Episode 5

What should have been my celebratory dinner turned into a tense affair; my father hugged me and kissed my forehead, requesting that Daphne escort me upstairs to pack my bags, because he stated he wouldn't stay after the insult from Zed.

Unwilling to engage in conversation, I shed the dress that had made me dazzle and sat on my bed, donning my pajamas. My mother's mouth opened and closed, wanting to say something, but words eluded her. My entire life had been a fantasy about a marriage that was now unattainable.

At three in the morning, my father came in, scratching the back of his neck. He lovingly kissed my forehead before delivering the darkest news.

"Zedekiah has admitted his wrongs against you and expressed his wish to make amends. Therefore, you will not be returning with us… Give him a chance," my always-loving father somehow fell for Zed's deceiving words.

Everyone eventually fell asleep, and when I awoke, I was not in my usual bed. I was in a dark place, my feet and hands bound by chains, and in the corner, a shadowy figure looked on with a distant gaze.

"We are not going to marry… I never wanted you as my moon, but my desire for you took other forms." Zed's voice was somber and his stare icy; I shivered as he approached with a sadistic smile on his lips.

"Scream if you wish, fight… But to your parents, you agreed to travel with me, and to mine, you decided to return to your tribe, meaning no one will come to save you." Zed hissed, the sound of his zipper opening drew my attention, fear and panic filled every part of me.

"I will destroy your body, your mind, and spirit." Those were the last words I heard before suffering the most brutal violation imaginable.

3 years later, present day

As the wooden door closed and Zedekiah left, I tried to breathe, but I no longer knew how. Three years in that hell, abused, assaulted, and tortured by him. I had no news from my family; in the early years I hoped that if I acted like a good girl he might let me go, or if I turned a blind eye to his romance with Safira, I might earn some reward, but he didn't care about any of that. If he had a fight with his father, he'd come and take his frustration out on me mere minutes later.

I had no more tears left, my wolf was unfortunately not strong enough; during a torture session, Zedekiah had revealed that when receiving a wolf on the sixteenth birthday, one had to transform so both would become one, and all the wolf's abilities would transfer to the human side. Since I didn't have this, I was deemed worthless.

Wincing in pain, I sat on the cold floor, tasting the blood trickling down my mouth – this time he had been particularly harsh. Outside the room, the sound of fighting caught my ear; blades clashing, screams and roars of anger sent me curling into myself, covering my ears, my eyes fixed to the floor, afraid of the unknown.

The door was smashed down and a blood-covered man with dark eyes caught my attention. Seeing that I posed no threat, he approached, and I instinctively recoiled at the sight of my wounds as he growled in disapproval.

"We've got a prisoner," he announced to someone behind him, from which I inferred he wasn't the alpha.

"By the goddess, what have they done to you?" A tall man with dark blond hair and blue eyes came forward cautiously and knelt before me. When he reached out to touch me, I screamed in fear and recoiled further.

"Please, don't hurt me..." My voice was just a whisper, and with my plea, I noticed the man freeze mid-movement.

"Emir, we must go!" the same man who dismantled the door reappeared.

"I would never harm you," Emir uttered, standing up and breaking the chains that bound me with a single sword slash.

"We'll take her," he extended his hand toward me, waiting for me to grab it. As I reached out, barely able to support my weight, I almost collapsed, only to be caught by Emir.