The cold stone floor beneath me felt like home. I had spent so many nights lying here, staring up at the cracked ceiling of the basement that had become my prison. I closed my eyes, pressing my body further into the dampness, as if hoping the ground might swallow me whole.
I was six when my life became this endless nightmare.
My name is Neah. I am the daughter of an Alpha, but no one would ever know it looking at me now. I had been stripped of my title, my dignity, and my freedom by the very people who should have loved me. Alpha Trey, my brother, and Beta Kyle, my former mate, had turned me into nothing more than a slave in my own home.
Tortured, beaten, starved. It had all become normal. My wolf, bound by ancient magic as punishment for a crime I didn't even understand. A punishment for killing my parents, they said. But I was only six years old—how could a child do such a thing?
The door above creaked open, breaking the silence. I flinched, curling tighter into myself, hoping they would leave me be. But the heavy footsteps that followed were unmistakable.
"Neah!" Trey's voice was a sharp whip in the darkness. "Get up."
I forced my body to move, my bones aching as I pushed myself up to my feet. I had long since stopped feeling the pain, my mind numb to everything except the constant dread that hung over me like a cloud.
When I reached the top of the stairs, Trey stood with his arms crossed, his lips pulled into a sneer. His eyes, the same cold blue as mine, glared down at me like I was filth.
"The office isn't clean," he spat.
"I... I cleaned it," I whispered, knowing it wouldn't matter.
Trey stepped forward, his hand quick as it lashed across my face. I didn't make a sound. The years had taught me well—never make a sound, never react. It only made things worse if I did.
"You'll do it again," he growled. "We need everything perfect for Alpha Dane."
My heart skipped a beat. Alpha Dane. I had heard the rumors about him. He was the leader of the largest and most feared pack in the world—Black Shadow. They said he was ruthless, that he had killed his last nine lovers. And now, he was coming here.
I nodded silently, keeping my eyes trained on the floor. I wasn't allowed to look Trey in the eye. I wasn't allowed to look anyone in the eye.
"Get out of my sight," he hissed, shoving me down the hallway.
I stumbled but caught myself before I could fall, gripping the cleaning basket in my hand as I made my way toward the office. The moment I reached it, I closed the door behind me and leaned back against it, my breath shaky.
The office was spotless, as I knew it would be. I had been scrubbing and dusting for hours, and there wasn't a single thing out of place. But it didn't matter to Trey. Nothing I did would ever be enough.
Sliding down the door, I sat on the floor and hugged my knees to my chest, staring blankly at the neat desk and the perfectly aligned books on the shelves. My mind wandered, imagining a life outside of this hell. A life where I was free. Where I could run in my wolf form, where I could—
The clearing of a throat startled me, and I jumped to my feet, my heart pounding. I hadn't heard anyone enter.
Leaning against the desk was a man. Tall, broad, and dressed in casual black jeans and a leather jacket. His dark hair was cropped short, and his eyes... crimson. Deep and unnatural, they flicked over me with a curiosity that sent shivers down my spine.
"Is this how you greet all Alphas?" His voice was deep, smooth, and laced with amusement.
Alpha Dane.
I froze, every muscle in my body tensing. I didn't know how to respond. My mouth went dry, and I forced myself to look down at the floor. "I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
"Come here," he ordered.
I hesitated, but the command in his tone left no room for disobedience. I stepped forward, every instinct screaming at me to be cautious. I could feel his eyes on me, sharp and calculating.
"Closer," he growled.
I moved until I was only a few feet from him, and his gaze bored into me, studying me like I was some strange creature he had never seen before. I kept my eyes low, my heart racing.
"You smell strange for a wolf," he said. "Why?"
My chest tightened. I knew why, but I hated explaining it. I had learned that no one cared about my side of the story. They never believed me anyway.
"My wolf abilities were bound," I whispered.
His eyes narrowed. "Why?"
I swallowed hard, fighting back the urge to cry. "It was a punishment."
"For what?"
I couldn't bring myself to say it. Not to him. Not when I knew my brother's lies would surface again. I could already hear Trey's voice in my head, accusing me of being a murderer, reminding me that I was responsible for everything.
Before I could answer, the door burst open, and Trey stormed in, his face red with anger. "Neah! What are you doing in here?!" he bellowed.
He turned to Alpha Dane and immediately dropped into a bow. "I'm sorry, Alpha Dane, for my sister's intrusion. She's not supposed to be in your presence."
I flinched as Trey raised his hand to strike me, bracing for the familiar pain. But it never came.
Alpha Dane's hand shot out, gripping Trey's wrist with ease. His crimson eyes flashed with something dangerous as he pulled Trey's arm down.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said, his voice low and menacing.
Trey's eyes widened, disbelief flickering across his face. "Let go of me," he hissed, trying to pull away, but Alpha Dane didn't budge.
"She is to be my bride," Alpha Dane declared, his gaze locked on me.
The room fell silent. My heart stopped.
I looked up, meeting Alpha Dane's intense stare for the first time. My whole world shifted in that moment. He didn't know the truth. He didn't know that I was broken, that I was nothing.
But for the first time in my life, someone was standing up for me. And I didn't know why.