Chapter 3

• Morning arrived.
• I was taken from the prison and stood before the Elders of the council and the other pack members. I had wanted to scream at them but apparently, I couldn’t.
• The Gamma, a stern and imposing figure, read out my crime, his voice echoing through the hall. The weight of the accusation pressed down on me, suffocating in its severity. Witnesses were called out—three scouts, their eyes avoiding mine, and even my mother, her gaze cold and distant. Her testimony against me was a blade that had already cut too deep, leaving me numb to the pain.
• “Evelyn Emerson,” the Gamma intoned, “you stand accused of murdering our Alpha Davis. Do you have anything to say in your defense?”
• Silence.
• Everyone knew I was a mute. The trial is a complete joke!
• “Ok, next!” The Gamma's eyes were like stone. “We will hear from the witnesses.”
• Each scout recounted the same damning story, their words blending into a nightmare. My mother’s testimony was the final blow.
• “I saw her,” she said, her voice void of emotion. “I saw Evelyn with blood on her hands.”
• I had no one to defend me, and what made it hopeless was that I couldn't even defend myself. I just stared at them calmly, waiting for them to finally put an end to my miserable existence.
• The Beta, a tall and formidable figure, stepped forward. “After considering the testimonies and the evidence, I hereby declare that Evelyn Emerson is sentenced to death for the murder of our Alpha Davis.”
• “Wait-”
• Everyone’s eyes were now fixed on him, Zephyr.
• What was he doing here?
• Zephyr himself entered the hall, his presence electrifying the air. His piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, filled with a mixture of disdain and something else I couldn’t decipher.
• “As the heir of our Alpha Davis, I hereby beg for pardon of Evelyn Emerson, and ask for permission of her being our pack slave.”
• Everyone at the scene exclaimed, with a look of disbelief on their faces.
• The Beta quickly recovered from his shock and announced the result.
• “Evelyn Emerson is hereby sentenced to a life of servitude as punishment for killing the Alpha,” the Beta declared. “From this moment onwards, she is demoted to the position of pack slave and will be treated as such.”
• The pack members erupted in cheers while I just stood there, staring into Zephyr's cold blue eyes.
• My heart seemed to be frozen as if I had fallen into an ice cave and was unable to comprehend the gravity of the new reality he brought me.
• ----------------------------
• I woke with a start, my clothes and hair soaked in cold sweat. The remnants of my nightmare clung to me like a shroud, the terror and helplessness still vivid in my mind. I was trying to steady my breathing when I felt a familiar presence stir within me.
• “Evelyn, you must get up, Tara, my wolf, urged in a low, insistent tone. “Alpha Zephyr is coming.”
• Alpha Zephyr?
• It's been almost two years since the death of Alpha Davis and I had been made to go through hell.
• The Alpha's son, Prince Zephyr became the new Alpha and he did what he promised me in the nightmare—make my life a living hell. I had become quite used to the abuse and my body is full of scars, most inflicted by him.
• Fear and pain spiked through me, sharp and undeniable. I scrambled to my feet, my body aching from the hard ground I had slept on. As I turned, I saw Zephyr standing in the doorway, his eyes raking over me with a predatory gleam.
• “Well, well, if it isn’t my little slave, wide awake and ready to serve,” he sneered, his voice laced with malice. His eyes lingered on me, obscenely, making my skin crawl.
• I averted my gaze, trying to suppress the revulsion that welled up inside me.
• He chuckled, the sound cold and devoid of any warmth. “Follow me,” he commanded, turning on his heel without waiting for me.
• I had no choice but to obey. I trailed behind him, my heart pounding in my chest. We walked through the darkened corridors of the pack house, the silence only broken by the sound of our footsteps. My mind raced with dread, wondering what fresh torment he had planned for me.
• Zephyr led me to a large, dimly lit room at the back of the house. As we entered, I saw Clara, the Beta’s daughter, waiting for us. She was dressed provocatively, her eyes lighting up as Zephyr approached.
• “Clara,” he said, his voice dripping with affection. “Are you ready for our little show?”
• Clara nodded eagerly, her eyes flicking to me with a mix of disdain and curiosity. “Of course, Zephyr. Anything for you.”
• Zephyr turned to me, his smile widening. “Evelyn, you’re going to watch. You’re going to see what a real man can do.”
• My stomach churned with nausea as I realized what he meant. I wanted to run, to hide, but I was trapped. I stood frozen, unable to tear my eyes away from the spectacle unfolding before me.
• Zephyr moved behind Clara, his hands roaming over her body possessively. He whispered something in her ear that made her giggle, then he pushed her forward, bending her over the edge of the bed. With a brutal efficiency, he entered her, his movements harsh and unrelenting.
• Clara moaned, a sound that seemed to echo in the room, but it was the look in Zephyr’s eyes that haunted me. He glanced at me, his gaze triumphant and cruel, as if relishing my torment.
• “Watch closely, Evelyn,” he commanded, his voice sharp. “This is what you’ll never have. This is what you’re too worthless to experience.”
• I bit my lip, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. The scene before me was a grotesque mockery, a display of dominance and humiliation meant to break me further.
• Zephyr’s pace quickened, his grunts mixing with Clara’s moans. Then, with a final thrust, he climaxed inside her. My body trembled with a mixture of fear and revulsion, but the worst was yet to come.
• He withdrew from Clara and grabbed her hair, pulling her to her knees. “Clean me,” he ordered, shoving his spent member into her mouth.
• Clara complied eagerly, her eyes closed in apparent bliss. I turned away, unable to watch any longer, but Zephyr’s voice cut through the haze of my horror.
• “Look at me, Evelyn,” he barked. “You don’t get to look away.”
• I forced myself to meet his gaze, my vision blurring with tears. He smiled, a twisted, evil grin that chilled me to the bone.
• When it was finally over, Clara stood and straightened her clothes, a satisfied smirk on her lips. Zephyr approached me, his eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure.
• “You enjoyed the show, didn’t you?” he taunted, his hand reaching out to grab my chin. He forced me to look up at him, his grip bruising. “Answer me.”
• I nodded and swallowed hard, the taste of bile in my throat.
• His smile widened. “Good. Because you’ll be seeing a lot more of this. You’re mine, Evelyn, to do with as I please.”
• Without warning, he slapped me hard across the face, the force of the blow sending me sprawling to the ground. Pain exploded through my cheek, but I didn’t cry out. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
• “Get up,” he ordered, his voice cold. “I am not done with you yet.”
• I struggled to my feet, my body trembling. Zephyr grabbed a braided whip from a nearby table, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. He lashed out, the whip striking my back with a sharp crack. I bit down on my lip, trying to stifle my cries as the pain seared through me.
• Again and again, the whip came down, each strike leaving a burning trail of agony. Blood flowed freely, staining my clothes and pooling on the floor. Through the haze of pain, I heard Zephyr’s cruel laughter, his enjoyment clear.
• Finally, he stopped, panting from the exertion. He leaned down, his face inches from mine, his breath hot against my skin.
• “Your 18th birthday is only a few days away, right?” he whispered, his voice dripping with malice.
• “Soon, you’ll be old enough for much worse.”
• "It will be alright Evelyn, it will be all over soon." Tara encouraged me in my mind.
• "Do you really think I will find my mate and he'll take us away from this hellish place from Zephyr?" I smiled bitterly and then fainted from the pain.