Chapter 14

Luka

My scalp felt like it was on fire from Olivia’s tight fist around it. I could barely breathe and thought I would pass out, not just from the pain in my head, but from the worsening pain of my full-body attack.

Olivia would kick me with her feet and push me, then grab a fistful of hair again and pull me, alternating. I thought to myself that she’d be a perfect mate for Declan, given that she seems to be just about as sadistic and vengeful as him.

She dragged me through corridors I didn’t recognize in back corners of the house, never losing strength, even gaining it. Werewolves were known for their strength, and since Red Moon Pack has always been considered among the strongest, that might have translated to the physical abilities of the pack.

Finally, after being dragged across stone floors that smacked against my head, Olivia deposited me into a room that was incredibly intimidating. It was severe, spartan, with plain furniture and a small single bed. It wasn’t the bedroom of royalty, but a staff member.

“Alexander, I wanted to see you,” Olivia said. I recognized him from that day when Caleb had his guards take away the nurse who mistreated me for being an omega.

“Yes, ma’am.” The guard stood from his seat at attention, as if commanded by a military officer. It was clear he viewed her as an authority figure and probably was used to taking her orders.

“You see this servant right here, Alexander?” Olivia had a sly, creeping smile.

Alexander leered at me, licking his lips. I thought about my conversation with Mia expressing my reservations about dressing this way. But this was a scenario so awful I couldn’t have imagined it.

“How could I not?” His eyes tracked me from top to bottom, then back up again. I was lying prone on the floor and couldn’t move to cover myself.

“Well, she offended my dignity. And to reward you for such good service to the alpha king, I wanted to offer her up to you as a plaything to use for your enjoyment. Anything you want, she’ll do.”

He adjusted himself, clearly excited, and pounced toward me, grabbing at me. Even with my lack of strength, I crawled into a corner, feeling like a fly trying to escape a spider. I grabbed a stool and held it in front of me like a shield, trying to keep him from coming closer.

He ripped the stool away from my arms with a growl and fire in his eyes. “You’re going to get it now,” he sneered.

He touched me all over my body, with strong, muscular hands that felt like snakes. He tore my dress in his rush to undo it. The skirt was torn and the seams from the zipper were ripped. I pounded on him with my fists and tried to kick him with my knees, but he overpowered me.

He hiked my skirt up and my dress down, revealing the underwear Mia had bought for me, underwear that was far more seductive than anything I’d ever owned, than anything I’d ever want to own.

He smelled like raw meat and rotten musk. His sweat and saliva dripped onto me like drool from a monster. It felt like poison, and when he put his greedy lips on my neck, it felt like toxic waste.

My body felt like it was being eaten from the inside, so intense was the pain. My blood ran through me like lava, my breath felt like smoke in my lungs.

I cried as I tried to fight him off. Tears dripped down my cheeks to the floor. No matter what I did, he was stronger.

Caleb

I was finishing some last-minute details for the meeting before James and my gamma, Frederick, were set to arrive.

“Welcome, welcome.” I rose to shake embrace James and Frederick. “The culmination of all our work starts.”

They were smiling excitedly, and a crackle of anticipation filled the room.

“First, we’ll do progress reports,” I said. “After that, I’ll go over the inventory of supplies that have been procured over the last few weeks. And, finally, we’ll go to the storage facilities and distribute them.”

They both nodded eagerly. We had been planning this for weeks. We were ready to take action

against Long Lake Pack, and, specifically, alpha Declan.

“Your majesty?” Arthur, one of the supervisors of the household security staff, cracked the door.

“Yes, Arthur? Can it wait? I’m in a highly important meeting. Crucial pack business.”

Arthur pursed his lips and bowed his head. “I’m sorry, it can’t wait. It’s an emergency.”

I backed up my chair, annoyed with the interruption. “I’ll be right back, gentlemen. Please excuse me.”

My beta and gamma nodded their understanding.

“So what’s the emergency, Arthur?” I asked peevishly.

“Luka has gone missing, and no one in the household staff has been able to find her.”

My eyes widened, and I suddenly understood. “Thank you, Arthur, you’re right. This is important. Any idea where she might have gone?”

He was taking me to the guards’ quarters when Olivia crossed our path, out of breath. “There you are, Caleb! I was looking for you…it’s Luka.”

“I know, I’m trying to find her. She’s gone missing. Where is she?”

Olivia came close to me and put her hands on my shoulders. “She’s in the guards’ quarters. She’s having sex with Alexander! I told her not to, that it was a betrayal of you, but she didn’t care. She did what she wanted, and nothing was going to stop her.”

I didn’t believe her, but at first I wasn’t sure if it was just because I didn’t want to. But the more I thought about it, the less it made sense. That wasn’t Luka. She wasn’t bold like that. Even being caught in a towel, she was embarrassed.

It was hard to picture, but then again, it was hard to know anyone, and I had only known her for a short amount of time. Did she act differently with me? How could she do something like this behind my back? I was beside myself with anxiety.

Then a different feeling took over me, more instinctual, harder to explain, but stronger. It was a feeling of crushing oppression, the sense that Luka wasn’t well.

“Take me to where she is, Olivia.”

I was filled with panic the whole way, getting stronger the further we went. I could feel the anxiety filling me, heeding the blaring signals that Luka was in danger.

The closer I got, the more potent the darkness in my chest grew. It wasn’t jealousy, it wasn’t rage. It was a sense of cement filling my chest.

Luka is in danger. I can sense it, Logan told me. He was pacing, leaping, fighting as hard as he could to get there in time. He gave me adrenaline to run faster.

The door was left open, and I knew where it was from the loud noises, grunts, and wails, some male, some female.

Alexander, one of the beefiest, strongest guards, was on top of Luka, his hands all over her. I wanted to strangle him.

“Stop!” I yelled, with more anger than I’d ever felt in my life.