Slave No More: The Alpha's Broken Luna

Nerya's POV:

"Where the hell did she go?"

The Beta's shout rang through the house. I knew at once that he was talking about me. After all, I was the only servant on the estate. Everyone called for me whenever they needed something, and they blamed me whenever anything went wrong. I swallowed a weary sigh and picked up my cleaning caddy.

As soon as Kyron saw me, he stormed across the room in a few quick strides. His palm struck my cheek with such force that my vision blurred. I made no sound. Years of suffering through this treatment had taught me one rule. I had to remain silent and speak only when someone addressed me. I followed that rule even as my cheek burned.

"Alpha Toren and I are expecting guests," he spat. "You were told to clean the office, but you still haven't done it."

I bowed my head obediently and gripped the handle of my basket until my fingers turned white. If I had possessed enough courage to smash it against his skull, my day might have been somewhat pleasant. However, I restrained myself. He was much stronger than I was, and I couldn't endure another week in the cellar without food. My stomach already felt painfully empty.

"We have to make a good impression on Alpha Darek. Do you even understand how important an alliance with his pack would be?"

I remained silent. I recognized a trap when I heard one. He only wanted to force an answer from me so he could use it as an excuse to punish me. I kept my gaze fixed on the floor and refused to look at him.

Alpha Darek... I had only heard his name in the rumors whispered by pack members who believed I was too insignificant to pay attention. From what I had gathered, he was ruthless and feared by every wolf. He never smiled or backed down, and he ruled the most powerful pack in existence.

"He commands Black Shadow, the largest pack in the world," Kyron continued. "We need him."

He didn't explain why. No one had ever attacked our pack, and we had never provoked a war. I couldn't understand why we suddenly needed an alliance.

Without warning, his hands closed around my shoulders. His nails sank painfully into my thin skin. He spun me around and kicked me hard, sending me stumbling toward the hallway.

"Useless she-wolf," he muttered before walking away.

I slipped into the office and quietly closed the door behind me. For several seconds, I rested against the heavy wood. The room was already spotless. Every pen remained in its proper place, and everything had been prepared perfectly for a meeting with a famously powerful Alpha.

I closed my eyes and slid down the door until I reached the floor. I hated that house. I had once believed I would finally escape as soon as I turned eighteen. Four years had passed since then, yet I remained there as a slave in my own home. I handled the hardest and most thankless chores for my brother, Alpha Toren, the entire pack, and my former mate, Beta Kyron. He spent every day reminding me of how worthless he thought I was.

Someone cleared his throat, and my blood turned cold.

For a moment, I wondered whether I had imagined the sound. I had been certain that I was alone. I leaned forward and noticed a man sitting in a wingback chair in the corner of the room. One ankle rested casually across his knee, and he held a glass of amber liquor between his fingers. His dark hair had been cut short, but his deep crimson eyes seemed almost unreal.

His gaze met mine without warning. I scrambled backward until my spine struck the door, and my heart began pounding violently.

"Is that how you greet every Alpha?" he asked. Dark amusement colored his deep voice.

"I'm sorry," I murmured as I hurried to my feet. "I... I thought I was alone."

I didn't know who he was, but I felt the suffocating power rolling off him even without my wolf. He didn't introduce himself. I couldn't imagine why he would bother.

"Come here."

The sharp command left no room for refusal. A hard lump formed in my throat. Alpha Toren was going to kill me because of this.

I moved away from the door and obeyed, stopping where the man could see me clearly. Instinct took over, and I squeezed my eyes shut as I prepared for the worst.

"You have an unusual scent. You're a she-wolf, aren't you?"

I nodded because I couldn't predict how he would react. Most people laughed as soon as they discovered what I was.

"Use your words," he growled. "I'm not in the mood for games."

"Yes," I whispered.

Images of my next punishment immediately filled my mind. It might be the whip, or they might leave me to starve in the darkness for another week.

"Why does your scent seem different? How did you fail to sense me? You should have smelled me."

"I..."

I hated that question.

"Speak. I don't have all day."

He raised his glass and slowly took a sip.

I knew exactly why I hadn't detected his scent or noticed his presence. However, explaining it brought a kind of humiliation I dreaded every time. No one had ever cared enough to listen to my side of the story. They only laughed at me, mocked me, and reduced me to the flaw that had defined my miserable existence.

"You should keep your eyes open when you speak to someone," he continued. "Avoiding someone's gaze is rude. Has your Alpha taught you nothing?"

The low rumble in his voice sent a shiver down my spine.

I slowly opened my eyes but kept them focused on the floor. I would never have dared to look an Alpha directly in the face.

"My wolf was sealed," I murmured.

Twice, I wanted to add. They had sealed her twice. However, a man like him wouldn't have cared about the details.

He leaned forward and carefully placed his glass on the side table. The weight of his stare settled heavily over me.

"Why would anyone do that to you?"

If he truly was the Alpha my brother wanted to impress, I could destroy the entire alliance by saying too much. I chose the safest answer.

"It was a punishment."

My answer didn't reveal the entire truth, but it wasn't a lie.

A muscle moved along his jaw. I couldn't tell whether anger had seized him or whether my punishment amused him as much as it amused everyone else.

The office door flew open with a bang.

"Nerya, what the hell are you doing in my office?" my brother shouted.

Then he noticed the man with the crimson eyes.

"I'm sorry my sister disturbed you, Alpha Darek."

A chill ran through my blood. The man before me truly was Alpha Darek.

Toren spun toward me and lifted his hand to hit me. I shut my eyes tight and prepared for the blow.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

A deadly growl lowered Alpha Darek's voice as it carried through the room.

Cautiously, I opened my eyes. Darek had risen from his chair and locked his large hand firmly around my brother's wrist.

Beside him, Toren looked smaller and far less intimidating. A calm but frightening power showed in every part of Darek's broad body.

"Nerya was kind enough to show me to your office, Alpha Toren," he remarked. Hearing him speak my name sent an odd jolt through me. "You weren't waiting at the door to welcome me as requested, but luckily, she was there. At least one person in this pack understands how important our meeting is."

Not a single part of me moved.

Nothing about his actions made sense to me. He had no reason to protect me with a lie.

Murder filled Toren's glare as his jaw tightened. I knew he would punish me for this later. Before that happened, I would have to sneak into the kitchen and steal a few scraps of food.

"Go and get Beta Kyron," Toren instructed through his tightly controlled anger. "Tell him our guest is here."

I lowered my head and rushed out of the room. I wanted nothing to do with a conflict between two Alphas.

"Beta Kyron," I called out softly when I entered the dining room.

His dark and menacing eyes snapped toward me at once. I had dared to speak before he gave me permission.

"Alpha Toren is waiting with Alpha Darek in the office," I said in a hurry. "He sent me to inform you."

Kyron struck the newspaper against the table and stormed past me with a vicious look.

"You're fortunate the Alpha ordered you to fetch me. If he hadn't, I would've kept you away from daylight for days."

Stopping right behind me, he seized a handful of my hair and pulled my head back. A sharp pain spread across my scalp while his fingers tightened around the strands. His heated breath touched my ear. Not a single word left his mouth. He didn't need to say anything. This was another cruel way for him to remind me that he owned me and could do whatever he pleased whenever he wished.

Once he was gone, I kept myself occupied by cleaning the floors as far away from the office as I could manage. However, that short break soon ended. Before long, Toren's voice thundered along the hallway as he called my name.

Quietly, I headed back and forced my face to look empty and obedient before I opened the door.

"Nerya, bring us champagne and some glasses. We have a reason to celebrate."

With my gaze lowered, I rushed over to the liquor cabinet. I quickly collected a vintage bottle of champagne and the crystal flutes. As soon as I returned to the office, Alpha Darek's steady gaze followed everything I did. The tiny hairs along the back of my neck rose. Never before had anyone watched me with that much focus.

Moving toward the side table beside his chair, I reached for the bottle to fill the glasses. Before I managed to pour anything, his large hand closed around it and easily took it from me.

"I can serve myself."

Heat rushed into my cheeks because of pure fear, not embarrassment. This mistake would earn me another beating. I should have moved more quickly. I should have filled the glasses before entering the room. I should have...

My panicked thoughts stopped the moment I saw Toren staring at me with open rage.

"Is Nerya truly your sister?" Alpha Darek asked.

"She is," Toren answered, making little effort to hide his disgust.

At last, he dragged his attention away from me and turned toward his guest.

"Why do you treat her as if she's worthless, then?"

His question hit without warning. Toren's body went rigid. Being challenged always angered him, especially if he couldn't control what others believed.

Until that moment, no one had ever challenged the way he treated me. Every pack member seemed to enjoy insulting me, beating me, and drawing my blood. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. My body remained locked in place while every part of me begged to run and escape the room. If the alliance failed because of me, I would be the one who suffered for it.

"Nerya caused our parents' deaths," Toren spat.

My eyes fell shut while I struggled to hold back the burning tears.

"How was she responsible?" Darek asked. His low voice suddenly carried a dark edge.

"She gave them wolfsbane."