Arisa

After what happened that night, the pain I felt only grew deeper, making me feel even more alone.

Maybe… my mate is truly my enemy, a man who hates me with everything he has. Each day I spent in this place felt heavier.

Still, I had to keep doing my job.

For the past few days, I hadn’t seen Alpha Jade. I hoped we wouldn’t meet at all.

My heart wasn’t ready.

“If you can’t do this better, it’s better to just destroy it,” Glen scoffed.

He was a Beta with an arrogant face, always barking orders and constantly threatening me with painful death.

I knew his behavior was backed by the others, especially Jade.

“Okay,” I managed to respond, short and quiet.

Just like always, it seemed like everything I did would end up wrong in their eyes.

Glen, with his dominating presence, stared down at me.

I didn’t fight back, but still received the same cruel treatment. The drink on the table beside me was now poured over my head.

Fine.

Maybe this was what I needed, something to cool my head and remind me that what happened a few nights ago was just another nightmare.

He hates me. Everyone here hates me. And… I hate myself, too.

Now, I heard loud laughter.

They found this funny.

Not wanting things to get any worse, I didn’t even bother to wipe the water off my face.

I just kept doing my job, carefully observing the machines.

Part of me wanted to leave, to end this suffering.

But another part of me still wanted to know… had I really done something wrong?

Like a fool, I kept staying here.

I had no one. And my body, somehow, felt like it couldn’t separate from this pack.

As the door opened, I was slightly startled. I hadn’t expected him to appear, walking in with calm steps, yet his eyes locked straight onto me.

I didn’t like his presence, but I couldn’t reject it. He was the owner of this territory.

“Leave and go do your work.”

His command was firm and clear. The warriors in the room, including Bastian, glanced at one another. I looked down, pack affairs weren’t mine to speak of.

“But Alpha Jade, we’ve already finished our task.”

And just like that, Bastian was punched square in the face. It was shocking, but at the same time… I felt a strange sense of satisfaction, watching that arrogant man brought down.

Every time Jade looked at me, I quickly averted my gaze again.

Why did it feel like he was speaking to me without saying a word?

My heartbeat was unstable. I could smell his scent, so intoxicating. Ever since that day, I felt like I had become obsessed with him.

His scent had such an overwhelming effect on me.

My body reacted. Clenching my fists tightly, I hoped I could hold myself together.

I tried to push it back.

Fate, hatred… and reality.

I was sure none of it would change anything. The tension in the room intensified.

I saw the warriors keeping their mouths shut, and Glen, the once-proud man—kneeling before Alpha Jade.

The choking emptiness settled in the room once it was just the two of us left. That hit my heart, hard.

Goddess, I wished he would just leave and let me be alone. Just like the past few days, when there was no interaction between us at all.

But Alpha Jade suddenly touched my chin, forcing me to look at him. His deep voice, one I could never forget, came as always—laced with threats.

“Never tell anyone that you’re my mate.”

This was worse than before.

He released my chin roughly, his nail scraping against my skin, leaving a sharp sting.

“I would never say it.”

So many emotions surged as I said that. My head throbbed. I wanted this moment to end.

The sooner, the better.

But before I could even react, he kissed me. It was rough, harsh. He ended it quickly, then wiped his lips like it disgusted him.

I felt like my heart was shattered into a thousand pieces.

My eyes trembled as I looked at him. The pleasure he got from tormenting me, it must be satisfying to him.

This wasn’t love. It was mockery.

The reason he hadn’t rejected me yet… he wanted the pain to stay.

He wanted it to dig deeper.

Shocked, I instinctively moved a little farther away.

“You’re such a whore,” he snapped.

Cold.

Cruel.

False.

A word full of venom that cut deep into me. Each syllable stabbed me again and again. I struggled to hold it in, to stop the tears from falling.

“Trying to seduce the werewolves?”

Jade’s voice was as cold and sharp as ever.

“Throwing yourself at them, hoping they’d save you?”

I could feel his rage growing—intensifying. I didn’t understand his actions anymore. This time, the anger I felt from him was different.

“You’ll never escape this fucking punishment. You don’t deserve to be fucking loved.”

Jade stepped forward, shoving my shoulders, forcing me to stumble back several steps.

“I won’t give you peace. Remember what you did, and your atonement will never end.”

He growled. This time, his push was even harder.

I fell to the floor.

And for a moment, I thought I saw it, surprise on his face, as if he himself was shocked by what he had just done.

Maybe it was just my imagination. He turned and left immediately, slamming the door behind him.

Unable to hold it in any longer, tears finally spilled from my eyes, this time, accompanied by deep sobs.

Come on… I’ve already suffered too much, with no one by my side. Only when I’m alone do I cry, allowing the pain to consume my entire body.

It’s honestly sad.

I spent the rest of the day crying with Dona.

At least, just for once, I had someone I could talk to, and for that I felt a tiny bit of gratitude.

But as Jade had said, our punishment, full of suffering, didn’t end there. All this time, I accepted everything they did to me, as if I truly deserved it.

That afternoon, the sky was painted in shades of red, A beautiful view, despite the overwhelming loneliness.

Sometimes I took time to walk alone into the woods, just to calm myself.

That day was no different. I walked toward my favorite spot, occasionally brushing against the fallen leaves drifting through the air.

I was nearly there, but then, without warning, I was hit hard.

Something tore into the skin of my arm, And I fell, my head slamming into the ground.

I was dizzy and in pain, holding it back with strained groans.

Blood.

I realized the warm liquid running down my head was blood.

“Uh… what…?” I spoke heavily.

This wasn’t over.

Three werewolves surrounded me. Their faces were blurry, I was still too dizzy to see clearly.

“She really showed up, just like you said.”

One of them spoke.

It was clear, they had been targeting me. And now, I was truly fucked up.

As they reached out to touch me, I could sense their vile intentions. One of them began tugging at my clothes.

“Bastards!”

I shoved them away, trying to protect myself.

It worked, the strength that surged through me shocked them. But it wouldn’t last long.

Three male werewolves, warriors I had seen a few times before, they looked furious now.

Being attacked by all three of them… this was going to be bad.

Run!

Dona’s voice screamed in my head.

Following her command, I ran, though pain in my head made it hard to stay steady. I had to get away, to save myself from them.

Once I managed to get on my feet, I sprinted with everything I had.

Their mocking laughter echoed behind me, But not for long, as it was soon drowned out by the sound of a loud crash.