Alison’s POV
Sitting at the edge of my cot, I hugged my knees close to my chest, exhaustion pressing down on every inch of me. The dim moonlight seeped through the cracks in the walls, casting shadows across my tiny room. Tonight had been chaotic. I’d served wine, cleared plates, and avoided the subtle stares of powerful Alphas and their Lunas. Yet, the one gaze I couldn’t escape, the one that had seared into me with an intensity I couldn’t shake was that of Alpha Xander.
Pulling my tattered blanket closer, I felt a thrill spark in my chest. A giddy smile crept onto my face as I whispered softly to my wolf, Maya, “Tomorrow, Maya. Tomorrow, we’ll be free. Just one more night of this hell hole.”
Maya stirred within me, her voice fierce and hopeful. “We’ve waited so long, Alison. Just a few more hours.”
But before I could get lost in the thought of freedom, my door flew open with a loud bang, slamming against the wall. I jumped to my feet, heart racing. Standing in the doorway, framed by the hall’s dim light, was Priya, Kendrick’s fiancee. Her lips curled into a smirk, her eyes glinting with something sharp and mocking.
Her heels clicked as she strode toward me, stopping just short. She looked me up and down, taking in my worn clothes, the fatigue lining my face. “Well, well,” Priya drawled, crossing her arms. “I didn’t know Alpha Xander’s tastes ran this… low.” Her words dripped with contempt, though I caught an undertone of jealousy.
“Alpha Xander?” I echoed, confusion making my voice waver.
Priya’s smirk deepened. “Don’t act innocent you little slut. We both know you put in effort to seduce him. He stared at you all night like you were some rare treasure.” She tossed a green dress onto my cot, the fabric lush and elegant, worlds apart from anything I’d ever worn.
“Dress up,” she ordered, her eyes cold. “Alpha Xander has requested your presence. And if you screw this up… let’s just say you won’t live to see tomorrow’s freedom.”
With one last disdainful glance, Priya turned and left, leaving me alone, my mind spinning.
“Why would Alpha Xander want me? A slave?” I murmured, staring at the dress. Even as I tried to push away the strange feeling, an image of Xander’s intense gaze flashed in my mind. I had felt… something, hadn’t I? A faint pull in my chest, a connection I couldn’t explain.
“Maya?” I whispered, clutching the dress. “Did you notice Alpha Xander… staring all night?”
My wolf’s voice filled my mind, both hesitant and resolute. “yes I did, that’s because He’s our mate, Alison.”
I froze, shock and disbelief surging through me. “What? That can’t be. We already had a mate, remember? Kendrick? He rejected us, How could we have another mate?”
Maya’s voice held a warmth I hadn’t felt in so long. “Sometimes the Moon Goddess grants us another chance and Xander is that second chance… he seems different. This could be it, Alison. We could finally be free but not as a rogue but as a mate to an Alpha .”
A shiver ran through me. Another Alpha as my mate? Clenching my fists, I remembered how Kendrick had discarded me like I was nothing. “And what if he rejects us too, Maya? He is an Alpha, just like Kendrick, surely he wouldn’t want anything to do with a lowly slave like myself!” My voice cracked, the fear raw and cutting.
Maya’s encouragement remained steady. “He wouldn’t request to see you if he didn’t want us, We can’t keep living in fear, Alison. Go to him. Take this chance, he is our mate.”
Swallowing my nerves, I took a deep breath and, driven by Maya’s faith, slipped into the fabulously crafted green dress. The fabric clung to my form, flowing in waves around me, making me feel… different, powerful. As I adjusted my hair, I whispered, “Here goes nothing.”
Leaving my room, I walked down the dim hallways toward the guest quarters, my heart pounding with every step. Just as I was about to turn the final corner, strong hands grabbed me, yanking me into the shadows. My back hit the wall, a hot breath ghosting over my cheek.
“Alison…” The voice was all too familiar. Kendrick’s eyes bore into mine, dark and predatory. Before I could react, his mouth crashed onto mine, harsh and possessive.
Anger surged through my soul, I struggled, my hands pushing against his chest, my heart pounding with disgust and anger. Why was he doing this? Tearing my face away, I gasped. “Let me go!” I managed to say, but his grip only tightened.
A fierce voice echoed down the corridor, cutting through the tension like a blade. “KENDRICK!”
Priya’s voice was laced with fury as she approached, her eyes zeroing in on me with accusation and disdain.
“You Seductive little snake, How dare you lay your venomous claws on my man?” she sneered, her hand flashing out before I could react. Pain exploded across my cheek as her slap landed, hard and unforgiving.
I stumbled, my vision blurring from the blow. Barely managing to keep my balance, I clutched my cheek, the sting sharp and burning. “I… I didn’t do anything,” I stammered, my voice trembling. “He… he kissed me.”
Priya’s laughter was bitter and filled with venom. “As if I’d believe that. I’ve seen the way you’ve looked at him all these years. Tonight of all nights, and you throw yourself at him? How very Pathetic.”
Before I could respond, Priya’s hand twisted in my hair, pulling my head back painfully. “after I’m done with you? You’ll learn to stay in your fucking place, you little… ”
A commanding voice broke through the hall, cold and powerful. “You will let go of my mate. This instance!!.”
The words hung in the air, echoing with authority. Priya’s hand dropped from my hair as she staggered back, her eyes wide with shock and fear. Kendrick went pale, his gaze flicking between me and the figure emerging from the shadows.
Alpha Xander stepped forward, his expression lethal, his jaw clenched with fury. His intense gaze shifted from Priya to Kendrick before it softened as it landed on me, lingering on the red palm mark spreading across my cheek.
He extended his hand, his voice gentle. “Come with me Ally.”
I hesitated, fear and uncertainty swirling inside me. But something in his eyes, a fierce protectiveness, a promise of safety, gave me the strength to reach out, my hand trembling as it slipped into his.
With Xander by my side, I felt Kendrick and Priya’s gazes on me as we walked away. A new resolve burned within me, sparked by the realization that Xander, my mate, was willing to protect me. The humiliation, the pain, they all began to fade as we moved through the halls, his presence grounding me.
When we reached his quarters, Xander led me inside. Once the door closed, he turned, his gaze softening as he studied my face with a tenderness that made my heart ache.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.
I nodded, biting my lip to keep from breaking down. “I… I didn’t expect this,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
Xander’s jaw tightened. “They had no right to treat you like that.”
Lowering my eyes, I felt doubt creep in. “I’m… I’m just a slave, Alpha. Why would you stand up for me?”
He lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. “You’re more than just a slave, Ally. You’re my mate. And I protect what’s mine.”
His words sent a thrill through me, the conviction in them settling something deep within my heart. Despite the chaos and uncertainty, one thing became clear, Xander would stand by me, even against his own.
The weight of that reality washed over me, filling me with a strength I hadn’t felt in so long. In Xander’s presence, I wasn’t just a servant. I was his, and for the first time in forever, I let myself hope.
The world may be brutal, but I wouldn’t face it alone. Not anymore.