VALERIE 

“Table no. 13, five beers.” The bartender slid the large glasses towards me, and I carefully lifted them for delivery. 

Discreetly avoiding drunkards and aggressive dancers, I found my way to the designated table and placed the large glasses on it. 

A tight slap fell on my butt, shivering me followed by teasing whistles, “Hey sexy, wanna join daddies?” One of the guys teased me, eliciting some disgustingly dirty chuckles from the others. 

I persevered through the insult, gritting my teeth. I quietly attended to my duties and served their beers.

Thankfully, it was my last serve of the night. I hurried into the girls' locker room and closed the door behind me.

Leaning against the door, I let out a shaky breath and a droplet of tears slipped down my cheek.

Three long years, and I have been stuck here, in this hell, with those men every single day. They would come, look at me as if they were ripping my clothes with their eyes, harass me, and taunt each second of my cursed existence. 

Not that my life was better before, still, it didn't threaten my dignity…

Sighing, I walked toward my locker. As I unbuttoned my shirt, I heard the sound of the door and my eyes shot to it, only to freeze. 

The bar manager, David, entered with his usual smug sneer, making me gasp in surprise. 

My trembling hands hurriedly buttoned my shirt. “Hh-how did you ge-et inside?” I squeaked. 

His lips curved nastily, "Did you forget? This is my bar, and I have the authority to go anywhere I want here.” 

His words rang a bell in my head, achingly reminding me of the bitter truth. After the previous owner left a week ago, David was appointed the new manager and presented himself with the unofficial authority to torment my soul endlessly.

The saddest part was, no one cared.

“Thi-This is the girls' room, you ca-an't—Aggh!” I cried out in surprise in the middle of my protest as he unexpectedly hurled me against the closed locker. 

A searing pain shoots down my spine as my body hits the hard, cold steel. His heavy body pressed against me and his hands grabbed my ass cheeks, cloying my skin in nausea. 

“Le-eave Me!” I tried to push him away, only to be slapped hard in the face. The force of the slap threw me to the ground, yet I didn't give up and clambered to my feet. But his calloused hand grabbed my leg and pulled me toward him as if I were a mere cotton ball. 

“Where are you going, little girl? Come here and fucking submit!” His hand fisted around my sleeve, tearing it with distaste. 

The taunt in his words twisted my heart with shame and helplessness.

“Nn-no! Ple-ease, don't dd-o this.” I cried out, begging him for mercy, only to be slapped again. 

My head spun, and stars danced before my eyes. The salty taste of blood drenched my saliva, as his vicious growl echoed in my head like an announcement, “Everything stays here belongs to me, and so do you! You'll spread your legs for your superior.” 

Disgust crawled beneath my skin, screaming at my cursed existence like a thousand needles poking through my veins. 

Tears of shame slipped down my cheeks. I wish my wolf, Artemis, was here to help. Or perhaps—perhaps my mate. 

But none of them were here. One sacrificed herself and blessed me to survive this accursed life, and the other despised me so much that he did not even recognise our bond in the public, or spare me a glance in three years. 

David slipped my skirt up to my waist, revealing my underwear and licking his lips. His huge hands had me pinned underneath him. 

No, no, no! My soul grimaced desperately as my free hands searched for something, anything!

Goddess, please help. I cried within. 

His rough fingers wrapped around my throat tightly, “Bloody wretched blood! You're nothing but loathed. You're a shame of the Shifters. Things like you must be used.” He hissed, his fingers hatefully tearing my shirt buttons. 

His words reminded me of the agonizing abuse that had been scarring me inch by inch for the last three years…

My father, Vladimir, was a deranged rogue wolf. He used to kidnap children from various wolf packs for dark rituals to attain extreme powers, using me as bait. But, it all ended in one night, when the powerful Alpha Regent aided Vladimir's secret hut in the depths of the dark forest. 

He poisoned me to facilitate his escape, throwing me into the hands of the enemy. 

My wolf, Artemis, my only companion, sacrificed herself to save me. 

I was supposed to be executed that night and I truly wish I was, but fate again found a cruel way to joke with me. I turned out to be the fated mate of Alpha Andres D'Arezzo. 

In the world of rarely destined bonds forced him to keep me alive because rejection would deteriorate his strength, and then dump me here, in the confinement of the pack's prison area, with wretched souls of men... 

“They let you live, they were wrong! I'll make sure you pay for your sins.” His voice, filled with loathing, rang in my ears like a venomous dagger, dragging me back to reality.

“I will fucking tear you apart tonight!” He hissed and started unzipping his pants. 

For the slightest moment, his grip on my legs loosened. Seizing the chance, with all my strength, I kicked on his groin. 

His roaring snarl resonated through the walls, and his grip on me slipped. Hastily, I clambered to the door and rushed out, leaving behind only the diminishing sound of his anguished groans.

Run, run, run—my inner voice urged me desperately. 

Driven by an urgent desire to salvage what remained of my dignity, I sought refuge in the forest, letting the encroaching darkness of night swallow me.

My legs were shaking, knees were on the verge of giving up, yet I didn't stop. I couldn't. I just want to be away from this place, far, far away. 

Suddenly, I tripped on my feet and fell face-first on the ground. A hit on my nose sent a sharp pain in my brain cells, forcing out a sheer cry of ache through my quivering lips.

I allowed my tears to flow freely as despair grasped me completely. My body had given up. All I desire is to end this worthless life, but the promise I made to live before Artemis's death kept me going. 

I am alone in the woods; no one knows where I am, not yet, at least.

A dangerous temptation to escape suddenly crossed my mind. I grew up in the forest, so I know these paths like the back of my hand. I somehow need to cross the dark river surrounding the pack as its border, and I am free.

However—

“Grrraawwww..." An earth-shattering snarl pierced the night air like a vicious thunderbolt, snapping me from my dangerous thoughts.

Bile rose in my throat as I looked around with a throbbing heart. 

"Wh-at's that!?" I whispered. "Wh-who's here?" I quickly rose to my feet, bearing the discomfort with clenched teeth, and harshly wiped away my tears.

Did—did I hear it wrong? I thought. 

But when another rumble emerged from the darkness, I broke into a cold sweat. 

Did I get caught? Did David discover me? Did he follow me here, and now he will—No! 

The mere thought paralyzed my limbs with fright. 

I looked around but saw nothing. The fear of being assaulted again chilled me. I dragged my almost broken self near the huge tree and tried to delve into its shadow. 

Another growl shuddered in the night wind, forcing me to hold my breath. The heavy panting in the air shivered me like a deer caught in the rain.

Slightly peeking behind the tree, I tried to see movement in the shadows, but there was none. 

Should—should I escape? But—

My entire body froze when I felt a dense presence behind me. The heavy breaths on my neck turned my blood cold.

Before I realized it, I was grabbed by the scruff of my neck and forcibly turned around, only to gasp aloud in shock as trembling fear hit all my nerves at the face before me. 

Alpha Victor Abraham, my mate.  

I froze… 

His frosted dark eyes were filled with ruthless rage as if he were on the verge of killing.

Di-id David complained about me, and he's here to finish what started three years back.

Is he here to kill me? A strange urge to live filled me with fright. 

“N-no Ple-ease.” I whispered weakly, “I—I wa-asn't tt-trying to ru-un. I—” 

He hissed, his fingers squeezing my neck painfully. His cold grey eyes glowed furiously in the dark, and he appeared menacing. 

His body pressed against mine, making my back slide slightly up the tree. My heart hammered like lightning as I felt his hot breath on my face. 

“Who are you?” His thowrling tone snapped me out of my thoughts sharply as my eyes shot up at him.

Wait, did—did he not recognise me? 

But I didn't get enough time to think. “Who are you?” His hoarse voice was laminated with a strange chill, as his eyes desperately tried to understand my features. 

He sounded as if he were in great pain. 

I swallowed hard, feeling suffocated. “I—I,” I tried to speak, but my voice came out as a squeak like a trapped rat.

He squeezed my throat. "I am Andres D'Arezzo; find me once this ends," his husky command rushed through my veins as he added, “I need you now.” 

Before I could react, he was on top of me, crushing my lips with a hard force. 

Caught off guard, my eyes widened in shock as panic seized my heart.

No, Goddess, please, not again! I begged desperately. 

But his touch was restless as if he were not asking but demanding. 

His lips devoured my mouth like a hungry beast. His firm touches created unexpected, crazy friction all over my body, weakening my resistance. 

I felt so numb. My defence was melting into nothingness. 

I wanted to push him away, but I failed. The mate bond had taken over and my body reacted against my will. 

I was scared. Everything felt so surreal as he slowly grew in my thoughts. I couldn't get out of his grasp and sunk deep into a messy storm that rippled pleasures within my body... 

************** 

Soon, the storm subsided. I watched him drift off to sleep and hurriedly moved away, my heart still racing from the unfolded events.

Tears slipped down my cheeks as I weakly reclined against the large tree, feeling drained. I never imagined meeting my mate this way after three years. 

The way his touch fell on me, so desperate yet unsure, I realized he was drugged. Thanks to my father, I am well aware of how a drugged person behaves. He probably won't remember anything after he wakes up.

However, he is the regent. The Alpha of all Alphas. Would he truly forget?

Cold dread washed me over. If he realised who I was, he'd definitely kill me this time! 

I need to leave, but where to go? I don't wish to return to the same hell again, but I have no other place either. The confinement had bound me with invisible chains. 

As I dwelled on my thoughts, sudden footsteps and voices in the distance followed. 

"Alpha Victor!" The voices rang in the woods, heightening my fears. 

My pulse rate quickened. They couldn't see me. If they found out I left the prison area, they'd kill me.

Clenching my teeth, I stood up from the ground. Tears forced out as I suppressed the burning anguish all over my body. 

I took one last look at my partner, my breath catching in my throat. While mating with a blessed partner is a sacred ritual for others, it is not for me. If he were to discover the truth, I fear he might blame me and impose even harsher punishment.

“I just hope this time, at least, the Goddess listens to me, and you never remember with whom you spent your night.” Murmuring the words with a tight heart, I promptly and discreetly departed, with the events of the evening remaining deeply ingrained in my memory…