Candance’s POV

"Will he even make an effort to get in touch with me?" I pondered the locations of my friend as I sat on the frigid floor of the prison and made patterns in the sand with my fingers.

At this time, I've been in this location for at least a week. Because I stopped keeping track of the days, I had no idea how long we were there, but the longer we were there, the less comfort we were provided. We were no longer in possession of a mattress, blankets, or food that was supplied on a consistent basis.

Both Chloe and I were famished, and neither of us had ever before had such an intense want for food in our lives. I questioned whether this was his new method of torturing us because we were no longer given even the inadequate thin bread and soup that was served to the other prisoners.

When I turned to face Steven after hearing him say, "Hello, Candance," he had already moved to a position where he was standing relatively near to the bars of his cage. As he continued, he threw the water bottle in my direction and said, "Here you go." He made a reasonably accurate throw, and as is his wont, the ball landed relatively close to its target.

I whispered "Thank you very much" as I walked to pick it up, which was extremely kind of you.

I went back to Chloe's seat after getting the bottle out of the car. I crouched down next to her, and she turned her head to look at me.

She had reduced her caloric intake, which led to her weight loss. She took delivery of the bottle after I had already started drinking from it. Since we had stopped being given food, we had found ourselves falling into a routine. Chloe received the water that Steven had presented to us, which I then offered to her.

He had been a big asset. At first, I didn't take a liking to him because he seemed to be constantly interested in my connection to the King, and I didn't put much stock in the fact that he was a rogue. Despite this, I became accustomed to him, and due to the proximity of our cells to one another, he was the only one I could communicate with.

Even though I have some reservations about him due to the fact that he is a male, there are bars between us and some distance between us, which means that he is unable to harm me.

I watched as Chloe emptied the full bottle of water into the sink, after which she put it to the side. While looking at me, she wiped her lips with the palm of her hand.

She questioned me while staring at me with a worried expression on her face, "Where do you stand, mother? You never fail to provide me with everything."

I gave her a sorrowful grin and reassured her, "Don't worry baby, I will be okay. I just want to make sure that you do not become terribly hungry."

Do you think we're going to be all right, fluffy? She gave it a friendly smile and nodded at me before gazing down at Fluffy and telling me, "Fluffy says it's going to be okay, mama."

I just nodded at her and went back to where I was sitting since I was unable to tell her that the thing couldn't talk or that if we continued acting in this manner, it was inevitable that we would die here in this location.

When I turned back to gaze at Steven, she was questioning me once again, "What are you thinking about?"

I let out a sigh. "Nothing." I then questioned him, shifting the conversation's focus. I didn't want him to grill me with questions or to make an effort to listen in on what I was thinking.

He remarked, "A lot of extremely terrifying things."

What is it like?

Child, there are some things you do not want to know.

"Don't call me a kid!" I yelled at him, and he chuckled and said, "You are just a bit older than me."

In his defense, "You are not aware of it.

So, how old are you currently, exactly?

When he said, "About 400 years old," I let out an audible gasp of amazement. Although he gave off the impression of being quite youthful, there is no way that he could be so old.

I dared him, telling him, "You never tell the truth; are you some kind of vampire?" It made me laugh.

Actually, part werewolf and half vampire, he continued as I gaped in shock because I had never before come across a hybrid. I was shocked because I had never before come across a hybrid.

I nodded in agreement as he laughed and asked, "Shocked?!"

As I questioned him once more, "So, what are you in for?" he whimpered and then threw a low gaze at me.

"I don't want to talk about it, but I am here because someone dislikes me," he said with a wry smile.

Oh. "Who is your partner? Is she not concerned at all?" I said while wringing my hands and twiddling my fingers.

He said it in a hushed tone, "She has been gone for a hundred years now."

I was at a loss for words other than "I'm sorry" to offer him so I told him that.

He heaved a breath of relief and said to himself, "At least I got a taste of what it felt like to love someone." She was the most amazing person he had ever encountered.

I couldn't think of what to say to him so I just grinned at him and contemplated whether or not I would ever know what it was like to love or be loved. When I looked over at Chloe, I saw that she was fast asleep. The gnawing sensations of hunger drew me back to the here and now.

This time it was Steven who questioned me, and she wanted to know, "What are you in for?" His tone was scornful as he asked, "What on earth could you have possibly done to be held captive with your child?"

I was hesitant to continue because I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted him to know the truth. Did I have sufficient faith in him to tell him the truth? Were there any secrets that I could reveal to him? I'm here because someone else despises me.

He was amused, "You are deceiving people. You are his mate, aren't you?"

How was he able to tell? When I listened to his comments, my heart skipped a beat, and I noticed that my breathing became more rapid. I lied to him and said, "I'm merely here because someone dislikes me," even though I had never told him that I was not his mate. I explained my deception by saying that I was simply here because someone dislikes me.

You are lying, and since I was bothered by the fact that he was aware of it, I told him, "I am not Steven." How many more people are aware of this? I worried to myself, what if he believes I told everyone and comes down here to kill me because he thinks I told everyone else?

Why do I hear him approaching when other warriors on guard are shouting, "Your highness, she's in the last cell?" if you are not his mate?

Shit! I'm in deep trouble! Together with the loud beating of feet, his words could be heard, and when his perfume drifted into my nostrils, I felt a rush of pleasure that was rapidly overtaken by horror.

Gosh! Dahlia, do you have any idea what he's going to do? We are about to have our first encounter with him, and I have no idea what to expect from it. My words were overheard by Dahlia.

"I'm scared too, Candance," said a voice that sounded extremely worn out from the lack of food and the presence of wolfsbane and silver in our system, both of which were making her weaker over time.

Steven smirked as he retreated into the shadows of the cell and said, "Don't lie to me, he's really close now; I saw your face when you spotted him."

I instantly jumped to my feet out of dread, raced to Chloe's cell, and laid down next to her while pretending to be asleep. As his footsteps got closer and closer, I could hear them becoming closer and closer.

I could smell him more strongly now that he was in front of my cell, and I could hear his steps stopping now that he was in front of my cell.

Wow, Dahlia whispered under her breath, he has a wonderful aroma.

I just lied there, rolling my eyes at her the whole time. If only he had an angelic demeanor to match his behavior, then I would have to concede that she was correct in her assessment that he did smell like heaven.

"I know you aren't asleep," he said in a booming voice that was so deep and pleasant to listen to. I was about to purr along with Dahlia when he yelled, "Come forward," but I held my ground instead.

He sputtered and growled, "I said come forward!" I immediately got to my feet, lowered my head, and started walking toward him. I was too terrified to look up, so I kept my attention focused on the impeccable shoes he was wearing. I could tell he had incredibly big feet just by looking at the size of his shoes because they were so big.

He retorted in a tone that was just as authoritative as Alpha Thomas's, "Look at me. Don't make me elaborate on what I just said." I recoiled in fright and took a few steps backwards.

He growled before yanking his hand away as if he had just come into contact with filth, and he said, "Now, fucking look at me!" as he reached his hand between the bars of the cell and grabbed me, drawing me closer to him. "Now, fucking look at me!" Sparks shot up my arm, and I know that he felt them as well since he told me so.

When I turned to face him, I observed that he was extremely tall; in fact, he was taller than the majority of men I had ever been across. If being gorgeous were a crime, he would be hung from the gallows for sure. I'd never met someone like this before. He had a beautiful formed face, a tanned skin, well-arched brows, deep black eyes that were the same as when we first saw him, a pointed nose, and well-shaped lips that were a light shade of pink. All of these features contributed to his overall attractive appearance. I was curious by his grin and saw that he had a touch of stubble on his face.

I should not have reached out my hand to him in an attempt to touch him and experience what he was going through because that was a really stupid mistake on my part.

I retreated while sobbing and he gave me an angry look before yelling, "Keep your fucking hands to yourself!"

After mustering up the courage to inquire "Why?", I said "We are mates."

"We are unable to."

Not even this time, I muttered under my breath.

He approached the cage and asked, "Explain to me what you mean when you say not again."

I probed, but then changed the subject since I didn't want to confess that I had been with someone else in the past.

Because you are an omega, a rogue, miserable, and probably a whore as well since I have no idea how in the hell you got that kid in addition to having that kid, because I have no idea how the hell you got that kid.

In reaction to his insulting allegations, I yelled out while my voice shook, "I am not a whore."

He asked, "What is your name?" (What is your name?)

"Candance."

"Your name in its entirety, Candance" — Candance Mitchell

He let out a humming sound and then said, "Excellent, I'm going to reject you."

My chest started to hurt quite severely when he whispered something. I wanted to plead with him not to, and I wanted to assure him that I would do all in my power to stop him from turning his back on me.

Because I am the Alpha King, I do not require a mate such as yourself. And you are going to take the news of my rejection in stride and move on without me; there is no way that we can be together.

He told me to "Stop your crying, it is fucking aggravating!" and I started crying even more as the words came out of his mouth.

Do you understand that, mutt? After receiving the negative feedback, you are going to leave and never come back to my sphere of influence again.

As I watched him carry out the task that I dreaded the most, I gave him a slight nod of approval.

When asked to introduce himself, Oakley Ortiz said, "I, Oakley Ortiz, deny you Candance Mitchell. The Alpha King of the Werewolf Society, the most powerful individual in the pack after the Wolf's Council, and the Alpha of the Black Fang pack are all titles that belong to this individual..."

He was unable to finish his sentence because the room was suddenly flooded with brilliant white light and there was a jarring gust of wind that pushed me back against the wall. Both of these events prevented him from finishing his sentence.

Candance’s POV

As I was struck into the wall, I moaned in agony as the pain tore through my back and I thought I felt my lumbar bones break. The light had started to wane a little, so I tried to open my eyes and look. Chloe was still curled up in deep slumber when I turned to look to my side, which made me wonder how she managed to sleep through all the ruckus.

Oakley's question caused me to turn away from Chloe and look at him. He asked again, this time indicating that he had fallen himself. I noticed concern flash in his eyes as he stood up, indicating that he had also fallen.

I was too shocked to respond since I never imagined that he would be genuinely interested in how I felt. His voice and eyes instantly lost their worry, and he and I both turned our heads away from me in the direction of the light source.

A hole suddenly appeared in the center of what appeared to be all the streams and streaks of light that had previously faded away, and a woman abruptly emerged. This wind was kind this time, and it really caressed my hair as it swept past it.

I felt awkward and humiliated the moment I set eyes on her. I was aware that since I would never resemble her, no one would ever want me.

I had never seen a woman more lovely than she was. She had waist-length, beautiful, and lush brown hair. Her skin practically gleamed, with a tone of caramel. She had an oval-shaped face with the most adorable yet seductive features, and her faint red eyes let me know she was a witch. She was dressed in an extremely thin gown that hugged all of her curves. She had an enormous bust, a tiny waist, and full, flared hips, unlike me who was sickly thin.

She was really stunning, and when I glanced down at myself, I started crying because I knew I would never ever look like her. She had a really gorgeous shape although I had a more than slender frame with bones protruding out, and her skin shone in contrast to mine which was bloody and covered in marks.

I sighed when I overheard my partner ask, "What are you doing here, Eartha?" Even her name is lovely, like she is.

She pouted as her feet reached the earth, even her voice was beautiful, "Why do you sound like you are not delighted to see me? Don't you miss me love?"

love? What the hell is she talking about? Let me out, Dahlia hissed in my brain, or I'll rip her throat!

It's not like he wants us, Dahlia, I told her to calm down; I don't understand your agitation.

I naturally understood why she was upset. She had literally just referred to my partner as her "love," and I felt jealous of their relationship as well.

He sighed and asked, "Eartha, what do you want?"

She smirked as she walked closer to my cell, "I came to see for myself, Where is she?" she said. "A little birdie informed me you have found your mate."

With a bored expression on his face, Oakley asked her, "How did you discover me? And how are all this any of your concern?"

She put a lot of emphasis on the last part of her sentence and I was devastated beyond belief as I questioned if he was sleeping with her. "I found you how I have always found you my darling, I am no witch for a reason moreover all of these concerns me after all I wouldn't want anybody coming close to my man."

Oakley laughed.

Her eyes caught mine as she drew nearer to the cell and stood next to my companion, saying, "She looks dreadful." as she got closer to the cell.

She was right; I would look terrible. I hung my head in shame at her remarks and fiddled with my tattered clothing.

She remarked aloud, "The Alpha King's Mate in a cell. How fantastic!"

He frowned at her, "Can you get your voice down! Bring your yelling down!"

She winked at him and said, "Oh, do not worry. Everyone is asleep as per my powers. Nobody will know that you had your miserable companion put up in a cell."

I observed my Mate exhale with relief, and I couldn't blame him—if I were him, I wouldn't even want me. I was cursed and pitiful, and I had scars and inscriptions all over my body. Not at all attractive, too thin, and completely useless.

He rolled his eyes and asked, "What precisely do you want Eartha?"

She smirked at him and stepped dangerously close to him, "I came to make a proposition, and you must agree to it!"

And what is that notion, exactly?

She put a hand on his chest, gently caressing it, "You know how mad I am for you, and I would do anything to have you, whether through seduction, my charms, or witchery."

Hearing her remarks and observing how she was all over my partner while he made no attempt to push her away caused a stinging tingling in my heart.

He raised an eyebrow at her as he peered down at her and asked, "And if do not agree to this arrangement of yours, what will happen?"

She glared directly at me and spat, "I will hurt that dumb looking mate of yours! I will give her such misery she would wish she was dead!"

He informed her, "Whatever you do to her is none of my concern. I do not care what you do with her."

I was unsure of how to feel in light of the fact that my friend couldn't care less about me. I sniffed as I once more felt tears streaming down my cheeks.

She chuckled as she heard my sobs: "This would be easier than I imagined. Oh hear her crying at your evident hatred for her."

My mate said her, "I have a lot of things to do than strike a bargain over someone I could care less about. You should leave now lady."

She added, maintaining eye contact with me and smearing kisses over his jaw line, "You are mine Oakley. I will have you be it by hook or crook.

While I sat there sobbing and wondered why he never bothered to push her away, Dahlia howled in agony and resentment.

She kissed his neck, "You know you want to, Oakley, so come with me."

He made a low growl.

She said in a low voice that I could hear, "I'll make you feel fantastic, just like old times.

"Fine," he muttered.

Before I could blink, they were gone with no sign of them and it was as if they had never been there before. She grinned at him before turning to smirk and stare at me.

I cried out again on the floor, humming a depressing song in my brain as I relived everything that had just transpired because I was unable to control my sobs.

My resistance had broken that evening, and Steven had thrown a piece of bread in our direction, saying, "I wouldn't want you dying on me." It had fallen to the ground as normal, and I had picked it up, wiped the sand off of it, and given it to Chloe, who had been without food for days, and she had happily accepted it.

I was watching my daughter sleep as I sat against the wall. When my stomach began to complain, I realized that I hadn't eaten in days and began to wonder how I was still alive. Perhaps it was because I was accustomed to hunger by this point.

Dahlia was deteriorating rapidly, and I was on the verge of losing contact with her.

I turned my attention back to Chloe and noticed how she was curled up, her tiny hands encircling her knees to show that she was cold. I got to my feet and did what was on my mind as I walked to her. I went back to my sitting position in my underwear and bra, trembling as the cold air touched my skin, and pulled off my dress to spread it on her for warmth.

I heard Steven say, accompanied by footsteps that suggested he was moving towards the cell bars, "You are somewhat quiet today.

I chattered, "Nothing," "Why aren't you asleep yet?" I didn't want him to press me for additional information.

He screamed out in a startled tone, "Good Lord Candance! What the fuck happened to your body?

I jerked back, horrified that he had noticed me, "How did you even see me?" I yelled, "Stop looking at me."

He claimed, "I used Night vision, we have that. Now, who the hell did that?" He explained, "I am a hybrid Candance."

I groaned, "Go to bed. I don't want to talk about it."

He questioned, "Why are you sadder than usual? Is it your mate?"

I sobbed, "No one wants me, Steven! I am cursed, weak, ugly, and pathetic. No one even likes me!" I looked down, knowing I had to speak up before he tried to figure me out any further.

He told me, "I like you a lot, Candance, that's not true."

Lies! I answered, not knowing how to reply to his comment, "I should go to bed now," chanting "thank you" in my brain.

He said "Good night" after me, but I didn't bother to reply. I joined Chloe on the ground, wrapping my hands tightly over me as though it would keep me warm, and just moved over to where she was.

I came to the conclusion that I had to leave this place as I laid there contemplating all that had transpired with my mate and the witch. I hoped that I could begin formulating my escape strategy. My visions of a phony happy existence with a partner who genuinely wanted me swept me into the lovely grips of sleep.

Candance’s POV

Candance’s POV

I looked at the woman gazing at me as if she wished I had never existed, and I recognized her from the day I was seized because of the brown tint of her eyes.

She was also lovely. I pondered whether everyone else in the area was more beautiful than me in light of her long, black hair and stunning facial features.

She growled at the two guards behind her, "Get the mutt out!

But his royal Highness remarked," she interrupted one of the two guards as he started to speak by slapping him in the face.

She screamed at him, "You do not want to test me! How dare you disrespect your beta!"

He murmured, lowering his head in submission, "Sorry.”

I'm running out of patience, so get her out now!

At her remarks, they sprang into action right away and unlocked the jail door.

They pushed the bars away, burst inside, grabbed me by my arms, and lifted me to safety. Despite my efforts, they wouldn't let go of me.

Dahlia screamed from her seat, "Where are you taking my mummy? I was aware that she was resisting the temptation to stand and follow because she didn't want to take another kick.

She moaned and backed up against the wall as one of the warriors shouted at her, "Shut up kid! Stay still!"

Before they hauled me out and started to bring me away from the cells with the Beta trailing behind us, I gave her a dejected look. As soon as we entered a room, the door sprang open, and I was shoved inside. While the two soldiers who carried me stood outside and locked the door, the lady entered.

I got up and scanned the space. Upon realizing that I was in a torture room that appeared to be far worse than the one at Alpha Thomas's pack, I immediately began to experience hyperventilation.

The woman walked over to me after giving me a smirk as I watched her. She knelt down next to me on the floor and fixed her gaze on mine.

I averted my gaze.

She barked at me, "Tell me who the fuck you are," and said, "Who are you?"

I stutter in terror, "I'm Candance Mitchell," and back away from her.

She chuckled, "The Alpha King's mate is a filthy weakling. So sad."

She kept a lethal grip on my jawline and I could feel her claws piercing my skin. "Don't hurt me, please," I begged, only to get my face violently pulled up.

I groaned.

What gives you the idea that you can come here and pretend to be his mate, huh?!

She gave me a scathing look as she asked, "And why does he believe you? Do you employ magic? Did you apply a seductive mystic aroma to confuse his senses? "

I shook my head and replied, "No." She then struck me, sending me tumbling into the wall while I moaned in agony.

She smiled as she yelled at me, "Fucking liar! What even made you think he would choose you over me!"

He would choose her or the witch, of course; I am nothing in comparison to them. She wants him too. Tears streamed down my face.

She walked over to a table in the room and said, "Yes bitch! Cry! Have you seen yourself before? You are ugly and pathetic. You are marked all over your body, you even have a child you whore and you fucking stink! Despite all that, you got the guts to walk into the Alpha King's domain and lie that you are his mate.26"

I sobbed as she returned to me carrying a syringe, saying, "I'm not lying.”

She kicked me, then stuck the needle in my thigh, saying, "Don't talk back at me, you fucking moron!" She laughed wickedly as she snatched up a whip with silver spikes embedded in it that glinted. "You think you can simply walk down here and take him from me?" I cried as I welcomed the flowing liquid of wolfsbane mixed with silver, even though I was used to it, it still hurt like hell.

I took a big gulp.

She shrieked, "No one takes what's mine!" and slammed the whip down on my back. "I will do with you as I please while he's away," she said, bringing the whip down again on my head. "I could even set you up for trial to appear before the wolf' council and boy will they be angry that some rotten omega rogue fucking lied to be the king's mate!" I cried as it landed on my still-unhealed wounds.

She said, which made me more terrified, "You will be fucking hanged and that blasted pup of yours exiled!" She added, "And when I of course establish that you are guilty, you won't be banished."

I begged her, "Please don't do this, I will do anything," but she continued to bring the whip down as I terrified what would happen to Dahlia if I were to be killed. I didn't want my child to experience suffering.

She growled at me, "I just want you gone for good and I will make sure that you are gone before he returns. I don't want you to do anything mutt!"

I wished not to leave this earth. I used self defense because I didn't want to let Dahlia suffer alone. She fell as a result of my impulsive reach out and grip of her leg. I attempted to stand up and sprint for the door, but I was unable to do so since the medication she had given me made me weaker.

She roared, "How could you?!" and her eyes burned with rage. I gasped as she stomped toward me. She jumped on me, her teeth and claws extended, tearing at my skin and clothing. I screamed in anguish, silently calling for aid, but no one responded.

She stood up from me and shouted, "I will teach you manners," adding, "You begged for it!" She then slammed the door shut and left me there in a bleeding mess.

One of the Guards who had taken me out arrived as soon as the door opened. He shut the door and licked his lips while glancing over my bloodied body with hunger in his eyes.

He smirked approaching towards me and I groaned knowing what was coming, "If you would be a good slut, I could make you like it. I should thank the Beta for giving me this opportunity."

Now when he was close to me, he ordered, "Get on your knees, I don't care if you are weak; just do what I say."

I uttered "No!" and was met with a blow as a result.

He pushed me down to my knees and snarled, "You want this the hard way right?!"

He smiled as he fiddled with his belt while looking down at me. Knowing that there was nothing I could do to protect myself at this point, I had no choice but to treat him with the same respect I did Alpha Thomas and the other male pack members.

Do you intend to conduct yourself well?

I saw his belt and then his pants come off and nodded through tearful eyes. He used one hand to encircle my unruly hair and the other to undo his boxers.

When the door suddenly gave way and shattered into a million pieces, he was going to continue. The guard fled from me in fear, and I was drawn in by my mate's pleasant, familiar aroma. He appeared even larger than the previous time I saw him standing there in wolf form.

He growled at the warrior who was trembling in fear and trying to put on his clothes, "How dare you!"

Alpha...I...it was, he stumbled, unable to form a whole thought. I battled to keep my eyes open while feeling as though I was losing myself and my ability to fully comprehend what was happening.

As he approached the guard, he muttered, "Nothing to say for yourself."

"I…"

He yelled, "Shut your fucking mouth!" and then rushed on him, knocking him to the ground. Before I had time to understand what had happened, I saw a head fly across the room and land close to me.

I yelled in terror as I felt shocked. I was gazing at his head, which was in front of me and was the most horrifying thing I had ever seen.

When I heard a snarl, I turned to see my partner, who had blood all over his face and was showing his canines.

He leaped towards my general direction, there was imminent anger in his growls and snarls while the severed head and the headless body gushed out blood that was turning into a pool on the ground, and that was the last thing I could recall before everything vanished in front of my eyes. Like a light that finally had been used up too much, I blacked out.