Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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The wolf inside me roared. “I will not marry my father’s enemy,” I snarled.
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Uncle grabbed my chin, his claws coming out, piercing my skin. “You will do as I say.” The lethal threat rang in his voice. “Our pack needs Bretomosa as an ally, and he needs an heir. You will marry him and bear him a child. Your marriage will solidify that alliance.”
“I will not marry a sadist whose source of entertainment is torturing omegas,” I growled. “You can kill me now. I will not help you ally with that sick bastard.”
Uncle fixed his eyes on mine. “Your little tantrums amuse me.” A feral smile stretched across his face. “But… I know how to convince you.” He stepped away from me and glanced at his Beta. “Vad, bring her in.”
My stomach roiled as the man strode out of the room and returned a moment later, dragging someone…
“Bea.” I breathed out.
My eyes filled with tears as Vad pushed my friend onto her knees. She still wore a dress from last night’s ball, but now it was torn and stained with dirt and blood. Her hands were tied behind her back, her beautiful face pale. Her whole body trembled as Uncle Cyril stepped toward her. He grabbed her hair, tilting her head back. One of his claws came out, and he pressed it to Bea’s exposed throat. “It’s fairly simple… You can marry Bretomosa without protest, or…” He applied more pressure, cutting Bea’s skin. She screamed.
“Don’t!” I yanked the ropes, wolfsbane burning my skin. “Don’t hurt her! Please!”
My uncle gave me a bone–chilling smile. “You’re right. That would be too easy. Maybe I should tell everyone she sympathizes with the rebels and arrange a public execution? Or better… should I bring everyone you care about in this pack, including the omega servants, and execute all of them at once?”
“Orelia… no…” Bea groaned softly as a trickle of blood ran down her slender neck.
“Shut your filthy mouth!” Vad growled while Uncle pressed his claw harder, cutting deeper.
“Please…” My voice cracked, and more tears coated my eyes.
An icy smirk curled Uncle’s lips. “Please, what?”
“I’ll do it…” I sucked in a ragged breath. “I’ll marry Alpha Varian.”
“Excellent.” Uncle withdrew his claw. “Behave, and I’ll let your friend live.”
He freed Bea from his grip, and she fell to the floor. Her eyes found mine, and a tear slid down her cheek. I swallowed a knot in my throat and gave her a weak smile, whispering, “I’ll be all right, Bea,”
A cold chuckle escaped Uncle’s mouth. “One more thing, niece.” He snapped his fingers, and one of the warriors stepped forward, a small flask in his hand. “You will drink this.”
The warrior opened the flask and pressed its top against my lips. “Want your friend to live? Drink,” the man ordered.
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Chapter 4
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Fucking bastards. I knew what was in that flask. I recognized the spicy smell; it smelled just like the so–called wine from the night before. I looked at my uncle and saw a dark grin pull at his lips as I opened my mouth and let the warrior pour the poison down my throat.
It was far worse than the last time. The potion burned as if I had swallowed several hot coals. A few seconds passed, and my body began to convulse. I heard Bea’s cry, the sound blending with Uncle’s laughter. The laughter grew–the cruel, mocking sound, echoing across the room.
My wolf whimpered as my senses began to fade. Finally, Uncle stepped closer, surveying my condition. He clasped his hands and chuckled. “Take her away and prepare her. She’s leaving for Bretomosa’s castle tonight.”
***
I used to joke that my room was my prison cell, a beautiful golden cage my father had built for me. Now, that joke was my reality. The warriors hand–picked by my uncle guarded my door while I, the future wife of Alpha Varian Bretomosa, prepared for my trip.
I hardly had the strength to take a bath. Once I had somehow managed to scrub off the dirt and blood, I slumped on the bed and just sat there, unable to move. The poison made my wolf nearly silent. She was hurting, perhaps more than my human body was. Now I realized how defenseless my father and others had been during those cowards‘ attack…
The doors opened, and Bea walked inside. They let her help me after they’d seen I could barely walk and realized that my packing and preparations would probably last for hours. Thankfully, her hands were no longer tied, and she’d changed her torn ballroom gown into a pair of leggings and a long tunic.
The guards slammed the doors behind her, and she rushed toward me. “Orelia, don’t do this. We’ll find a way to survive…” She cupped my cheeks and fixed her eyes on mine. “You need to run.”
I gave her a wry smile. “How? All those who witnessed my uncle’s doing were either killed or locked in the dungeon. There’s no one who could help us.”
Bea nibbled on her lip, looking around my room. “I have friends living in a nearby village. With their help—”
“They would never win against the train warriors,” I said. “Besides, I’m not sure how many imperial guards are in the castle… Let’s face it, you can’t fight them, and with the poison in my veins, I can’t even throw a decent kick without falling on my ass.”
Bea’s shoulders slumped. Then she sat beside me on the bed and blew out a breath. “Do you think it’s true? About the King wanting your father’s death and all…”
“I don’t know,” I muttered, lowering my head. “We both grew up listening to all those stories about our king. The gods–chosen leader, the man who fought against the tyrannic Alpha Kairos Adustio and freed thousands of slaves.” A bitter smile twisted my lips. “I’ve always thought Alpha King Zyran is a righteous man. After all, the gods wouldn’t have blessed him with great strength and longevity if they hadn’t found him worth it… right?”
I looked at Bea and saw the pain and anger burning in her eyes. “He can’t be a righteous man if he ordered the killing of our Alpha and my parents. They were loyal. They did nothing wrong.”
I grabbed her hands and squeezed them. “That’s why I don’t think the King knew about it. I believe those few warriors and Uncle Cyril are lying. The man who once freed thousands of slaves couldn’t be behind a cruel
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Chapter 4
assassination.”
“But what if you’re wrong?” Bea fixed her eyes on mine.
I blinked, confused. “Wrong about what?”
“The King. What if we’re all wrong?”
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I shook my head. “The King was blessed by god Maktus himself. He’s like a hundred and fifty years old. If that doesn’t prove-”
“Maybe he was different then, or maybe his powers weren’t given by gods at all,” she mused.
I pressed a finger to her lips, then glanced at the doors. “Careful, Bea. You sound like one of the rebels.”
Bea pulled my finger away. “What if this is the right way? If the King sides with people like your uncle and is ready to kill those who oppose him, what other choice do we have?”
My brows knitted. “You can’t be serious. Would you follow someone like this… Shadow, who travels around the Lumeria Empire killing people?”
Bea’s hands fisted. “At least he doesn’t kill the innocents.”
Her words triggered another crack in my heart. The grief, despair, and rage coiled inside me, pushing me further to the verge of falling apart. I couldn’t allow that to happen. Not now…
I drew a deep breath, summoning my composure. “Let’s not forget that the rebels believe the throne belongs to Alpha Kairos’s bloodline—the cruel tyrant’s bloodline. I doubt that whoever they want to place on the throne would be better than King Zyran.”
Bea lowered her head. “You’re right… But there has to be a way…” She looked at me with tear–coated eyes. “You can’t marry Alpha Varian.”
“I have to,” I breathed. “You heard my uncle. He won’t touch you if I do as he says.”
“Don’t worry about me and others.” Bea leaned closer and lowered her voice. “I’ve sent a message to my cousins in Korenville. The guards know that I’m weak, so they ignore me, and they’ll ignore me even more once you leave. I’ll need another day to prepare, but I think my cousins can get me and a few others out of Verendell,” She fixed her eyes on mine. “So be strong and escape when the chance arises. Promise me.”
My brows knitted. “I can’t… not without knowing you’re safe.”
She shook her head. “Don’t worry about me. Save yourself.”
A tear slid down my cheek. Then I drew a shaky breath. “Fine… In a few days, if there’s a chance, I’ll escape.”
Bea’s trembling lips formed a weak smile. “We’ll see each other again… won’t we?”
More tears streamed down as I nodded. I couldn’t bear the thought that this might be the last time we saw each other. She might fail to escape Verendell. I might die at the hands of a brutal sadist. Yet, I shoved those thoughts away, pulling all remains of hope into my smile. “We will.”
7:58 Mon, Sep 22
Chapter 5
