Chapter 5

Aurora's POV

A thousand questions traveled through my mind as I wondered how on God's green earth, I ended up perched on the back of Jason's horse.

The wind howled around us as Jason's horse galloped through the dense forest, carrying us towards his pack.

My arms were from around him, his presence too close, too familiar and he had no damned idea who I was.

I gritted my teeth against the sickening irony.

The weight of the past coiled inside me like a waiting serpent.

Soon.

Soon, I would drive my fangs into his heart the way he did mine.

For now, I played the part.

I let the fear linger in my eyes. I kept my shoulders hunched, my hands trembling like an obedient, broken slave.

Jason had never questioned it.

The moment we rode through the grand gates of the RedMoon Pack, the people stared.

When I got down it got worse — Gasps and murmurs spread like wildfire.

“The Alpha brought home a slave?”

“Who is she?”

“Why would the Alpha take in a filthy outsider?”

“Do you think she's a prize he won in a recent conquest?”

I kept my head low, pretending not to hear.

Let them whisper. I relished their shock.

Let them wonder. They were merely pieces on my board, unaware of the game I was playing.

Jason dismounted, his sharp gaze cutting through the crowd. “Enough!”

Silence fell immediately.

With a flick of his wrist, he ordered the guards to take the horses.

Then he turned to me. “Come, Melissa.”

I had told Jason my name was Melissa and he believed it right away.

I forced my lips into a timid nod. I had to remind myself of the name. Aurora was dead. Melissa was the meek, helpless slave Jason had unknowingly rescued and Melissa would be the one to bring him to his knees.

Days bled into weeks and weeks into a month. I played my part well.

Jason was a man of routine, and I learned quickly – where he went, who he spoke to, what made him tick. I moved carefully, subtly integrating myself into his life.

At first, I made myself invisible, like a shadow in the packhouse. I was just another slave washing floors and doing laundry.

And then, he began to notice me. Well, I made him notice.

Every slave knew the first rule of survival was : never meet an Alpha's eyes.

Another rule was : bow your head, don't speak when spoken to, and never, ever challenge the dominance of an Alpha. Not even by accident.

Yet, I broke every fucking rule.

I looked in his eyes while I fetched his meals, I held my head high in the halls where he sat, I made suggestions during his meetings – smart ones and got praise instead of whips. It was no accident. I wanted him to see me!

One day, he summoned me, only me, to his chambers.

“You summoned me, Lord Alpha.” I said the moment our eyes met.

I dare not look away, not when he was assessing me, as if peeling back layers of my skin.

He was warning me.

I decided to play the dumb slave again.

I tore my gaze away and bowed my head.

“Come here.” He said in a deep, commanding voice.

I took slow, measured steps towards him and dropped the tray of wine on the stool beside him.

As I tried to move back, I felt his hand on mine, his finger lifting my chin to look at me.

He was closer now, his aura, a storm of thunder and pine.

“You're either very brave or very stupid.” He said in a smooth, velvety voice.

A smirk ghosted my lips and I quickly dismissed it.

“You will serve me personally from now on.” He said.

Finally, he noticed me. I almost did a victory dance. And now, there would be no escaping me.

I walked out of his chambers with a smile on my face.

The plan was going smoothly. It was too easy, almost too easy.

“You should watch yourself, girl.” A voice hissed.

I paused in the hallway and turned.

There a woman was, poised like a queen. Her auburn hair cascaded over her shoulders, her green eyes burning with rage.

I didn't remember meeting her. I almost asked who she was.

“Don't act so innocent, slave!” She said with a sneer. “Don't act so innocent, you snake! I see what you're doing.”

I acted innocent. “What am I doing, my lady?”

She stepped closer, staring at me like I was poisonous. “If you think you can take what's mine then you're dead wrong.”

Foolish woman.

She had no idea who I was and I didn't either.

“I would never dream of it, my lady.” I bowed my head.

She grabbed my chin and forced me to look at her. “Let me make sure you don't dream about it. My name is Lydia, Alpha Jason's mistress – one and only mistress.”

One and only mistress. Yeah, right.

“Get out.” She said with a hiss.

“Yes, ma'am.” I forced another bow before turning on my heels and striding away.

As I walked the hallways, I saw another shadow brushed past me.

Something was off.

I hid between the pillars of the hall and waited.

Suddenly, a voice spilled out in the quiet. “I don't care how you do it. Make the bitch suffer!”

Me?

A slow smile stretched across my lips.

“Oh, Lydia, you should be more careful who you pick fights with.”

Because I had already survived death once.

And this time, I wasn't going anywhere.