Chapter 1

Zara's POV.

"Please, I implore you, let me go. Have mercy on me."

"Mercy? From this day forward, the concept of mercy will cease to exist in your vocabulary. You're about to enter a realm of suffering," he declared coldly.

"What do you mean by 'hell'?" Panic rose within me as his firm grip closed around my neck, tears streaming down my face. He propelled me towards the dungeon and cast me onto the stone floor with disdain.

"Hell is a realm of anguish, and it is precisely where I've brought you." Struggling to rise, I reached for his hand, pleading desperately. "I beg you, please understand—my father was falsely accused. He would never poison anyone, least of all your father, the Alpha." But my plea seemed to ignite his fury even further, and his boot met my side with a forceful kick.

"Silence! Your father murdered mine, cunningly poisoning him under the guise of treatment. He is a remorseless murderer, lusting after power. As the daughter of our pack's healer, you should know the sins of the father are visited upon the descendants—to the third, fourth, and fifth generation. Thus, you will endure suffering; you will yearn for death, but I shall not grant it." Dragging me from the ground, he flung me into the dungeon's shadows.

"You are indebted to me, and until that debt is repaid, you belong to me. You are no more than a slave, and you will dance at my command." He sneered, his gaze piercing as he turned to leave. "Welcome to your new hell."

"Please, I beg of you..." My voice trailed off in desperation. I longed to cling to his knees, to offer apologies for a sin unknown to me, but he vanished from sight, his guards thwarting any advance I attempted. The prison guards hauled me further into the dungeon, leaving me to watch helplessly as he departed in his car.

"Alpha Keith, please..."

My sobs echoed unanswered as he drove away without a backward glance. I am Zara Hansom, a 14-year-old girl caught in a nightmare. My father serves as the pack's healer, overseeing the medical care of the Alpha and his family amid our human façade. Unknown to most, we come from a lineage of wolves. With the alpha gravely ill, my father had been his steadfast caretaker. They owned a colossal jewelry enterprise among humans, standing as the wealthiest in the land.

The Alpha's son, known as the Punisher—a man of icy heart and ruthless disposition—upholds the belief that children bear the burdens of their forefathers' sins, extending through generations.

Now, my father stands accused, following the mysterious death of the Alpha under his care. His punishment envelops me too, though I am certain of his innocence. I am ignorant of my father's fate, yet here I am, confined to what he deems 'hell.'

From a world of enchantment to one of horror, I lay shivering on the frigid floor, my breaths shallow and weak.

After hours of tearful despair, exhaustion surrendered me to slumber.

"Hey, wake up! Did you think this was a holiday?" A guard yanked my hair, jerking me from sleep, pain flaring sharply.

With swollen eyes, I struggled to see, barely able to lift myself from weakness. Thoughts of escape teased my mind, yet they were futile against the towering walls.

The door swung open, revealing a formidable figure. "Eat this, and prepare yourself for labor," he commanded, watching me with an intimidating glare.

"Work?" Confusion furrowed my brow as I looked up at him.

"What else did you expect? You're enslaved now, stripped of your former status. Remember what that entails," he growled, his patience thinning.

I dared not speak another word, fearing further wrath, but my stomach recoiled at the meal before me—it was foreign and repellent.

"Excuse me, sir, I can't eat this kind of—"

He turned to leave, but my urgency compelled me to seize his legs. "Sir, I... I simply cannot consume this..." My words faltered under his simmering anger.

He kicked me away, his gaze fierce and full of menace. Fear consumed me as I held my breath, hoping not to provoke him further.

"In this place, you lack the privilege to choose. And as for your refusal, you shall starve today."

"But sir, if I don't eat, how can I—"

"Silence! Lower your gaze when I speak!" His hand struck my cheek, leaving me clutching my face in shock. "And remember, address me not as 'sir,' but as 'your hell,' for I will ensure your life here is torturous, just as Alpha Keith promised."

"Please... Please, I'm sorry," I stammered, my breathing erratic from the slap and subsequent kick to my face.

"Stupid brat," he spat out before storming out of the room. My eyes followed his departure, spilling tears in his wake.

Hot tears brimmed and trickled down to my chin as I surveyed the desolate, frigid cell. Keith's haunting declaration echoed in my mind: "Hell is a realm of suffering, and that suffering is now your destiny."

A shudder coursed through me at the memory, and I sniffed back my distress. Exhausted after only a single day, the dread of spending a lifetime here weighed heavily on me.

"Zara," called a gentle voice, and the door swung open. The woman who entered was beautiful and serene, the antithesis of the brute who had left. How did she come to know my name, and how did she wield control over that beast?

"Ma'am," I said, rising to bow respectfully.

"Wear this..." She tossed a set of clothes at me. Puzzled, I examined them, then her, with questioning eyes. "For the time being, you'll become a dancer, a stripper."

"A stripper," I echoed, the word tasting bitter on my tongue.

"Exactly. Your work will be to dance; the alpha has noted your talent. So prepare yourself."

"May I have a mask?" Her gaze lingered on me before she turned away. In desperation, I reached out, clasping her hand. "Please, just this favor. I won't ask for anything else."

"Fine," she consented, much to my surprise. Grateful, I followed her lead. Thus began my new reality: as a stripper, I danced for lecherous men, never growing accustomed or numb to the vile nature of my job. Two years had passed since Keith's absence, two years confined to this role, returning to my cell after each performance.

"Zara."

"Ma Rose," I acknowledged her, finally learning the name of the kind woman who had shown me some compassion.

"There's a client who has requested a private room dance."

"What?" I asked, anxiety creeping in.

"Don't worry, it's merely a dance in a private setting, nothing more. You'll wear your mask, and you'll be safe."

I sighed, feeling trapped. "The man admires your dancing, which is why he's specifically asked for you."

"Ma Rose, I'm uncomfortable with this..."

"Quiet now! Just do it, or you risk angering the boss."

"Do I even have a choice?" Resigned, I snatched up the skimpy attire I despised so deeply. At sixteen, I was appalled by the thought of how many men I had enticed with my forced dances.

"Cheer up, daughter. There's good news—behave today, and you might get to see your father afterward."

A smile flickered across my face, the prospect of seeing my father temporarily quelling my unease. Hastily, I dressed and approached the designated room.

"Enter, little kitten," summoned a voice from within. Repulsion washed over me at the sight of the man, corpulent and leering. Ignoring my revulsion, I knew I must endure this dance to earn my visit with my father. But as I moved to begin, he lunged, pushing me onto the bed.

"What are you doing, sir?" I demanded, fear lacing my words.

"Relax, I won't harm you—as long as you're compliant," he murmured with a false tenderness.

"I am not a prostitute," I protested.

"Just dance for me—that's what turns me on," he insisted.

"Get away from me," I shouted, struggling against his hold. "Help me!"

"Don't worry, I'll be gentle and reward you handsomely for this," he said, attempting to subdue me as I fought back with all my might.

"Help! Somebody help!" I screamed, but he only laughed, overpowering me as he tried to pin me to the bed.