Court

The ride to Silver Pack wasn't long. She kept her body as still as possible, afraid that the slightest movement might draw Alpha Raventhorn's attention. Every few minutes, she could feel his gaze on her like a wolf eyeing a rabbit.

She dared not speak. The weight of her decision settled in during the ride. She had willingly left with the man known as the Butcher of Silver Pack. What in the name of the moon goddess had she been thinking? Maybe all those beatings she had taken over the months had rattled her brain. No one wanted her in the Crimson Pack anyway; they were probably throwing a celebration now that she was gone. Still, she could replay Selene's shrieking face over and over. That alone almost made this move worth it.

By the time they arrived, the sheer grandeur of Silver Pack took her breath away. Unlike the Crimson Pack's estate, Silver Pack had a fortress. A literal fortress. If a war broke out tomorrow, Ava was convinced this place could hold its own for a century. The grand entrance led to an even more imposing castle-like mansion, where rows of uniformed gammas stood at attention. She swallowed.

Yeah. Definitely in enemy territory now.

Raventhorn stepped out of the car, his presence commanding even when silent. The men on motorcycles moved in sync like a well-trained army. One of them opened the door for her, she caught Raventhorn already walking ahead.

Instead of following him, the guards ushered her in the opposite direction. She barely had time to take in her surroundings before they led her through an imposing set of iron doors, the sound of music filtering in as they walked down a dimly lit hallway. Then, the hallway opened up into a vast, luxurious living room, where several women lounged on plush sofas like queens in their court.

They were all stunning.

Silence fell the moment she stepped in. Even the music cut off, as if the sound system itself sensed the shift in energy.

Ava shifted uncomfortably. Oh great. More people who already hated her.

The tallest and most elegant of the women who sat with her legs crossed and a wine glass in hand like some regal empress was the first to speak. "Who is this?"

"The new concubine," one of the guards responded.

Ava barely had time to process that before the youngest among them groaned dramatically. "There he goes again."

"Be nice," the first woman chided. She rose and walked toward Ava, eyes scanning her from head to toe with the precision of a jeweler appraising a flawed diamond.

"I'm Nelly," she finally said. "I'm the first concubine."

"First?" Ava's eyebrow twitched. "You all have ranks?"

Nelly smirked. "Of course. It's not all about beauty, dear." her gaze flickered over Ava's bruises.

Ava remained silent. She wasn't here to spill her life's tragic backstory. She had one goal: to stop being a victim. Raventhorn was the key to that, and she was determined to turn that key.

Another girl approached, inspecting Ava's bruises with disturbing fascination. "I'm Lily," she said "And that's Sarah."

Ava scanned their faces once more. Nelly carried herself with a commanding presence. Lily had an air of mischief about her. And Sarah? Sarah looked like she had been forced to eat a lemon and wasn't quite over it.

"Lucas doesn't keep weak women," Nelly noted.

Ava's eyes darkened. "What makes you think I'm weak?"

Nelly gestured to the bruises. "Because an attacker rarely comes back to hurt a prey that fights back."

Ava's lips curled into a cold smile. "Then I suppose Lucas must have been quite impressed with me."

Nelly chuckled. "We'll see. You can either let this place chew you up and spit you out, or you can fight."

Lily clapped her hands. "Great! Let's get the maids to clean you up. That dress is a crime against fashion."

Sarah huffed. "You lot are way too excited about a new rival."

"Sarah," Nelly sighed, "you'll get used to it. Someday."

Ava was starting to wonder what fresh hell she had walked into.

*****

If someone had told Ava that transformation involved getting stripped, thrown into a steaming bath, and having all evidence of her past burned, she would have assumed they meant some cult initiation.

She sat in the bath while omegas scrubbed her down like they were trying to erase her existence. Maybe they were. The hot water stung, but Ava swallowed the pain. Now wasn't the time to show weakness.

Funny. She used to be the one helping others bathe and dress. Maybe she had made the right choice after all.

"Let's make you look like someone worthy of an alpha," Nelly mused as she supervised the process like an artist directing a masterpiece.

The omegas worked efficiently. By the time they were done, her bruises were fading, her skin glowed, and her hair cascaded in soft waves. When they draped her in a silky red dress that screamed 'seduction incarnate,' she barely recognized herself in the mirror.

She stepped into the grand living room, feeling like a princess on the outside but an absolute mess on the inside.

Sarah was the first to notice. Her scowl softened. "Well, at least you don't look like something the cat dragged in."

Lily gasped. "Sarah! Be nice!"

Sarah folded her arms. "That was a compliment."

Ava tilted her head. "Why is Sarah the only one upset about me being the latest concubine? You all don't mind sharing a man?"