Chapter 4 A Slave Among Wolves

She took every opportunity to remind me of my fall from grace. I was forced to serve her during meals, pouring her wine and bringing her dishes as she laughed and flirted with Kaden.

She would drape herself over him, whispering in his ear, her eyes gleaming with victory as she watched my every reaction. I learned to school my face into a mask of indifference, hiding the pain that tore through me each time I saw them together.

But inside, my heart shattered over and over again. One morning, I was cleaning the grand staircase when Lila appeared, her voice ringing through the hall.

"Ella!" I jumped, my heart racing as I hurried to her side.

"Yes, Luna?" Her eyes narrowed, and she slapped me across the face, the sting burning my cheek.

"Did I give you permission to speak?" I bowed my head, fighting back tears.

"No, Luna." She smirked, satisfied with my submission.

"Good. Remember your place, slave." She dropped her handkerchief on the floor, her lips curling in disgust.

"Clean that up." I knelt down, my fingers trembling as I picked up the delicate lace. It was spotless, but I knew better than to point that out. I reached for my rag, but Lila's foot shot out, knocking the bucket over. Dirty water spilled across the floor, soaking my dress. I bit my lip, refusing to react as she laughed, her voice dripping with false concern.

"Oh dear, how clumsy of me. Clean that up, too."

"Yes, Luna," I whispered, dropping to my knees to scrub the floor. My fingers ached, my knees bruised from the hard marble, but I kept my head down, scrubbing until the floor gleamed once more.

Lila watched me with satisfaction, her eyes gleaming with cruel delight.

"You're lucky I let you live," she said coldly. "You should be grateful to serve me." I kept my eyes on the floor, my hands trembling as anger surged through me.

But I couldn't speak. I couldn't defend myself. One wrong word, one act of defiance, and I would be back in the dungeons-or worse.

After she left, I sank back on my heels, my body trembling with exhaustion and rage. I wanted to fight back, to scream the truth for all to hear. But no one would believe me. Not when she had Kaden wrapped around her finger. Kaden... .

His name was a curse on my lips, a wound that refused to heal. Every day, I served him and his guests, forced to watch him smile and laugh with Lila, his arm wrapped around her waist as if she were his everything. I was nothing to him now.

A slave. A shadow. A ghost of the girl he once knew. One evening, I was ordered to serve during a banquet. The hall was filled with pack members, their laughter and voices echoing off the walls. I moved through the crowd, keeping my head down as I refilled drinks and cleared plates.

Lila's voice rang out, sickeningly sweet. "Ella, more wine!" I hurried to her side, the bottle trembling in my hands as I poured her drink.

She watched me with that familiar smirk, her fingers brushing against Kaden's arm as she leaned into him.

"Careful, Ella," she cooed. "You wouldn't want to spill anything on my dress." My hand shook, the bottle tipping dangerously. I steadied myself, focusing on keeping my movements calm and steady.

But Lila's foot shot out, kicking my ankle just as I finished pouring. I stumbled, the wine spilling across her lap. Gasps echoed through the hall. Lila stood, her face twisted in fury.

"You clumsy little fool!" She slapped me hard, the force knocking me to the ground.....

I tasted blood, my vision spinning as she loomed over me, her eyes blazing with anger.

"You ruined my dress!" She turned to Kaden, her voice breaking with false tears.

"She did it on purpose, Kaden. She's trying to humiliate me." Kaden's eyes flashed with anger as he stood, his towering presence suffocating me.

"You dare to insult your Luna?"

"No," I whispered, my voice trembling.

"I didn't... I would never..." But my words meant nothing. He grabbed my arm, dragging me to my feet, his grip bruising.

"You've crossed the line, Ella. You'll pay for this." I opened my mouth to plead, but he backhanded me, his strength sending me crashing to the floor once more. Pain exploded in my head, and I tasted blood again. Lila's laughter rang out, sweet and mocking.

"Take her to the dungeons. Let her rot there until she learns respect." The guards seized me, dragging me away as the crowd jeered and laughed.

My vision blurred, pain radiating through my body, but I refused to cry. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction. As the darkness closed in around me, one thought echoed through my mind. One day, they would pay for this. I would survive. And I would make them all pay...

Life as a slave in the pack house was hell. It wasn't just the cruelty of Lila and Kaden's cold indifference that tormented me. It was the constant abuse from everyone around me.

The other servants despised me. They saw me as a traitor, a cursed wolf who had tried to trick the Alpha with dark magic.

Lila had spread her lies well, poisoning their minds against me. Mira, the head maid, was the worst. She took pleasure in making my life miserable. She was tall and strong, her wolf fierce and dominant. I was nothing compared to her-a weak wolf, a slave with no power or protection.

Every morning, she would burst into my room, kicking the door open and yanking me out of bed.

"Get up, lazy rat! You think you get special treatment just because you used to be part of the pack?" She would slap me across the face, her nails digging into my skin.

"You're nothing now. Less than nothing." I learned to wake up before dawn, washing quickly and hurrying to the kitchen before she could find another excuse to punish me. But no matter how hard I worked, it was never enough....