Chapter 1 Excerpt
POV: JOSETTE
My body hangs in the darkness, arms yanked high above my head, shackled tight. The metal digs into my wrists, burning against raw skin. I try to shift, just once, but the chains rattle and hold fast. My feet barely graze the stone floor.
Everything aches.
The air is damp and cold, the scent of mildew thick in my nose. I don’t know where I am, or why. All I know is fear, sharp and rising in my chest like a scream I can’t release.
Footsteps echo through the corridor. Slow. Heavy. Measured.
I freeze, throat dry. Then I see him, Alpha Curtis. His silhouette fills the dungeon doorway, broad and towering. As he steps closer, a twisted grin curls across his face.
I open my mouth to speak, to beg, to ask but he raises one hand. A thick, calloused palm slams over my mouth, silencing me. The stench of sweat and blood clings to his skin. I choke on it, eyes wide.
And then, without a word, he draws a knife.
Long. Serrated. It catches the faint light of the torches, gleaming like something hungry.
“No—please—”
Before I can twist away, pain explodes in my stomach.
My breath catches.
I look down, gasping, horrified to see the hilt jutting from my gut. Blood, dark and thick, pours down my thighs, soaking the floor.
He laughs. It’s low. Cruel. Joyful.
I try to scream, but no sound comes. My knees give, my body limp in the chains. The world begins to spin, the darkness pressing in harder, tighter.
My last breath rattles out of me as his laughter echoes around the stone walls.
And then nothing.
My eyes snap open, yanking me from the grip of a strange, unsettling dream. Relief washes over me as I take in my surroundings, grateful to be back in reality.
I let out a slow, steadying breath and stumble out of bed, my bare feet cold against the worn wooden floor.
I reach under my bed, fingers closing around the red necklace my mother had given me when I was just a child.
For a moment, I hold it tightly, letting its familiar weight settle my nerves. Then, with a quiet breath, I tuck it back into its hiding place.
The bathroom light flickers as I enter, but I pay it no mind. I splash cold water on my face, my trembling hands lingering over the sink.
“Get a grip, Josette,” I whisper to my reflection, though my voice wavers.
My pale, tired face stares back, eyes hollow from restless nights. The faint fear that something might be lurking behind me tugs at the edge of my thoughts.
Turning quickly, I scan the room.
Nothing.
My paranoia eases, though not completely. With a sigh, I leave the bathroom, my nerves still prickling as I head toward the Alpha and Luna’s quarters to begin my daily chores.
It takes a while to get there, as the Alpha’s wing is on the far side of the estate, well away from where Omegas like me are housed.
A deliberate design, no doubt. He wouldn’t dare to live near the likes of us. Superiority practically oozes from every pore of his being.
It’s normal for Alphas to have an inflated ego, but this one. He takes it to a whole new level.
Just thinking about him makes my skin crawl. The way he treats me and the other Omegas is despicable. It’s cruel, calculated.
He thrives on power and control, and I’ve been on the receiving end of it more times than I care to admit.
The worst was when he chained me in the dungeons for a week.
I don’t even remember what I did to deserve it. Maybe I didn’t bow low enough. Maybe I spoke out of turn.
The details blur together, but the pain. That’s vivid.
The biting cold of the chains, the sharp crack of the whip on my back, and the searing agony that followed are all seared into my memory.
The scars remain across my back, though I’ve never been able to bring myself to look at them. I don’t need the reminder.
Some of the Omegas used to tease me, calling me ugly, disfigured, broken.
But most of them are gone now, mated off to other packs, living lives I can only dream of.
When I finally reach the Alpha’s wing, the sight of it never fails to strike me.
The grandeur is overwhelming, with polished staircases, opulent paintings, and luxurious carpets that look too soft to walk on.
Every room is enormous, with sprawling beds, gleaming vanities, and bathrooms larger than our entire quarters. It’s a constant reminder of the gap between us.
I don’t bother knocking before entering the Alpha and Luna’s quarters. They are never here at this time of day.
At least, they usually aren’t.
The moment I step inside, I freeze.
My stomach twists as Luna Suzanne storms out of her bedroom. Her icy gaze locks onto me, and an ominous growl rises from her throat.
My body stiffens with fear. I’ve seen her temper before and felt it too. The memories alone are enough to make me tremble.
She doesn’t even wait for me to stammer out an apology.
Her hand lashes out, striking my cheek with enough force to send me reeling. Pain blossoms instantly, and I bite back a gasp as my hand flies to my throbbing face.
“How dare you enter my chambers while I’m still here,” she snarls, her voice laced with authority that presses down on me like a heavyweight.
I stammer out an apology, but she cuts me off with a laugh that’s equal parts venom and mockery.
“The Omega without a wolf,” she sneers, her words slicing deeper than her slap. “What a disgrace.”
Her laughter fades as she sniffs the air, her expression darkening.
“I can smell her, though. Your wolf.”
She smirks, leaning closer.
“Too weak to come out, isn’t she?”
Her words burn, but I say nothing. I’ve learned the hard way talking back only makes things worse. With one last growl, she storms past me and disappears down the hallway.
I stand there for a moment, staring at the space where she had been.
My cheek throbs, but it’s nothing compared to the ache of anger and humiliation simmering inside me. Pushing it all down, I turn back to the room and get to work.
Dusting, scrubbing, vacuuming—it’s all mindless, repetitive, and exhausting. My anger festers as I clean, spilling over into sharp mutters.
“Why won’t you come out?” I hiss under my breath, directing my fury at the wolf buried deep inside me. “Why are you so weak?”
But as always, there’s no answer. No stirring. No sign she even exists. The disappointment feels heavier with every passing day.
Sighing, I shove the broom across the floor with more force than necessary and get back to work, cursing the wolf who refuses to come and the world that refuses to let me be free.
I pause mid-step, my spine prickling. Voices low, familiar, echo from the corridor. Alpha Curtis and his second-in-command, Sam.
I don’t need to see them to know it’s them. I’d recognize those footsteps, that tone, anywhere. They pass by without a word, but I feel their eyes on me. Heavy. Unblinking.
Later, I catch them watching me again, too long, too often. Neither speaks. They don’t need to. Their silence says enough.
The way Alpha Curtis stares makes my skin crawl, like he’s already stripped me bare in his mind.
Sam doesn’t even try to hide the way his lip curls, like he’s holding back a laugh, or something worse. Still, they keep their distance, this time. And I force myself to be grateful for that.
After work, I head to the kitchen, my stomach growling from the long day. As I step inside, a small smile graces my face when I spot Chrissy, the pack’s house boss, bustling around.
She’s my one bright spot in this suffocating place.
“Hey Chrissy,” I call out lightly, leaning against the counter. “What’s on the menu tonight?”
Chrissy barely spares me a glance as she rolls her eyes, though there’s no real malice behind it.
“Pasta bake. Same as every other Tuesday, Josette.”
I grin, trying to lighten her mood.
“Just checking you haven’t lost your memory. Or maybe I’m spotting some grey hairs?”
Pretending to pluck one from her hair, I dodge as she swats my hand away, a laugh bubbling out of her.
“You’re a pain, you know that?” she teases, shaking her head.
“It’s good you’ve still got some spark left in you. Not many of us do, living here.”
Her words make my grin falter. Chrissy, usually so vibrant, looks worn down. Her smile is forced, her movements sluggish.
“You okay?” I ask softly.
She nods as she quickly wipes down the bench. I eat quickly, barely tasting the food, then move to the sink to start the dishes.
“Leave it, Josette,” Chrissy says gently, touching my wrist. “I’ll do it. Go get some rest.”
Grateful, I nod and slip away, heading back to my room.
The second my head hits the pillow, I’m out cold. But it doesn’t last. Rough hands shake me awake, jolting me upright.
My heart lurches Alpha Curtis. I gasp. But it’s not him. It’s Chrissy. Her face is pale, eyes wide with panic.
“Chrissy? What—what’s wrong?” I manage, my voice hoarse with sleep.
She doesn’t answer. Just grabs my arm and yanks me from the bed.
“Get dressed. Pack something. You have to leave—now.”
“What? Why?” I ask, heart hammering.
Chrissy spins to face me, gripping my shoulders hard. Her voice shakes as she speaks.
“Alpha Curtis is going to kill you.”
The words punch the breath from my lungs. Before I can even respond, she’s already shoving clothes and a torch into a bag.
“No time to explain, Josette. We need to get you the hell out of here—right now!”
“You have to come with me,” I beg.
Chrissy’s expression softens, but she shakes her head firmly.
“If I leave, the pack bond will break, and they’ll know. You wouldn’t make it out alive.”
A tear slips down my cheek as she places a comforting hand on my shoulder.
“But you can help. Go to the Shadow Pack. Head north. Convince that crazy Alpha Kage to come here. Let him destroy this pack of monsters.”
I nod, swallowing hard as she hands me the backpack.
“Run, Josette,” she says. “And don’t look back.”
I reach under my bed and pull out the red necklace, slipping it into my pocket without a word. Then I turn and throw my arms around Chrissy, holding her tightly.
“Thank you,” I whisper, the words catching in my throat.
And then I slip out the door and into the night.
