"You dare speak to the Alpha in such a manner?" Selena's cunning voice filled the room with intensity, her hands balled into tight fists as Ryker drew closer to Evyths, who tried to steady her breathing.
By now, Ryker's face was enveloped in the darkest frown the pack had ever seen—something sinister and menacing.
Everyone knew that Evyths was finished. Her doom had arrived.
Ryker struck Evyths's face; the sharp sound echoed in her ears. Before she could react, he hit the other side of her face, tilting it forcefully to make her look at him. A streak of blood ran down from her nose, smearing her dry lips.
"Isn't this the rejection you craved? The humiliation you deserved? The embarrassment you caused me?" he growled, his voice sharp enough to cut through metal, making everyone question Evyths even more. "From this day forward, I will give you a true rejection. Your words will mean nothing; mine will be action," he said, masking his anger with a calm demeanor as he walked away, the others pushing Evyths to the ground. She winced, her eyes shutting for a moment.
Their sharp, threatening gazes reminded her again that she was doomed.
One thing about Ryker was that he had never experienced rejection, and he wasn't going to let anyone—or a mere Omega—mortify him and his position.
When the hall emptied, tears rolled down Evyths's cheeks, yet they offered no relief from the pain she felt.
Once again, she despised herself and what she represented. At that moment, she felt as if the goddess had turned her back on her. Or perhaps, the goddess favored the Alphas and Betas, not her.
A dozen thoughts raced through her mind, filling her with turmoil.
As Evyths rose, trying to piece herself back together to face whatever lay ahead, a group of guards entered, their heavy footsteps echoing like an earthquake.
"There she is," Selena said, pointing at Evyths with a dark smirk.
The men grabbed Evyths, dragging her toward Selena. She relished the moment, her mocking smile growing wider as her finger toyed with her dagger while she stared into Evyths's frightened eyes.
"Evyths, I must commend your audacity in rejecting the Alpha of the Crimson Pack. Frankly, you've outdone yourself," she said, her unhurried voice ringing in Evyths's ears.
"You got what you wanted; I merely paved the way for you. You could become the Luna for all I care," Evyths weakly retorted, but Selena shrugged dramatically, unfazed.
Selena swiftly pointed the tip of her dagger at Evyths's neck, making Evyths swallow the invisible lump in her throat.
The cold steel grazed her neck lightly as she followed the dagger's movement with her gaze.
"You always fight back. An Omega with guts—I admire that!" Selena snapped as she pulled her dagger away. "Well, I have news for you. Apologize to the Alpha for such... intense disrespect, or rot in the dungeon with very little oxygen." She caressed Evyths's face to provoke her. "The choice is yours," Selena said, stepping back and waving dismissively at Evyths.
"Lock her up," Selena commanded firmly.
Three days later...
Evyths's eyes snapped open, her heart racing like a wild animal. She was drenched in sweat, pulling her legs to her chest in the dark corner of the hot dungeon, which had barely any airflow.
Locked away without food or water, Evyth had become paler and dehydrated. Not even her mother was permitted to visit her. The treatments she had endured over the past three days had been cruel, even considering her past mistreatment.
The full moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow through the dungeon's tiny window, which was stuffed with rags, barely allowing any air to enter.
The smell of the forest beyond the walls filled her nostrils with damp earth and decaying leaves, while Evyths's stomach growled with hunger.
Suddenly, she heard hurried footsteps approaching the hellish space where she had been imprisoned.
Although her senses were dulled, Evyths sensed that something urgent was happening on the estate, as the guards spoke in rushed tones.
The doors flung open, and a torch illuminated the stinking room. "Hey, we need to leave!" one guard ordered urgently.
Evyths managed to rise, using the walls for support. He roughly dragged her by the arm.
For the first time in three days, sunlight flooded over Evyths. Her breath began to normalize, and a ray of hope filled her as they walked down the hallway leading to the exit.
Once her bare feet touched the grass, Evyth wept softly with relief as another guard took her with him.
"Please, c-can I have some water?" her voice trembled, her dirty, unkempt hair draping over her face, blending with the patches of dirt on her skin.
The guard said nothing but handed her a small container. Evyths rushed to drink until she found the container empty.
"Th-thank you—"
"Just move it! No time!" the guard scowled as they strode into the main estate building.
Minutes later, Evyths was in her quarters, instructed to change quickly before the Alpha departed.
She wondered where they were headed and why the Alpha she had rejected was taking her with him. The question lingered in her mind, but she held no hope of finding an answer.
Hastily, she changed into a simple, worn-out brown dress and weak sandals, tying her hair into a low bun.
When Evyths crossed paths with her mother's friend, she couldn't help but ask about her mother, her heart racing with hope.
As Evyths had feared, the shocking news struck her like a blow: her mother had died from toxic mistletoe, and her food had been poisoned.
Who could have poisoned her mother with such a deadly plant, and why? she wondered.
The shock left her reeling, a sharp pang pounding in her chest. Before she could fully process the heartbreaking news, Evyths was pulled away by the same guard who had brought her to her quarters.
Tears filled her eyes as panic rose within her, but Evyths tried to keep calm, knowing that her next reaction could influence their actions.
She was taken to a shallow carriage with two wheels and two horses to drag it. Immediately, her hands were chained, the weight of the shackles pulling her to earth, her feet barely lifted body.
Evyths could feel the tension in the carriage as it rattled along. She was aware of the impending visit to the Alpha King, a circumstance that ignited a flicker of curiosity within her despite the fear that clawed at her insides. As she leaned her head against the wooden cabin, feeling the rhythm of the galloping horses, fatigue threatened to overtake her, but her mind raced with questions. Why had they been summoned? What awaited them at the palace?
The longing in her heart grew heavier as she recalled her mother's unexpected death. With her only family gone, a whirlwind of suspicion surrounded her thoughts—Selena and Ryker loomed in her mind, their motives veiled and unpredictable. Had her mother's fate been a cruel twist of fate, or was there more to it? The uncertainty gnawed at her, leaving her feeling isolated and betrayed. Did the goddess truly allow such misfortune to weave itself into her life?
…
A few hours later, a loud thud jolted Evyths awake, and her surroundings had transformed. As she blinked away the remnants of sleep, she found herself arriving at a city that was rumored to cradle the grandeur of the king's palace within the Davendale Kingdom.
Peeking through the carriage opening, she caught her breath at the sight of the sprawling palace, her mind racing with wonder. "This is incredible! How can one king's home be so vast?" She whispered to herself, anticipation bubbling inside her.
But her moment of awe was short-lived as the cabin door swung open, and a guard yanked her from the carriage as though she were an unwanted object. The sight of Ryker, Selena, and their pack sent a wave of conflicting emotions crashing over her. Memories of betrayal settled in her heart, yet a spark of defiance ignited within her.
"Evyths!" Selena called, her voice dripping with saccharine malice wrapped in beauty. Clad in a striking blue dress that drew attention in all the wrong ways, she aimed her words like daggers. "I didn't realize that the king invited… leftovers like you to the grand territorial meeting."
Evyths remained silent, but her resolve hardened. She was determined that this day—however grim—would not break her.
Ryker's gaze was cold, but behind the disdain lay a flicker of something deeper, a reminder of their rejected bond. "If only we were joined, you would walk beside me in esteem—a Luna," he taunted, but Evyths stood her ground, resolute in her silence.
"Selena, fetch the chain," Ryker commanded, and Evyths felt the bubbling tension mount as the chain was produced. She braced herself for what was to come, knowing fully well the power dynamics at play.
"Since this is how you want it, I will embrace this decision," he snarled, drawing her nearer, the chain biting into her skin. Despite the pain, she inhaled sharply, refusing to show weakness.
"Welcome to your new form, hound," he snapped, the words like poison on his lips. Selena's dark laughter echoed, amplifying the oppressive atmosphere.
Yet, amidst the chaos and impending humiliation, the ground began to quake with the arrival of a new presence—black mustangs and opulent carriages were advancing, a wave of intrigue washing over everyone present, including Evyths.
Who were they, and what were they?