The door slammed shut behind me, the final punctuation to my exile.

I stood there in the hallway, staring blankly at the cracked wooden floor beneath my feet. My cheek still throbbed from my father’s slap, and my fingers were sticky with blood from how tightly I’d clenched my fists.

But that pain—it was nothing compared to what I felt in my chest.

Betrayal. Loneliness. Rage so sharp it threatened to carve me from the inside out.

I swallowed the scream caught in my throat and walked stiffly to the tiny, cold room at the back of the house. It used to be the storage room—until my mother decided it was fitting for the disgrace of the family. Me.

I pushed the creaky door open and stood in the doorway, looking around at the pathetic excuse of a room I’d been reduced to. A thin mattress on the floor. A broken dresser missing one leg. A cracked mirror.

They’d stolen everything from me. My dignity. My birthright. My future.

But they hadn’t stolen me.

Not yet.

I grabbed the small cloth bag I kept beside the mattress. It had a few belongings—some clothes, an old book with the corners worn and curled.

I tucked it all inside, ignoring the way my fingers trembled. The clock on the wall ticked with every second closer to nightfall.

Tonight, I would be sent to the Alpha King's palace. With the other omegas. Like cattle to slaughter.

They all said he was cursed. Touched by death itself. That his bed was a graveyard of broken women.

But what choice did I have?

My chest rose and fell with deep, shaky breaths as I stood in front of the cracked mirror. My reflection stared back at me, pale and ghostlike. My eyes were rimmed red from crying in silence too many nights. My lips were chapped, and the bruise blooming on my cheek stood out like a scarlet brand.

And still, somewhere deep in that reflection, I saw something else—something they didn’t.

Fire.

I wiped the blood from my palm and pressed my fingers to the glass.

"You’ll survive,” I whispered to myself. “You’ll survive this, even if it kills you.”

****

The ride to the palace was in a rusted black van that smelled like wet dogs and old metal. There were six of us in total, all dressed in the same plain gray dress that clung awkwardly to our bodies. We were sacrifices.

I recognized a few of them from other packs. Some were shaking in fear. Others were trying to mask it behind false bravado. Me? I stayed silent.

I stared out the window, watching the trees blur past, the darkening sky swallowing the sun in slow, greedy bites. The closer we got to the palace, the colder the air felt.

They said the Alpha King's palace was carved into the side of the Black Mountains. That no sunlight ever touched it. That no laughter ever echoed within its walls. That it was cursed… like the man who ruled it.

I didn't know what to expect. All I knew was I wasn’t going there to die.

I was going there to live.

By the time we arrived, the moon was high and full, hanging like a silent witness in the starless sky. The palace loomed in front of us—black stone and jagged towers, its walls crawling with ivy that looked more like veins than plants.

I stepped out of the van, my breath catching in my throat.

The rumors hadn’t done it justice.

It looked like a fortress built by death itself.

Guards stood by the massive iron gates, dressed in complete black. Their eyes scanned us with disinterest as the van driver handed over some papers. A list, no doubt.

We were lined up, inspected like animals at market. One of the guards came down the line, his nose wrinkling as he looked us over.

He stopped in front of me.

“Name,” he barked.

“Emilia,” I replied, voice steady.

He raised a brow at me. “Daughter of?”

My jaw tightened. “Alpha Gregor of the Red Moon Pack.”

That made him pause. “Alpha’s daughter?”

“Not anymore,” I muttered.

He looked me over again, and I saw the flicker of something in his eyes—pity? Curiosity? It was gone as fast as it came.

“Move,” he ordered, pointing toward the gate.

We were herded in like sheep.

Inside, the palace was eerily quiet. The stone walls were cold to the touch, the corridors long and narrow. The air smelled of old ashes and something metallic—blood, maybe.

A woman in a tight black dress with sharp eyes and an even sharper tone greeted us in the main hall.

“You will remain silent unless spoken to. You will not speak of the King unless commanded. You will not look him in the eye.”

She paced in front of us like a predator.

“If you are called upon, you will go. Without protest. Without hesitation. If you scream… no one will come.”

Another girl to my left whimpered.

The woman’s eyes snapped to her. “Do not test the King’s mercy. There is none.”

She turned to us fully. “You will now be taken to your quarters. One of you will be summoned tonight.”

It became silent as she paced, looking at each one of us like she was deciding who will be suitable for slaughter tonight.

Her eyes finally settled on me.

I didn’t flinch.

Her lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile.

“Take her first.”

They all knew the consequences, yet they kept coming. Some as a sacrifice, others willingly.

But whether as a sacrifice or willingly, they all met the same fate.

Death.

My bed is a death sentence. A place where no woman has ever been strong enough to survive.

This was my curse. My demon.

I am a monster. The most powerful and feared Alpha King to ever exist.

Mercy is a word that died in my world a long time ago. Buried beneath the screams of women who thought they could cure me.

I have lived with this curse for as long as I can remember.

I have tried to tame this beast—to deprive it. But nothing. No woman has been able to survive or break my curse.

I get sent dozens of women from Alphas who are looking for favors from me. Hoping my cure will come from their pack.

Some virgins, thinking purity might be the cure. But it only makes my beast want to feast more. Only make it hungry for their innocence.

I’ve begged the Moon Goddess to take this affliction from me.

I’ve howled into the night, torn through forests, slaughtered rogues with my bare hands—anything to calm the fire that burns in my blood each time I touch a woman.

But the beast is never satisfied.

Not with flesh.

Not with blood.

Not even with death.

My wolf.

Or… what’s left of him.

He’s not like other wolves. He doesn’t respond to logic or loyalty. He doesn’t protect me. He consumes.

And I let him.

Because if I don’t… he’ll turn on me too.

I stand in front of the window staring out at the full moon that seems to be mocking me.

The sound of my chamber doors opening brought me out of my thoughts but I didn't turn.

“Your Majesty," my Beta's voice reached my ears.

“What is it?" I asked, still not turning to him.

“We've prepared the women for tonight," he said and I couldn't help but scoff.

Another corpse to the list.

Why were they all so stupid. When will they realize that none of them can help me?

“Send them in,” I said as I slowly turned to him. "We both know how this will end.”

He didn't respond because he knew this was a truth neither of us could deny.

He bowed in respect before disappearing out the door and I stood there waiting. My clothes were already taken off and all I had was a towel wrapped around my waist.

Minutes later he returned with a woman. Short brown hair, trembling like she had been summoned into the lion's den. And maybe she had.

Without another word, my Beta Lucien walked out, the door shutting behind him, the sound echoing throughout the room like a final drumbeat before execution.

The woman kept her head down.

Her heart beating so fast. Her fear thick in the air.

It was pathetic.

I stepped into the light and the woman's head looked up but quickly looked down like she just made the biggest mistake of her life.

Without wasting a second, I let the towel drop. A gasp followed.

And then the inevitable happened. The pleading, the screaming.

“Please! Please! I don't want to die…I can't…please!” The woman screamed and the sound was getting on my nerves, making the beast inside me roar in anger as I clenched my hands tightly.

"You were offered to me.” I spat and the woman fell on her knees, eyes filled with tears, shoulders shaking and she begged for her life.

“Please…please…I really don't want to die!” she continued screaming, continued begging.

My claws came out, and I was seconds away from tearing her apart.

“Lucien! Come take her out of my sight!" I growled and immediately, the door burst open and Lucien rushed in dragging the woman with him as she continued to scream and beg.

Until the door shut again, her screams still echoing outside the door.

I snatched the towel from the floor, wrapping it around my waist, my chest rising and falling in uncontrollable anger, my beast clawing inside me to be let loose.

I rested my head against the wall breathing hard when I heard the sound of the door opening.

“Lucien, that's enough…”

"I can help you my King,” a soft, seductive voice reached my ears and I quickly turned to be met with a green-eye girl with blonde hair.

She had that confident look in her eyes. But I've seen that look one too many times and I remember how it ended.

“I heard the other sore loser screaming, I'm not like her," she whispered as she let the robe covering her body fall to the ground and I couldn't help it. It stirred something inside me at seeing her completely naked.

My cock immediately hardened, my beast roaring in hunger.

Her breasts were just the right sizes, her stomach flat. Freshly shaved and the sight made my mouth water.

She took slow steps towards me, her hips swaying seductively as she stopped in front of me and then her hands rubbed my chest as she whispered.

“Let me show you what having a real woman feels like,” she whispered as her hand came to the towel but my hand stopped her.

"You're not afraid of dying?” I asked, my voice cold as I stared into her eyes that were filled with confidence and bravery.

It was either she was stupid or suicidal.

“No. I'm not going to die, I'm the woman who's going to stop this," she whispered as she kissed my chest and I groaned.

“Let me," he whispered before finally tugging at my towel and it fell off.

My body was on fire and it felt like the blood in my body all rushed straight to my cock.

She continued kissing my chest, her hand snaking down my body until she cupped my cock and then she froze as her eyes looked down.

“You're…you're so fucking big! How's that going to fit?!” She gasped as she quickly staggered back and before I could respond, her eyes rolled back and she passed out on the floor.

I growled, turning away from the woman because all I suddenly saw was red.

“Lucien!" My voice roared as the doors slammed open once again and Lucien rushed in.

“Your Majesty?”

"Let one more woman into my room again and she won't make it to my bed before she dies.”

My heart was beating so violently in my chest, my hands clenched tightly beside me, my palms clammy with sweat.

I told myself I was going to be strong, but my anxiety was getting the best of me.

You couldn't blame me. It felt like I was being taken for execution.

I followed quietly behind the mistress, eyes scanning the dark hallway like I expected something to jump out and attack or something.

The place was so damn quiet, it felt like even the walls were holding their breath—like even the air had suddenly stopped.

The sound of our footsteps echoed, making my heart beat even faster.

I was being led to the King's chamber, a place I might likely never return from. But I refuse to let that be my fate. I refuse to be one of the many women who won't make it out of his bed.

One way or the other I was going to make it out alive. I didn't have a plan. I didn't know what I was going to say or do for the King not to want to touch me.

But I had to figure out something. I couldn't die, I had a whole world ahead of me.

I had a lot of things to achieve and none of them would be possible if I die tonight.

I released a breath through my mouth to ease the anxiety curling deep inside me.

Rosella said he’d be too disgusted to touch me because of how ugly I looked. Of all the times I’ve been called ugly, this is the one time I hope it’s true. I hope the king looks at me and feels nothing but disgust—enough to send me away. And then maybe… maybe I’ll finally have a chance to escape this place.

I couldn't surrender to this fate. I couldn't surrender to death.

The mistress took another turn entering a different hallway and I followed.

There were several guards lined up, and I knew we were getting closer to the king’s room—closer to my fate.

The guards' faces were expressionless, looking so cold like they killed for fun and I bet they did.

We were still walking when I heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

A tall man with brown hair was walking towards us and if I thought the guards face looked cold his was another story entirely.

He looked like the only thing that made him smile was the beating of his enemy's heart in his hand.

But he was one of the most handsome men I'd ever seen. He was muscular, with arms that look like he'd break your neck without breaking a sweat. The way he walked was majestic, like even the ground was scared of him.

He screamed power and authority.

The mistress stopped and I did the same.

Does this mean she doesn't continue from here? Does this mean they'll take me from here to the Alpha King?

He stopped in front of us and the mistress bowed. I didn't need anyone to tell me I had to do the same.

“Beta Lucien," she greeted,

Oh, he must be the King's second in command. The man who is also rumored to be just as cold and merciless as the King.

The man didn't respond, his eyes just narrowed to me as he studied me like he was looking for something.

I clenched my hands tightly to avoid them from shaking, because of the intensity of his gaze.

“She came with the new set of omegas, I was just bringing her to the king's room." The mistress explained,

“There will be no need for that,"

Did I hear him correctly? Does this mean I won't be taken to the King? I blinked in confusion and I couldn't help myself when I looked up at him and our eyes met briefly and I quickly looked down.

We were warned not to make eye contact and I just broke that rule.

Will he kill me now?

“What do you mean, Beta Lucien?” The mistress asked in confusion.

“The King has commanded that he doesn't want to see any other woman in his room…” he paused and I could feel his gaze cut through me. "Or he might kill her before his bed does.”

Without another word, the man turned and walked away.

There was silence for a moment and I just stood there waiting for the mistress's order.

“Well, I must say you're lucky. But well, the inevitable will still happen." She said like she has done this a thousand times.

“Come with me," she commanded and I followed her back the same way we came.

Does this mean that I wouldn't see the King tonight?

The realization of what just happened finally dawned on me.

I was supposed to see the king tonight but then he said he didn't want to see any other woman tonight.

This could be a sign. This could mean that I could find a way to escape.

I don't know when they'd take me to see him again but I survived tonight.

The mistress stopped in front of a door and pushed it open and then she looked at me.

“This is the quarters you'll be staying with the others. You'll be told what to do until the day the King decides he wants to see another woman, then you'll be called.”

I nodded and then she gave me a look I didn't quite understand before walking away.

I took a deep breath before stepping into the room.

There were several women, I recognized some from my pack and others I didn't but I knew they were from other packs.

The room was big, there were several bunk beds. A nice bed to sleep till you wait for your turn to die. I thought to myself.

I quietly walked to an empty bed in the lower bunker and climbed on it.

My eyes found a girl in the corner of the room who was visibly shaking because we all knew what we were brought here for.

To die or heal the King's curse.

I backed away from everyone as I brought the blanket to my chin.

I just had to wait for everyone to fall asleep.

I didn't survive tonight to wait to be a sacrifice tomorrow.

I had to escape and I had to do it—

Tonight.