Defiled

Stirring, a frail, pale-skinned woman groaned as she shifted on the bed, frowning when something rigid pressed against her back. She distinctly remembered packing her clothes neatly into her wardrobe so what could possibly be hindering her movement?

Slowly, she opened her eyes, sighing in satisfaction from the deep, restful sleep. But as she turned onto her side, her breath hitched. Lying beside her, completely bare, was a strikingly handsome man.

"Ahhh!" She shrieked, scrambling away in panic only to lose her balance and tumble to the floor. A sharp gasp left her lips as realization dawned. She was naked!

Heart pounding, she yanked her duvet off the bed and wrapped it around herself, frantically trying to make sense of the situation. But before she could process anything, her gaze met his now-open eyes, cold, piercing, and darkened with displeasure.

"Who are you?" He demanded, sitting up, his tone laced with irritation as his scrutinizing gaze swept over her with clear disdain.

"I…I…" she stammered, struggling to find her voice, but no words came.

His frown deepened, and without care for his own state, he rose from the bed, utterly oblivious to the fact that his manhood was on full display.

"Ahh!" Lily shrieked, spinning around to avoid the sight, her heart hammering against her ribs. How had a man ended up in her…wait.

This wasn't her room.

A suffocating wave of dread crashed over her as she took in her surroundings, her breathing growing ragged. She wasn't in her bed. She wasn't even in her own quarters. And the man…

Her eyes widened in horror as recognition struck her like a bolt of lightning. Just last night, she had seen those sharp blue eyes when she had served the guests from Alpha Lucian's pack.

It was Alpha Lucian!

Panic gripped her, her mind racing. How had she ended up in the bed of the most feared Alpha? And worse, naked?

Her thoughts spiraled as a sharp sting throbbed between her legs. No… no, they couldn't have… done that, could they?

Had she truly been defiled by a man who was neither her husband nor her mate?

Her stomach twisted violently. To make matters even more devastating, this was her step-sister's betrothed. What would she tell her family? Would they even let her speak before sentencing her to death?

A terrifying silence filled the room, then, in an instant, a hand wrapped around her throat, slamming her against the cold stone wall. She gasped, her body freezing in shock.

"I asked who you are!" Lucian thundered, his fingers tightening around her neck. His gaze was as cold as death itself, and in that moment, she swore she saw her life flash before her eyes.

Her fingers clawed helplessly at the wall as she struggled to breathe, but she knew…this was it. This was how she would die.

Suddenly, the door flung open, and Alpha Lucian hurled Lily to the floor. Lily had never felt so relieved, not even as relieved as she felt when she finally licked an ice cream. Coughing, she clutched her throat, gasping for breath as she crawled backward, putting as much distance between herself and him as possible in case he decided to strangle her again.

"What is going on here?!" Her father's thunderous voice filled the room, making her jolt. Trembling, she gripped the duvet tighter and lowered her head.

Lucian, still utterly unbothered by his naked state, turned to Alpha Brian and his family, his gaze sharp with accusation. "I believe the question should be directed at you, Alpha Brian. Why is your illegitimate daughter in my bed? What did you put in my drink last night? Was this your grand scheme to force her into my arms and stop my marriage with your legitimate daughter?"

"I have no idea what you mean," Alpha Brian retorted, his voice firm. "But if you are trying to avoid taking responsibility for defiling my daughter, I won't let this slide." His cold stare landed on Lily, making her shrink further into herself.

Lucian let out a bitter chuckle. "Defile her? Why would I waste my time on an illegitimate daughter, especially one who throws herself at men? Perhaps you should question her first before jumping to conclusions." His words dripped with contempt.

Lily curled in on herself, pressing her forehead against her knees. 'Please, Moon Goddess… save me.' She prayed.

"She may be a bastard, but she was not raised that way!" Alpha Brian snapped.

For a fleeting moment, warmth spread through Lily's chest at his defense. But then the word bastard rang in her ears, and whatever comfort she felt vanished.

"Sister, why did you do this?" Selena, her step-sister, stepped forward, voice quivering with sorrow. "Did you want my fiancé so badly that you seduced him behind my back? If you had just told me, I could have begged Father to let you have him! But instead, you chose to disgrace me." Tears spilled down her cheeks as she covered her face, her mother quickly rushing to console her.

Lily lifted her head, her heart twisting at the sight of her step-sister's tears. Even now, even knowing the truth, she hated herself for being weak.

"Sis…sis…" she croaked, but no matter how hard she tried, the words refused to come.

She clenched her fists, despising her own weakness. Why couldn't she speak? Why couldn't she defend herself like her sister could? At times, she wondered if she had been cursed from birth…born only to suffer.

Alpha Brian sighed heavily. "Before we pass judgment, please get dressed, Alpha Lucian. We shall meet in the courtroom once you are ready." Then, shifting his gaze to Lily, he ordered, "Get her a gown and bring her to the courtroom."

At his command, two maids stepped forward, lifting Lily from the floor and escorting her out of the room.

Once she was gone, Alpha Brian turned back to Lucian. "Once again, I apologize for this disgrace. We will be awaiting your presence in the courtroom."

Lucian's expression remained unreadable. "I trust this will not affect our arrangement." His words were calm, but the underlying threat was unmistakable.

Alpha Brian met his gaze, unflinching. "We shall see, Alpha Lucian."

With that, he turned and walked into the bathroom, leaving Alpha Brian standing alone until he finally left with his family.