Chapter 1 Clara's point of view

"I told you to stop trying to escape." His voice cracked through the cold air like thunder, and I flinched before I could stop myself. My knees dug into the hard marble floor, and I clutched the hem of my worn robe like a shield. "I, I wasn't running," I whispered, but my voice came out broken. "I swear, I wasn't, " "Don't insult me, Clara." He didn't raise his voice, but the threat in it was louder than any scream. I stayed frozen, crawling low, refusing to lift my eyes. The last time I met his gaze uninvited, I didn't walk for two days. "You're pathetic," he muttered.

"Even now, trembling like a leaf... You still think tears will save you?" "No... Alpha, I just, I didn't mean, " "You never mean it," he said as his boots thudded against the floor, closing the distance between us. "But you always do it anyway." I gritted my teeth to stop the sob crawling up my throat. My hands dug into the stone until my fingernails ached. "Raise your head," he ordered. I didn't move. "Raise. Your. Head." I obeyed. His face was calm, terrifyingly calm, as he knelt until we were eye level. His eyes searched mine, but they weren't looking for truth , they were looking for surrender. He reached out, brushing my cheek with a hand too gentle for someone so cruel. It made my skin crawl. "I hate punishing you," he said. "But you leave me no choice." "You don't have to," I whispered. "Please." His thumb wiped a tear from my cheek. "Begging again, Clara?" "I'll behave," I swore. "Just don't, please don't hurt me tonight." "Tonight?" he murmured. "You think your crimes have an expiration date?" "I didn't run," I insisted. "I didn't even make it past the gate, " "But you tried," he said sharply, and the brief softness in his tone vanished. "You disobeyed." "I was scared..." "Of what?" His voice turned mocking. "Of being loved? Cared for? Given a life better than the gutter you crawled out from?" "I didn't ask for any of this," I said, voice cracking. "I didn't want to belong to anyone." "You don't belong to anyone," he said. "You belong to me." Before I could respond, the door opened behind him. "Well, isn't this sweet." Delores strolled into the room like she owned it. Her heels clicked with confidence, her eyes sparkling with venom as they landed on me. "You look like a drowned rat, Clara. Maybe that's what he likes about you." "Leave," Lucas ordered without even turning his head. "Oh, I don't mind watching," she purred, stepping closer. "She always looks so adorable when she's scared." Delores and I had known each other for years, long before Lucas claimed me. She was once the Alpha's favored companion, but that changed the day his eyes met mine , the day his obsession was born. She never forgave me for it. "Enough," Lucas growled. "If you're not here to serve a purpose, get out." Her lips curled. "I thought I was the entertainment." Lucas ignored her and turned his full attention back to me. "Stand up." I hesitated. "Now." I rose to shaky feet, trying to steady my breath. "You know what happens when you disobey," he said softly. "Please," I whispered. "I can't take any more tonight." "You should've thought about that before trying to climb the servant wing fence." "I was only trying to breathe," I said. "I needed air. I felt like I was dying." "And now," he said, voice like ice, "you'll know what dying really feels like." He turned and pointed to the silver tub in the corner of the room. It was filled with water , and thick chunks of jagged ice. My stomach turned. "No," I whispered, eyes wide. "Please don't." Delores grinned. "Oh, this should be fun." "You want to run from me," Lucas said, "then let's see you endure what real freedom feels like." "I didn't mean to run," I cried. "It wasn't an escape, it was a mistake, " "You disobeyed," he snapped. "Now get in." Tears welled in my eyes. "Alpha, please, it's freezing, " "That's the point." "I'll get sick, " "I said get in." My feet stayed rooted to the floor. I couldn't move. Lucas took a step forward. "Do you need help, Clara?" "No," I whispered, and my knees buckled as I moved. My bare feet touched the cold floor as I neared the tub. Steam didn't rise. The water was ice. The closer I got, the colder it felt, like death itself waited inside. "Take off the robe," Lucas said calmly. "You won't need it in there." I froze again. Delores clapped once, delighted. "Awww, she's shy now?" Lucas didn't look at her. "Clara," he said, "if I have to come over there..." "I'm doing it," I muttered, voice hoarse. Slowly, I slipped off the robe. My skin pebbled instantly, and the cold slapped every inch of me with invisible claws. "I don't enjoy this," Lucas said, stepping closer, eyes unblinking. "But I will make sure you never forget it." "I already haven't," I whispered. "I never forget." The edge of the tub felt like touching metal in a snowstorm. I hesitated. "Inside," he ordered again. I climbed over the edge and gasped as my foot plunged into the ice. I almost screamed. My breath vanished, stolen by the shock of it. My heart stumbled. "Lower," he said, watching. I lowered myself inch by inch, biting down on my lip so hard I tasted blood. When the water reached my chest, I couldn't stop the sob. "She's crying already," Delores said, smug. "We haven't even started." Lucas turned to her sharply. "Leave." She blinked. "What?" "I said get out." Delores faltered, shocked. "You're protecting her now?" He didn't answer. Just stared at her until she walked out, slamming the door behind her. I sat there in silence, shivering, barely breathing. "I hate this," I whispered. "I know," he said. "Why do you do it?" "Because you make me," he replied. "Every time you disobey, every time you look for freedom, this is what you bring on yourself." "I'm not your possession." He didn't reply. "I'm not your toy." Still no answer. "I'm your mate," I said, choking on the word. "You said that. So why do you hurt me like this?" "You're mine," he said simply. "That's all that matters." Minutes passed. My skin burned with cold. My fingertips turned purple. My vision blurred. I started to tremble harder, then harder still. "Lucas," I said weakly. "I can't feel my hands..." "You'll survive," he said. "What if I don't?" His face didn't change. "Then you'll learn never to run again." I wanted to scream, but my voice had no strength. All I had left was the sound of my teeth clattering and my breath coming in shallow bursts. Then a knock came at the door. Lucas turned. "What?" A muffled voice responded from the other side. "Urgent news, Alpha. You're needed in the war room. It's about the outsider we caught near the east wall." Lucas stepped closer to the door. "Handle it." "We can't. He's asking for Clara by name." Lucas stilled. My heart skipped. "Who?" he asked, voice darker now. The guard hesitated. "He says he's her brother."