1 Chapter 1: Serene.
I noticed I was running in circles when I passed the same tree I used to sit under as a teen. If this is what it takes to get me away from these monsters, so be it; I can't fight a whole pack alone. My heart was racing as I kept checking behind me to see if I'd made it out safely, but I was disappointed to see that they were still following me closely.
It all started when they took blood from me while I was sleeping peacefully in my warm bed. A slap jolted me awake, my befuddled gaze meeting my mother's enraged ones. I let out a surprised gasp as the Alpha's hand quickly grasped my neck, his eyes meeting mine as he slowly squeezed my neck, not noticing his presence in the room. A cloaked figure stood behind them, a fancy crest smeared on the fabric they were wearing as they clutched their hands together, my blood seeping through and dripping onto the wooden floor.
My wolf growled and snarled at her pack's betrayal as I recognized the scent of my own blood. My human mind, on the other hand, was still bewildered and processing the situation's sudden acceleration.
"You're the King's mate." My Alpha spoke in hushed tones, disgust on his face.
My wolf took over and snarled at her Alpha, claws digging into his hand as she drew blood, sensing the danger we were in and wanting to buy time for the human side. A leg was quickly kicked out and settled onto his stomach, pushing him away and making a run for it, leaving the house she once called a safe haven and heading into the forest. When she noticed me attempting to reclaim control, she relinquished it without a fight, lingering in the back of my mind in case anything went wrong.
I kept running, deciding to concentrate on where I was going rather than where they were, my hands clenched into fists as I tried to ignore the burn in my feet.
Despite being the best fighter in this pack, I couldn't fight them. Those are the werewolves I grew up with, cared about, and considered to be family. I had complete faith in them. My mind was still perplexed as to what was going on, this all happening so quickly, while my heart continued to break into small pieces. Sadness, betrayal, and rage overtook me as I realized the gravity of the situation and understood the outcome.
My pack was always taught to despise the King and anything associated with him. It was something that every pack member should be taught, or else they would suspect someone of being a royal spy and have them killed. What no one knew was that I didn't despise the king. The king has done so much for our species that no matter what my pack says, I will remain loyal to him. After all, I had the opportunity to read about it while accompanying my father to another pack.
I have no idea who my birth parents are; my parents told me that they found me near the borders of their pack and took on the responsibility of caring for me. My (now ex-)father is a Beta, and it's important for him to know how to fight, so he taught me as well since he thought I might be the first female Beta. But not anymore.
I ran as fast as I could, tears streaming down my cheeks at the situation I'd been thrust into. I tripped on a rock, my foot twisted, resulting in a large gash on my ankle where blood kept trickling out and under my foot. I crept behind a tree, holding my breath, hoping that they wouldn't smell me. I knew it was wishful thinking, but I couldn't run any longer without aggravating the wound.
I couldn't heal as quickly as the others, and I was constantly bullied for it at the start of my adolescence. I couldn't figure out how they got my blood in the first place without any obvious wounds on my body.
I sat with my hand over my mouth, waiting for them to pass by, hoping for silence to follow. The only sound left was the air brushing against the bushes, which made me stiffen in anticipation of any of them bursting out of it at any moment. My hiding spot wasn't ideal either; it was a small hole under a massive tree trunk that allowed me to conceal my body behind it.
After a few minutes of silence, aside from the occasional bird screech, I decided to stand up and look for a better hiding spot. Just as I stood up, a hand placed on the trunk of the tree, I heard footsteps approaching my direction, an all familiar scent greeting me.
Shit, I've been caught. My eyes widen once I took a look on the person who appeared directly in front of me.
"You can't hide with that wound, Serene," she said, sighing, "We've been through this. I've always been there to treat your injuries, obviously I'd recognize that blood anywhere."
Willow, my best friend, stood before me. She had been with me since we were children and had never let anything else interfere with our friendship. This time, it appears she was unable to do so, her hatred for the King overpowering everything else. I didn't blame her; perhaps if we had met at a different time and place, we wouldn't be in the same predicament we are in now.
Another thought enters my mind as I meet her brown eyes, sadness adorning them.
How did they come to know that I was the King's Mate?
Following that thought, a flash of the cloaked figure with my blood held close to them appeared. I couldn't see their face at the time, but I knew they had to be the cause of everything.
Maybe a Witch?
Witches were all killed for a reason, so it couldn't be. If that figure was a witch, my pack would be in big trouble the moment word got out. It would be considered a rebellion, and the pack would have to be exterminated as a result of their rebellious nature. It wouldn't be the first.
"You can't hide anywhere, this land belongs to us, we know every inch of it," she continues, jolting me out of my reverie. "You've squandered my time; being your friend was already exhausting, and now you're his mate?"
I simply stare back at her, my lips tightening to form a straight line.
"His mate!" She yells now, making me jump and drawing the attention of the rest of the pack to us. "I'll see to it that you die with my own hands."
When we heard rushed footsteps approaching us, I tried crawling away in fear as she stood by my side, waiting until she decided it was safe to step on my foot, causing a yell to escape my lips. The agony was unbearable, as pressure on my open ankle incision sent a searing sensation up my leg.
"You've always been quite the troublemaker, haven't you? I should have listened to my gut instinct when I had the chance," she said, her voice shaky as tears slowly welled up in her eyes, "You know I can't just walk away. I'm sorry, this is what is expected from me."
A sly grin formed on her lips as she stared down at me, putting more pressure on the wound, a scream leaving my lips.
Her conflicting emotions contributed to revealing how much this was bothering her. Perhaps it was because her feelings of disdain for me as the King's mate clashed with her thoughts and loving attitude toward me as a friend. But, no matter how rational I try to be right now, I know she isn't normal and is on the verge of losing her mind.
Before I could react, she grabbed my hair and carried me to the heart of the forest. I'm guessing she was ordered to do so by the Alpha. I was thrown to the ground so hard that I might as well have started bleeding.
Alpha Noah. Many people used to wonder if he was influenced by something outside of himself or if he was simply born evil. The numerous instances of him committing crimes as a child were not ignored by anyone, but they were dismissed as a phase that would pass as he grew older. It did not change; in fact, it worsened. They quickly concluded that it was the latter, he is the evident son of evil.
"Alpha," she bowed her head in submission once he appeared, hands holding onto each other, "I have found her behind a tree, not far away from the house."
A chuckle escaped his lips, a shiver running down my spine in fear. The hint of darkness in that very chuckle showed how much of it was in his body that it leaked into the sound that should have been of amusement.
"Very well," his voice booms into the quiet forest, "You may start collecting your prize."
Suzy approached me and knelt down, her mouth close to my ear as she started to speak, "Poor, poor Serene. You've been thrown aside since birth. How about entirely abandoning this world?"
She then looked up to Alpha Noah, waiting for permission to continue.
"Proceed," with a sneer on his face, the Alpha said.
A kick landed on my side a split second later, a deadly glint crossing her eyes. My teeth were tight, and I suppressed my groan.
I wasn't going to give them the gratification of hearing my suffering, and I wasn't going to give in to their warped beliefs. I am completely innocent; they have clearly mistook me for someone else. I'm not mated to the King, and due to my origins, I'll never be Queen of all. I'm just an orphan trying to blend in with others like me, a werewolf who used to adore running through the very forest where I am being slain.
She kicked my side until she heard a crack and a scream leave my body before stopping, a hand pulling back her hair and behind her ears. Great, a broken rib.
My wolf whimpered, feeling helpless and unable to assist us. I do my best to console her, knowing that this was the end.
If I'm ever resurrected, I'd like to have you in my life, my dearest wolf.
"I've accomplished what I set out to do," she exclaimed, out of breath. She skipped over to her parents and hugged them before frowning at me.
Willow has always been physically weak and incapable of doing anything. Her previous threat to kill me had only been that: a threat. As I was amused by her actions, a soft laugh escaped my lips. Or, perhaps I am making a mockery of her.
Alpha Noah breathed a sigh of relief from behind me as I curled myself into a fetal position to hold onto my broken rib; constant pain emanated from that area.
I was abruptly picked up and thrown over his shoulder, and his walk towards the lake where he seemed to enjoy torturing people was quick. Many people had died as a result of this lake, with drowning being the most common cause of death, while others died as a result of.....decapitation.
Fear gripped my heart as I worried about what might happen to me. I hoped to drown rather than have my head severed. The mere thought of it caused nausea to spread from the bottom of my stomach to my throat, prompting me to cover my mouth with my hand, completely ignoring the pain at my side.
He stood at the edge of the lake, throwing me in before pressing my head into it, his foot doing the job. I did my best to hold my breath as long as possible, not wanting to lose consciousness anytime soon.
Noah knelt on one leg, grabbing my hair and pulling my head out of the water. I coughed harshly, my lungs doing their best to supply my body with what it required. I took deep breaths and moved my gaze to him with a burning hatred.
I've finally felt myself fill with rage toward this pack, the pack that had backstabbed me and was about to take my life.
Rolling his eyes, he brought my head back under water, keeping me there until I gasped for air and allowing water to enter my lungs. Black spots begin to cover my vision as I slowly feel myself giving up.
Weak and unable to move, the pressure on my head was let go.
I was left to die.
---
WARNINGS:
1)Dark Romance: It will contain themes that may be disturbing to some readers, such as BDSM, degradation, and other things that may make you question my morale. I'd also like to point out that this is an ENEMIES TO LOVERS book. I understand that this trope can irritate some people while entertaining others.
2) Suicidal ideation: The female protagonist will have suicidal thoughts at some point in the book; please read with caution, I cannot emphasize this enough. I'll include a warning later in the book, but I'm including one here in case anyone wants to avoid anything that contains such theme.
3) Slow burn: It will be slow, so slow that you will be angry at me (and I will be too, but that's part of the fun). It's always the sexual tension that keeps me going, so keep a look out for that!
4) If you are not comfortable reading books with gore, death, or violence in general, please stop reading now; this book contains a lot of it.
That's about it, I think! Happy reading. :)
