver stripes. The house was unnervingly quiet. For a moment, I allowed myself to breathe. But I didn¡¯t trust silence. Silence was when he hunted. I hurried to the kitchen, knowing the servants would be gone by now. He didn¡¯t like them lingering, not when I was in the house. He wanted me alone, always under his eye, always within reach. The kitchen smelled faintly of bread and herbs, the warmth of the hearth long gone. I slipped inside and closed the door behind me. My fingers dug into the wooden table as I leaned against it, forcing myself to think. How am I supposed to do this?


    The girl was locked in the dungeon, chained and bleeding, guarded by walls of stone and the cruelest Alpha I had ever known. Sneaking her out would be like stealing fire from the gods it was possible, maybe, but at the cost of being burned alive.


    My throat tightened. The image of the girl¡¯s face swollen, bruised, desperate rose in my mind. I had seen myself in her. I couldn¡¯t turn away. I couldn¡¯t abandon her.


    "Food," I whispered. That was the first step. Tonight, I had promised her more food. Something warm, something to remind her that she was human, not just a prisoner waiting to be broken. I moved quickly, searching the cupboards. Bread, dried meat, a few apples. It wasn¡¯t much, but it would do. I wrapped them in cloth, tucking the bundle beneath my cloak. But food wasn¡¯t the only thing she needed. She needed freedom. And freedom meant keys. My breath hitched. The Alpha kept the dungeon keys on him most of the time. I had seen them hanging from his belt, clinking faintly when he walked. Sometimes he tossed them carelessly onto his desk in his study, but even that was a risk. If I was caught near his desk, he would know. He always knew. I chewed my lip until I tasted blood. I had to find another way. Maybe I didn¡¯t need the keys. Maybe I could find something else a tool, a file, anything to weaken the chains. The cksmith¡¯s workshop was on the far edge of the grounds. I could sneak there when he wasn¡¯t watching, steal something small enough to hide. My pulse raced faster just thinking about it. I was already walking on a thin line. Every move I made was dangerous. But this... this was suicide. Still, when I closed my eyes, I saw the girl. And I knew: I would rather risk my life than leave her to rot down there. The evening stretched on, heavy with dread. I stayed in my room for most of it, pretending to read a book by the window, though the words blurred and twisted before my eyes. My ears stayed sharp, tuned to every sound the creak of the stairs, the m of a door, the echo of boots against the floor.


    He hadn¡¯te to me yet. That was both a relief and a curse. Because when he didn¡¯te, it meant he was plotting. Watching. Waiting for the perfect moment to catch me off guard. By the time the sky had deepened to indigo, I couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. I slipped out of my room, bundle of food hidden under my cloak. The hallways were darker now, the torches burned low. Shadows curled across the walls like smoke.


    I moved as silently as I could, every step measured, every breath shallow. My ears strained for his voice, for the cruel chuckle he loved to let out when he caught me sneaking. But the halls stayed silent. I descended the stairwell, back into the bowels of the house. The dungeon air wrapped around me like a shroud, damp and heavy.


    The girl lifted her head when I slipped inside. Her eyes widened at the sight of me, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of hope there.


    "You came back," she whispered.


    I crouched beside her,ying the bundle in herp. "I told you I would."


    Her hands trembled as she unwrapped the cloth, tears filling her eyes as she saw the food. She bit into the bread hungrily, as if it were the first meal she had ever tasted.


    Watching her eat, I felt a pang in my chest. I remembered my own hunger, the days he had starved me just to watch me crawl for scraps. I remembered the way food had tasted like salvation.


    I reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I don¡¯t have much time. But I¡¯m working on a n. I¡¯ll get you out. You have to trust me."


    Her lip trembled. "He¡¯ll kill you if he finds out."


    "I know." My voice was steady, though my hands shook. "But I can¡¯t leave you here. Not like this."


    The girl¡¯s eyes filled with tears. "Why? Why would you risk yourself for me?"


    Because just like her I was trapped here too. In the werewolf world. But I couldn¡¯t say that aloud. So instead, I squeezed her hand and whispered, "Because no one deserves this."


    We sat in silence for a moment, the only sounds her soft chewing and the faint drip of water from the ceiling.


    But then I heard a noise and bootsteps, it was Slow. Heavy. Coming down the stairwell. My blood turned to ice.


    I shot to my feet, panic wing at my chest. No, no, no, not now The girl¡¯s eyes went wide, her face draining of color. She tried to hide the bread under her torn nket, but crumbs scattered across the floor. I grabbed her wrist. "Stay quiet," I hissed, my heart hammering.


    The footsteps grew louder.


    I looked around wildly, searching for an escape. The dungeon door was the only way out, and whoever wasing was already almost here.I was trapped. The iron door groaned, swinging open. And the shadow of the Alpha filled the doorway.


    The iron door mmed open with a force that rattled the chains on the walls.


    He filled the doorway like a nightmare given flesh broad shoulders, cold eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. My blood froze.


    The girl whimpered beside me, crumbs still on her lips. She tried to shrink back, but the chains held her tight.


    "Well, well," his voice was silk wrapped in razors. "What do we have here?"


    I stumbled back, pressing myself against the wall. "I¡ªI was just¡ª"


    "Just what?" His eyes narrowed, sharp as des. "Feeding my prisoner? Whispering little promises you can¡¯t keep?"


    The girl shook her head desperately. "She only-she was only-oh God


    "Silence!" His roar echoed, making the stones tremble. He crossed the room in three strides, his presence sucking all the air away. He grabbed the girl¡¯s chin, forcing her to look at him.


    "You thought you could plot behind my back? That she could save you?"


    Her tears spilled over. "Please!!


    The Alpha¡¯s smile was slow, twisted. "No one saves traitors.


    Before I could move, before I could even breathe, he lifted his boot and mmed it down on her leg. The crack was sickening. The girl¡¯s scream ripped through the dungeon, high and raw. My stomach lurched, bile rising in my throat.


    "Stop!" I cried, rushing forward without thinking. "Please, stop!"


    He whirled on me, his hand shooting out like a viper. His fingers wrapped around my throat, squeezing until ck spots danced in my vision.


    "You dare tell me what to do?" His voice was a low growl, his grip crushing. "Do you forget who owns your breath?"


    Tears burned my eyes. My nails wed at his wrist, but he only tightened his hold, enjoying my struggle.


    Then he let me go suddenly, and I fell to my knees, gasping for air.


    The girl¡¯s sobs filled the silence, raw and broken.


    He turned back to her, crouching low, his voice almost tender. "Don¡¯t worry, little bird. You won¡¯t be flying anywhere."


    And with a swift, merciless motion, he grabbed her other leg and twisted.


    The sound bones snapping like dry branches was worse than the scream that followed. She copsed against her chains, body trembling violently, her cries echoing through the dungeon like a dying animal.


    I pressed my hands to my ears, shaking my head, tears streaming down my face. "Please... please, no more..."


    He rose to his full height, towering over both of us, eyes cold as the moon. He looked down at me with a cruel smirk.


    "Let this be your lesson, Ellie," he said, voice dripping with venom. "When you make promises I don¡¯t allow, this is what happens."


    He stepped back, satisfied with the ruin he had left behind, while the girly sobbing, her legs twisted and broken.


    And I-I could do nothing but watch.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 56

    <h4>Chapter 56: Chapter 56</h4>


    Alpha Psycho dragged me by the wrist, his ws biting into my flesh so deep I swore they would leave permanent scars. My feet stumbled on the rough stone floors as he pulled me out of the dungeon without pause. I could barely keep my bnce. The torchlight flickered against his back, casting his shadow like a demon¡¯s across the walls. He didn¡¯t even look back at me, didn¡¯t care if I tripped or fell. He was a predator pulling along his prey, and there was no escaping his grip. The girl¡¯s muffled sobs from the cell behind us were thest thing I heard from the dungeon. They faded as the heavy iron door mmed shut with a deafening finality. My heart was racing, my chest aching with every panicked breath. I had promised her I woulde back, I had promised her food and a way out but now I was the one caught. The long, winding corridors seemed endless. My bare feet scraped against the cold stone, each step echoing like a drumbeat of doom. Warriors nced up as we passed, their eyes flickering with fear before dropping quickly. No one dared interfere. No one even spoke. They all knew better. The Alpha¡¯s wrath was something they had learned long ago not to test. The night air hit me like a p when we emerged into the courtyard. The moonlight painted everything silver, cruel and cold, just like him. His grip only tightened as we crossed the open space, dragging me toward the looming shadow of the Alpha¡¯s quarters. My stomach twisted, bile rising in my throat. I knew what awaited me inside. He shoved the door open with one hand, pulling me in with the other. The heavy oak mmed behind us, the lock clicking into ce with a finality that made my knees weak. Inside, the room was dim, lit only by a singlentern on the bedside table. Shadows swallowed the corners, and the air was thick with the scent of leather, smoke, and something metallic blood, maybe, or maybe it was just my own imagination. Before I could catch my breath, he flung me toward the bed. I hit the mattress with a soft thud, the impact rattling my bones. The sheets felt suffocating, too soft against my skin, like a trap disguised asfort. He loomed over me, his eyes burning with something darker than rage.


    "You thought you were clever," he growled, his voice low and dangerous, a rumble that seemed to vibrate in my chest. "Sneaking food to her. Whispering promises behind my back. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t find out?"


    I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came. My throat was dry, my voice swallowed by fear.


    He didn¡¯t wait for an answer. With swift, merciless movements, he grabbed the leather straps at the headboard and bound my wrists tight. The rough edges dug into my skin, leaving angry marks. I struggled instinctively, but his strength was absolute. My resistance wasughable to him.


    He stepped back, and with a deliberate slowness that made my stomach drop, he pulled the belt from his waist. The hiss of leather sliding free was louder than thunder in the silence of the room. He doubled it in his hands, testing its weight, his eyes never leaving mine.


    "Tonight, you¡¯ll learn," he said, his tone frighteningly calm. "You¡¯ll learn what betrayal costs."


    I shook my head desperately, tears burning in my eyes. "Please A-Alpha


    The first strike silenced me.


    The belt cracked across my bare flesh with a sound like fire splitting wood. Pain exploded through me, hot and sharp, stealing the breath from my lungs. I gasped, but I didn¡¯t scream. I remembered his warning. If you scream or cry, I¡¯ll break your neck.


    "One," he counted softly, almost tenderly, as if savoring it.


    Anothersh. The sting was worse,yering on top of the first.


    "Two."


    My body trembled violently against the restraints. I bit my lip until I tasted blood, forcing myself not to cry out. Tears slid silently down my cheeks, soaking into the pillow beneath me. But the belt came down again. And again. Each strike seared through my skin, leaving trails of fire that burned deeper than thest. The sound of leather on flesh filled the room, punctuated only by his calm, steady voice.


    "Say it," he ordered. Crack. "Say you¡¯ll never betray me again."


    I shook my head weakly, my lips trembling, my voice caught in my throat.


    Anothersh. "Say it."


    The fire spread across my body, and I bit down harder, my jaw aching from the pressure. I wanted to scream, to cry, to beg him to stop but the threat of his ws at my throat kept me silent.


    By the tenthsh, my body was slick with sweat, my muscles trembling from the strain of staying still. By the fifteenth, the pain blurred into something beyond words, a haze of agony that left me dizzy and faint. My tears flowed freely, soaking my face and the sheets, but not a sound escaped me.


    "Eighteen... neen..." His voice was almost pleased now, satisfied with my suffering.


    The twentiethsh fell harder than all the rest. My body jerked violently, and for a moment, I thought I would ck out. My vision swam, and the room tilted around me and Then it was over.


    And the Silence heavy and suffocating. My body was shaking uncontrobly, my skin burning with raw, open pain. The belt slipped from his hand andnded on the floor with a dull thud.


    Alpha Psycho leaned over me, his face inches from mine. His breath was hot against my ear, carrying the faintest growl. "Good girl," he whispered, his toneced with menace. "You didn¡¯t scream. You didn¡¯t cry. But remember..." His w traced a deadly line along my throat, just enough to remind me how fragile I was. "the moment you betray me again, I¡¯ll snap this pretty neck without hesitation."


    My chest heaved with ragged breaths, but I stayed silent, too broken to reply.


    He released the straps, but I didn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t. My body refused to obey me. Iy there trembling, the pain radiating through me with every breath. The crazy Psycho straightened, looking down at me with something that wasn¡¯t quite satisfaction but wasn¡¯t anger anymore either.


    The Psycho Alpha stood by the door, his breathing heavy, chest rising and falling like a beast trying to rein itself in. His hand lingered on the whip handle before he finally let it fall to his side. He didn¡¯t speak aloud, but his thoughts spilled darkly into the silence, sharp as knives.


    "Inner voice: Next time she dares to meddle. I will kill that girl in the dungeon with my bare hands.


    The crazy psycho was nning to kill the Innocent girl and I can¡¯t help her anymore.


    "Inner voice: I will snap her neck right in front of this foolish omega, let her watch every drop of life leave those pitiful eyes. Maybe then she¡¯ll learn not to defy me.


    I bit my lip to stop a gasp. He didn¡¯t know. He had no idea I could hear the storm inside his head.


    "Inner Voice: No one saves what belongs to me. No one escapes. Not her. Not anyone.


    The crazy Alpha¡¯s lips curved into a cruel smirk as he finally pulled the door open. With onest nce at me sprawled on the bed he stepped out, his boots echoing against the stone, leaving behind only the echo of his murderous vow.


    A sob ripped out of my chest, sharp and ragged. I pressed my forehead against the ground, trying to muffle it, but the sound still echoed in the hollow room. My tears fell one after another, darkening the gray stone beneath me.


    "I¡¯m so sorry," I whispered, though no one could hear. My voice cracked, as fragile as ss. "I just wanted to help you I didn¡¯t mean to put you in more danger."


    I curled my body tighter, but every movement pulled at my wounds. The pain was nothingpared to the guilt crushing me.


    I couldn¡¯t get his thoughts out of my head. The way he imagined it the snap of her neck, her body falling lifeless before my eyes haunted me like a nightmare I couldn¡¯t wake from. He didn¡¯t know I had heard, but that didn¡¯t make it any less real. His intent was there, alive, waiting. If I tried again, she would die. My heart clenched at the thought of her face. Those hollow eyes, filled with fear but still holding onto a shred of faith when I brought her food. She had trusted me. And I had promised quietly, desperately that I would help her. That I wouldn¡¯t leave her alone in that darkness.


    Now my promise felt like a curse. I dragged myself closer to the wall, my tears still falling. My fists clenched so tight my nails dug into my palms, but I didn¡¯t care. I wanted the sting. I wanted something to distract me from the hollow ache in my chest. Why am I so weak?


    The question echoed inside me, louder than his inner voice had been. Weak enough to let him flog me until my body broke. Weak enough to hide when he hurt her. Weak enough to make promises I couldn¡¯t keep.


    The sobs came harder, shaking my whole body. I pressed my face into my arms, wishing I could disappear into the stone. Wishing I could trade ces with her. Wishing there was a way? Like anyway at all to save her that wouldn¡¯t cost her life.


    I hated myself for thinking of giving up, even for a moment. But the truth pressed down on me, heavy and cruel: one wrong step, one wrong move, and she would be dead.


    And it would be my fault.


    I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing myself to remember her voice. The way it had trembled but still carried strength when she told me her story. She had lost everything, yet she was still fighting to stay alive. How could I, who still had breath in my lungs, dare to stop fighting for her?


    "I will find a way," I whispered into the emptiness, my voice shaking with tears. "I swear I will find a way."


    The words didn¡¯t feel strong. They didn¡¯t sound convincing. But they were all I had. A tiny thread of hope in the middle of despair. I didn¡¯t know how. I didn¡¯t know when. But I knew one thing: I couldn¡¯t let her die. Even if it killed me.

 Chapter 57

    <h4>Chapter 57: Chapter 57</h4>


    When morning came, it did note with sunlight it came with pain. A sharp, gnawing ache ran through my body the moment I tried to move. My back was stiff, my muscles screamed in protest, and the worst of all the burning, throbbing pain that lingered between my thighs and along my backside. The memory ofst night hit me like a p, and for a moment, Iy still on the cold floor of my room, curled in on myself, wishing that if I stayed quiet enough, the world might forget me. But duty was stronger than wishful thinking. An omega¡¯s life had no pause button, no mercy, no room for weakness. I forced my limbs to move, even though every shift of my weight felt like knives digging into raw wounds. When I pushed myself up, my palms trembled against the uneven wood of the floor, slick with sweat. My vision blurred, and ck spots danced across my sight, but I gritted my teeth and steadied myself.


    "I can¡¯t stop... not now," I whispered hoarsely to no one, only to remind myself that I still existed.


    The packhouse was already awake. I could hear footsteps, voices, the ttering of dishes in the kitchen. Omegas weren¡¯t allowed to bete. Omegas weren¡¯t allowed excuses. Omegas who failed their duties often wished they had never been born. I straightened slowly, my body swaying as though I carried invisible chains, and forced myself to wash up with the little water left in the y jug in the corner. The icy ssh on my face stung, shocking me into full awareness, though it did nothing to wash away the hollow ache that lived beneath my skin.By the time I tied my hair back and slipped into my in work dress, I was shaking not from cold, but from the sheer effort of pretending I was fine. When I stepped into the hallway, the air was thick with the scents of the pack the dominance of alphas, the sharp tang of betas, the subdued hum of fellow omegas. My body instinctively wanted to shrink back, to curl inwards and disappear, but I forced myself forward, each step slow but steady. The kitchen was a storm of activity. Pots nged, spoons scraped against iron, and the scent of frying meat made my stomach churn. I joined the others, scrubbing dishes, chopping vegetables, hauling heavy buckets of water. Every movement sent ripples of pain through me, but I didn¡¯t let it show. Not one sound ofint left my lips. If they noticed, they didn¡¯t care or maybe they were too busy hiding their own pain to notice mine. As the morning dragged on, I heard the sound that loosened the tight knot in my chest: Alpha Zach¡¯smanding voice, deep and sharp, barking orders to his patrol team. My blood ran cold at first, as it always did when his presence filled the air, but then came the words I had been desperately hoping for.


    "To the border. We move now."


    The pounding of boots followed. Warriors answering their Alpha, eager to fall into formation. The heavy door of the packhouse mmed shut, and silence fell in his absence. I released a breath I hadn¡¯t realized I¡¯d been holding, my shoulders sagging just slightly. Relief bitter and temporary flooded me. He was gone.At least for now. I wouldn¡¯t have to endure his piercing gaze, the cruel curl of his lips, the unpredictable violence that lurked in his every step. The border would keep him busy. The pack would keep him distracted. And I would have one single morning to gather what was left of myself. Still, the relief didn¡¯t erase the pain. It didn¡¯t erase the bruises. It didn¡¯t erase the memories. By the time the morning chores were over, my body was trembling so violently that I nearly dropped thest pot I was carrying. I stumbled into the storage room, pressing my forehead against the cool stone wall, breathing in ragged gasps.


    I wanted to cry, but no tears came. Maybe I had cried them all away long ago. Maybe my body knew better that crying wouldn¡¯t change anything. Instead, I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood, just to feel something sharp and present, something that wasn¡¯t the dull, lingering echo of what had been taken from me. The day passed in a blur of pain and duty. I moved like a shadow among the omegas, finishing my chores with trembling hands and a body that felt ready to copse at any moment. Every second, I feared Alpha Zach might return from the border early, his wrath crashing down on me without warning. But word spread that he was still out with the patrol team, and that tiny shred of safety gave me courage I didn¡¯t know I had.


    When night fell, I waited until the kitchen quieted and the other omegas drifted off to their corners. My heart hammered in my chest as I carefully wrapped a small bundle of food half a loaf of bread, a scrap of meat, and a sk of water. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was more than what she was being given. I tucked the bundle beneath my worn dress and stole a few strips of clean cloth from theundry basket. My hands shook as I added a small jar of salve I had hidden weeks ago, an ointment meant for cuts and burns that I had stolen from the healer¡¯s stores. If anyone found out, I would pay dearly for it. But if I didn¡¯t the girl in the dungeon would wither away to nothing. I waited for silence. I waited for the footsteps of the guards to fade. And when the packhouse slept, I slipped out like a ghost. The night air was sharp against my skin as I crept across the yard, keeping to the shadows, my breaths shallow and fast. Every sound every creak of wood, every rustle of leaves made me flinch, but I didn¡¯t stop. The dungeony beneath the stone outbuilding at the far edge of the packhouse grounds, a ce where the stench of fear and despair never lifted. When I reached the iron door, I pressed my ear against it. Silence. No guards tonight. Perhaps they thought she was too broken to escape, or perhaps they simply didn¡¯t care if she starved in the dark. I slid inside. The air was thick, damp, suffocating. The faint torchlight flickered, barely enough to see by. The smell of mildew and blood wrapped around me, and I fought down the urge to gag.


    "Ellie...?" The voice was weak, trembling.


    My heart clenched as I hurried toward the corner where shey shackled. Her eyes, wide and desperate, found mine in the dim light. Even in her broken state, relief shone through them like a spark.


    "It¡¯s me," I whispered, kneeling beside her. "I brought something."


    Her wrists were raw from the chains, her skin pale beneathyers of bruises. The wounds on her legs were worse angry and swollen, still bleeding in ces. Rage and sorrow tangled inside me, but I pushed them down. I couldn¡¯t afford anger. Not here. Not now. Carefully, I unwrapped the bundle. "Here, eat something first."


    Her trembling hands reached for the bread, but she was too weak to tear it apart. I broke it into pieces for her, feeding her slowly, watching her chew with effort. Tears pricked my eyes when she tried to thank me, her voice cracking from thirst. I uncorked the sk and held it to her lips, guiding the water down her throat.


    "Better?" I asked softly.


    She nodded, eyes wet.


    Only then did I bring out the cloth and salve. My hands were gentle as I cleaned her wounds, though each touch made her flinch. She bit down on her lip to keep from crying out, and I whispered, "It¡¯s alrightit¡¯s alright. You¡¯re safe with me."


    I worked quickly, wrapping her legs and wrists with the clean strips of cloth, covering the cuts with ointment. My heart pounded with every second that passed. If anyone discovered me here, if Alpha Zach knew I dared to interfere, I wouldn¡¯t just be beaten. He would kill me without hesitation. When I finished, I brushed the damp strands of hair from her face. "You¡¯re stronger than you think," I whispered. "You¡¯re not alone anymore."


    Her lips quivered, and she finally asked, voice breaking, "Why... why are you helping me?"


    I swallowed hard. "Because no one helped me when I needed it. And I can¡¯t I can¡¯t watch him destroy you too."


    Her tears slipped free then, sliding down her bruised cheeks. She clutched at my hand with what little strength she had left. "He¡¯ll kill you if he finds out."


    "I know," I admitted. "But listen to me. I swear to you I¡¯ll find a way. I¡¯ll get you out of here. I don¡¯t know how yet, but I will."


    She shook her head faintly, as if hope was too dangerous to hold on to. But I gripped her hand tighter, my voice firm even though I was shaking inside. "You hear me? You are not going to die in this ce. I¡¯lle back for you. As many times as it takes. Until I can get you free."


    The silence between us was heavy, but in it, something fragile bloomed. Not quite trust, not yet but something close. For the first time in a long time, I felt like my existence had meaning beyond suffering. For the first time, I wasn¡¯t just surviving for myself. I was surviving for her too. When I finally pulled back, tucking the empty sk and cloth remnants into my dress, she whispered after me, "Don¡¯t forget your promise."


    My chest ached as I looked at her onest time before slipping out into the night.


    "I won¡¯t," I whispered back. "Not ever."


    And as I crept away from the dungeon, heart pounding, I realized that promise was the only thing keeping me alive too.

 Chapter 58

    <h4>Chapter 58: Chapter 58</h4>


    The air inside the psycho Alpha¡¯s office always felt wrong. Heavy. Suffocating. It was a ce that seemed to hold its own kind of darkness like the walls themselves had soaked up too many secrets, too many screams, too much of the Alpha¡¯s fury. I stood by the table, my hands trembling as I carefully ced the porcin teacups onto the silver tray. Aunt Elizabeth, his father¡¯s only sister and one of the few people who dared confront him, sat across from three of the Elders. Their wrinkled faces were tight with unease, their eyes darting nervously toward the heavy oak door that stood like a barrier between them and freedom. The atmosphere was tense, each breath weighted with fear, and I knew why. They hade for her the girl in the dungeon. The one whose broken cries haunted me every night. The one who had already lost the use of her legs because of him.


    "Zachary," Aunt Elizabeth¡¯s voice was calm but firm, though I could hear the quiver beneath her practiced tone. "You¡¯ve kept that girl locked away for too long. The pack is beginning to whisper. The council is uneasy. For the good of everyone, release her."


    I froze, my hand halfway to pouring tea into her cup.


    The Alpha sat behind his desk, his head restingzily against the back of his leather chair. He hadn¡¯t spoken yet, only stared at them with that sharp, predatory smile that sent chills crawling over my skin. His fingers tapped the armrest, steady, deliberate, like the ticking of a clock counting down to something terrible. One of the Elders cleared his throat, his voice tight. "Yes, Alpha. Mercy in this matter would be¡ª"


    "Mercy?"


    The word sliced the room like a knife. The Alpha sat forward suddenly, and I nearly spilled the tea in my hands. His eyes those cold, pale eyes that seemed to pierce through bone narrowed as his lips curved into something too sharp to be called a smile.


    "Mercy is for the weak. Is that what you think I am?"


    "No, Alpha," the Elders said quickly, nearly tripping over their own words.


    But Aunt Elizabeth didn¡¯t cower. She held his gaze, her hands resting firmly on the table before her. "You are not weak. But cruelty will tear your pack apart. That girl whatever she did does not deserve to rot until death in the dungeon."


    Silence fell. A silence so thick I could hear my own heartbeat mming against my chest. I tried to keep my hands steady as I filled the cups, but I could feel him watching me too. Finally, the Alpha leaned back, exhaling a sharpugh that didn¡¯t sound likeughter at all. "Release her?" he repeated softly. "Is that what you all came for? To beg?"


    The Elders exchanged nervous nces. Aunt Elizabeth didn¡¯t flinch.


    "Yes," she said firmly. "To beg if that¡¯s what it takes."


    Something shifted in the Alpha¡¯s face then. Thezy amusement slipped away, and what reced it made my skin crawl. His jaw tightened, his eyes darkened, and for a heartbeat, the entire room seemed to shrink around him.


    "Stand," he ordered.


    The Elders hesitated but obeyed, rising shakily from their chairs. I wished I could vanish. Wished I could sink into the floor with my tray and escape the storm I knew wasing. But I was stuck, trapped between them, the weight of his gaze holding me in ce.


    The Alpha rose slowly, his height towering over everyone else in the room. His movements were deliberate, dangerous, like a predator circling prey.


    "You daree into my office," he began, voice low, vibrating with restrained fury, "to tell me what to do? To plead for something that belongs to me?"


    Elizabeth¡¯s voice was steady, but her face had gone pale. "She does not belong to you, Zachary. She is a child."


    Heughed again, louder this time, and it made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.


    "Everything in this pack belongs to me," he said, stepping closer, his presence filling every corner of the room. "Their breath, their blood, their lives. Mine."


    No one spoke. No one dared.


    Then he tilted his head, his gaze sweeping over them with mockery and menace.


    "I will give you all one chance," he said softly, but the softness was worse than any shout. "When I begin to count, you will disappear from my sight. If you are still standing here by the time I reach three..."


    He paused, his lips curling into a slow, cruel smile. "...I will strangle you with my own hands. One by one."


    A cold shiver raced down my spine. The Elders gasped softly, exchanging terrified looks. Aunt Elizabeth¡¯s jaw clenched, but even herposure wavered.


    "One."


    The word dropped like a stone into the silence.


    The Elders bolted. Their chairs toppled over, ttering against the floor. I stumbled back as they shoved past each other in their desperation to reach the door. Their robes tangled, their limbs clumsy. They fell against the table, knocking over the tea tray¡ªI barely managed to keep hold of it before it shattered.


    "Two."


    His voice was lower now, slower, like a predator savoring the chase.


    The Elders reached the door, practically crawling over one another in their frantic scramble to get out. One of them tripped and fell, and the others didn¡¯t stop to help him they shoved him aside, their only thought of escape.


    Even Elizabeth, who hade in so calm, so strong, abandoned her dignity in that moment. Her skirts caught beneath her feet as she ran, stumbling against the others, her face drained of all color.


    They tumbled out the door in a chaotic heap, their shouts echoing down the hallway.


    But I wasn¡¯t so lucky. In the panic, I had tried to run too, slipping toward the door with the others, but before I could escape, a hand like iron mped around my arm and yanked me back. I gasped, the tray slipping from my grip and crashing to the floor. Tea spilled across the rug, cups shattered into porcin shards.


    "Three," the Alpha whispered into my ear.


    My body went rigid as his grip tightened on me, his breath hot against my skin.


    I didn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t. Every instinct screamed at me to flee, but I was trapped, caught in the ws of a monster. The door mmed shut, sealing me inside with him. He turned me slowly, his hand still locked around my arm, forcing me to look up into his pale, merciless eyes.


    "They ran like rats," he murmured, amusement flickering across his lips. "Even Elizabeth. Do you see, little one? Even those who im to have courage... are nothing but cowards when faced with me."


    My throat tightened. My voice shook when I finally managed to speak. "P-please I didn¡¯t mean to


    He silenced me with a single look. His hand slid from my arm to my chin, gripping hard enough to make my jaw ache.


    "But you-His tone softened, almost yful, but his eyes burned with something cruel. "You tried to run too. Didn¡¯t you?"


    I shook my head frantically, but the lie was written all over my face, and he knew it. His smile widened.


    "Perhaps I should count again," he whispered, his thumb brushing my trembling lips. "This time just for you."


    My knees buckled. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst. I could feel his madness radiating from him, the dangerous delight he found in my terror. And I realized then he wasn¡¯t bluffing. If I didn¡¯t move, if I didn¡¯t answer right, if I breathed wrong, he would kill me.


    "One."


    The room spun. My vision blurred with tears.


    "Two."


    I wanted to scream, to beg, to vanish, but my voice caught in my throat. His lips brushed against my ear, and his whisper was colder than death.


    "Three."


    The word slid into my ear like the hiss of a serpent. For one suspended heartbeat, the world seemed to stop. My body froze, my breath caught, my entire existence hanging by a fragile thread he held between his cruel fingers.


    Then his hand snapped tighter around my throat. I choked, my nails wing uselessly at his wrist as he lifted me effortlessly off the ground. My toes dangled above the rug, scraping at nothing, my lungs burning as panic swallowed me whole.


    He wasn¡¯t bluffing. He wasn¡¯t testing me. He was enjoying this.


    "Do you feel it?" The psycho whispered, his voice smooth, amused, almost gentle if not for the crushing grip that stole the air from me. "The silence of your body when it knows it is about to break?"


    Tears spilled from my eyes as I gasped against the pressure, my throat screaming for relief. My vision darkened at the edges, spots blooming before my eyes.


    I thought of the girl in the dungeon, her broken legs, her hollow cries and realized I might soon join her in the shadows beneath this packhouse. Or worse, never leave this office at all.


    "Pathetic," he hissed, finally dropping me.


    I crumpled to the floor, coughing violently, air rushing back into my starving lungs. My chest ached, my throat burned, but I didn¡¯t dare stay down. Instinct pushed me onto trembling hands and knees, my body bent low as though bowing before him. Anything , anything at all to make him forget the idea of killing me. He crouched beside me, his shadow swallowing me whole. He reached out, running his fingers through my hair almost tenderly, and my stomach twisted with dread. His touch was never tenderness. It was the caress of a wolf ying with its prey.


    "You almost ran with them," he murmured. "Like the Elders. Like my aunt. Tell me, little one... do you think I would not notice?"


    My lips trembled. Words stumbled out of me without thought. "I¡ªI only wanted to serve the tea, Alpha. I didn¡¯t mean¡ª"


    He yanked my hair back sharply, forcing my head up so I met his pale, gleaming eyes.


    "Lies," he snarled softly. "Your heart beats like a rabbit¡¯s. You long to escape every chance you get."


    I whimpered, the sound breaking against my will. His grip on my hair tightened, dragging me closer until his lips were nearly against mine, though the cruelty in his gaze kept me frozen in ce.


    "Do you know why I let the Elders live?" he asked suddenly.


    I shook my head, the motion painful with his hold in my hair.


    "Because they are cowards. Cowards break more easily. They will whisper in the halls, spread my shadow through the pack, let fear rot their bones. That serves me better than their corpses."


    He smiled, but it was sharp, terrifying.


    "And you, Ellie..." He released my hair only to grip my chin again, forcing me to hold his gaze. "Do you know why I let you live?"


    I couldn¡¯t answer. My throat was raw, my voice gone.


    He leaned closer, his whisper brushing against my ear. "Because your fear tastes sweet. Because I enjoy watching you tremble. Because you are mine, whether you crawl, whether you cry, whether you beg. Do you understand?"


    I nodded frantically, tears sliding down my cheeks.


    "Good."


    He shoved me back, and I hit the floor hard, my elbow striking the rug-covered wood. Pain shot up my arm, but I bit back a cry.


    He stood, towering over me, and turned his gaze toward the shattered tray and spilled tea. For a terrifying moment, I thought he might punish me for the mess.


    Instead, heughed. A cold, hollowugh that made the room feel even smaller.


    "Clean it," he ordered, his voice snapping like a whip. "On your knees. Now."


    I scrambled forward, my palms pressing against the sharp edges of porcin as I tried to gather the broken pieces. One shard cut into my skin, blood welling instantly, but I didn¡¯t dare pause. I worked faster, my vision blurred by tears, my hands shaking so badly I nearly dropped the fragments.


    He watched me, silent, his presence like a wolf circling just out of sight.


    When I finally gathered thest broken cup, clutching the shards in my bleeding hands, I looked up timidly.


    His eyes glinted with cruel amusement.


    "Open your hand," hemanded.


    My chest tightened. I obeyed, slowly uncurling my palm. The shards fell, ttering back onto the tray, but one jagged piece stuck to my skin, digging deeper into the cut. Blood dripped onto the rug.


    The Alpha crouched again, reaching for my injured hand. For a moment, I thought he might bandage it or at least wipe the blood. But no. He pressed his thumb against the cut, hard enough to make me cry out.


    "Pain keeps you loyal," he murmured, watching the blood smear across my skin. "And loyalty keeps you alive."


    My sobs came in quiet gasps, but I didn¡¯t pull away. I couldn¡¯t.


    Then he released me suddenly, standing tall once more.


    "Leave the mess," he said coldly. "You¡¯ll return to clean itter. For now...e with me."


    My heart lurched. Where?


    He didn¡¯t exin. He simply grabbed my wrist and yanked me to my feet, dragging me toward the door with terrifying strength. My legs stumbled, barely keeping up, my body still shaking from the near-strangtion. The halls outside were empty, the Elders long gone, their footsteps still echoing in my memory. The Alpha led me down the corridor, past the main hall, past the stairwell, his pace brisk and merciless.


    I knew where he was taking me before we even reached the stairs. The dungeon.


    "No," I whispered, my voice breaking. "Please, Alpha, not there¡ª"


    He didn¡¯t slow. His grip tightened, cutting off my words. The steps spiraled downward, each one colder than thest. The scent of damp stone and iron chains thickened in the air, suffocating me as much as his grip had minutes ago. My chest heaved, terror wing up my throat. When we reached the bottom, the torchlight flickered weakly against the stone walls, shadows stretching like skeletal fingers. The cries of the girl had fallen silent tonight, but the silence was worse. Too still. Too waiting.


    The Alpha released me only when we reached her cell. The girly curled in the corner, her face pale, her body frail, her broken legs twisted unnaturally. Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of our approach, and when she saw me, a faint, desperate light flickered there.


    But when her gaze shifted to him, that light vanished.


    "Stand," he ordered me.


    I obeyed, trembling, my back pressed against the iron bars.


    He unlocked the cell and stepped inside, looming over the girl. She whimpered softly, dragging herself back with her arms, but there was nowhere to go.


    "You see, Ellie," the Alpha said, his voice echoing in the dungeon, "mercy is weakness. The Elders don¡¯t understand that. But you will. You will learn."


    His hand shot down, gripping the girl¡¯s hair and yanking her upright. She screamed, the sound piercing, shattering the silence.


    I pped my hands over my ears, but it didn¡¯t block it out. Nothing could.


    "Watch," he ordered me without turning.


    I shook my head, sobbing. "Please... don¡¯t¡ª"


    "Watch!" he roared, the sound thunderous in the confined space. I froze, my eyes wide, forced to witness as he dragged the girl¡¯s face inches from his own.


    "Do you want to live?" he asked her softly.


    She whimpered, nodding frantically through her tears.


    "Then beg," he whispered. "Beg for my mercy."


    Her voice cracked, words spilling out in broken sobs. "Please, Alpha... please spare me... please..."


    He smiled coldly, then shoved her to the floor. Her head struck the stone, her cry echoing.


    Then he turned back to me, his eyes burning with cruel satisfaction.


    "Do you see, Ellie?" he asked, his voice low, deadly. "They all beg. And I decide who lives."


    My legs gave out, and I sank to the floor outside the cell, my body shaking violently.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 59

    <h4>Chapter 59: Chapter 59</h4>


    I did not sleep. All through the long, suffocating night, Iy awake, my eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling as if the cracks above my head were veins running through a dying body. The shadows shifted across the room, growing longer, twisting into shapes that looked like ws reaching for me. I hugged my nket tighter, but it offered no warmth, nofort. My body was sore, aching in too many ces to count, yet exhaustion refused to im me.The psycho Alpha never came.That was what frightened me most. On nights when he stormed into my room, at least I knew what to expect pain, humiliation, his dark presence pressing me into silence. Butst night, there had been nothing. Only silence. And silence from him was worse than cruelty. Silence meant he was plotting. Silence meant I could not predict his next move. I turned on my side, clutching my knees to my chest. My thoughts drifted to the girl in the dungeon. Her swollen face, her broken body, the way she had clung to me thest time I snuck in to bring her scraps of food. "Please... don¡¯t leave me here. Please."


    Her voice echoed inside me like a wound that refused to heal. I couldn¡¯t abandon her, not when she had no one else. But how could I save her when I was barely surviving myself? And still if I did nothing, she would die. I whispered to myself, over and over, like a mantra. You have to try. You have to do something. And as the night dragged on, a dangerous idea began to take shape in my mind. I had the pills.


    Weeks ago, I had stolen them from the pack hospital, hiding them under a loose floorboard in my room. I¡¯d thought of using them on myself, not to end things, but to escape into sleep when the nights became unbearable. I never dared to swallow them, too afraid of what he¡¯d do if he found me unconscious. But now maybe they could serve another purpose. If I could make him drink them, if I could put him into a deep enough sleep, I would have time. Time to sneak into the dungeon, time to break the lock or find the key, time to help her escape. It was a fragile n, reckless and desperate but it was all I had.


    By dawn, my decision was made. I rose from the mattress, my limbs stiff and heavy, and retrieved the small bottle from under the floorboard. My hands shook as I crushed the tablets into powder, grinding them with a spoon until they dissolved into a fine white dust. I hid the powder inside the pocket of my apron, praying no one would notice. The kitchen was already bustling with activity when I entered. Servants moved about quickly, preparing breakfast for the Alpha and the high-ranking members of the pack. The air was thick with the smell of frying eggs and fresh bread. My stomach churned with hunger, but fear kept me from touching anything.


    I knew his routine. Every morning, before doing anything else, Alpha Zach demanded coffee strong, ck, and bitter. The other servants often fought over who had to serve him, each terrified of his wrath. Today, I would volunteer. I brewed the coffee carefully, my hands trembling as I worked. The rich aroma rose with the steam, filling my lungs. When no one was looking, I slipped the powder into the cup, stirring until it vanished. My heart pounded so loudly I was certain someone would hear it.


    "Take this to him," Elizabeth said, shoving the tray toward me.


    For once, I didn¡¯t argue. "I¡¯ll do it."


    The tray felt unbearably heavy in my hands as I carried it down the hall. Each step echoed, a drumbeat of dread. When I reached the Alpha¡¯s office, I paused outside the door, my breath shaking. If this worked, I might save a life. If it failed


    I pushed the door open.


    He was there, seated behind his massive oak desk, papers scattered before him, his posture rigid andmanding. The morning light filtered through the windows, casting sharp angles across his face. His eyes lifted, cold and piercing, locking on me the moment I entered.


    "You¡¯rete," he said, his voice low and edged with danger.


    I lowered my gaze quickly, carrying the tray to his desk. "Your coffee, Alpha," I murmured.


    He reached for the cup, his gaze never leaving mine. My chest tightened as he raised it to his lips. One sip. My breath caught. Two sips. My pulse thundered. Three sips. He drank half the cup, the dark liquid sliding down his throat as I prayed for the pills to take hold. I waited. One minute passed. Two. Three. My hands clenched the apron, sweat trickling down my back. But nothing happened. His eyes remained sharp, his movements steady, his presence as suffocating as ever. A smirk curved his lips. He set the cup down with deliberate slowness, his gaze narrowing in amusement.


    "You think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to do, little mouse?"


    The blood in my veins turned to ice.


    He rose from his chair, his height towering over me like a shadowe alive. "Did you truly believe something like this would work on me?" He tapped the rim of the cup. "Sleeping pills. How pitiful."


    My throat closed. My n my only n had failed.


    He stepped closer, his hand shooting out to grip my chin, forcing my face up. His fingers dug into my skin until it hurt. His breath brushed against my ear, low and venomous.


    "You forget who you belong to," he whispered. "You forget that every breath you take, I allow. Do not mistake my silencest night for mercy. It was patience."


    Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. If I cried, he would only enjoy it more. Oh God, he¡¯s going to kill me now.


    He shoved me backward, and I stumbled, catching myself against the wall. My chest heaved, my heart hammering so hard I thought it might burst.


    "The next time you try something like this, Ellie," he said coldly, "I won¡¯t kill the girl in the dungeon. I¡¯ll kill you."


    The words sliced through me, sharper than any de.


    Then he turned away, dismissing me as if I were nothing more than dirt beneath his boots.


    I stood frozen, trembling, my mind a whirlwind of fear and despair. My n had failed. He was stronger than I had ever imagined, more dangerous than I had ever dared to believe. And yet Somewhere deep inside me, beneath the terror, a small ember of determination still burned. He hadn¡¯t killed me. Not yet. That meant there was still time. Time to find another way. Because as long as I lived, I couldn¡¯t stop. I couldn¡¯t abandon her. No matter the risk.


    I couldn¡¯t breathe properly for the rest of the day. Everywhere I went, I felt his eyes on me. Even when he wasn¡¯t there, I could feel the weight of his presence pressing down, like invisible chains wrapped around my throat. I tried to busy myself with chores, scrubbing floors until my hands were raw, carrying trays of food until my arms ached, but it didn¡¯t matter. Fear clung to me, bone deep and suffocating.


    He knew. The psycho Alpha had known about the pills, about my n. He had looked at me with those merciless eyes, and I had seen it in them: a warning, a promise, a threat of the kind of pain only he could invent. And yet he had not stopped me from breathing Why? That was the question that gnawed at me as the hours crawled by. Why hadn¡¯t he killed me? He could have. He should have. A single twist of his hand and my neck would have snapped. Amand to the guards, and I would¡¯ve been thrown into the dungeon myself. But instead, he had only warned me. Next time, I¡¯ll kill you. The words reyed in my mind until they felt branded into my skull. But he hadn¡¯t killed me this time. Which meant I still had a chance. When night finally fell, Iy on my mattress, eyes wide open. My body screamed for rest, but my mind refused to obey. Every creak of the walls made me flinch, every gust of wind sounded like footsteps. Still, I waited, heart hammering, until the corridors outside grew quiet, until the chatter of servants faded into silence.


    I couldn¡¯t let fear paralyze me. The girl in the dungeon broken, beaten, begging needed me. If I didn¡¯t go tonight, there might not be a tomorrow for her. Slowly, I rose from the mattress and slipped into the shadows.


    The corridors were dark, the flickering torches casting eerie patterns across the walls. My footsteps were soft, careful, each one a risk. If anyone caught me wandering where I didn¡¯t belong, I wouldn¡¯t be able to exin it away. And if he caught me, I pushed the thought aside. I had to focus. When I reached the entrance to the dungeon, I hesitated. The heavy wooden door loomed before me, iron bolts securing it shut. Two guards usually stood watch here, but tonight, it was empty. My breath caught.


    Why weren¡¯t they here? Part of me wanted to turn back, but desperation pushed me forward. I slipped through the door, the hinges groaning softly as I eased it open. The air inside was damp and cold, the smell of mold and blood mingling in the suffocating darkness.


    "Ellie?"


    Her voice was weak, barely a whisper, but it reached me.


    "I¡¯m here," I whispered back, hurrying to her cell. She was curled on the stone floor, her wrists chained, her face pale and bruised. The sight of her nearly broke me in half.


    "I thought you wouldn¡¯te," she rasped, tears glistening in her swollen eyes.


    "I promised, didn¡¯t I?" My voice cracked. "I¡¯ll get you out of here. Just hold on."


    I tugged at the lock on her chains, my fingers raw from pulling. It was heavy, iron, impossible to break without a key. I cursed under my breath, hating my own weakness.


    "You shouldn¡¯t be here," she whispered suddenly, her voice urgent despite its weakness.


    "What do you mean?" I asked, ncing around nervously.


    Her eyes darted toward the shadows beyond the cell. "It¡¯s a trap."


    A chill ran through me.


    And then I felt it the shift in the air, the oppressive presence pressing down like a storm about to break. A slow p echoed through the dungeon, the sound bouncing off the walls, sharp and mocking. My blood froze.


    He stepped out of the shadows, tall and terrifying, his expression carved from stone. Alpha Zach. His eyes gleamed with amusement, though his smile was cruel.


    "Well, well," he drawled, his voice smooth and dangerous. "The little mouse thinks she can y savior again."


    I stumbled back, my breath catching in my throat. My heart mmed against my ribs so hard it hurt. "I¡ª"


    "Shh," he cut me off, lifting a finger to his lips. "Don¡¯t waste your breath with excuses. You knew the risk. And yet here you are."


    I shook my head desperately. "Please, don¡¯t hurt her. She¡¯s done nothing.


    "Done nothing?" Hisugh was low and humorless. "She exists. That is enough."


    He took a step closer, his presence swallowing the space between us. "And you," he said softly, his eyes narrowing. "You think I don¡¯t see you sneaking around, whispering promises you can¡¯t keep? You think I don¡¯t hear the thoughts you try to hide?"


    My knees buckled, and I fell to the cold stone floor. Tears stung my eyes, but I bit my lip hard, forcing myself not to cry. If I cried, he would win.


    "You¡¯re lucky," he continued, his tone almost casual. "Do you know why?"


    I couldn¡¯t answer. My voice was gone.


    "Because I find your defiance amusing," he said. "Pathetic, but amusing. You keep struggling, like a bird with broken wings. You can¡¯t fly, but you p anyway." He crouched down in front of me, his eyes boring into mine. "And I enjoy watching you suffer."


    The girl in the cell whimpered, tugging weakly at her chains. "Please..."


    He ignored her. His attention was fixed on me, as if I were the only thing that mattered.


    "You want to save her," he said. "But you can¡¯t even save yourself. Do you understand that, little mouse?"


    I swallowed hard, my throat dry.


    He tilted his head, studying me for a long moment. Then, to my shock, he stood and stepped back.


    "Go," he said simply.


    I blinked. "What?"


    "Go," he repeated, his voice sharp. "Back to your room. Now."


    Confusion twisted in my chest. This wasn¡¯t like him. He should have punished me, should have made me bleed. Why was he letting me walk away? My body trembled as I rose slowly to my feet. My instincts screamed at me that this wasn¡¯t mercy it was something else. Something worse. I backed away, my eyes never leaving his. He didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t stop me. He just watched, his expression unreadable, until I slipped through the dungeon door and closed it behind me.


    Only then did my legs give out. I sank to the floor, my whole body shaking, tears spilling freely now.


    I had failed again. The girl was still trapped. And now he knew really knew that I wouldn¡¯t stop trying.


    Which meant next time, he wouldn¡¯t let me go so easily.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


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 Chapter 60

    <h4>Chapter 60: Chapter 60</h4>


    The night was too quiet. Not peaceful quiet in the way a predator waits in the grass, every sound smothered by anticipation. My heart beat louder than my footsteps as I moved through the empty corridor of the pack house.


    Alpha had told me earlier that evening, in front of the others, that I could go down to the dungeon and release the girl. His lips had curved into that strange smile of his the kind that made the hairs on my arms rise.


    "You¡¯ve been begging for her freedom, haven¡¯t you?" he had said, as if indulging a child¡¯s fantasy. "Go on then, Ellie. Tonight, you can let her out."


    He had turned away after, dismissing me like I was nothing, but the weight of his words crushed me long after.


    At first, hope had bloomed in me. The girl would finally be free. I had dreamed of it since the day I first saw her, shivering in her chains. But the more I reyed his words, the more my stomach twisted.


    Permission from this psycho Alpha was never a gift. It was a weapon. And I could feel it this wasn¡¯t mercy. This was something else. Still, when midnight came, I rose from my bed, clutching thentern I had hidden under the nket. I had to try. Even if it was a trap, I couldn¡¯t leave the girl down there. The house was eerily empty. No guards, no servants, no wandering footsteps. Only my breathing and the soft creak of the wooden floor as I descended toward the east wing. The staircase to the dungeon gaped open like a throat, swallowing me whole. Cold air swept upward, smelling of rust, mildew, and old blood. Myntern¡¯s glow shivered against the stone walls, barely pushing back the shadows. I hated this ce. The dungeon was more than chains and stone it was a graveyard that breathed. The walls still whispered with the cries of everyone who had suffered here, and tonight, those whispers followed me down.


    By the time I reached the bottom, my legs were trembling. The corridor stretched long and narrow, lined with cells of iron bars. I lifted thentern, its dim light sliding across rusted locks and dangling chains.


    That was when I heard it her voice.


    "Ellie?"


    The sound was broken, hoarse, but alive. Relief surged through me. I rushed toward her cell. The girl was pressed against the bars, her face gaunt and pale, her eyes wide with desperate hope. "You came," she whispered, her cracked lips trembling into a smile.


    I dropped to my knees, setting thentern beside me. My fingers fumbled at the lock. "Yes. Shhh. I¡¯m going to get you out."


    Her skeletal hands reached for mine, clutching them tight. "Please. Please hurry."


    I nodded, trying to steady my hands. But then It came. The psycho Alpha¡¯s inner voice


    "Inner voice: So predictable."


    I froze, my breath catching. My hands slipped from the lock.


    "Inner voice: Always running toward cages, aren¡¯t you, little mouse?"


    My heart stuttered. I knew that voice. I would know it anywhere. Crazy Alpha.


    But not his usual voice. This was different raw, unfiltered, like I was hearing the deepest, darkest corners of his mind.


    "Ellie?" she whispered, confusion twisting her face. "What¡¯s wrong? Hurry!"


    I forced myself to the lock again, but my fingers trembled. I wasn¡¯t imagining it. I could hear him.


    "Do it," his inner voice hissed. "Turn the key. I want to see your face when her body crumples at your feet."


    "No..." I mouthed, shaking my head violently.


    The girl¡¯s eyes widened. "Ellie? What are you saying?"


    "Inner voice: The moment you open that door, I¡¯ll break her neck. Slowly. In front of you. And then I¡¯ll take my time with you."


    My stomach lurched, bile rising in my throat. Tears blurred my vision.


    This wasn¡¯t just a threat. He meant it. Every word slithered with conviction.


    The girl banged on the bars, her voice desperate. "Please, Ellie! Please! He isn¡¯t here. He¡¯s not here!"


    But he was. Not in body, but in spirit. His madness coiled inside my head, heavy as chains.


    I squeezed my eyes shut, clutching my ears though it made no difference. His voice was in me, under my skin.


    "Inner voice: You really thought I¡¯d let you win, didn¡¯t you? Pathetic little thing. Always so eager to believe in freedom."


    Thentern flickered violently, shadows leaping like ws across the walls.


    "Inner voice: Go on. Free her. Do it. I¡¯m begging you. Because I want the excuse to kill you both."


    "Stop!" I screamed, my voice shattering in the dungeon. The girl shrank back, startled by my outburst.


    I staggered away from the cell, my chest heaving. Every breath felt poisoned with his presence.


    The chains in the farthest cell rattled suddenly, echoing like bones breaking. I snapped my head toward it, and in the ckness, I saw them, two glowing pinpricks. Red. Watching.


    A hallucination? Or was he really here, hiding in the shadows? I couldn¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t want to know.


    The girl sobbed, reaching through the bars. "Don¡¯t leave me here! Ellie, please!"


    I wanted to. God, I wanted to free her. But my hand refused to move. My body refused to betray that voice still coiled in my skull. Because if I did, he would keep his promise.


    "Inner voice: One turn of the key, and you both die screaming."


    Thentern guttered and went out and darkness swallowed me whole. I heard hisughter filled my mind low, endless, victorious.


    I copsed against the cold floor, the key slipping from my trembling fingers. I had almost done it almost freed her. But the Alpha¡¯s inner voice had chained me tighter than any lock. The key slipped from my fingers and ttered against the dungeon floor, the sound slicing through the heavy silence. My knees gave out beneath me, and I crumpled against the damp stone, clutching my chest as though I could hold my heartbeat in ce before it broke free.


    The girl¡¯s sobs echoed in my ears, wing at my heart. She was still calling my name, her voice shaking, but I couldn¡¯t make myself look back. Myntern had long gone out, leaving me in a suffocating darkness lit only by the faint glow of those phantom red eyes I had sworn I¡¯d seen in the farthest cell.


    His voice lingered, even though it had fallen silent. It coiled in my skull like a venomous snake, waiting for me to move wrong, to strike when I least expected it.


    "Turn the key, and you both die screaming."


    The threat yed over and over, a curse that wouldn¡¯t loosen its grip.


    I staggered up to my feet, trembling so hard I thought I might shatter. My palms scraped against the rough wall as I pulled myself toward the staircase. Each step away from the dungeon felt like dragging chains behind me.


    I should have freed her.


    But crazy inner his voice had held me frozen in ce.


    And the worst ?" The corridors of the pack house were colder now, emptier, as though the dungeon¡¯s darkness had followed me upstairs. Myntern had gone dead, so I moved in the pitch ck, guided only by memory and the faint outlines of moonlight bleeding through the tall windows.


    My bare feet whispered against the wooden floor, too loud in the silence. Every corner, every shadow, I expected to see him. The Alpha. Waiting. Smiling.


    By the time I reached my quarters, my hands were mmy with sweat, and my nightgown clung to my back. I fumbled at the door, pushing it open with a sigh of relief.


    And then I froze the crazy psycho was there.he Standing in the center of my room. Thenterns weren¡¯t lit, but the pale light of the moon streamed through the window, painting him in silver and shadow. His tall figure was rigid, hands sped loosely behind his back. His eyes those piercing, merciless eyes were fixed on me. My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. A strangled cry escaped my lips before I pped a hand over my mouth. For one breathless second, neither of us moved.


    I had the wild thought that maybe he could hear the echo of his own voice still trapped in my mind. Maybe he knew I¡¯d been in the dungeon. Maybe he had seen everything. I wanted to run, but my legs were cement. I wanted to scream, but my throat was locked. The crazy Alpha tilted his head slightly, like a wolf studying prey. He didn¡¯t speak. Not a single word. And then he smiled.


    It was worse. It was empty, stretching across his face with a madness so sharp it sliced the air between us. A smile that said he didn¡¯t need words to break me.


    That he was already winning.


    I gasped, stumbling back against the doorframe, my hand flying to my chest. My pulse thundered so loud I was sure he could hear it.


    He just kept smiling. Watching me. Then, without a sound, he turned. His boots made the faintest thud against the wooden floor as he walked toward the door. As he passed me, the air grew colder, and the scent of him iron, smoke, and something darker brushed against me like a death sentence. He didn¡¯t look at me again or speak to me. He just left. And I was alone. I slid down the wall the second the door closed, my body copsing under the weight of terror. My breath came in shallow gasps, tears spilling over my cheeks before I realized I was crying. I clutched my knees to my chest, rocking slightly, trying to calm the storm tearing through me. But it was useless. Why had he been in my room? Watching me like that? Had he followed me from the dungeon? Had he known all along where I¡¯d gone? Or was this just anotheryer of the trap?


    The questions chased each other around my mind until they blurred into one truth: there was no safety. I dragged myself to the bed, curling into the corner like a child. My nket felt paper-thin against the cold that had seeped into my bones. Every creak of the house made me flinch, every shadow felt like him, standing silently, smiling. When I closed my eyes, I saw it again the moonlight carving his face, that smile stretching, endless, hollow. And when I opened them, I swore I could still feel his presence lingering in the corners, watching. I bit my lip until I tasted blood, trying to ground myself. My secret pulsed in my chest, heavier than ever.

 Chapter 61

    <h4>Chapter 61: Chapter 61</h4>


    I was still half-asleep when the heavy thud of boots echoed outside the Alpha¡¯s quarters. My heart stuttered before I even knew why. Every knock in this ce meant something dark, something cruel. The door opened and a guard stepped in, head bowed, voice sharp with reverence.


    "Alpha, everything is ready."


    The Alpha was already awake. He didn¡¯t stir like a man roused from sleep no, he moved like he had been waiting for this exact moment, as if his mind had been humming with anticipation long before dawn. He sat up slowly, deliberately, and that was enough to make my stomach twist.


    Without even ncing at me, he ordered,


    "Elie. Get up. You¡¯reing with me."


    A chill raced down my spine. My throat worked, but I didn¡¯t dare speak. I scrambled to my feet and followed him, the guard falling into step behind us.


    The morning air outside was damp, filled with mist that clung to my skin. At first, all I saw was the blur of trees and the hazy shapes of pack members gathered in a circle. Then my eyes adjusted, and I froze. She was there. The girl from the dungeon. Only now she wasn¡¯t in the shadows of stone walls. She was dangling upside down from a thick branch of an oak tree just outside the pack¡¯s grounds, her ankles bound so tightly that blood had run down her calves and dried in streaks. Her hair hung toward the earth, matted with dirt and sweat. Her face was swollen, her lips cracked, but her chest still moved in shallow, pitiful breaths. My legs almost gave out beneath me. I wanted to look away, but I couldn¡¯t. The image seared itself into me, sickening and sharp, like it had carved itself into my skull.


    The pack surrounded her in a wide ring, some with their eyes cast low, others sneaking uneasy nces at the Alpha as he approached. They parted immediately, as if he were a force of nature sweeping through them. Heads bowed, shoulders stiff, breaths held. He stopped beneath the girl and tilted his head back, studying her the way someone might study a painting. Then, slowly, that cruel smile of his spread across his lips.


    "Good morning," he said, his voice cutting through the mist like a de. "Today, you will all witness a lesson."


    My arms wrapped around myself instinctively, trying to contain the tremor in my chest. A lesson. No this was a spectacle.


    The girl made a weak sound, a muffled whimper that barely carried. The Alpha reached up and grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her head upward even though she was hanging upside down. Blood rushed to her face, turning her skin blotchy and red.


    "This one," he announced, his gaze sweeping across his pack, this bitch told her father that she¡¯s in love with me and she wants to be my mate.


    A murmur rippled through the crowd. I could hear the forced outrage in some voices, the hesitant growls from others. But beneath it all was fear. Fear so thick I could taste it in the air.


    My stomach knotted tighter. He wanted them to be afraid. He wanted me to be afraid.


    "Tell me," the Alpha said suddenly, his eyes snapping to a young warrior in the front row. "What happens to traitors?"


    The boy stiffened, panic flickering in his eyes. He swallowed hard. "They... they die, Alpha."


    "Wrong."


    The word cracked like a whip. The Alpha¡¯s hand shot forward, gripping the boy¡¯s jaw so tightly his teeth ground together. The boy whimpered, his knees buckling.


    "Death," the Alpha snarled, "is mercy. Traitors deserve worse. They suffer. They are unmade until nothing remains."


    He shoved the boy back into the dirt, and the pack recoiled as one.


    My breath hitched. He didn¡¯t just want obedience. He wanted devotion born of terror.


    The crazy Alpha turned his attention back to the girl. He raised his hand, and one of the guards stepped forward instantly, cing a whip of braided leather into his palm. The sight of it made bile burn the back of my throat.


    The girl¡¯s weak whimper turned into a sob, muffled against her swollen lips.


    The first crack split the morning air. I flinched so hard my teeth cked together. The sound was louder than it had any right to be, echoing through the mist, followed by the girl¡¯s muffled scream. Blood streaked down her side where the whip bit into her flesh. Another crack. Another scream. I pressed a trembling hand to my mouth, fighting the urge to vomit. I wanted to close my eyes, but I couldn¡¯t. If I did, I would still hear it, still imagine it, and maybe that would be even worse.


    The pack stood in rigid silence. Some looked eager, almost proud, as though witnessing their Alpha¡¯s cruelty proved their loyalty. Others looked pale, eyes darting nervously, hands clenched at their sides. None moved. None spoke.


    Because this was the price of survival. The Alpha¡¯s strikes were steady, unhurried. He wasn¡¯t trying to kill her quickly. He was unraveling her, piece by piece, savoring the way her sobs grew weaker. Eachsh was deliberate, each scream music to him. I dug my nails into my arms, grounding myself against the wave of nausea that threatened to drown me. My mind screamed at me to look away, but my body betrayed me. I watched. I listened. I endured.


    Finally, when the girl¡¯s body hung limp, her cries reduced to faint gasps, the Alpha tossed the whip aside. His chest rose and fell steadily, not even out of breath.


    He turned to his pack, his eyes alight with cold fire. "This," he said, gesturing to the broken girl, "is what happens when you fall in love with me.


    A chorus of growls answered him, forced, practiced, but loud enough to satisfy.


    He smiled, a predator pleased with his pack¡¯s submission. Then his gaze slid to me.


    I froze. For a heartbeat, the world narrowed to just his eyes and mine. He didn¡¯t need to say a word. The message was clear. You see this? This is your reminder. You are mine, and you will obey, or you will hang where she hangs. I swallowed hard, my throat burning, and dropped my gaze to the ground. My body trembled so violently I could barely keep my legs steady.


    The Alpha¡¯s voice thundered again, turning away from me and back to his pack. "Let no one here forget. I am not merciful. I am not forgiving. And I am always watching."


    The pack answered with a unified roar, their voices echoing through the trees.


    I pressed my arms tighter around myself, wishing desperately that I could vanish into the mist. But I couldn¡¯t. I was here, and I had seen, and I would never forget. The lesson wasn¡¯t just for the pack. It was for me. And I understood it all too well. The moment the screaming stopped and silence nketed the pack grounds, I thought maybe just maybe the nightmare would end. The body swayed gently from the tree, and the pack members who had gathered to witness the punishment stood frozen, staring at the ground, their shoulders trembling as if afraid to even breathe.


    I tried to steady my own breathing, though my lungs felt tight, as if invisible ropes had been tied around my chest. My palms were slick, fingers curling into fists at my side. I didn¡¯t want to cry, but my eyes burned anyway.


    I dared not lift my gaze to him. The psycho Alpha. He stood just a few feet away, broad shoulders unmoving, his cold aura pressing down heavier than the morning fog. His eyes weren¡¯t on the punished girl anymore. They were on me. And then I hear his inner voice. It was deeper, sharper, crawling into my mind with a mocking echo that made my knees weaken.


    I swallowed hard, willing my body not to react, willing my face to stay nk.


    "Inner Voice: Look at her, the Alpha¡¯s inner voice chuckled, dark amusement dripping from every word. Her hands shake like a newborn pup. Should I tell her to stop? Or would she cry harder if I point it out?


    My fingers curled tighter, nails digging into my palms. My chest rose and fell too quickly, betraying me. Pathetic, the voice sneered, low and cruel. I haven¡¯t even touched her, and she looks ready to copse. What would happen if I did? If I leaned close, brushed a finger along her neck¡ªwould she scream? Would she faint?


    I bit my lip so hard I tasted copper. My knees threatened to buckle, but I forced myself to stay upright. I couldn¡¯t breathe. As he continues.


    "Inner voice: She pretends she¡¯s brave, but I can hear the way her heart hammers. Poor little thing does she think she can hide it from me?


    My throat tightened. I wanted to scream at him to stop, to shut out the voice, but if I moved, I will be the next victim.


    No. No. I couldn¡¯t let that happen.


    "Inner voice: What¡¯s wrong, little rabbit? The words slithered through my head, venomous, yful. You¡¯re trembling so much, I can see it from here. Afraid I¡¯ll break you too? Afraid you¡¯ll end up hanging beside her?


    My vision blurred at the edges. My chest burned as if I¡¯d been running for miles. My body was betraying me, every nerve screaming in panic while I tried to hold myself together.


    The crazy psycho didn¡¯t move. Not an inch. He just stood there, hands sped behind his back, a faint smile tugging at his lips the kind of smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes.


    But in his mind, theughter grew louder.


    "Inner voice: Hahaha... look at her. So pale. So weak. She thinks I don¡¯t notice. I notice everything. Every twitch, every flicker of fear, every shallow breath she takes.


    I staggered back a step, but my heel caught on the dirt. The world tilted. My ears rang.


    Yes, that¡¯s it, the inner voice hissed, delighted. Fall for me, little one. Show me how fear tastes when it consumes you whole.


    My throat made a strangled sound I couldn¡¯t hold back. The ground spun beneath me, ck spots clouding my sight.


    The crazy psycho¡¯s inner voice softened suddenly, mock-gentle, as if he were leaning down to whisper just for me.


    "Inner voice: Shhh... don¡¯t fight it. Just break.


    And I did. Thest thing I felt was the cold bite of the earth against my knees before darkness swallowed me whole.


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 Chapter 62

    <h4>Chapter 62: Chapter 62</h4>


    When I opened my eyes, the world was hazy, blurred as though myshes were drenched in fog. My body felt strangely heavy, limbs sinking into the mattress beneath me. The faint scent of iron clung to the air, metallic and sharp, making my stomach turn before I even remembered where I was or what had happened. Then something wet touched my skin. A cold, damp pressure sliding across my arm. I jerked faintly, not fully awake, and a low hum reached my ears. A voice calm, measured, frighteningly gentle.


    "Easy, little rabbit... you¡¯re awake sooner than I thought."


    My eyes widened, the haze burning away like mist under fire. The room sharpened, my heart lurched, and I realized where I was. Back in his chambers. The psycho Alpha¡¯s quarters.


    And he was there, sitting on the edge of the bed beside me.


    The sight froze my blood. He had rolled up the sleeves of his ck shirt, revealing forearms streaked faintly with water and a smear of drying red. His hand moved steadily, holding a damp towel that he pressed against my bare shoulder, dragging slowly down toward my wrist. Each movement was careful, deliberate, almost tender. Wait! What? He was cleaning me. My stomach twisted, bile rising as shes from the dungeon returned the girl¡¯s screams echoing against the stone, the metallic spray of her blood, his voice cutting through the air with cold amusement before her life was ended in a heartbeat. And me... me standing there until the horror was too much, until the world had spun and darkness had swallowed me whole. Now I was here. On his bed. With him wiping me down as if I were some fragile doll he didn¡¯t want stained.


    I tried to move away. My body flinched, but his hand pressed lightly against my wrist, not harsh, not violent yet unyielding. His strength was in that simple touch, and I knew I couldn¡¯t pull free even if I tried.


    "Shhh." His voice slid over me like velvet, soft but dangerous. "Don¡¯t make sudden movements. You fainted. Your body needs rest."


    His words were smooth, spoken like a caretaker¡¯s reassurance, but I could hear the cracks beneath them.


    "Inner voice: Pathetic. She couldn¡¯t even stomach a little blood. What a weakling. Still, it¡¯s... amusing.


    I stiffened, my pulse hammering against my throat. He didn¡¯t know. He still didn¡¯t know that I could hear them. And if he ever found out my own will be finished.


    I forced my breathing to steady, though my chest wanted to heave with panic. I looked at him, at the careful way his hand moved the towel along my forearm, wiping away faint streaks of something I didn¡¯t want to identify.


    His eyes lifted to mine. Silver, calm, disturbingly serene.


    "You¡¯ll thank me," he said softly. "The scent of another¡¯s blood shouldn¡¯t linger on your skin. It doesn¡¯t belong to you."


    "Inner voice: Mine should be the only scent marking her. She doesn¡¯t even realize it yet.


    I bit down on my lip hard enough to taste copper. Every instinct screamed at me to recoil, to scream, to run. But my body was trapped, pinned more by fear than his hand.


    "You..." My voice cracked, rough from disuse and panic. "You killed her."


    The towel paused. A faint smile touched his lips.


    "Yes." His tone was casual, like discussing the weather. "She was useless. A traitor." He dipped the towel back into a bowl of water I hadn¡¯t noticed on the bedside table. The clear liquid rippled faintly, darkened by streaks of pink that swirled before vanishing into transparency again. He wrung it out slowly, the droplets falling back into the bowl like ticking seconds.


    Then he leaned closer, pressing the cool fabric against the hollow of my throat.


    I couldn¡¯t stop the shiver that ran through me.


    "You shouldn¡¯t have fainted," he murmured, his eyes fixed on the spot he was wiping. "It disappointed me."


    "Inner voice: Pathetic little rabbit. But watching her crumble is so intoxicating. I could break her without lifting a finger. Maybe I already have.


    My breath caught. Every word in his mind twisted around me like invisible chains.


    I wanted to scream, to fight, but instead, I whispered, "Why are you doing this?"


    His eyes flicked up to mine again, unreadable. Then he smiled soft, disarming, wrong.


    "Because you¡¯re my personal omega. And mine should be clean."


    "Inner voice: And afraid. Always afraid. Fear makes her eyes shine. I like it.


    The towel slid lower, across my corbone, brushing the edge of the thin fabric that covered me. I grabbed the sheet instinctively, clutching it to my chest. His gaze lingered there for a second before he chuckled quietly, as though amused by a child¡¯s stubbornness.


    He pulled the towel away, dipped it again, wrung it out. Over and over, methodical, as if every inch of me had to be purified from what I had witnessed. The silence stretched, broken only by the soft sound of water and fabric against skin. My thoughts screamed, colliding inside me, begging me to do something say something, move, escape but my body was frozen, trapped beneath his presence.


    "Inner voice: She¡¯ll learn soon enough. Once she breakspletely, she¡¯ll see me as the only thing that matters.


    His towel returned to its slow, methodical path, and I closed my eyes, pretending to drift, pretending to let exhaustion drag me down. Inside, I trembled, listening to every poisonous thought that bled through his mind.


    He was dangerous. Beyond dangerous. And I was caught in his web. I must have drifted. My eyelids sank shut, too heavy to keep open, even though every instinct told me it was dangerous to sleep with him so close. Maybe it was exhaustion, or maybe the remnants of fainting still clung to me. But as soon as the darkness took me, I realized my mistake. The dungeon¡¯s walls rose around me again. Damp, stone, suffocating. The stench of rot and blood filled my lungs. Chains clinked, and the faint whimper of a girl echoed in the shadows.


    I turned my head. She was there. The girl he killed. Her eyes were wide, lifeless, but they locked on me as though she still had breath. Her mouth opened, and instead of a scream, a thick stream of blood poured out, trailing down her chin.


    "You didn¡¯t save me..." she whispered, though her lips never moved. The voice was in my skull, sharp and using. "You watched. You did nothing."


    "I¡ªI couldn¡¯t..." My voice trembled in the dream, though I wasn¡¯t sure if it was even my voice anymore.


    Her hands reached out, skeletal fingers stretching toward me. Her skin peeled away as she stepped closer, and her body dragged itself with broken jerks, head lolling from side to side.


    "You let him kill me. Now he¡¯ll kill you."


    The chains rattled. The sound grew louder, deafening, as though they wrapped around my own wrists and ankles. My body froze, pinned. She loomed closer, her face inches from mine, and I could smell the rot of her breath, heavy with iron and death.


    Then her whisper turned into a scream


    "You¡¯re next!"


    I screamed too And my eyes snapped open. The ceiling of his room loomed above me. My throat was raw, my chest heaving, sweat slicking my skin. The sheets tangled around me like the chains from the dream. For a moment I didn¡¯t know if I was still trapped. Then I saw him.


    The psycho Alpha sat in the armchair near the bed, one elbow on the armrest, fingers curled against his temple as he studied me with that same unnerving calm. His silver eyes reflected faint candlelight, gleaming like a predator¡¯s in the dark.


    "You dream loudly," he said, voice smooth, almost curious.


    She¡¯s breaking faster than I thought. Good. Fear makes her pliable.


    My stomach twisted. The dream clung to me like cobwebs, sticky and suffocating. The girl¡¯s ghostly face wouldn¡¯t leave my mind.


    I couldn¡¯t stay here. I couldn¡¯t breathe with him watching me, with his thoughts wrapping around me like invisible chains. I shoved the sheets back, stumbled to my feet. My legs were weak, trembling, but adrenaline burned hot in my veins.


    "Ellie." His voice followed me, low and steady.


    I didn¡¯t look back. I ran.


    The chamber doors weren¡¯t locked, at least not this time. My hands fumbled against the handle, then yanked it open. Cold air rushed against my face as I bolted into the corridor.


    Bare feet pped against stone. My breath echoed too loud in my ears, ragged and uneven. I didn¡¯t know where I was going, only that I needed to be anywhere but there, anywhere away from him. Behind me, silence. He didn¡¯t follow. Not yet. But his voice, that inner voice I couldn¡¯t escape, slithered into my head anyway.


    "Inner voice: Run, little rabbit. Run as far as you can. It won¡¯t matter. You¡¯lle back to me.


    My heart lurched, and I sprinted faster, even though I knew he was right.


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 Chapter 63

    <h4>Chapter 63: Chapter 63</h4>


    The cold stone walls bled shadows. The air in the dungeon was thick with damp rot, the stench of mold, sweat, and something coppery that coated the back of my throat. I was standing barefoot on the freezing floor, my toes numb, my heartbeat loud enough to echo off the walls. Chains rattled somewhere in the darkness.


    The girl was there again. The same one from before thin, broken, her eyes wide and empty as if she had already epted her fate. Her wrists were bound in iron, her lips cracked and bloodied. She whimpered my name no, not my name, but it felt like she was speaking to me. Pleading with me.


    "Help me," she croaked, but her voice wasn¡¯t her own. It carried the weight of something unholy, echoing and splitting in two, one voiceyered on top of the other.


    I tried to move forward, to reach her, but my legs were heavy as if shackled to the ground. My lungs tightened. The dungeon felt alive, the stones pulsing like veins, and from the darkness came footsteps. Slow. Deliberate. Mocking. He appeared. The psycho Alpha. His tall frame seemed evenrger in the gloom, his shoulders broad, his presence filling the air like poison. His eyes gleamed, twin shards of cruelty, and in his hand he carried a knife that glinted wetly under the torchlight.


    "Please, no..." the girl whispered.


    But he smiled. That smile the kind that stripped the skin from your bones before the de even touched you.


    I screamed at him to stop. My voice tore from my throat, but he didn¡¯t hear me. Or worse, he ignored me.


    The knife sank into her chest with a sickening crunch. Her body convulsed against the chains, her eyes rolling back as blood bubbled from her lips. He twisted the de slowly, savoring her agony, his expression calm, almost serene. Then he withdrew it with a wet sound, crimson dripping from the de onto the floor in thick drops. The metallic scent filled the dungeon until I thought I¡¯d drown in it. He turned his head. And his gaze locked on me. I froze. The knife slipped from his fingers, ttering onto the ground, but his hands those terrible hands were still red. He lifted them, studying the blood, then looked at me with that same smile.


    "You," he said, his voice low, deep, almost tender. "You¡¯re not like her."


    I shook my head violently, but my body refused to move.


    "You¡¯re mine," he continued, stepping closer, leaving bloody footprints on the stones. "My personal omega."


    He reached for me with those stained hands, and when his fingers brushed my cheek, the warmth of blood smeared across my skin I screamed. And I bolted upright, my lungs heaving, sweat dripping down my temples. My heart hammered so fast I thought it would tear out of my chest. The darkness of the Alpha quarters surrounded me, thick and suffocating, and for a split second I couldn¡¯t tell if I was still in the dungeon or not. The sheets tangled around my legs, sticky with cold sweat. My throat was raw, my voice hoarse from screaming. But worse than the nightmare was the silence. A silence so heavy it pressed down on me, as if the walls were waiting. Watching.


    I stumbled out of bed. My feet hit the cold floor, and I ran. I didn¡¯t think, didn¡¯t breathe. I just ran.


    The corridors stretched out endlessly, twisting and doubling back, each turn leading deeper into the Alpha¡¯s quarters. The torches burned low, their mes guttering, shadows reaching out with w-like fingers. My bare feet pped against stone, my breath ragged.


    The girl¡¯s face still haunted me. Her lifeless eyes. The blood. His smile. His words.


    My personal omega.


    No, no, no...


    I turned corner after corner, trying to find the way out, but the halls all looked the same. Heavy doors lined the passageways, all closed, all looming. Every door I passed felt like it hid another secret, another nightmare waiting to spill out. Behind me, I swore I heard footsteps. I stopped. My chest heaved, my ears straining and there was silence.


    Then I heard his inner voice.


    "Running won¡¯t save you, little omega.


    My stomach dropped. My skin crawled.


    I spun around, but the hallway was empty. I backed away slowly, my legs trembling. My hands scraped against the rough stone wall for bnce. The silence stretched, but then


    "Inner voice: I can hear your heartbeat. So fast. So deliciously afraid.


    I pped my hands over my ears, but it didn¡¯t matter. The voice was inside me, slithering under my skin. I ran again, faster this time, my breath tearing from my lungs. My vision blurred with panic, but no matter how far I went, I couldn¡¯t find the exit. The quarters twisted into a maze designed to trap me.


    The doors mmed in the distance. Or maybe it was only in my head. Shadows shifted at the edges of the torchlight, stretching into shapes that looked like ws reaching for me. I stumbled, fell to my knees, and my palms scraped raw against the stone. Pain jolted through me, but I forced myself up, choking on sobs, and kept running. My nightmare hadn¡¯t ended. I was still trapped. Still hunted.


    "Please..." I whispered to no one, to the walls, to the darkness.


    Begging already? His voice purred. How sweet.


    I turned another corner and stopped dead but he was there. The psycho Alpha stood at the far end of the corridor, tall and terrible, the torchlight flickering over his face. His smile was the same as in my dream, slow and wicked, as if he¡¯d been waiting for me all along. My body froze, my breath caught in my throat. His shadow stretched across the floor, reaching for me.


    Finally, his inner voice whispered. Caught you.


    His shadow swallowed mine.I froze against the cold wall, my breath ragged, my palms pressed t against the stone as if I could disappear into it. But the darkness didn¡¯t let me hide. It stretched long and sharp, his frame blotting out the flickering torchlight. My heart mmed against my ribs like it wanted to break free and run, even if I couldn¡¯t.


    He moved closer, slow, deliberate, the way a predator does when it knows the prey is already trapped.


    The psycho Alpha bent down, so close I felt the heat of his breath against the shell of my ear. My body went rigid.


    "Having nightmares again, my little omega?" he whispered, his voice low, silk over steel.


    My lips trembled. A whimper tore from me before I could stop it. "P-please..." I stuttered, my throat tight. "Please don¡¯t kill me."


    His breath hitched in what sounded like amusement. Then heughed. Not a normalugh, but that broken, jagged sound that didn¡¯t belong in the throat of a man it belonged in nightmares. It rolled through me, made my knees buckle. I squeezed my eyes shut, pressing myself harder against the wall. But he didn¡¯t back away. Instead, he ced one hand on the wall right beside my head, the other slowly trailing down the side of my face with a touch that made bile rise in my throat. His fingers lingered at my jaw, his thumb brushing the edge of my lips as if testing how easily he could tear me apart. So fragile, his inner voice purred inside my head. So soft. I could snap you in half with one hand


    I gasped and shook my head, trying to push his hand away, but he caught my wrists in an instant and pinned them above me against the wall. His grip was iron. My struggles were nothing against his strength.


    "Don¡¯t..." I begged, tears burning my eyes. "I¡¯ll do anything, just don¡¯t kill me.


    His smile widened, and hisughter spilled out again, echoing off the stone corridor. But beneath thatughter, his inner voice slithered through me:


    Why would I kill my little omega when I can keep you alive... trembling like this?


    My chest constricted. Panic wed at me, my lungs screaming for air, but his shadow loomed closer, his body caging me in.


    "Look at you," he murmured aloud, tilting my chin up with a blood-stained finger as if forcing me to meet his gaze. "Begging... shaking... you¡¯re perfect like this."


    I sobbed, twisting against him, but he only pressed closer, his presence suffocating, hisughter spilling into the silence like a de dragging across stone. Hisughter cut through me again, this time softer, darker, almost intimate. He leaned closer, until his nose brushed against the side of my throat. My pulse jumped wildly under his touch.


    "Kill you?" he murmured, his lips ghosting over my skin. "Why would I waste something so... fragile? So perfect?"


    You¡¯re mine, his inner voice whispered. Mine to keep. Mine to break. Mine to y with whenever I want.


    I choked on a sob. His grip tightened around my wrists, his fingers digging into my flesh hard enough to bruise. His other hand trailed down my cheek, along my jaw, stopping at my throat. He pressed lightly, just enough to remind me how easy it would be to crush the air from my lungs.


    My body trembled uncontrobly. Every instinct screamed danger, screamed death, screamed run but I couldn¡¯t move. His touch paralyzed me more effectively than chains ever could.


    "Please," I begged again, my voice a broken whisper. "Don¡¯t..."


    He chuckled, low and sinister, the sound vibrating through his chest and into me.


    Beg louder, his inner voice taunted. I want to hear it. I want to hear how far you¡¯ll crawl to survive.


    I shook my head desperately, but my throat betrayed me. "Please... please don¡¯t hurt me!"


    He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing with amusement. Then he leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of my ear once more.


    "You beg so beautifully."


    The corridor spun. My vision darkened at the edges. My chest heaved, my breath ragged, every inhale harder than thest. The pounding of my heart roared in my ears until it was the only sound I could hear. My body couldn¡¯t take it the fear, the suffocating weight of him, the venom of his voice inside my head. Everything blurred. My legs gave out. And then nothing. Everywhere became ck again


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 Chapter 64

    <h4>Chapter 64: Chapter 64</h4>


    The moment I opened my eyes, I knew something was different. The air wasn¡¯t heavy with the Alpha¡¯s presence. The room wasn¡¯t charged with the suffocating weight of his gaze. Instead, there was softness in the space around me an almost fragile warmth I hadn¡¯t felt in what seemed like forever.


    "Ellie?"


    The voice was gentle, so startlingly familiar that I thought I was hallucinating. My breath caught in my throat, and my chest tightened. I turned my head, expecting the same nightmare cycle to continue, but what I saw instead sent a wave of shock crashing through me. Two figures leaned close, faces I thought I¡¯d never see again.


    "Joan..." The name slipped from me like a broken prayer.


    Her eyes widened, and in an instant they filled with tears. She grasped my hand between hers, squeezing so hard I could feel the tremor of her desperation. "It¡¯s really you," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Ellie, you¡¯re alive you¡¯re really alive."


    Beside her, another pair of warm eyes glistened with emotion.


    "Don¡¯t cry too hard yet. You¡¯ll make yourself sick."


    "ra..." My throat closed, and tears streamed down my cheeks.


    I couldn¡¯t stop staring at them. They were real. My friends no, my family in all the ways that mattered were here, sitting beside me as if time had reversed and all the horrors I had endured had been nothing more than a long, twisted dream.


    My trembling fingers reached out, brushing ra¡¯s wrist before clutching it tightly, afraid that if I let go, she would vanish like smoke. "How... how are you here? Did he¡ª?"


    At the mention of him, both of their faces faltered, shadows clouding their relief.


    "Elie," Joan whispered, lowering her voice as if the walls themselves could betray us, "the Alpha sent for us. He said you needed care. He told us we¡¯re to stay with you until you recover."


    The words sent a chill coursing through me.


    He had done this. But not out of kindness, not out ofpassion, but because he decided it. Because even in my moments of joy, my reprieve, my reunion with the only people I trusted, he still held the strings. Still, I clutched Joan¡¯s hand tighter. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to reject the gift, poisoned as it was. My heart needed them, even if his shadow stretched over everything. I wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand, trying tough through the sob lodged in my throat. "You don¡¯t know... how much I prayed for this. For you. I thought I¡¯d never..." My words copsed into silence.


    Joan pulled me into a shaky embrace, her hair brushing my cheek. "We¡¯re here now. We¡¯ll take care of you. Whatever happens."


    ra shifted closer, tucking the nket tighter around me, her movements steady and purposeful like always. "Rest. You¡¯ve been through too much already. Your body needs peace."


    Peace. The word tasted foreign, almost mocking. Because even as their warmth surrounded me, my mind drifted to him. The psycho Alpha. He wasn¡¯t here. His absence should have been a relief, but instead it only carved a deeper pit of unease in my stomach. Where had he gone? What did pack business mean for someone like him? The image shed in my mind before I could stop it: the dungeon, the girl¡¯s lifeless body crumpled on the floor, the stench of blood thick in the air, hisughter echoing as I fainted. And her words her broken story still haunted me. He had massacred her pack. Wiped them out like they were nothing more than ants beneath his boot. Was that where he was now? ughtering another pack, erasing more lives, all while Iy here under nkets and fresh cloths, guarded by the illusion of care? My chest constricted.


    "Elie." Joan¡¯s voice was soft but firm. "Don¡¯t think too hard about him. Not now."


    I met her gaze, startled. Could she read my thoughts that easily? Maybe she didn¡¯t need to. Maybe my fear was etched so deeply into my face that anyone who knew me could see it. But she wasn¡¯t wrong. I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about him, even if I wanted to. His shadow followed me, slipping into every crack of my mind, twisting even moments of happiness into knots of dread. Still, I tried to push it aside, if only for their sake.


    "When did you get here?" I asked, forcing my voice steady.


    "This morning," ra said, smoothing a damp cloth over my forehead. Her calm tone grounded me, pulling me back to the present. "He ordered us to your side before he left. Said you weren¡¯t to be left unattended." Joan made a face, bitterness curling her mouth. "As if we¡¯re guards, not friends."


    "Shh," ra warned quickly, ncing toward the door with wary eyes. Even with him gone, the fear of his ears lingered. Silence pressed around us, heavy and suffocating. I swallowed hard, my heart aching as I looked between them. They were here alive, unharmed for now but I knew better than to trust in permanence. Everything he gave, he could take away in a heartbeat. I wanted to ask them about the outside world. About the pack. About whether anyone dared whisper of the Alpha¡¯s growing madness. But the words lodged in my throat. What if speaking them out loud condemned them?


    Instead, I let Joan¡¯s hand stroke mine, let ra¡¯s cloth cool my fevered skin, and pretended for just a fragile heartbeat that this was enough. But deep inside, the questions festered. What horrors was he unleashing now, while I sat in borrowed peace? And when he returned, what price would he demand for this fleeting happiness? I closed my eyes, clutching Joan¡¯s hand tighter, and prayed that when he came back, he would not be drenched in blood. But I already knew the truth. He always came back drenched in blood.


    The silence in the room should have beenforting, but to me, silence was never safe. In silence, my thoughts had too much room to wander. They wandered to where he might be now, what he might be doing. He had left earlier, saying only that he had "pack business" to attend to. Those words meant nothing good when they came from him.


    Other Alphas said "pack business" when they were visiting allies, attending meetings, or handling disputes. But him? My Alpha. My nightmare. He said "pack business" when he meant ughter. I couldn¡¯t stop picturing the scene of that other pack, the one whose blood he spilled without a flicker of remorse. I saw their lifeless bodies every time I closed my eyes. I wondered if today, somewhere out there, another pack was learning toote what it meant to draw his attention.


    I shivered and forced my focus back to the present, to the two omegas who sat with me now. Joan had her head bent, her fingers knotting in the nket on herp, while ra¡¯s hands wouldn¡¯t stop trembling. Their presence should have brought mefort he had sent them here to "keep mepany while I recovered," as ifpanionship could erase the scars of what he had done butfort was such a fragile thing in this ce. It broke too easily.


    I noticed ra¡¯s lips moving. At first I thought she was whispering to Joan, but when I leaned closer, I realized her words were fractured, broken things slipping past her lips without sound. Her eyes weren¡¯t looking at the room at all. They were ssy, staring through me, locked on something only she could see.


    "ra?" I asked softly.


    She flinched at her name, but didn¡¯t look at me. Her body started shaking harder, as though her bones were trying to rattle out of her skin.


    "Ellie?" Joan¡¯s voice was small, uncertain. "What¡¯s wrong with her?"


    I already knew. I¡¯d seen that look before in the mirror, when nightmares dragged me back into the ces I wanted most to forget. ra wasn¡¯t here. She was somewhere else. Somewhere darker.


    Her breath hitched, a broken gasp. "He¡ªhe told them to..."


    My chest tightened. I knew exactly what memory had her trapped. It was the night he had ordered the guards to Rape her. She had made one mistake. I remembered the way his voice had filled the space, calm and cruel, as he pointed at ra like she was nothing more than a discarded toy.


    "Rape her," he hadmanded the guards. "Do whatever you want. She belongs to me, and I decide when she is used."


    ra had crumpled, her body folding in on itself like paper under fire. I could still hear her scream thin, terrified, desperate. It was the kind of scream that stayed with you, gnawing at the edges of your mind. And me? I had stepped forward without thinking. My body had moved before my brain could catch up, before I could remind myself that I was weak, that I was nothingpared to him. I had thrown myself in front of her, my voice shaking but louder than I thought I was capable of. "Don¡¯t touch her!


    The had stood there, watching, his lips curled in a smile that wasn¡¯t a smile at all. It was hunger. He had let it end there, pulling the leash back, not because of mercy but because he wanted to draw it out. He wanted to see how long it would take before we all shatteredpletely.


    "ra," I whispered now, snapping back to the present. I reached for her hand, but she jerked away as if my touch burned. Her eyes darted wildly, wet with tears that she didn¡¯t seem to notice.


    "I can still hear him," she sobbed. "He told them¡ªhe told them to¡ª"


    "I know," I whispered fiercely, leaning closer. "I know what he said. But it didn¡¯t happen. I was there. I stopped them. Do you hear me, ra? I stopped them."


    Her body shook harder. "Safe? You think we¡¯re safe? None of us are safe. Not with him."


    The words hit me like a de. I couldn¡¯t argue with her, because she was right. We weren¡¯t safe. Not ever.


    Joan made a broken sound, almost like a whimper. She pulled her knees up to her chest, curling into herself. "He¡¯s going toe back," she whispered. "He alwayses back. And when he does..


    "Don¡¯t," I snapped, harsher than I meant to. The air in my lungs burned. "Don¡¯t say it. Don¡¯t you dare say it."


    But I couldn¡¯t stop my mind from finishing the thought. When hees back, someone always bleeds.


    I pulled ra against me, even as she shook so hard I thought her bones might splinter. I tried to steady her breathing, tried to give her some of the strength I didn¡¯t even have. My own chest was tight, my stomach knotted, but I couldn¡¯t let her see. If I let go, if I broke, then we¡¯d all fall apart. I stroked her hair, whispering over and over. "You¡¯re not alone. You¡¯re not alone. Not while I¡¯m here." And then we heard footsteps.


    A slow, heavy tread echoing in the corridor outside. All three of us froze. The sound was unmistakable. Purposeful. Controlled. Not rushed, not casual. Whoever it was wanted us to hear. My blood turned to ice.The sound wasing closer and Louder.


    ra whimpered, her trembling spiraling out of control. Her nails dug into my arm, leaving sharp crescents in my skin. "It¡¯s him," she gasped. "Oh Moon Goddess, it¡¯s him¡ª"


    "Don¡¯t panic," I whispered, but my own voice shook so badly the words were almost a plea. "Don¡¯t panic please.


    Joan¡¯s eyes were wide, wet with terror. Her entire body shook, but she didn¡¯t make a sound. The fear was carved so deep into her she couldn¡¯t even cry out. The footsteps stopped outside the door.


    Then it went silent. My heartbeat roared in my ears.


    Then, The doorknob turned.


    The door creaked open. And there he was. The psycho Alpha. His shadow fell across the floor before his body did, long and sharp like a de. His eyes found us instantly, gleaming with something unreadable. Something dangerous. ra¡¯s body went rigid against me, her lips parting in a silent scream. Then, all at once, she crumpled, her body copsing in my arms.


    "ra!" I cried, shaking her, but she didn¡¯t respond. She had fainted, fear dragging her under like a riptide.


    Beside me, Joan let out a strangled sob. She clutched the nket so tightly her knuckles turned bone white, her body trembling like a leaf caught in a storm.


    And me? I was frozen. My hands shook, my heart thundered, but I couldn¡¯t move. His presence filled the room like a suffocating fog, and all I could do was hold ra¡¯s limp body against me while Joan shook beside us.


    The door clicked shut behind him.


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 Chapter 65

    <h4>Chapter 65: Chapter 65</h4>


    The door closed with a sharp click, sealing us inside with him. The sound rang louder than it should have, final and cruel, like the mming of a cell door. The air shifted the moment he stepped in, thickening, tightening around us like invisible chains. My lungs resisted pulling in air; every breath scraped like ss in my chest. He moved forward without pause, his boots striking the floor in a rhythm that echoed like the heartbeat of a predator.


    ray limp in my arms, her body still and fragile as porcin. I barely had time to lower her onto the nket before his shadow swept across us. He didn¡¯t stop. Didn¡¯t even nce down.


    He stepped right over her fainted body. Like she wasn¡¯t even a person. Like she was no more than a rug beneath his boots. I wanted to scream, wanted to lunge forward and shield her from that disregard, but my body betrayed me. My legs had turned to stone, my fingers wing at the mattress as I pressed myself back against the bed frame. His eyes weren¡¯t on her. They were on me. And Joan. I had never seen Joan this way before. She was usually so careful, so quiet, so good at masking her fear, but now she was breaking apart in real time. Her hands shook violently in herp, her teeth biting into her bottom lip until blood welled. Then came the sharp, acrid scent that burned my nose before my brain fully processed what had happened. Joan had lost control of her dder. The damp patch spread quickly beneath her, darkening the nket, dripping down the side of the bed. Her sob broke the silence, high and choked, and she covered her face with her trembling hands. The psycho Alpha¡¯s lips curved. Not into a smile never a smile but into something worse. Something sharp and satisfied. He had seen it. He had smelled it. And he liked it. My heart hammered so violently I thought it might burst out of my chest. I wanted to grab Joan, to pull her against me and shield her, but I couldn¡¯t move. His gaze pinned me in ce like ws through flesh.


    Slowly, he closed the distance. By the time he reached the bed, the air was so heavy I could barely swallow. He nted one knee on the mattress, leaning forward until his shadow engulfed us both. His scent sharp cedar, iron, and the faintest trace of blood invaded my senses, suffocating. I pressed myself back, trembling, my spine digging painfully into the wooden frame. My throat tightened as if invisible fingers were closing around it.


    His eyes roamed over me deliberately, leisurely, like a wolf deciding which part of themb to bite first.


    "You¡¯re shaking again, little omega," he murmured, his voice low, velvety, dangerous. "Are you afraid?"


    My lips parted, but no sound came out. My body betrayed me with a violent shiver, an instinctive flinch I couldn¡¯t suppress. That was answer enough for him. His mouth twisted into that half-smile again, cruel amusement flickering across his face. He tilted his head slightly, studying me like I was a puzzle he¡¯d already solved but enjoyed watching struggle. Behind me, Joan whimpered again. He turned his head slowly, deliberately, to look at her. She froze under his gaze, still hiding half her face with her hands, but he didn¡¯t need to see her clearly. He could smell her fear. He could smell her humiliation.


    The silence stretched, unbearable, until he finally chuckled. A soft, dark sound that vibrated through the air.


    "Pathetic," he said, his voice carrying the weight of judgment. "You reek of fear. You disgust me."


    Joan broke into sobs, muffled behind her palms. My chest twisted painfully at the sound, but I couldn¡¯t speak, couldn¡¯t defend her, not with his eyes returning to me. Because then his attention was mine again, burning, suffocating.


    He leaned closer, so close that his breath ghosted over my cheek. I tried to turn my face away, but his hand shot up, fingers gripping my jaw with punishing force.


    "Don¡¯t look away," hemanded softly.


    My breath hitched, a strangled sound escaping my throat. His thumb traced the trembling line of my jaw, slow, deliberate, mocking. His eyes bored into mine, seeing every flicker of fear I couldn¡¯t hide.


    "That¡¯s better," he whispered. "You¡¯re learning."


    I wanted to scream, wanted to w at him, wanted to push him away, but I was frozen in his grip. My mind screamed at me to fight, but my body refused to obey. I could only stare into his eyes, wide and terrified, as his smirk deepened. He leaned in until his lips brushed the shell of my ear.


    "You know," he murmured, his voice so low it vibrated against my skin, "I almost missed this while I was gone. The way you tremble. The way you beg without saying a word. You can¡¯t hide it from me, Ellie. I see everything."


    My stomach twisted violently. My nails dug into the mattress until they broke the fabric. My heart pounded against my ribs like it was trying to escape.


    "Tell me," he whispered, his breath hot against my ear. "Did you miss me, little omega?"


    I shook my head violently, tears stinging my eyes. My voice finally broke free, raw and shaking. "N-no."


    He chuckled, the sound dark and amused. His grip on my jaw tightened until pain shot up the side of my face.


    "Liar," he whispered. "You thought of me every second I was gone. Wondering what I was doing. Wondering when I¡¯de back. Didn¡¯t you?"


    I squeezed my eyes shut, shaking my head again.


    His fingers dug deeper, forcing my face up. "Look at me."


    I obeyed, because I had no choice.


    My tears blurred my vision, but I could still see the gleam of satisfaction in his eyes.


    "That¡¯s my good omega," he said softly.


    The words made bile rise in my throat. Beside me, Joan¡¯s sobs grew louder, broken sounds of a girl unraveling. He nced at her again, his smirk darkening.


    "Inner voice: Perhaps I should test which of you breaks faster," he mused aloud, as though we weren¡¯t even there. "The one who pisses herself, or the one who shakes but still tries to hold her tongue."


    My blood turned to ice.


    "No," I whispered hoarsely, the word torn from me before I could stop it. "Please..."


    His eyes snapped back to me instantly, locking on the plea.


    And then he smiled. A real smile this time. Sharp, cruel, beautiful, terrible. He released my jaw suddenly, making me gasp from the absence of pressure. Then, slowly, deliberately, he ced his hand on the mattress beside my head, leaning down until his lips were an inch from mine. I froze, my entire body rigid with terror, as his gaze pierced into me.


    "You¡¯ll beg properly soon enough," he murmured.


    The promise in his voice was worse than any threat. ray sprawled on the floor, unconscious from her terror-filled shback, her chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths. Joan crouched beside me, trembling uncontrobly, the acrid smell of urine hanging heavy in the air. She had already lost control of herself, wetting her dress in fear. I wanted tofort her, to say something anything but my own lips felt frozen, and my tongue clung uselessly to the roof of my mouth.


    "Inner Voice: Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. The little one pissed herself.


    My stomach lurched violently. I gripped the sheets so tightly my knuckles whitened, willing myself not to copse the way ra had. Theughter echoed again, booming louder now, as though he were circling us from the inside out.


    "inner voice: Look at her. Can¡¯t even control her dder. And that one on the floor? Useless. She couldn¡¯t even stay conscious long enough to amuse me.


    Joan whimpered beside me, burying her face against my arm as if she could hide from his voice. But there was no hiding. His thoughts weren¡¯t whispers they were knives. Every word sliced deep, shredding whatever courage we had left. I squeezed Joan¡¯s hand, but my own was shaking so badly I doubt she even felt thefort I tried to offer.


    "Inner voice: And you... my little Ellie.My chest tightened.Shaking so sweetly for me. You pretend to be strong, but I see it. The way your bones rattle under your skin, the way your lips tremble even though you try to bite them still. You¡¯re the most entertaining of them all.I shut my eyes, but that only made it worse. His voice filled the darkness behind my lids, drowning out every other sound. My pulse roared in my ears, but I couldn¡¯t block him out. He was everywhere.Joan sobbed beside me, trembling so hard that the bed shook beneath us.


    "Inner voice: Two little broken toys clinging to each other. And one fainted doll on the floor. What am I supposed to do with such pitiful ythings?


    I swallowed hard, but the dryness in my throat made it painful. my body betrayed me. My knees knocked together, my hands quivered, and I knew he could see every detail. He crouched lower, bringing his face level with mine. I refused to look into his eyes, but I felt his gaze bore into me, stripping me bare until there was nowhere left to hide. Joan let out a shrill sob, and his eyes flicked toward her.


    "Inner voice: And this one... dripping like a frightened pup. How revolting. How utterly amusing.

 Chapter 66

    <h4>Chapter 66: Chapter 66</h4>


    The ng of the iron bolt locking shut echoed inside my skull long after it stopped. It was such a simple sound metal against metal, final and cold but in that moment, it was the loudest thing in the world. Louder than my heartbeat, louder than Joan¡¯s muffled sobs, louder even than the ringing that filled my ears. The Psycho Alpha was gone. At least, that¡¯s what my eyes told me. The space he had filled, the shadow of his presence, the sharpness of his voice it wasn¡¯t here anymore. The corner of the room he had stood in so casually, tormenting us with his gaze and his thoughts, was now empty. But my body didn¡¯t believe it. My body still trembled as though he were towering over me, as though his breath still brushed against my skin, as though his cruel smile was still just inches from my face. And I my knew better. Because even when he wasn¡¯t here, he was still inside me. His inner voice lingered like smoke in my chest, poisoning the air I breathed.


    "Inner voice: Look at you. Small. Fragile. Terrified. My little omega, broken before I¡¯ve even begun.


    I squeezed my eyes shut and pressed my palms hard over my ears, rocking slightly against the cold stone wall. It was a pathetic attempt at shielding myself, but I couldn¡¯t stop. My body needed something, anything, to do besides shatter under the memory of him. Beside me, Joan had copsed into a tighter ball against the opposite wall. Her knees were hugged so tightly to her chest that her shoulders shook. I could hear her breathing shallow, uneven, ragged and every so often a choked sob slipped past the hand she kept mped over her mouth.


    The smell of urine still clung to the air, sharp and humiliating, but I didn¡¯t me her. How could I? If I hadn¡¯t already fainted or lost control, it was only because terror had rooted itself so deeply in my bones that my body refused to do anything at all.


    And then there was ra. Shey where she had fallen, motionless, crumpled like a broken doll. My stomach twisted when I remembered the sound of his boot connecting with her ribs. That single, merciless kick. The way her body had jerked helplessly, yet she hadn¡¯t even woken. The silence was unbearable. I wanted to move, to crawl across the room and shake her awake, to make sure she was alive. But my limbs were stone. My muscles trembled too hard to obey. Every time I tried to shift, I heard him again.


    "Inner voice: Pathetic. So weak. You can¡¯t even crawl to her side. How will you survive when I return?


    I signed. I knew it wasn¡¯t. He was gone. He wasn¡¯t in the room anymore. But my body didn¡¯t care. My chest tightened until I thought I would suffocate.


    "Joan," I whispered hoarsely, barely able to form her name. My throat burned.


    Her head snapped up, her eyes huge, wild. For a second, she looked at me like I was him, like the mere sound of my voice might be a trick.


    "Is... is she breathing?" I nodded toward ra¡¯s limp form, my voice trembling.


    Joan shook her head violently. "I¡ªI don¡¯t know," she choked out. Her voice was tiny, broken. "I can¡¯t¡ªI can¡¯t look, Ellie. I can¡¯t."


    Tears burned my eyes. I wanted to yell at her, to force her to move, but the words died in my throat. I wasn¡¯t moving either. Fear had chained us both in ce.


    Minutes crawled by like hours. My legs tingled from the way I was curled up, but I was too scared to shift. Joan kept rocking back and forth, whispering something I couldn¡¯t make out. Maybe a prayer. Maybe just nonsense.


    Finally, I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I forced my arms to uncurl, my legs to stretch. Every motion felt like breaking through iron. My body shook violently, but I dragged myself across the floor.


    Joan gasped softly, almost like a warning. "Ellie-don¡¯t. He might-he mighte back.


    "I have to," I whispered, my voice raw.


    I reached ra¡¯s side and froze. Up close, she looked even smaller, even more fragile. Her chest rose and fell so shallowly I had to stare for several seconds just to be sure it moved at all. My hand trembled as I touched her shoulder, shaking gently.


    "ra?" My voice cracked. "ra, can you hear me?"


    Nothing. Panic wed at me, but I pressed trembling fingers against her neck, desperately searching for a pulse. For a horrifying moment, I thought I couldn¡¯t find it. My own heartbeat thundered too loudly in my ears. Then, faint. So faint. But there. A sob of relief tore from my throat. "She¡¯s alive," I whispered, my whole body sagging. Joan¡¯s eyes squeezed shut, and she let out a muffled sob of her own, her hands still over her mouth. Alive. But for how long? He had hurt her once. He coulde back. He could finish what he started.


    I sat back against the wall, pulling ra¡¯s limp form partly into myp, and my tears fell freely now. I stroked her hair, rocking slightly. It was the only thing I could do. The only thing that felt remotely human in this nightmare. The door loomed across the room, the iron bolt glinting faintly in the dim light. It was a barrier, yes, but not for us. For him. It kept him out. It also kept us in. And it worked. The longer it stretched, the more unbearable it became. Every creak of the walls, every uneven breath, every little sound made me flinch. My heart refused to calm, still beating as though he stood in front of me. Joan curled tighter into herself, whispering, "He¡¯lle back. He¡¯lle back. He¡¯lle back," over and over, a mantra of despair. I wanted to deny it. I wanted to tell her she was wrong. But I couldn¡¯t. Because I knew she was right. He always came back.


    The silence deepened, and the room seemed to shrink. The air was too heavy, the walls too close. My head dropped against the stone, my tears soaking ra¡¯s hair. My body begged for sleep, for escape, but my mind wouldn¡¯t let me. Every time I blinked, I saw his eyes, his smirk, the way his thoughts wed inside me. Even gone, he was here, it¡¯s still looked like he was still here. So I sat there in the dark, with Joan rocking herself to pieces and ra breathing faintly against me, and I drowned in silence and dread. The silence dragged on until it no longer felt like silence at all it was a sound of its own, a suffocating weight that pressed on my chest and refused to let go. Hours, or what felt like hours, had passed since the Psycho Alpha¡¯s footsteps faded down the corridor. Yet I still felt him. In the air, in the walls, inside my own head. His absence was as heavy as his presence had been. Joan had stopped rocking herself, though her arms were still wrapped so tightly around her legs that her knuckles gleamed white in the dim light. ra rested against me, her shallow breathing steady but fragile, like the thin thread of a candle me that could be snuffed out with the faintest gust. I stared at the iron-bolted door until my eyes burned. My body ached from holding still for so long, my mind spinning between despair and exhaustion. And somewhere, underneath all the terror, a single thought kept pushing its way to the surface. I couldn¡¯t let this go on. The longer Joan and ra stayed here with me, the more danger they were in. I couldn¡¯t carry the weight of their fear on top of my own. I couldn¡¯t keep watching them fall apart because of me. The Psycho Alpha wanted me. His voice, his eyes, the way he spoke he had made that painfully clear. I was the one he called "my little omega."


    Not them. Me. If they stayed, they¡¯d suffer because of me. And I couldn¡¯t stand it. I took a shaky breath and whispered, "Joan." My voice sounded raw, scraped thin, but it cut through the silence like a de. Her head snapped up instantly, eyes wide, haunted. She looked at me as though I¡¯d just pulled her from the edge of a cliff.


    I forced a trembling smile, though I knew it looked nothing like a smile at all. "You should... you should go back to the omegas¡¯ quarters. Both of you."


    Joan¡¯s brows furrowed, confusion flickering through the fear etched into her face. "Go back?" Her voice cracked on the words.


    I nodded, stroking ra¡¯s hair absently as I spoke. "Yes. You don¡¯t need to stay here with me anymore. I¡¯m fine now. Really. I can take care of myself." The lie burned in my throat, but I forced it out anyway. "He¡¯s gone. You don¡¯t need to to waste your time on me."


    Joan stared at me like I¡¯d gone mad. "Ellie, you. Her voice broke, and she pressed her fist against her mouth to stop it. Tears glistened in her eyes again. I turned my gaze down to ra, who stirred faintly against me. "ra," I whispered, brushing her shoulder. "You should go with Joan. You¡¯re hurt. You need rest, and you¡¯ll be safer in the quarters."


    Her eyelids fluttered open, and for a moment she only blinked at me, dazed. Then her expression shifted, and fear seized her entire body.


    "No!" Her voice cracked so loudly it startled both me and Joan. She clutched at my arm with surprising strength, her nails digging into my skin. "No, no, Ellie you can¡¯t¡ªdon¡¯t make us leave you!"


    "ra¡ª"


    Her voice rose into a desperate wail. "He¡¯ll kill us! He¡¯ll kill us if we leave you alone!" Her words tumbled out in a rush, broken by sobs. "Please, Ellie, please don¡¯t send us away! Please don¡¯t let him find you alone¡ªhe¡¯ll punish us, he¡¯ll punish you, he¡¯ll¡ªhe¡¯ll¡ªHer breath hitched, and she broke down entirely, burying her face against my chest and sobbing so hard her whole body shook. My arms tightened around her instinctively, my heart wrenching. Joan had covered her mouth again, but tears streamed down her cheeks, her shoulders trembling as she shook her head violently.


    "No, Ellie," Joan whispered hoarsely once she found her voice. "Don¡¯t ask us to go. Don¡¯t... don¡¯t make us leave you like that. If we leave you here alone and he-She stopped, choking on the thought. "I couldn¡¯t live with that. I won¡¯t."


    The weight of their words pressed down on me harder than the silence had. I had thought I was protecting them, that letting them go back would save them. But to them, leaving me behind was the same as delivering me to the Alpha¡¯s hands. And maybe they were right. Because the truth was, I was terrified of being alone. The silence wasn¡¯t just silence it was him, lingering, waiting. Every flicker of shadow made me think he was already back. Every creak in the walls sounded like his footsteps. Alone, I¡¯d go mad. Alone, I¡¯d break. But I couldn¡¯t let them see that. I had to be the strong one, even if it was a lie.


    "ra," I murmured, holding her tighter as she sobbed into me. "It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be fine. You don¡¯t have to¡ª"


    Her head shot up suddenly, her tear-streaked face wild with terror. "No! Don¡¯t say that! Don¡¯t say you¡¯ll be fine! You won¡¯t, you can¡¯t¡ªhe¡¯ll destroy you, Ellie, he¡¯ll destroy us all! Please, please don¡¯t send us away, please don¡¯t make us go!"


    Her voice cracked on every word, each one sharper than a de. Her hands fisted into my dress as though letting go of me would mean falling into an abyss. I froze, tears blurring my vision. Because she wasn¡¯t wrong. I wasn¡¯t fine and I wasn¡¯t safe. The silence pressed closer, wrapping around the three of us like chains. Joan¡¯s quiet sobs, ra¡¯s desperate pleas, my own pounding heartbeat they filled the emptiness he¡¯d left behind. But nothing filled it enough. He was still there, even when he wasn¡¯t. And maybe ra was right. Maybe the moment they left, the Alpha would return. Maybe this was all a game to him, watching us unravel piece by piece. I buried my face against ra¡¯s hair and let my tears fall silently, my voice breaking in a whisper only I could hear.


    "I can¡¯t protect you. I can¡¯t protect anyone. Not even myself."


    But I held them tighter anyway. Because if the Alpha was going to break me, I wouldn¡¯t let him break me alone.

 Chapter 67

    <h4>Chapter 67: Chapter 67</h4>


    The silence after the Psycho Alpha left pressed down on me like a heavy nket. My chest rose and fell too quickly, my lungs dragging in air that didn¡¯t feel like enough. Joan sat curled against the wall, her knees to her chest, her face wet and pale. ray still on the ground, shuddering whenever she tried to move. The air reeked of fear, our fear, the kind that clung to your skin even when you wanted to scrape it off.


    I forced myself to breathe slower. I can¡¯t let them see me like this. I have to keep control, even if it¡¯s only an act.


    "Listen," I said, my voice breaking a little, "you two should go back to the omegas¡¯ quarters. It¡¯s safer there. You don¡¯t need to stay with me anymore. I¡¯ll be fine."


    Joan¡¯s head snapped up as if I¡¯d pped her. "No! Don¡¯t say that. He¡¯lle back. If we leave you alone, he¡¯ll¡ªhe¡¯ll kill you. Or worse." Her lips trembled on thest word.


    ra groaned, rolling to her side, then forced herself upright despite her trembling limbs. Her eyes glistened as she crawled closer, grabbing at my wrist with both hands. "Please, Ellie. Don¡¯t make us go. Please! If he finds out we left you alone, he¡¯ll kill us. He¡¯ll kill me." She burst into sobs, her head shaking violently. "Don¡¯t send us away!"


    Her desperation wed at me, but beneath it I saw the truth: they were terrified, just like me, trapped in a cycle of fear that none of us could escape. But I couldn¡¯t stand the thought of them suffering because of me.


    I softened my tone, stroking ra¡¯s hair the way one might calm a child. "Shh... I promise, I¡¯ll be okay. You¡¯ve done enough. Just... get some fresh air. Look at you both, you¡¯re pale as ghosts. Go outside for a minute, breathe, clear your heads. It¡¯ll help."


    Joan frowned. "Fresh air? Here?"


    "Yes," I insisted, my heart hammering faster. "Step outside. Just for a moment. I¡¯ll still be here when youe back. I promise."


    They hesitated. I could see the fight in their eyes the loyalty, the fear, the disbelief. ra clutched my sleeve so tightly her knuckles turned white. "Ellie please don¡¯t..."


    I forced a weak smile. "I¡¯ll be right here. You¡¯lle back in two minutes, and I¡¯ll still be here. Go. For me."


    Joan finally tugged at ra¡¯s arm. "Maybe she¡¯s right. Just for a breath of air. My chest feels tight.


    ra shook her head violently, but Joan urged her again, and finally, trembling, they both edged toward the door. My heart pounded as I followed, masking my panic with a reassuring expression.


    The moment the door opened, the stale corridor air rushed in, a little cooler than the suffocating heat of the room.


    "Go on," I whispered. "Breathe." And as soon as they stepped out, I shoved the door shut and twisted the lock with shaking hands. The click echoed like thunder in the hallway of my mind.


    "Elie?!" Joan¡¯s voice cracked from the other side. She rattled the handle. "What are you doing?!"


    ra¡¯s fists pounded against the wood. "NO! Ellie, open it! Open it now! Don¡¯t leave us! Please!" Her voice broke into a scream.


    My throat tightened. My whole body shook. But I stayed silent, pressing my forehead to the cool surface of the door. It¡¯s for your safety. If you¡¯re away from me, maybe he¡¯ll leave you alone. Maybe he¡¯ll only focus on me.


    Their pounding grew louder, frantic, desperate. ra wailed like a child, her sobs scraping against my ears.


    And then a low chuckle slithered through the air, vibrating through the walls, freezing my blood in ce.


    The pounding stopped instantly. And everywhere went silent instantly. Then his voice, smooth and sharp like broken ss, slid into my mind.


    "Well, well, well... isn¡¯t this touching?


    My stomach dropped. The Psycho Alpha. I backed away from the door, my legs nearly buckling.


    Outside, Joan whimpered. "He¡¯s here."


    I heard footsteps. Slow. Deliberate. Boots scraping across the floor like a predator circling prey. ra whimpered audibly, her sobs choked off as though her throat had closed. I dared not breathe. You think you¡¯re clever, little Ellie, his voice whispered inside me. Sending them out likembs to the ughter while you lock yourself away. Did you really think I wasn¡¯t watching? That I didn¡¯t see?


    I clutched my chest, gasping silently. No, no, no...


    From the tiny gap at the bottom of the door, I saw the shadow stretch across the floor broad shoulders, a towering form. The outline of a monster in human skin.


    ra¡¯s voice cracked. "P-please, Alpha... she didn¡¯t mean it. Please don¡¯t hurt us. Please!"


    The sound of him inhaling, slow and deep, sent shivers straight through my bones. Fear, his inner voice purred. It smells divine. I could drink it for eternity.


    Joan whimpered again. The sound of something heavy scraped against the doorframe as though he had leaned on it. I covered my mouth, stifling a sob.


    "Run," he said aloud, his voice like thunderced with amusement but neither of the girl moved.


    "I SAID RUN!"


    Their footsteps scrambled in opposite directions down the corridor, uneven and frantic. I heard a stumble, a gasp, the sound of someone tripping.


    Another chuckle. And then silence again. I pressed my ear to the door, trembling, straining to hear. Nothing but my own heartbeat mming against my ribs.


    Do you see, Ellie? His voice slithered back into my mind. No matter what you do, no matter how you fight, I will always see. Always know. You are mine to y with. And them, The silence stretched until it hurt.


    Them? They are yours to lose. My knees buckled. I slid to the floor, arms wrapped around myself as though I could hold the pieces of me together. The room around me felt smaller, darker, as though the walls leaned closer to smother me. From somewhere distant, a scream tore through the corridors, high and thin, before being cut off abruptly. I mmed my palms over my ears. "Stop. Stop. Stop!" Oh God please. But the silence that followed was worse.


    It pressed in, heavy and endless, leaving me in the dark with only my thoughts and the knowledge that he had seen everything. That he was always watching. I pressed my palms hard against my ears, but the silence that followed that scream was worse than the scream itself. The quiet carried weight, the kind that slithers into your lungs and makes it hard to breathe. Every muscle in my body shook as I crouched against the door, waiting for the inevitable sound of breaking bones or the dull thud of bodies hitting the ground.


    It never came. Instead, his voice rolled through the corridor, low and unhurried. "Pathetic little things."


    Joan whimpered somewhere to the left. ra choked on her sobs. I could picture them frozen in ce, their wide eyes darting like rabbits in a trap, waiting for the jaws to close.


    "You really thought she could save you?" His words dripped with mockery, but he didn¡¯t sound angry. That unsettled me even more. Anger I could understand anger was fire, sharp and brutal. But this calmness... it was colder than ice, the kind of calm a predator has before it decides whether to bite down or let go.


    ra¡¯s voice trembled. "P-please, Alpha... we¡¯ll do anything. Please don¡¯t-don¡¯t kill us."


    The sound of his boots shifted closer, slow, deliberate, and I couldn¡¯t stop the gasp that escaped my throat. He was right there just beyond the wood I leaned against. I almost felt the heat of him seeping through.


    "You think I need to kill you?" he asked, almost amused. "Do you think you¡¯re worth that effort?"


    A long silence followed. I imagined Joan¡¯s lips quivering, her eyes flicking toward ra, both of them too afraid to answer.


    And then, hisugh was low, cruel, echoing down the hall. "No. You¡¯re not worth breaking. You¡¯ll break yourselves just fine."


    My stomach twisted. The sound of boots scraping against stone rang out again, moving away. I dared to breathe, just a little, until his voice cracked through the silence like a whip.


    "Go back to your quarters."


    For a second, I thought I¡¯d misheard. ra certainly did, because she stammered, "W-what?"


    "Did I stutter?" His tone dropped into that dangerous, velvet growl. "Run back to your den with the other little omegas before I change my mind."


    The shock in Joan¡¯s voice was almost painful. "You¡¯re- you¡¯re letting us go?"


    Anotherugh, sharper this time.


    "Letting you go? Don¡¯t tter yourselves. I don¡¯t need you. You¡¯re nothing."


    The words stung, even though they weren¡¯t aimed at me. I pressed my forehead harder against the door, guilt pooling in my chest. They were out there because of me, because I thought I was protecting them by locking them out. And now he was dismissing them like discarded toys. But the real horror was the way their feet didn¡¯t move. They didn¡¯t run. I could hear the trembling in their silence, the disbelief pinning them in ce.


    "Still here?" His voice curled upward, almost yful, but the threat beneath it was undeniable. "Do you need me to count to three like children? One.


    Joan yelped, the shuffle of her feet echoing down the corridor.


    "Two.


    ra¡¯s sob broke into a frantic cry, her footsteps stumbling after Joan¡¯s. I shoved my fists against my mouth to stop the sound threatening to rip from my throat. My heart beat so fast it made me dizzy. The footsteps grew faint, echoing farther and farther away. And then silence again. I sagged against the door, relief and dread tangling in my veins until I couldn¡¯t tell which was stronger. He hadn¡¯t killed them. He hadn¡¯t even touched them. That should have been good news. But it wasn¡¯t. It was worse. Because if the Psycho Alpha spared you, it wasn¡¯t mercy. It was a game. He wants me alone.


    The realization crawled over my skin like icy fingers. He hadn¡¯t let them go because he didn¡¯t care. He let them go because he wanted me without distractions, stripped of anyone to cling to. From the other side of the door, silence stretched long and taut. I waited for his footsteps to move again, but they didn¡¯t. He¡¯s still there. I didn¡¯t need sight to know it. His presence pressed against the walls, against my chest, filling the room like smoke. I could feel the weight of his gaze as though it burned straight through the wood, through my skin, into the marrow of my bones.


    "Inner voice: You think you¡¯ve won, Ellie," his voice slithered inside my head. Sending them away. Locking yourself in. But remember this every choice you make, I see. Every step, every breath. And I¡¯ll be waiting when you think you¡¯re safe.


    My teeth ttered together as I tried to hold back sobs. I wanted to scream for Joan and ra, to call them back, but the words wouldn¡¯t leave my throat. What if he turned on them after all? What if he heard weakness in my voice and punished me through themter? So I stayed silent.


    Minutes passed, Time blurred into the pounding of my heart and the ringing in my ears. Atst, faint footsteps retreated down the hall, fading into nothing and then the psycho was gone. I exhaled shakily, my whole body trembling. But the dread didn¡¯t lift. It never lifted. Because even when he wasn¡¯t here, he was. His voice echoed in the hollow spaces of my mind, his shadow lingering behind every flicker of light. And worse now I was alone. Exactly as he wanted.

 Chapter 68

    <h4>Chapter 68: Chapter 68</h4>


    ---


    The corridor exploded with the sound of feet pping against stone. Joan and ra ran as though fire itself chased them, their breaths tearing out of their lungs in ragged bursts. I pressed my palms hard against the locked door, heart pounding so loudly I thought it would burst through my chest. Through the crack near the bottom, I saw them dart past shadows twisted in panic, bodies jerking forward without rhythm. ra¡¯s shoe caught on the uneven stone. It flung high into the air before tumbling behind her, abandoned like a corpse of leather and fabric. She didn¡¯t stop to grab it. She didn¡¯t even stumble. Barefoot, she kept running, her toes scraping against the cold floor.


    Joan wasn¡¯t so lucky. Her foot caught on the same uneven edge, and she pitched forward with a shriek. My heart stopped. For a moment, I thought she¡¯d crash headfirst into the ground, bones snapping under her own weight. But somehow, with a wild, graceless il of her arms, she managed to catch herself. Her palms pped against the stone, skin scraping raw, before she shoved herself up and stumbled forward again.


    Behind them, framed in the thin strip of light under the door, a figure remained perfectly still. The Psycho Alpha. He hadn¡¯t moved since ordering them to run. His shadow stretched long and monstrous across the corridor, the outline of broad shoulders and a head cocked slightly to the side, as though he were admiring his prey¡¯s frantic escape. He didn¡¯t chase. He didn¡¯t shout. He just stood there, silent, watching. That stillness was worse than any violence.


    My throat burned. I wanted to scream for Joan and ra, to tell them not to look back, not to stumble, not to hesitate. But the sound caught in my chest, strangled by terror. If I made a noise, if I drew attention, what if he turned on me instead? What if he punished them through me?


    So I stayed pressed against the wood, trembling, forced to listen. Their footsteps thundered, each p of bare skin and thin soles echoing through the hall like drumbeats of desperation. Joan¡¯s breaths came in loud, wet sobs, hitching with every stride. ra¡¯s cries were higher, broken wails that tore through the air before vanishing into the distance.


    "Run," his voice slithered inside my skull, though his lips hadn¡¯t moved. I knew it. He hadn¡¯t spoken aloud. He didn¡¯t need to. His thoughts burrowed straight into my mind like ws carving into bone. Run faster. Run until your lungs bleed. Run until you copse. I want to see how far fear can carry you before it eats you alive.


    I pressed my forehead against the door, squeezing my eyes shut. Stop. Please stop.


    The sound of their frantic feet shifted, one heavier, one lighter. I imagined ra limping, toes cut open on the rough floor without her shoe. Joan gasping, blood smearing across her scraped palms. But neither stopped. They couldn¡¯t. To stop meant death. Behind them, he chuckled. The sound was low, barely audible, but it seeped under the door like smoke, filling the room until I thought I¡¯d choke on it.


    Pathetic littlembs, his inner voice hissed, curling around my thoughts. Do you see them, Ellie? Your friends, your protectors? All it took was a single word from me, and they scatter like rats. You locked them out, thinking you saved them. But really, you gave me a show. You handed me their fear on a silver tter.


    My stomach twisted violently. I dropped to my knees, clutching them against my chest. I didn¡¯t mean


    Didn¡¯t mean what? To betray them? To shove them into my jaws? Hisugh cracked through my skull. Intentions don¡¯t matter. Results do. And the result, Ellie, is beautiful.


    I rocked back and forth, desperate to shut him out. But his presence was everywhere behind the door, in my head, in the scrape of their fleeing feet. Joan¡¯s cry echoed again, thinner this time, farther away. The sound of her stumble rattled the stones, followed by her desperate scramble upright. ra¡¯s wail cracked mid-note, turning into a ragged gasp.


    And still, he didn¡¯t move.


    The Psycho Alpha stood at the door, arms crossed, head tilted, watching. His silence was a cage. He didn¡¯t need to chase them because he already owned them. Their fear was his leash, pulling them apart piece by piece.


    I pressed my palms t against the wood, wishing I could tear it open, wishing I could drag them back inside where at least we could suffer together. But my hand refused to move to the lock. My body was frozen, nailed in ce by terror.


    Good, his voice whispered. Stay where you are. Feel it. The guilt. The helplessness. That¡¯s the vor I like best.


    The pounding of footsteps grew fainter. Their voices stretched thinner, echoing farther down the corridor. Joan sobbed openly now, gasping for air. ra¡¯s bare feet pped wetly against the floor, the skin probably splitting open with every stride. And then everywhere became silent. They were gone. The corridor swallowed them whole. I held my breath, every nerve straining to hear, praying they¡¯d made it far enough, that they¡¯d reached safety. But safety didn¡¯t exist here. Not really. If he wanted them dead, he¡¯d snap his fingers and it would be done. The only reason they still breathed was because he allowed it. The shadow under the door shifted. His boots creaked against the stone as he adjusted his stance. Slowly, deliberately, he leaned forward until the faintest whisper of his presence pressed harder through the barrier. My heart jumped into my throat.


    "Alone atst," he murmured aloud this time, his voice so soft it might have been mistaken for affection.


    I mped a hand over my mouth, strangling a sob.


    You¡¯ll thank me one day, Ellie, his thoughts slid into mine again. I rid you of your distractions. Now, you belong only to me. No more little shadows to cling to. No more false protectors. Just you... and me.


    My tears blurred the floor beneath me. They dripped onto my hands, hot and salty, leaving wet circles against my skin. The silence stretched on. I couldn¡¯t tell how long he stood there, looming beyond the door, breathing in my fear. Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Time warped in his presence, stretched thin until it cut. And then, atst, his boots clicked against the floor. One step. Another. Slow, deliberate, retreating down the corridor.


    I dared not move.


    The sound faded. The shadow dissolved. But even after he was gone, his voice lingered inside me. You¡¯ll never be free. Not until I say so. I copsed against the door, my body trembling so violently I thought it might split apart. My breaths tore out of me in broken sobs, but the sound didn¡¯t ease the suffocating pressure in my chest. He hadn¡¯t touched them. He hadn¡¯t killed them. He hadn¡¯t even chased them. And that was the worst part.


    Because mercy wasn¡¯t in his nature. This was something else. The moment Joan and ra vanished down the corridor in a flurry of pounding footsteps and shrill breaths, I shut the door and pressed my back against it, my lungs dragging air like I had been running as well. The echo of their terror still vibrated in my ears¡ªthe scuff of shoes, ra¡¯s half-scream when one slipped off, Joan¡¯s stumbling gasp as though she was about to hit the ground. Then came the heavy silence. I thought I was alone. I pushed myself off the door and stumbled across the room, every muscle in my body trembling. My heart was still racing so fast that it felt as if it would rip right out of my chest. I needed to sit down, I needed to copse, I needed. My foot caught the edge of the rug. The world tilted sharply. My stomach lurched, and for a second I was certain I would crash face-first into the hard floor. My hands flew out, useless in the air. The sharp terror of impact sliced through me before it could even happen But it never came. An arm, firm and unyielding, slipped around my waist. A hand caught my elbow and steadied me, holding me upright as if I weighed nothing at all. My breath hitched violently as my body froze against that touch I knew too well.


    "Careful," a smooth voice murmured, close to my ear. Too close. "If you¡¯re this clumsy, little one, next time you might break your leg."


    The soft chuckle that followed made my stomach twist into knots.


    I gasped and jerked away as soon as my feet were steady again, stumbling backward until my back collided with the wall. My wide eyes darted up, and there he was. The Psycho Alpha. He stood so casually, as though he had simply appeared out of the shadows, his presence filling the room without effort. His lips curved in that faint smile that never reached his eyes, those dark, unreadable eyes that made my blood run cold.


    "How... how did you¡ª" My voice broke, shaking so badly the words barely made sense.


    He tilted his head, the way a predator might study a trembling rabbit. "I¡¯ve been here, Ellie. I saw everything. Your little trick. Sending your friends away. Locking the door behind them as if that would keep me out."


    I swallowed hard, my throat bone-dry. "I... I didn¡¯t mean¡ª"


    "Oh, but you did." His voice was gentle, mocking, almost amused. "You wanted them gone. You thought it would keep them safe from me, didn¡¯t you? Or maybe..." His smile deepened, sharper now, "...maybe you just wanted to be alone with me."


    My entire body jolted at the suggestion. "N-no! That¡¯s not


    "Shhh." He lifted a finger to his lips, silencing me with a single soundless gesture. "No need to protest. I enjoy the thought. You tricked them so cleverly, little one. I should praise you for that."


    He stepped closer, slow, deliberate. Each footfall echoed too loudly in the small room. My breath stuttered as I pressed harder against the wall, wishing I could melt into it, wishing I could disappear entirely.


    When he reached me, he leaned down just slightly, invading my space until his presence pressed down on me like a weight I couldn¡¯t escape. "But you should be more careful," he whispered, his voice almost tender. "If I hadn¡¯t caught you, you would¡¯ve fallen. Maybe cracked your skull. Maybe twisted your ankle. And then what would you do? Crawl on the ground, begging me for help?"


    A trembling sob escaped my throat before I could stop it. My chest felt too tight, my breaths shallow and broken.


    "That¡¯s not very graceful, Ellie." His tone was light, yful almost, but the undercurrent beneath it was sharp as des. "You should stay on your feet. You never know when you¡¯ll need to run."


    Run. The word seared through me like fire, but my legs wouldn¡¯t move. I was trapped under his gaze, pinned to the wall by nothing but the cruel amusement in his eyes.


    He straightened slowly, still too close, still watching me like I was the most fascinating creature he¡¯d ever seen. "You did well tonight," he said atst, as if delivering a verdict. "Sending them away. Locking them out. That¡¯s the kind of instinct I like. But don¡¯t worry..." His smile softened again, mockingly kind. "I¡¯ll take good care of you now that you¡¯re alone."


    Alone!! The word sank into me like ice. My knees threatened to give way beneath me, but I forced myself to stay upright, to not copse at his feet. If I fell, he would catch me again. And I didn¡¯t want his hands on me. Not again. But even as I thought it, I could still feel the phantom weight of his arm around my waist, the strength of his grip on my elbow. Too firm. Too possessive. Too careful. I wanted to scream.


    But no sound came out. Only silence. And his quiet, mockingughter that lingered long after he stopped smiling.

 Chapter 69

    <h4>Chapter 69: Chapter 69</h4>


    The door creaked when it opened, slow, deliberate, like the sound itself was meant to crawl into my chest and twist tight around my heart. I froze where I was, hunched at the far corner of the room, my knees drawn up against my chest as if I could curl into myself and vanish. My whole body was trembling. I didn¡¯t even want to look but I couldn¡¯t help it. He was there The Psycho Alpha. He didn¡¯t step inside. He didn¡¯t speak. He only stood in the doorway, framed by the dim light of the corridor, his tall shadow spilling into my room and stretching across the floor until it nearly touched me. His eyes found mine instantly, and the weight of that gaze was so heavy I thought my bones might snap beneath it.


    I couldn¡¯t breathe. I could only sit there, shaking so violently my teeth almost chattered, as he watched me. Watched me like a hunter sizing up prey he already owned. My lips began to move before I realized it. Silent words. A whisper, not meant for him. God, please. Please, don¡¯t let hime closer. Please, I don¡¯t want to die here. Please keep him away from me.


    The words tumbled through my head, spilling from my heart faster than I could form them. I pressed my forehead against my knees, squeezing my eyes shut. If I couldn¡¯t see him, maybe he would disappear. If I prayed hard enough, maybe God would hear me and drag him away.


    But the silence stretched on.


    And I could still feel his eyes on me. Slowly, reluctantly, I lifted my head again. He hadn¡¯t moved. He was still there at the door, his body motionless, his expression unreadable. Not a smile. Not a frown. Just that unnerving stillness, like he had all the time in the world to stand there and let me crumble under the weight of his presence. My chest rose and fell in shallow gasps. I wanted to beg him to leave, but the words clung to my throat and refused toe out. What if speaking shattered the stillness and brought something worse? What if my voice was the spark that lit his madness?


    Please, God. Please...


    I folded my hands together tightly, pressing them against my knees. I had never prayed so desperately before, not even in my worst nights of beatings, not even when I thought I wouldn¡¯t live to see the morning. My entire soul poured into the silent pleas, every shred of strength I had left clinging to the hope that God would keep me hidden from the Alpha¡¯s cruelty.


    The seconds dragged into minutes. And still, the crazy psycho did not move. Instead


    he was studying me I knew it. Measuring every twitch, every shiver, every flicker of my gaze. He fed on it. My fear was the only thing filling the room, and he was drinking it in, savoring it like it was his favorite wine.


    I could feel the sweat beading at my temples, sliding down my neck. My arms ached from holding myself so tightly, but I couldn¡¯t loosen them. I couldn¡¯t let go. If I let go, I would shatter. I dared a nce upward, just for a heartbeat, to see if he was still there and he was.


    His head tilted ever so slightly, the faintest curve tugging at his lips. Not a smile. Not quite. But enough to tell me he knew. He knew I was praying. He knew I was begging for someone else¡¯s strength because I had none left of my own. And that small twist of his mouth said he found it amusing.


    My stomach dropped. Tears pricked my eyes, hot and blurring the edges of his silhouette. I bit my lip hard to keep from sobbing, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth. I couldn¡¯t give him that satisfaction. I couldn¡¯t let him hear me cry. But the harder I tried, the worse it got. My chest was heaving now, and a broken sound escaped me anyway, muffled against my knees. His eyes never left me. I wanted him to shout. I wanted him to rage, to snarl, to do something anything that would let me know what wasing. But this silence, this unbearable waiting, it was worse than any of his taunts. At least when he spoke, I could hear the edges of his madness. Now, with him standing there in silence, I couldn¡¯t tell if he meant to strike, tough, or to simply keep me pinned with fear until I lost my mindpletely.


    Minutes stretched into an eternity. I lost count of how many times I whispered please inside my head. Lost track of how long I rocked back and forth, small, desperate motions like a child hiding from a nightmare.


    And then he finally moved.


    Just a shift of his shoulders at first, his hand brushing against the frame of the door. My heart nearly stopped. My whole body went rigid. If he stepped inside, I knew I would copse. I had no strength left to endure whatever he nned. But he didn¡¯t step in.


    He stayed where he was, watching me for a few seconds longer. His head tilted again, almost as if he were satisfied. As though this had been a test, and I had failed exactly the way he wanted me to. And then, without a word, he turned and walked away. The sound of his footsteps was unhurried, calm, echoing down the hall as though he had simply finished a casual visit. The door creaked shut behind him, the faint click of it settling back into ce nearly deafening in the silence that followed. For a moment, I didn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t. My body remained frozen in that curled position, my arms locked around my knees, my breath still trembling out in shallow gasps. It was only when the silence grew too deep, when I realized he was truly gone, that the tears spilled over. I buried my face against my knees and sobbed quietly, my prayers copsing into broken thanks and desperate fear. Relief surged through me, but it was hollow, fragile. Because I knew this wasn¡¯t mercy.


    He hadn¡¯t left me alone out of kindness. He had left because he wanted me to sit in this room and remember the way he stood there, silent, watching, until I thought I¡¯d go mad. And that thought would never leave me. oh God! How do I get out of this damn book and get back to my life? He was gone. I told myself that again and again, forcing the words into my head like a mantra. He¡¯s gone. He left. He isn¡¯t here. But the echo of his gaze lingered. The heavy weight of it clung to my skin like frost. Even now, alone in the room, I swore I could feel it on the back of my neck. Atst, when my body began to ache from being held so tightly, I pushed myself up. My legs quivered beneath me as I staggered toward the narrow bed. Each step felt like stepping onto cracking ice, as if the floor might give way and send me plunging straight into darkness. I pulled the thin nket around me, clutching it against my chest as though its frail fabric could shield me from him, from everything. Iy down, curling onto my side. My muscles refused to rx; every inch of me was stiff, my heartbeat loud and wild against my ribs. My eyes fixed on the door, half-expecting it to swing open again. He¡¯s gone. He left. He isn¡¯t here. I whispered it under my breath until the words blurred into nothing. Slowly, my eyelids grew heavy. My body wanted sleep desperately but my mind wouldn¡¯t surrender. The silence was too loud. At first it was only the sound of my breathing, uneven and shallow. Then came the faintest creak. I snapped my eyes wide open, my chest jerking. My gaze darted to the door, but it hadn¡¯t moved. The handle sat still, untouched. The shadows in the corners didn¡¯t shift. It¡¯s nothing. Just the wood settling. Just the house breathing. I squeezed my eyes shut again, clinging to the nket.


    But then I heard it again closer this time. A whisper of sound, like the brush of a foot dragging across the floorboards. My whole body froze. The hairs at the back of my neck prickled upright. My mind screamed at me to look, to check the room, to be sure but terror pinned me down.


    And then I thought I heard my name. Soft. Barely there. A whisper so faint I almost believed it was my own breath echoing back at me. Ellie My chest locked. My lips parted, gasping in silent air. My eyes flickered wildly across the shadows of the room, but there was no one. Nothing. Just the darkness and the fragile moonlight spilling across the floor.


    I pressed my hands over my ears, shaking my head violently. "Stop," I whispered hoarsely. "Stop. Stop." My voice cracked, trembling like the rest of me. But the silence didn¡¯t stop. It shifted. It breathed. A creak near the window. A sigh along the wall. A faint tap-tap, like fingers drumming lightly against wood. I squeezed my eyes tighter, tears slipping out against my will. It isn¡¯t real. It isn¡¯t real. He¡¯s gone. He left. But I couldn¡¯t stop hearing him. The echo of his voice reyed in my head, over and over, soft and mocking. Careful, little one. You might break your leg. You wanted them gone. You wanted to be alone with me. I shook harder, curling tighter beneath the nket, dragging it over my head like a child hiding from monsters. My breaths came fast, suffocating inside the fabric. The nket clung damp against my face from sweat and tears, but I didn¡¯t dare throw it off. The noises kepting. The floorboards creaked again. A sighing sound at the door. Then, the faintest knock so light it might have been the pulse in my own ears, but I heard it. I swore I heard it. I bit my lip until it bled, muffling the sob that tried to w out of my throat. My prayers slipped out again, broken and desperate. "Please, God. Please, please, make it stop. Don¡¯t let hime back. Please."


    But the more I prayed, the louder the silence became. The creaks grew closer, the whispers softer, as if they were just beyond the nket, leaning close, waiting for me to peek out. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. My chest heaved, and with a sudden burst of panic, I ripped the nket down and sat up, staring wildly around the room.


    Nothing. The room was empty.The door still shut. The window still locked. Only shadows and moonlight. But my heart refused to believe it. My body still trembled, convinced that if I blinked too long, I would open my eyes and see him standing there again at the door, at the bed, leaning close enough that I could feel his breath. I pressed my hands against my face, sobbing softly. "It¡¯s not real," I whispered. "It¡¯s not real. He¡¯s gone. He¡¯s gone."


    But the noises had already sunk into me. They weren¡¯t outside anymore they were inside my head. And even when the room finally grew quiet again, I could still hear them, faint and ghostly, like the beating of wings beneath my skin. Eventually, exhaustion dragged me down. My body surrendered where my mind could not. My sobs quieted into hups, my eyelids too heavy to fight. Thest thing I felt was the tremor still coursing through my limbs, the certainty that even in sleep, I wasn¡¯t safe. And as I slipped under, I swore I heard it again. A whisper, curling around me like smoke.


    Ellie...<fn0d5a> Newest update provided by find{n}ovel</fn0d5a>

 Chapter 70

    <h4>Chapter 70: Chapter 70</h4>


    I tried to fall asleep again


    One second I was shivering on the bed, whispering the same broken prayer over and over into the nket, and the next, I was falling into that half-dark space between waking and sleep. Not rest. Not peace. Just exhaustion dragging me under while my mind stayed restless, tangled in the nightmare.


    In that dream, I was still in the room. The door still loomed, the shadows still shifted, and his voice threaded through the air like smoke. Only this time, the walls bled. ck water seeped from the corners and hands reached from the floor. I screamed silently, my voice stolen by the shadows.


    I jerked awake with a gasp, my heart pounding like a drum. Sweat stered my hair to my temples. The moonlight through the high window had shifted, tracing silver bars across the floor. I clutched the nket tighter.


    It had only been a dream. I told myself that. Over and over. It was only a dream. It wasn¡¯t real. He isn¡¯t here.


    But the room was wrong and then I heard it.


    A sound so faint it could have been imagined: the drag of a boot across the floor. Slow. Deliberate. My heart stopped, then thundered harder than before. My gaze snapped to the door, but it was still closed, untouched. The sound came again, this time behind me. I turned, breath caught in my throat. He was there. Standing in the dark by the far wall, tall and broad, his posture rxed as though he had been watching me for hours. His golden eyes glimmered faintly in the dark, fixed on me. That soft smile curved his lips, the one that wasn¡¯t kind at all but sharp with mockery.


    My whole body locked, frozen between scream and silence.


    I whispered the only word that woulde out. "No..."


    He tilted his head, as if amused by the tremor in my voice. Then, in that velvet-soft tone that always cut me deeper than if he had shouted, he spoke.


    "Dreaming of me, little one?"


    The air left my lungs. I clutched the nket tighter, as though thin cloth could keep him away.


    His eyes followed the motion. The smile deepened. "Hiding again," he murmured. "Do you really think a scrap of fabric will save you?"


    My lips trembled. "Why... why are you here?"


    Thatugh, low, soft, mocking spilled from his chest. "Because I can be. Because you thought you were alone, and I wanted to remind you that you never are."


    I pressed back into the headboard, the wood cold against my spine. My hands shook so hard I could barely keep hold of the nket.


    He stepped forward, slow, unhurried, his boots whispering against the floorboards. Each sound made my heart stutter. He stopped at the side of the bed, looking down at me as if I were something small and fragile.


    "You should be careful," he said softly. "Earlier, you almost tripped and fell. What if you had broken that pretty leg? Hmm?" His tone was gentle, almost tender but every syble dripped with danger. "I¡¯d hate to see you crawling."


    I squeezed my eyes shut, whispering, "Please go, please go."


    A pause. Then I felt it not a touch, but the weight of his presence leaning closer. His breath, warm and sharp with pine and iron, brushed my cheek.


    "Begging again," he whispered. "Do you pray to God, or to me?"


    My eyes snapped open. His face was inches from mine, his gaze locked on me. My pulse roared in my ears.


    I swallowed hard, forcing words out between shaking lips. "God will protect me from you."


    For a moment, silence. Then heughed softly, the sound curling around me like smoke. "Is that what you tell yourself in the dark? That He listens? That He¡¯lle between you and me?" His voice dropped lower, intimate and cruel. "I¡¯m the one whoes when you¡¯re alone. I¡¯m the one you feel breathing in the dark. Even when I¡¯m not here, you hear me. You see me. Tell me, Ellie doesn¡¯t that sound like prayer being answered?"


    Tears burned my eyes. I shook my head violently.


    "No. No, you¡¯re-"


    "Real?" he finished for me, his smile widening. "Oh, I¡¯m very real."


    He straightened suddenly, towering above me again. My body flinched as if struck, though he hadn¡¯t touched me. His shadow stretched long across the bed, swallowing me whole.


    "You¡¯re fragile," he said atst, his voice softer, almost reflective. "So small, so breakable. And yet... you keep trying to resist. That¡¯s why Ie back. Because I enjoy watching you crack a little more each time."


    My breath came in short, shallow bursts. I couldn¡¯t stop shaking.


    He lingered there for a long moment, his gaze traveling slowly over me, drinking in my fear. Then, finally, he stepped back.


    "I won¡¯t stay tonight," he murmured. "You¡¯ve given me enough for now."


    Relief shot through me so sudden it almost made me dizzy. But it was cut short when he leaned toward the door and added, softly:


    "Sleep while you can. You¡¯ll never know when I¡¯ll return."


    With that, he turned and opened the door. The hinges groaned quietly. He stepped into the hall, his silhouette framed by silver moonlight, and then he was gone. The door clicked shut behind him.


    I was left shaking, breathless, every muscle aching from the tension. My tears spilled freely now, hot and silent, soaking into the nket I still clutched like a shield. But he was gone. But his voice lingered in my ears. His shadow lingered in the corners. And the promise of his return sank deep into my chest like a knife I could never pull out.


    Finally The morning light crept into my room like a trespasser. Pale, thin beams broke through the cracks in the shutters, nting across the floor, and for a brief second, I thought I was safe. The shadows were softer, the air quieter, and yet I couldn¡¯t move. My body felt heavy, as if my bones had been reced with lead. My throat was dry, my lips cracked, and every muscle in me trembled when I tried to sit up. It wasn¡¯t just exhaustion. Something had changed inside me afterst night. I remembered the noises. The whispers, the phantomughter, the creaking wood that seemed to breathe. I remembered falling, my chest heaving as if the walls themselves were closing in. My prayers had been swallowed by the dark, and I wasn¡¯t sure if God had heard them at all.


    And above all of it his presence. The Psycho Alpha.


    Even when he wasn¡¯t there, I could feel him. It was like his shadow had seeped into my veins, crawling under my skin, tainting every breath I took.


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    I tried to stand, but the moment my bare feet touched the floor, I froze.bWhat if the floor gives way? What if there¡¯s something waiting underneath?bMy eyes darted toward the corner where the shadows clung stubbornly, darker than the rest. My heartbeat spiked. It wasn¡¯t just a corner anymore it was a hole, a mouth, something that could swallow me whole if I turned my back. I stumbled back onto the bed, clutching the nket to my chest like it could shield me.


    "Stop," I whispered to myself. "It¡¯s just your mind. Just... your mind."


    But my mind wasn¡¯t listening.


    The rest of the morning bled away in fragments. I tried to eat the bread left at my door, but I couldn¡¯t swallow more than a single bite. The crust felt like rocks against my teeth, and I kept imagining that the bread had been poisoned. That he had touched it. That his fingerprints were pressed into the crumbs. I threw it away, my stomach twisting with hunger and dread. The hours dragged, and I counted each second with the steady pounding in my head. The noises hadn¡¯t stopped. They had only changed. Sometimes it was a faint scratching, like ws dragging along the walls. Sometimes it was whispers, just beyond hearing, muttering words I couldn¡¯t quite catch. Sometimes worst of all it was silence. Thick, suffocating silence that pressed on my ears until I thought I might scream.


    I tried to distract myself, but every attempt only fed my paranoia. I picked up a pot of water to wash my face, but the surface rippled, and for a split second I saw his reflection staring back at me. His lips curled in that soft, mocking smile that haunted me, his eyes glinting with cruel amusement. I dropped the pot. It shattered against the floor, shards scattering across the stone, water pooling at my feet. The sound was too loud, too sharp. My hands flew to my ears, but it was already inside me, echoing through my skull. I crouched in the corner, rocking, whispering frantic prayers.


    "Please, God. Please. Please don¡¯t let him be here. Please


    My own voice broke, the words copsing into sobs.


    By the afternoon, I stopped trying to fight it. I couldn¡¯t. My body was trembling too much, my head too heavy. I sat with my back to the wall, staring at the door, convinced it would open at any second.


    I imagined the handle turning, the wood creaking, his tall figure filling the frame. I imagined the way he would tilt his head, as though studying me like prey, before stepping inside.


    Every creak of the building made me flinch.


    Every gust of wind under the shutters sent my heart racing.


    Every shadow shifted like it was alive. At some point, I started talking to myself. I didn¡¯t even realize it at first. My lips just moved, whispering broken words.


    "He¡¯s not here. He¡¯s not. He can¡¯t be. He doesn¡¯t care about me. No¡ªno, that¡¯s wrong. He does care. He watches. Always watching. Always"


    My throat burned, but I couldn¡¯t stop. If I stopped, the silence would devour me again.


    "Ellie..."


    The sound slithered through the air, crawling into my ear, down my spine.


    I shook my head violently. "No! No, you¡¯re not real. You¡¯re not real!"


    But theughter that followed was unmistakable. Low, soft, mocking. Exactly like his.


    I covered my ears, but it didn¡¯t help. The sound was inside me.


    At some point in the night, I must have drifted into a half-sleep, because when I opened my eyes again, the room didn¡¯t look the same. The walls were bending, the ceiling seemed to pulse with a heartbeat. Shadows moved like liquid, spreading across the floor until they touched my bare feet.


    I screamed and scrambled onto the bed, pulling my legs up, my chest heaving. My vision blurred with tears, and I wed at my own arms, desperate to wake up.


    "This isn¡¯t real, this isn¡¯t real, this isn¡¯t real-"


    But the shadows didn¡¯t stop. They twisted together, forming a figure at the foot of my bed.


    Tall, broad and smiling evilly at me.


    "Careful," he whispered, his voice soft and mocking, the same words he had spoken when he caught me after my fall. "Or else next time you might break."


    I pressed my hands over my eyes, shaking violently. "Go away! Go away, go away, GO AWAY!"


    When I dared to look again, he was gone. The shadows were just shadows. The room was empty.


    But my sanity wasn¡¯t.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 71

    <h4>Chapter 71: Chapter 71</h4>


    My body screamed with exhaustion. My limbs were stiff, my throat burned, and my eyes throbbed from a night filled with tears and fear. I hadn¡¯t slept, at allst night. Every sound had twisted into a threat, every shadow into a lurking figure. I was still alive, but I didn¡¯t feel alive. I felt like a ghost wandering in my own skin.


    As I sat up on the bed, my body swayed. My knees gave way, and I caught myself on the edge of the mattress. My breath came in shallow bursts, like I had run miles without stopping.


    I couldn¡¯t do this anymore.


    I couldn¡¯t spend another day in this room, waiting for him. I couldn¡¯t spend another night listening to whispers that weren¡¯t there. The walls pressed in on me, the silence suffocated me, and my mind was unraveling thread by thread. There was only one way left. I had to beg the crazy psycho to let me go back to the omega¡¯s quarters or else I will die here. The thought of standing before him again made my stomach clench, but what choice did I have? He was the key to my prison. He was the one who decided whether I lived in this cage or not. And if I didn¡¯t try, I would shatter. So I forced myself up. Each step toward the door felt heavier than thest, my bare feet dragging across the cold floor. I whispered to myself as I moved. "You can do this. You have to. He has to let you go. He has to..."


    My hand shook violently as I reached for the door. For a moment, I hesitated, my breath catching in my throat. What if he was already there? What if he had been waiting?


    I pulled the door open. And my heart almost stopped beating. The crazy psycho was there.


    The Psycho Alpha stood at the threshold, as if he had been expecting me. His tall frame blocked the light behind him, casting a shadow over me. His eyes icy, unwavering fixed on me without a word.


    I froze, my body trembling violently. My lips parted, but no sound came out. His gaze stripped me bare, exposing every weakness, every fear.


    And then, I broke down in tears. I fell to my knees so fast the impact jolted up my bones. My hands clutched at his trousers, my forehead pressed to the floor as sobs tore from my chest.


    "Please!" My voice cracked and splintered. "Please, Alpha, let me go back to the omegas¡¯ quarters! I can¡¯t stay here, I can¡¯t¡ªI¡¯ll die if I do. Please, I beg you!"


    The tears spilled freely, hot and endless, soaking into the wood beneath me. My words tumbled out without order, a desperate flood I couldn¡¯t control.


    "I¡¯ll work harder, I¡¯ll neverin, I¡¯ll do whatever you want, just don¡¯t keep me here! Please, Alpha, please I¡¯m begging you! I¡¯ll serve, I¡¯ll obey, I¡¯ll do anything, anything you ask!"


    I pulled at the fabric of his trousers, my nails digging in. My sobs came in gasps, raw and broken.


    "Please! Please don¡¯t leave me here, not in this room, not alone again-I can¡¯t take it, I can¡¯t breathe, I can¡¯t sleep-please!"


    But still, he said nothing.


    I dared to lift my head just enough to see him. He hadn¡¯t moved. His face remained cold, detached, like he was watching some pathetic scene y out for his amusement. His silence was worse than cruelty. It crushed me, suffocated me, made every word I said feel like it dissolved into nothingness.


    I cried harder. My body shook as I pressed my forehead back to the floor, rocking slightly as if the motion would keep me from breaking apartpletely.


    "Please, Alpha," I whispered through choked sobs. "Please don¡¯t hate me so much. Just let me go. Let me go back. Please..."


    The silence stretched on, unbearable. And then, finally, his voice cut through.


    "Go, then."


    The words were soft, almost dismissive.


    I froze, not sure I had heard right. My breath stilled, my tears suspended mid-fall. Slowly, I looked up, my vision blurred. His eyes met mine, unreadable.


    "Go back to the omegas¡¯ quarters. Take all the time you need."


    I gasped. The relief hit me like a wave so strong it almost knocked me backward. My chest heaved, and fresh tears spilled down my face. But these tears were different tears of release, of a desperate hope I hadn¡¯t dared to believe in.


    "Thank you!" I sobbed, clutching at the floor, bowing so low my head pressed hard against the wood. "Thank you, Alpha, thank you, thank you, I¡¯ll never forget this, I swear, I¡¯ll¡ª"


    But then, something flickered in his eyes. A shadow. A sharpness. He turned from me, his steps measured, unhurried, his back straight. He didn¡¯t spare me another nce. Then he said in his inner voice


    "Inner voice: Pathetic little worm. Crawling and wailing at my feet like a broken toy. Do you think I let you go because of your tears? No. I only wanted to see how far you¡¯d fall. And you fell beautifully.


    The words cut into me, mocking, sharp. My body trembled harder, but I stayed pressed to the floor. Because no matter how cruel his thoughts were, no matter how deeply they burned I was free. At least for now. I wept again, my body shaking with sobs of relief and humiliation tangled together. My face burned with shame, but my chest eased with hope. He had let me go. And for the first time in what felt like forever, I could breathe. I dragged myself to my feet, weak and trembling, and staggered toward the hallway. My legs wobbled, my vision blurred, but each step forward was lighter than the one before. I was going back. Back to the omegas¡¯ quarters, back to a ce where I wasn¡¯t alone with him.


    As I walked, I whispered to myself, half-crazed, half-ecstatic. "He let me go. He let me go. Thank God, thank God.


    But even as I repeated the words, even as I clung to them, his inner voice echoed in my head.


    Run back to your hole, little omega. But don¡¯t forget you¡¯ll never escape me. I¡¯ll always be there, watching.


    And the relief turned into fear once more.The hallway felt longer than it had ever been. Every step I took sounded too loud, like a drumbeat of panic on the cold stone floor. My hands were mmy and trembling, my breath shallow. I kept ncing over my shoulder, heart hammering against my ribs as if it wanted to burst free. He wasn¡¯t there. The doorway to his room stood silent, empty, but the scent of him clung to everything pine and iron, like a forest after a storm and a de after blood. It wrapped around me even as I walked away, as if his shadow was still reaching for me.


    I couldn¡¯t stop looking back. My neck hurt from the jerky movements, my eyes darting between the corridor behind me and the winding hall ahead. Every flicker of torchlight on the walls became his eyes. Every echo of my footsteps became his footsteps.


    What if he¡¯s following you?


    The thought whispered inside my head, soft and mocking, like his voice had been when he let me go.


    "Inner voice: Run, little omega. Run back to your kennel. You¡¯ll crawl back to me soon enough.


    I clenched my fists and forced my feet to keep moving. The air felt too thin to breathe. My wolf was curled tight inside me, whimpering, ears pinned t in terror. Down the stairs, through another hall, out the heavy double doors each threshold felt like a trap, each step like a dare. I expected him to appear at any moment, tall and terrible, blocking my way with that cruel half-smile.


    But he didn¡¯t. I reached the courtyard and the cold morning air hit me like a p. I gasped, pulling it into my lungs, trying to steady myself. Sunlight spilled over the cobblestones, so bright it made my eyes water. For a moment I almost believed I was safe.


    Then I looked back again.


    The door to his wing stood closed. No sign of him. No movement. Only the heavy, carved wood and the shadows pooling beneath it.


    But the feeling didn¡¯t leave. My skin crawled, my heart thudded painfully, my eyes scanning every corner of the courtyard as though he might materialize from the air itself.


    I started walking faster.


    The path to the omegas¡¯ quarters wound around the edge of the courtyard and down a narrowne lined with low stone walls. The birds in the trees went quiet as I passed, and my footsteps echoed unnaturally loud against the stones.


    "He¡¯s not following you," I whispered, my voice shaking. "He¡¯s not."


    But my body didn¡¯t believe me. My shoulders hunched, my head turned constantly, my wolf pacing in circles inside my chest. Every gust of wind felt like a breath on my neck. Every crack of a branch made me jump.


    Halfway to the quarters, I froze. I thought I heard something a soft sound, like lowughter, curling at the edges of my mind.


    Careful, Ellie, the voice seemed to purr. Next time I might not catch you.


    I spun around, breath catching in my throat. Nothing. Just the empty path stretching back to the courtyard, the castle looming beyond it. I swallowed hard and forced myself to move again. My knees trembled, but I kept walking, faster and faster, my hands clutched to my chest like a child. The huts of the omegas¡¯ quarters came into view atst, their roofs dark against the bright morning sky. The sight made my eyes sting. It wasn¡¯t much small, in buildingspared to the Alpha¡¯s wing but right now it looked like safety. I stumbled thest few steps, half-running, half-falling.


    "Elie?!" The cry came from ahead, and my head jerked up to see Mira standing by the doorway of one of the huts, a basket ofundry slipping from her hands. Her eyes went wide, and her mouth fell open. Within seconds, more omegas spilled out of the huts, drawn by her shout. Joan and ra were at the front, their faces pale and tear-streaked.


    "Ellie!" ra cried, running to me so fast she nearly tripped. Her arms wrapped around me with crushing desperation. "You¡¯re here!"


    Joan grabbed my hand, her grip trembling. "We thought he. Her voice cracked, and she couldn¡¯t finish.


    The others gathered around, their voices ovepping questions, gasps, sobs of relief.


    "How did you get away?"


    "What did he do to you?"


    <fnfdb6> For original chapters go to Find1Novel</fnfdb6>


    "Are you hurt?"


    "Did he let you go?"


    Their faces blurred through my tears, but I saw the joy, the shock, the disbelief. Hands reached out to touch me, to make sure I was real.


    I tried to smile, but it came out as a shaky grimace. "I¡ªI don¡¯t know," I stammered. "He just... told me I could go."


    A stunned silence fell over them. The words hung in the air like something fragile, impossible.


    An Alpha like him, letting an omega go. It didn¡¯t make sense. But for now, none of us wanted to question it too deeply. I was back. Alive. That was miracle enough.


    ra¡¯s hands were still on my shoulders, shaking slightly. "We thought he killed you," she whispered. "We thought-"


    I swallowed and looked over my shoulder onest time.


    The path behind me was empty. The castle loomed in the distance, silent and still.


    But even as the omegas pulled me inside, their voices rising in relief, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was still there watching me.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 72

    <h4>Chapter 72: Chapter 72</h4>


    By the time I sank onto the bed in the omegas¡¯ shared quarters, my body felt like it was made of lead. The mattress was lumpy, the nket scratchy, but it was morefort than I had known in what felt like an eternity. The faint warmth of other bodies, the soft rustle of movement in therge room, the familiar smell ofundry soap and firewood these were the scents of survival, of belonging, even if it was at the very bottom rung of the pack.


    The omegas¡¯ quarters were tucked at the far end of the pack house, three long rooms divided by flimsy partitions. Each room was crowded with rows of cots and wooden trunks where we kept our few belongings. The ceilings were low, the walls thin, but it was always full of whispers and tiredughter, hands busy with mending clothes, braiding hair, or rubbing warmth into aching shoulders. When I had stumbled through the door earlier, the others had gasped, their voices rising in shock. I¡¯d been wrapped in arms, pressed with questions, offered bowls of thin stew and cups of water. Joan and ra had clung to me the hardest, their faces pale and wet from tears, as though they had been holding their breath from the moment I vanished. Now, after the noise settled, the room hummed with quiet again. A few omegas sat by the hearth at the far end, mending uniforms. Two girls whispered near the window, their voices low but urgent. The air was heavy with unspoken questions. No one dared mention his name, not here, not while I was still shaking.


    Joan and ra stayed close, their beds pressed on either side of mine. They hadn¡¯t left me since I came back. Joan was brushing out her long dark hair, though her hands trembled so much that the brush snagged. ra sat cross-legged on her nket, picking at the hem of her dress until the threads unraveled.


    I tried to close my eyes, but sleep wouldn¡¯te. Every time myshes lowered, I saw him standing in the doorway again, silent and watchful, his eyes stripping me down to nothing. Every time I tried to breathe, I felt the weight of his mocking thoughts against my skin, seeping into my bones.


    I couldn¡¯t stay here. Not for another night. The realization hit like a shard of ss to the chest. I sat up so suddenly that both Joan and ra startled.


    "We have to leave," I whispered, my voice raw.


    Joan froze mid-brush. ra looked up, her eyes wide.


    "Leave... what?" Joan asked slowly, as though she hoped I meant something else.


    "The pack," I said, forcing the words out before I lost the courage. "We can¡¯t stay here. Not after this. We have to escape."


    ra dropped the fabric in her hands. The loose threads dangled like unraveling rope. "Ellie..." Her voice cracked. "Do you even hear yourself? Escape?"


    I leaned forward, gripping the edge of my cot so tightly my knuckles ached. "Yes. Escape. You saw what he did. You saw what it¡¯s like when he sets his eyes on someone. He¡¯ll never stop. Today he let me walk out, but tomorrow? Tomorrow he could lock the door and never open it again. You think we¡¯re safe here? We¡¯re not. We¡¯re just waiting."


    Joan shook her head, her eyes darting toward the other omegas across the room. They were busy with their sewing, but she still lowered her voice. "If we get caught, Ellie, it won¡¯t just be us. The Alpha doesn¡¯t punish one omega. He punishes all of us. Do you want to drag them into this too?"


    Her words cut deep, but I forced myself to hold her gaze. "They¡¯re already being punished. All of us are. Every day we live under his shadow, every time we bow our heads, every time we flinch when his name is spoken. That¡¯s punishment. What difference does it make if it¡¯s official or not?"


    ra wrapped her arms around herself, rocking slightly. Her voice was a whisper of terror. "If we try and fail, they¡¯ll hang us in front of the others. They¡¯ll make examples of us. That¡¯s what they do."


    "Then we won¡¯t fail," I said quickly, though my heart twisted at the truth of her words. I slid closer, lowering my voice so only the two of them could hear. "I¡¯ve thought about it. There are ways. We know the pack house better than anyone we clean its halls, we serve its tables. We know when the guards change shifts, when the kitchens are empty, when the outer gates are watched lightly. If we wait for the right night, we can slip out."


    Joan¡¯s brush slipped from her hand, ttering against the floor. Her jaw tightened. "And go where, Ellie? Out there are rogues, hunters, packs that won¡¯t take us in. Omegas with no rank, no protection we¡¯re nothing to them. Do you want to starve in the woods? Or be picked apart by wild wolves?"


    I leaned in until my forehead almost touched hers, my eyes burning with unshed tears. "I¡¯d rather take my chances with the woods than rot in this ce another day." My voice broke on thest words. "At least out there we¡¯d have a choice. Here, we have nothing."


    ra sniffled, pressing her sleeve to her eyes. "I¡¯m scared," she whispered. "So scared."


    "So am I," I admitted, my throat tightening. "But fear won¡¯t save us. Running might."


    The three of us sat in silence for a moment, surrounded by the muffled sounds of the other omegas. Someoneughed softly at a joke near the hearth. A baby whimpered in the corner where one of the older women rocked him. Life went on, as it always did, quiet and small, bound by the walls of the pack house.


    I reached out and took both their hands, one in each of mine. "Please," I whispered. "Come with me. Don¡¯t let me do this alone."


    Joan¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line. She stared down at our joined hands, her brows furrowed. "We¡¯ll think about it," she said finally, her voice low and trembling.


    It wasn¡¯t the answer I wanted, but it was better than refusal.


    I squeezed their hands once, firmly, then let go. "Think quickly," I whispered. "We may not have much time."


    <fnbb50> ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? find?novel</fnbb50>


    The fire in the next room popped loudly, and the sound made all three of us flinch. My eyes flicked to the door again, half-expecting to see him standing there, smirking as if he had heard every word.


    But the doorway was empty.


    Still, I couldn¡¯t shake the crawling sensation down my spine, as though his shadow had already seeped into the walls, listening, waiting.


    The omega¡¯s quarter Alta¡¯s feel different at night, By day, the omega quarters buzzed with the tter of dishes, the shuffle of feet, the constant chatter that filled every corner of the pack house. But at night, once thest chores were done and the doors were locked from the outside, silence pressed down on us like a nket.


    Iy on my thin mattress, staring at the ceiling above me. The paint was cracked, shadows from the bare bulb in the hallway cutting jagged shapes across the ster. Around me, the others were asleep at least, most of them. Gentle snores rose and fell like waves. Someone muttered in their dreams. The rustle of sheets filled the room every now and then.


    But beneath it all was that hum of dread. The kind that made you wonder if silence could listen.


    I rolled onto my side. Across the narrow gap between bunks, Joan¡¯s eyes gleamed faintly in the dark. She was awake too, waiting. On the bed just beyond hers, ra clutched her nket up to her chin, eyes wide open.


    I exhaled slowly, the sound barely a breath. "Now," I mouthed.


    Joan gave the slightest nod. ra hesitated, then shifted onto her side so her back was to the room. To anyone who might be watching, it would look like she¡¯d finally drifted off.


    My pulse thudded in my ears as I pushed myself up onto one elbow. The dorm was long and narrow, lined with bunks on both sides. Twenty omegas slept here, shoulder to shoulder, packed tight like supplies in a storeroom. Every whisper risked someone overhearing. Every whisper risked everything. Still, I leaned closer. My voice was a thread of sound. "We have to start."


    Joan propped herself up too, her dark hair falling into her face. Her whisper was rough. "Do you really mean it, Ellie? We talk about it, and it feels impossible. But if we n... it means we¡¯ll actually try."


    "Yes," I said. My throat ached from how hard I was swallowing. "I mean it."


    ra whimpered softly, muffled by her nket. "We¡¯ll die if we try."


    "We¡¯ll die if we don¡¯t," I shot back, sharper than I meant. I softened my voice. "Listen. If he brings me back into his wing again, if he keeps¡ª" My words caught. I forced them out. "I won¡¯t survive. You know that. I can¡¯t. He¡¯ll break me."


    Joan¡¯s hand slipped across the gap between our beds, squeezing mine. It was small, but it grounded me.


    "Alright," she said after a long silence. "Then we n."


    The room around us seemed to lean in, as if the walls themselves wanted to hear. I half expected the Psycho Alpha¡¯s voice to whisper through the cracks, mocking me. Pathetic little mice, squeaking in the dark.


    I shook the thought away and forced myself to focus.


    "There are only a few ways out of the pack house," I whispered. "The main doors are locked at night, and there are guards. The windows in here are nailed shut. But I¡¯ve been paying attention. There are weak points."


    ra peeked over her nket, eyes wide as coins. "Weak points?"


    "Theundry chute," I said. "It leads down to the basement, and from there, the workers carry baskets out the back entrance. If we could hide in the baskets-"


    Joan shook her head immediately. "Too many eyes in the basement. Too many scents. We¡¯d be found before we even reached the door."


    "Then the kitchen," I pressed. "Suppliese in through the back dock. If we wait until a delivery-"


    "Same problem," Joan cut in. "And the kitchen staff are nosy. They¡¯d notice three omegas vanishing."


    My jaw clenched. She was right, but I couldn¡¯t let the hopelessness sink in. Not now. "Then the outer wall," I whispered. "It¡¯s high, but I¡¯ve seen the patrols. There are gaps, times when the guards aren¡¯t watching as closely. If we could climb-"


    ra let out a strangled sound. "Climb? Ellie, the wall¡¯s lined with silver spikes. Even if we made it over, the patrols outside.


    Her panic rose, and I reached out, gripping her wrist. "ra. Listen to me. Nothing will be easy. But we have to try. We can¡¯t stay here forever. Don¡¯t you want to breathe without fear?"


    Her lower lip trembled. "Yes. But..


    Joan raised a hand, silencing her. "What about the tunnels?" she asked.


    I blinked. "Tunnels?"


    Her eyes darted to the floor, as if she was afraid the wood might betray her words. "Old tunnels, from when the pack house was first built. They were supposed to be escape routes in case of enemy attack. Most of them were sealed, but..." She leaned closer. "I heard the older omegas talking once. Some of them aren¡¯t. The walls down in the storage cers behind the wine racks. There might still be a way out."


    ra¡¯s eyes went wider still. "That¡¯s just a story."


    "Maybe," Joan said. "But maybe not. And if it¡¯s true, no one will expect us to use it."


    My breath caught. The thought of dark tunnels winding beneath the house sent a shiver through me, but it was hope. Real hope.


    "We have to find them," I whispered fiercely. "If they¡¯re real, it could be our way."


    Joan nodded slowly. "But we¡¯ll have to search carefully. Quietly. If anyone sees us wandering the cers, they¡¯ll know something¡¯s wrong."


    A floorboard creaked at the far end of the dorm.


    All three of us froze, hearts in our throats.


    I could see the shadow of someone turning in their sleep, a nket rustling. A low cough broke the silence, then quiet again.


    We didn¡¯t move for a full minute, our breaths shallow and uneven.


    Finally, I whispered, "Tomorrow. We¡¯ll go tomorrow. We¡¯ll find an excuse to get to the storage cers. We¡¯ll look for those tunnels."


    Joan nodded once, her grip on my hand firm.


    ra pulled her nket higher, whispering so softly I barely heard it. "And if he finds out before then?"


    I swallowed hard, the Psycho Alpha¡¯s smirk shing in my mind. His voice slid into my thoughts like oil: Run, little rabbit. I¡¯ll always catch you.


    I squeezed my eyes shut. "Then we pray," I whispered.


    The three of usy back slowly, pretending to settle into sleep. But I knew none of us would close our eyes that night. Every sound became a threat, every shadow a warning.

 Chapter 73

    <h4>Chapter 73: Chapter 73</h4>


    Joan was already waiting near the door, her figure tall and rigid in the half-light. ra hesitated by her bed, wringing her hands so tightly her knuckles gleamed white. The faint glow of moonlight crept through the cracks in the nailed-shut windows, painting long silver stripes across the floor.


    "Now," I mouthed. My heart was pounding so loud I was sure it would wake the entire dormitory.


    Joan eased the door open. Its hinges whined, and we all froze. But the sound faded into silence, and no one stirred. She gave a sharp nod. We slipped into the corridor, closing the door carefully behind us.


    The east wing hallway stretched empty, shadows clinging to the walls. The dimnterns mounted along the ster cast more gloom than light. I could almost imagine the Psycho Alpha¡¯s silhouette leaning in the corner, waiting. My skin prickled, but when I looked, it was only darkness.


    We padded forward, our bare feet soundless against the cold floorboards. Every creak in the wood made ra flinch. She whispered prayers under her breath, the words too soft to catch but steady as a heartbeat.


    "Quiet," Joan hissed.


    "I¡¯m trying," ra breathed, clutching at her nightdress.


    We moved like ghosts down the corridor, past the main staircase with its wide banisters and portraits of former alphas ring down at us. Their painted eyes seemed to follow us, silent witnesses to our betrayal. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling they would whisper our sins to the current Alpha. We reached the narrow servants¡¯ stairwell. Its wooden steps spiraled downward into ckness, the air already cooler here. I touched the wall for bnce, and my fingers came away damp.


    Joan went first, her movements deliberate, testing each step before shifting her weight. I followed, my breath caught in my chest, ra clutching my sleeve so hard I could feel the tremor of her hands.


    The deeper we went, the stronger the smells became damp stone, mold, and the sharp tang of wine casks. The air felt thick, pressing against my skin.


    When we reached the bottom, the stairwell opened into the cer corridor. It stretched out into darkness, lined with iron-banded doors. Some led to storage rooms stacked with crates and barrels. Others were sealed shut, their locks rusted. The ceiling dripped with condensation that spattered onto the floor in tiny echoes.


    "This way," Joan whispered, pointing to the left.


    We followed, our shadows long and thin under the gutteringnterns fixed high above.


    The wine cer loomed at the far end. Its heavy wooden door was carved with a wolf crest half-hidden beneath dust. Joan tugged it open with a grunt, the hinges groaning, and we slipped inside.


    The air was colder here, carrying the musk of oak and aged wine. Rows of tall racks stretched across the room, heavy with bottles that gleamed faintly in the dim light. Cobwebs hung from the beams, catching thentern glow like strands of silver.


    "This is where I heard about the tunnels," Joan murmured. Her voice barely rose above the hum of silence. "Behind the racks. Somewhere."


    ra hugged herself tightly, her eyes darting to every shadow. "This feels wrong."


    "Everything feels wrong," I said. My throat was dry. "But we don¡¯t have a choice."


    We began to search


    Joan pulled at the racks, running her hands along the wood, testing for hollows. I crouched low, scanning the floor for seams or scuff marks that might reveal hidden doors. ra lingered near the entrance, chewing her lip raw, her gaze darting nervously toward the corridor.


    My fingers brushed against the stone wall, rough and cold. I pressed along it, searching for cracks. For a while, there was nothing¡ªjust stone, wood, dust. My frustration mounted with every heartbeat.


    Then Joan hissed. "Here."


    I scrambled to her side. She was kneeling behind one of therger racks, her fingers tracing a faint outline in the wall. A rectangr seam, just wide enough for a narrow door. The stone here was different duller, smoother, as if it had been handled more often.


    ra crept closer, her eyes wide. "Is it... real?"


    Joan pressed her palm t against the seam. She pushed. The stone didn¡¯t budge.


    "Help me," she whispered.


    Together, we braced ourselves and shoved. The rack groaned as it shifted slightly, dust raining down. I coughed, waving it away, my heart hammering in my chest. The outline in the stone seemed to deepen under our efforts, as if mocking us.


    "Harder," Joan urged.


    We pushed again. This time, there was a faint sound¡ªa click, muffled but distinct.


    The seam cracked open by a hair, a rush of air seeping through. It was colder than the cer, tinged with the scent of earth and something older, something stale.


    ra gasped, pping a hand over her mouth. "It¡¯s real," she whispered.


    A thrill ran through me, tangled with dread. We had found it. The tunnels weren¡¯t just a story.


    I leaned close, peering into the thin gap. Darkness stared back, deep and endless. My stomach twisted, but I couldn¡¯t look away.


    "This could be it," I whispered. "Our way out."


    Joan¡¯s eyes gleamed in the dim light, hard and determined. "Then we¡¯lle back. With supplies. And we¡¯ll use it."


    ra shook her head furiously, her whole body trembling. "No. No, this is madness. If he finds out-"


    "He won¡¯t," I cut in sharply. "Not if we¡¯re careful. Not if we move fast."


    She hugged herself tighter, rocking slightly. "You don¡¯t know him, Ellie. He sees everything. He hears everything. It¡¯s like he¡¯s¡ª" She broke off, shuddering.


    I couldn¡¯t deny it. Even here, in the dark cer, I half expected his voice to slither into my head. Run, little rabbit. I¡¯ll always know where you are.


    But I forced myself to speak past the fear. "He¡¯s not here now. This is our chance."


    Joan¡¯s hand settled firmly on my shoulder. "We need to go back before anyone notices we¡¯re missing. Tomorrow night, we return. We¡¯ll open it fully, and we¡¯ll see where it leads."


    I nodded, though my body screamed to pry it open now, to run into the darkness and never look back. But she was right. We weren¡¯t ready. Not yet.


    We eased the rack back into ce, brushing dust from our hands. The seam vanished into the wall again, invisible to anyone who wasn¡¯t searching.


    The three of us stood there, breathing hard, staring at the spot where our hopey hidden.


    ra whispered, "If this kills us-"


    "It won¡¯t," I said, though my voice shook. "It can¡¯t. Because if we don¡¯t try, we¡¯re already dead."


    The silence pressed heavy around us, as if the walls themselves disagreed.


    <fn9bfe> This content belongs to find?novel</fn9bfe>


    Atst, Joan tugged us toward the door. "Come on. Before someone finds us here."


    We slipped back into the corridor, the cer¡¯s cold air clinging to our skin. As we crept up the narrow stairs, every creak made my blood run cold, every shadow a threat.


    By the time we reached the omega quarters again, my legs were shaking. We slipped into our bunks as quietly as we¡¯d left, the dorm still filled with the soft rhythm of sleeping breaths.


    Iy there, my heart racing, the smell of earth and old stone still in my nose.


    The tunnels were real.


    And if we were brave or desperate enough, they might be our salvation.


    But as I finally closed my eyes, the Psycho Alpha¡¯s mocking inner voice curled in the back of my mind.


    "Inner voice: Run all you like, little omega. You¡¯ll never be free of me.


    The cer air was damp, heavy with the smell of mold, wine, and something metallic that clung to the back of my throat like blood. The flickering candle Joan carried did little to push back the shadows. Each step down the stone steps echoed too loudly, like a warning bell that someone might hear us.


    We shouldn¡¯t be here. Every instinct screamed it. But desperation had silenced instinct a long time ago.


    Joan walked ahead, shoulders tense, her hand trembling as she held the candle higher to illuminate the path. ra clung to my sleeve, her breaths shallow and ragged as if every inhale might betray us. I forced myself to stay calm for them, though my chest was tight. My heartbeat was so loud I swore it could be heard in the silence.


    "This way," Joan whispered, pointing toward a narrow corridor lined with wooden barrels and broken crates. "If the tunnels exist, they¡¯ll be somewhere deeper."


    Her voice cracked, and I knew she was as terrified as I was.


    We shuffled forward. The floor was uneven, the stones damp with condensation. Rats scurried across the path, their ws scratching against the stone before disappearing into the cracks. ra flinched and muffled a scream, pressing herself against me.


    "Shhh," I hissed softly, gripping her hand. "Do you want him to hear us?"


    Even here, surrounded by barrels of dust and walls thick with stone, I felt him. Like a presence pressing against the back of my skull, whispering, mocking, reminding me that nothing in this pack house was hidden from him.


    "Inner voice: You really think you can slip away from me, little omega?


    The voice slid into my mind like a de, soft and cutting at the same time. I froze mid-step, my knees buckling slightly.


    "El... Ellie?" ra tugged my sleeve, confused at why I¡¯d stopped.


    I forced a smile, shaking my head as though nothing was wrong. "Keep going. Don¡¯t stop." My voice sounded steadier than I felt.


    But inside, my stomach churned. I wasn¡¯t imagining that voice. I knew it. His inner voice always came when I least expected, soft and mocking, filling me with dread.


    Joan pushed a broken barrel aside, revealing another passage. "Here." Her voice was low, but determined. She crouched and motioned for us to follow. "If there¡¯s a hidden tunnel, it might be through these back walls.


    We slipped deeper, the candlelight throwing shadows across the cracked stone walls. The further we went, the colder it grew. The air was damp, clinging to my skin. I hugged my arms around myself, teeth gritted.


    "Inner voice: Pathetic little mice, scratching around in the dark, the voice purred inside my head. Do you really think walls will save you? Do you think I don¡¯t see you?


    I bit down on my lip until I tasted copper. He couldn¡¯t be here. He wasn¡¯t here. He was somewhere else in the pack house, probably asleep in his chamber, far away from us.


    But his voice didn¡¯t leave. It lingered, amused, as though watching from the shadows.


    We stopped at a section of wall where the stone looked different older, more weathered. Joan pressed her hands against it, pushing, testing. "It feels hollow," she whispered, eyes alight with desperate hope.


    ra dropped to her knees and began wing at the cracks between the stones with her nails. "Help me," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "This has to be it. This has to lead outside."


    I knelt too, pressing my palms against the rough stone. My skin scraped, my fingers trembling, but I pushed anyway, forcing all my strength into the wall. Joan leaned her candle against a crate and joined us, the three of us silently struggling, breathing hard. Then we heard a some and we all froze. It wasn¡¯t from us. It came from above. The wooden beams of the cer ceiling groaned as if someone were standing just overhead.


    ra¡¯s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide and glistening with tears. Joan¡¯s face drained of color. I could barely breathe.


    "Inner voice: Closer, the voice murmured inside me, low and almost yful. I¡¯m closer than you think.


    My vision swam. I pressed my forehead to the cold stone, willing myself not to scream.


    No. No. It was in my head. Just my head. It had to be.


    Joan grabbed my arm. "Ellie, we can¡¯t stay down here," she whispered, her words trembling. "He¡¯ll find us. If he.


    "Shut up," I hissed sharply, too afraid even of her voice carrying.


    We waited, huddled against the wall like trapped prey.


    Another creak above us. Slow. Deliberate.


    It was as though someone was pacing right above the cer, step by step. Not hurried. Not random. Intentional.


    ra broke. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she sobbed quietly, muffling the sound against her sleeve. "He knows," she whispered, voice shaking. "He knows what we¡¯re doing."


    I wanted to tell her no. I wanted to tell her it was all in her head. But I couldn¡¯t. Because deep down, I knew too.


    "Inner voice: Of course I know, little mouse, the Alpha¡¯s voice coiled like smoke through my mind. Every breath you take. Every step you risk. You think your secrets are yours? They¡¯re mine. You¡¯re mine.


    I dug my nails into my palms so hard I nearly broke skin.


    Joan snatched up the candle, her face twisted with terror. "We need to go back. Now."


    "But-ra sobbed.


    "Now!" Joan¡¯s whisper was harsh, final.


    We stumbled back the way we came, our candlelight jerking wildly as Joan rushed ahead. The cer seemed darker now, the walls pressing in, the shadows thicker. Every rat scurry sounded like footsteps. Every drip of water echoed like a breath.


    And still, in my head, hisughter lingers.


    We scrambled up the stone steps, bursting back into the narrow corridor near the kitchens. Joan nearly dropped the candle as her hands shook. ra clutched my arm like a lifeline.


    I dared one nce back toward the cer door. It stood slightly ajar. I hadn¡¯t left it like that. My blood ran cold.


    "Inner voice: Sweet little Ellie, his voice hummed inside me, almost tender.


    "Inner voice: Run if you like. n if you like. But you¡¯ll never leave. You belong to me. Always watching. Always waiting.


    The door creaked softly, as though touched by an unseen hand.


    I turned and bolted after Joan and ra, my lungs burning, my heart screaming with the truth I could no longer deny.


    He knew we wanted to escape? But how?

 Chapter 74

    <h4>Chapter 74: Chapter 74</h4>


    When we burst back into the omega¡¯s quarters, the silence almost crushed me. The wide dormitory-like room was dim, themps long blown out, the rows of narrow beds crowded with the sleeping forms of omegas who had no idea what we had just done.


    Joan pushed the door closed behind us with trembling hands, her breath ragged. ra was still clinging to me, her nails digging into my arm like ws. My chest was tight, my throat raw from breathing too hard.


    Safe. We were safe. That was what I wanted to believe. The door was closed. The others were sleeping. The Psycho Alpha wasn¡¯t here.


    But even as I told myself those words, I didn¡¯t believe them.


    I sank onto my bed at the far corner of the room, curling my arms around myself as though that would hold me together. The mattress felt too hard, too thin, the sheets suffocating instead offorting.


    ra sat down beside me, tears streaking her face. "He knows, Ellie," she whispered, her voice broken. "I felt it. He was there. He knows."


    "Shhh," Joan hissed, her eyes darting toward the others. "Don¡¯t wake them."


    But my pulse pounded in my ears. I could still hear the creak of the cer beams, the deliberate sound of footsteps overhead. I could still hear his voice in my mind, soft, mocking.


    Run if you like. n if you like. You will never leave me.


    I pressed my palms against my ears, rocking slightly. "Stop," I muttered under my breath. "Stop, stop, stop."


    "El?" Joan knelt in front of me, her hands on my knees. "It¡¯s okay. We¡¯re back now. He didn¡¯t see us."


    I jerked away from her touch. "Didn¡¯t see us? He always sees us. You don¡¯t understand he doesn¡¯t need eyes. He¡¯s here."


    Joan¡¯s expression faltered, but she forced a smile. "You¡¯re just shaken. Try to sleep. Tomorrow¡ª"


    "Sleep?" Iughed, a broken sound too loud in the silence. A few omegas stirred, frowning in their sleep. I mped a hand over my mouth.


    I couldn¡¯t sleep. Not now. Not ever.


    The room was too still. Too quiet. Every creak of the wooden beams overhead made me flinch. Every sigh from a sleeping omega made me certain it was him.


    Iy down anyway, forcing myself under the thin nket, staring at the dark ceiling. Joan and ray close, whispering softly to each other, but I couldn¡¯t make out the words.


    That was worse. What if they weren¡¯t whisperingfort? What if they were whispering about me? About how I¡¯d ruined everything? About how they should tell him what we¡¯d done before he punished them for being part of it? My throat closed up.


    "ra," I whispered sharply. "What are you saying to her?"


    She jumped, her eyes wide. "N-nothing. Just just telling Joan I¡¯m scared."


    "You¡¯re lying," I spat before I could stop myself. "You¡¯re nning to tell him. Aren¡¯t you?"


    Her mouth opened in horror. "No! Ellie, I would never"


    Joan sat up quickly, pressing a hand to my shoulder. "Ellie, stop. She¡¯s not lying. You¡¯re exhausted, that¡¯s all. Please.


    But her voice faded into the background, drowned by another sound.


    A low creak. Right outside the door.


    I froze. My blood turned to ice. Slowly, I turned my head toward the door at the far end of the quarters. It was closed, but the shadow at the bottom shifted just a flicker, just enough to make me certain someone was standing on the other side.


    He was there. Listening. Breathing. Waiting.


    I scrambled upright, clutching the nket around me like armor. "He¡¯s here," I whispered. "He¡¯s at the door."


    "No one¡¯s there," Joan insisted, but her own voice trembled. She didn¡¯t sound sure.


    ra began to cry again, muffling the sound against her hands. I staggered a few steps toward the door, my bare feet cold on the floorboards. I couldn¡¯t stop staring at the shadow. It didn¡¯t move. But it didn¡¯t need to. Always watching, his voice coiled through my mind, soft and amused. Always listening. Did you think your whispers in the cer were secrets?


    "No," I gasped, backing away, shaking my head. "No, stop.


    "Ellie?" Joan caught my wrist, her eyes wide with fear. "He¡¯s not here. You¡¯re scaring everyone. Please, just sit down."


    I looked around. A few omegas had stirred, sitting up in their beds, watching us with confusion and worry. Their whispers filled the room like insects buzzing, too many voices, too close. I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    They all knew. They all knew what I¡¯d done. He had told them.


    "Stop whispering!" I shouted, clutching my head. My voice cracked through the silence, and the others flinched. Someone muttered for me to be quiet, that I¡¯d get us all in trouble.


    <fn7e31> Original content can be found at Find?Novel</fn7e31>


    Trouble. That word rang in my skull like a death knell.


    They will me you, the voice whispered. They¡¯ll hand you over, little Ellie. You will take the punishment for them all. And I¡¯ll enjoy every moment.


    I sank to the floor, rocking, muttering prayers under my breath. "Please, God, please, don¡¯t let him in. Don¡¯t let him take me."


    Joan knelt beside me, her hands shaking as she tried to soothe me. ra hid her face against her knees, sobbing quietly. The other omegas whispered among themselves, fearful and uneasy.


    But over it all, I could still hear the imagined sound of footsteps outside the door. Slow. Patient. Waiting.


    I didn¡¯t sleep. Not even when the othersy back down. Not even when Joan begged me to rest. I sat awake in the dark, staring at that door, convinced that the moment I closed my eyes, he would walk in.


    And by morning, I wasn¡¯t sure anymore if I had heard real footsteps or if they were only in my head.


    The first light of dawn crept through the narrow windows of the omega¡¯s quarters, pale and gray. I hadn¡¯t slept. My body trembled from exhaustion, but my eyes refused to close. They burned, gritty and raw, but every time I even blinked, I saw him standing at the door, smiling that smile that said he already owned me.


    So I kept staring. All night. At the door. By morning, the other omegas had noticed.


    "She hasn¡¯t moved," someone whispered as theyced up their boots.


    "I think she¡¯s lost it," another murmured, her toneced with pity. "The Alpha broke her."


    "She will bring trouble down on us," came a sharper voice. "If hees for her, he won¡¯t care who else gets caught."


    Their whispers weren¡¯t soft enough. They weren¡¯t trying to hide it. Every word cut into me, sharper than ws. I pressed my hands against my ears, but it didn¡¯t matter. I still heard them. I always heard them.


    Joan sat beside me, her body blocking mine from view. She red at the others. "Leave her alone," she snapped, her voice low but fierce. "You don¡¯t know what she¡¯s been through."


    The room quieted for a moment. A few of them looked guilty, but most looked away, muttering as they tied their aprons or brushed their hair. They didn¡¯t care. They didn¡¯t want to understand. They just wanted me to stop being a threat to their fragile safety.


    ra hovered nearby, wringing her hands. Her face was pale, her eyes red from crying, but she hadn¡¯t left my side. Not entirely. She kept ncing toward the others as if torn, as if she wanted to sit with them where it was safe and normal but couldn¡¯t quite bring herself to abandon me either.


    I sat cross-legged on my bed, rocking slightly. My nket was twisted around my shoulders like a shield. My lips moved soundlessly at first, then words slipped out. "He¡¯s listening. He¡¯s always listening. Don¡¯t talk. Don¡¯t whisper. He hears everything."


    Joan¡¯s hand brushed my shoulder gently. "Ellie, it¡¯s okay," she whispered. "You¡¯re safe right now. It¡¯s just us here."


    I snapped my head toward her, eyes wide. "Safe? You think this is safe? He was at the doorst night, Joan. I heard him. I saw the shadow. He knows. He knows what we tried to do."


    Her face crumpled, and she nodded quickly. "I believe you. I do. But you need to rest. Just a little. Please."


    Rest. The word was meaningless. There was no rest anymore. Only waiting. Waiting for him toe.


    Across the room, two omegas giggled nervously, their hands covering their mouths. My chest tightened.


    "What are theyughing at?" I demanded, my voice rising too sharp. The giggling stopped immediately. "Are theyughing at me? Did he tell them? Did he tell them what we did?"


    The room fell silent. All eyes flicked toward me, then away again, like I was something contagious. Joan moved closer, her arm wrapping around my shoulders. "Ignore them," she murmured, but her jaw was clenched.


    I shoved her off. "Ignore them? When they¡¯re talking about me? When they¡¯re nning to hand me over to him?"


    "Ellie!


    "I¡¯m not stupid!" My voice cracked through the quiet room. A few omegas gasped. One muttered, "She really has lost it."


    "I heard you," I spat at them, my body trembling, my voice shaking with rage and terror. "I hear everything. I know what you¡¯re thinking. You think if you feed me to him, he¡¯ll leave you alone. You think he¡¯ll let you live. But he won¡¯t. He never does."


    The omegas shifted ufortably. Some turned their backs. Others shook their heads. No one argued with me that was worse. That meant they really were thinking it. ra burst into tears, covering her face. "Please stop, Ellie. Please."


    Her sobs pierced me. I looked at her, guilt twisting in my gut, but the fear was stronger. "You believe me," I whispered. "You know I¡¯m right. Don¡¯t you?"


    ra sobbed harder, but she nodded. Just once. It was enough. Joan knelt in front of me again, her eyes locking on mine. Her voice was steady, calm, but I could see the fear trembling underneath it. "Ellie, listen to me. You¡¯re not crazy. You¡¯ve been through hell. Of course you feel like he¡¯s everywhere. He¡¯s done that to you. But you¡¯re not alone. We¡¯re here. I¡¯m here."


    I blinked at her, my lips parting. For a moment, her words reached through the fog in my mind. For a moment, I wanted to believe her.


    Then a floorboard creaked in the hallway outside the door.


    I froze. My body went rigid. My breath stopped.


    "He¡¯s here," I whispered, my voice hollow.


    Joan stiffened but forced a smile. "It¡¯s just someone passing by."


    "No," I hissed. "It¡¯s him. He¡¯s standing there. Listening. Waiting."


    I stared at the crack beneath the door until my vision blurred, waiting for the shadow to flicker again. But it didn¡¯t.


    Maybe it never had. My chest heaved, tears spilling hot and fast down my face. I pressed my fists against my eyes, curling into myself. "I¡¯m not crazy," I sobbed. "I¡¯m not crazy, I swear. He¡¯s doing this to me. He¡¯s making me¡ª"


    Joan pulled me against her chest, rocking me gently. "I know. I know, El. It¡¯s him, not you. You¡¯re not crazy. You¡¯re not."


    Her words wrapped around me like a fragile lifeline. But I could still feel the weight of the other omegas¡¯ stares. I could still hear their whispers, their scorn, their fear.


    And deep in my mind, beneath Joan¡¯s soothing voice, I still heard him.


    Crazy little Ellie. Broken little mouse. Even your own kind don¡¯t trust you now. How long until they hand you to me? How long until you beg me to take you, just so it ends? I clutched at Joan¡¯s sleeve, trembling.


    I wasn¡¯t crazy. But the walls of the omega¡¯s quarters felt like a cage, and his voice was the key. And every hour, every whisper, every creak of the floorboards pushed me closer to breaking for good.

 Chapter 75

    <h4>Chapter 75: Chapter 75</h4>


    I was drifting in that fragile space between sleep and waking when the sound of hurried footsteps tore me out of my shallow dreams. My heart lurched instantly every sound inside the Pack House was a possible threat, every sudden noise a promise of terror.


    The door to the Omegas¡¯ quarters banged open, the old hinges screaming. I shot upright, my pulse pounding against my ribs like it wanted out. Joan, who had been foldingundry by her bunk, flinched so hard the clothes slipped from her hands and spilled across the floor.


    "ra?" she gasped when the figure stumbled into the room.


    It was ra, breathless, her face pale with a mmy sheen of sweat. Her hair was tangled as though she¡¯d been running her hands through it over and over, her chest rising and falling so fast it made her whole frame tremble. She mmed the door shut behind her and pressed her back against it as if she expected something or someone to be chasing her.


    I rubbed my eyes with trembling fingers, trying to force away the fog of sleep. But the fear in ra¡¯s wide eyes snapped me awake faster than a p.


    "What happened?" I asked, my voice cracking with the dryness of my throat.


    For a moment, ra only opened and closed her mouth like a fish gasping for air. Her gaze darted around the room, to every corner, as though checking that we were truly alone. The other omegas inside had started gathering closer, their whispersyering into a frightened buzz.


    Finally, ra¡¯s words tumbled out in a single rush.


    "He killed him!"


    The room went so still that I swore I could hear my own blood rushing in my ears.


    "Killed who?" Joan whispered, her hands clutching at her apron like she needed something to hold her together.


    ra¡¯s lips trembled before the words came, shaky and sharp. "The guard... the Alpha killed one of the guards. He he said the man was ugly. Just ugly. That¡¯s all. And then he he snapped his neck and kill him.


    The weight of her words crashed into us like a thunderp. "Ugly?" That was all it took.


    The crazy psycho has taken a man¡¯s life in a heartbeat, because the Alpha didn¡¯t like his face.


    My stomach knotted so violently I thought I might vomit. The room seemed to tilt, and for a second, I pressed my palms to the mattress beneath me to steady myself. The others began to murmur in panicked tones.


    "No, that can¡¯t be true"


    "Ugly? Just that?"


    "He¡¯s a monster he¡¯s not even human¡ª"


    "Quiet!" ra hissed, her voice breaking as she pushed away from the door. "If he hears us if he hears us talking like this, we¡¯ll be next."


    The omegas fell into a heavy silence. The air thickened, suffocating, as if the Psycho Alpha himself had suddenly entered the room.


    I stared at ra, at the raw terror carved into every line of her face, and I knew she wasn¡¯t lying. She didn¡¯t need to. This was exactly the kind of senseless cruelty he was capable of. I had seen him destroy things people over far less.


    I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "Where?" I forced the word out, though I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted the answer.


    "In the courtyard," ra whispered. "In front of everyone. He justughed afterward, like it was some kind of joke. He even asked the others if they agreed if the guard really was ugly. And they nodded. They nodded because they were too afraid not to."


    She pressed both hands against her face, muffling a sob that escaped anyway.


    The image burned in my mind even though I hadn¡¯t witnessed it: the Psycho Alpha, towering in his cruel confidence, tilting his head in mock curiosity as the guard begged for his life. Then, with one twist of his powerful hands silence. Lifelessness. A body crumpled on the ground whileughter echoed above it.


    Joan pressed closer to me, her small frame shaking. I could feel her fear radiating into me, mixing with my own until I wasn¡¯t sure which was hers and which was mine.


    One of the younger omegas in the corner whimpered, covering her mouth. "If he killed a guard just for being ugly? then what about us? What if one day he says he hates the way we look?"


    Her words made the silence heavier, pressing on all of us like a suffocating nket.


    It wasn¡¯t just paranoia. It was a possibility. Every day, every breath in this Pack House was a gamble with death.


    I pulled my knees to my chest, trying to keep myself from shaking apart. My eyes burned with tears that I didn¡¯t want to shed. Crying felt dangerous, too like showing weakness that might somehow reach his ears, bring his wrath down on me.


    "ra," I said softly, my voice barely more than a whisper, "you need to breathe. You¡¯re safe here. He¡¯s not here"


    "No one is safe here!" ra snapped, her voice breaking into a sob at the same time. She gripped the edge of her skirt, her knuckles white. "Don¡¯t you understand, Ellie? He doesn¡¯t need reasons. He doesn¡¯t need excuses. Today it was ugly. Tomorrow it could be the way we walk, or the sound of our voices, or nothing at all."


    Her words struck something deep inside me, something raw and trembling.


    And. She was right.We weren¡¯t living anymore.


    Joan¡¯s hand found mine under the nket, squeezing it desperately. I squeezed back, though my own hand trembled.


    For a long time, none of us spoke. The air felt brittle, ready to shatter under the weight of our fear. I kept imagining the sound of a neck snapping, crisp and final, echoing in my head over and over until I thought I might lose my mind.


    I wanted to scream. I wanted to run. But I stayed still, curled in my bed, my breath shallow.


    In that silence, the Psycho Alpha was everywhere. In the creak of the floorboards, in the wind scraping at the windows, in the beat of my terrified heart.


    And deep down, I knew ra was right.


    If he could kill a man for being ugly, then it was only a matter of time before he turned his gaze on me.


    The door opened sharply, without hesitation, and every omega in the room froze where they were. We didn¡¯t need to see her to know who it was. Only one person walked with that kind of purpose, heels clicking against the stone floor, spine straight as a de.


    Elizabeth. The Alpha¡¯s Aunt.


    "Up." Her voice cut through the silence like the crack of a whip.


    Several omegas scrambled to their feet, though most of us stayed frozen on instinct, unsure if moving too quickly might be seen as disrespectful. Elizabeth stepped further inside, her gaze sweeping over us like she was counting bodies, measuring worth. The air around her seemed to grow colder with each step.


    She stopped near the center of the room and folded her hands in front of her. Her face was calm too calm, the kind of stillness that made my stomach churn.


    "Rose."


    The namended like a stone in still water, rippling through the room. All heads turned to Rose who was sitting near the back of the quarters, stiffened visibly. She was young, only a little older than me, with soft features and hair that fell over her face as if she were always trying to hide. She rarely spoke unless spoken to, the kind of omega who tried to shrink into the background and avoid attention. Now there was no background left for her to hide in.


    Elizabeth¡¯s gaze locked on her, sharp and unyielding. "Come forward."


    Rose rose to her feet shakily, her knees trembling beneath her thin dress. She moved slowly, as though each step forward cost her more strength than she had.


    Elizabeth didn¡¯t raise her voice, but her words carried the weight of finality. "From this day forward, you will serve as the Alpha¡¯s personal omega."


    Gasps broke the silence before they could be swallowed back. My own chest constricted so tightly I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    Rose¡¯s eyes widened, horror blooming across her face. "M-me?" she stammered, her voice barely audible.


    Elizabeth didn¡¯t blink. "Yes. You will rece Ellie."


    My heart stopped. It was like ice water had been poured down my spine. All eyes shifted to me, and I felt the blood drain from my face. My mouth opened, but no words came out. Rece me. The words echoed in my skull, sharp and cruel. My body went rigid, my hands clutching at the nket beneath me until my knuckles turned white.


    Rose shook her head violently, tears welling in her eyes. "No¡ªplease¡ªno. I¡ªI can¡¯t. I¡¯m not¡ª"


    Elizabeth silenced her with a single nce. "This is not a request, you will resume immediately


    Rose¡¯s lips trembled, her shoulders shaking as sobs threatened to burst out. But no one daredfort her. No one dared move.


    Elizabeth¡¯s gaze swept over us again, sharp and cold. "Understand this, all of you. When i make a choice, it is final. Resistance will not be tolerated. Her voice dropped lower, heavier, until it seemed to crush the room itself. "If anyone here forgets that, they will join the guard whose neck was broken yesterday."


    The silence after that was unbearable. You could almost hear hearts beating too fast, breaths being held too long.


    Rose finally copsed to her knees, her tears spilling freely. "Please," she begged, her voice breaking. "Please don¡¯t make me. I don¡¯t want to go."


    Elizabeth looked down at her without pity. "Want has nothing to do with it.


    The words struck like a death sentence.


    I couldn¡¯t stop the tremor that went through me. My stomach twisted violently as guilt and relief warred inside me. Relief that it wasn¡¯t me anymore. Guilt that someone else was being forced into that nightmare. Guilt that I had wished, prayed, begged for freedom and now Rose was paying for it.


    <fn6156> Official source is Find1Novel</fn6156>


    Elizabeth turned her cold eyes back to me, just for a moment, as though reminding me that none of this was truly my victory. That freedom was an illusion, and punishment could return to me at any time.


    Then she nodded once. "Rose will be taken to the Alpha after she has prepared herself. See to it she is ready."


    With that, Elizabeth pivoted and left the quarters, the door closing behind her with a heavy thud.


    The silence that followed was deafening. Rose¡¯s sobs filled it, raw and broken. The others watched her with wide, helpless eyes. No one moved to help her not because they didn¡¯t want to, but because they couldn¡¯t. Tofort her now felt like defiance of the Alpha¡¯s will. And I sat frozen on my mattress, shaking, every nerve in my body screaming. Poor Rose

 Chapter 76

    <h4>Chapter 76: Chapter 76</h4>


    Rose¡¯s hands trembled as she smoothed her faded skirt, her breathsing fast, shallow. She looked around the room, at us, at me her eyes wide, begging silently for someone to intervene.


    But no one moved. Not one of us dared.


    "Please..." Rose whispered, barely audible.


    Elizabeth turned, her sharp heels clicking against the wooden floor. "Now."


    I felt my nails digging into the thin nket in myp, the fabric tearing beneath my grip. Rose¡¯s knuckles whitened as she pushed herself up. She swayed, unsteady, and for one awful second I thought she might copse back onto her cot. But Elizabeth¡¯s eyes snapped to her like a whip, and Rose stumbled forward, obeying.


    "Don¡¯t make me repeat myself," Elizabeth said tly.


    <fn6f0f> For original chapters go to FindN()vel</fn6f0f>


    The air felt colder, heavier, as Rose walked toward the door. Her steps were small, dragging, as though each one carried her closer to an execution.


    I wanted to scream. To grab her hand and pull her back. To throw myself between her and Elizabeth. But my body wouldn¡¯t move. My throat closed, my breath caught, and I sat there like stone, betraying her with my silence.


    Rose reached the door, and Elizabeth¡¯s hand mped down on her shoulder. Without another word, Elizabeth pulled her out into the hall. The door shut behind them with a soft thud that echoed in my chest like thunder.


    No one dared to breathe too loud. The room felt emptier already, as though Rose¡¯s absence had created a hole none of us could fill.


    I stared at the door, waiting hoping that it might open again. That Rose mighte back, Elizabeth having changed her mind, saying it was all a mistake. But the door stayed shut.


    And in my mind, I saw it the walk I knew too well.


    Elizabeth leading Rose through the pack house. Rose¡¯s eyes darting at the walls, the shadows, the guards who never looked at her, who opened doors without expression. The long, polished hall that seemed to stretch on forever. The looming presence of his quarters at the end, a ce no one ever wanted to reach.


    I saw her standing before the door. I saw Elizabeth push it open. And then him. The Psycho Alpha. Tall and sharp. His eyes gleaming like knives in the dim light. His lips curling in that mocking half-smile that wasn¡¯t a smile at all. His voice low, smooth, carrying both cruelty and amusement as he greeted her-not as a person, but as prey. The door would close. Heavy. Final. And Rose would be gone. I gasped, my chest tightening so hard it felt like I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    "She¡¯s gone," I whispered.


    The words slipped out before I could stop them, and the other omegas hissed in warning.


    "Ellie, don¡¯t," one of them muttered, ncing around as though the walls had ears.


    But it was toote. The dam inside me cracked.


    "She¡¯s gone!" I cried, my voice breaking. My hands shook violently, clutching at the nket until it tore apart in my grip. "She¡¯s gone and she¡¯s nevering back the same! Don¡¯t you see? Don¡¯t you get it? None of us ever evere back the same!"


    Joan rushed to my side, grabbing my shoulders. "Ellie, stop, please"


    But I couldn¡¯t stop. The sobs ripped out of me like fire, uncontroble, raw. My body shook so hard it hurt.


    "I should¡¯ve stopped her!" I wailed, tears streaming hot and fast down my face. "I should¡¯ve grabbed her, held her back¡ªwhy didn¡¯t I¡ªwhy.


    Joan pulled me into her arms, but I thrashed against her, wing at the air, at the walls, at myself. Anything to tear away the crushing weight of guilt pressing down on me.


    "I let her go," I gasped, choking on the words. "I just sat there and I let her go!"


    The room blurred through my tears, the faces of the other omegas turned away, some watching with wide, terrified eyes, others burying their heads in their thin pillows as though ignoring me might save them from the truth.


    But Joan didn¡¯t let go. She held me, whispering broken, desperate words I couldn¡¯t even hear over the roar of my own sobbing.


    I copsed against her, my strength draining, my body trembling with aftershocks of grief and fear. My tears soaked her shoulder. My nails dug into her arms.


    And still, the image of Rose walking through that door burned behind my eyes. The sound of it closing echoed in my ears. Heavy. Final. That door might as well have closed on all of us.


    I buried my face in Joan¡¯s shoulder, sobbing until my throat was raw, until my body ached, until the only thing left inside me was the hollow certainty that no matter how much I cried, no matter how much I begged, Rose wasn¡¯ting back.


    The morning light crept into the omega quarters like it didn¡¯t belong there. Pale, gray, muted it filtered through the narrow, dirt-streaked windows and fell across rows of cots where no one dared to stretch too loudly or yawn too freely. The room was too quiet. Too heavy. Rose¡¯s bed was empty. Her nket, half-folded,y there as though she had just stepped away, as though she mighte back at any moment and smooth the fabric with her careful hands. But she wouldn¡¯t. I knew she wouldn¡¯t.


    The emptiness sat like a wound in the middle of the room, and no one looked at it for long. Their gazes darted past,nding anywhere else.


    "She¡¯s probably fine," someone whispered near the far wall.


    A scoff followed, sharp and bitter. "Fine? No one¡¯s fine after going to him."


    "Hush," another hissed. "You want Elizabeth to hear you?"


    The whispers cut off, leaving a suffocating silence behind.


    I sat on my cot, knees drawn up to my chest, my chin resting on them. My eyes kept dragging back to Rose¡¯s empty bed. My stomach churned, a sick, twisting knot.


    Fine. Not fine. Dead. Alive. Changed. Broken. Their whispers clung to me, but none of them said the truth out loud. None of them dared.


    But I knew. I had walked that path. I had heard that door close. And now Rose was behind it. I pressed my hands to my ears, but it didn¡¯t stop the sound. I still heard it the heavy thud of the Alpha¡¯s door sealing shut. Final. Irreversible. I rocked slightly where I sat, trying to quiet the storm inside me.


    Across the room, Joan was watching me. Her face was pale, her lips pressed tight, but she didn¡¯t speak. She didn¡¯t have to. Her eyes told me she felt it too, that same dread curling through her bones. But she was stronger at hiding it. I wasn¡¯t. Because even as the others were talking in silence their fears, I heard more than whispers.


    Then I heard her. At first, it was faint, so faint I thought it was my imagination. A soft cry, high and broken, weaving into the silence of the room. I froze, my head snapping toward the door.


    Nothing. Just the creak of old wood and the slow, steady drip of the cracked pipe in the corner. Then it came again.


    "Please..."


    My blood ran cold. My breath hitched, and I pressed my hands harder against my ears. But it didn¡¯t stop. The sound seeped through my palms, through my skull, until it filled me whole.


    Rose¡¯s voice. Pleading. Begging.


    "Don¡¯t¡ªplease¡ª"


    I whimpered before I could stop myself, rocking harder on my cot.


    "She¡¯s not here," I muttered to myself. "She¡¯s not here, you¡¯re just hearing things, she¡¯s not.


    "Ellie." Joan¡¯s voice was soft, close. I hadn¡¯t even noticed her move to my side. Her hand brushed my shoulder gently. "You¡¯re scaring the others."


    I turned to look at her, tears blurring my vision. "Don¡¯t you hear it? Don¡¯t you hear her?"


    Her face crumpled, pity mixing with fear. "No," she whispered.


    "She¡¯s screaming!" My voice cracked, loud enough to draw nces from the others. "She¡¯s screaming and no one cares¡ª"


    "Ellie, stop." Joan squeezed my arm. "It¡¯s just in your head. She¡¯s not here."


    But the more Joan denied it, the louder it grew. Not whispers now screams. Raw, jagged, tearing through me. My chest seized, my lungs burning as if I were the one screaming.


    I clutched at my hair, pulling, desperate to rip the sounds out of my skull. "Make it stop, make it stop!"


    The omegas shrank back, their faces pale with fear, some muttering prayers under their breath, others ring at me with thinly veiled anger.


    "She¡¯s losing it," one of them hissed. "First Rose, now her. We¡¯ll all be punished for this."


    "Shut up," Joan snapped, her hand steady on me even as I trembled and shook.


    But the damage was done. I saw it in their eyes. Joan held me so tightly I thought my bones might crack, I still heard it. That door. mming shut. And Rose¡¯s scream, echoing in the hollow of my chest.

 Chapter 77

    <h4>Chapter 77: Chapter 77</h4>


    The corridors of the pack house were silent, unnervingly so. I pressed my back against the wall, every muscle in my body stiff, every breath shallow, like even the sound of my lungs would betray me. The moonlight slipping in through the tall windows was pale and cold, washing everything in silver, but it wasn¡¯t enough to light my way. The Alpha¡¯s quartersy deeper inside, past winding hallways and guarded doors.


    I shouldn¡¯t have been here. I knew that. I should have been in the omegas¡¯ quarters, pretending to sleep, clutching my nket like it was a shield against the nightmares. But the thought of Rose sweet, quiet Rose alone with him gnawed at me. I had seen the way she trembled when Elizabeth called her name, the way her lips had parted but no words came, like her voice had been stolen. And I had done nothing. I had just watched her go.


    So now I was here. Desperate. Foolish. My heart hammering loud enough I swore it would echo down the empty corridor. I told myself I was only going to peek. Just to make sure Rose was still alive. I wouldn¡¯t speak, I wouldn¡¯t knock. I would see her and leave, and then maybe the guilt pressing against my ribs would ease. That was the lie I repeated with every step.


    But beneath it, in the pit of my stomach, I knew the truth there was no such thing as "just looking" when it came to him.


    I moved carefully, barefoot, the wooden floorboards creaking faintly beneath me. Every time they did, I froze, convinced someone woulde. But no one did. No guards. No voices. Nothing. That was strange in itself. Normally there were always sentries near the Alpha¡¯s wing, men standing tall and rigid, eyes forward, jaws locked. Tonight there was no one.


    The silence grew heavier with every corner I turned.


    The Alpha¡¯s quarters weren¡¯t far now. I could see the carved double doors at the end of the corridor, their dark wood gleaming faintly under the moonlight. They looked like a mouth waiting to swallow me whole.


    I hesitated, my fingers tightening on my nightgown, twisting the fabric until it nearly tore. My throat was dry, my chest tight. Maybe this was far enough. Maybe I should turn back now, run before anyone found me here.


    But then I thought of Rose¡¯s face again, pale and fragile, and my feet carried me forward.


    I reached the doors. My hands trembled as I raised them. I wasn¡¯t even sure what I nned to do push them open? Press my ear against the wood? Whisper her name? Every option was dangerous, every choice reckless.


    And then it happened. I turned and mmed straight into someone.


    The impact knocked the air out of me. I stumbled back, my hands flying to my chest as if that would keep my heart from bursting through. My eyes shot up, and in that instant, all the blood in my body turned to ice. He was there. The Alpha.


    Standing silently, like he had grown out of the shadows themselves. His presence filled the narrow hallway, tall and sharp-edged, his aura suffocating. His arms were folded behind his back, his posture rxed, almost casual, but his eyes those merciless eyes glittered in the darkness.


    And he was smiling. Not wide, not friendly. Just a faint, knowing curve of his lips, soft and mocking, like a cat that had just caught the mouse exactly where it wanted.


    "You really are predictable, little omega," he said, his voice low, velvet-smooth. It slid through me like smoke, leaving a shiver in its wake. "I was wondering how long it would take before your guilt dragged you here."


    My mouth went dry. I tried to speak, but no sound came. My tongue felt heavy, useless. My knees weakened, and I had to press a hand against the wall to keep myself upright.


    He tilted his head, studying me as if I were a puzzle he had already solved. "Tell me, Ellie what did you think you would find behind those doors?" His eyes flicked toward the Alpha¡¯s chambers, then back to me. "Did you hope to rescue her? Or was it only your conscience you came to soothe?"


    My lips parted, but still no words. His smile deepened. "Ah. Neither. You didn¡¯t think at all. You let your heart drag you here, the same way it always does. And hearts..." He leaned down slightly, so close I could feel the warmth of his breath against my ear. "...hearts are the easiest things to break."


    I squeezed my eyes shut. My body trembled so hard it felt like my bones were rattling. I whispered a prayer under my breath, though I didn¡¯t even know the words anymore. Just fragments. Please. Please.


    He chuckled softly. The sound wasn¡¯t cruel exactly it was worse. It was amused, indulgent, like he wasughing at a child who thought they could hide behind their hands.


    "You pray as though God can hear you in my house." His words coiled around me, light but suffocating. "But it¡¯s only me here. Always me."


    I forced myself to look up, even though it felt like dragging my gaze through quicksand. His eyes were waiting, sharp and unreadable, watching me flinch.


    "Next time, Ellie," he murmured, brushing past me with a whisper of movement, "you might break your leg running into things you don¡¯t understand."


    And then just like that he was gone. He didn¡¯t shove me, didn¡¯t drag me, didn¡¯t even raise his voice. He simply walked away, his steps unhurried, confident, like he had known from the start how this night would end.


    I stayed pressed against the wall long after he disappeared, my whole body shaking, my throat raw with the scream I hadn¡¯t dared to release.


    The corridor seemed to breathe again, but I couldn¡¯t. I sank to the floor, curling into myself, my palms pressed against my mouth to stop the sobs from spilling out too loudly.


    He knew. He always knew.


    And the worst part was the smile calm, mocking, certain that told me he was only waiting for the next time I tried to fight, the next time I tried to run.


    I didn¡¯t wait. I didn¡¯t even think. The moment the Alpha¡¯s figure melted back into the shadows, I bolted. My legs moved before my brain could catch up, carrying me down the corridor so fast my vision blurred. I didn¡¯t care if the sound of my feet on the wooden floor gave me away. I didn¡¯t care if my nightgown snagged on the corners of the hallway or if my breath rasped loud enough to echo. All I knew was that I had to get away away from his smile, away from those eyes that had looked at me as though I were already dead, already his.


    My slippers betrayed me first. One caught on the uneven edge of the floor and flew from my foot, spinning into the darkness behind me. The other slipped loose a few stepster, abandoned like it couldn¡¯t keep up with my desperate speed. Barefoot, I ran faster, the cold wood biting at the soles of my feet, the edges splintering into skin, but none of it mattered.


    Every step sounded too loud, like a countdown. My chest burned, my lungs begged for air, but I pushed harder, faster, as if speed could erase what had just happened.


    He was behind me. I was sure of it. I couldn¡¯t hear him, couldn¡¯t see him, but I felt him. His presence clung to me like a shadow that wouldn¡¯t break. No matter how far I ran, the echo of his mocking voice curled around me: You really are predictable, little omega.


    My eyes watered as I sprinted down thest staircase. I nearly missed a step, my body lurching forward, my palms grazing the banister hard enough to scrape skin. The sting barely registered. My entire body was trembling, sweat slicking my back, but I kept running.


    The omega quarters. That was all I could think. I had to get there. I had to see Joan. ra. I had to bury myself in their presence and pretend I was safe.


    The wide hallway stretched out endlessly before me, every flicker of candlelight on the walls warping into shapes that made me jump. A whisper. Augh. A footstep. My imagination twisted the silence into horrors. I swore I felt his gaze on my neck, close enough to touch.


    I stumbled at the final turn, almost colliding with the heavy door that marked the omega quarters. My fingers fumbled with the handle, slick with sweat. I shoved it open with a force I didn¡¯t know I had and crashed inside.


    The room erupted.


    Dozens of heads turned at once, eyes wide, startled from their sleep or their whispered conversations. The crack of the door against the wall echoed through the chamber, and there I was panting, barefoot, hair stered to my damp face, my nightgown torn at the hem.


    "Ellie?" Joan¡¯s voice was the first I heard, sharp with worry as she jumped from her cot. "What happened?!"


    I couldn¡¯t answer. My body folded under me, copsing to my knees on the floorboards. My palms pped down to catch me, trembling so violently I thought they might give out. My throat worked around words, but nothing came out except ragged gasps of air.


    "ra, water quick!" Joan¡¯smand snapped the others into motion. I heard the rush of feet, the squeak of wooden cups pulled from shelves.


    But more than that, I heard the whispers.


    "She¡¯s gone mad."


    "Look at her eyes."


    "Maybe the Alpha finally¡ª"


    The rest trailed into murmurs, but I didn¡¯t need to hear them. I could feel the weight of their stares pressing down on me, poking holes in what little strength I had left.


    Joan dropped beside me, her hands warm on my shoulders, steadying me. "Ellie, breathe," she urged. "You¡¯re safe. You¡¯re here now. He¡¯s not¡ª" She didn¡¯t finish. She didn¡¯t dare say his name aloud, as if the mere sound might summon him.


    <fn599b> The rightful source is findnovel</fn599b>


    ra knelt on my other side, pressing a cup into my hands. I tried to grip it, but my fingers were shaking too hard, water sloshing over the rim and onto the floor. I brought it to my lips anyway, spilling half of it down my chin as I gulped desperately.


    Finally, with my throat wet, a word broke free. "He-It cracked, barely audible. "He was there. Waiting."


    Joan¡¯s brows furrowed. "The Alpha?"


    I nodded, violently, my damp hair sticking to my cheeks. Tears burned my eyes, spilling faster than I could blink them back.


    ra¡¯s face paled, her hands sping together as if in prayer. The whispers behind us grew louder, some scoffing, some murmuring in fear.


    "What do you mean waiting?" Joan pressed gently.


    "He knew," I gasped, clutching Joan¡¯s arm like it was the only solid thing in the world. "He knew I would go. He knew he was smiling. Like it was a game." My voice cracked into a sob. "I thought maybe Rose but he was there. Always there."


    The room went silent at Rose¡¯s name, as if no one dared breathe in case the Alpha overheard through the walls.


    Joan¡¯s hand rubbed circles on my back, firm but trembling. "Ellie, listen to me. You made it back. You¡¯re here now. He didn¡¯t stop you."


    Didn¡¯t stop me. No, he hadn¡¯t. That was what made it worse. He could have crushed me right there in the corridor, silenced me forever. But instead he let me run. He let me live with the fear gnawing at my insides, knowing I would bring it back with me like poison to the others.


    Because in his eyes, I was no threat. I was entertainment.


    I curled into myself on the floor, the water cup slipping from my grip, spilling across the wood. My sobs came harder, muffled against my knees. Around me, the omegas whispered and shifted, some sympathetic, most fearful, all uncertain.


    Joan stayed by me. ra too. Their presence was the only anchor I had left in a world that felt like it was tilting further and further into madness.


    And through it all, one thought wed at the back of my mind.


    No matter how fast I ran, no matter how far I tried to escape he was always watching.

 Chapter 78

    <h4>Chapter 78: Chapter 78</h4>


    Sleep never came that night.


    No matter how tightly I shut my eyes, I kept seeing that smile the Alpha¡¯s calm, knowing smirk as I fled like a frightened rabbit. It wasn¡¯t just his face that haunted me; it was the quiet certainty behind it. He knew everything. Every thought. Every fear. And yet, even knowing that, my mind couldn¡¯t stop circling back to Rose.


    What if she was still alive? What if she was hurt, locked somewhere in that room, waiting for help that would nevere?


    I sat upright on my narrow cot, hugging my knees, the faint light of dawn leaking through the high windows of the omegas¡¯ quarters. Around me, the others slept in uneasy silence, their breaths shallow, their faces drawn tight even in rest. Joan was beside me, curled up but not asleep¡ªI could tell from the way her fingers twitched now and then, restless even in the dark.


    "Elie," she whispered suddenly, without opening her eyes. "You¡¯re still awake."


    I froze, my heart skipping. "I can¡¯t stop thinking," I whispered back.


    Joan turned toward me, her tired eyes catching what little light there was. "Don¡¯t. Whatever it is, stop thinking about it. For your own good."


    But I shook my head. "She¡¯s still there, Joan. Rose." Her name felt heavy in my throat. "You saw her face when they took her. She didn¡¯t even understand what was happening."


    "She knew," Joan said softly. "We all knew. We just pretend not to."


    That broke something inside me. I pressed my palms to my face, my voice shaking. "She doesn¡¯t deserve that. None of us do."


    <fn3eb8> This content belongs to F?nd-Novel</fn3eb8>


    Joan didn¡¯t argue. She just sighed, long and deep, and for a moment neither of us spoke. The silence stretched between us like a wound that refused to close.


    Then I said it. "I¡¯m going to get her out."


    Joan¡¯s eyes snapped open. "What?"


    "ra said once that there¡¯s a storage cer under the west wing. If there¡¯s one, there might be another, connecting to the Alpha¡¯s quarters." I lowered my voice to barely a breath. "If we can find it, maybe we can reach her."


    "Ellie, no." Joan sat up fully now, her whisper sharp with panic. "Do you even hear yourself? You can¡¯t save her. You¡¯ll only get yourself killed."


    I didn¡¯t respond. My hands trembled as I clutched the thin nket. "Then I¡¯ll die trying."


    "Elie¡ª"


    "I mean it." My voice cracked, but I forced it out. "He already owns everything. Our time, our breath, our fear. I can¡¯t sit here and do nothing while he-I couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. The words burned too much.


    The room fell quiet again. Joan looked at me for a long time, her lips pressed tight, torn between loyalty and terror. Finally, she muttered, "You¡¯re insane."


    "Maybe," I said softly. "But at least I¡¯ll be insane for the right reason."


    For a while, the only sound was the distant drip of water from the pipes, and the faint creak of the wooden beams as the house shifted in the cold. I didn¡¯t realize ra was awake until she spoke from her cot near the wall.


    "If you¡¯re going to do something that stupid," she said hoarsely, "you¡¯re not doing it alone."


    I turned, startled. Her face was pale in the dim light, her eyes heavy but determined. "ra-"


    She lifted a hand. "Don¡¯t waste time arguing. If you really think there¡¯s a way, I¡¯ll help you find it."


    Joan let out a small, bitterugh. "Both of you are going to get us killed."


    "Then don¡¯te," ra said simply, pulling herself up to sit beside me. "You can tell them we forced you to stay behind."


    Joan¡¯s jaw tightened. "As if that would save me."


    We didn¡¯t speak for a long time after that. We just sat there, three omegas in the dark, breathing the same stale air, feeling the same ache in our bones. Somewhere outside, a wolf howled low, distant, haunting.


    It felt like an omen.


    When the sun began to rise, we pretended to rest. Pretended to eat. Pretended everything was normal. The others didn¡¯t notice much; they had learned long ago to look away from anything that smelled of trouble.


    But my heart raced faster with every passing hour. I reyed theyout of the pack house in my head: the corridors, the cers, the way the guards rotated at dusk. Every corner, every crack.


    That night, after the lights went out and the omegas drifted into their uneasy sleep, Iy awake again, counting the seconds between the guards¡¯ footsteps outside. The rhythm became my pulse slow, then fast, then gone. When the silence stretched too long, I sat up.


    "ra," I whispered.


    She stirred immediately. "Now?"


    "Now."


    Joan groaned softly. "You two are mad."


    "Then pray for us," I said.


    She rolled over, refusing to look at us, but I could tell she was crying silently. We moved quietly, slipping out of our cots, our bare feet brushing the cold stone floor. The night was heavy and still, the air thick with the faint smell of wax and smoke. Every creak felt like thunder in my ears.


    We made our way to the lower hall, past theundry rooms and kitchens. The door to the storage cers loomed ahead, old and half-rotted, a relic no one paid much attention to anymore. ra pulled it open with a slow groan of rusted hinges, and the smell of dust and damp air greeted us. A narrow staircase descended into darkness. My stomach twisted, but I stepped forward first, clutching the smallntern ra had found. The light flickered weakly, barely cutting through the shadows. The walls were damp stone, slick beneath my fingertips. The sound of dripping water echoed faintly from somewhere deep inside.


    "This ce is huge," ra whispered.


    "Then there has to be something," I said, though my voice trembled.


    We searched in silence, moving through narrow passages stacked with old crates, sacks of grain, rusted tools, and barrels that smelled faintly of wine. Rats scurried in the corners. Every sound made me flinch. At one point, we found a section of wall that looked newer, the stones darker than the rest. ra tapped it lightly. It sounded hollow.


    "Here," she breathed.


    We crouched beside it, running our fingers along the edges. There was a gap small, almost invisible but enough to suggest something hidden. Maybe a sealed tunnel. Maybe a passage that hadn¡¯t been used in years.


    "Elie," ra whispered, excitement trembling in her voice. "This could be it."


    My heart pounded. For the first time in days, hope flickered like the me of ourntern.


    But before I could speak, a sound froze us both.


    Footsteps. Slow. Deliberate. Above us. I snuffed thentern immediately, plunging us into darkness. My breath caught in my throat as we pressed ourselves against the wall, motionless. The footsteps moved across the floor above, steady and calm, like whoever it was already knew where we were. The boards creaked faintly under the weight. Then silence.


    "Elie..." ra¡¯s voice was barely a whisper.


    I didn¡¯t answer. I couldn¡¯t. My body felt like it was carved from ice.


    Then, faintly so faintly I could almost believe I imagined it a softugh echoed from above.


    I shouldn¡¯t have gone. I shouldn¡¯t have thought I could get away with it.


    But now, as I crouch behind a rickety shelf in the dark, the taste of my own desperation is thick in my mouth. My heart is hammering in my chest, the blood pumping so loudly I swear it¡¯s all I can hear. I can feel the walls closing in on me, like the pack house itself is suffocating me.


    "ra," I whisper, my throat raw. My breathes too fast. My skin is mmy, my hands shaking violently. "Did you hear that?"


    ra, who is crouching beside me in the cold, damp room, presses her hand to my arm. I don¡¯t look at her I can¡¯t. I just need to breathe. "Maybe it¡¯s nothing," she murmurs, but even she doesn¡¯t sound convinced.


    But we both know what it was. The sound of a lock. A metal key turning. The door. He locked it. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to shake off the panic that¡¯s already wing its way up my throat. He knew. He knew we wereing. The Psycho Alpha always knows.


    "Elie..." ra¡¯s voice breaks me from my thoughts. Her fingers are cold where they touch my wrist. "What are we going to do?"


    I can¡¯t answer. My mind is a blur of fear and thoughts crashing together like thunder. He had already locked us in. The only door, the only way out is sealed tight. He¡¯s watching us, waiting for us to try something stupid, something that will give him the excuse to-"


    I press my hands to my face, trying to steady my breathing, but it¡¯s no use. The tightness in my chest, the cold dread gnawing at my stomach he¡¯s toying with us. And I don¡¯t even know how to get out.


    "ra, stay quiet," I say, my voice barely a whisper. The quietest breath of air slipping through my lips. I can¡¯t let him know we¡¯re here. But the truth is, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re hidden at all. The very walls feel like they¡¯re closing in on us, and I can almost feel his eyes burning into the back of my neck.


    There¡¯s no real hiding from him. I know that now.


    I nce at ra, watching her shoulders shudder with every breath she takes, and I know she feels it too. She¡¯s just as terrified as I am, but there¡¯s nothing she can do. There¡¯s nothing either of us can do.


    I press my ear to the door, straining to hear.


    The footstepse again slow, deliberate. They¡¯re not distant anymore. They¡¯re right outside the room, as if the Alpha is standing in the hallway, just beyond the door. The sound of his boots tapping on the floor is so crisp, so real. Each step makes my stomach flip. He¡¯sing closer, taking his time. Letting the fear build inside us.


    I hold my breath, praying he won¡¯t notice the way my body trembles.


    A soft chuckle drifts through the door. Just a little noise, barely audible, but it¡¯s enough to send a shiver crawling up my spine.


    I know thatugh. I¡¯ll never forget it. It¡¯s him.


    "I told the guards not to let anyone in," his voice slides through the crack like silk. It¡¯s quiet, calm, and I can¡¯t help but feel the weight of it pressing down on me. "But I didn¡¯t say anything about letting you out."


    ra clutches my sleeve, her fingers digging into the fabric like a vice. Her breathing is too sharp, too fast, but I can¡¯t stop her. I can¡¯t stop either of us. We¡¯re trapped. Trapped like rats.


    "Please, Elie," she whispers, her voice thick with fear. "We have to get out of here. We have to go."


    I swallow hard, my throat aching. I can¡¯t even bring myself to answer. What do I say to that? How do I tell her that we can¡¯t get out? Not unless we¡¯re willing to die trying. The footsteps stop.


    The silence that follows is suffocating. The air feels thinner now, like it¡¯s been sucked out of the room. My lungs burn with every breath, but still, I remain frozen.


    Then, I hear it. The sound of the door handle turning.


    A soft metallic click. He¡¯s opening it. I jump back, my heart leaping into my throat.


    "ra," I whisper, "We need to hide. Now."


    We scramble for cover in the darkness, but there¡¯s nowhere to go. No room to maneuver. No way to escape. The walls are closing in faster than I can think.


    But the door doesn¡¯t open.


    It stays shut. The metal lock remains firmly in ce.


    I can¡¯t stop the relief that floods my chest, but it¡¯s quickly smothered by confusion. What¡¯s he doing? Why didn¡¯t hee in?


    "Elie," ra¡¯s voice is shaky, her fingers trembling where they rest on my arm. "What¡¯s happening? Why isn¡¯t heing in?"


    I don¡¯t answer. My mind is working overtime, trying to figure out what the hell is going on. But then I hear it the sound of another key, sliding into the lock. My heart stops.


    He¡¯s locked us in.


    "ra," I say, my voice low, "He¡¯s locking us in. We¡¯re trapped."


    I can hear ra¡¯s breath catch. She¡¯s trying to stay quiet, but she¡¯s losing it. And so am I. I feel it in the pit of my stomach, that awful sinking feeling that I can¡¯t shake off. I stagger backward, my hands on the cold stone wall, trying to ground myself. But my thoughts are spiraling, my pulse quickening as the realization sinks in. There¡¯s nowhere to go. He¡¯s got us.


    Outside, I hear the sound of his footsteps again, faint at first, then louder, like he¡¯s walking further down the hall.


    But I can¡¯t rx. I know better than that. He¡¯s ying with us. Making us think we¡¯re safe when we¡¯re not.


    "Don¡¯t look at the door," I whisper to ra, my voice tight. "Don¡¯t let him know we¡¯re still here."


    We waited in the dark, the only sounds the beating of our hearts and the muffled creaks of the house around us. I can feel ra¡¯s body pressed close to mine, her breath shallow, her hands shaking in the quiet.


    It feels like hours before the door handle creaks again. This time, there¡¯s no hesitation. It turns, slowly.


    The door pushes open just a crack, and I catch a glimpse of a shadow. The faintest outline of a figure standing in the hallway.


    I don¡¯t dare move. And then, from somewhere behind the door, I hear that voice again low, cold, and full of amusement.


    "You can¡¯t hide from me, little omega."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 79

    <h4>Chapter 79: Chapter 79</h4>


    ra¡¯s breathing rasped beside me, sharp and uneven. She hadn¡¯t moved since the lock had clicked, her wide eyes fixed on the door as though sheer fear might keep it shut. My legs had gone numb beneath me, my palms damp and trembling. I could still hear the echo of his footsteps outside the door, the sound fading but never gone. Minutes passed, or maybe hours. I didn¡¯t know anymore. Every sound in the dark seemed to stretch until it broke apart. The house itself seemed to breathe, settling into a hush so deep I could hear my own heartbeat.


    "Elie," ra whispered, her voice a fragile thread. "Do you think he¡¯s gone?"


    "I don¡¯t know." My throat ached from dryness. "Don¡¯t move yet."


    We stayed there, motionless. The moonlight that slipped through the narrow window cast a silver bar across the dusty floorboards, catching the faint movement of dust in the air. It looked like the world outside still existed calm, ordinary while we were trapped in some quiet nightmare.


    A low sound broke the stillness the metallic groan of atch turning. I froze. The door creaked open, slow and deliberate. No rush. Just a steady, confident motion. The kind that said whoever stood behind it was inplete control. My heart lurched painfully in my chest.


    He stood there, framed in the half-light from the hallway. The Alpha. Y¡¯all and terrifying in his quiet calm. His gaze slid across the room until it found me. And then he smiled that small, knowing curve of his lips that wasn¡¯t really a smile at all.


    "Well," he said softly. "This is interesting."


    My mouth went dry. I couldn¡¯t make a sound.


    ra whimpered beside me, her body shrinking in on itself, her trembling hands clutching my sleeve. The Alpha¡¯s eyes flicked toward her, sharp and assessing, before returning to me.


    "You¡¯ve been busy, little omega," he murmured. "Whispering and sneaking around ces you shouldn¡¯t be."


    I tried to speak, but the words stuck in my throat.


    His expression didn¡¯t change.


    He took one step into the room, then another, the floor creaking beneath his boots. I backed away instinctively, every nerve in my body screaming at me to move, to flee, but I couldn¡¯t.


    "Tell me," he said, voice low and smooth. "What exactly did you think you were going to do?"


    I swallowed hard. "I... I just wanted to see if Rose was¡ª"


    "Alive?" He finished for me, his tone soft, almost kind. "And what did you n to do if she wasn¡¯t?"


    The question cut through me. I didn¡¯t have an answer.


    His eyes flickered, unreadable, and he sighed as if I¡¯d disappointed him somehow. "You omegas," he said quietly, "you always think you can fix what¡¯s broken. Always trying to save someone else. Never realizing that you¡¯re the ones who need saving."


    He turned then, slowly, deliberately, as though considering what to do next. I saw his profile in the dim light sharp jaw, cold eyes, that unnerving calm. When he finally faced me again, there was the faintest hint of something different in his expression.


    "You want Rose free," he said. "You want ra safe."


    My breath caught. He knew. Of course he knew.


    His voice lowered, almost a whisper. "Then follow me."


    I blinked. "What?"


    "Follow me," he repeated, more clearly this time. "Now."


    ra¡¯s grip tightened painfully on my arm. "Ellie, don¡¯t," she breathed, but I couldn¡¯t look at her. I couldn¡¯t look away from him.


    He watched me the way a cat watches a cornered mouse not angry, not impatient, just waiting.


    "I will let them go," he said softly. "If youe with me."


    The way he said it wasn¡¯t cruel or demanding. It was worse. It was calm. Logical. As if it were the simplest equation in the world.


    My pulse pounded in my ears. I could feel ra shaking beside me, could hear her whispering my name over and over, begging me not to listen, but her voice was distant. Faint. The only thing I could hear clearly was his.


    The Alpha turned and walked toward the door, pausing in the threshold without looking back. "You have until I count to three."


    <fn3318> ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? ?ovelFind</fn3318>


    My knees nearly buckled.


    He began to count. "One."


    The air seemed to grow thinner. My chest tightened.


    ra¡¯s hands clutched at my arm. "Ellie, please," she hissed. "Don¡¯t go-"


    "Two."


    He didn¡¯t raise his voice. He didn¡¯t need to. Every syble rolled out evenly, like he was reciting something inevitable.


    I looked at ra then her pale face, her wide, terrified eyes and I knew that staying would be worse. He wasn¡¯t bluffing. Whatever game he was ying, it always ended on his terms.


    "Three."


    I was already moving.


    My legs felt heavy, my steps uneven, but I forced them forward. The floor creaked underfoot, echoing in the silence. The Alpha didn¡¯t turn; he simply stepped aside as I passed, the faintest curve on his lips betraying that small, satisfied smile.


    Behind me, ra made a sound half sob, half plea but I couldn¡¯t stop. If I looked back, I might not move again.


    The corridor outside was dim, lit only by the flickeringnterns mounted along the wall. The shadows stretched long and narrow, bending around corners, swallowing the edges of the light.


    He walked ahead of me, unhurried. His stride was measured, confident, as though every step was part of a pattern only he could see. I followed a few paces behind, my pulse racing, my thoughts spiraling. What was I doing?


    What did he mean by letting them go? Was this a trick?


    His voice came suddenly, breaking the silence. "You always look like you¡¯re thinking too much."


    I jumped. He didn¡¯t turn around, but his tone carried amusement soft, mocking, cutting through the air like silk.


    "I can practically hear it," he continued, "the way your mind races. Trying to find meaning where there isn¡¯t any. It¡¯s almost adorable."


    My fingers curled into fists at my sides. I kept my head down, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing my fear, but he must have sensed it anyway.


    "Rx, Ellie," he murmured. "If I wanted to hurt you, I would¡¯ve done it long ago."


    That did nothing to ease the panic wing at my chest.


    He stopped suddenly. I almost ran into him. When he turned to face me, his expression was unreadable eyes half-lidded, mouth set in a faint, detached smile.


    "Tell me," he said quietly. "Do you believe I¡¯m a monster?"


    I didn¡¯t answer.


    His smile deepened slightly, as though my silence amused him. "You do," he said. "I can see it in your eyes."


    He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "And yet you follow me."


    The words made my skin crawl. He turned away again, walking down the corridor, and I followed not because I wanted to, but because I couldn¡¯t see another choice. My legs felt like they were moving on their own, drawn forward by the quiet rhythm of his steps and the cold dread sitting heavy in my stomach.


    We passed the main hall, the empty dining room, the grand staircase that led to the upper floors. The house was silent except for the creak of old wood and the faint hiss of thenterns. Every corner seemed to watch us.


    Finally, he stopped in front of a tall door at the end of the hall. He didn¡¯t open it. He just turned to look at me again, eyes dark and unreadable.


    "This is where your loyalty gets tested," he said softly. "You wanted to save them. Let¡¯s see how far that loyalty goes."


    I didn¡¯t understand what he meant, but I nodded because my voice refused to work.


    He smiled again faint, cruel, and cold. "Good girl."


    Then he turned and walked away, leaving me standing in front of the door, frozen, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst.


    Behind me, the echo of his steps faded into silence.


    And I realized, with a shiver that crawled down my spine, that he¡¯d never needed to touch me to trap me again.


    The cold marble floor of the Alpha¡¯s wing echoed under our footsteps, each sound sharp as a knife in my ears. I followed him because I had no choice. My feet were heavy, dragging, as though I were walking through water. Behind us, the doors to the cell-like room where Rose and ra were trapped had mmed shut with a metallic ng. The sound still rang in my mind like a church bell tolling at a funeral.


    I kept my head bowed, hands clenched at my sides. My nails bit into my palms. Don¡¯t cry. Don¡¯t cry. But my eyes were already wet. I could feel the tears threatening to spill, a hot blur clouding my vision.


    "Faster," he said casually, without looking back. His voice was not raised, but it was colder than the hallways of this cursed packhouse.


    I stumbled forward, my heart hammering. My lips trembled as I whispered silently to God, the only ce I could still turn. Please, please, show me a way back. Show me a way out of this nightmare. Please help me.


    He must have heard the faint sound of my whisper because he turned slightly, and that smile that awful, knowing smile curved on his lips. "Praying?" he murmured, his tone almost curious. "Do you think anyone¡¯s listening to you here?"


    I flinched but didn¡¯t answer. My throat was too tight.


    We turned down another corridor, this one darker, the light from the sconces dim and flickering. I thought of Rose and ra, still locked away. I thought of Joan, probably crying in the omegas¡¯ quarters by now. My chest ached with a heavy, pulsing guilt. They¡¯re trapped because of me.


    He walked ahead, his boots soundlesspared to my slippered feet that scuffed against the marble. Then, without warning, he stopped. I nearly walked into his back.


    "You know," he said lightly, "you¡¯ve caused quite a stir since you came here. So fragile. So noisy. Always plotting." He chuckled a sound like ss breaking. "I almost admire it."


    I bit down on the inside of my cheek to keep from sobbing.


    He started walking again and I followed, trembling, praying harder. God, please. Please make him let them go. Please help me go back to my life. Back to my mother. Back to my old world.


    We reached a long hallway lined with doors. He stopped at one and opened it. Inside was a small room no windows, only a single chair in the middle. He motioned for me to enter.


    "Sit," he said.


    I obeyed, moving like a puppet on strings. The chair was cold against my skin. I stared at the floor.


    He leaned against the doorframe, watching me. "You really think you can go back to your old life?" he asked softly. His tone was strange now softer but still mocking. "Do you even remember what it was like?"


    I squeezed my eyes shut and the tears spilled freely now. Images flickered behind my eyelids my mother¡¯s smile, the smell of our tiny kitchen, the way the sun had streamed through my bedroom window in the mornings. Please, God, let me wake up there. Let me wake up at home. Please, I don¡¯t want this anymore.


    He chuckled again, low and dark. "Pray all you want. Scream all you want. Nothing leaves these walls."


    I bent forward, burying my face in my hands. My sobs came quiet and shaky, my whole body trembling. It wasn¡¯t just fear anymore it was exhaustion, a bone-deep ache of despair.


    "I just want to go home," I whispered aloud now. "Please. I just want to go back to my life."


    He tilted his head at me, that smile still faint on his lips. But he didn¡¯t answer this time. He just stood there, arms folded, as though he were waiting to see how long I¡¯d keep begging.


    And I did. I kept whispering prayers to a God I wasn¡¯t even sure could hear me in this ce. Over and over, a single plea rose from my lips: Please show me the way out. Please let me go back.


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