CHAPTER 1

Alexa's Point Of View

"Bring her out," a gruff voice instructed and the dangling of keys followed. The prison gates clanged together as they were opened by the guard. I struggled to open my eyes to see who approached me.?

"Get up, bitch!" My frail body was pulled up by the guard and I was dragged out roughly by my arm. I winced in pain as my body met with the rock-hard floor. I let out a dry cough as I breathed in fresh air for the first time in many days. For the past few days now, I've been breathing the stinky, suffocating air of the prison.?

I only managed to open my eyes halfway. I could only breathe shallowly with the little strength I had left in me. How long have I been locked in there? Three? Four days? Without food and water. All for spilling a drink on the alpha's mistress.?

"Alexa!" A male voice whispered fearfully. The male figure was blurry but I could tell who it was from his curly chestnut hair. "Roman," I whispered weakly.?

"Are you okay?"?

He came to me and picked me up gently. He carried me into his arms like I weighed nothing. He was looking around nervously, probably to see if anyone was watching. If they found him helping me, he could get into trouble. I couldn't keep my eyes open for long in his arms. I seeped into darkness as the dreadful memory appeared in my head.?

"Therefore, as the next in line as alpha of Raven Pack, I, Diaz Viceroy, sentence Drago Northwolf, and his family, to death."?

"No, mum! Dad! My father is innocent! He did not commit treason! Let him go!"?

"Someone get that traitor's daughter out of here! She is to become a slave for the pack and a bed warmer for the alpha when she's old enough!"?

"No! No! Let me go! Father! Father!"?

Before my eyes, the executioner let his knife down and my father's head rolled to my feet.?

"Father!"?

I snapped my eyes open, my chest rising and falling as I breathed heavily. I placed my palm on my chest as I tried to regulate my breath.?

"It's fine, Alexa. It's just a dream," I told myself repeatedly. I clasped my trembling hands together as I tried so hard to get the picture of my family being executed out of my head.?

It's been eleven years and it still haunts me to this day. I touched my forehead and realized there was a damp napkin on it. I brought it down and managed to sit up. I looked beside me and saw my best friend, Ivy.?

She must have nursed me all night. I looked out the window. The sun is rising. It's my birthday today. My twentieth birthday. The day I'm going to be given to that darned alpha as his bed warmer.?

I looked around. It's only a matter of time before the head maid comes in to wake us up - I mean, pour dirty saltwater on us.?

I tapped Ivy to wake her up. "Ivy, wake up, it's almost sunrise."?

She mumbled something and turned the other way. "wake up, it's morning." I tapped her harder. She groaned in annoyance and opened one of her eyes.?

"You're awake," she said sleepily. "How are you feeling?"

"Like death but it's better than yesterday."?

"Roman brought you back."?

I nodded. "I know."?

"Are you lowlifes still asleep?!"?

Like they were enchanted, the rest of the maids woke up at the sound of the head maid's voice. Anyone she found asleep would regret sleeping. We quickly made our beds and left the quarters for the first work of the day -? work on the rice field.

"Move move move!" The guard yelled angrily, lashing his whip at the nearest person to him. We were all in a single file. The guards guarded us on both sides of the line, whipping anyone who got on their nerves or slowed them down.?

"Get to work" The head guard instructed. We all dispersed to our various posts.

"Gosh, I hate working here," Ivy grumbled silently as we began to pick the weeds.?

"Shh, they might hear you," Someone cautioned. I turned and Roman's smiley face came to view. His pack was invaded by the vampires and he was taken as a slave at a young age but he still smiles every second. I wonder what makes him so happy. I forgot how to smile a long time ago.?

"Who cares?" Ivy snapped at him silently.?

"Some of them have super hearing ability, you know?" He whispered to Ivy. Ivy pursed her lips and hissed. "Forgot about that,"?

I diverted my gaze forward and saw one of the guards staring intensely at me. I returned his gaze with a glare.?

Blood-sucking monster!

"What are you chattering about?" The guard snapped.?

"Nothing," Ivy quickly said. The guard turned his gaze to me. These creatures don't intimidate me. I stared back at him with my chin held high.?

"Look down you wolfless bitch!" The guard spat but I didn't flinch. Nor did I look away. I had been referred to as that for as long as I could remember so it didn't mean anything again. It didn't phase me. I was no longer hurt by these kinds of words. They've told me over and over and over again.?

Wolfless.

Bitch.

Traitor's daughter.?

Slut.?

All sorts.?

I held his glare and the monster's frown deepened. I must have made him more annoyed, not that I cared.? He came over to me and pulled my hair roughly. He spat on my face before pushing me into the mud.?

"The likes of you don't deserve to live! You traitor!"?

I chuckled bitterly. I supported my legs with my hand and stood up.?

"Bastard!"? I spat at him disdainfully.?

"You bitch! Did you just swear at me? She just swore at me, right? Someone translate what she said!"?

"Um," Ivy quietly said, raising her hand. "She called you handsome," she said and I snorted.

"You lowlifes! How dare you! I will make sure I-"?

"Barnabas!"?

The guard flinched at the sound of that voice. He quickly turned and bowed to the owner of the voice.?

"S... sire,"?

The seven-foot-tall man took off his furry coat and gave it to the nearest guard to hold.?

"Master Raga is back. When did he return?" Ivy whispered to me.

Raga went to Barnabas and hit him on his bald head with his gloves. "I believe you have other things to supervise, Barnabas, so what are you doing here?"?

"B...but master, this slave, she-"?

"Stop whining and get to work. Now!"