NYLA'S pov

I was thrown into a dark, cold room. I sat there, looking around but couldn't see anything important. The guards who brought me in were still at the door, holding the knob.

"Cheap girl!" one of the guards yelled, spitting on the floor as if I had turned down his request for sex.

"Tell that to your mama!" I growled, rubbing my arm that was tightly held while being dragged into this cold, dark room. I rolled my eyes after saying it. Suddenly, I saw the other guard stopping him from coming in.

"She just talked about my mama," he said in a harsh tone. Did he really feel bad? He wheezed out of the guard's grip, and they both left the room. The next sound I heard was the door closing.

BANG!

I recoiled, hugging myself as I sat on the floor, my heart racing with fear. How did I end up mated to the alpha of the shadowclaw pack? He even had the audacity to take me away from my nice ride I was about to have,that guy has a huge d*ck with veins, the experience was amazing, the moon goddess knows it's a unique d*ck.

Damn!

I got up from the floor and walked to the door with purpose; I had to leave this place. I put my hand on the door handle and turned it, but an alarm started blaring, and I was shocked.

What?

I quickly stepped back, clenched my fist, and punched the air in frustration. My blood was boiling, and my anger was so intense that it was visible in my eyes.

“Get me out of here, you idiots!” I shouted, but there was no answer. I returned to the door and hit it hard with my fist, causing the alarm to sound again. I pounded on the door multiple times, but still, no one responded.

“Don't believe that your alpha's strength can keep me from staying here all night when I have others to enjoy my time with, so get me out of here.” I declared, walking around the room, and at that moment, the light flickered. The room lit up, and I stepped back, as beads of sweat trickled down my face. I was tired, cold, and frightened, but I needed to appear strong, even though inside, I felt frozen.

I leaned against the wall, breathing heavily with my eyes shut, as thoughts about the entire situation overwhelmed me. I sank to the ground, my head still tilted up, and I felt a sense of relaxation until I heard the door creaking. I quickly looked down to see who it was.

It was a woman in an apron, carrying a tray with a covered plate. I hoped it was what I was thinking. She smiled at me as she came closer.

"Good day, ma'am," she said, walking slowly. I nodded firmly, my stomach growling as the smell of baked bread and sauce filled the air.

I ignored her greeting, turning my eyes away from her. The sound of the tray hitting the floor echoed in the room. I focused on the mattress beside me, not realizing that the dark room contained everything until the light flickered on. I didn’t want to look at the woman, so I kept my gaze on the mattress to distract myself.

"Alpha Tyler wants you to eat. I will return in ten minutes to collect the empty plates," she said calmly, bowed, and left the room. As she closed the door, I turned back to the tray, opened it, and my hopes were confirmed: baked bread and sauce.

I sighed in relief; at least I would gain some strength to survive before I was used for whatever purpose.

My face frowned as the door was opened again and this time it's the guards. I looked at the four guards that were standing at the doorstep.

I didn’t even get the first bite in.

“Alpha Tyler wants to see you now,” one of the guards barked as the others stepped in behind him.

“And?” I said, folding my arms and squinting. “I’m hungry. I’ll go after I eat.”

I expected them to say something, at least they should warn me. Instead, they came at me like dogs.

“Don’t touch me!” I yelled, stepping back, my hand gripping the tray like it was a weapon. “Don’t you dare touch—”

I kept shouting but it was too late.

The first one grabbed my wrist. I swung the tray at his head, hard enough to make the bread fly. The metal clanged against his temple, and he cursed, staggering. The other three rushed me.

“Let me go, you bastards!”

A fist hit my ribs, winding me. Another cracked across my cheek, and I collapsed to the ground. They didn’t stop there. One kicked my thigh, another stomped my hand when I tried to crawl away. My screams were muffled by the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth.

“Cheap whore, learn your place!” someone spat as another punch split the skin above my eyebrow.

“Don't you dare call me a whore,” I spat. “I won't let you insult me.”

By the time they dragged me through the hallway, I was limp, my legs trailing, vision blurred, every breath burning. My head lolled forward, blood dripping from my busted lip, my arms flopping uselessly beside me.

The walk to Alpha Tyler’s chamber felt like a death march.

When they finally reached the grand door, they didn’t knock. They flung it open and threw me in like a piece of garbage. My body hit the cold marble floor with a sickening thud, pain shooting up my spine.

I groaned, my hand trying to find something, anything to hold onto. Blood smeared the floor beneath me. My knees buckled when I tried to rise, so I stayed down, panting, blinking through tears and rage.

He was Standing at the window, arms folded behind his back. His broad shoulders tense, back straight, head turned slightly like he already knew what shape I was in. The moon goddess could have informed me that

“Leave us,” Alpha Tyler commanded, voice low but deadly.

The guards left without a word.

The silence was heavy pressing, watching. I coughed hard, and blood splattered across the floor. My body shook, my limbs numb and cold.

“You sick bastard,” I muttered, barely loud enough to hear. “You couldn’t even give me food before turning me into a punching bag?”

He didn’t turn.

“You’ll serve in my chambers from now on,” he said, like it was some noble job title. Like I should be proud.

I let out a broken, bitter laugh. “You should’ve asked first. Maybe given me a f*cking choice before turning my face into a chew toy.”

He finally moved. The sound of his footsteps came closer, controlled and deliberate.

Then his hand yanked my head back by my blood matted hair.

I hissed in pain, my face scrunching up, eyes locking with him for the first time. Those cold, stormy irises scanned me, every bruise, every cut, every trembling breath.

“How old are you?” he asked, his voice a jagged whisper against my temple.

I stared at him through one eye. The other was swollen shut. But I made sure my voice didn’t shake when I said, “Twenty-two.”

He froze.

His grip loosened. He stepped back like I’d slapped him.

“What?” he hissed, stepping away from me with wide eyes, like my age was poison.

He turned to the window again, running a hand down his face. Silent for a moment. Maybe for the first time since I’d met him, he looked confused. Or bothered. Like something didn’t add up.

“Undress,” he said without turning.

I let out another bitter laugh, wiping the blood from my mouth with the back of my trembling hand.

“You want me to strip for you after your dogs just tore me apart? You’ve got a real kink for cruelty, don’t you?”

he didn’t look at me, his gaze was strictly on the window.

His hands were now gripped behind his back, stiff, unreadable.

“Do it,” he said again. “Now.”

“No,” I said, louder this time, louder than the pain in my chest, louder than the tears threatening to spill. “You can beat me again. Kill me, if that’s the plan. But I won’t give you that power over me.”