~Victoria~
I squirmed as the light fell on my face. I hadn't slept this well for the last five months. To be precise, since that horrible night in my life, the night my parents were killed in a tragic robbery, nightmares have haunted me every single night. I woke up gasping for breath and sweating all over my body. However, my sleep this time felt so different. The fragrance that wafted in made me even lazier to open my eyes. It reminded me of the sandalwood-scented room I missed so much.
My eyes quickly opened as I felt something strange. My gaze was directed towards the thick blanket I held-a soft purple. And I realised all of this was wrong. So, I immediately got up and turned my head around.
"Where is it?" I muttered while wandering my gaze.
A spacious room with a comfy bed and soft bed sheets. There was no creaking in the bed. There were no porous wooden cabinets. This was not my bedroom. This room was even fancier than the one in my parents' house.
But how did I end up in this place?
Before I got the answer to my question, the creak of the opened door caught my attention. I gulped and gripped my thick blanket tighter as I saw a man appear at the doorway-a man I recognised as the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack.
A grin on his lips made me shiver as he said, "Good morning, Little Wolf."
Everyone in Nightfall City knew him. He was the handsome and dashing Alpha Ace Cassilas. He was a cocky, lousy guy who liked to fuck many girls. All the female werewolves in Nightfall City were really into him, except for me. Unfortunately, I had to deal with him in this unfavourable situation.
I didn't think he recognised me as one of his pack members. I met him a few times, and I thought he never noticed the existence of an ordinary girl like me because he was too busy with his sluts.
"Who are you?" I moved back to the end of the bed, pretending not to recognise who he was.
He chuckled, then swung his legs towards me. I'll admit he was handsome, but his expression was terrifying. He was like an angel with a demonic vibe that could make me fearfully shiver. His step stopped a few meters away from me. One corner of his lips lifted with his intense and intimidating gaze.
"Don't lie to me, Little Wolf! I know you know who I am. Everyone in Nightfall City knows me." He said it confidentially as he looked right into my eyes. "But... I don't mind introducing myself if you want it." He pulled both corners of his lips up. "I'm Ace Cassilas, the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack. And you're in my house." He spoke in a deep voice that further reinforced the impression of the demon within him.
I listened to him carefully. His answer made me believe he didn't notice me as one of his pack members. But it wouldn't change the fact that I was in danger. So, I started thinking of ways to escape.
'Did he lock the door? I don't think so. I didn't see him lock the door. Or did I miss it? I don't know, but I have to try. I have to leave this place. This isn't my place. I shouldn't be here.' I wondered as I saw that the door behind him was closed tightly.
"If you're considering running away, you'd better forget that idea. Because no one can leave this place alive without my permission." He spoke as if he could read my mind.
I licked my lips and took a deep breath. The heart inside my chest was beating rapidly. My defence instinct urged me to run away before it was too late. I didn't want to be one of his lustful sluts. However, it needed to be farther to reach the door. Then I looked to my left. The window looked better than running to the door.
I jumped off the bed and ran towards the window without another thought. But he was too fast. He chased after me and caught me before I could even reach the window. He then pulled my hand and held it firmly. There was a fierce look in his eyes, as if he wanted to skin me alive. I could see the ember of anger burning in his eyes. I swear, my legs went limp at the sight of the emotions burning within his eyes.
"I won't repeat my words, Little Wolf!" He said it in a hissing voice, right before my face.
Then he grabbed my hand, leading me to the window. With one hand, he pushed my head so I could see several men gathering down there. This wall is very high. Even if I jumped, I couldn't do it without breaking my leg.
"Did you see that? They're ready to finish you if you dare to escape," he said threateningly.
After saying that, he let go of my hand with a strong push. I lost my balance and fell into a tumble.
"Ouch!" I winced as I held my sore elbow but didn't have time to lament the pain. I quickly got up and stayed alert. "How could I be here? Did Meggie do this?" Amid my fear, I dared to ask.
Meggie was my boss. I worked for her to survive. She had a pretty bad attitude towards me. She was the only person I could think of who might have done this. Last night, I went to the bar after my fight with Meggie. I drank a little and went home, feeling a little dizzy. I swear, I slept on my bed, not this bed.
Ace rotated his eyeballs and then exhaled loudly.
"You ask too many questions, Little Wolf. You're my slave. You shouldn't be doing that." Ace turned to me. Silent for a moment while looking straight at me with a sly grin. "Your scent, I can smell it," he paused. "Virgin," he continued.
"I'm not a slave!" The words came out without my being able to control them. I didn't understand why he called me a slave. Even Meggie called me better.
"Yeah, slave. I bought you at a high price for that virginity." He pointed at me, at the underside of my belly button, for exactly. "So, from now on, you are my slave. And you need to remember this carefully! Every word I say is an order. Do you understand?" He said it firmly. His gaze showed that he didn't want to be contradicted.
My lips reflexively parted at his words. My virginity is not for sale. My virginity belongs to my mate, whom the Moon Goddess will somehow bring me together with. My pride cried out in rebellion. I could not let others trample over it, like stepping on dry leaves in the fall. No! I was not a tradeable item.
"Who sold me to you?" I tried to be brave, but my voice sounded shaky when I asked the question.
"Is it that important?" His expression was annoyed with me.
Unexpectedly, he walked up to me and gripped both my cheeks firmly, as if he were about to crush my jaw.
"Listen to me carefully, Little Wolf! It doesn't matter who sold you. From now on, you are my slave. You must serve me whenever I want you." He paused his words. I could hear his ragged breathing, full of emotion. A moment later, his lips curled into a smile with a million meanings. I felt even worse when he brought his face closer to mine. I turned away with my eyes closed until he whispered, "Coincidentally, I need someone to warm my bed on this freezing morning."
My goosebumps stood up. That whisper made me shudder in horror. In the next second, Ace's sturdy fingers pulled my face up to his, coming face to face with his sunken green eyes. Then, with no excuse, he kissed me roughly. Of course, I didn't stay still. He did have my arms, but not my legs. So, I used this opportunity to kick him in the stomach with all my strength.
"Argh!" Ace groaned and fell backwards. "Damn bitch!" he cursed while glaring at me.
He blinked, and his green eyes turned red. His hands were clenched tightly into fists with chattering teeth. I thought he was furious that I had dared to reject him.
"You!" He growled in a restrained voice. "You are my slave!" He shouted at me. His voice sounded thunderous, shaking the walls around us.
"Woe is me?" I cursed in a voice that only I could hear.
It all happened so quickly. I just blinked, and suddenly, I was already on the move. Ace moved with lightning speed and threw me onto the bed. He trapped me under his body and held both my hands beside my head.
"Don't test me, you fucking bitch!" he snapped above my face.
His booming voice made my body tiptoe. Spontaneously, I looked away while closing my eyes with a trembling body. That handsome face seemed so scary when it was overcome with anger.
"You must accept your punishment!" he hissed with emotion.
My eyes were wide open. I turned to him and stared at his face, grinning viciously at me. It was so scary. Then I screamed when his hands impudently tore off my clothes.
I rebelled, but I couldn't move much. He left me helpless and touched my body as he pleased. I tried to resist but could not match his strength. He mistreated me. My tears welled up when he finally took my virginity. And the moment came. He let out a stifled growl as the muscles in his body tightened. I could feel it. He was getting to his climax by ignoring my moans of pain. He broke my sweet dream with my future mate. Ace Cassilas was indeed the most despicable Alpha I had ever met. I hated him so much.
A while after that, he tried to kiss me. I turned away, unwilling to let him be satisfied after leaving such deep wounds on my body and soul. I heard him chuckle, and then he pulled his cock away from me. He rolled onto my side while I lay limp and helpless.
Slowly, I tilted my body, curling my back to him as I wept for my ruin. But he seemed unwilling to let me go. A moment later, I felt the warmth of his breath on my neck.
"I've always liked virgins, but I must admit that you impress me. You have a pretty face and a beautiful body-oh, and another thing. I like your scent," he said as he kissed my exposed shoulder.
Every word that came out of his mouth disgusted me. I moved my shoulders, avoiding his kiss. I closed my eyes and let my tears drip down. The pain I felt in my groin was nothing compared to the pain that tore through my soul. Ace had destroyed me. He had crushed me to the core of my soul.
I took a deep breath as I mustered up the courage. Tears won't bring back my virginity. So, I had to do something to make him regret taking my precious possessions and even curse what he had done to me.
I slowly moved my body, changing my sleeping position to supine, then turned to the man lying on my side while closing his eyes.
"How desperate are you that the Moon Goddess did not bring you to your mate, so you had to fuck a half-breed werewolf like me to satisfy your lust?" I said, confronting my cruel Alpha.
Ace quickly opened his eyes. He turned to me with a hardened jaw and a darkened glare. "You!"
It was no secret that Alpha Ace Cassilas had yet to find his mate. There was not a single female werewolf he claimed as a mate. He was Alpha without Luna. I assumed he'd been masking his loneliness by taking advantage of the slutty girls who adore him.
Someone once told me that Ace Cassilas considered half-breed werewolves to be the most despicable creatures who did not deserve to be part of our kind. And I took great satisfaction in seeing him so surprised by my confession, even if it was a lie. He was an Alpha. I was sure I had managed to hurt his pride.
Ace got up. He sat up and flanked my face with his fingers. His sunken green eyes glared at me, but I was no longer afraid. The hatred in my heart had killed that fear. I was prepared for all the risks, even if he would kill me.
"Say that again!" His voice hissed in front of my face. He was furious.
"How pathetic! You just took the virginity of a half-breed female werewolf, Alpha Ace," I emphasized earlier.
I saw his jaw tighten. His ragged breathing sounded full of anger.
He looked into both my eyes in turn as he said, "You will suffer more severe punishment for defiling my bed, bitch!"
I couldn't believe he would say such a thing. My mouth would have gaped if his sturdy fingers hadn't been firmly clasped around my face. But his reaction was enough to make me laugh inside. If I wasn't mistaken, the look in his eyes showed great disappointment. No! Not in me but in himself. He was the one who had dragged me to his bed. He must have felt cheated.
Ace tossed my face roughly and got off the bed. He put on all his clothes. He went to the door and left the room without saying anything, leaving me to laugh bitterly at the door that had swallowed him.
"If I had that power, I would have killed you," I muttered with hatred that choked my breath.
I couldn't stop the tears falling down my face. It was pathetic. I was the victim who also had to bear the punishment. However, I didn't think he was interested in fucking me anymore. It was sad, but at least it was better than me having to be a slave to his lust.
With my remaining strength, I tried to get up. My only clothes were torn. I had no choice but to wear them. My head turned away as I heard the bedroom door open. I thought it was Ace, but it wasn't. Two men entered the room, and they walked towards me. I squeezed the front of my torn shirt. Their gazes were just as horrifying as Ace's. They looked at me from head to toe as if they were stripping me naked.
"Such a good body," said one of them, who shook his head with his lips curled downward. "If you weren't a half-breed, we'd be fortunate to fuck you," he continued.
"Half-breed or not, I don't think I'd pass up such a delicious meal," the other said.
"You won't, Buddy. Alpha Ace will kick you out," the friend retorted.
I didn't utter a single word in reply to the insults. I remained silent as they laughed at me, whom they thought was a half-breed. I was grateful if they were disgusted with me, too. I'd rather receive physical punishment than have to serve their lust.
"Come on, bitch! I'll show you where your new room is," one of the men said.
He didn't give me a chance to speak. He grabbed my arm and led me out of the room.
My legs shuffled in their vast strides. The pain in my groin added to the agony I felt. He dragged me down corridor after corridor, room after room, until we finally arrived in front of a metal door with a large padlock hanging firmly on one side.
Another man opened the lock with a key. Then he pushed the metal door open and revealed another dark hallway. The place smelled terrible, as if it had never been cleaned. I gulped as they led me inside. As I entered the hallway, I felt my hair stand on end with its pungent stench.
"Are you scared?" the man holding my hand said mockingly. He seemed to realize my fear.
I discovered it was a prison when I saw the barred cells filled with prisoners. And he put me in one of the cells at the far end. He pushed me roughly, causing me to fall onto the cold, damp floor.
"This will be your room until Alpha Ace mercifully releases you," he said after locking the door.
They then left without looking back. I staggered backward until my back hit the wall behind me. I sat hugging my knees as I looked around. This place was so dirty. Even the warehouse behind Meggie's house was much better. This place gave me the creeps. My eyes caught patches of stains on the damp, mossy wall on my left side. It was not so obvious, but I guessed it was a dried blood stain. The atmosphere in this prison was becoming increasingly tense due to the moaning voices of the other prisoners, who sounded in great pain. But this was not the time to feel sorry because my fate was even more miserable.
I leaned my head against the wall while sighing. My eyes were closed, lamenting the lousy fate of my life. Today was supposed to be my happy eighteenth birthday. But I had to get a very painful gift. The bastard Ace Casillas took away my virginity.
"Why did you give me this miserable fate? I have lost my parents in a tragedy. Isn't that enough to make you happy? I hope you'll reunite me with my mate on my eighteenth birthday, but what? You give me this miserable fate. I need support to avenge my parents. Why did you set me up with that bastard Ace Cassilas instead? I kept my virginity for my mate. Why did you let him take it away from me? Isn't my suffering enough for you?" I protested disappointedly to the Moon Goddess.
I opened my eyes and took a deep breath. The Moon Goddess had been so cruel to me. Would she give me a fate even more offensive than this?
As I started to despair, I suddenly felt it. Something just happened. I touched my chest. My heart was pounding, and every second seemed to get stronger.
"He's here," I said, standing on my feet.
My eyeballs moved restlessly. I tried to control myself, but it was so hard. I felt him-my mate. He was here, not far from me. My whole body tingled as I smelled his scent growing more intense. He was coming for me.
"Is he coming to save me?"
I slowly turned around as I heard steps come closer. His scent was thicker, as it was binding my soul tighter. My eyes were glued to the dull wall outside the jail until I saw a man emerge. A man I never thought would be my mate, Ace Cassilas.
He stood before me, looking at me with some emotion. I could feel the anger, but I tried to remain calm. His sunken eyes glared at me. I didn't think for a second about looking away. I met that gaze squarely in both eyes. I wouldn't let him see the weakness in me.
"Such an unexpected fate, isn't it?" My sarcastic voice broke the tension-filled silence between us.
Ace shook his head while thinning his lips. I thought we felt the same way. I didn't expect this bastard to be my mate, either. The Moon Goddess seemed unsatisfied with all my suffering, so she chose a mate as bastardly as Ace Cassilas for me.
At first, I thought Ace would say something cruel or reject me. But I was wrong. Not a single word was uttered from his lips in response to my comment. Instead, he turned around and left without saying a word.
My legs went limp as soon as Ace was out of sight. Trembling, my body slumped slowly to the cold floor. My tears broke out, and I could not pretend to be as strong as I was when I faced Ace. I screamed, venting my anger and disappointment at this damn fate.
"Why are you doing this to me? What have I done to punish me with this cruel fate?" I cried out.
Anger rumbled inside my chest. Screaming was not enough to vent my emotions. So, I punched the wall beside me repeatedly, not caring about the wounds on my knuckles. I hated the Moon Goddess. I wanted her to take my life instead of going through all this. I roared until my tired body no longer had the strength to do so.
The pain in my knuckles pulled me from my subconscious. I squirmed and blinked my eyes. I fell asleep. I had no idea how long I'd been sleeping, so my body felt stiff and sore. My eyes fell on my knuckles while I looked for a comfortable sitting position. Although the wounds would soon heal on their own, I couldn't escape the pain.
I inhaled deeply. The tear tracks on my face had dried up. No matter how much I cried until my eyes were swollen, fate remained unchanged. This bond wouldn't disappear just like that.
The sound of metal clashing against metal snapped me out of my reverie. A man stood in front of my prison cell. A different man from the one who brought me here. His face looked kinder, but I wasn't sure if he was a good man.
"Get up!" he ordered as he unlocked the door.
I didn't know what he wanted, but I did it anyway. I got up while gripping my shirt.
He opened the door and moved his head as he said, "Follow me!"
Unlike the men before, he asked me to follow him without resisting my hand. He let me walk behind him as if he wasn't afraid I would run away.
"You're so lucky." He said it without turning to me. He didn't even stop his steps, but I was in no mood to respond. For me, there was no more luck. Only emptiness remained in my soul. Our steps stopped in front of a door. "You are the first prisoner who served the shortest period of confinement. And you're fortunate that Alpha Ace put you in this room instead," he said.
I looked around and saw no other doors along this corridor. All I could see was the wall dividing the room. There was no other way ahead. The only way I wanted to escape was to go backward.
He turned the doorknob and pushed it. "Come in!" he ordered then.
I didn't want to argue. I entered the room as he instructed and scanned the poorly lit room with my eyes. The light switched on only a short time after I walked in. He had switched it on. The room was small, but I found it quite tidy. The queen-size bed in the center of the room caught my attention. I could tell that the bed with premium cotton sheets was too luxurious for prison until I realized that prison wasn't just about the luxuries inside. Prisons are about the freedom that is restricted.
"Clean clothes are in that closet." He walked ahead of me while pointing to a wooden closet in the corner. "You can clean yourself up and change your clothes. Everything you need is provided here," he continued.
"Including my freedom?" I asked skeptically.
"Be nice, and Alpha Ace won't punish you any more severely." His words did not answer my question at all.
He left after telling me that the servants would deliver food twice daily. I turned around when I heard the sound of the door opening and closing again. I smiled sadly when the sound of the locked door was heard. A jail was a jail. They just locked me up in a different place.
After some time, I decided to check the closet. There were several pieces of clothing folded neatly inside. I took one and put it on the bed, then went to the bathroom to clean myself up.
The water poured out of the shower as I scrubbed my body until my skin turned red. I wanted to remove the traces Ace had left on my body. However, no matter how hard I tried, the kiss marks remained on the surface of my skin.
I stayed in the bathroom for quite a while. I started shivering from the cold. My fingernails were blue with wrinkled skin. I stepped out of the shower and grabbed the bathrobe hanging in the closet. I quickly wrapped my body before hypothermia killed me.
"Did you fall asleep in there?"
I was startled. The familiar voice greeted me as I came out of the bathroom. Ace stood by the window with an annoyed face.
"What do you want?" I said it flatly.
"I came to tell you something," he answered as he untangled his clasped hands and walked towards me. "Don't get overconfident and think I've forgiven you." He stopped about three steps away, looking at me with no expression. "I moved you here just so I wouldn't have to go to that rotten prison to give you a harsher punishment," he added in a cold tone.
I lifted my face and met our gazes in a straight line. I must admit that my heart was drumming quite fast. Meeting Ace's green eyes made my soul tremble. This damn mate bond forced me to work hard to hide my feelings from him.
"Do you think I care?" I said while staring at him coldly.
His eyelids widened with faintly swaying eyeballs. He seemed surprised, but I didn't care. I moved my feet to the bedside and grabbed a piece of clothing I had left.
"If that's all you have to say, you can leave!" I chased him away.
"Who dare you kick me out?" He was angry. Ace pulled my arm until my body twisted and crashed into his chest. We stared briefly, and I saw the faint doubt in his eyes. He blinked and gulped. I admit he had good self-control. He seemed calm as he said firmly, "I am the Alpha here. And you are not in the capacity to command me!"
While suppressing the pounding in my chest, I said, "I'm not commanding you around. Instead, I'm reminding you that an Alpha shouldn't get too close to a half-breed prisoner like me."
He blinked and then looked at his hand, gripping my arm. I thought he was going to throw me off, but instead, he grabbed my arm tighter and tighter until I winced in pain.
"Don't think you have the right to speak presumptuously to me! You may be my mate, but don't expect me to claim you!" He hissed with sharp eyes and a tightened jaw.
He admitted it. I thought he wouldn't admit to this fate, but I was wrong. I brushed his hand off my arm. I put a little distance between us, and this was it.
"Speaking of fate, I have something to tell you." I paused my words to find out that his green eyes moved faintly, but he did not interrupt me. I assumed he was waiting for me to continue. So, I took a deep breath as I looked into his eyes. "I, Victoria Russell, reject you, Alpha Ace Cassilas, as my mate," I said firmly.
Ace tightened his jaw. He glared at me with rapid breathing, then grabbed my wrist.
"Who the hell do you think you are, huh?" His snapping made my heart skip a beat. "I, Alpha Ace Cassilas, do not accept your rejection!" he insisted.
A while ago, Ace seemed surprised by my rejection. But now I was the one surprised by his decision. What did he want? Shouldn't he be happy with this rejection? We didn't need to be tied to each other anymore. But he made a decision that I didn't expect.
"Why?" I asked in a choked voice.
He looked at me sarcastically.
"You ask me why?" Ace squinted at me. The next second, he threw me onto the bed. I wasn't ready and couldn't resist as Ace locked me under his control. On the top of my body, he said, "If anyone should do the rejection, then that person should be me, not you!"
I turned my face away when Ace was about to kiss me, but he didn't stop. Ace kissed my neck and occasionally bit it. I resisted with all my might, but my body responded differently. This wasn't how I felt before. My body loved his every touch. I tried so hard, but my body craved his touch. Damn it! This mate bonding is overwhelming me with lust.
I thought this wasn't just happening to me. I could feel Ace's burning desire. I was sure he hadn't forgotten what I said about half-breeds. Ace wouldn't have lowered his pride by fucking me again if not for the Moon Goddess, who had bound our souls.
This was so embarrassing. I hated him, but he was also the one who had made me orgasm several times. My mouth even shamelessly let out sigh after sigh as Ace touched the sensitive spots on my body. I didn't even recognize myself. Ace made me so soar that I almost lost my mind.
For the umpteenth time, Ace brought me closer to orgasm. I bit my lip hard to hold back that embarrassing sigh. But it was getting harder and harder to control. Ace moved faster, and I couldn't hold back anymore. I gave up. The muscles all over my body tightened, and I sighed. At the same time, Ace growled as we climaxed simultaneously.
"You feel so good," he said with a grin.
I was so embarrassed. As soon as he pulled his dick out, I rolled over onto one side of him. I pulled up the blanket to cover my naked body. It turned out to be very difficult to resist fate. I, who was so eager to resist him, ended up embarrassed under his body.
A moment later, I felt the bed sway. The reflection in the mirror showed Ace getting off the bed and putting on his clothes. I didn't dare move at all, let alone turn to him. I thought I wouldn't dare show my face before him, either.
"I think I've changed my mind. Instead of rejecting our fate, I have a much better idea." Ace paused his words, and I remained quivering against him. "Listen to me carefully, Little Wolf! Half-breed or not, I already bought you at a high price. So, you will remain my slave. Whenever I want you, you must serve me. You got it?" he continued.
It was like thunder striking on a sunny day. The story about the half-breed didn't succeed in making Ace let me go. Before he left, he even came over to me. He stood beside the bed where I was lying with an arrogant smile.
"I know you like my touch. Next time, don't bite your lip! I want to hear you sigh my name, then I'll make you cum even more," he taunted, making me feel even more humiliated.