Chapter 6 Chained in his bed

The door handle turned and I nearly forced myself to stop breathing.

The woman, the Luna of the Redmoon Pack stepped inside first, followed by Kael. She was stunning, just as I had imagined: tall, graceful, with flawless skin and sharp green eyes. Her gaze landed on me immediately, chained and bloodied on the bed, and her perfectly painted lips curled in open disgust.

"Goddess above..." she breathed, wrinkling her nose and pressing a delicate hand to her face. "She really stinks. Why did you allow the guards to put her in your bedroom?" She spoke, her voice dripping with disdain. "The Moon Goddess was truly unfair to you, my Alpha. Pairing a powerful man like you with… this? A weak, rogue who can't even keep herself clean." She added as she took another step closer, staring down at me like I was something rotten she'd scraped off her shoe.

"She looks half-dead already," Elara continued, circling the bed slowly, her heels clicking against the stone floor. "Those bruises. That filth. I can practically smell the desperation coming off her. How do you even stand to touch her? I would rather die than let something like that carry my child."

Kael didn't respond, but I could feel his eyes on me, cold and full of disgust. His arms were crossed over his broad chest, his jaw tight with barely contained irritation.

The Redmoon Luna let out a cruel laugh out of the blue, catching my attention again. She stopped at the foot of the bed and looked down at me with something close to triumph.

"Once she gives birth to your heir, kill her," Elara said, her voice light and casual, as if she were discussing the weather. "I won't ruin my body with pregnancy. Let this disgusting creature be useful for something before you dispose of her. Then we will raise strong, pure-blooded pups. Our pups. Pups that won't have rogue taint running through their veins."

Her words sliced through me like fresh lashes. I curled tighter into myself, trembling with humiliation and rage, but I couldn't even speak. The chain rattled weakly with my shaking.

"Yeah, I already discussed her pending death with my father," Kael responded, his voice flat and emotionless. "Once she serves her purpose, she's nothing but a problem to be eliminated."

Elara smiled, a predatory flash of white teeth. "Good. I knew you were a brave man, Alpha. That's why I agreed to this arrangement."

She walked around the bed, her fingers trailing along the wooden frame, and stopped beside my head. She reached down and grabbed a fistful of my matted hair, yanking my head back so I was forced to look up at her.

"Look at me, rogue," she commanded. I glared at her, my eyes burning with unshed tears of rage. "You will carry that child. You will birth it. And then you will die. Do you understand?"

I spat at her feet.

Elara's eyes widened in shock, then narrowed with fury but before she could do anything, a voice called from the hallway, one of the pack warriors.

"Luna Elara! Alpha! The elders are asking for both of you in the main hall."

The Luna sighed dramatically and released my hair, stepping back. "Duty calls, it seems." She glanced back at me one last time with pure disgust, then looked at Kael. "Don't take too long with… that. I'll be waiting for you." She murmured, her voice turning silky and seductive as she ran a hand down his chest.

Kael gave her a small nod, his eyes flickering with something I couldn't quite read. "I'll be there shortly. Go ahead."

She pressed a kiss to his cheek, then shot me one final venomous glare before sweeping out of the room, her scent of expensive perfume lingering in her wake.

As soon as the door closed behind her, the fake politeness on his face vanished. He turned back to me, his eyes dark with irritation.

"I told you to clean yourself," he growled, voice low and dangerous. "You had hours. And yet you lie there, marinating in filth like the animal you are."

I lifted my head weakly, glaring at him through the pain. "How did you expect me to do that when your guards chained me to the bed the moment they brought me back? I can barely move!" Words came out of my mouth abruptly, forgetting that I was disrespecting him. "You threw me here like garbage, told no one to help me, and now you're angry that I'm still dirty? What kind of logic is that?"

Kael's eyes darkened dangerously and he walked closer, towering over the bed. His gaze raked over my half-naked, bloodied form with clear revulsion. The chain around my ankle clinked as I tried to shift away from him, but there was nowhere to go.

"Well, sleeping in my cum wasn't such a bad idea after all," he said coldly, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips. "After all, soon it will be in all your holes. Might as well get used to the smell, rogue."

My stomach turned at his words, bile rising in my throat. "You're disgusting," I spat, voice shaking with fury and humiliation. "You fuck whoever you want and then chain me in it like I'm some animal. I'm not your toy, Kael. I'm not your whore. I'm not anything you can just use and discard."

He leaned down, gripping my chin hard enough to bruise. His fingers dug into my flesh, forcing me to meet his gaze. "You are whatever I say you are," he snarled, his breath hot against my face. "My rejected mate. My future breeder. My property."

His thumb brushed roughly over my bottom lip, pressing down until I could feel the edge of his nail. "The Redmoon Luna is here. Beautiful. Strong. Everything you're not. But you… you'll stay right here, chained and waiting for me like a good little whore until I decide I want to use you. And trust me, I will use you. Every. Single. Hole."

Tears burned in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "I'll kill you before I let you touch me," I hissed, voice trembling but filled with raw defiance and anger. I meant every word and ready to avenge for the death of my parents.

"Together with your father," I added, staring straight into Kael's eyes. "You think I don't know what you did? You think I don't remember? I was there when your pack slaughtered mine. I watched my parents die. And I will make you pay for every drop of blood they spilled."

"You dare?" Kael's grip tightened painfully on my chin, his eyes flashing with fury. "Just keep watching," I hissed through gritted teeth. "I'll make sure you and your father rot in hell for what you did."

"You worthless, ungrateful bitch," He suddenly released my chin and backhanded me hard across the face. The impact snapped my head to the side, pain exploding across my cheek and jaw. I tasted blood instantly, coppery and warm as it pooled in my mouth.

I spat it immediately onto the sheets without looking away from him.

"Keep running that mouth like that and I won't wait for you to give birth," he snarled, his voice shaking with barely contained anger. "I'll snap your neck right here without mercy".

I slowly turned my head back to face him, blood dripping from the corner of my mouth. I met his gaze, my eyes blazing with hatred. "Then do it," I whispered, my voice steady despite the pain. "Kill me. Prove to yourself that you're nothing but a monster. Prove that you have no control, no honor, nothing but cruelty. Go ahead. I dare you."

For a moment, something flickered in his eyes. Surprise? Doubt? But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by cold fury.

"You're not worth the effort," he said flatly. "Not yet. You still have a use. But when you're done carrying my heir, I'll be more than happy to grant your wish. I'll watch the life drain from your eyes myself."

He straightened, adjusting his cuffs with deliberate calm. "Until then, you'll stay here. You'll eat what you're given. You'll take whatever I give you. And you'll pray to the Moon Goddess that I never decide to make your death slow."

Before I could respond, he turned sharply and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him with such force that the walls shook. Jars rattled on the shelves and the chain around my ankle trembled.

I lay there in the silence, my cheek throbbing, my body broken, my heart burning with hatred. I spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor and closed my eyes.

One month. Maybe two. Enough time to get strong enough to run. And when I did, I'd make sure that Kael and his Luna and his entire pack paid for everything they'd taken from me.

I would make them all pay.