Chapter 3 Defiance

The ride to Blood Moon Pack was treacherous, silent, and filled with tension for Alberto.

He hasn't muttered another word since the auction hall , nor had Fernando.

He was sitting next to Fernando on the carriage, still looking tattered and worn out.

Immediately after the auction, his new master, Fernando, had announced to Alberto that they were going to his pack..

That was all he needed to know.

Alberto’s stomach grumbled in the silence, he quickly clamped his hands over his stomach like it was going to stop the noise it was making.

When last had he eaten? Alberto honestly didn't remember.

The carriage stopped after what felt like hours.

Alberto needed no permission to alight the carriage.

If he thought the auction hall was beautiful, this was way more magnificent. There were lots of guards patrolling the ground as if threats were going to attack out of thin air.

He cast a nervous look at Fernando, who was staring at him a few feet away.

"What's going to happen now?" He wondered.

Would the ruthless Alpha accept him as his mate too and this was his happy ever after?

Alberto scoffed,

That was far-fetched even for him. The Alpha would never, not in million years. Easy things don't definitely come his way.

"Why?" Fernando asked coldly, "not to your regal taste?"

"What.... I.... No Alpha, this is a misunderstanding." Alberto blurted out quickly.

A man came out from the house to meet them.

"Alpha." The man greeted, eyeing Alberto, "Who is he?"

"I bought him from the black market. He's perfect for what we talked about, don't you think?"

The man glanced at Alberto once more, "You're right,"

Alberto felt dread crawl up his spine, he should have known he'd never have it easy, besides, what were they talking about? Perfect for what?

He was almost tempted to ask.

In fact, he almost asked, but something told him it would only make things worse for him.

Alberto glanced at Fernando, why wasn't he saying anything .

There was no way the Alpha hadn't heard him talk back at the auction.

"Alright then, you know what to do. He's in your care." Fernando told the man.

The man gestured to Alberto to follow him, going around the house instead of inside.

"Where are we going?" Alberto dared to ask, his own voice still sounding foreign to him and scratchy.

"I'm Darell, and I'm the Beta of this pack."

"Okay...." Alberto pressed, the introduction has nothing to do with where they were going or what he was perfect for.

"The Alpha has asked me to groom you."

"Groom me for what if I may ask?" Alberto pressed.

"You'll have to learn our ways, be initiated into the pack, and you'll do as you're commanded to, no question asked." Darell continued, ignoring Alberto consequences, "Make mistakes, and you won't live to regret it."

Alberto nodded, saying nothing. Perhaps, he should go back to being the dumb useless human.

Darell led Alberto to a shower stall the back, "Wash yourself and change into clean clothes. We'll start from there."

Alberto hesitated, casting a nervous look at Darell.

"Wash up. Now!" Darell said in a firmer tone, "And I expect nothing but obedience from you. You haveten minutes."

Alberto nodded softly and entered the stall.

A contented moan escaped his lips as he washed himself, scrubbing at his body like he could scrub away his scars and three years of being auctioned on the black market.

When he was done, Darell threw him clean clothes.

When he came out, Darell eyed him.

He looked too scrawny to be part of the transportation team.

Whilst being scrawny might take attention off him, he wouldn't be able to defend himself against rogue wolves and they would be a loss for the Alpha especially after hearing the amount Fernando spent on him at the auction house.

He can only trust Fernando’s decision in choosing a scrawny slave.

Darell led Alberto to the training field which was fortunately empty.

Alberto frowned, barely thirty minutes in, and he's about to go through rigorous training.

Wasn't that supposed to follow after maybe food and a few hours rest?

He couldn't get his muscles to work even if he wanted to.

"Run five laps around the field for warm up," Darell ordered.

Alberto gaped at the vast field. Running one lap would take him almost an hour from the looks of it, and Darell was asking him to run five?

Darell eyed him, "you have two hours. If you don't complete it, you'll triple whatever is left and do it the next day."

Alberto stood rooted to a spot, shouldn't he somehow have a say?

He doesn't know what he needed training or grooming for, no one was saying anything.

"Why are you still here?" Darell growled, "Shouldn't you be half across the field already?"

Alberto took a step and faltered, a blur flashing through his mind.

"One lap for every second you waste here!" Darell yell, feeling frustrated.

A typical slave should be eager to do anything and everything to please his master. It's not even a day and he can already tell he'd have problems grooming Alberto.

"Run faster!" Darell yelled when he noticed Alberto was barely past the starting point, "Put those scrawny legs of yours to good use!

Barely an hour into running, Alberto gave up and collapsed on the floor, his muscles screaming in protest.

"Stand the fuck up and get moving," Darell yelled

Alberto ignored him and only continued running when he notices Darell jogging towards him.

After running a lap, Darell ended the run and threw Alberto a sword, which he grasped clumsily.

"You're running nine laps tomorrow," Darell told him, "Don't make me remind you. Now watch me."

Darell explained with demonstrations, a few sword fight steps.

Alberto watched carefully, barely paying any attention, though. His mind was preoccupied with the blur image that crossed through his mind earlier.

"Now, spar with me," Darell ordered, "following those steps only."

Alberto indeed sparred with Darell but with a totally different method that only got Darell even more furious and frustrated.

"Weren't you listening to me?" Darell snapped.

"I was," Alberto rasped out, "I just improvised. Wanted to try things my way. I thought you'd like that."

Darell fixed Alberto a glare that had goosebumps rise on his skin.

"If. I. Wanted. You. To. Do. Things. Your. Way. I'll. Tell. You. Now, you listen to me, you obey my every word. I'll let this slide because it's your first day. You're dismissed."

Alberto groaned in relief,

"Where will I stay?" He asked Darell’s retreating figure.

Darell paused and turned back, "Tell any servant you see your name, they'll show you to your room. And one more thing, lad, you don't want to bring that attitude with me."

"Get ready tomorrow, you're following me on a mission.