Chapter 1

Evelyn

After the alpha king's pronouncement, I was dragged out of the arena and into one of the many rooms in the palace. Maids trooped in, all set to get me ready for the first night with the King. My body, already dirty from weeks of staying in the palace dungeon, was scrubbed clean, and my hair was washed and styled. It reminded me of the time when I was still a werewolf princess, and all my needs were attended to. That wouldn't be the case anymore, as I had been reduced to a slave. Tears stang my eyes but I blinked them back, willing myself to be strong.

Once they were satisfied with their care, they dressed me in a see-through dress that clung to my skin like a second skin, exposing all my curves. Finally, they draped a robe over me and applied several scents of fragrance oils to my body.

"All done. Take her to the alpha king!" the oldest of the group instructed, clapping her hands. The rest of the maids nodded and began to lead me out of the room. With my heart pounding inside my chest and dread crawling up my body, I followed them to the royal quarters where the king's chambers were located.

We reached the door, and one of the maids knocked. "She is ready, Alpha King," she announced, her voice loud and echoing in the hallways, filling me with dread.

"Let her in," came the deep voice of the king, and my heart skipped several beats. The maids gestured for me to come forward, not an ounce of pity on their faces, as they opened the huge gold doors and pushed me inside before slamming it behind me. I immediately turned to the doorknob, trying to push it open, but it wouldn't budge. Realizing my fate, I turned back to the king's chambers, my eyes seeking out my tormentor.

He was nowhere in sight, which made me even more terrified. Although his chambers were beautiful, they didn't favor my sense of exploration as I stood there and waited for my fate to befall me. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he stepped out of the shadows, and the aura in the room changed. I bit back a whimper, my wolf trembling inside me.

With cold, calculated yet measured steps, he began to approach, the air filled with his expensive cologne. He was tall and huge, carrying a dominating aura that would cause even the strongest alpha to cower in front of him. Still, I stood my ground, my legs trembling as I did so. He stood directly in front of me, tilting my face to look at him. Despite my anger and hatred for him, I couldn't help but feel the fear that filled me to the brim.

"You," he called out, his voice filled with venom. I let my gaze meet his eyes, and what I saw surprised me. Two pairs of different colored orbs stared back at me, all filled with loathing. "What are you supposed to address me as?" he asked, his head tilting to the side.

Trembling furiously, I stammered, "M-my king?" I said.

Smack. His hand made contact with my face, causing me to stumble and my ears to ring. Tears immediately filled my eyes, and I tasted the metallic tang of blood in my mouth.

"Don't you ever call me that!" he threatened me. "What are you supposed to address me as?" he yelled again, his voice thundering.

"My master," I finally croaked out, tears streaming down my face like rain.

"Do you know why you're here?" he asked me, and I gritted my teeth in anger.

"Yes, because you accused me of killing my sister when it was really your fault," I spat at him.

I expected him to hit me again, but he just chuckled, the sound sending chills down my spine. I didn't dare look at him, afraid of what I would see if I stared into his eyes.

"You still have the nerve to talk back to me after what you did?" he asked, laughing sardonically. His hand reached out, catching my breast and twisting the nipple, causing me to scream in pain. "I see, I have a lot of work to do before I finally break you," he growled.

"Please, let me go!" I begged, waves of pain coursing through my body. He only squeezed harder, causing a pained whimper to escape my lips and tears to flood my eyes.

"You will not talk back to me unless I allow you to speak," he said, squeezing even harder. "Do you understand?"

"Yes! Yes, I do. Please, just let me go," I pleaded, hoping for a moment of mercy. He released my nipple, and I resisted the urge to collapse in pain. Taking a step back, he watched me cry, his face filled with sick pleasure.

I snapped my head to look at him, my eyes burning with hatred. "I hate you so much. I wish you were dead," I seethed at him, watching as his eyes flickered in surprise. The anger in his eyes intensified, and he grabbed me by my hair, slamming me against the wall, effectively knocking the air out of my chest.

"You," he growled, glaring at me with hatred in his eyes as he pinned me to the wall, obstructing my airflow. "I'm going to enjoy breaking you." He gritted out.

"I'd like to see you try, Alpha," I spat at him, my voice filled with defiance.

He dropped me to the ground before lifting me up as if I weighed nothing, pinning me against his study table and spreading my legs apart. I struggled against him, but it was useless. He was much stronger than me. His weight pressed down on me, immobilizing me. Panic seized me when he leaned down to me, close to my ears.

"Oh, you'll see. And by the time I'm done with you, you'll beg for death," he growled against my ear, filling me with fear of what was to come.